Chapter Fourteen.
 

Xahar walked into his father's crumbling tower and stopped to sniff, then grimaced and headed for the study.  That's where his father liked to be drunk.  He saw him collapsed on the desk and walked over to check him.  That's when he noticed he was missing some skin and obviously dead by the way he was laying on the papers.  He hurried back to the door, hoping to catch the prince.  "Frederick!" he yelled.  The prince stopped and looked back at him, looking shocked.  "I think you need to witness this.  He's dead and laying on something that looks like a will."

The prince rode back, dismounting off his horse.  "He's dead?"

"Long dead."  He led the way back into the study, letting the prince look at the body while he called the palace. His father was a knight, it'd be a minor state burial.  He blinked at the man answering.  "I didn't expect to get you, Chancellor.  I'm sorry.  I was looking for someone to tell them my father is dead."

"Dead?"  He frowned.  "How long?"

"Very long," Frederick said, straightening up.  "Looks like he was emtombed for a bit dead."  He dusted his hands off.  "Where can I clean up, Xahar?"

"Um, the blue door led to a wash area the last I knew."  The prince nodded, going that way.  "Was that a will?"

"Unfinished."  He came back out wiping off his hands.  "It stated he was going to give his knighthood away but the person was blank.  The rest stated that the Lord's estate, what he got from your mother, was yours."

"That's fine.  That's what I dropped so many hints about," he agreed dryly.  "I don't want to be a knight."

"You're giving up part of your inheritance?" the Chancellor asked, looking confused.  "Most people kill their parents to get such things."

Xahar looked at him.  "Imagine me as a knight," he said sarcastically.

The chancellor looked horrified and shook his head, holding up a finger.  "Let me tell someone so they can come get the body."

"Thank you."  He turned off the call, looking at him.  "Unfinished?"

"Only some spots of blood and drool, sorry."  He shrugged, looking around the room. "This is in bad shape."

"Yes, but I'll take that into account whenever I name someone to it."  He looked at his old friend.  "The one I like is an annoyance to your father for his clumsy nature, but he'd make a good diplomat."

"Yes, but Father will get upset if you name him or Lady Morganis' adopted daughter."

"Yes, but they're my first choices," he said bitterly.

Frederick considered it.  "Hold a contest.  Invite those two and my father's top three candidates.  Whoever wins gets it.  That way it's more or less fair for your two favorites."

"Not a bad idea," he admitted. "I'll do that once the official mourning is over with."  He grimaced.  "Are Liset and Ballor back yet?"

"They're due in early next week.  They got a late start.  Brosct's wife is pregnant.  He celebrated finishing your safe."

"Ah.  Well, I'm sure she's happy with that.  They only had those two children."  He leaned closer.  "You know, Lord Abingdale has three sons, right?" he hissed.  Frederick looked startled. "Those aren't daughters."

"Ooooh," he said with a wince.  "No wonder he looked so upset when Mother said that.  Oh, well.  Maybe they should dress a bit better or something."  He shook his head. They had been very pretty young women, who blushed compulsively.  "Do they like men?"

"From what I've heard around, one does.  The middle one supposedly. The other two want women who are just as tough as they are."

"Have they looked in some sewing circles?"

"No, but one did ask Liset if she had a sister, preferably younger."

"They can fight?"

"They have to keep defending themselves against people who think they're girls," he said with a small smirk.  The mirror behind them coughed and he looked back to find the King there.  "Highness.  I'm back safely and came to see if my hints had taken hold of my father's brain yet.  Unfortunately I found him dead."

"I can see that from here," he admitted, looking at the body.  "How did you get back?"

"Oh, I rode in on an old friend's foreleg, sire.  Rivetna is a very nice, wise dragon who hosted me when I was with them last.  She's offered me a chance to come up and entertain her clan's human servants for Solstice."

"I see.  What about the dances?"

"What better way of the sisters proving they do have grace?" Frederick asked.  "Oh, is Mother around?"

"Yes, but I doubt she wants to see such a sight, son."

"Yes, but I've got news."

"Really?  Good news?"

"Royal visit news, father."

"Fine," he sighed.  "Dear?"  The Queen soon joined him.  "The son has news."

"The Queen of Numfria is considering coming over for a visit mother."

"Why?"

"She wants to do some traveling again I would suppose," Xahar offered.  "She was known for it in her youth, my queen."

She looked at him, then sniffed.  "Where were you?"

