Chapter Twelve.
 
 

Xahar looked out on the fabled palace he once knew as a second home, then up at the dragon carrying him.  "Are we flying on?"

"It's too long of a journey.  As you thought, we'll overnight here.  We're always welcome here."  He touched down gently in the field the dragons usually landed in, letting Xahar out of his cage.  "There you go.  I'll be leaving just after sunup.  It'll be a few hours flight to the clan's caves."

"Thank you," he said, stepping out and bowing to him.  He grabbed his bag.  "I'll see you in the morning."  He walked up to the gate nearest the field, smiling at the guard he knew.  "Tradad."

"Do I know you?"

Xahar gave him a pouting look and the man's eyes bugged.  "You should remember that night we spent drinking," he said dryly.  "I've come with some messages and I'm only here for the night.  Is the top dance instructor in?"

"X...Xahar," he breathed, hugging him.  "How are you?"

"Fine.  Doing fairly well.  I'm dancing for some court types now and then and making sinful money doing it."  He flipped his braid back over his shoulder.  "I have messages."  He grinned.  "I'm doing an engagement for the dragons," he said, pointing back at his ride.

"Wow."  He smiled and opened the gate.  "Go on in.  They're in the West Hall tonight, doing a show.  Maybe you should join in."

"Maybe," he offered, smiling and hugging him again.  "If I've got free time, I'll come back to chat."  He headed up to the palace at a light jog, smiling at the mage on the balcony.  "Are you Mage Bishar?"

"No, I'm not.  He's in the West Hall watching the dancing."  He looked the man over.  "You're a warrior?"

"No, I'm a dancer," he said with a grin.  "Would you lead me?  It's been years since I trained here."

"How long?"

"I used to have tea with Master Mage Urin."

"That's been a while," he agreed, tossing out the thing he was smoking and leading him inside.  "You carry a message for Bishar?"

"From Mica.  He's just taken over the mage academy in my town.  We've seen each other a few times."  He smiled when he heard the music.  "That's like a sweet melody from a dream.  I've had to make due."  He nodded and slipped inside the hall, catching someone's eye and winking.  He found the mages section easily, they were all staring like they were pouting at the dancers.  "You know, many fine mages take inspiration from ones such as ourselves," he offered.  "I have a message for Mage Bishar from Mage Mica?"  One grunted and he handed it over, and it was handed to the right person after a glance.  "Who's the head trainer here now?  I have one from the trainer near me."  One of the mages looked at him and he smirked. "I'm Xahar.  I used to have tea often with Urin."

"He's the one behind the curtain," one said quietly.  "You dance?"  Xahar nodded, walking off, evading the grabbing hand on his vest.  "Cocky youngster," he snorted.

Xahar had to drop his bag when the dancer grabbed him, grinning as he pulled him out to the floor, and he knew this dance by heart so he joined in, smiling back at him.  The dancer's eyes went wide and he did a courtly bow before leading him off on the next part, making the others gape in awe.  He finally chuckled and spun off, right into the dancer's section.  "The current trainer?"  One older man raised his hand so Xahar presented that letter with a flourish.  "Yes, my hair's still growing, Toban."  He looked at his former trainer and grinned.  "I'm on a layover.  I'm doing a performance for some dragons nearby."

The trainer looked him over. "You look familiar."

"I'm Xahar."

"Oh."  He nodded and opened the letter, then his eyes bugged out and he looked at him.  "You're the kidnaped one!" he said.  Xahar smiled sweetly and nodded, then went out to join the other, putting on a show like he hadn't in days.  He liked this set and the other guy was getting tired.  The man blinked a few times when he improvised.  "I'm getting old," he said sweetly.  The people watching laughed.  "You too will some day."  He moved into one of the improvised dances, teaching it to the young one.  "I filled in a few spots to make people want more."  The dancer moaned and stepped back, watching him work the room and the crowd.  He paused, then pulled the refreshed dancer back up, doing the next one in tandem with him.

"Learn from him, boy, he was once taking his mastery test as well," Toban called.  "Let him, Xahar."

"Of course," he promised, falling back to play chorus for the boy.  He smiled at him and danced harder, doing this older dancer proud.  His teachers had promised he could move like the wind, and this was proof.   He moved on to do an extra piece, one more than was necessary.  He was exhausted but he could feel the joy in his muscles.  He stopped at the end of that one, one knee on the floor, one hand touching it, breathing hard.  "I am done," he announced, then fell to both knees to catch his breath.

