dragons breath 02 - dancing with flames (24 page)

Aidan glanced at his cousin. Hildegard knew very well that Donar’s family came from a long line of masons who could work gray stone. “We do. Our artisans are kept quite busy, but arrangements could be made for them to visit for a short period to train your people. We could also supply you with enough gray stone to build a few small structures.”

“That would do for a start, and three months with two of your masons should be sufficient for an instruction period,” the pendragon said.

None of us can spare that kind of time,
Donar spoke telepathically to Aidan.

I am aware, as I am certain Hildegard is as well.

His cousin blinked.
Of course. I suppose I could possibly spare one month, and there is another mason’s son who could do the same. That would be enough for them to learn all the requisite skills. Any progress after that would have to come from their practicing on their own.

Very well. I will take that under advisement,
Aidan replied, then returned his attention to the Faegud pendragon.

“Our masons are quite busy with projects for our toriq,” he said, keeping his tone neutral. “We have two, including my cousin, who could each spare two weeks to train your people.”

Hildegard’s lips thinned. “That would hardly give them time to learn all they need to know. I would agree to six weeks, but nothing less.”

Aidan mulled that over, using his own experience at carving stone as a basis. “Four weeks to start. Your people will then practice on their own—which is necessary to increase their skills—and our masons will return after six months to help them refine their techniques for a period of two weeks. That should be more than sufficient.”

Donar jerked his gaze to Aidan, frowning at him, but he kept quiet.

“Agreed,” Hildegard said, then narrowed her gaze. “But I require that the masons and gray stone supply come within two weeks. We wish to have at least one shelter built before winter arrives where humans and shifters can come together for meals.”

Aidan considered it. “Two weeks should be enough time to prepare both.”

One of the elders produced a sheet of parchment and penned the terms onto it. At the end of the negotiations, he and the pendragon would review the document, and if satisfied, they would sign it.

“For the Taugud, we do not require anything material from you. As you mentioned, food and supplies are plentiful enough now that we are on Earth. Our current needs run more toward a requirement for security and reinforcements in battle. I have a request I would ask of you in return for the supply of stone and the use of our masons.”

Hildegard narrowed her gaze. “What is it you want?”

“The Taugud have gained all the land we want to the south. In fact, we have expanded our territory to cover much of what the humans would refer to as southeastern Oklahoma. The difficulty will be in holding the land and acquiring the city in the middle of the state. Large sections of it are currently being held by the Shadowan and Thamaran.”

The pendragon was quiet for a moment. “Which territories do these toriqan currently hold?”

“The Shadowan have the northeast part of Oklahoma, as well as sections of what is called Kansas and Arkansas. The Thamaran have the entire west half of the state and something the humans refer to as the panhandles for Texas and Oklahoma.” Bailey had pointed at these places on a map for Aidan to see. He understood where they were located, but he could not quite grasp why they called them panhandles. She gave up explaining it to him after they argued about it for more than ten minutes. In his mind, the state of Oklahoma appeared more like a pot that was melting at the bottom and Texas did not look like any cooking implement he had ever seen.

A large, colorful sheet of parchment appeared in Hildegard’s hands that she must have pulled from shiggara. Aidan was surprised to discover she kept a map in her mystical pouch. The pendragon stood and held it flat against the wall where they could both look at it. He found it depicted much of the region where their toriqan lived, and it was perfect for their discussion.

“Show me,” she said.

Aidan pointed at the panhandles and outlined the rest of the territories for his clan and the pure dragons. Hildegard had added the chasm to the map as well with a inky black line, indicating where it ran almost parallel to the Red River with an approximate half-hour flight between them.

She pointed at Oklahoma City. “This is a large human population center. You want to hold all of it?”

“Eventually, yes, though we recognize it will take time and many battles to accomplish,” he replied.

Aidan’s father believed getting the humans on their side would be beneficial to their toriq. Not only for security reasons, but also because the advanced technology they used could prove useful. The first way to do that was to force the pure dragons out of the city, as this would show the humans that shape-shifters could be allies. Gaining mutual respect and trust would have to be taken in small steps after that, though Bailey’s participation would help speed up the process. First, though, Aidan would have to prove she was not a threat to his toriq. He was still waiting for an opportunity to present itself on that delicate matter.

“Why?” Hildegard asked, knitting her brows. “The Thamaran and Shadowan are not going to give up that territory easily. Many of the pure dragons still seek revenge on humans, and others have plans to enslave them after their numbers are sufficiently dwindled—not that I agree with their ideas, mind you.”

Aidan met her gaze. “We are aware of that, but we are thinking ahead, like you. Human allies could make all the difference to our future.”

Hildegard’s gaze turned guarded. She appeared to be mulling something over and possibly speaking privately with the elders. Aidan waited several minutes before the pendragon spoke again.

“Do you see this city here?” she asked, pointing at the map.

He eyed the word above her finger and remembered the name from Bailey mentioning it before. “Dallas.”

“Yes. We have plans to take this city in the spring from a neighboring toriq. If you agree to assist us with that, we will help with your plans after winter as well.”

“You do realize our toriq is much smaller than yours, and we cannot provide an equal number of warriors?” The Taugud had a little over two-hundred if the castle guards were counted as well as the shifters who lived outside the fortress, but the Faegud must have closer to seven or eight hundred.

Hildegard nodded. “That may be, but in the early spring when the weather is cold as often as it is warm, you will have the advantage. Most of our warriors are pure dragons that will be hampered by cooler temperatures—the same as our enemies. The more shifters we have fighting, the greater our chances of success even if the numbers are not in our favor.”

Aidan could see the value in that. “Very well, but in return, the Taugud will require you agree to come to our aid any time we need warrior support.”