"In Numfria, stuck, my queen.  I took a short contract to dance a single dance for some dragons in Tirjay.  They flew me over but then refused to fly me back after I didn't want to stay to be insulted by them or their elven friends."

She stared, mouth open, then sighed and shook her head.  "How did you get back, dear?"

"Dragon, mother.  He was riding on one's forearm.  He said Rivetna is a very nice, wise dragon."

"I see."  She shook her head.  "We'll talk later, Xahar."

"Yes, my queen.  I didn't think I had missed another performance."

"No, dear, you didn't.  But I do want to hear the gossip from there."

"Of course, my queen," he promised her.  "Should I invite the Mage Mica down so I can tell you both at the same time?" he asked with a small grin.  "For tea perhaps?"

"That would be fine," she agreed.  "Tomorrow?"

"Wonderful with me.  I'm sure someone knows how to bury my father without my input."

"He's dead? I thought he was drunk again."  Both young men shook their heads.  She sighed.  "Did he remember to leave his knighthood to anyone?"

"That line was left blank in the document under his head, mother.  That's why I'm still here.  He thought it might be a will so I was needed to witness it."

"That's fine, son.  Does she have daughters, Xahar?"

"Seventeen sons and five daughters, my queen," he said happily.

"Even better.  Maybe Korant will find someone she likes."

"There was a whisper at the event we just left that there's a Duke on the other side of King Hans' lands who have four sons, mother.  That's about as desolate as she could ever want," Frederick offered.  "She could probably have a mountainside castle all to herself and give him half of it without having to see him or anyone for weeks on end."

She stared at her son.  "I know of that family," she said finally.  "Not the most stable, son."

"Korant is a wonderful warrior, my queen.  She takes after you in that regard," Xahar said dryly, smirking at her.  "She can beat me."

"Point," she admitted. "I'll talk to her about such matters.  Perhaps she's getting pissed at us again and wants to take a visit that way."  She smiled again.  "Seventeen sons?  Is she his only wife?"  He nodded. "How?"

"There's a few twins from what I noticed.  I know that the son we always ate with was a knight.  I do not know how many are married already."

She waved a hand.  "It doesn't really matter."  She beamed at him.  "Some of them could easily go over there."

"I wouldn't send Tiarbel, mother.  It gets very hot in the summer over there and she'd melt.  You know you'll have to find some icy wasteland for her to live in," Frederick joked.

"Actually, there's a great King up in the North, in Nastria," Xahar told him.  "He's very gentle.  From what I saw his people love him and his son was fairly nice and kinda cute in a manly, square all around way.  I danced for a week up there for his first daughter's wedding.  She was marrying a minor noble from Numfria so I was invited."  The queen beamed at him for that and the king sighed.  "It wouldn't hurt to send a few of those knights just sitting around with her, sire.  Would it?"

"No, it'd give them something to do," he agreed dryly.  "That is a long ways away though.  We'd never get to see the grandchildren."

"It'd make their visits all the more special," Frederick noted.  "Besides, Miradin would pout if she had to share you with more than her baby brother.  She said so."  Both his parents laughed at that.  He heard someone pound on the door.  "Give me a moment please."  He walked out to answer it, letting the guards in.  "Xahar stopped in to see if his hints to not give him the knighthood had stuck yet.  Found him very dead on his desk.  This way."  He led the way back into the room.  "Here you are."

"Oh, yeah, he's dead," a guard quipped.  "Been dead for at least two weeks now."  He looked at Xahar.  "Everyone said you weren't coming back."

He snorted. "How many times have people said that in the past and I always come back?" he asked sarcastically.  "It's not like I'd stay with someone who wanted to keep me or who had the audacity to steal me."

"Xahar, dear," the queen said gently. "Someday even you will have to settle down.  When you do, I'll remind you of this discussion."  Then she smiled sweetly.

He looked at her and shook his head.  "When I do find a rich husband, I'll bring him to court so you can tell him all my bad points, my queen.  I'm sure he'll be quite amused and laugh at most of them."

The king walked off snickering.  "Good one, Xahar.  How about Lord Abingdale?"

"He'd hate me, my king," he called.  "He'd never cuddle either."

Frederick broke at that, leaning on his friend's shoulder to laugh long and hard.  That was so bad of him.

"I do require cuddles very often or else I go odd," Xahar said innocently, smirking at the queen.  "Ask Ballor, I use him as a pillow now and then while we're traveling.  Liset just pokes me and hands me to Ballor when I get too cuddly with her."

