(Dragonkin) Dragon Rider (34 page)

   "What did he say?" Captain Brannor asked, when he realized the dragon had spoken about him.

   "He said you were too old, and you have a very bad odor about you," Menimeth replied, repeating what his dragon said.

   The men started laughing harder when the captain's smile suddenly disappeared.

   "I am not that old," He replied, and turned his horse in the direction if the dead enemy solders.

   The men followed their captain still laughing, as the dragon and his rider flew south, and out of sight.

   "We need to talk to Commander Rayden." Menimeth said to his dragon. "Take me to his camp."

   "It will not take long, he is not far."

   Within minuets they had crossed the Great Western Road, and were in the southern part of the realm. Menimeth could see the camp in the distance, and it was much larger than he had expected, stretching for more than a mile. The camp was set up in the military way, with the headquarters tent in the middle, and the smaller tents around it. A very large herd of horses grazed to the south, and were watched by several solders of the Lost Cavalry.

   Danorathin landed in the assembly ground that was in front of the headquarters, and Menimeth dropped to the ground just as Commander Rayden and Dorben walked from the tent.

   "How are you Commander?" Menimeth asked, as he walked to where the men stood at the entrance of the large tent.

   "We thought you would be here much sooner." Commander Rayden replied. "But we are doing well."

   "There have been many changes in the empire since last I saw you." Menimeth said. "And I have not been able to get here until now."

   "That is the way it is with kings." Captain Dorben said. "They are always needed."

   "The battle for the west is drawing closer, and it is you that will be needed soon." Menimeth told him. "I wish you to move your men to the south side of the town of Argnon, Commander. The enemy will leave their camp in the north, and began their advance on Argnon within a week."

   "It will take us two weeks to move the camp." The commander said. "Do we have the time?"

   "The enemy should not reach the castle for another two months." Menimeth replied. "But I wish all of our men in place before they arrive, to plan our defense."

   "You wish all of the patrols recalled?" Captain Dorben asked.

   "Yes, the only threat to the people of the empire is the enemy in the northeast, and they will not send men this far from the main army."

   "Then we shall recall the men, and move to Argnon right away." Commander Rayden said. "We will be there in two weeks or less."

   "Place your men in four different camps, and far enough south to avoid being detected from the road." Menimeth told the commander. "If one camp is seen, the others may still go undetected, and the spy might be captured easier."

   "We will do as you wish, and I will start sending the men in small groups right away." The Commander replied. "We will be ready when we are needed."

   "I will speak with you again when I have arrived with the Dragon Guard." Menimeth said. "And will make my plans for the defense of the west known then."

   "Then we will see you in Argnon." Commander Rayden replied.

   "Thank you for your time." Menimeth said, and turned to walk back to his dragon.

   It was late when Menimeth returned to the Dragon Tower, and the rest he knew he needed. Danorathin curled up in his favorite place while the dragon rider entered his rooms to remove his armor. The day was a success, but at what price he wondered. The enemy would be moving soon, and he needed all his warriors to be in the west before they reached Argnon.

   Battles often hinged on one or two heroic acts, or the defeat of a leader. Menimeth believed that if Chidren were to fall in battle, the rest would not be so eager to fight, and many lives would be saved. His old enemy was drawing closer, and Menimeth looked forward, to bringing his evil life to an end. Soon he would get his chance, but even he would be surprised by the events that would unfold to allow him to do so, but in the end, he must still defeat him.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

   Valiny sat in the office his father once used, and thought about the solders he was sending west. He had already suffered more losses than the other realms combined, but his father had helped to create the problem to begin with. If Beloran had not stopped the other realms from helping Falendor when he first asked for it, the east would not be sending as many men west as it was. Now, eight hundred men would be riding to Glansford to join the forces the other realms sent, and then they would send men to the west to form an army.

   The summons was sent more than a week ago, but the last of the men were just arriving in the garrison. Within two days the men would be ready for the fight to come, and would begin the journey west. He ordered the banners of the realm to be left behind, but they were to dress in the colors of the east. The cloaks and sashes of the empire would be given to them at the garrison beside Corlindum, and anything else they would need, to fight for the king.

   Valiny walked from the office, and down to the garrison where his captain readied the men. Extra horses were being taken to the king for the new army that he built to protect the realms, and Valiny wanted to be sure that the best horses were taken. In the months since he became the regent, he grew richer than his father ever was, because, without the expense of trying to become the king, the realm spent far less money, and became much richer.

   Captain Sangrivol prepared the men of the east to ride from Grimmen. Most of the men were outside the garrison, but all of the officers were waiting inside, and Valiny took that opportunity to address them.

   "You men will be the ones who fight in the first great battle of our time. I do not know what fortunes will befall you, but I know you will be heroic in your efforts. I wish that I could lead you in this fight, and stand with you in your victory, but the king will not allow it. So it is up to you men, to defeat the enemies of the empire, and return to your homes as hero's."

