Chapter Thirteen.
 

Xahar looked up as Rivetna wandered back out of the palace, smiling and waving at the spot he had hayed for her.  "There you go.  You've had a very long flight.  That way we can talk since you're done for the day?"

"I am," she agreed, nuzzling him gently.  "I heard the trainer making a complaint about the clan over there.  What was their problem?"

"They sent a male dragon, asking me to come do a show for them.  I have no problem with doing a show for dragons, as you well know."  She nodded at that.  "Well, I get there, find out that their ground has null magic spots, which doesn't really worry me.  I can dance without my music if I must.  Which I did."  He looked up at her.  "While I was dancing, my second night there since that was when their gathering was, I overheard them wondering about the magic in the dance, basically using the dancers as an experiment to see if it was magic-based or not.  Now, I'm too tired at this point to argue, even after I've stopped for the night and been insulted by an elf.  His 'what makes you think what you do is beautiful' was rather insulting after all.  I head to the cave they've supplied me with and go to rest, overhearing the queen rambling on about the magical nature of the origins of the dance and how disappointing it was that the magic wouldn't go past their null magic areas.  That *I* was disappointing because I wasn't magical and couldn't make her want to mate.  So the next morning, I got dressed in my usual traveling leathers and went out to talk to her since she was basically sitting outside my cave.  I told her of the origins, how they were from a non-magical source, they were from someone who was stolen and forced to train that way.  That the person who had created them wasn't a mage and had never liked mages, and that the magical nature was more for humans because the illusion of the dance created mating images in our heads, since we mate differently.  She tried to say that I had more engagements.  I told her I had only contracted for the one.  She said I was staying, I walked off to the local village, where I took refuge for the day, danced that night, and paid my fare here with some jewels I had brought."

She nodded slowly.  "Sounds like they did wrong you, Xahar.  Did they pay you?"  He shook his head.  "Pity.  I should yell at them for you."

"It's not worth it," he assured her dryly.  "I could care less about their experiments or anything else.  As far as I'm concerned she was rude, she was obnoxious, and she didn't pay me for my work.  She dissed my work in fact because she's not human and doesn't understand that humans mate differently.  So therefore I came here to report her and had hoped to call home and get a ride home."

"I'll see who I find in the field tonight, Xahar.  You can nestle up with me if you don't have another bed partner waiting."  She smiled at him.  "I saw a mage who looked quite interested in your return."

He blushed a bit.  "He was very nice to me during our layover here."

"A new friend perhaps?"

"I asked if he was thinking about coming my way and he said no.  He didn't want to travel.  So he can only be fun while here since I'm not staying.  Oooh, you didn't get to hear, I bought a new house.  Since my stallion mated with Liset's mare, we needed more stable room.  So we moved into a manor.  I now have a room specifically for dancing if I want to give private shows.  I actually have enough room for all my scrolls.  Plus, there's a new mage in town that might just like me for more than the three spells I know.  He helped me with my hair when Prince Keivghn cut some of it off."

"He did what?"

"He cut into my braid.  I had to trim the rest very short to compensate.  The mage brought over things to help it regrow," he said happily.  "He mixed the potion and worked it into my hair and everything.  Even sat and beleaguered me to take up magic study once I retire."

"You could study attraction and fertility magic," she offered dryly.  "You seem to have a good handle on it already.  Your dancing caused some of our humans to mate up and have young. That's quite prestigious for their keepers you know."  She nuzzled him again, cooing gently.  "If I were heading home tomorrow, I would gladly bring you home, or at least closer."  He nodded.  "How long before your next dancing time?"

"Hmm."  He thought about his calendar, then mentally counted the days he'd been gone.  "Four days exactly."

"I see.  Well, if I can, I'll gladly help you find a ride home if I can't do so myself," she offered, wrapping him in her wing.  "I should go to Tirjay and yell at them for not paying you as well.  A true queen always pays for her pleasures or her experiments, and tells experiments that they're like that.  Though, that would keep Soulfire from being offered to them."

"No, I don't think even she would deserve them putting her down constantly. I hear there are nice ones on the other side of this continent."

"I've heard the same and our Queen went there to talk to them," she told him.  "Perhaps she'll be done in time."  She felt him stiffen and glared at the elf staring at them.  "You wished to interrupt myself and my old friend?" she asked.  He sniffed regally and strolled off.  "Was that the one who insulted you?"

"Yes," he said bitterly.

"Well, I know his clan and they won't be happy with his conduct," she said loudly enough for the elf to hear her.  "We do have diplomatic negotiations with them."  The elf glared at her and she smirked.  "Our Queen quite liked Xahar and wished me to stop at his house to offer him the opportunity to dance again.  Our humans are prospering quite well since he danced for us."

"I can't see why.  It was boring and uneventful."

"Don't know a good story when you see it?" Xahar said snidely.  "Pity."  He looked up at Rivetna.  "When did she want me to come up?  I've got most of next moon free."

"I was going to check on that."  She smirked at the elf and it stomped off.  She looked down at him.  "You know I was teasing, right?"

"I know but I could see my way of traveling in that direction to amuse and amaze again.  There's a new story," he told her, beaming up at her.  "I'm invited it put in dances for some of it.  Ooooh, and some of my filler stories were accepted into the general story base."

"Congratulations," she promised, giving him a gentle squeeze, but he moaned anyway.  "Sore?"

"Kinda.  I didn't stretch last night before dancing and I did some of the more energetic ones, which I'm getting too old for."

"Are you going to take on a student?"

"I can't teach," he told her.  "I don't have the patience.  When I get home, I'll have that dance, have to stop in to talk to my father about giving his knighthood to someone other than me, then make plans for the winter.  So if I should pop around anyway, I'd gladly do so."

