Red Queen Ascendant

By Ashley Abbiss

The battle for Dragonville is over and life ought to ‎be getting back to normal for Aralaiah. But, to her ‎chagrin, that isn’t happening. ‎

A rumour has been spreading that Red Queen was ‎killed in the battle. Morale is tumbling and the people ‎of Dracos are in despair. Trying to tell them that she’s ‎still alive hasn’t worked. People are convinced that the ‎authorities are lying to them, trying to conceal the fact ‎of Red Queen’s death in an effort to restore morale.‎

The only choice is for Aralaiah and Red Queen to ‎go out there and show them Red Queen alive and ‎kicking. So the two of them are off on a charm ‎offensive, visiting the outlying communities and army ‎camps of Dracos to do just that. ‎

The rumours have even reached as far as the army ‎camps in the Lowlands. Those are the camps on the ‎front line of the war and the ones where morale is the ‎most crucial so, risky as it is, Aralaiah and Red Queen ‎are forced to venture right down to within sight of the ‎enemy.‎

However, their mission is cut short when several ‎of the camps, including the one where they are, are ‎attacked. The Demorsans have a diabolical new ‎weapon, a weapon that can kill dragons without the ‎Demorsans ever having to get close enough to allow ‎the dragons to strike back. ‎

While the experts of Dracos scramble for answers ‎to this new threat, Red Queen announces that as soon ‎as they have them, the forces of Dracos will invade ‎Demorsa and put an end to this war once and for all, ‎before the Demorsans can come up with something ‎even worse. ‎

While the ordinary forces of Dracos swarm across ‎the border, Aralaiah and Red Queen will lead a special ‎strike force into the very heart of Demorsa, to the ‎capital city and the main temple compound, to ‎confront the high priest of the Sorcerers and his ‎council of adepts.‎

But although they’ve had spies working in there ‎for years and think they know what they’re getting ‎into, Demorsa holds a secret unguessed-at by the ‎Dragonesque; a secret that will upset all their ‎carefully-made plans and test Aralaiah and Red ‎Queen to their limits. ‎

Red Queen Ascendant is the sixth and final ‎instalment of the Rainbow Dragonesque series.‎

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashley Abbiss
• Release date: Sep 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463264744

Ashley Abbiss

Hello there. I’m Ashley Abbiss. ‎I live and write in beautiful New Zealand, where I live with one large dog, who looks nothing ‎like Friend from my Daughters of Destiny books. She is, however, almost as intelligent and definitely as ‎opinionated, and if she can’t quite speak in the way Friend does to Niari, that doesn’t really ‎hold her back much!‎I write fantasy, mostly of the epic variety. Let me say right up front that if you’re looking for a quick read, you’re in the wrong place. But if you like a substantial, ‎satisfying story that you can really get your teeth into, stick with me. I may have something ‎you’ll enjoy. There’s no graphic sex in my books. If that’s what you want, you’ll have to look ‎elsewhere. There is violence, and there is swearing, though mostly of the ‘s/he swore’ variety, ‎nothing overly graphic or offensive. I also write about strong, independent female characters, ‎so if your taste runs to something more macho, or something more frilly and helpless, this may ‎not be the place for you. ‎I’ve always loved wandering in different worlds, be they fantasy or science fiction, although ‎lately I tend to prefer fantasy. The only proviso is that they have to be believable worlds, ‎worlds that feel real, that have depth and scope – and they must, absolutely must be fun to ‎visit. I read for escape and entertainment, and I don’t really want to escape from this world ‎into one even grimmer. Trouble, tension, and danger I can deal with, what sort of story would ‎there be without them? Where would Pern be without Thread, Frodo without Sauron, Harry ‎Potter without Voldemort? But there has to be hope, and there has to be a light touch. Happy ‎ever after does have a lot going for it, even if initially it’s only a very small light at the end of ‎a long, dark tunnel. My personal favourites include Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, Anne ‎McCaffrey’s Pern series, and the fantasies of David Eddings, and lately, they’ve been joined ‎by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and a few others. Of those, David Eddings was probably my ‎greatest inspiration.‎I began to wonder if I could create my own world, one just as believable and multi-layered as ‎theirs. Could I create a world with its own history, geography, social structure, deities, and all ‎the rest? One that hung together? That a reader could believe in? It became a challenge, one I ‎really wanted to see if I could meet. So I dusted off my writing skills, learned a few more, ‎cranked up the imagination, and got busy. I’d always been good at creative writing, but ‎though I’d made a few attempts to write after I left school, none of them came to anything. ‎That was until I started writing fantasy. Suddenly, I knew I’d come home. ‎I quickly discovered that I’m not the sort of writer who can plan a book (or a world!) before I ‎start. I just can’t do it. But I can create characters, and suddenly the characters took on a ‎reality of their own and took over the stories, often to the extent that they actually surprised ‎me. And the stories worked. Their world worked. Sometimes I had to go back and fix the ‎odd contradiction, but mostly it worked and was very natural and organic. Even though my ‎first attempts were pitiful, I knew I’d found where I belong. I persevered, I learned, I wrote. ‎I discovered that the characters are key for me. Once I get them right, they tell their own ‎story. I was away. There were dark days during which my stories became my refuge, my ‎characters my friends. And I kept writing. There were happy times when I didn’t need a ‎refuge, but my characters were still my friends, and they drew me inexorably back. I kept ‎writing. ‎And now, I hope my characters may become your friends too, my worlds ones where you also ‎like to walk; perhaps even your refuge from dark days. Come join me in a world where magic ‎is real and the gods are near, where beasts talk and men and women achieve things they never ‎dreamed they could. But most of all, come and have fun! ‎Happy reading.‎Ash.‎

