(Dragonkin) Dragon Rider (20 page)

   Menimeth did not understand it at first, until Danorathin explained it to him.

   "Just open your mind to the object, like you do when you speak to me."

   Menimeth tried several times that day, but could not feel anything special about the objects he concentrated on as he rode. He still did not understand until that night in the camp when Donderan told him it was not a question of feeling anything different. The problem was that he had always felt the magic, but did not know he felt the objects differently than other men. All he had to do was separate the magic from the rest, and it would become much clearer.

   As the days passed, Menimeth began to feel the difference in the objects and people around him as he rode. Even people contained magic to a degree, but it was very small and hard to feel. Darik was much different because he was trained to use magic. Menimeth could feel the powerful magic that flowed through him, but it was the staff he carried that held the power.

   "Yellow and white banners are approaching Corlindum from the south." Danorathin told his master.

   "How long before they arrive?" Menimeth asked his dragon.

   "No more than one week." The dragon replied.

   "Thank you my friend, Let me know when he arrives in the city."

   "Yes Sir Meni" Danorathin said, sounding like Chanry.

   Menimeth smiled at the dragons answer, and looked at the boy who was always beside him. Chanry was more than some boy he rescued, to Menimeth he was almost like a son. He could see a lot of himself in the boy's loyalty and determination, and liked him very much. He watched Chanry as he rode beside him on Strider, and noticed the slight glow around him. That was when he realized that Chanry had a lot more magic in him than any of the men who rode with them. The magic seemed to come from him rather than through him, and that made him different from the other men or objects Menimeth felt. It was a mystery he would talk to his dragon about later, but for now, he had other problems to solve.

   Three days later, Danorathin informed his master that blue and white banners were approaching from the north. The regent from the south was less than two days away now, and would arrive three days before those from the north. Within a week, two of the four regents would have arrived at Corlindum and Falendor would reach the capital two weeks later. Menimeth decided to allow Falendor time to arrive and get settled into his quarters, before he made his entrance.

   It appeared that the regents were bringing more solders than usual along with them, and were dressed in the colors of their realm as they traveled. Falendor always traveled this way, but the other regents did not. Something different was happening this time, and the council meetings would reflect it. Menimeth suspected it was a small show for the eastern regent to keep him at bay, since Falendor had told him about the power hungry man, and what he was capable of.

   Over the next week, Menimeth worked on his magic with Darik, improving daily. He learned how to feel the flow of magic within himself, and how to separate it from everything else around him. He did not know how to cast spells with the magic yet, but he could feel it, and that was a start. He would learn how to cast spells from his dragon when they went to Glansford, he thought.

   The next morning, when Falendor broke their camp to continue to the council in city of the regents, Menimeth did not. The purple and gold tents remained where they stood, as well as the red and white ones. The plan was to wait here for a week, and then proceed to Corlindum when the last of the regents were closer. Menimeth wanted to discuss the event to come with all of his men, and find out how they felt before he made his final decision. If he was to accept the crown and rule the empire, there must be no doubts among them.

   Later that morning Menimeth called all of his men together, and included Commander Rayden as well as Dorben. The twenty men of the Lost Cavalry went about their work, and protected the camp while the group talked. Six men and an elf, a dwarf, and an extraordinary boy stood before him.

   "The time has come to make a decision on how to proceed from this point on." Menimeth said. "Do I enter as a servant to the regents, or do I enter as the king of the empire?"

   "You are the king, therefore you must make a kingly entrance." Litlorn said to the warrior. "The Elvin Kingdoms will stand behind you in this."

   "He is right Meni." Javen said. "You are the king."

   "I agree with Litlorn." Brylen said. "You must take control of the empire if you wish to reunite it."

   "But what about the regents, some of them will not accept me as king easily?" Menimeth asked them.

   "You are a dragon rider and the king of the empire lad," Donderan told him. "You must become what you were meant to be."

   "If a regent will not accept you as king, them simply replace him." Brylen said. "As king you must not allow anyone to undermine your authority."

   "If you are to reunite the empire, than you must be the king if you wish to accomplish that task." Kyler said. "To be a servant to the regents would not change anything, and the empire would continue to decline."

   "You have not spoken Darik." Menimeth said to the mage as he looked at him. "What is your opinion on this matter?"

   "I do not see what the problem is." Darik responded. "You are the king, and you should act like it. Kings do not ask other people if they should be kings, because the choice is not theirs, or yours. If you are the king then you are the king, nothing can change that."

   "Then it is settled. I will enter Corlindum as the king, but we may have a fight on our hands if I do." Menimeth said. "Beloran will not allow this to happen if he can stop it, so we will need to see to it that he cannot."

   Menimeth turned to Brylen, and paused before he spoke.

   "You know what needs to be done as council for the king, do you not?"

   "Yes sire, I do." Brylen replied. "You wish to be portrayed as a king should be when you enter the city, and you wish to follow the protocols of royalty."

   "That is what I wish my friend, and I trust in your abilities to accomplish that end." Menimeth said, and smiled at Brylen as he did. "I am afraid you will have to teach me how to act like a king in a very short time, and it may not be easy."

   "You do not need to be taught how to be a king, for you are already the best king that I have ever seen." Brylen said. "All you need to know how to interpret their language, and I can do that for now."

   "I would like you to teach Chanry this knowledge if you will." Menimeth said, as he turned to the boy. "He will need it in the future, and it will help him act like a prince."

   "As you wish sire." Brylen said.

   "There is no need for you to call me sire." Menimeth told him. "We are all friends here, and I wish to be treated like a king, only when it is necessary that you do so. Call me by my name when we are among friends, and it will be easier for me to rule."

