Topaz: The Sandar Saga 1

By Suzy Stewart Dubot

The planet Sandar is home to Topaz, a fairy tale fantasy world lost in a universe of portals and sophisticated technology. It is only one of five colonies established centuries before for interplanetary entertainment.
The day the Queen of Topaz refuses to take her potion, she sets into motion a domino effect that will slowly change all of Sandar.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Suzy Stewart Dubot
• Release date: Oct 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310500619

Suzy Stewart Dubot

An Anglo/American who has lived in France for nearly 40 years, she began writing as soon as she retired. She moved to London in 2012 and spent more than a year there with family. The spring of 2014, she returned to France, Her laptop has never had any trouble following her.Before retiring, she worked at a variety of jobs. Some of the more interesting have been : Art and Crafts teacher, Bartender, Marketing Assistant for N° 1 World Yacht Charterers (Moorings), Beaux Arts Model, Secretary to the French Haflinger Association...With her daughters, she is a vegetarian and a supporter of animal rights! She is also an admirer of William Wilberforce.(If you should read her book 'The Viscount's Midsummer Mistress' you will see that she has devoted some paragraphs to the subject in Regency times.)PLEASE BE KIND ENOUGH TO LEAVE A REVIEW FOR ANY BOOK YOU READ (hers included).

Book preview

Chapter 1

I won’t!

But you have to take it your Royal Highness. You have been taking this medicine since you were a child, and no one knows what will happen to you if you stop taking it now, whined her doctor.

The young Queen frowned as she considered the doctor’s statement.

We’ll soon know, she answered, because I am never, ever going to take that vile mixture again.

There were spontaneous gasps from the courtiers who participated in the ritual and then dead silence. Each courtier tried to imagine the catastrophic repercussions which would follow. In the annals of Topaz, no sovereign had ever refused to take the royal medicine which was delivered each month in a crystal vial by an intimidating dragon.

I think… began the doctor.

Don’t bother, said the Queen snappily. She didn’t want anyone to try and change her mind.

Noting the look of determination on the Queen’s face, the doctor didn’t insist but bowed low before her, ceding to her royal ruling.

As you wish your Majesty. Permit me to leave you so that I may return the vial to the most illustrious of dragons.

He spoke in flattering terms of the dragon of whom he was terrified. He knew, however, that with such words he was currying favour with the reptile, who was said to have acute hearing or extra sensory perception. Either way, the chances were he knew what was being said.

Queen Cassandra, your Highness… he backed away bowing. When he reached the grand doors to the state room, he relied on the efficiency of guards to have opened them for him so he might continue backing out without turning. The left arm, held behind his back for the bow, served a second purpose. It helped the aged doctor to regain an upright position, while the right hand continued to carefully hold the vial. He wasn’t sure of what steps to take now as the dragon usually took the empty vial back with him as proof the potion had been taken. And this had happened every month for as long as anyone could remember. Before Queen Cassandra it had been her father, King Hugo, and before him his father. Over time, the dragons had changed as well.

Not only was it an established tradition but a necessity, or so it was written somewhere.

He waited until the doors closed again and then righted himself before addressing a young page, who happened to be loitering in the hallway.

Would you please go and find the Chancellor and ask him to meet me in the Privy Council Room. Hurry now. This is of the utmost importance!

Yes, Sir Doctor, he replied with a quick bow before scurrying off in search of the Chancellor.

It was indeed of the utmost importance, because the doctor had no idea of how long it would be before the previous medicine’s effects would dissipate. And then what?

The venerated doctor did not know why it had been given to the country’s sovereigns over the centuries and he certainly didn’t know what would happen now the Queen had refused to take it. Only the Chancellor had access to the most secret of royal documents which, perhaps, held the answer to what was a well-guarded secret. Only he had the key to the vault where they were retained.

Zak, the illustrious dragon was perched on the castle’s ramparts sun bathing. His eyes were closed as he absorbed the sun’s heat with every scale on his body and consequently recharged the energy for fire-throwing functions and the general ability to fly. It wouldn’t be false to say the sun recharged his batteries as each of his scales acted as a mini solar panel.

From a distance, anyone seeing the shape, which interrupted the castle’s stream-lined architecture, would automatically know from the shining mass that it was a dragon and would delay their visit. Everyone knew just how unpredictable dragons could be and preferred to keep their distance.

The iridescence was unique to those dragons who had been delivering the potion for as long as anyone could remember. With the sun illuminating each nano-section of this one’s body, it glowed varying blues, purples and pinks, making an impressive sight.

As Zak lounged on the top of the castle’s walls, he had been aware of the consternation created by the Queen’s refusal to take the potion. He was not unduly disturbed by this new change of direction because he was fairly philosophical (although this new development was the beginning of trouble, he knew).