"You did wonderfully," Xahar told him, coming out to help him to his feet.  "Very well done for your test.  Your first?"  The dancer nodded, smiling proudly.  "Then the tradition is that your teacher should buy you a drink in celebration and help you plot your future from here, young one."  He walked him back and looked at the trainer.

"I would see these others you improvised," he ordered quietly, but still loud in the quiet room.  "If that trainer thinks they are good, I would see them all."

"As you desire.  Most are in the second and fourth stories.  Usually I dance the part before then go into it, then transition to the next part."  The trainer nodded that it was good with him.  "Also, I have not had native music in a while."

"What would you have them play?"

Xahar took out his CD player and started it.  "It's as close as I could come," he offered, then smiled and took off his vest before dancing back out there.  "Not traditional clothes, sorry."

"That's fine.  You've been away long, Xahar," one of the mages called. He grinned at him and the mage clapped as he moved into the improvised section, then kept going through all of them.

Xahar finished with his showiest move and bowed to the audience, who applauded greatly, then to the trainers.  "I leave first thing in the morning," he offered.

"I like most of those," he admitted.  "The trainer near you was correct.  Though the music is not to my liking."

Xahar came over to stop his CD and put it back into his bag.  "Sorry, the best I can do.  I got it on another world thanks to a sorcerer."

"What career path did you take?" the first dancer asked.

"I only dance, but I can fight when necessary.  I've been stolen many times in my life.  I have bodyguards for those times now, but they're slowing down as I age."

"I saw some improvised moves," the trainer admitted. "Come back to the training room and go over them with me in detail."  Xahar carried his bag, walking back behind him.  "He's teaching princesses?"

"Most of ours need to fight, just in case.  We still have some very unfriendly warlords and things."

"I see.  Do you know any?"

"I recently defeated my ex-girlfriend who was one.  She was taking one of my engagements hostage.  I got a bit upset with her for it.  She's still in custody as far as I know."

"Interesting."  He opened the door to the training area and let the young man in so he could show him how to do those.  They were definitely good enough to be included in the stories for the most part.

***
 

Xahar came out at sunrise the next morning, stopping to chat with the guards he knew until his ride got up and stretched, then he bade them goodbye and got back into the cage, making sure he had everything.  He did forget his CD player and sighed, looking up.  "How do I summon things?"

"By thinking very hard about wanting them.  Why?"

Xahar concentrated and thought and his CD player floated out to him, letting him catch it and check it over.  "Thank you," he called, knowing he hadn't done that.  He accepted the book that came floating out too, smiling at the mage who had sent it and giving a half-bow and a grin to him.  He had been some fun last night as well.  He tucked them both into his bag and patted the cage.  "I'm all here whenever you're ready."

"Thank you, Xahar, for being so prompt.  Did you have fun last night?  You smell like you rutted wonderfully."

"I did and I danced for the head trainers, who agreed that some of my improvised things were good enough to be included in the official stories.  I just hope I can do what I did last night for some of you."

"We hope so as well, but even without the charming reactions you cause it will be pleasant."  He lifted off, heading for his home clans.  They'd see why he danced so well once he got there.  A few hours later he landed, letting the dancer out of his cage and letting it go once he was out of the way.  "Go to the blue cave, our head female is there."

"Thank you, my friend."  He walked that way, his bag over his shoulder, smiling merrily.  He stepped onto a piece of ground that made him shudder and paused, sensing it.  Something was wrong here.  Maybe he should have squeezed in with Liset, but she would have frowned at him for last night.  He continued on, memorizing the feelings.  He found the cave with the blue opening and patted the outside gently.  "You sent for me, m'lady dragon?"

"I did, come in where I can see you," she ordered regally.

He walked in and smiled at her, bowing deeply before her magnificence.  She was probably one of the biggest dragons he had ever seen.  "I am Xahar.   The dragon you sent after me was most kind and gentle.  A worthy guardian of my virtue."  She smiled at that. "What did you have in mind for me to amuse you, m'lady?"

"I would have you dance while we have a gathering, Xahar.  Anything will do.  I should warn you that mage-gifted things will not work while you're here.  It's part of the land's oddness."

"I understand.  I have the music I dance to memorized," he promised.  That explained something to him.  "Is the gathering tonight?"

"Tomorrow night.  For the rest of today and tomorrow there's a small cave you can borrow for your own.  Can you hunt your own meat or should we provide for you?"

"I brought travel rations in case I got hungry on the trip," he admitted.

"We will not try to keep you, human," she said firmly.