"I can't see as it'd hurt and I've wanted to meet your friends since you pouted so adorably about them."  She smiled as a page came out.  "Yes, dear," she said with a smile for the young man.  "Is there a problem?"

"The elf claims that the dancer with you stole from the dragons."

"I don't see how.  I wasn't in their nests.  He can come accuse me to my face," he said firmly.  "I challenge him to an honor duel.  You can tell him I said that."  He nodded, heading off.  "I hate elves," he sneered.  "I always have and I doubt I'll ever find one I like."

"I know," she soothed.  "Do you have your sword?"

"Of course," he said, smiling up at her.  "It's in my bag.  Mica shrunk it for me, just in case I needed it."  He grabbed his bag and pulled out his sword, undoing the binding on it so it enlarged to normal size.  After a turn of the hourglass and no elf, he snorted.  "I guess he's not coming."  He climbed out of the temporary nest and headed for the nearest guard, his sword casually held in his hand.  "The elf decided to quit slandering me?"

"He said it wasn't worth spilling your blood."

"We'll see," he said dryly, heading inside.  He smiled at a page.  "Where might the filthy elf bitch be?"

"In the Crown room," he said, looking confused.  "He's an envoy."

"He insulted my honor and refused a challenge."  He walked that way, running into the king on the way.  "Your majesty," he said, bowing low.  "I go to get my honor back from one of the stupidest and most ugly creatures in your presence. May I have your leave?  I'll drag his body outside for the duel of course."

The king looked at him, then at the sword.  "What is this about?"

"I called insult on my last assignment dancing.  He's challenged my honor by saying I stole the jewels I used to pay for passage out of there and out of danger."

"I see.  Then you'd be Xahar?"  He nodded.  "I've heard much about you and about what happened.  Including from the trainer you talked to when you first arrived.  I have warned him not to challenge one who knows the dance."

"Apparently he hasn't listened.  I challenged him to a duel and he didn't even bother to send word back, just told the page something like I wasn't worth the blood spilling.  I go to spill his intestines if you'd like to watch."

The king shook his head.  "I really wouldn't.  It's bad for the ground you know.  Elves' blood stains plants."

"Their manner stains them as well," he said dryly.  "I'm tired of their sneering.  He actually asked me why I thought the dance was a thing of beauty.  I replied that humans can see more beauty outside of their own cultures, unlike elves.  Or at least the ones I know."

"That is true," the king agreed.  "Still, you should not spill his blood, Xahar.  Do something else instead."

"Gladly, but I do not practice magic."

"Do you not?" he asked dryly.

"No, sire, I know three spells.  One to unlock locks, one to do my hair, and one to press my clothes very precisely.  I know how to let the magic flow through and around me, but not how to use it."

"Oh, let the filthy little beast try me, majesty.  If he wishes a duel, I will gladly spoil him for any other weak humans to look at."

Xahar bowed.  "You can try."  The elf sneered and pulled his sword, which was a rapier.  "A wimpy sword for an effeminate man.  Pitiful really."  He looked at the king.  "Where might I take his head off?"

"The landing field would be fine.  The dragons will cover it if it offends them."

"Very well.  I'll be waiting, little boy."  He bowed to the king.  "I'm sorry to have sullied your peaceful palace with this, sire."

"That's fine, Xahar.  After you're done, come see me so we can talk about your native court.  All right?"  He nodded and bowed, heading out at a jog to get into place.  He nodded at Rivetna.  "There's going to be a duel. You can stay to watch."

"I shall.  I'd like to see you fight."  She snorted as the elf came out.  "What is that, a shaving razor?"

"Nearly.  It can only make little cuts."  He bowed to his enemy, not getting one in return.  "Attack, stupid.  If I attack first, this will be over with shortly when I cleave your head in two."

The elf sneered and called up a ball of magic. "I think you're mistaken."

"Really?"  He took two steps and leapt, not only defending against the magic, but also getting in a good blow against the elf.  He landed behind him and causally wiped off his sword.  "You were saying?" he sneered coldly.

"Enough!" a female yelled.  "You will not sully my field with this, gentlemen."

Xahar bowed to the queen and that's when the elf attacked.  He defended himself, beating him back and cutting into his stomach gravely, then bowed to the queen again.  "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but he did insult my honor.  I offered him a duel and he mocked me.  The King said I could do this out here."

"I see.  Well, this is still my field," she said firmly, staring at the elf, then at him. "Do you know who he is?"

"Do I care who he is?" he retorted dryly.  "He insulted my honor by saying I stole.  I am a dancer, I do not need to steal.  I know my honor and I cherish it quite well."

"He is a Lord, boy."

"As am I, and the son of a Knight."  She looked impressed.  "I'm also one who was stolen to be brought here for training long ago."

"I remember you, vaguely."  She looked at him.  "You will leave it here."

"Unless he attacks me again," he agreed.  "I will defend myself and have that right."

"I agree, you do," she said quietly, walking closer.  "He did attack after I called a halt.  I do agree with that.  Unless he gets up and tries to attack you again...."  She shrieked as Xahar moved her, getting out of the way of the ball of magic.  He rolled off her and stood up, sword in hand, sneering at the elf female coming off a dragon.  "You wanted in his problem of insulting my honor and attacking the queen?"

"No, I wished to stop you, human," she sneered.

"Pity, he didn't.  I will not be attacked, even if I have to go through each and every elf to make it so.  You did just attack the Queen as well."

"She's easily replaced," she said with a wave of her hand.  "As are you."  She called up more magic, but he pulled one of his hairpins and threw it, getting her in the chest and making her scream in agony.

