|
Chapter Twelve "Gimme that map, ya screwy fox!" Gravos grumbled, snatching the parchment from Jillas. "Ya can't be readin' it right!" "I am too!" Jillas protested, huddling under his cloak against the freezing rain. Gravos squinted at it, then crumpled it into a ball. "How can anybody be readin' it right?" he demanded. "The rain's got it all blurred to hell'n back!" "I was reading it before it got blurred," Jillas retorted. "Just a few more miles down that way, there's a junction, and we take the road leading north. That will take us to the border, and just past that is the White Magic Capital." "Bah." Gravos shoved the crumpled map in his pocket, and put his hand back on the ox's shoulder. "Get up!" Jillas tagged along behind to keep watch on the egg as the ox started lumbering down the somewhat muddy road, crusted over with fragile layers of ice. "I tell ya one thing, they better be more willin' to take us in when we get there than the inns we've seen so far. If I gotta take one more minute longer than I gotta for this kinda weather, somebody's skull's gonna get broke." "Just try to not make a bad impression," Jillas called up to him. "Well..." Gravos smirked. "I'll try, but I might gotta slam their bodies into the ground a few times to get the impression lookin' right." "Just try not to get us banned from the place before we find the princess." "Will ya quit yer worryin'?" Gravos looked over his shoulder. "How's the kid?" "Fine, as near as I can tell." Gravos returned his gaze to the road ahead of them. "She really is my oneesan." Jillas' voice was full of pride. "She came up with this invention all by herself, too. I can't wait to tell her how well it worked." "And when do ya think yer gonna get to do that?" "Well, when we see her again." He paused. "You do think we'll see her again, don't you?" "No, Jillas." Gravos looked back at his friend. "I can't say I do." The foxman's ears drooped. "Why do you say that?" "Coupl'a reasons. We gotta take care of the kid, we promised her that. Plus, Dragons live a hellalot longer than our kind. Finally, we don't know what she told that Mazoku about our goin' away. We could screw the whole works up by darkenin' her door again." "Well, yeah, but she knows where we are! She'll come find us when it's okay to go back." Gravos didn't answer him. "Right? She will, right?" Gravos shook his head. "I don't suppose she will, 'cause I don't suppose it'd ever be safe. Not in our lifetimes anyway." "But, Gravos--" "Whoa." He halted the ox and turned to face Jillas. "I know ya wanna see her again. Hell, yer not the only one. But lookin' back now, it was gettin' too dangerous for any of us to stay." "We could find Lord Valgaav..." "An' then what?" Gravos sighed in exasperation. "We gotta take care'a the kid. He's way the hell back there, if he's even where I think he is. Besides, what can he do?" "He can fight him!" "Jillas, get real. Once, he could'a, sure. But that Mazoku's the stronger one. All we'd be doin' is gettin' him killed." He slapped the ox's shoulder lightly. "Get up." They walked in silence for several long minutes. "Do you think it's hopeless, boss?" Gravos didn't reply immediately, considering his answer. "I think we've got about as much hope as I figure we're gonna get." "Do you think oneesan'll be okay?" "A'course I do," Gravos replied automatically. "There has got to be something we can do." "Like what?" "There's got to be somebody strong enough to fight him. Maybe Inverse." Gravos snorted in disgust. "It'll be a cold day in hell before we see any help from the likes of her. She tried to kill Lord Valgaav, in case you forgot." "But she's friends with oneesan!" "And with that Mazoku. Jillas, I know ya wanna help her, but if ya do, you'll do what she told us to do, and that's watch the kid." "She did put an awful lot of thought into this..." Jillas admitted reluctantly. "And don't ya be forgetting' that." "Princess Amelia, with deepest respect, I would advise postponing your daily ride for a little while longer." Amelia blinked and raised a slender black eyebrow as she looked up at her guard. "Why? What's going on?" she asked, tugging her jacket straight as she adjusted the buttons. "It seems there's some unsavory rabble by the southern gate causing a bit of a problem in the city, and they're searching for you. It would also seem that they have obtained a counterfeit royal symbol and are using it to try to gain access." Face, meet hand. Amelia sighed heavily, dragging her palm down her features. "And hearing that, I'm more than certain it's okay and that it's not counterfeit. Have any buildings been blown up yet?" "No, your highness," the guard replied. "Were you expecting someone?" "Not really, but it wouldn't be unlikely for it to be someone I know." She drummed her fingers against the tan material of her jodhpurs as she considered what to do. The guard was quiet for a moment. "Your highness, with all due respect, you know some of the most...unusual individuals," he said carefully. "Tell me about it. Send someone