(Dragonkin) Dragon Rider (21 page)

   When the week ended, and Menimeth was once again on the road to Corlindum, he was escorted by more than one hundred and thirty men. The red and white of the Lost Cavalry stood out against the purple and gold of the Dragon Guard as they traveled, and Danorathin informed Menimeth of the arrival of the eastern regent, and that Falendor was within now in sight of Corlindum.

   The bridge across the Western Imlador River, was the grandest of all the bridges in the empire, and was twice the size if the bridge across the Grayling River. Menimeth stopped and looked at the massive work of stone, which was also the longest of the bridges of the empire. A stone dragon with a rider sat on both sides of the entrance to the bridge, at both ends. It was one of the wonders of the empire, and all who crossed it, marveled at its beauty.

   The day before they were to arrive, Commander Rayden and Menimeth discussed the plans for their arrival with the Dragon Guard, and the officers of the Lost Cavalry. If trouble were to come their way, Menimeth would be ready for it.

   The next morning, the battle group split into two parts as planned, and rode ahead of, and behind, the Dragon Guard and their king. All of the men were dressed in their finest clothes, and their armor shined brightly in the morning sun. The battle hardened, solders of the Lost Cavalry, wore grim faces of determination, as they neared the city of Corlindum. After losing their kingdom to the mage king, and most of their comrades as well, there was no way they would lose this fight.

   When Menimeth and his solders reached the entrance to the city, they stopped and waited while the cavalrymen took their places as planned. When everyone was in place, Menimeth would enter Corlindum as the King of the Great Dragon Empire, and the lands would be reunited by the power of the dragon, and with that power it would always be protected.

   The new age had arrived, and the time had come for the return of the king.

Chapter Sixteen

   Semeon watched from his window as Menimeth entered the city with his men behind him. Wearing the colors of the empire, he slowly walked his horse along the cobblestones of the street, as the people who lined it looked on. When he reached the buildings where the council was held, he halted and his men took up positions around him. The steward raced from his office with the scrolls held tightly in his arms, and flew down the steps to the street. The crowd was getting bigger and he needed to reach the courtyard of the council hall quickly, so he shoved his way through the people that blocked his passage. Today the empire would become whole again, and a king would once again sit on the throne.

   Menimeth sat on Donner and waited silently for the regents to exit the hall. He had halted across the large courtyard from the building, and watched as the solders of each realm assembled in front of it. The green and black of the eastern regent was the dominant force, and was to his right. Captain Brannor and his thirty men assembled to his left and the other regent's forces were between them. Commander Rayden noticed the two arched, entrances to the courtyard, on both ends, and sent Dorben back to his men in the great road.

   When the regents appeared at the top of the steps that led into the council hall, Beloran was in the lead. The other regents followed him as he descended them, but it was obvious that they did not agree with his position on this matter. Menimeth could tell that the man was angry by the way he walked, but did not care if he was. He would do as he was told or he would be replaced. The eastern regent came to a halt twothirds of the way down the steps, and looked at the warrior with evil eyes. He motioned for his solders to prepare to advance, and raised his hand, and pointed at Menimeth

   "Those colors are forbidden in this land, and you break the law by wearing them. You will remove them at once, and your armor as well, or I will have you arrested." Beloran said.

   "Am I to strip here in front of all these women and children?" Menimeth asked, and looked at the regent with a questioning look.

   "You will do as I say, and you will do it now. I do not care if these people are offended by it, in fact I do not care about these people at all.

   "I do not like that man, he is very evil, and I can feel it from here." Danorathin told his master.

   "Yes he is, and I will need you very soon my friend. I hope to avoid killing if I can, we will need these men if we are to protect the empire."

   "You have no authority to give that order, and I remove my armor for no man." Menimeth said to Beloran. "You are the regent of the east, and we are not in the east."

   "My authority reaches across the empire. Who do you think you are that you can speak to me as an equal." Beloran shouted, starring at the warrior with hate and contempt.

   "I do not speak to you as an equal, regent." Menimeth said harshly. "I am not here to defend myself, and I do not care about your misplaced sense of self importance. I am here to reunite the empire and protect it from its enemies. My name is Menimeth, and I come here as the king of the Great Dragon Empire."

   The gasp from the people and the regents alike was almost deafening. The silence that followed lasted for what seemed an eternity, as if time itself had stopped. The people were stunned, and the shocked look on Beloran's face, was a reflection of the other regents reactions. Only Falendor was not surprised by the boldness of the warrior among the regents. He had seen what the warrior could do, and suspected that the man was something more than he appeared.