She chuckled, holding most of it in.  "I'll tell him you said that the next time I see him."  She walked off and they could hear her laughter as well.  The connection cut on that.

Frederick shook his head. "You are so bad," he gasped, starting off again.

The guards looked at them like they were odd.  "I bet you could go find a great many people to cuddle you now and then, Xahar," one said patiently.

"Yeah but then I'd have to pay them for it.  Ballor does it beyond what I pay him for."  He looked at the body.  "How does one unstink a room after things like this?"

"Open the windows and have someone in to clean up the mess," another offered.  "Where's he going?"

"He's a Knight and a Lord," Xahar sighed.  "Wherever they go when they've been naughty."

"You can't say your father never livened things up," Frederick said dryly, clapping him on the back.  "Want to ride behind me and start new rumors or with the body?"

"Behind you would make me stink less," he said grimly. "Besides, my father's spirit must be turning over somewhere because he never finished who he was giving his knighthood to.  Me as even a temporary knight was one of his worst nightmares ever."  They followed the body out, bundling up the will on the desk to take with them.  It'd have to be officially presented to the king in session and accepted before anything was done about it.  He looked down the dirt road, then sighed. "At least Mother's house is still nice.  I rather pity the knight who gets this old wreck Father built."

"He built it?  Why?  He had a nice estate."

"Yes, but he thought it only proper for a Knight like him to have a manly tower to prove his manly nature and show it to the world."  They looked up at the old stone tower, then they both shuddered.  "I'm sure Mother felt that way about him when they were courting."  He caught Frederick's horse for him and waited for him to mount before getting on behind him.  "Thank you for the wonderful ride, Frederick," he teased.

"If I liked men, you wouldn't have danced for anyone since I saw you at my manhood ceremony, Xahar.  Fortunately I like girls.  They're nicer and don't smell like dragons most of the time."  Xahar snickered at that so he kicked his horse into walking off, following the cart for now.  "Bag?"

Xahar concentrated and it came flying out, letting him catch it. "Got it."

Frederick looked back at him. "How did you do that?"

"The King in Numfria convinced me I could learn stuff now and then, when I was bored.  Since I can do three spells, he told me to concentrate on things that would help me when I was stolen.  Like mage calling and summoning things like door keys."

"I see.  Did he give you an estimate of how strong you might become?"

"Less than most apprentices.  One of those who can make his life a bit easier now and then and protect himself a bit better as well."

"Oh, well, that's good," he praised, moving on after the cart.  Another interesting thing to tell his parents, but they'd only congratulate him on being able to protect himself better.  "Maybe you can learn how to cook finally."

"I can cook, I just don't like to cook.  The same way as I can do laundry but I hate doing it."

"Then it's a good thing Liset likes it, huh?" he teased.

"True, and that Cook's wife likes doing it too," he said dryly. "She does a lot more than Liset does on the road, my prince.  Liset hates dirt and grime but Cook's wife hates stinky stuff, like sweaty clothes.  She must have yelled at me for the first ten or twenty times she did our wash about how smelly and sweaty I got dancing. She said working in a barn would be less smelly.  I hate to hear what she's going to say tonight.  Everything I've got in my bag is dirty."

He shook his head. "I'm sure you'll survive and charm her like you did my mother.  You seem to be very good at it."  They rounded a bend in the road and found some thugs hassling the body.  "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he called.

Xahar looked at them.  "Boys, that's my father's body.  We're taking it to burn and piss on.  Do you mind?"  They gaped at him.  "Yes, I'm Xahar."

"We want you."

Xahar sniffled.  "You're the first new threat in months. I thought I was getting too old to make people want to steal me."  He pulled out a hair pin and stabbed the hand reaching for him.  "No!  You have to ask Liset's permission to take me."

"Who's she? Your wife?"

"No, my guard.  She said she was to be asked by anyone who wanted to steal me."

"When will she be back?" one stupid one asked.

"They're coming from King Hans' lands and they'll be in early next week," Frederick told him.  "She'll be with a blacksmith's pregnant wife and Ballor, his other guard."

"We'll talk to them then," the thug agreed, pulling his friends with him.  "Will they have pretty things and cash?"

"No, honey, that's at home and only Ballor knows how to open the safe," Xahar said sweetly, grinning at them.  "So she'll tell him how much to pay you in dowry."

"That's fine," another agreed. "Easier than robbing."

The third looked at them like they were stupid.  "We could rob him now," he complained, rubbing his hand.  "That's the Prince."

"Yeah, but he's not wearing any jewels or gold or stuff," the first one complained.

