Patrick just shrugged.
“So in two days’ time, we go to kill a dragon.”
“No.” Patrick shook his head and poked at the food, looking for another enticing morsel. “In two days, we go in human form to turn the dragon from the village.”
“In human form?” Daniel asked, shocked. “Now you are being a fool. The task you suggest is impossible, even with two squads of men.”
“Two score plus you and I—all Elites in Eternity. We’ve trained for this. If we can’t turn one dragon back in human form, then we don’t deserve the name of Elite,” Patrick pointed out. “Anyway, I don’t intend for us to kill the beast initially.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow. “What are you playing at?”
“I intend a show.” Patrick pushed the trencher away. He was hungry, but the food was too dry for his taste. A glass of something was needed to help get it down. “Something to prove to the village that we can protect them.”
A slow nod moved Daniel. Finally, the man was starting to see Patrick’s point.
“Have Douglas and Mathew returned yet?”
“Not yet.”
“I need a full report when they do.” Patrick pushed himself into a more respectable position. “I want to know where his lair is. Once we’ve played for the public, we’ll go deal with this dragon properly.”
This brought a smile to Daniel’s face. “I knew there was a reason Kyle sent you,” he laughed. “I would have just killed it outright and been done.”
Patrick stood up from the table. “And you would have spent the next year subduing the village to get what you needed.”
Daniel laughed again. “Better a hero than a tyrant.”
“Exactly. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see if I can find something to help with this.” Patrick waved at the dry food before leaving for the kitchen. This place had to have a wine cellar somewhere.
3
Two long lines marched from Dunham Castle to the village. Patrick looked over the men, approving of their preparations. Each wore a suit of light, leather armor and carried a huge metal shield. Half carried long swords, and the rest had spears. With a light mist falling from the sky, it was a perfect day to tangle with a dragon.
Daniel hefted up his shield and followed his men. “Let’s hope your ploy works.” There were only fifteen fighters ready to do battle. The rest were already spread throughout the countryside, waiting.
“I hope so, too,” Patrick admitted. This plan would have been better if Douglas and Mathew had been able to locate the dragon’s lair, but now they had to track it back to its home before they could deal with it.
“If we get the opportunity to kill him, I think we should take it,” Daniel pointed out.
“Most definitely,” Patrick agreed, “but I don’t think he’ll give us one.”
“You never know.” Daniel shrugged. “If he’s gone in his head, he might leave himself open.”
“Point, but I don’t want anyone getting hurt during this.” Patrick looked at the men. “I don’t want heroes taking stupid risks.”
“As if this whole thing isn’t a stupid risk,” Daniel scoffed, earning a glare from Patrick. “I understand why it’s needed, but it’s still dangerous.”
“And we’ve talked about this,” Patrick agreed. “If he turns on us, we’ll shift and take him on, but I’d rather not have that in front of the villagers. You know how the king feels about exposing ourselves to humans.”
Daniel nodded.
“Let’s just stick to the plan, and we’ll be okay.”
The hike from the castle to the town was relatively short. The men stopped just outside of the village and let Patrick and Daniel lead the way in.
“Good morrow, Eustace,” Patrick greeted the familiar face in the crowd. He nodded to the woman he had swapped wits with on his previous visit. “Fair maiden.”
She stood proudly next to the village elder, shooting a look of pure hatred at Patrick.
Patrick gave his attention back to Eustace. “Have you considered my offer,” his eyes shifted to the woman in white next to him, “or have you chosen your maiden?”
Rage colored her face.
Eustace gripped her forearm to silence her before she spewed the venomous words Patrick could see flash in her lovely, blue eyes. “We are considering your offer,” the town elder answered, “but we have chosen a maiden.”
The color washed out of the girl’s face as she clenched her jaw.
“If you can protect her and the village, then we will agree to your terms.”
“As you wish.” Patrick bowed, earning him an eye roll from the girl. “Please tell me everything you can about the dragon and how he’s been collecting these maidens.”
Kathryn stood back as she listened to Eustace talk with the new lord. She glared at him, hoping the dragon would eat him when it showed up.
“Good morrow, fair maiden.”
A dark-haired man approached her. He wasn’t quite as tall as Patrick, but he was ruggedly handsome. His dark eyes shimmered as she greeted him. “Good morrow, My Lord.”
Laughter bubbled out of him. “He,” the man nodded to Patrick, “will be your new lord. I am but his humble servant.” Picking up her hand, the man bent over and kissed its back. “I am Daniel.”
A blush rose in Kathryn’s cheeks. She was not used to such treatment from men. “Kathryn,” she said as she dropped him a curtsey.
“So, are you the maiden we are here to protect?” Daniel asked. His eyes dropped, taking in the flowing white gown she wore.
Unused to the attentions of such a handsome man, she nodded shyly.
He gave her a reassuring smile. “Would you like to meet your defenders?”
Kathryn nodded, still at a loss for words. This man was nothing like the arrogant ass who had come down demanding a tithing.
Daniel tucked her hand around his arm to escort her down the lines of men.
Her eyes wandered them curiously. These men looked ill prepared for the battle to come. Although they did have weapons and large shields, they lacked the plate armor knights wore. Their light leathers dripped with water from the drizzle that had just stopped. Patrick must have had them standing out in the rain for hours before marching them down here. Was he abusing these men before sending them to their deaths? What a tyrant! Kathryn wrinkled her nose in disgust as they came back around to stand next to the man in question.
“The dragon will come from the south.” Patrick pointed to the open field just past the edge of the village. “We’ll line up one hundred paces from the village. That should be far enough away to keep the flames from the thatch roofs.”
“Better make it a hundred and fifty; we don’t know how hot he is,” Daniel suggested.
Nodding his agreement, Patrick finally turned his attention to the young woman holding Daniel’s arm.
“May I introduce you to the fair maiden you’re here to protect?” Daniel released Kathryn’s hand and pushed her forward a step. “This is Kathryn.”
A smile slipped into Patrick’s eyes, and he took up her hand and kissed it.
She shivered with the urge to snatch her hand away and wipe it on her gown.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, fair maiden.” Patrick turned her and wrapped her hand around his arm.
Kathryn’s eyes widened in shock; he was as wet as his men.
He stepped onto the curved edge of an oversize shield, popping it up so he could grab the handle without bending over. It was an action she could tell he had done before. Maybe he practiced it to look suave.