Nothing remains static eternally. There are far too many elements in constant movement which, by the laws of probability, will one day affect those which are motionless. Black holes alone are a perpetual source of motion. If only there were a way to harness that great non-entity, man would solve his never-ending search for sources of energy.

Zak had once seen a black hole from afar and it was one of the few things in life which had profoundly frightened him.

Now, without thinking, he stretched himself to release the tension which the thought of black holes had caused. That threw him off balance. He tried to regain his balance on the granite parapet, but then he thought better of it. He plunged sideways off the castle towards the moat far below. As his body gained speed, he opened his wings at the last minute to soar away from the murky moat water. He loved the sound made by the rush of air over his body in free-fall. What a shame that the air passing over each scale didn’t generate power also, to be stored and reused later in a moment of need. He realised, however, that antiquated sort of technology would have created drag, and his scales were such that his air resistance was negligible and the energy he used to fly was minimal.

He flew around the castle twice, eavesdropping on various conversations as he veered near the Awalls. Finally, he alighted gently on the same stretch of rampart as before, folded his wings and waited for the call which was soon to come.

Chapter 2

Topaz was a pleasant queendom, peopled by hard-working folk who knew how to enjoy themselves when the occasion arose. The Queen’s castle (where Zak was lazing on the battlements) was at the top of a great hill overlooking the realm as far as the eye could see. Beyond that lay other territories which Topazians never visited. They had no call to go. Their own country was self-sufficient providing everything they would ever need. In other words, Topaz was a desirable place to live and had been from as far back as anyone could remember. Naturally, there were those who were less fortunate than others, for one reason or another, but everyone understood there were bound to be social differences. People were not born into equal circumstances. The fact there was a royal family proved that.

The population was taught from an early age that staying within Topaz’s boundaries meant security. The big unknown beyond was a source of frightening fancies and stories which kept anyone, who might normally be tempted, at home. One tale related that by going too far, one might fall off the edge of the world. Besides, the royal family had never been known to venture out of Topaz, so why should common folk?

Zak could hear the footsteps coming up the stone steps in the turret. They had sent a guard to ask him to descend to the courtyard, as he had expected.

Your Excellency, the guard began, would you be so good as to descend to the courtyard where our Chancellor would like to speak to you? Please? The guard’s voice trembled on the ‘please.’

He had not come too near to the dragon for several reasons.

The first and foremost was the dragon scared him to the point where his legs were wobbly and he wasn’t sure they would take him far, especially if he needed to run. Best to keep near the turret’s exit.

The second was the light, shining off the dragon’s scales, somewhat blinded him. He couldn’t see too clearly where to walk anyway.

And the third reason, and perhaps the most over-whelming one was — the dragon’s breath smelt strongly of sulphur. The guard didn’t know what sulphur was, but he’d smelt bad eggs before. This beat bad eggs.

Zak had a good idea of what the guard was thinking. He would have liked to tease him in some way, but decided that, as he had been the one brave enough to come as the messenger, he deserved a little respect.

I shall go now, the dragon told the guard in a resounding voice.

He lifted himself up and stretched out both wings, making the guard duck as an unnecessary reflex. With a light push away from the parapet, the dragon glided across the walkway, over the second parapet and down to the inner bailey where he could see two people waiting.

The Chancellor was dressed in a black belted gown which reached his knees. His legs were sheathed in white stockings and his shoes were black with large gold buckles. There was gold trim everywhere which permitted it without looking ridiculous. His head was crowned by a black velvet hat, which looked like a tall hat which had been squashed, but most importantly, it had the jewelled badge of the Chancellor.

He was a large, robust man who carried his office with dignity; some might say with arrogance. This could be explained by the fact that his wits alone had not got him to where he was. He had proved he was physically capable of mastering anyone who showed the least aggression. His interest in outdoor sports as a young man had stood him in good stead for his later years, so he held his position with no obvious mental or physical threats from anyone else.

The aged doctor, all in white, was at his side looking feeble in comparison.

Zak had to give them credit for staying their ground as he swooped down to land. He knew how much his appearance along with his reputation intimidated people.

His landing was remarkably graceful. He folded his wings, sat on his hind quarters and waited for one of them to speak. A smoke ring escaped from one of his nostrils and he almost laughed when the Chancellor had the temerity to waft it away with his left hand.

Sir Dragon, began the Chancellor, as a matter of form, it is my duty to inform you that Her Majesty has refused to take her medicine. Furthermore, she has categorically stated she will never take it again.

Does she not worry about the consequences? Zak asked, knowing perfectly well none of them knew what they would be.

Sir, that is the second issue I wish to broach. What will be the consequences?

Until today, the Chancellor had never felt it necessary to waste time sifting through out-of-date documents about trivial matters which were locked away in the vault. Every official document which had ever existed was stored there, and a document which might pertain to the royal medicine could be anywhere in the stacks of archives of a couple of hundred years.