Xahar pulled out his moneybag and tossed down a few coins.  "Here, to tide you over until you can talk to Liset."

The third one gave him an odd look.  "You'd let her negotiate for you?"

"She's got to put up with them too," Xahar said with a shrug.  "Might as well let them help me pick out a mate."  The third one nodded at that wisdom and they moved on, Frederick holding in the laughs as long as he could.  "They would," Xahar said finally.  "I'm not leaving them behind when I marry."

Frederick had to stop his horse and get down before he fell off, going to laugh on a tree for support.

"You have to admit, I have an interesting life if nothing else," Xahar quipped.

Frederick burst out in new laughs, hugging the tree so he wouldn't fall to his knees.

***
 

Ballor walked into the house, sniffing the air.  "What smells like a dragon this time?" he complained as Elevan, their Cook's wife, came out to take their bags.

"Xahar.  He still stinks, even after three baths.  I think she was about to go into heat or something," she said bitterly.

"Where is our wonderful boss?" Liset asked nicely.  Elevan burst out in giggles, pointing at the study.  "Thank you."  She handed over her bag at the tug.  "There's not much clothes in there.  I can bring them down."

"Not a problem.  I can carry stuff up for you while you yell at him for riding all the way back from Numfria on a dragon's leg."

"He did what?" Ballor asked dryly.  She nodded.  Both guards sighed and headed for their boss.  "Boss?" he called as he opened the door.

"What?" he asked sleepily.  "I'm not moving."

"Fine, boss, but would you like to tell me why *I* got to deal with the idiot thugs in the woods who wanted to marry you?"

"I figure you'll have to put up with who I marry anyway and this kept them from bothering my father's body or Frederick."  He opened an eye.  "Besides, they were stupid enough to fall for it."

"Point, boss, but still not nice.  They scared Brosct's wife."  She came in and sniffed at him.  "You do smell like a dragon."

"Boss, flying cage?" Ballor asked patiently from the doorway.

"I came back with Rivetna.  They didn't want to let me go and refused to send me back or pay me," he said tiredly, yawning a bit.  "I sat on top of her wrist and held on the whole way back."  He yawned again, flipping onto his side. "Perfectly safe.  We're invited up during winter solstice to perform for her clan's humans."

"Her clan holds humans?" Ballor asked.

Liset looked at him.  "No, not really.  They have human servants to do things that they can't.  Some are captured, some are willing.  It's a way to make a good bit of money and then come back to usually find the spouse of your choice."

"You mean like sweeping nests and tending crops?"

"More like sweeping caves, rearranging stuff, tending the food herds, washing and scratching spots that itch.  Things like that."

"So they're like Squires to Knights?"

She nodded, moving Xahar's feet to sit under them.  "Basically."  He shrugged and pushed their boss's head up to sit under it, letting him get comfortable.  "So, boss, why do *I* get to find you a reasonable spouse?"

"You and I have the same tastes," he said dryly, opening an eye to look down at her.  "Comfy?"  She nodded, smirking at him.  "Fine.  Besides, this way you could berate them and Ballor could shoo them off.  Works better that way around here."

"It does.  I paid them three gold each to bug off.  Annoyance payments worked for them.  They were really stupid."

"They were.  Only one caught onto what I was doing so I told him only you could open the safe."

"I saw, boss.  That was very handy," Ballor admitted, patting him on the back.  "So, what really happened?"

"They dissed me, they dissed the dances, they dissed me personally and an elf did as well.  So I corrected their assumptions on the dance since they said they were running an experiment on us dancers and their null magic areas.  I walked off, paid some local villagers to get me back to Numfria, hoping to catch a dragon back.  I ran into Rivetna, who housed me when Soulfire stole me, and I got a ride back from her.  I landed about an hour before I was due to go on.  She teased me the whole way home about my dedication to my job."

"At least you are dedicated," Liset noted.  "Your father's dead?"

"He's in whatever form of afterlife he considered right kicking himself for not filling in the blank about who he was leaving his knighthood to. The funeral's in three days.  We're expected to go and not laugh.  Frederick suggested we hold a contest to see which knight is getting my title."

"Don't you get a say in that?" Ballor asked.

"Yeah, but the two I like the king doesn't.   So I'm inviting his top three and my two.  We've got to figure out what we're doing as a contest."

"Sure, boss," Liset agreed, stroking his leg.  "How went the dance?"