"That's fine, but my father was a knight and I shouldn't disappoint him by not following the only good advice he ever gave me."  He grinned at her. "My system is fairly picky after all the time I spend on the road each year.  It likes travel rations any more."  She tipped her head at that.  "I'll retire now.  I'll let someone show me the clearing later, that way I can pick out any rocks or the like that might injure me.  I'll leave you to your planning."

"Thank you.  It's obvious you deal with royalty."

"Often.  I'm seen as a fertility symbol among my people."   He grinned again and bowed, backing out and heading after the small, child dragon to the other cave.  He sniffed before walking in, it was clean and had nothing that smelled like a former occupant rotting.  It was more than good enough.  He set himself up and sat down to read the new book. It's not like he needed the practice today.   Since he could dance anything, he could pull up all the mental abilities he could and dance his favorite dances.   If they were looking to see if his dancing was magic-related, they were probably going to be disappointed.   This book was good and told of how to get around such null areas, as it called them.  So someone knew about such things.  Yes, that mage had been the best distraction in the world.

***
 

Xahar finished his second dance and spun out, grabbing a drink for a moment before going back to it.  He noticed the dragons watching but none were having that 'must go rut' look that humans usually did.  Not that he cared.  Humans and dragons mated differently and he didn't have anything on flying so he couldn't tempt them the same way.  He shut his mind off, going back to the dancing, getting lost in the movements again.

"Well, it's interesting to watch," one female offered.  "Not as jerky as the others."

"He's obviously dealt with dragons before.  He turned down offers of food," the queen noted sarcastically.  "I wonder why."

"I was taken by one," he called, finishing up the mini-story he was telling and bowing to her.  "With a short break I can do some more."

"Please.  What would you like?"

"Just some water," he assured her, walking over to the well to pull it up himself.   He felt something brush up against him and turned to find an elf standing there.  "Evening," he said as cordially as he could.  He pulled up the bucket of water and dipped some into his mug, then held out the dipper.  "Needed some?"

"No, I wished to know why you think what you do is beautiful."

Xahar considered it.  "Because humans can see beauty in more than their own kind and their own limited ways.  We can see the beauty in a story told physically and orally, as well as one set to music.  Elves tend to only see beauty among their own kind.  That's why there's more humans than elves in the world," he said simply, walking off to drink his water.

The elf looked stunned, staring at his back.  "How dare you!" he said hotly.

Xahar looked back at him.  "I have dealt with other elves in the past and I find that is a common shortfall among the ones I deal with.  If your clan is different then I applaud you for being able to see a wider world than your home village.  I meant no offense."  He tipped his head and put down his mug, starting off again.  He hated elves.  He really hated elves.  Why couldn't their external attraction reflect their internal bigotry?   They weren't the prettiest species, some fairies were much prettier and smarter and more kind to others.  He pushed that out of his mind while he danced and felt the magic come up within him, using him as an outlet, a silent partner to his mental music.  He let it wash through him like always, feeling it release into the air and the ground.  He stopped after another two dances, tired now.  He bowed to the queen.  "May I be excused for the night?  I'm fairly tired now."

"Yes, you may go," she agreed.  She watched him walk off. "Was he a mage?"

"No, he was letting it flow through him," the elf sneered.  "Humans are not good with magic."
 

"Some of us are but I never aspired to be a mage," Xahar called back.  He walked into the cave and sat down to wipe himself off and then change clothes.  He'd find his ride back in the morning and ask nicely to be taken home.  His deal had said only one performance. If not, he'd ask one of the others or find the nearest shipping port and get home one way or another.  He was not staying here.  Elves and dragons were a bad combination in his book.  One he didn't want to deal with tonight. He tucked his book and everything else away, using his bag as a pillow in the very back of the cave.  No dragon could physically pull him out and no elf would stoop down to get into this part of the cave.  It would be demeaning for him to have to bend over. He listened to them argue about their findings about how the dance was inspired by magic and snorted, rolling his eyes.  They obviously didn't have much of an idea what had started these and he wasn't going to give them a history lesson tonight.

***
 

Xahar came out of the cave the next morning in his usual traveling leathers, bag on his back.  He found the queen dragon and bowed to her.  "Did you need me for more, m'lady dragon?"

"Yes, we do," she said firmly.  "We do have a contract you know."

"For a single night," he said promptly.  "Not for a series of them.  I would gladly do another night but I do have to return because I am needed at home for another engagement next week."

"You wish to leave?" she asked, looking offended.  "Ours is a very fertile land."

"While that is true, my life and my friends are back there, along with my clients.  I do need to get back to them before they do invade.  My guards are quite paranoid about me being gone and nearly came with me."

"The cage only carries one."