"I doubt it."  He looked at the dragon.  "Next time, keep your pet from interfering in a duel of honor.  She should know better and she'll heal with proper attention."  He helped the queen up.  "I'm sorry she was so rude, Majesty.  Forgive me for knocking you down that way."

"You protected me, I find no fault in that," she said firmly, glaring at the elves.  "You are in trouble however.  Guards!"  They came running.  "Take these elves into custody.  Give Xahar his hairpin back.  He can be useful to us."

"Yes, my Queen," they snapped, dragging the elves away and one did hand Xahar his hairpin back.

Xahar looked at the Queen, bowing deeply.  "I'm sorry if our rudeness offended you, Majesty.  It was not my intention."

"No, I'm not offended.  I'm surprised that you can still pull off that move."  She patted him on the cheek.  "Come up for dinner?"

"I wish to spend time with an old friend, Majesty."

Rivetna yawned.  "Go, Xahar.  Bathe, eat, come back tomorrow.  I may be able to find you a ride home by then."

"I'll ask around as well," the Queen agreed, taking him by the arm.  "Come, dear."  He grabbed his bag, putting his sword back inside after binding it up again.  "That's interesting.  Who taught you that?"

"Mica.  He's running our mage's academy.  He's recently helped me with my hair when it was damaged."

"Ah.  I remember him fondly.  Used to run around here like the wind was out to torture him.  A pleasing child."

He grinned at her.  "He's quite a mage," he offered.  "I've talked to him many times.  He keeps trying to make me train myself."

"Like I said, fertility and attraction magic, Xahar," Rivetna called after them.  He grinned back at her and shook his head, but continue to walk.

"At least you can use some," the Queen offered as she walked him inside.  Her husband was standing there, not looking very pleased.  "The elf fired on him when I was next to him.  He did protect me."

"I saw."

"I'm sorry I had to bodily touch her, Majesty, I meant her no harm."

"I know, Xahar."  He looked him over.  "That was a nice hairpin toss however.  Can you duplicate it?"  He nodded.  "At will?  Without magic?"

"I don't use magic."

"Ah.  Really?"  He walked the boy off.  "I can feel it around you."

"It likes me but I can't use it for more than opening a lock, doing my hair, and pressing my clothes.  It's usually found playing within my hair, for those mages who look.  Mica was most impressed with it when he helped me fix it.  He said the magic was dancing around the ends like sprites in the woods."  The king chuckled at that and the queen behind them.  "It does like me, but I don't use it for much."

"I understand.  Magic is addictive."

"It's also something that you'd have to train more than I did to dance. I've done all of the training I want to do in my life.  I may learn new things now and then, but casually instead of at a forced pace."  He grinned and bowed to the obvious knight heading their way.  "Greetings."

"Greetings, Majesties, dancer."  He nodded at Xahar and bowed to them.  "I heard there was a disturbance out on the field.  Anything that needs to be taken care of?"

"An elf challenged my honor, I won, and he tried to attack the Queen so I protected her," Xahar told him.  "His friend is also injured."

"I see."  He looked at the queen, who only smiled.  "You're fine?"

"Very well, dear.  He pushed me away from the magical blast and then went to deal with the mages.  He even apologized for having to move me that way."  She patted him on the cheek.  "This is Xahar.  He lives and works in the Court of Marashdin."

Xahar nodded.  "I do.  Our Prince just married his second wife, Thirin."

"I heard it was another girl," the king noted dryly.

"Yes, but she fell ill and was found to have some problems with the throne.  He went with someone who had already given him a wonderful daughter, who a trainer from here is working with, and she was having a son at the reception."

"Ah, a wise choice," he agreed, walking Xahar on.  "Come, son."

"Yes, Father."  The knight walked behind them.  "I heard Mica was there."

"He's running our mage academy.  He's up the street from me.  I hosted him recently after a tragic incident with my hair, which he so very nicely fixed for me.  He's a wonderful mage and one I could easily consider a friend, even though he does nag about me learning magic."

The King laughed.  "Mages like Mica are often very focused," he admitted.  "You should learn something. It may help you."

"It may," he agreed.  "But again, I don't want to train myself for another career like that.  I did a lot of training to dance and I'm too old to train again.  I may learn some now and then but I'd never become a formal mage."  He moved to open a door, letting them proceed him.  "I carried a message to Mage Bashir for him."

"I heard," the knight agreed.  "He was bragging about you and your kingdom.  Said it was very beautiful but they'd be having snow soon."

"We will," he agreed.  "Probably within two months.  By then, I expect my guards to be back from their trip North and to have returned the blacksmith's wife from her family.  I let her borrow them since I was heading this way alone."

"Was that wise?" the Knight asked.

"Not in hind-sight, but it was practical. The dragon that approached me carried me back in a flying cage and it wouldn't have been very comfortable with one of my guards.  Besides, the blacksmith made my safe and his wife's family is on the other side of a war zone.  I wanted her to be protected and she will be."

"You are generous."

"I am, but they'll yell at me when I get home," he sighed.  "They always do."  That got some light snickers from the King.  "Ballor and Liset, my guards, are very strong and very stubborn and Ballor's paranoid. I'm going to be hearing about this for many moons.  Ballor will nag for weeks about this."  That got another laugh, this time from the Knight.  "The last time I left them, I had just been stolen by a dragon.  One of Rivetna's clan.  Fortunately it all worked out and I got a new horse since mine died.  Now he nags me about him and his problem with trying every mare and lesser stallion he sees, in heat or not."

The Queen laughed at that.  "I'm assuming he's a Chopee stallion.  I had one that did the same thing.  We ended up magically castrating him but not doing it physically.  It stopped the problem but didn't kill his spirit."