   "We will not let you down, sir." Captain Sangrivol said. "We will depart at daybreak the day after tomorrow, and will not return until the battle is won, and the empire is free of its enemies."

   "May the Great Dragon Mother, Mithendral, watch over you in battle, and make you victorious." Valiny said. "The Dragon Lord calls, and we will answer."

   He used the old ways to send his men off to battle, and the old prayers to protect them. It was a dragon rider that would lead them, and it was the old ways that the dragon followed.

   Valiny returned to the offices in the castle, and the business of his realm. In two days his men would depart for Glansford and the garrison beside Corlindum, to fight against the enemies of the empire. Not since the end of the lesser wars more than five hundred years ago, were the solders of the realms forced to defend their land against an enemy. The war for the empire was beginning, and only a victory in the west would allow them to prepare for it. It was all up to the king now, and the fate of the realms was in his hands.

*****

   Borlund paced the floor often these days, and worried about his realm. The battle in the north was a success, and the brigands were all dead, but he still did not have enough solders to protect his lands. He was only sending two hundred men to Glansford, but that left him with only six hundred men to patrol all of the towns and villages of his realm. He did not really need them, because there were no more solders of the mage king in the realm, and even the bandits that had always been in the empire, stayed away from the roads and the people they once robbed.

   Hobie was the youngest son of the regent, and would lead the men to Glansford, and the army they were forming from the solders of the realms. He knew that he would be taking orders from one of the Dragon Guard, but he did not know which one it would be. He cared little who it was though, because the king had trained them, and that was good enough for him. The stories of the fair at Argnon were told all over the empire, and Hobie wished he could have been there to see it. The dragon rider was a true warrior, and he admired him very much.

   This was the first real battle he was to fight in, and the enemy was far bigger in number than any, he had ever faced before, but he was not worried. His men were well-trained fighters, and he had trained with them for most of his life.

   Borlund waited in his office for his son, and paced the length of the room. He did not want Hobie to lead the men into battle, because he was afraid his son would not return. He did not understand why he felt he had to fight in the west, when he should stay and protect his home. He knew the allure of the warrior life could capture a man, and he knew it was not an easy life, but some men were born to it, and Hobie was one of those men. He seemed as if he paid little attention during training, distracted easily by the slightest thing, but he never missed anything the instructors said or did. He defeated his foes in training quickly, using the methods the instructor taught, which always surprised them.

   "Must you lead the men in this battle?" Borlund asked his son when he walked into the room.

   "You know I must." Hobie said. "The men deserve to be represented by their regent, and it is my place."

   "You could stay here and protect our realm."

   "By fighting in the west, I am, helping to protect the realm." Hobie pointed out. "If we lose the western realm, the north is sure to follow."

   "That is why we send the solders to Glansford." Borlund said. "So the west will not be lost."

   "And they will fight better with me at their side." Hobie said. "And we will return victorious."

   "If you must go, then take the sword of our ancestors with you." Borlund said, and handed his son the ancient sword of their realm." It has served our family well for many generations, and its magic is still strong."

   "Thank you father." Hobie said, as he took the sword. "I will return it when the battle has been won."

   "You are to wear the colors of our realm when you go, but you are not to take our banners with you." Borlund said. "Those were the kings instructions."

   "Then we shall follow the kings instructions." Hobie replied. "And we will be leaving at first light."

   "Travel well my son, and watch out for the men on the battlefield, they will look to you for strength."

   "Thank you father. I will see you when we return." Hobie said, and walked from the office.

   The next morning, the men departed the city of Venteno as the sun was rising. They were dressed in the colors of their realm as the king requested, and the people cheered them as the rode from the city. Hobie felt the sun on his face, and the wind at his back, as they made their way south to the garrison at Glansford.

   It was a grand adventure that he was on, but the battle at the end would not be so grand. Some of the men would not be returning from the battle in the west to be with their families, but he tried not to think about it. That was the way of war, and solders learned to live with it.

*****

   Thadric walked into the garrison just outside the castle at Magdrin, to talk to Captain Quinly about the men he was leading to Glansford. When he found the captain, he was turning command of the garrison over to the officer he had chosen to replace him, while he was gone.

   "Captain Quinly, you are to wear the colors of our realm proudly, but the banners of the southern realm must stay behind." Thadric said. "You will be fighting under the kings banner, and will represent the empire in this battle."

   "We will still be fighting for our realm." The captain replied. "Regardless of whose banner we fight under."

   "I know you will make us proud." Thadric said. " Just bring as many men back as you can, we cannot afford to lose any of them."

"I will do my best, sir."

   "That is all I can ask." Thadric said. "You are to take extra horses with you, one per man. They are to be given to the king for his new army."