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

‎You look exhausted, Pryn said sympathetically.‎

Aralaiah rubbed wearily at her face.‎

‎That’s because I am exhausted, she said. You ‎try five whole days of flying all over Dracos, ‎participating in parades and listening to speeches and ‎all the rest of it. Having to smile at odious people and ‎look your best every moment.‎

‎Er... no, thanks, Pryn said. Thankfully, I’m just ‎a seamstress and not the Heir of Ghlent, Red Queen’s ‎rider and half a dozen other things. You can have it.‎

‎Thanks so much, Aralaiah said. She rubbed her ‎face again. I feel as though I could sleep for a week. ‎And all because some blithering idiot started a rumour ‎that Red Queen had been killed in the battle for ‎Dragonville.‎

Beda laughed. You know what dragons are like. ‎Or you ought to by now, she said.‎

‎It wasn’t a dragon this time, Aralaiah said. At ‎least, Red Queen doesn’t think so. All the dragons ‎know perfectly well that she’s alive and well because ‎she held a big council of all the dragons shortly after ‎the battle, apparently. She sighed. Not that it ‎matters much who it was. Although, I would rather ‎like to wring their neck for them.‎

‎They probably have no idea how much trouble ‎they’ve caused, Beda said. That’s the worst of that ‎sort of gossip-mongering. A seemingly harmless story ‎can cause huge problems.‎

‎Well, this one certainly did! Aralaiah said. "We ‎all thought it would die a natural death once people ‎got home from the victory celebration and told ‎everyone that they’d seen Red Queen leading the ‎parade. But most of those people seem to have been ‎from the towns, and as we discovered, out in the ‎country districts and some of the army camps, people ‎were in despair because they still believed Red Queen ‎was dead. Trying to tell them she wasn’t didn’t work. ‎

‎I don’t know what the original story was, but it ‎must have been good. They were totally convinced ‎that Red Queen was dead, and the more the people in ‎charge tried to tell them she wasn’t, the more certain ‎they were that she was. They thought the news that ‎she was still alive was just propaganda designed to ‎keep people from losing hope. It was a nightmare. The ‎only way to counter it was to go out there and show ‎them Red Queen alive and kicking.‎

Draken laughed. And are you home for good ‎now? he asked.‎

‎No, I’m not, Aralaiah said wearily. I’ve got ‎two days at home and then we have to go down to the ‎Lowlands and show ourselves to the troops down ‎there. Apparently, the rumours of Red Queen’s death ‎have even spread that far.‎

‎It is amazing how quickly these things spread ‎sometimes, Beda nodded.‎

‎Unfortunately, it’s only the lies that seem to take ‎hold, Aralaiah said. The truth just doesn’t seem to ‎have the same appeal, for some reason.‎