"My female guard would have fit inside with me," he assured her.  "She stays thin for that reason."  He looked up at her.  "By the way, the dances were started not by a mage, but by one who was kidnaped from his home and chosen army.  The stories tell of his life.  He was never a mage, never desired to be a mage, and never liked mages.  The allure of the dance is the movement and the images it creates in the human mind.  Since dragons and humans mate differently the allure is not as strong."  She looked really offended now.  "I heard you last night, m'lady.  I thought I should clear up that fact first, it might lead to better theories in the future about the dances."  He looked around.  "Your dragon did say he would carry me back home."

"You're staying."

"I'm not," he assured her, walking off, heading for the water.  There were always ports along the coast and he could easily get to Numfria.  There he could send a message and probably catch a dragon flight home.  He heard wings and continued to walk.  There were too many rocks around here for him to be captured.  That's why he had chosen this path to scout while he had waited.  He found the ocean not far away really and walked down the cliffs, seeing a small village with ships down there.  He also saw a dragon in the square.  The villagers gave him a dirty look as he walked in.  "It's not my fault they wanted to keep me and I want to go back to my own life," he said when the dragon glared at him.  "By the way, tell your queen she still owes me my fee.  Or else I will be telling the other dancers not to appear."

"You could dance for them," the dragon noted.

"I could, but I can also pay for my fare with gold or jewels. Both of which are usually more pleasing since it can be spent for the betterment of the village."  The dragon gave him an odd look.  "This isn't the first time someone's tried to keep me," he noted dryly.  "I do come prepared."

"They protect us," one woman said bitterly.  "We pay them for it."

Xahar took off his bag and looked inside, grabbing his small money pouch so he could pull out three diamonds, holding them up for her appraisal.  "I'll pay that to get to Numfria."

"That's an overnight sail," one older man told him.  "You're one of them?"

"I'm one of the dancers trained there," he corrected.  "I can easily call my friends and clients from there however and make it home easier from there."  He looked at him.  "Who would I talk to about that?  This should cover a good portion of the costs of their yearly tithe."

"It would buy a lot of fish," the woman agreed.  "Especially from Numfria."  She looked around.  "Haldor!"  He stuck his head through an unglassed window.  "This is a dancer the dragons tried to keep.  He's willing to pay three diamonds to be taken to Numfria."

"Those are from our nests," the dragon snorted.

"I doubt it.  Considering I didn't enter any nests and the cave I was in certainly didn't have any.  Before you accuse me of it, the only magic I know is to braid my hair and to open locks."  He gave him a long stare.  "Your queen is rude and she still owes me my fee. I will be reporting her to make sure no more dancers appear for the dragons.  For the villagers perhaps, but not for the dragons."  The dragon took a step back.  "Also, your theories on the origins of the dance are misplaced.  Had you asked, any of us could have told you that the originator loathed magic and magic users. That it came about because he was also kidnaped."  He looked over as Haldor came out, handing him the stones.  "Would that get me to Numfria?"

"Certainly," he agreed.  "Two would."

"They're threatening the village.  Those stones will pay for a good tithe this year," he said smugly.  Haldor laughed and clapped him on the back so he tied his bag back together and put it back over his shoulder.  "Whenever you're ready."

"It'll be morning before we can go.  Tides and all that."

"I understand."

"Would you dance for us tonight?" the old woman asked.

"Certainly.  As long as none of you tried to keep me," he offered with a small smirk for her.  She laughed and shook her head.  "Then I would gladly dance for you tonight in one of the taverns."

"We can do a bonfire."

"Yes, but that would bring more attention from the winged ones.  I would not wish such strife on your village," he said formally.  They nodded, accepting that.  "May I borrow a room for the night?"

"Of course," the old woman agreed. "I keep an inn.  Haldor, come get him at my place when it's time."

"I will."  She led him off, taking him to the small inn.  It didn't have rooms above it but he was given a small back corner to rest in.  She even gave him some bread, gravy, and ale to drink for lunch.  She smiled at him.  "We could use you here, dancer. Not many young around these days."

"I understand," he agreed.   "I do such at home as well."  She nodded, going to stir the pot of stew over the fire for the lunch meal.  He settled in to eat and read the scroll he had picked up from the trainer.  It was a new story found and they were looking for someone to put it to dance.  The trainer thought he might be able to, and invited him to submit for it.  The story was engrossing and he felt his hands wanting to move as he read, memorizing what his body wanted to do.  He'd have to try it out at home while having Ballor read, just to make sure it made sense.  As long as he got home in one piece that is.  He looked up as others came in to eat, a few giving him odd looks.  "Another story was found.  I was invited to help create the dances for it."  He went back to his reading and nibbling.   Yes, Ballor's voice would be wonderful to read this while he danced.  Even if he couldn't come up with all of it, a few chapters invoked strong feelings.  He looked up at the nudge to his foot, smiling at the innkeeper.  "Am I being a bother?"

