Father Maman: Dragons Run My Life, #3.1

By tony lavely

Tanial arrives home to discover Maman left!

She hitched a ride shortly after Tanial's argument with Pa and very shortly after Liam snatched her out of the mud to stand for his dead princess.

 

Pa's taken to spirits, possibly thinking to ease this pain.

She sees the path she must follow, in contrast to the one they point toward. She chooses Liam and his goals.

A packet of parchments from her Maman lies in her pack, undeciphered. Those only add to her questions, questions she fears only Maman can answer.
Again, Tanial chooses Liam and his quest.

Lady-at-Arms Bitte takes up the challenge of seeking Maman in the great western city of Slot Minear. Her motivation is lots of time alone with kriger Ejvind Strand. She gets that, and more, with answers that do not satisfy even her.

 

A novella in the Dragons Run My Life series; this version has a revised cover and front and back matter, and minor changes to the story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: tony lavely
• Release date: Mar 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781540113924

Book preview

Dragons Run My Life

Father Maman

By

Tony Lavely

Cover Image: Beautiful Woman … Posing in the Woods by captblack76/123rf (modified by author)

Copyright © 2024 by Tony Lavely

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Edition 190305

Tracking 240208.2

All rights reserved.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-tailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Tony Lavely.

Map - Territory Two Detail

Description

Tanial arrives home to discover Maman has left⁠—shortly after Tanial’s argument with Pa, and very shortly after Liam snatched her out of the mud to stand for his dead princess⁠—and Pa’s taken to spirits, possibly thinking to ease his pain.

She sees the path she must follow, in contrast to the one they point toward. She chooses Liam and his goals.

A packet of parchments from her Maman lies in her pack, undeciphered. Those only add to her questions, questions she fears only Maman can answer.

Again, Tanial chooses Liam and his quest.

Bitte takes up the challenge of seeking Maman in the great western city of Slot Minear. Her motivation is lots of time alone with kriger Ejvind Strand. She gets that, and more, with answers that do not satisfy even her.

Father Maman

Lindebalgh

29 Kalan - 4 Naliae, 551

1: Tanial's Village, then the Road

29 Kalan - 10 Maryka

Tanial and Liam returned to Byg Felter from her home unhurriedly. Tanial wanted to think about Pa and Maman and her willingness to leave him. I ween there must have been rancor afore the fight that Pa and I had over Sten.

Aye, he replied. By itself, ’tis a thing to bring them together, more likely. He paused to guide the horse through a spot where the surface was giving way to runoff. At least ’twould for me.

She nodded, a bit ruefully. I never noticed. She pressed her horse on. In another moment, she asked, Where do you reckon Miri and Rhion are now?

He gave her one of his I’d-rather-not-say looks, but then responded, I pray they have been in the palace in Traenthe for a thir’dar at least. He chuckled. They should be causing much… How shall I say? Turmoil, I think fits.

She laughed aloud, startling the horses. "’Tis certain I am they can do that!"

Less than an hour of riding later, they were inside the inn by Jerrik’s store, sharing the story with Bitte and Metha, who were dismayed on her behalf. Once the story-telling was done, the girls returned to their interrupted workout while Tanial and Liam visited Jerrik’s shop.

I see what you refused to tell me, Master Jerrik. Do you have any better words, now I’ve told Pa to get off his ass and back to his fields?

Nay. Your Maman went to her family, I heard, in Slot Minear?

That’s what Pa said, aye.

I can give this to you, then. He handed her a bound packet.

What is it?

He drew back, hands up. Hold! she said quickly. "I don’t mean that you rifled through this, just… Well, I have no clew. I hoped mayhap you did, is all."

She left it with me as she passed on the way to the merchant’s wagon. Said I was to give it to you if you e’er returned. When I asked where she was bound, she said ’twas none a my business. You know the way she had about her.

Aye, Tanial said with a grunt, a cross between a sob and a laugh. So you didn’t hear Slot Minear from her, then?

Nay. From the merchant. He’d finished his trip; Slot Minear was his only destination.

I would take this… She hefted the packet. … to look through. At the twelve bell, will you come have a swallow of ale or wine with us? Don’t worry, we’ll question you to make up for whatever value you think you get.

O’course, little miss. Shall be my pleasure.

She smiled, then after thanking him, took the package to her room, opened it and leafed through the pages.

I swear, Liam, this must be written in cypher! There’s a short letter… Here… She handed him the piece of parchment. Read it yourself.

Both of them worked on the papers⁠—in addition to the letter, there were fifteen single half-sheets of parchment, some covered on both sides, a few with ten or twelve words⁠—but got nowhere.

Mayhap you shall ask your Maman what they say, Liam offered as they prepared for dinner.

Mayhap, but ’tis certain the answer is here afore us. That’s Maman’s way. She restored them to the leather folder, still puzzling. We just must find it.

As they passed the stables and the plot where her cohort, much reduced, worked to train each other, she waved them to join her. If the Mistress has sup prepared, she said, we shall talk as we eat. Baths later.

What do we speak of? Ejvind wanted to know.

She held him off til they’d found seats on the benches in the pub, and the serving girl had laid the dinner on the trestle. Jerrik joined them as the maid left. Once they’d all begun, she told them her personal mystery: Maman had left her home and the town and she had no clew why. "However, ’tis likely she headed toward family, in Slot Minear. Truly, I have heard far too much of that city in the past thir’dar.

Liam must find his troop, to discover if they have learned things of value to us or to either Lindebalgh or Aberystrad.

Where might your troop be, Gapten?

"Ah, Master Jerrik, I left them in camp a ’dar’s hard ride from here. Closer to the border, in moderate foothills. Not close enough that they would have approached Byg Felter,