‎And isn’t that the truth! Draken laughed.‎

‎That’s because the truth doesn’t usually make ‎half as good a yarn, Pryn said.‎

‎When did you get home? Beda asked then.‎

‎About an hour and a half ago, Aralaiah said. ‎‎Red Queen and I were supposed to report to Ullra ‎Mobit and Varen Gebit as soon as we arrived, but I ‎got her to drop me off at home so I could drop my ‎bag first, and then Pryn walked into town with me. ‎She went to find you while Red Queen and I talked ‎to Ullra and Varen, and here we are. ‎

‎‘Here’ was currently a bench beside the fountain ‎in Founders’ Park, one of their favourite places to eat ‎lunch when the weather was fine enough. It was ‎lunchtime on a gloriously sunny, if slightly cool day, ‎and they’d made a quick stop at their favourite ‎sandwich shop before coming out there to eat and ‎catch up with each other’s news.‎

‎So I’m home today and tomorrow, and then ‎we’re off again the morning after, Aralaiah said. We ‎should only be away for about three days this time. ‎And then, hopefully, that will be that and I can ‎actually stay home and get on with catching up with ‎my work.‎

‎Ullra hasn’t said anything about resuming the ‎teaching tours now that summer’s here and things ‎have settled down? Beda asked. She said she was ‎thinking about it.‎

Aralaiah shook her head. She hasn’t said ‎anything to me, she said. And what would be the ‎point, really? Virtually everyone in Dracos has had at ‎least one lesson in the new magic, so anybody who ‎hasn’t can find plenty of people to ask about it.‎

‎True, although I still think it would be valuable ‎to do refresher courses at the army camps at least, ‎Beda said. You know yourself how people tend to ‎forget and revert to the old way if they’re not ‎reminded of the new one.‎

‎Yes, I do enough refresher courses here, and ‎those are for mages, who ought to have a grip on the ‎new magic if anyone does. And actually, now that ‎you mention it, I saw very little magic being used in ‎the battle for Dragonville. By the humans, that is. The ‎dragons were doing plenty. ‎

Aralaiah took a bite of her sandwich and chewed ‎thoughtfully for a moment as she watched Pryn’s little ‎dog Toda walking along the edge of the fountain, ‎peering intently into the water and now and again ‎barking at something. There were no fish in the ‎fountain, so it was probably cloud reflections or ‎something similar that had caught his interest.‎

‎But that’s up to Ullra, and right now, I’ll just be ‎glad to get all this travelling over and get home. I ‎don’t really want to think about going out again right ‎now.‎

The rest of them laughed at that but, just then, ‎there was a resounding splash as Toda lost his balance ‎and fell into the water. ‎

‎I knew that was going to happen sooner or later, ‎Pryn said resignedly as she laid her sandwich aside ‎and went to haul him out. ‎

The rest of them burst out laughing, but that ‎ended abruptly when a thoroughly wet Toda ran up ‎and shook cold water all over them. ‎

‎Toda! Aralaiah cried as she tried to avoid the ‎worst of it.‎

Toda barked happily at her. In the back of her ‎mind, Aralaiah could hear Red Queen’s laughter. She ‎turned to look up at the roof of the Town Hall, and ‎there was the queen, reclining at her ease on the warm ‎tiles and blinking down at them.‎

‎"You haven’t gone back to Dragonville, Red Queen?" Aralaiah asked.

"Not yet, my rider," Red Queen answered lazily. It is pleasant to lie in the sun for a while and rest. There will be time enough for work later.

"Yes, I’m feeling rather that way myself," Aralaiah said. It’s been a long week, hasn’t it?

"But necessary, my rider. Very necessary. The people of Dracos must know that Red Queen and First Rider are still there to lead them. They must have hope, or they cannot prevail against the Sorcerers."

"Yes, I know. You mean a great deal to them, Red Queen."

"As do you, my rider. You are Ghlent come again."

"I think that means more to the dragons than to the Dragonesque," Aralaiah said gently.

"It is important to all," Red Queen insisted.