   Semeon made his way to the edge of the crowd, as the shock of the announcement by the warrior receded. People began to talk to one another excitedly, as they watched the warrior in dragon armor that claimed to be the king. Beloran became even more furious by the statement, and as the shock wore off, decided to show his power and authority.

   "You are a fool and will pay for your insolence." Beloran said with a sneer, and shouted to his solders. "Guards, arrest him and place him in chains."

   "The time has come, to become what we are destined to be my friend." He said to his dragon.

   "I am prepared." His dragon replied.

   The forces of the eastern regent began to advance on him, and Menimeth turned to face them. He did not move from where he sat, and watched with indifference as they did. Falendor smiled at the warrior's bravery, and admired his composure under such conditions.

   Commander Rayden gave the command, and the battle group stormed into the courtyard from the entrances on both ends, effectively surrounding the forces of the regents. The solders of the eastern regent stopped their advance and looked around them. Menimeth and his forces, now numbered close to one hundred and forty men, and outnumbered the eastern regents advancing solders.

   Beloran looked around at the solders dressed in red and white, and wondered where they had come from. He had been sure the warrior would not have enough men to save him, but his information was obviously wrong.

   "So you intend to take the empire by force." Beloran said to Menimeth with as much disrespect as he could.

   "No. I am the king by right, and that is how I claim the throne." Menimeth replied.

   "By what right do you claim the throne, and the empire that it rules?" Semeon shouted, as he walked from the crowd, and stopped where all could hear him. He was smiling at the regents, and bowed to Menimeth as he faced him.

   "By the laws of the empire, and the realms of the races of the lands of magic." Menimeth replied.

   "Then call forth your claim that all may see who you are, and take your place as king." The steward said loud enough for all to hear him.

   "Now, my friend. The time has come to be seen as dragon and rider." He said to Danorathin.

   Menimeth waited for several minutes before responding. Then he dismounted and walked several steps forward before stopping again. He looked at the regents as he stood where he could be seen by all, but did not speak, Menimeth noticed that Beloran was becoming impatient, and that he expected the warrior to fail in his attempt to take the throne. Just when the eastern regent was about to speak, and try to end what he considered to be a waste of his time, he was cut off by a loud and frightening roar.

   The great bronze dragon appeared over the buildings, and landed in the courtyard in front of his master. The rider mounted his dragon, and the huge beast spread his massive wings and rose up on his hind legs bellowing loudly. Menimeth pulled his swords from their scabbards, and he held them above his head. They shined with a bright white light that surrounded him and his dragon, reveling the power of their magic.

   This was too much for a few of the people that lined the streets, and they fled in terror to hide from the beast. Others backed up out of reflex, but continued to watch the dragon and his rider. People watched from every window in the buildings that faced the courtyard, and that included the quarters that the regents used.

   Danorathin dropped back to the ground and folded his mighty wings, as his rider placed his swords back into their scabbards. The shock of the dragon appearing, and then landing in the courtyard was all that was needed. Falendor, Thadric, and Borlund, all knelt before the king, but Beloran did not. Soon all of the people in the courtyard knelt before their new king, and the only men that were still standing, were Beloran and Semeon.

   "By order of the steward of the empire, and the law of the four realms, I decree Menimeth to be the king of the Great Dragon Empire." Semeon said loud enough for everyone to hear him. "And from this day on, shall be known as Menimeth Dragonkin, Dragon Lord of the empire, and King of the four realms."

   When he finished his speech, Semeon knelt before the warrior who sat on his dragon, making it official. The people of the city cheered loudly, and celebrated the return of the king. Semeon announced plans for a feast to honor Menimeth, and all of the people were invited.

   Beloran was furious at the warrior who had ruined all of his plans, and began to advance on him as he dismounted the dragon. He had worked hard to get where he was, and believed the throne belonged to him. When Danorathin leapt into the air to land on the tower above the council hall, Beloran rushed the unsuspecting warrior. He was just feet away from the back of Menimeth, and he held a belt knife in his hand. Strider bolted forward as Chanry pulled the knife from his belt, passed Menimeth, and into the eastern regent who had raised his blade to strike. With one quick slash of his Elvin blade, as he knocked the man who tried to kill his master to the ground, he ended the threat. Beloran lay on the ground with his throat cut deep, and looked wide-eyed with shock at the boy who had done it. He tried to speak but could not, and died seconds later at the feet of the boy's horse. Chanry backed his horse until Strider was back where they had started, then looked at his master.