"Oh, I mixed in some stuff I learned at taverns over the years, sent the Duchess and her future husband up to their rooms in the middle of it.  Then I went back to the normal stuff.  Ballor," he said through another yawn. "You'll have to read while I dance to some new stuff.  There's a new story and I'm invited to make up some of the newer dances."  He drifted off again, secure, safe, and comfortable on his guards, as always.

Someone pounded on the door so Elevan got it, looking at the prince.  "He's resting in the study.  Follow the stink."

"His hair?"

"Dragon."

"Ah."  He headed that way, tapping more gently first.  He stuck his head inside then balled up the message and tossed it at Liset.  "Father's choices.  He agreed with my strategy.  He still doesn't like Xahar's choices though."  He shrugged.  "I see he does cuddle.  He said he had to or he'd go odder and get into more trouble."

"He does," Ballor agreed. "Some day soon we'll have to find him a real mate."

"I thought Mica was pretty cute," Liset offered.

"He is, but he's married to his work," Ballor reminded her.  "That won't work out too well.  He needs someone who'll be focused on pampering him."  He looked at Frederick.  "What else happened while we were gone?"

"Well, there's going to be a royal visit from Numfria.  Mother made a mage call to talk to her and offered her a few weeks at their palace.  She even talked up coming during the winter so she could see some snow and some snow games since they don't have any down there.  Mother was cuddling the grandson and the other queen cooed at how cute he was," he bragged.  "Said she could only bring two of her sons.  About half of the seventeen were married but that those two had good taste and could see if any of our many daughters here would suit some of their brothers.  Xahar also suggested a place for Korant and Tiasbel.  Mother called them and they agreed to host the daughters in question on a state visit, just a friendly chat, make sure we're still friends sort of visit."  He grinned.  "That takes care of two fussy ones.  I'm so happy!"  Ballor snickered at that.  "Plus, he did make it to dance for the Duchess.  You're going to visit some dragons come Solstice so my sisters have to dance their own dances this year.  Try to keep him from laughing too hard at the funeral.  It's a smaller state funeral so some things are standard and have to happen, no matter how funny looking they are."  He waved and disappeared, heading back to the palace.

Liset uncrumpled the list, looking it over.  "I don't like them," she noted, handing them over.  "They don't like women, they're stupid and shallow, and they cause the guards all sorts of trouble."

He nodded, looking over the six names.  "At least he's left alternates. Not much better though.  What should we make them do?"

"Wait tables for a night?" she suggested.  "Give someone like Marlin a chance to rest."

"No knight would ever do that for more than their overlords," he noted dryly. "What was his father known for as a knight?"

"Drinking, causing problems, whoring around, and running through that elf statue.  He caused more rumors and things to start than anyone else ever."

"So we'll set a test of diplomacy, a drinking test, an archery test, and a fighting test," Ballor said with a small shrug.

"How would you prove diplomacy?"

"Have three shopkeepers test their bargaining and whining skills by having them come negotiate for a contract."

"That's a good idea," she offered, grinning at him.  "The drinking test would suit the others.  I know the female Xahar likes is a very good archer and fighter, and the other guy might just trip his way into winning that contest.  Of course, we'd have to have the King and Queen watching."

"We can do most of those here," he reminded her.  "We do have the whole yard now."

"Good point."  She beamed at him.  "I still say we should have a dinner during the contest and make them wait tables.  Or have it in town and make them wait tables at an inn.  It'd serve them right."

"It would but humiliating them would only cause more problems later," he said patiently.  "Think about how bad they'll sneer to maintain their reputations if the general public knew how squires kissed butt at the palace."

"Hmm, point," she admitted.  "All six of those?"

"We'll pick three," he told her.  "Maybe they'll see how bad they are and have them dismissed for good.  That would make many a guard's day."

"Year," she corrected dryly.  "Though, some of the knights do pull times in town helping them.  The guards don't want to deal with the priests, knights, or the mages so the knights get those tasks.  I hear they're doing it in rotation for the most part.  I'll check to make sure all three of our choices are off those days."

He nodded.  "Sounds reasonable to me.  I wouldn't want to deal with a drunken mage or priest either. You never know what they'd call down on your head."  She sighed and nodded at that.  "Your mother?"

"Had to toss out a drunken priest once.  He gave her boils that wouldn't go away.  So she found him the next time he was in town and beat him bloody until he cured them."

"I like your mother," he noted dryly, smiling at her. "The more I hear about her the more I like her.  We should go visit her when we get a vacation."