Now he was going to have to remedy his ignorance concerning those official papers about royal medicine pretty quickly — especially if the dragon couldn’t help.

The doctor stood quietly, the crystal bottle still held carefully in his hand; the clear liquid now had a pinkish tint. He had every faith in the Chancellor’s ability to handle any situation.

I don’t know the consequences, replied Zak, I am only the deliveryman.

Huh? escaped from the puzzled doctor.

All right, delivery dragon, said Zak looking directly at the doctor, who shrank a little beneath his stare.

Zak extended his webbed paw towards the doctor.

The bottle, he demanded.

Might we keep it for a few days, please? Her Majesty may change her mind.

The doctor hugged the bottle to him in what might appear as a loving gesture.

He was reluctant to part with something so precious when his Queen might need it.

It is already too late, said Zak blinking his reptilian eyes, it has been handled too much.

The mixture was volatile and the fact it hadn’t been taken immediately meant its components were already compromised.

If dragons could shrug, Zak did.

As Zak prepared to lift away from the ground, his tail swung so close to the doctor that he dropped the bottle causing it to shatter on the courtyard’s cobblestones. It seemed a puff of pink smoke rose into the air and vanished. Only shards of crystal, left in the paving’s crevices, were an indication the bottle had ever existed.

Gentlemen, my very best wishes to your Queen. I hope she won’t regret her decision.

Wings now spread, Zak began the intricate flapping motion which would lift him from the ground. Within a minute he was airborne and above their heads.

As the sunlight caught him, he became so bright that the two men on the ground were unable to watch his flight until he was nearly gone.

He is outstandingly agile for such an awkward creature, the doctor complimented, keeping in mind the dragon might still be listening, although the statement was true.

-o0o-

Zak easily flew the forty miles to the place near the borderline where he could cross back into his own world. He saw the passageway as a narrow translucent veil hanging from such a height one wasn’t able to discern its origin. He knew it was simply a demarcation, a gateway, with no substance, so he began his descent at the correct angle and the reduced speed needed to land once he had crossed through it. His wings wouldn’t work on the other side, simply because they would have collapsed. The sun’s rays on Platz were filtered and simply not the right ones needed to trip and maintain the wings’ deployment.

He coasted the last few yards skimming the ground, preparing for his imminent landing on the other side. A fraction of a second before breaching the veil, a bird flew up, disturbed by his looming shadow. It caused Zak to bank fractionally. The passageway to Platz, almost as though one were in a place between the two worlds, did not allow him the chance to rectify his stability, so that arriving on his own terrain he took too much weight on one foot.

Aie! he cried out in spite of himself. His training had taught him to relax and roll as he fell and this was what he was now forced to do to come to a stop.

That will teach me for wanting to fly in. Next time, I’ll walk, he said as he stood and brushed himself off.

His light-weight, supple armour might be mistaken for scales as it was ingeniously put together with minuscule pieces of finely rendered carbon which were highly polished and consequently near to friction-free. The solar cells were melded with the carbon. The carbon’s molecular structure was the next thing to diamond, although it did contained miniscule impurities which were what added colour.

He took off the scaly gloves and lifted the visor on his dragon helmet as it reduced his range of vision now he was back home. He quickly decided, however, to be done with the cumbersome helmet, so removed it completely. Later he would take out the small cartridge used for smoke rings and flame throwing. He then unbuckled his clawed boots, separated the electronic connections from the rest of his suit and took them off. The gloves were tucked into the boots for ease of carrying.

This particular costume was created from an operative ‘holomat’ and flying-suit. The ‘holomat’ consisted of the combination of a hologram and a device which created opaque materials or costumes. He only ever used it for travelling to Topaz when it and he became one — a dragon.

It was the latest technology personified which had been especially adapted to Sandar’s environment. The system was activated by crossing the dimensional veil, a little like a door opening when a laser light is breached.

They were a team of five to have their own, fitted-to-measure armour, especially developed for use on Sandar. Each gave the wearer the appearance needed to carry out his task, but of the five, Zak was the only one to appear as a dragon.

With his helmet now under his arm and his boots in his left hand, Zak limped the short distance to base.

He was once again a man.

Chapter 3

Everyone in the queendom was anxious. Her Majesty had not taken her medicine.

The main subject of conversation, albeit whispered, was the possible effects once all the ingredients from the month before had left her body.

Was she going to wrinkle or shrivel? Would she change into another creature or worse, would she die?

That thought provoked any number of arguments, because she had not yet married and, consequently, had no child to succeed her. As an only child, there were no direct descendants to step into her place, either.