along ahead and tell them I'm on my way, and try not to level the city," Amelia instructed the guard, and added sotto voce, "again." She picked up her pace and jogged out into the courtyard, cutting across it to the royal stables. The groom already had her favorite mare brushed and saddled, and Amelia wasted no time swinging up onto her back. She gathered up the dual reins and clucked her tongue, urging the horse into an easy lope as she slid her boots into the stirrups. Amelia shifted her weight and urged the mare to pick up speed as they neared the low paddock gate, and cleared it with little effort. She wasn't really supposed to ride that quickly down the cobblestoned streets of Seyruun, but if it was Miss Lina or Mister Zelgadis, it would be better for the city on the whole if she got there quickly to put a lid on any trouble. It was second nature to guide the bay through a virtual maze of buildings and citizens, for Amelia had been riding since almost before she could walk. Skilled fingers barely pulled and tightened the reins attached to the two bits in the horse's sensitive mouth. She only had to rein in the mare to a slower speed twice as her route was blocked, and coaxed her back into a swift canter as they skirted around wagons. "Whoa, girl." Amelia brought the mare to a stop, and the bay pranced in a tight circle, tossing her head and snorting as Amelia looked around the crossroad. They were near the southern gate, but she wasn't sure which street. "If you're looking for the trouble, your highness, the scoundrels are down that way yonder," a man called out, and pointed to the street to her left. "Thank you!" Amelia replied, and loosened her grip on the dual reins as she clucked her tongue. The mare didn't need the encouragement; she was already flighty from the high-speed departure, and the princess' own adrenaline rush. When she rounded a corner, coming into sight of the assembled soldiers and guards, Amelia realized that it wasn't anyone she expected. "Gravos! Jillas!" Amelia called out, slowing the mare to a trot as the guards parted to allow her admittance. "Stand down, everyone, it's okay!" "I told you she'd show up, boss!" she heard Jillas say, then he waved at her as she reined in the mare. "Hi, princess!" "You came to visit! Everyone, it's okay, I know them," Amelia told the guards, who still didn't look happy about not getting a chance to throw them in a cell, especially Gravos. The big lizardman held a gleam in his remaining eye that was similar to Lina's just before casting a dil brand or a fireball. Amelia arrived in the nick of time. "It's good to see you! Come on, let's get you out of this weather, you must have been on the road for a long time. Is Miss Filia here?" "No, she ain't," Gravos said, still glaring at the guards. "But she sent ya a present." "Your highness, I protest! We must inspect the wagon to ensure this isn't a trap." "Nobody's looking in there!" Jillas snapped, baring his fangs, the jovial mood Amelia briefly glimpsed gone. Amelia sweatdropped. "It's okay," she assured the soldiers. "Did they have a royal seal with them?" The captain handed her a ring. "They had this on them. A clever fake if I say so myself." "It's not a fake," Amelia retorted, examining it. "It's my own signet ring I gave Miss Filia. Go back to your posts, all of you." She beckoned to Jillas and Gravos. "Follow me, let's go to the stables." "Your highness, are you certain this is wise?" the captain said. Amelia's patience was wearing thin. "Are you questioning the crown princess' judgment?" "N-no, your highness." "I didn't think so. Come along, you two." She wheeled the mare about and kept the reins tight, holding her back at a walk to stay alongside the ox. "This isn't the best time of year to be out traveling around in," she told them as they started back to the castle. The bay pranced in short, mincing steps, creating a slow, gentle trot. "This must be an important present." "It is." Gravos glanced at her over the ox's broad back, then turned his attention to the street. Amelia didn't like the gravity in his tone or expression, and glanced back to the cart, realizing for the first time smoke was trickling out of it. "Um...it's on fire?" "There's an oven in there," Jillas explained. "Oneesan invented it." Amelia shook her head in confusion, and he waved her off. "You'll understand once we get to a place that's safe." "And this'll probably be somethin' that you'll be thinkin' the less folks who know, the better, if ya get my meanin'," Gravos added. Amelia frowned, looking back at the cart, narrowing her eyes in thought. "This is big, isn't it?" "Oh, yeah." "So, that's what we did," Gravos said. "And here we are," added Jillas from his spot by the fireplace, tending to the Dragon egg in the braided basket. Amelia looked to her father. "Daddy?" Prince Philionel's normally grizzled face was even more intimidated with the thoughtful scowl settled on his features. He stroked his thick moustache with his thumb and forefinger, studying the egg. "Yes, princess?" With