"No, not in the least.  Want more ale, boy?"

"Please, and call me Xahar."

"Xahar?  I've heard of you."  She refilled his cup.  "You're taken a lot, aren't you?"

He grinned and nodded, sipping the ale.  "I am.  That's why I brought money with me."  She laughed at that and headed off to take care of her customers while he went back to the scroll.  It was a long story and one he was very much liking.

***
 

Xahar stepped off the ship and bowed to Haldor.  "I thank you.  Good fishing and hunts, Haldor."

"You as well, Xahar.  For whatever hunts a man like yourself has."

"Mostly scrolls to read in my downtime," he offered, earning a booming laugh.  "I thank you."  He turned and walked off, heading up to the palace.  The guards gave him funny looks.  "They tried to keep me.  I'm registering a complaint against them."

"The trainers are holding classes in the field," one offered.

"Thank you."  He headed to the landing field, finding the trainers taking over a corner with all the young students trying to do the dance at the same time.  "You need a drummer," he called, grinning at the trainer.

"Back already?  Almost everyone seems to stay for weeks and comes home tired."

"That's because their grounds are magically null and they keep them.  She also didn't pay me because I didn't want to do more shows.  I contracted for one and did one, then got sneered at by an elf.  I even had to pay my own way here."

The trainer shook his head.  "I'll let someone know."

"Thank you.  By the way, this story is wonderful.  I've already got parts of it worked out."

"Good!  It's only been found a few weeks.  You'll let us know?"

"With the trainer near me, I'll have him send messages or call someone over."  That got a nod.  "Are there any dragons heading toward my home?"

"Not at the moment, but there could be one tonight, Xahar."  He clapped him on the shoulder.  "Come help me?"

"I don't want to teach," he said with a bit of panic.  "I don't have the patience to teach."

The trainer smiled.  "It's a smart man who realizes what he's not meant to be.  What will you do when you stop dancing?"

"Mage Mica wants me to study under him."  The trainer looked awed, and he looked behind him as a large dragon landed.  "Well met, Lady Rivetna.  I had no idea your clan wandered this far."

"I don't usually but I'm a messenger.  Why are you here?"

"The clan in Tirjay wanted me for a gathering.  I danced and they didn't want to let me go.  Didn't pay me either."  He walked over to hug her around a front leg.  "I have missed your dry wit.  You would have helped me insult Prince Keivghn when he tried to attack the last time."  He looked up at her.  "I was intending to write you a letter.  His last attack reminded me of the last time he had me hostage, when I saved a young dragonette.  Is she all right?  She was quite young, seemed just barely out of the shell to me, and I saw the madness starting in her eyes.  I don't mean to offend if anything happened, but it brought her to my mind and I wanted to see if you knew."
 

"I do know of the girl," she offered.  "The clan that took her in did find her mother.  She was only a few months old.  They claim she's fine. That she settled down with some care and feeding.  You got her out of the palace?"

"She ran through my cell.  I wasn't going to waste the opportunity, nor would I leave her there when she stopped so I drug her out into the woods and started a fire, tossing a few of the scales she was shedding into it to bring a dragon to us.   I told them what had happened and how she had saved me so I had brought her away from there when she stopped.  She is all right?"

"She's fine, Xahar, and your care and attention to her care is greatly appreciated. I'll check with her clan once I get home to see if she'll be able to write you.  They may think it would bring back harmful memories, but if not we'll see what we can do."

"I thank you greatly, m'lady Rivetena.  By any chance you're not heading toward my home, are you?"

"Not for a few days.  Why?"

"I'm rather stranded here."

"Ah.  They wouldn't bring you home?"

"I refused to stay longer than I had contracted for and she got quite upset when I corrected her assumptions on how and when the stories got started.  I paid my way here, but I have an engagement late next week."  He grinned.  "Besides, Ballor and Liset are bound to be worried by now.  They're both quite paranoid and right in this instance."

"If you could wait, I might be able to bring you back.  If not, I'll ask the other dragons tonight.  As of now, though, I have to deliver a few messages to the royalty here.  The younger ones couldn't make so long a journey."

"That's fine."  He grinned and went back to help the trainer any way he could, even though he couldn't teach.  He could encourage.  That may help some of them.
 

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