Aralaiah smiled, knowing that there was no point in trying to argue with the queen. Red Queen would believe what Red Queen wished to believe about that particular subject. Fortunately, Aralaiah had finally managed to work out how to keep her thoughts to herself when she wished to, so she could think these things without worrying about insulting the dragon.

"Enjoy the sun, Red Queen," she said now.

"And you, my rider," Red Queen said, sounding sleepy.

When Aralaiah looked up, her eyes were already ‎closed. ‎

There wasn’t too much more enjoying the ‎sunshine for Aralaiah because shortly, Beda and ‎Draken needed to return to work, and Pryn needed to ‎return home and get back to her orders. Aralaiah went ‎with her. She was too tired to be bothered even ‎thinking about going in to work. ‎

Besides, it was the rest day the next day, and ‎trying to do half a day would just be a waste of time. ‎She’d barely get herself organised before it was time ‎to come home, and then she’d have it do all over again ‎when she got back after the rest day. Much better to ‎leave it until then and take a break while she had the ‎opportunity. She thought she might amuse herself by ‎making some new fabrics for Pryn.‎

And that was what she did. First, she unpacked ‎and put her used clothing out to be washed, and then ‎she joined Pryn in her workroom for the afternoon. ‎Pryn sewed, Aralaiah created, and they chatted as ‎they worked. Toda, worn out by his adventure, curled ‎up on a spare chair and went to sleep.‎

‎Anything in particular that you want? Aralaiah ‎asked.‎

Pryn looked up from her sewing. Do something ‎bright and summery, she suggested. Flowers and ‎leaves and sunshine, that sort of thing.‎

Aralaiah produced half a dozen fabrics featuring ‎flowers of various types and colours, big, bright suns ‎and blue skies filled with  fluffy white clouds. Then, ‎drawing on her memories of trips to the river park, she ‎created three prints; one showing dragons playing in ‎the water; one with a dragon diving from a height; ‎and a third showing wet dragons walking up out of ‎the water, shaking droplets from their wings as they ‎went. She put a little extra magic into that one, ‎making the flying droplets sparkle like real water ‎drops in the sun.‎

‎What do you think? she asked Pryn.‎

Pryn looked up and burst out laughing. ‎

‎Oh, that is so precious! she chuckled. Those are ‎gorgeous. I’m going to have fun making those up. Can ‎you make me a handful of panels from the dragon ‎ones, about the size of the front of a bag? I think ‎they’ll go down really well.‎

‎Yes, of course. No problem.‎

Aralaiah set to work again, making half a dozen ‎panels of each design, changing borders and dragon ‎colours and tweaking background details so each ‎panel was unique. Then, just for the hell of it, she ‎created one of Toda paddling in the water as she’d ‎seen him that lunchtime. Just for fun, she added a fish ‎biting his tail.‎

‎How’s this? she said, holding it up.‎

Pryn looked up and doubled over laughing.‎

‎Ow! she yelped then, sucking a finger. Don’t ‎show me things like that when I have a needle in my ‎hand!‎

It was Aralaiah’s turn to double up laughing.‎

‎I’m going to make myself a bag out of that one, ‎Pryn said. That is adorable. I love the fish!‎

‎I thought it added a little touch of whimsy, ‎Aralaiah said, looking at it. Do you want more of this ‎one, too?‎

‎Oh, yes, if you don’t mind, Pryn said. My ‎customers like Toda. I’m fairly sure a few of them will ‎like that panel. She picked up the ones Aralaiah had ‎just done, turning them over and comparing them. I ‎like the way you’ve done these so each one is ‎different. Can you do that with the Toda one, too?‎

‎Yes, of course. I can’t change Toda, of course, ‎otherwise, people won’t recognise him, but I can ‎change the fish and possibly the colour of the water. I ‎can put different coloured borders around the picture. ‎I’m not sure what else. Let me think about it for a ‎while.‎

She made a copy of the print she’d made and ‎frowned down at it as Pryn returned to her interrupted ‎work. She changed the water from blue to turquoise ‎and the fish from gold to purple. Then she created a ‎blue and gold border around the one and a purple and ‎turquoise one around the other. One down. Now ‎what? She made one with the water a dark, inky blue, ‎and another with it so pale it was almost grey. ‎