"I'll have to remember that," he promised.  "I've been meaning to try something.  He jumped my King's horse and he was not pleased.  Then again, he jumped my guard Liset's horse while she was on her back."  The king burst out in loud laughs at that, drawing some attention.  "Is there a place I may clean up?" he asked the son.  "I fear I'm rather grungy."

"That would be fine," he agreed, leading him away, still smiling.  "You must get into much mischief, dancer."

"Xahar, please, and I do. I got tired of defending myself though, that's why I have the guards.  That and they're my friends.  They keep me occupied when I get too bored and prone to get into real trouble."

"That's always the best thing about friends."  He opened a room.  "Here, you may use this one to clean up and I'll make sure you find a bed tonight."  He winked and strolled off.

"Thank you."  He went inside to get clean, changing clothes as well.  He did sit down a few times to make sure his new pants wouldn't rip, then decided to wear something else, something more demure and more sturdy instead.  He came out in his favorite outfit, everything else tucked back into his bag, but his shrunken sword in his hair like a hairpin.  He carried his bag with him, heading out to the dining hall, where he bowed and was waved to a seat near the Queen and her son.  "Thank you for letting me clean up.  It was necessary."

"I quite understand.  I've been on a great number of voyages myself," she offered.  "As a matter of fact, I was thinking about heading to your Kingdom for a visit.  Is it nice and at peace?"

"Very at peace, highness, and very nice.  Like any place there's some bad parts but not that many.   The main city is very prosperous and has a good market, I'm down there often.  Even the bad part of the city isn't that bad.  It's clean and has good drainage and the like.  It's just less sturdy houses for the most part.  Some of the further outlying areas are more poor but they're also mostly farming villages."

"We have those here," she admitted.  "I've seen a few of them.  What of your rulers?"

"They're very nice people for the most part.  The king took my side when a foreign prince tried to kidnap me yet again.  I do a lot of work up at the palace."

"Good, he should take his subject's kidnaping seriously."  She patted him on the hand.  "When I come in, I'll want to see this nice town.  You can show it to me?"

"Of course."  He beamed at her.  "My guards and I spend a lot of time down there trying to fight boredom after practices and before events.   The scroll sellers know us *very* well."  She chuckled at that.

"You don't work in other fields?" the son asked.

"No. I make enough dancing to cover all my expenses and then some.  So I only do that.  Which is something Mage Mica was trying to use to get me to study magic."

The king nodded.  "It could help if you did study in your off-hours.  Not to become a serious mage, but things to help you when you are stolen or stranded."

"I would like to learn how to make mage calls," he admitted.  "I can see the point, but I'd never become a serious mage and I'd feel like I was wronging the field to just study casually.  Like someone who only studies the dance casually can't understand the nuances that infect the dances with meaning and subtext."

"That is true, but magic isn't like that.  It's more a system of building upon what you know.  Like learning to read was.  You learned small words, then you learned bigger words.  In spells, you learn small, helpful spells, then you can learn bigger helpful spells.  You won't have to act as a sorcerer in combat, just study now and then to keep yourself fresh.  It's not that big of a commitment and many people do it that way because they don't have the patience to use magic, but they can learn a bit here and there to help their daily lives."

"So speaks one of our highest mages," the queen teased, grinning at her husband.

"I speak from experience.  I didn't want to study either.  My father made me."  Xahar grinned at that.  "Oh, he was a tough one, but once I figured out the basics, I had enough to study casually, that way I had time to romance my lady here."  He grinned back at her. "Magic flowers are a wonderful gift."

"Then perhaps I will study in my off-hours," Xahar admitted.  "My guards said they wouldn't care as long as I didn't summon anything too bad."  The king snickered at that.  "We like to tease Mica because our school used to be run by someone who did summon servants to teach his students and do his laundry.  He claims he only summons them to beat errant students now and then."

The king broke out in laughter, reaching over to hit him on the arm. "I remember Mica very well. I can see him telling a student that with a straight face, then conjuring up something innocuous, like an imp, in proof.  The student would wet themselves and run off crying."  He waved a hand at the rest of his court, who were watching him.  "We're speaking of Mage Mica.  He presently runs the mage academy near where this nice dancer, Xahar, lives."

"I see him quite often as he comes over to nag me to study," Xahar admitted with a sheepish grin.  The mages chuckled and the dancers shook their heads, going back to their gossip about this one dancer.  He grinned at the king.  "He was very nice when he came over to help me after Prince Keivghn cut my hair."

"You know him and his father?" the knight asked casually.

"Yes, he keeps trying to steal me and his father, King Hans, told him to have fun with me before he tortured me to death.  He invaded my house recently and we managed to kill some of his people and arrest him and the rest he had hired this time.  He was up for the wedding to present an ugly vase."

The queen nodded. "Some rulers do have horrible taste," she agreed.  "I've not heard of this family?"  Her son leaned over to whisper in her ear.  "Ah, them," she said with a grimace of distaste.  "Prince Keivghn was in on an official visit a few years back and tried to ...entice some dancers to go back with him but the mages stepped in to protect them.  We had wondered why."

"Because Prince Keivghn likes to hurt people," Xahar said blandly.  "I still bear scars from where he captured me the last time.  I had the ones from the time before that magiced off by my alchemist.  That reminds me, I've got to find another guy.  I'm paying him way too much for my hair potions."

"You go to an alchemist?" the king asked, looking down at him. "Why?"