Thankfully for Aidan, this was a subject he and his father had discussed at length. He knew exactly what assurances he must gain from the Faegud. It was too late in the year to coordinate any large-scale battles together, especially with preparations for winter keeping dragons busy, but his toriq could handle any smaller skirmishes that came up in the meantime anyway.

Hildegard turned to face him, her lips thinning. “You ask too much. We can hardly agree to protect your clan indefinitely and whenever you ask. There must be limits.”

“If you want a steady supply of our gray stone, as well as assistance from our masons, then you must give something in return. This is the only thing we want from you.”

She made a disgruntled noise. “What if we agree to provide warrior support up to three times a year?”

“No.” Aidan shook his head. “It must be unlimited.”

Steam flared out of Hildegard’s nostrils. “Absolutely not!”

“Then I suppose we are done here.” Aidan spun on his heels and gestured at Donar and Falcon to follow him.

They made it partway down the tunnel before the pendragon shouted, “Wait!”

He stopped and turned around. “Yes?”

“We would be willing to assist in the defense of your territory for as long as our treaty holds, but it would come with a condition.”

Aidan came back down the tunnel with his companions trailing behind. “What is it?”

“We want at least twenty of our dragons to breed with twenty of yours over winter.” Hildegard glanced at the elders as if confirming something with them. “Of course, that would only be the beginning. In all, we require an entire new generation of offspring born with shifter blood numbering at least fifty in the next ten years.”

He stiffened. Fifty? Surely the Faegud did not think they could alter the makeup of their clan at such a fast pace. It was all Aidan could do to keep his expression impassive. “That is a lot to ask. We are lucky to have that many children of our own in such a time. You are more or less asking to take an entire generation of our toriq from us, though we are already much smaller than you.”

Her eyes gleamed knowingly. “One of the reasons neither of our people produce many offspring is because we lack fresh blood. Surely you have heard a male and female from different toriqan are more successful at reproducing than those from the same.”

He looked to Falcon.
Is this true?

I have heard as much,
he said, dipping his chin.
Our toriq gave up the practice of breeding with other clans before your father was born, but the shifters to the west—the Craegud—began intermixing with the pure dragons about a century and a half ago. Their clan has nearly doubled since then with almost eighteen hundred members.

Aidan considered Falcon’s words. Though he detested the idea of asking his people to mate with another clan, they did need something to help them. Each generation seemed smaller than the last, and that could not be allowed to continue.

“There are two problems I foresee with this,” Aidan began. “One is that shifters love their children deeply, and few would be willing to part with their offspring—even if they were allowed visitation. The other is that we cannot force our people to mate. They must be willing to do so of their own free will and on their own terms.”

Hildegard gave him a patient smile. “Let us sit.”

They returned to their stone seats before she continued. “We have neutral territory between the chasm and Red River, do we not?”

“Yes,” Aidan agreed.

“Perhaps we could encourage those among our toriqan who are unmated and of the appropriate age to meet there. They may work it out among themselves to do whatever is most comfortable—whether it is to permanently mate or have something temporary. All of my clan’s females, though, would have to raise their children here. That is not negotiable.”

Aidan ground his jaw. “I would propose we give the couples the option to live in the neutral territory where a sizable den can be built for those who wish to reside there. Both of our toriqan can send a contingent of warriors to protect it. Once the children are grown, they can choose where they wish to ultimately settle.”

Hildegard glanced between the elders before returning her attention to Aidan. “We would be willing to allow that, but only if the interbreeding continues indefinitely with no time limit, and you must participate as well.”

“No,” Aidan said. It came out before he even had a chance to think about it.

The pendragon’s brows furrowed. “I was under the impression you are not mated.”

Aidan took a deep breath, attempting to calm his inner beast. Neither of them liked the idea of mating with an unknown female, but he could not risk offending Hildegard.

Cousin,
Donar said telepathically.
Do not let your feelings for the slayer ruin this treaty for us. We need the warriors the Faegud can provide.

Aidan jerked his gaze to his cousin. Donar had seen the problem before he did, and the ramifications of it. It was true. He and his inner dragon wanted Bailey and no one else. It was affecting Aidan’s ability to make the wisest decision for his clan, rather than for himself. Still, he’d lost interest in other females since meeting the slayer. He did not know how he could even bring himself to join with one.

“I do not have a mate, but I regret to say I am not ready to take one yet.”

Hildegard frowned. “Your father believes you are mature and responsible enough to negotiate a treaty with another toriq. Surely impregnating one female cannot be that difficult a job. We are not asking you to take responsibility for the child, and we’ll waive any claim it might have to the pendragon seat, should he or she become eligible for candidacy.”

Her second point had been a concern, but alleviating it did not make him feel better. There was no way he could explain to the Faegud that he had a preference for a dragon slayer—that would certainly not go over well. “Does it need to be me or would any of my siblings do?”

Hildegard pursed her lips. “One of them would be a suitable substitute, but what if they decline the offer as well?”

It would be a deep insult if neither Aidan nor his siblings were willing to mate with the Faegud. He could only hold out hope that Phoebe would choose to mate with the male she was courting before, assuming that dragon was still available. He prayed to Zorya that was so.

“If none of my siblings are interested, then I will join with one of your females,” he promised.

His inner beast roared in outrage, but Aidan ignored it. If this was what it took to protect his clan’s future, then he would make that sacrifice. It wasn’t only about defense, but also increasing their population with a strong, new generation. He had to set aside his personal preferences no matter how much it twisted his gut and made him want to walk away right then.

A slow smile spread across Hildegard’s face. “Excellent. Now that the big issues are out of the way, we can discuss the finer points of the treaty.”

Aidan let out a breath. This was going to take a while.