She made a pale yellow fish and a deep pinkish-‎red fish. She made green water with a bright blue fish ‎and pale lavender water with a black fish. She created ‎borders that echoed those colours as she had before. ‎Then, she spread the pieces out and scowled down at ‎them. She’d put a lot of thought into the colours, but ‎it just didn’t feel right. The pictures were still too ‎much the same. ‎

The problem, she thought, was that she couldn’t ‎change Toda. He needed to be recognisable as Toda ‎for the panels to work. He also needed to be front and ‎centre, dominating the space. And while she could ‎make all sorts of fanciful fish, there was only so much ‎she could do to the water without it ceasing to be ‎recognisable as water. There just wasn’t enough that ‎she could change to make each iteration of the panel ‎sufficiently distinctive, that was what it boiled down ‎to. But what to do about it?‎

‎Do you want a cup of tea? she asked Pryn.‎

‎Yes, please, if you’re going to make one, Pryn ‎said. ‎

‎I am, Aralaiah said with determination. ‎

She headed for the kitchen, taking the Toda prints ‎with her. She spread them out around the workspace ‎as she set to work to make the tea. She could have just ‎created cups of tea ready-made, of course, but she ‎wanted time to think, so she filled the kettle and put it ‎on the stove and did it the old-fashioned way for ‎once.

 As she moved to and fro, putting the kettle on the ‎stove, getting out cups and teapot, finding cookies ‎and fruit for a snack, she kept glancing at the prints. ‎They still felt wrong, although she still couldn’t think ‎what to do to make them sufficiently different from ‎each other. It really was most aggravating. ‎

It was when she was getting out the cups that she ‎had an idea. The cups were decorated with a garden ‎scene, with birds and butterflies flitting above ‎variously-coloured flowers. Aralaiah looked from the ‎cup she was holding to the Toda panels, and then back ‎at the cup. ‎

Then, she changed the panel she was looking at. ‎The fish disappeared. Toda’s tail went from hanging ‎down to sticking up above the water, and a small ‎golden bird hovered above, pulling at the tail with its ‎beak. She squinted at it. There. Perfect. Or perhaps ‎not quite perfect. She added a golden flower hanging ‎out of Toda’s mouth. Now it was perfect. ‎

Chuckling happily to herself she moved to the ‎next panel. Here, she left the fish and the tail alone ‎and created a bird sitting on Toda’s head. On the next ‎one, she exchanged the bird for a little straw hat with ‎a garland of flowers encircling the brim. ‎

Next, she left the hat where it was, removed the ‎fish, but added a butterfly perched on Toda’s nose. ‎Then, she had a rather larger butterfly sit on his head ‎instead of the hat and encircled his neck with a ‎garland of flowers. After a moment’s thought, she ‎exchanged the butterfly on his nose for a fat, green ‎caterpillar. And there they all were; six completely ‎different panels on the subject of Toda swimming. ‎

In fact, as she looked at them, she realised that ‎she’d perhaps gone a little too far. These panels could ‎each be done in multiple colourways, making six series ‎of Toda panels. With that in mind, she took half of ‎them and took Toda out of the water, setting him ‎down among wildflowers instead. ‎

Seeing that gave her another idea, and she added ‎floating blossoms to the water panels. It looked good, ‎and it would also make it easier to create new ‎colourways. The addition of those little details would ‎make all the difference. She thought she might just do ‎a little more tweaking before she presented them to ‎Pryn.‎

She realised with a start that she was really ‎enjoying herself for the first time in ages. After all the ‎weeks and months of stress and tension, of battles and ‎funerals, of celebrations and parades and silly rumours ‎to refute, just standing there in Beda’s kitchen playing ‎with those panels was pure bliss. ‎

There would be no dire consequences if she didn’t ‎do it. No one would die if she didn’t get it quite right. ‎It was wonderful. She suddenly realised that she ‎didn’t even feel tired any longer. When she’d arrived ‎home, she’d been utterly exhausted. She’d been so ‎tired she ached and all she’d wanted was to curl up ‎and sleep. Now suddenly, doing this, she was wide ‎awake again and raring to go. ‎