"Among my mother's people, a true man does not cut his hair once he becomes a man.  It's trimmed very short the night before but then never cut again.  I have the one I keep on retainer do potions to keep my hair strong and manageable.  Otherwise the ends split, it breaks, it doesn't like to travel very well."  He shrugged, pulling around his braid to play with.  "He's basically taking a commercial hair potion and adding something to it, but I pay him sixty gold a month to do so.  I'm tired of his fees and his smirk every month."

The knight touched the end of his braid. "It is very soft," he agreed.  "Do you often keep it braided?"

"When it's damp, like it is now.  When I dance I occasionally keep it braided, but something I only braid down part of the way so the hair follows me as I dance.  When I'm traveling it's always braided. It's easier and less of a target in case someone wants to take me again."

"Are you stolen a lot?" the king asked with a grin.

Xahar nodded.  "Unfortunately so.  That's why my two best friends are my two bodyguards."  They stared.  "Let's see, in the last year, there's been two war bands, one of mercenaries and one not.  There's been a dragon.  There was a former guard who tried to get me drunk and sell me into prostitution.  There was my ex girlfriend who tried twice to take me back.  There was Prince Keivghn a few times.  Those were the more serious ones."  He looked at them.  "The dragon and the two war bands were while I was traveling.  The last one while I was traveling up to the creation mage's school to inspire them for two weeks.  They were not happy when Liset went off on them.  She was not a happy woman at that time."

"One of your guards is female?" the knight asked. "Isn't she hard to travel with?"

"Liset?  No, not unless something's filthy and dirty.  She hates dirty stables.  She's actually my more sneaky bodyguard.  Ballor, the male guard, is paranoid.  They work well together and Ballor handles most of the money stuff while we're traveling."

"Are there many female warriors in your kingdom?" the queen asked.

"A few.  Traditionally there's usually been female knights and warlords.  Right now, we don't have any official knights who're female but we do have two squires who are.  I'm hoping my father names his Knighthood to one of them instead of to me."  The knight and king both gave him an odd look.  "Can you imagine me as a knight?" he asked dryly.

They both burst out laughing, shaking their heads.  "Nor can I," the queen agreed gently, patting him on the hand.  "Eat, dear."

"Yes, your majesty," he replied, digging into the simple food.  He had always liked the royal family here.  He'd think about retiring here but he'd die in the hot summers at his age.

***
 

Rivetna smiled as Xahar came out a few days later, reading a book. "Magic now?"

"I was convinced to study now and then, when I don't have much else to do," he admitted, grinning at her.  "They think this book can help me more when I'm taken again."  She laughed at that.  "I know it's only a matter of time.  Though, I can tell I'm getting too old to be considered pretty.  Only my older kidnapers want me now."

"I still think you're pretty enough to take and keep," she assured him, giving him a nuzzle on the stomach. "With any luck, I should be done by tonight and my Queen will be joining me.  Which means I can offer you a fly home in time to get there for that performance tonight.  Where were you dancing?"

"At a country estate.  Two down from my father's," he offered, grinning at her and hugging her around the neck.  "I love you."

"I know, Xahar.  This is your former home but not your current one.  You're miserable without your guards and friends."  He nodded, pulling back with a shy grin.  "I know my Queen is coming in.  She sent ahead a messenger saying she was done with the negotiations.  I'll tell her about the ones in Tirjay when she gets here, and by then I should be done as well.  Do you know where the Queen is?"

"Her garden.  She was sewing earlier when I was walked past her by one of the mages."  He grinned.  "I can see you living here full time.  It'd be great when your cave became the neatest spot to be around."

"I don't think I'd like all that attention from the young, but it is nice and warm here.  How are the summers?"

"Hot and sweaty.  All day every day and most nights," he offered.  "There's a lot of sun all summer long."

She nodded.  "As I expected.  I might think about it, but I'd probably complain from lack of snow.  Though I do tend to complain about the snow presently."  He nodded at that.  "You?"

"It's much too hot here for me and Liset would hate it.  There's almost no female warriors here.  Besides, she'd get grumpy from sweating in her leathers all the time.  Ballor would sit outside all summer and read."

"Sounds like a nice time to me," she noted.  She looked up, watching the new dragon flying in.  "It's the Queen."

"Cool.  Do I bow or curtsey or how do I greet her?"

"You know, I don't know how a human would greet a dragon royalty."  She looked over as the queen landed.  "My queen.  I'm waiting on this queen's pleasure to see me again so we may finish.  This is Xahar.  He's presently stranded here and I said I'd give him a ride home."

"Again?" she asked, looking at the human.  "I saw some of the ones who were most insulted by your presence."

"Yes, well, they put down my dancing, put down my species, and didn't pay me for my work, then they tried to spread lies about me.  The dragons in Tirjay are not the sort of dragons I consider normal or good."

"Well, this one was from there but he was visiting the others to hopefully find a mate.  He said that their experiment led to one of the dancers walking off in a huff and that it insulted them greatly because the human thought he was better than an elf."

"No, I said that elves could only see the beauty in their own ways.  That humans see more widely and more things as beautiful.  Elves only see themselves, humans see more than themselves as beautiful."

"Which is quite true," the queen agreed.

Rivetna coughed.  "We were just having a discussion.  How would a human greet dragon royalty, my queen?  He wasn't sure if he should bow or not."

"I prefer a gentle greeting and some nice smiles," she said with a grin. "Then again, I'm not one of the picky ones...today."

"You seem quite pleasant when in social situations, my queen.  Like you only get mean when forced to by rude people."  Xahar bowed deeply and grinned at her.  "There are many dancers here, but I have told Rivetna that if you had wanted, we could travel that way for a few more dances."

"It was a ruse to get the elves away from him," Rivetna offered.  "He said he wouldn't mind."