   "I will see to it sir." The Captain said. "Is there anything else?"

   "No, that is all. I will see you when your return." Thadric said, and walked from the garrison.

   Captain Quinly walked from the headquarters later that day, and was soon riding to where the men he was leading west, camped. The men had been in the camp for three weeks with nothing to do, and they were looking forward to the coming battle with the enemy. They had been fighting bandits for a long time, and were ready to end the threat once and for all, but were tired of waiting in the camp.

   "Have the men ready to leave first thing in the morning." He said to his camp commander. "The time has arrived, to make our way to Glansford"

   "The men will be glad to hear it, sir." The camp commander replied.

   "We will be wearing the colors of our realm, but the banners of the south, are to remain in Magdrin."

   "We are not to carry the banners of the realm?"

   "No, we will be fighting under the kings banner, and in the name of the empire." Captain Quinly said. "But we will still be representing our regent."

   "And our realm." The camp commander said. "The men will not let you down, sir."

   "And we must not let them down." Captain Quinly said. "We must do all we can to give them the best chance of returning home."

   "You have always done that sir, and the men know it. They fight for you more than for their regent, or their realm."

   "But now they must fight for the empire, and the lands within its borders." The captain said. "The men they will fight beside in this battle were once considered enemies, and I worry that the old scars have not all healed."

   "But we have a king and dragon rider to rule the empire again, and the old scars died with Beloran."

   "Most of them did, but there are still those who hate each other from those years of conflict." Captain Quinly said. "And the border clashes between them."

   "Everyone was afraid of Beloran for so long, it is hard to believe he was killed by a boy." The camp commander said.

   "A boy that shows no fear." Captain Quinly said. "I was there that day, and watched him kill the regent."

   "Was it as easy as the stories suggest?" The camp commander asked.

   "Easier." Captain Quinly replied. "When the king turned to address his men, Beloran attacked him with a belt knife. The boy did not hesitate, but pulled his knife and with one quick move, ended the threat and the regent, at the same time."

   "What a sight it must have been." The camp commander said. "I would love to have been there."

   "In that one day, the empire went from the ashes of its decline, to the prospect of being the great empire that it once was. On that day, the second age of the empire began."

   "And we will fight to protect it." The camp commander said. "Are there any other orders, sir?"

   "Yes, all of the men are to take an extra horse with them. We are to give them to the king for the new army."

   "There is a new army?

   "Yes, and they need horses." Captain Quinly said. "Have them ready at first light, the morning after next, and I will see you then."

   "I will see to it right away sir." The camp commander said, and turned to leave.

   "There is one more thing." Captain Quinly said. "Have the men polish their armor, we will ride through Magdrin on the way to Glansford, and I want them to look their best when we do."

   "Yes sir." The commander said, and walked into the camp.

   Captain Quinly watched as the camp commander walked through the camp, and the men began to carry out his orders as he passed them. Some worked at polishing their armor, while others began to prepare to depart, but all of them were smiling as they did. Soon enough, the reality of the battle for Argnon would sink in, but for now, let them remain excited, he thought.

   The next morning, as the sun began to rise, the solders began their journey north. Captain Quinly was in front of the precession, and led the five hundred men he commanded through the city of Magdrin. The people, who lined the streets that had come to see them off, cheered them as they passed through the city. When they returned they would by revered as heroes, but for now, the journey had just begun.

*****

   Falendor entered the cell in which the captured messenger of the enemy was being held, and looked at the man with contempt. The dragon had scared him badly, and it was days before the man could talk. The regent could wait no longer for information, and was there to interrogate him personally.

   "What were you doing at the ruins?" Falendor asked him. "And do not lie to me or I will give you back to the dragon."

   "You would not do that, you need me." The man said.

   "I do not need you if you do not tell me what I want to know." Falendor said. "We have enough people to feed, and you are not one of them. If you will not talk, we cannot afford to keep you alive."

   "You cannot just kill me." The man said. "I am a prisoner of war."

   "You are dressed as a brigand and we execute them all the time." Falendor said. "But you might make a meal for the dragon."

   No, no, I will tell you what you want to know. Just keep it away from me."

   "What were you doing in the ruins?" Falendor asked again.

   "Waiting for the traitor to bring the information he was ordered to gather."

   "How long have you been meeting this traitor?"

   "For over a year now." The prisoner replied. "He is the reason we chose the west to attack."

   "What was your agreement with him?" Falendor asked. "What was he to receive for his betrayal?"

   "He believed he was to rule the west, but he was to be killed when the castle was ours."

   "Who is this traitor who conspires against me, and wishes to rule my realm?"

   "Your son, Saesic." The prisoner said. "It was his plan to use us as brigands."

   "Saesic!" Falendor said surprised.

   He could not believe what he heard from the enemy messenger, and the thought of his son as the traitor was a shock.