Which probably just showed how stressed she’d ‎been before. Everything seemed to have been so dire ‎for so long. But here, she could just play. To celebrate ‎her discovery, she added an extra bit of magic to the ‎butterfly so that it slowly changed colour, sliding from ‎one colour to another through a progression of shades. ‎The effect was attractive, but she wasn’t sure whether ‎to keep it or not.‎

Her ruminations were interrupted by the singing ‎of the kettle and she hurried off to make the tea and ‎carry the tray into the workroom. She poured out for ‎herself and Pryn and then laid out her work again and, ‎gripping her cup in one hand, returned to her ‎contemplation of the panels. ‎

CHAPTER TWO

In the end, she presented Pryn with thirty-six ‎panels featuring Toda; six different pictures, each in ‎six different colourways. She didn’t think that was ‎excessive because most of them no longer relied on ‎Toda being Toda for their appeal. They were just ‎charming pictures of a little dog in summer. Even ‎someone who didn’t know Toda at all would quite ‎possibly like them just on their own merits.‎

There was the original one of the fish nibbling on ‎Toda’s tail as he swam. She’d added flowers floating ‎in the water and one or more of a sun, fluffy white ‎clouds or a rainbow to the sky in each one, which ‎allowed her to vary the picture enough that each of ‎the six panels was individual. ‎

Then there was the one with a bird tugging on his ‎tail and the one with him wearing a straw hat with a ‎caterpillar on his nose. In each, she’d taken him out of ‎the water and placed him in a field of flowers. She’d ‎done the same with the one with the butterfly on his ‎head. The addition of flowers and suns, clouds, ‎rainbows or even a moon or stars to the original ‎picture had given her ample scope for changing ‎colours and details.‎

‎Are you still messing with those? Pryn asked, ‎putting down her teacup and picking up her sewing ‎again.‎

‎Hush, you! I’m having fun, Aralaiah said with ‎mock severity. Here, see what you think. ‎

She handed Pryn the whole stack of designs. ‎

Pryn’s eyebrows rose as she accepted the stack, ‎obviously far more than the six she’d asked for. She ‎put them down on her knee and looked at the top one, ‎which showed the original picture of Toda and the ‎fish.‎

‎Oh, this is much nicer! she said. The addition ‎of the flowers in the water and the sun in the sky ‎make it so much brighter and more summery. It really ‎adds something to it.‎

She laid that one aside and turned to the next ‎ones, which were variations of the first. She laid the ‎last of those aside and burst out laughing.‎

‎Oh, that is so cute! she said, holding up one of ‎the panels showing Toda in the straw hat. I ought to ‎get him a little hat like that.‎

‎Good luck getting him to wear it if you do, ‎Aralaiah said. I think you’d better just settle for the ‎picture.‎

‎Yes, you’re probably right, Pryn said ‎regretfully. He would look adorable in it, though, ‎wouldn’t he? ‎

She continued on through the stack, exclaiming at ‎each new picture until finally she reached the last one ‎and laid it aside with the rest.‎

‎Wow, Laiah, she said, her eyes shining. You ‎really went overboard with these, didn’t you? I only ‎asked for six.‎

Aralaiah shrugged. I kept getting new ideas, she ‎said. And I figured they were cute enough to sell ‎even if people don’t know Toda. Besides, it was fun. ‎Do you know how long it is since I’ve been able to ‎spend a whole afternoon just playing and enjoying ‎myself, without having to worry about what anyone ‎thought or whether I was doing whatever it was ‎right?‎

‎Yes, I guess it gets a bit like that when you’re a ‎public figure, the way you are now, Pryn said. ‎‎Everyone would always be judging you, wouldn’t ‎they?‎

‎Tell me about it! Aralaiah said. But it’s not just ‎that, either, Pryn. Being First Rider makes me the ‎general of the dragon forces of Dracos. During the ‎battle, I was responsible for all those dragons.‎

‎But that would just be a formality, wouldn’t it? ‎Pryn said.‎

‎Yes, except for two things. The first is that, ‎according to the magic that Ghlent and the queens ‎laid on the eggs back at the end of the last war, ‎dragons can’t fight against humans without a human ‎to lead them. The second is that there are an awful lot ‎of dragons who don’t have riders, either because ‎they’re young and haven’t chosen yet or because their ‎rider has passed away or is too old to ride. And all ‎those dragons were needed to help in the battle.‎