"I surely wouldn't.  Our humans are much more lively when they've had entertainment," the queen agreed happily, shrugging a bit.  She settled into the hayed area Rivetna wasn't using.  "Even someone to come up and tell stories now and then would be helpful.  I know we're a ways off the usual Bard's track, but it would be nice not to have to plan things."

"I know a few bards who travel. I'll mention it to them," he promised. "Plus, wherever I go, there's always scrolls with me for the long nights camping.  I get bored easily," he said sheepishly, grinning a little shyly.

She patted him with a forepaw.  "I'm sure you do, Xahar.  I'm sure some day you'll find a mate to cure that part of the time."  He chuckled and shrugged.  "You could come up this winter if you wanted.  Stay for a few weeks in an empty cave.  That way you could dance for more of the humans around our colony and spend some time reading as well.  We get very bored by Solstice."

"I can do that," he agreed. "I'll send word ahead with one of my guards when I can come.  Ballor keeps saying he's missing having to hunt down things.  I'm sure he can amuse some of the youngsters by showing them how humans chase deer.  Last time he nearly ran into a tree."  The queen laughed at that, patting him again.  "Plus, Liset needs a break too.  It'll do her good to relax.  Plus, if we're out of town at Solstice, I don't have to do the traditional dance, which isn't one of mine, this year.  They can get the princesses to do it, as they rightly should."

"It's a girl's dance?" Rivetna asked.  He nodded.  "Then why do you do it?"

"Because I'm a dancer and more skillful than the girls."

"Ah."  She nodded.  "I understand.  Bring them up and I'll let you have one of my accessory caves.  That way you can stay warm and don't have to worry overly much about your horses this time."

"Oh, you didn't get to see my stallion," he said happily.  "I found a huge, white Chopee stallion at the market.  His former barbarian warrior owner wanted to retire before he had to pay stud fees.  My poor stallion will jump any horse.  He knocked Liset out of the saddle a few days into our trip home."  The queen snickered at that, leaning against Rivetna's shoulder to hide it.  "Poor woman.  She kept chastising him to keep away from her mare.  Then he jumped the king's stallion when he came down to visit.  My poor horse is getting a very bad reputation among the other horse owners.  The last time I was at the palace he had to stay with me so he couldn't go molest any other horses.  He got to hang out at the fountain and be petted by a princess."

"Well, he's another cure for boredom in your life," Rivetna said, shaking her head.  "How many foals will you have soon?"

"Hopefully just the one from Liset's horse.  Some farmers in that village wanted him to stud their horses and I let him since he seemed to enjoy it so much.  The few others are probably being hidden away. That's the real reason why we moved to a bigger house.  The bigger stable was needed."  Both women laughed at that.  "So Liset's not happy that she's about to become a surrogate mother to a foal.  We had to get her an extra horse for when hers delivers.  Ballor found a matched set at the market the second time through.   Pure black to go nicely against my horse."

The queen smiled at him, shaking her head. "You always seem to get into trouble like that, Xahar.  Maybe you should retire."

"Within the next few years," he admitted. "I'm getting old.  I can't do leaps like I used to and I'm not as flexible as I once was.  I used to be able to bend over backwards and do the stomach muscles dancing that's popular in taverns for a whole half an hour, now I can only do ten minutes worth."

"You can do what?" Rivetna asked.

He carefully put down his book and took off his shirt, bending backwards into an arch to show them.  His stomach muscles wiggled and danced for him, shown off by how he was stretched out.  He bounced back up, holding his head.  "I'm dizzy whenever I do that now."

"That's quite impressive," the queen offered.  "Was that something they teach here?"

"No, that's something I learned from an inn's dancer one night during a bad storm.  She didn't have any customers other than me so we talked about dancing and how hers was different than mine.  I learned a lot from her, including that."  He picked back up his book.  "I'd better get back to the training hall.  By your leave, majesty?"  She nodded, flicking a paw.  "Then I'll see you before dinner, ladies.  Have a nice talk in the sun."  He trotted off.

The queen looked at her.  "That was interesting.  I didn't know humans could bend that way."

"I don't think many of them can," she admitted.  "Solstice?"

She nodded.  "By then, Soulfire will be married off and it'll fit nicely with the celebrations going on.  That way the humans get their own style of celebration this year."

"Good idea, my queen.  I'll gladly host them again.  Xahar was quite charming.  I'm sure his guard Ballor could hunt for both tables."

"True.  Is he a knight?"

"His father was."

"Ah, no wonder.  At least he tried very hard not to be insulting."  She settled into the nest again.  "This is nice.  A new trial?"

"No, he made it for me that first night. He comes down to see me about every day when I'm no longer busy and cuddles up with me.  There's been no other dragons landed recently so I'm his only chance of getting home relatively soon."

"That's fine.  How is your trade mission going?"

"The Queen is thinking about it.  I'm due to go bother her in a few hours.  Xahar said he saw her sewing in her garden."

"Free time is a precious thing to those of us who do rule our people," the queen admitted.  "I barely get any time at all away from the nest and the hags who come in to bother me about the social sniping going on."

"I ignore all that.  It's mostly the children and none of them come near me anyway," Rivetna said dryly. "Why would some child pouting about her human servant leaving bother me?  Or that people are picking on her about it."

"It is childish but many of them feel slighted by it.  Usually I just have to listen to them complain and whine for a few minutes before they toddle off back to their caves.  Then I get to deal with my own children and step-nestings."

"But most of those girls don't give you much trouble.  Except Soulfire and Emerald."

"Emerald is ambitious.  I like that about her.  I'm looking for a good mate for her soon.  She needs it to help settle her ambition into a proper direction."

"There's always Tovarin."

"I thought about him but he's fairly old against her young age.  I was hoping for someone from the Damask clan but none of them are old enough."