"Sure.  She doesn't live that far away.  I had her moved here when I started with you two."  She slid out from under his legs, stretching a bit. "You hungry too?"  He nodded.  "Be right back."  She headed into the kitchen, grinning at Cook.  "Feed us?" she asked pitifully. "We've lived on trail rations for the last three days."

He snorted and handed her their picnic hamper. "Make the boss eat too.  He hasn't  yet today.  There's juice in there too."

"Thanks, Cook."  She hugged him.  "How did you mange with just him here?"

"He's still pouting about getting old and no one wanting to steal him anymore."

"He's what?"  He nodded, giving her a smug look.  "He's still taken all the time."

"Yes, but mostly by people who already wanted him.  He said it's a sign that he's getting old because no one new wants to kidnap him and keep him."

"I'll straighten that out," she said bitterly, heading back to the study.  She slapped Xahar's face gently, staring down at his eyes.  "Boss, we've stopped eight people in the last month from making plans to steal you.  It's not that you're getting old, it's that we're stopping them sooner.   You're not that old yet."  He blinked up at her.  "I promise."

"You mean I'm not looking too old?"

"No, boss," Ballor said patiently.  "When did you start thinking that?"

"I figured it was why no new people wanted me, just people like Keivghn and Kozur."  He shrugged lightly.  "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. You being pitiful looking brings the softer women instead of the hardened warriors.  It's a nice change," she assured him.  "Now get up and eat.  Cook said you haven't today and it's time we fix that."  She helped him sit up and got him down onto the floor so they could have a real picnic.

"Why are we doing this inside since it's so pretty today?" Ballor asked.

"Because he's supposed to be in mourning and shouldn't be seen having fun," Liset told him.  "It's a social custom around here."

"Oh.  Pity."  He looked at their boss.  "We've figured out how to pick the new knight.  We'll hold a bargaining or diplomatic contest, an archery contest, a fighting contest, and a drinking contest.  Whoever wins the most wins."

Xahar looked at them.  "Most of the ones the king likes can drink really well."

"Yeah, but they can't bargain," she said, handing over the list.  "Pick three, get your two choices, then we'll hold it."

"Sure," he agreed, nodding.  "A week after the funeral.  We're still going to visit the dragons this winter."

"Frederick said so when he brought that," Ballor told him.  "He also said a few of the princesses were going on state visits and the Numfrian queen was coming here with two sons."

"Good.  Weddings are always preferable to a war."  He looked in the basket. "Juice?"

"Juice," she agreed, handing it over so he could pour himself some in a cup he had beside the couch.  "Any news on that new sofa?"

"I snuck down there yesterday.  She's padding it now.  She had a rush order for a new set of cribs for a set of girl triplets born that were only supposed to be a single boy."  They laughed at that.  "Oh, I'm sure you'll hear soon but I think the Duchess used my fertility spreading yesterday to make sure her union is a fertile one."

"Good," Ballor said happily.  "A child ties the couple more tightly together."  He found a sandwich for himself and ate it slowly.  "What'll we do if those thugs try that game with other people, especially some of the court women?"

"Most of them travel with guards.  I'm sure they'll handle it," Xahar said dryly, finding his own lunch and digging into it.  "Did I tell you?  They found a new story and I'm supposed to be making up some of the dances."

"You mumbled it while you were asleep, boss," Ballor assured him.  "You work on them and I'll read while you dance to make sure they fit."  He beamed and hugged him then went back to eating.  "Anything else good happen?"

"My dances were accepted into the official storyline.  The king there advised me to study magic when I'm bored, just now and then, to learn more things to help myself when I'm taken.  I learned I could send a whole village full of mostly older people to bed early in under a turn of the hourglass.  It's a new record for me," he said smugly.  "I also learned how to properly greet dragon royalty and why the ocean is so blue and pretty but is clear when you hold it in your hand from Rivetna.  She's a very smart dragon."

"I'm sure she was, boss," Liset agreed, digging into her salad.  She finally gave up on the greens and handed them to her boss, taking one of Ballor's sandwiches from him.  "That's more my sort of food."

"Cook must have thought you were starved, boss," Ballor joked.

"Yeah, but I hadn't eaten yet today.  I slept most of today after learning how to paint rooms magically.  I figure it'll be a great annoyance when someone has me locked in one and it'll keep my mind occupied."

They both nodded, humoring him yet again.  At least they hadn't had to fight a whole clan of dragons for him this time and they hadn't had to sail halfway around the world either.
 

To Index

To Chapter Fifteen