“I have assembled a party of people to join us for the discussion about the elven participation in the coming war,” declared King Avalar. “Come join us in the throne room while the workers set up for the feast.”
Avalar was about to say something to Myka about the feast when Princess Alahara moved forward and stood nose to snout with the dragon.
“Don’t even think about eating any of my people,” Princess Alahara whispered to the dragon, her face a mask of seriousness.
Myka’s tongue lashed out of her mouth and just barely touched Princess Alahara’s chest.
“I am pleased that the baby maker has found a new home,” Myka said with a grin. “This means that my mountain will not be crawling with thousands of tiny elves.”
While the words had not been heard by anyone other than Alahara and Myka, King Avalar hurried forward and gently grabbed Alahara’s arm.
“What are you saying?” he asked. “The dragon is an honored guest in this land. Do not abuse her.”
“I have taken no offense,” Myka said softly. “You are fortunate to have Mistake for a daughter. She has the courage to lead the elven people some day. Teach her the ways of the Winged Warriors. She will learn.”
“Mistake?” frowned King Avalar. “You have known Princess Alahara before?”
“Indeed, we have met before,” replied Myka. “She will tell you about it. She was on her way to see the Sage of the Mountain for help in finding her family. It is well that she succeeded.”
“With your help,” Princess Alahara grudgingly added.
“With my help,” nodded Myka. “Be well elven princess. We shall talk later after the feast.”
Princess Alahara frowned, but she nodded and allowed her father to lead her away from the dragon.
“She won’t eat any elves?” Princess Alahara asked her father.
“She would never do such a thing,” answered Avalar. “You have much to learn about your people. Come with us to the throne room. Your input will be most welcomed.”
The Royal Family and the Torak walked to the lift and rose up into the Royal Tree. Marak gazed about with interest at everything he saw.
“I wish there was time to show you everything,” stated King Avalar, “but time is something that we are running out of. You are the first human to set foot in Elvangar in two thousand years. Coming in on the back of a winged warrior will mean much to the elven people. It will reinforce the fact that the elves are destined to be involved in this war.”
“Why?” asked Marak.
“Until now,” explained Avalar, “the elven people have only heard speeches about the human war. There has been a fear of humans coming here for thousands of year, and now you arrive. You did not arrive as a conqueror, or as a thief. You arrived as a warrior capable of riding a dragon.”
“But anyone can ride a dragon,” shrugged Marak. “It is like riding a horse unless Myka decides to dive to hear you scream for your life.”
“She did that to you, too?” gasped Princess Alahara. “I thought we were going to die that day.”
“That only shows that she has a sense of humor,” King Avalar continued seriously. “Not everyone can ride a dragon, Emperor Marak. While it may be easy to sit upon the back of one, dragons do not invite people to ride upon them, and no one is capable of forcing the dragon to allow it.”
“I guess I was convincing,” shrugged Marak. “She certainly allowed me to ride her.”
“Because you are the Torak,” declared King Avalar.
“But she let me, and Rejji, and Bakhai ride on her,” interjected Princess Alahara.
“And Rejji is the Astor,” nodded King Avalar. “No doubt she would also allow the Star of Sakova to ride upon her back as well.”
“Are you saying that she knows about the prophecies?” asked the Torak. “That she only allowed my ride because I am the Torak?”
“That is exactly what I am saying,” nodded the King of the Elves. “Winged Warriors are creatures of Kaltara. That is why the elves revere them.”
“But what about me and Bakhai?” asked Princess Alahara. “We rode her, too.”
“You will have to tell me what happened some day,” shrugged King Avalar, “but I am willing to wager that she had to do so to save the Astor’s life. Perhaps Rejji would have refused the flight if you two were left behind.”
“He would never have abandoned us,” Princess Alahara said emphatically.
“Then you have answered your own question, Daughter,” smiled the king.
“So Myka will allow me to ride her again?” asked Marak. “I don’t mean just the trip back to Angragar, but another time as well?”
“I will not put words into the mouth of a winged warrior,” smiled King Avalar. “I will say that you need to have a serious talk with Myka. The dragons are not called winged warriors without reason.”
Marak mulled over the words that Myka had spoken earlier. He particularly focused on her statement regarding the hole made by the knife and her warning not to make more holes in the future.
“So she was toying with me,” smiled Marak. “The whole time I was trying to get her to bring me here, she was threatening to leave me there. That was all an act?”
King Avalar merely grinned.
“Some dragons have been known to have a wild sense of humor,” interjected Queen Alycia. “They vary just as people do. At least she won’t be boring.”
Emperor Marak shook his head and laughed.
Chapter 22
Aakuta’s Message
Rhoda saw the Imperial messenger enter the Raven’s Point estate and knew something was afoot. It was not necessarily that a message was being delivered from the Emperor that spurred her to action, but rather it was the hand motion that the fake messenger used to signal her. The Torak mage immediately made an excuse to the students that she was tutoring. She entered the front of the mansion and walked swiftly through the building and out the back. She acted as if she was in a hurry to reach the docks, but at the last minute she turned to the right along the beach. As soon as she was out of sight, Rhoda ran to the cove where she received the secret messages from Aakuta. She hid in the bushes and waited.
Half an hour later, the Imperial messenger came strolling along the beach, his eyes constantly scanning the forest for signs of life. Even though Rhoda had time to conceal herself, the spy immediately detected her. He smiled and waved for her to come out.
“How did you see me?” asked Rhoda. “I was well covered.”
“I didn’t see you,” smiled Fisher. “I just knew that you would be there.”
“I have not had any more messages since the last one,” reported Rhoda. “Why are you back so soon? I did not send for you.”
“I need your help,” replied Fisher. “Can you identify the location on the Island of Darkness where Aakuta sends his messages from?”
“Somewhat,” frowned Rhoda, “but not exactly. It is a place I have not actually been to, although it is not far from the temple. I can tell that much.”
“That is not much help,” sighed Fisher. “I need to narrow it down.”
Rhoda frowned and stared out to sea for several moments before speaking.
“We talked about it when he was healing me,” she said softly. “He told me that he spoke to Polema from the beach. He took a trail through the jungle to get there, and he did not care much for the trail. He said it was a noisy approach and alerted anyone who might be in the area.”
“That is some help,” frowned Fisher, “but I would guess that could mean a thousand places.”
“Not necessarily,” corrected Rhoda. “I do not know much about the island, but I saw a bit of it while escaping. The city extends right to the water and the temple is the outermost part of the city in the opposite direction. Behind the temple is a forest, not a jungle. Also, Aakuta would naturally use the side of the city closest to Raven’s Point. He would not want the air tunnel to be accidentally disrupted by people walking between him and me.”
“Alright,” nodded Fisher, “that is more to go on. Captain Mynor has fairly decent charts of the island. I will study them and see if I can make sense out of your clues.”