"No, but they do have a princess that Xahar was wondering about."  She looked at the queen.  "I found out he was the one who helped her.  His last attempted kidnaping brought her back to his mind and he was wondering how she was."

"He was what?"

"She was captured at the same time she was.  She ran through his cell wall so he helped her out of the palace and into the woods.  He said he put a few shed scales into the fire to draw a dragon down to help her."

"That's how the story went.  That the human told the one who appeared what had went on and to protect her before disappearing."  She slowly shook her head.  "He really does get around, doesn't he?"

Rivetna smirked and nodded. "Usually.  He said he wanted to make sure she was all right, that it hadn't harmed her any.  He wasn't sure if something had to be done about her because he thought she was going mad from the torture and starvation."

"I heard it was a close call," she admitted thoughtfully, "but they did get the child healed.  She was only a few years from the egg.  The poor thing had nightmares for years."

"I said I'd pass on a message saying he had asked about her to her guardians.  That way they could decide if getting in contact with him would hurt her again and bring back nightmares or something."

"That was wise of you, Rivetna.  Since I have to fly that way, I'll take his query with me.  I'm glad that they found the girl's mother before she went mad as well.  They should talk about that.  She's a young dragon, but fledged on her own now."  She settled herself deeper into the hay.  "If they want, I'm sure she can have a human in her clans write a letter for her."

"That's what I was thinking," she agreed, standing up and shaking her scales into place.  "Let me go bother the queen.  I shouldn't be too long."  She walked off, going to ask if the Queen was ready for her yet.  She had said mid-day and it was about then now.

The dragon queen watched her go.  "She's very good," she decided.  "Fortunately she doesn't want my place.  Maybe I'll have some of the young men go proposition her. It'd give her some fun in her life."

***
 

Xahar stepped off the dragon's leg, smiling and waving up at her.  "Thank you, m'lady Rivetna.  Have a good trip home."

"You as well, Xahar.  I enjoyed our flight together.  Behave and be safe.  I'll see you around Solstice."  She flew off, heading back to her caves, still smirking about the awe the humans were showing her magnificent form.

Xahar put down his bag and looked at them.  "Am I late?"

"Were you taking again?" Prince Frederick asked.

"They tried, but I walked off in a huff.  The dragons in Tirjay were trying to do an experiment with dancers.  So they also didn't pay me.  I got a ship back to Numfria and then she gave me a lift back.  She's a wonderful lady of her court.  Oh, the Numfrian queen warned me that she was considering a trip this way for a few days."

"I'll tell mother."  He smirked at him.  "No, you're not late.  The dancing shouldn't start for another hour.  We were wondering where you were.  The new bride is panicking inside."

"I'll go in there to make sure she still wants me," he said, walking inside casually, smiling and nodding at all the women of the court who were simply staring.  "She's an old friend and she gave me a lift back," he said time and again.  He found the room the Duchess was in and knocked gently.  "May I enter?"

She opened the door, staring at him.  "You're back?  Now?"

"I just landed.  I had to get a ride back with a dragon, Duchess.  I'm sorry if I worried you.  Do you still need me or is the wonderful trainer here?"

"He is but he claims he's too old to dance," she said dryly.  She looked him over.  "You flew back on a dragon?"

"Wrapped around her foreleg, Duchess.  Rivetna once helped me when I was stolen."  She blinked a few times.  "It's a fairly long story but I took a bribe from my captor at that time so I wouldn't sully her name."

"Her?  That's a switch," she said dryly, pulling him into the room and slamming the door.  "What was going on that you're so late?"

"The dragons in Tirjay that I was dancing for got upset when I didn't want to take part in their experiments and I got upset when an elf insulted me.  I had to make my own way back.  Fortunately I did run into Lady Rivetna."

"She's a Lady lady?"

"I'm assuming she's as close as dragons come.  I do know that she was sent on a diplomatic mission to Numfria, where I met her.  I know she's well liked among her clan."

"Close enough," she decided.  "Did she stay?"

"No, she had to go home.  It's been a long flight."  He grinned at her.  "I'm sorry if I worried you, Duchess.  That's why I did call ahead."

"I got it, thankfully."  She gave him a hug then sniffed.  "You need to bathe."

"I'll sweat it off in your service if you still want me."

"Oh, I do.  I need the fertility spike to explain away my future child."  She patted her stomach and he beamed. "Don't you dare," she warned.

"I was only going to congratulate you on the good taste, Duchess.  It's not every lady who can land a good husband.  I would gladly lend you much fertility to have many children with him."

"Ohh, please, not like you did to that one Lady, Xahar.  I don't want five or six in eight years."  He chuckled and shook his head.  "Thank you."  She looked him over.  "Do you need to change? I can lend you a bedroom for a few minutes."

"I probably should.  These are fairly thin and might rip."

"Oh, please don't," she pleaded.  "I can't take that many kids."  He nodded, bowing a bit to her.  "Get your things, I'll escort you up personally."  She opened the door and walked out beside him, letting him grab his bag before taking him up the stairs.  She went back to her party, announcing that he'd be dancing in a few minutes.  He came out wearing some new leather pants, which hadn't had time to stretch yet, and she drooled.  "That's a new look, Xahar."

"It's all I had clean, Duchess.  I'm sorry.  I didn't get to do much laundry or shopping while I was in Numfria."

"That's all right.  As long as you feel comfortable in it," she offered.  He nodded, moving out to the open area she had set up for him.  She walked over to her seat, whispering in the ear of a server to bring her a cold vase of water for him, then gave him a nudge to go.  The others came over as Xahar started off, watching as his body moved under the light leathers.