Some seized upon the hypothetical occasion to propose a state with an elected elder or leader to govern them. Others wanted to look deeper into the family history to find a family member to inherit the throne, following tradition. Some were even aghast that the queendom’s future was already being discussed while Her Highness was still alive.

Do stop fussing, Angela, the Queen said.

I will let you know if I suffer from dizziness or a headache, she added as she smoothed back a black curl which had escaped her circlet. She wore only the simplest of crowns for informal wear.

If you must know, I feel exceedingly well. I would go so far as to say I feel better than I can ever remember feeling. I want to dance!

Angela paled.

Surely this was the surge of energy some people were known to have just before they died?

She didn’t know if she should go for help or stay close to the Queen in her last minutes. She decided to stay as she would never forgive herself if the Queen were to die alone.

-o0o-

Later that evening, the Queen had insisted on dining in the Great Hall with all her Ministers and courtiers, and after the meal had ended, demanded the room be cleared for dancing. That put paid to all the rumours circulating she didn’t have long for this life. Angela had made her fears known prematurely and they had spread like wildfire.

The next morning, Angela had crept into the Queen’s bedchamber expecting some catastrophe awaited her, but she was surprised to find the Queen was already up and reading a book. Later, out of curiosity, she glanced at the cover to see what had taken the Queen’s interest so early in the morning.

It was a work entitled ‘The Latest Developments & Proposals in Political Science.’

She had no idea what that meant, but it looked serious.

Come, your Majesty, you haven’t even had your breakfast and you’re reading something which looks very complicated, Angela scolded gently.

You’re right Angela, I find I’ve got quite an appetite this morning — for everything.

Angela looked at the Queen with a critical eye and was a little surprised to see how young and lovely she was when she had been expecting her to curl up and die. The relief of seeing the young sovereign in such good shape made her laugh out loud.

The Queen took the laugh as being a result of her own enthusiasm for life. She twirled around on her toes and laughed too. They both wondered at that same instant if this had anything to do with the medicine, or rather, the lack of it.

The Queen shrugged and went towards her dressing room. She was looking forward to the day.

The sun was shining.

Chapter 4

Zak was pacing with a limp.

His left foot was still bothering him due to his awkward landing. It was silly really because he had negotiated his arrival in Platz any number of times without mishap, but today had been different. He hadn’t given it his full attention. The Queen had refused the potion, and the possible consequences had been there at the back of his consciousness, throwing off his judgement.

Distracted by a plethora of potential repercussions due to the Queen rebelling, he hadn’t noticed one of the administrators had entered the chamber.

Sir, are you ready for your debriefing? asked the Honourable Secretary and then, noticing he was in pain, are you all right, Sir? You’re limping. The Honourable Secretary winced as he saw how their Leader hobbled.

Yes, thanks. It’s nothing serious. I’d like to wait another half hour before the debriefing, if you don’t mind. I have to get things straight in my head first as there have been some changes.

As you wish, Sir. The Honourable Secretary bowed his head before leaving.

Zak was their leader for a good number of reasons.

Physically, he was an impressive size, solidly built and with the honed body of a warrior. There were not many who would willingly challenge him. But, his physique was not unique. There had been other leaders before him whom he matched.

Where he excelled was in his uncanny ability to accurately read the person before him. This, twinned with acute hearing, reinforced his unique standing. Topping these, however, shined a gift he had no control over whatsoever — premonition. It would come to him very rarely, but when it did, it was always for a good reason. It had once saved his life.

He wished it would come to him now to save him from ruminating over this new development in Topaz.

He sighed. Nothing was any clearer in his mind than when the Honourable Secretary had come to fetch him, so he decided he might as well go to the debriefing and get it over with.

It was plain; no two ways of looking at it. The Queen had refused the potion, and he had known he would not have been able to intimidate her into taking it.

Besides, wasn’t it written in ‘The Book’ that the day would come when a sovereign would interrupt the chain? Just a shame it had been while he was serving his term as Governor...

He wished the said ‘Book’ was available for reference, because it was too easy to propagate myths by misquoting from it. He had never seen the physical book and, in fact, he didn’t know anyone who had. Information from it, classified as ‘Top Secret,’ could only be seen online with a high level of security clearance. He had needed to consult it when he knew he was being sent to Platz. There was, nevertheless, an outside chance that the ‘Book’ itself was a myth — a fabricated reference source which could be altered, when necessary, to suit the regime in power…

Chapter 5

A week had passed since the Queen had refused the potion.

Nothing had visibly happened to her so the courtiers had stopped counting the days since the last dose.

Because the remnants of the very last dose of medicine had left her system slowly, the changes were subtle. Angela would swear, if need be, that her mistress was younger looking and certainly more lively. Good humour is contagious and it wasn’t long before everyone at court felt something good was about to happen. Tasks were accomplished along with humming or whistling. There was a general exuberance which took everyone in its grasp.