‎Oh.‎

‎That’s one way of putting it.‎

‎So, you had to...‎

Aralaiah nodded. Red Queen would often give ‎them their instructions, but it would be up to me to tell ‎them to do whatever it was. According to dragon law, ‎they can’t fight without a rider to tell them what to ‎do. But they can fight for me because I’m First Rider. ‎Every dragon in Dracos is pledged to protect me with ‎its life. And they did. She pressed a hand against her ‎lips in an attempt to control the tears that started to ‎her eyes. I feel responsible for every dragon that was ‎hurt or killed, Pryn.‎

‎Oh, help. Laiah, I... I don’t know what to say. ‎That’s awful. Pryn looked at her with huge eyes. ‎‎But they didn’t just fight for you though, did they? ‎she said, rallying. I mean, technically they did, but ‎they would have had to fight sooner or later, wouldn’t ‎they, if only to save themselves.‎

‎I’m not sure they could, you know, Aralaiah ‎said thoughtfully. They’re bound by the magic that ‎Ghlent and the queens laid on them. They can’t fight ‎against humans without someone to tell them to. I ‎honestly don’t know what they’d do if someone was ‎coming at them with a weapon. From what Red ‎Queen has said, I don’t think they could fight back.‎

‎You mean, they’d just have to sit there and allow ‎themselves to be murdered? Pryn asked ‎incredulously.‎

‎I’m not sure. I think so.‎

‎Well, that’s just horrible. And there’s your ‎answer, Laiah. There’s absolutely no need to feel ‎guilty about anything because you actually saved far ‎more dragons than died in the battle. If you hadn’t ‎been there to tell them to fight, from what I’ve heard, ‎the humans would have lost that battle, and that ‎means all those dragons would now be dead. Every ‎single dragon that survived that battle is alive because ‎of you; quite literally. Your being there allowed them ‎to defend themselves and their home. That’s nothing ‎to feel guilty about.‎

Aralaiah looked at her with a startled expression.‎

‎I hadn’t thought of it that way, she said.‎

‎I didn’t think for a moment that you had, Pryn ‎said primly.‎

‎Well, there’s no need to be so smug about it!‎

Pryn laughed outright. Just because you’d rather ‎get all guilt-ridden than think the thing through ‎logically, she said, sticking out her tongue. But ‎anyway, thank you for these. They are so cute. I think ‎they’ll sell really well. Mind you, I might just be a bit ‎biased.‎

‎Mm, just a bit. Possibly.‎

‎But anyway, we’ll soon see. I’ll be surprised if I ‎haven’t got orders for half a dozen of these by this ‎time next week.‎

‎Well, I’m glad you like them. And like I said, it ‎was fun. It made a nice change from parades and ‎speeches and all that rubbish. Aralaiah picked up the ‎tray and walked to the door. But once there, she ‎turned again. Do you want me to make half a dozen ‎bags ready? I can if you like.‎

Pryn looked appraisingly at the panels. It might ‎be an idea. Some of these and some of the dragon ‎ones, perhaps. Thanks.‎

Aralaiah nodded and proceeded out into the ‎kitchen with her tray. She quickly cleaned up the tea ‎things and put them away, half her mind on what she ‎was going to do with the bags. Then, that task done, ‎she hurried back into the workroom. ‎

‎Anything particular you want me to do with ‎these? she asked, picking up the panels she’d made ‎and beginning to sort through them.‎

‎Not really. Just make them into standard bags. ‎Try to get a good selection of prints and colours if you ‎can. For the rest, just surprise me. You usually have ‎fairly good taste, and we can always tweak things ‎later if we need to. She grinned cheekily. That’s one ‎thing I love about magic. If something isn’t right, you ‎can always change it later. It’s not set in stone once ‎it’s sewn. And when you’ve finished that, she said, ‎her tone all business again, assuming you have some ‎time, of course, you’d better get busy and make some ‎candles, ready for the next festival. You know how ‎well those sell, and you don’t want to get caught short ‎and have to rush to get enough made the way you did ‎last time. She nodded her head and returned to her ‎work.‎