The Knight and future Duke leaned over next to his hunting buddy's ear.  "I don't believe there will be a problem with fertility in this group ever again," he hissed.

Prince Frederick glanced at him.  "If I liked men, I would gladly be one who'd take him.  Thankfully for my wife, I don't like men that way."  He sipped his ale as he watched, eventually going to take an empty bench for himself.  Those leathers fit him very well.  He noticed when Xahar switched into a different style of dance, meant to tempt the men into taking their women inside, and groaned.  His wife was back at the palace being examined.  He was going to be miserable for days.  Xahar switched back to the traditional dancing for a few more minutes, enticing the women again, then the men's dances were done, making them horny.  Eventually the future Duke broke and grabbed his soon-to-be wife, dragging her into the house.  Xahar grinned and went back to the strictly traditional dances, getting the other women hot, and stayed with them for the rest of his show.  Though he did finish by doing that arching dancing with his stomach, which made Frederick laugh.  He knew where the boy had learned it.  He clapped once he was done, standing up.  "Well done, Xahar!"

"Thank you, my prince," he said with a deep bow.  "I thought I should try that last move out.  I learned it from another dancer here in the kingdom."

The prince grinned.  "I know.  I've seen her do it."  The women giggled at that.  "Ladies, enjoy our sweaty young friend here.  I'll make sure he gets home in one piece once you've had your fill of staring at his chest."

"Actually, my prince, I need to check on my father.  With all the hints I've dropped, I hadn't heard anything from him in a while."

"I haven't seen him at Court either," he admitted.  "That's fine, I'll drop you off there, Xahar."  He handed over the cold pitcher of water then walked off to talk to one of the older women.  He wasn't going to be tempted to be inappropriate with her.  Even though she did hit on him quite a lot during their short talk.  Xahar slipped inside to rinse off his face and chest, then came back out dried off and still in those pants.  The women gathered around him, talking about their future weddings and what he could do with them.

The Duchess came out for dinner and handed him a small bag.  "You were wonderful," she said, winking at him.  "My husband was most pleased."  She kissed him on the cheek. "I'll send you a tip soon, Xahar."

"Thank you, Duchess.  It's nice to be paid.  My last job didn't.  They even had an elf in who said I wasn't good."  He pouted a bit and the young women around him walked him off to soothe him and talk to him and give him tips for his dancing.  Plus most of them wanted to touch his chest and see if it was as well-muscled as it looked.

The Duchess looked at the prince, who was in the shade shaking his head. "They didn't pay him and had elves?"

"Oh, he was in Tirjay," he said dryly.  "Doing a show for some dragons and I'm assuming that there are elves over there," he noted, getting up to walk over to her.  "The poor thing must have been insulted greatly by those elves."

"The women around him would form a massive army for their destruction," she noted dryly.

"Yes, but from what I hear he prefers men and they know that.  Though I did hear some rumors about him and Pegnis's daughter," he admitted. He took another sip.  "Work for explanations?"

"It does," she said smugly, smirking up at him.  "What's this I hear about a royal visit?"

"He said the Numfrian queen was thinking about coming over."

"I'll offer to host if they need a day outside the city," she promised.  "In whatever manner they want.  I heard they live in tents."

"No, they've got a very beautiful white palace," Xahar said, coming back over to refill his juice cup.  "It's very bright down there during the summer.  The palace is the home and source of the dance and their top mages.  The queen seemed to like to sew in her garden for her free time.  She was amazed that we have female warriors.  Her husband is a mage, of course, and her son a knight.  I had dinner with them my last night there.  She said she'd like to see the market.  Their markets are usually more shops all on the same street instead of like ours."

"Interesting," Prince Frederick agreed.  "I'll be telling Mother as soon as I get home.  Do they have young daughters?"

"No, the King was blessed with seventeen sons and five daughters."

"Ah, and we have princesses."

"Yes, but I think this was more a trip just to get out of town for a few weeks.  The queen was said to travel extensively in her youth."

"That's fine. Mother would still be quite happy if any of the princes showed up.  I'll have her invite them so my younger sisters quit bothering my daughters."  Xahar chuckled at that.  "Do you think they'd mind?"

"Probably not.  Some of your sisters might though.  Especially Korant."

"Yes, well, I'm still looking for some ugly old man to take her out of my way," he sai dryly, making the Duchess giggle.  "I hate that sister."

"Many of us find disfavor with her, my prince," she said diplomatically.  In truth, that princess didn't like anyone, stayed in her tower room all day away from everyone, and hated to come down for formal events.

"Perhaps you can send her to the Duke on the other side of King Hans, sire.  He's said to have four sons who need married off."

"They're in the middle of nowhere," another of the women noted as she joined them.

"Yes, but we're talking about Princess Korant," he offered.

"Well, then she'd probably adore it.  She'd kick the prince out of his castle and close it up so she wouldn't have to deal with anybody."

"That's a good reason," Frederick assured her.  "I'll tell Mother about that idea as well.  Xahar, I'm leaving soon."

"That's fine, at your leisure, sire."

"Then come, Xahar.  We'll go now.  Duchess, it was a most enlightening evening."

"Thank you for attending," she said graciously, kissing him on the cheek.  "I'll send the husband in within a week of our returning from the honeymoon so he can taunt you into going hunting again."  He laughed and grinned at her, walking off with Xahar once he had his bag.  She looked at the others.  "A new royal visit?  We've got to make plans."  She knew this was why the women had given up Xahar so easily.  There were many plans to be made for royal visits, including clothes, entertainment, and other things.  They hovered together, making plans about who would and could host what sort of event and how fast it could be gotten together once they knew the Queen was on her way.
 

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