most people, it was her title. With her father, it was a term of endearment. "What should we do?" He didn't answer immediately. Amelia saw Jillas put his ears back nervously as her father stood, slowly crossing the room to stand by the egg. "It's not very just to separate a mother and child, and coming between a mother Dragon and a hatchling can be downright dangerous," Philionel said at last, studying the egg. "But we don't--" Jillas started to protest, then immediately shut up as the Crown Prince glanced in his direction. "But the priestess would have had to allow you to take the egg for you two to still be in one piece." He looked over at Gravos briefly. "Obviously, she fears for the child's life." "We just tol'ja that," Gravos complained. Philionel continued, undaunted. "We don't know everything that is going on, and the wrong move could betray her trust in us, in Seyruun itself! The only fair thing, the only just thing we can do is take this Dragon child in as one of own!" He smacked a meaty fist against his palm. "In the meantime, we shall continue with the quest for justice! We will send out scouts to search both high and low for this Valgaav--" "Daddy." "--and bring him in--" "Daddy!" "--on charges--" "DADDY!" "--of...what?" "We can't." "What do you mean, we can't? Can't is just a word! With justice, anything is possible!" "That's true, Daddy, but I also know Mister Xellos." "Xellos? That priest who saved my life against my addlebrained nephew's schemes?" "Yes, Daddy. That Xellos." "Good, good. He helped you against this Valgaav person, didn't he?" "Well, yes, but--" "We'll find him and--" "DADDY!" "What?" Philionel frowned in slight irritation at the constant interruptions. "Daddy, the Mazoku they're talking about, the one who Miss Filia's afraid will harm the baby, that's Mister Xellos." Philionel was quiet for a moment. "Xellos...is a Mazoku?" "A very, very powerful one, Daddy. The priest and general of the Beastmaster." He visibly twitched. "A Mazoku saved my life?" "Yes, Daddy." Another twitch. "And you've fought with him as an ally?" "Yes, Daddy." "WHERE DID I GO WRONG WITH YOU?" he wailed. Amelia rested her head in her hands. "You didn't, Daddy. The enemy of our enemy can be our friend, I learned that while traveling with Miss Lina. But we don't know what's happening here." Philionel made a disgruntled sound, and returned to his chair. "Well, what do you think we should do?" Amelia shook her head slowly, staring at the flames licking up the fireplace. "Mister Valgaav could very well have had a flashback and attacked Miss Filia. Mister Xellos could very well be protecting her, and even though they fought so much together while we were traveling, things seemed to be okay at the end with them. She even helped get him to safety when he was injured. But Mister Xellos really does hate Mister Valgaav. So even if Miss Filia's safe with Mister Xellos, the baby might not be. But we can't go around doing anything to advertise that we have the baby, or we won't be able to keep it safe." "What are you talking about? Of course we can," Philionel groused. "No, Daddy. Not with Mister Xellos. Maybe from other Mazoku, but he knows us too well. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I learned that one too." Philionel looked at Amelia, and then to the egg. "So we're raising a Dragon." "It looks that way, Daddy." "Are you up to that? I've never raised a Dragon before either, but I know it's not easy." "I can do anything, just so long as justice is on my side." "That's my daughter." "Besides that," Jillas said, speaking up again, "we'll be here to help." "The fewer people who know about this Dragon, the better. I'll find you a nursemaid who's trustworthy, and the four of you can tend to the child." "Okay, Daddy." She looked to the egg. "Does anyone know how long before it hatches?" "Oneesan said sometime this spring." Jillas stood, and withdrew a narrow box from his bag. "She sent this too, for the hatchling." Amelia took the box and opened it. Carefully, she lifted the contents. It was a slender, braided hair necklace, the locks quite obviously belonging to Filia. Woven into the plaits halfway up the quill was a black feather; the tip pointed downward and to the side slightly, almost like a pendant of sorts. "It's her hair, and one of his feathers from his wings." She returned it to the box, laying it in carefully. "I'll be sure to give it to the baby when its old enough. Do we know if it's a boy or girl." "Neither." "Did Miss Filia ever suggest a name?" Jillas' expression was blank, and he looked to Gravos, who shook his head. "Not that we know about. I guess it's up to us to name it." "We'll wait until it hatches." Amelia looked to the egg. "In the meantime, I'll try to find something suitably appropriate." "And I'll make sure we have plenty of livestock for fresh meat come spring. Baby Dragons have an appetite like Lina's." Amelia looked to her father and sweatdropped. "This should be interesting, then." |
to be continued...
Chapter Thirteen