   Menimeth looked at the eastern regent who lay dead on the ground, and then to the solders who wore his colors. The eastern realm would need a new regent now, and soon. As the remaining regents approached him, Menimeth sent Chanry to escort the captain of Beloran's guard back to where he stood. Semeon and the regents arrived at the same time as the solder Chanry escorted, and were present to witness the orders given by their king. The eastern regent was to be given all the respect due a member of the ruling class, and was taken away with honor by his solders.

   When Beloran had been removed from the courtyard, and was no longer a distraction, Semeon spoke.

   "Quarters are being prepared for you as we speak, and offices in the council hall as well sire." He said.

   "And what of my men, are accommodations to be made available to them as well?" Menimeth asked the steward.

   "But of course, my lord." Semeon said, and looked around at the solders in the courtyard. "All of them?" He asked.

   "We will only expect to be given quarters for the officers if you do not mind, Meni." Commander Rayden said to his friend. "And of course one for poor Dorben." He finished with a smile for his old friend.

   "It will be taken care of my lord." Semeon replied when he saw Menimeth agree to his friend's request. "The solder you alluded to, should I separate his rooms from the officers?"

   "No." Menimeth said. "Because he is being promoted to captain, and will be in charge of all scouts and their training."

   "As you wish my lord." Semeon said. "There is one more thing sire. These scrolls belong to you as the first king of the Great Dragon Empire in over one thousand years, what do you wish me to do with them?"

   "Place them in my quarters." Menimeth replied. "Chanry will accompany you, and will see that our bags are placed there as well."

   Semeon bowed to Menimeth, and turned to leave with Chanry following behind him on Strider. Commander Rayden recalled his men, and went to set up their camp outside the city, but close enough to protect the king if the need were to arise. Kyler and Javen retrieved the packhorses from outside the city, and relieved them of their burdens. The horses were taken to the stables, while the bags they held went to the men's quarters. The regent's dismissed their guard, and soon only eight men remained in the courtyard.

   "I am looking forward to the banquet tonight, it will give me a chance to talk with you and your families." Menimeth said to the regents. "Falendor I know something about, but I know nothing of the rest of you, or your families."

   "It will be our honor sire." Borlund said, and bowed to Menimeth. "If you will allow me sire, I must relay the news to my children. They will want to know everything that happened here today, and if we are to make it to the banquet, I must begin soon."

   Menimeth nodded his head, and the regent of the north retreated to his quarters. Thadric bowed to the new king after he was dismissed, and followed Borlund across the courtyard, and to his own quarters.

   "Would you mind escorting me to the quarters of the eastern regent?" Menimeth asked Falendor. "I would like to speak with his family."

   "I would be honored sire." Falendor replied. "I will help you however I can."

   "You can call me Meni when it is not an official meeting, my friend. Menimeth told Falendor. "It will be a lot easier to rule the empire if we trust one another, and work together as friends."

   "You are a surprising man, Meni." Falendor said. "I knew you were different from the rest of us, but I never suspected you to be a dragon rider in this age. It would be an honor to serve you and the empire.

   "Thank you, Falendor." Menimeth said. "I will not keep you long, and you can return to your family."

   "I will stay as long as you need me to." He replied.

   Servants of the steward escorted Litlorn, Donderan, Darik, and Brylen, to the rooms that had been arraigned for them to use while they were in Corlindum, while Menimeth went to see Beloran's family.

   Dralessa stood from her chair when Menimeth and Falendor entered the suites that the eastern regent used while in Corlindum, as the servant who showed them in, disappeared into the back rooms to inform Valiny of the king's arrival. Dralessa did not know what to say to Menimeth, and felt uneasy until Falendor broke the silence.

   "This is Menimeth, your new king." He said to her. "He has come to talk to your brother, and yourself."

   "You are most welcome here, my lord." She said, and began to bow to him, when he stopped her.

   "You need not bow to me, my lady." Menimeth told her. "That is reserved for official business, and I am not here for that reason."

   Dralessa looked at the warrior that stood before her, and felt her face get flush by his presents. He was not what she had expected from the way her father talked about him before they arrived in Corlindum. She expected a ragged old solder who had lost his senses, but this man was young and very attractive. He looked like a king in his armor, and in the purple and gold he was dressed in.

   "My name is Dralessa sire." She said. "However, all my friends call me Lessa."