   Commander Rayden and Dorben waited until the others were gone before they spoke to Menimeth. They had already taken oaths to protect the kingdom, and awaited their orders from him. The man who rode south at the monastery road had returned, and reported that the men were on their way west, and should be at the camp in no more than three days. They were the last group to leave the camp in the south, and orders had been sent to the camp commander in the west.

   "What do you think is our best course of action when we reach Corlindum?" Menimeth asked the Commander.

   "I think we should split the battle group into two attack forces." Commander Rayden replied. "Keeping them out of sight as you enter the city with your men."

   "Green and black banners are approaching from the east," Danorathin said.

   "Then they will all be at the city when we arrive." Menimeth replied. "I would like for you to come to the camp tonight, there is something that I must do."

   "As you wish Meni."

   "That is a good idea, my friend." Menimeth said to the Commander after talking to his dragon. "That way, if we are forced to retreat from the city, the reserves can collapse in on the aggressors from both sides."

   "I do not think we will need them, but who can tell." Dorben said. "Your safety is the priority here, and having men in reserve is only prudent."

   "You are right." Menimeth said. "I will leave the planning of the details to you and your men Commander, when you have completed them you can fill me in. Thank you both for your help."

   That evening after the sun was down and he had eaten his supper, Menimeth walked out onto the road. Minuets later, Danorathin appeared and landed in front of him, waiting for him to take his place before leaping back into the air.

   "I need to get as close to the stewards quarters as I can." He told his dragon.

   "I can land on top of the building that houses the royal steward and his offices." The dragon replied. "From there it is a short walk down the stairs to his offices and quarters."

   "Then that is what we should do." Menimeth replied.

   It did not take long to arrive at the city, and the building that housed the steward. Menimeth dismounted and walked down the stairs while his dragon waited for his master's return, and kept watch over the city.

   Semeon was inside his office talking to Thadric when Menimeth arrived. He did not wish to see the southern regent before he entered Corlindum, so he waited for him to leave. Less than an hour later, Menimeth watched the regent as he exited the office and disappeared down the stairs. When the steward opened the door, he was shocked to see the warrior standing there. It was several seconds before he gained his composure enough to speak, but the colors of the old empire that Menimeth wore, did not go unnoticed.

   " Could the old legends be true?" Semeon wondered.

   "Please come in." He said, and stepped back to allow Menimeth to enter. "I did not expect to see you until Falendor arrived."

   "Officially you will not see me for three more weeks, but I needed to speak with you ahead of time."

   "Officially?" Semeon asked. And he became even more curious.

   "When I arrive in the city I will do so as a protector of the empire. I do not serve the regents, but they will serve the empire when I am finished with them." Menimeth said.

   "How will you accomplish that?" Semeon asked the warrior.

   "With the help of my men, and my friend. What is your position as far as protecting the empire?" Menimeth asked the steward.

   "There is no army other than the guard of each realm, and the regents will not help one another for fear of losing their realm to Beloran." Semeon replied.

   "What about a king, how would you place a king on the throne to reunite the empire." Menimeth asked and watched for the steward's reaction.

   "I am afraid that will never happen." The steward replied, but was not sure that was true anymore.

   "Why not?" Menimeth asked.

   "Because only a dragon rider can claim the throne and there are no more dragons to ride." He said. "It is the law of the empire still."

   "Would you walk with me, I have a friend I would like you to meet." Menimeth asked the steward.

   "I would be honored."

   Menimeth led him out the door and to the stairs that led to the roof.

   "Your friend is on the roof?" The steward asked Menimeth with a worried look.

   "You need not fear me steward." Menimeth said. "You will not be harmed as long as you are with me or any of my men, besides I need your help."

   "What of your friend on the roof. Is he one of your men?"

   "He fears for his life in his own house"

   "Yes, even when assured he will come to no harm at my hands." Menimeth replied to his dragon.

   "No, but he will not harm you." Menimeth assured the steward.

   As they reached the top of the stairs and the roof beyond, Semeon was about to speak to Menimeth when he spotted the dragon and froze in mid stride. He looked at Danorathin with total shock, and was mesmerized by the dragon that was only feet away.

   "This is my dragon and I am his rider." Menimeth said at last. "And when I enter the city I will do so as the king of the new Great Dragon Empire. The time has come to reunite the old empire and make it whole again, regardless of what the regents think. I will be using Glansford as my capital, and as Steward of the Empire I will expect you to take up residents In Corlindum, and control the regents in my name."

   "As you wish my lord." Semeon replied, and looked at the warrior with renewed respect. So the legend was true, he thought.

   "And do not tell the regents about this, I will let them know when the time is right." Menimeth said.

   "You have my word on it sire." Semeon said with a smile. "They will hear nothing from me."

   "The empire is in danger, and I am counting on you to represent me well while I find a way to end the threat." Menimeth told him. "There is a prince of Davinly that will be accompanying me when I arrive, and he is to be treated with the respect due a prince for as long as he is in this land.

   "I will see to it myself sire, how else can I help you?" He asked as he stood before Menimeth.

   "There are some items I will need when I officially arrive, could you see that they are ready when I do. And with as few people involved as possible if you can."

   "It would be an honor my lord." Semeon replied. "I will have it all waiting for you or your messenger on your arrival."

   The two men returned to Semeon's offices and talked for a while longer while Semeon made a list of the items Menimeth requested. He would start early in the morning, and he would tack care of it himself. Menimeth and Danorathin disappeared into the night sky from where they had come as Semeon watched. So the king has returned, he thought to himself, and it has begun.

   When Menimeth returned to the camp it was very late, and only the guards were awake. Danorathin flew back to the tower at Glansford and settled down to wait for his master to call him again. Soon his master would be the king, and the old city would be their home.