‎Well, at least, if I do that, I won’t have you ‎nagging my ears off just before each festival, ‎Aralaiah retorted.‎

Pryn merely smirked. Well, if you’d listen to ‎your Auntie Pryn in the first place, you wouldn’t have ‎these little problems, she said complacently.‎

Aralaiah thought she ought to have been able to ‎come up with an answer to that, but for the life of her, ‎she couldn’t think of a thing to say. She settled for ‎giving Pryn a very hard look. Which only made Pryn ‎smirk even more.‎

The two young women settled down to work, ‎chatting idly about nothing very earth-shaking as they ‎did so until it was time to go and meet Beda and ‎Draken as they left work. Pryn had started doing that ‎now and again, particularly if they were going to the ‎tavern for dinner, but that had quite quickly become a ‎nightly ritual. It gave Pryn a welcome break after ‎sitting at her sewing all day and she and Toda both ‎enjoyed the walk. Now, she looked out of the ‎window and set her work aside.‎

‎It’s time to go and meet Beda and Draken, she ‎said. Are you going to come?‎

‎Yes, of course. I’m about ready for a walk. ‎Besides, I think I’ve done my bit for the day. ‎Aralaiah spread her arms wide to encompass her ‎production for the afternoon, which now included ‎several fully-finished bags and several dozen of her ‎dragon candles.‎

‎You haven’t made any other candles? Pryn ‎asked.‎

‎Well, no. It’s the dragon candles that everyone ‎likes, at least according to you, and the other ones ‎tend to be different according to which festival it is. I ‎figure if I’ve got the dragon candles made, it won’t ‎take me too long to get the rest of them made when ‎the time comes.‎

‎Makes sense, Pryn nodded. She looked around ‎at the clutter strewn about. You’ve really done a ‎good afternoon’s work, haven’t you?‎

Aralaiah shrugged. As I said, it was fun. She ‎began to gather things up. Just give me a moment to ‎put all this stuff away, and I’ll be with you.‎

‎Thanks for doing so many bags, Pryn said, ‎beginning to help. How many did you do in the ‎end?‎

‎Twelve, I think. Might be eleven. I kind of lost ‎count a bit at the end there. Let’s see. One, two, three, ‎four, five, six... Yep, twelve. I know you only asked ‎for half a dozen, but they were so much fun, I just ‎kept going.‎

‎Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, Pryn said. ‎‎And I’m certainly not going to complain. Every bag ‎you make is one I don’t have to sew, and I’m quite ‎sure they’re going to sell. There. That looks a bit tidier. ‎Come on, Toda. Walk time.‎

Toda, who up until then had appeared to be ‎deeply asleep, immediately opened his eyes and ‎jumped down. He stretched rather luxuriously while ‎the two women finished tidying up, and then he ‎preceded them to the front door, his tail waving ‎importantly. Aralaiah laughed.‎

‎He always looks as though he thinks he’s leading ‎a parade, she said.‎

‎That’s because he is leading a parade, Pryn said. ‎‎Take a look. It may be a short one, but it’s definitely ‎a parade. She waved a hand to indicate the two of ‎them.‎

‎Point taken, Aralaiah said.‎

They stepped outside into a fine, clear evening ‎and began to make their way up the street in the ‎direction of the commercial centre and the Town Hall. ‎

‎I wonder if we can talk Beda and Draken into ‎going to the tavern for dinner, Aralaiah said. ‎

‎Do you want to? Pryn asked.‎

‎Mm, it would be nice. It feels like weeks and ‎weeks since I got to meet some of our friends.‎

‎It almost is, Pryn said. You’ve only been home ‎for about a week all told in the last couple of months.‎

‎So since I actually have two days at home this ‎time and it’s a rest day tomorrow so we don’t have to ‎get up early, it would be nice to go to the tavern and ‎meet some people for a few hours, Aralaiah said. ‎

‎Well, we can but ask, Pryn said. I’m sure Beda ‎and Draken won’t mind. After all, it’s not like it’s ‎only you who’ll get to enjoy meeting friends, is it?‎

‎It’ll depend on whether Beda wants to cook, ‎Aralaiah said. ‎

‎No, she’ll most probably save that up and do ‎something special tomorrow since that’s a rest day and ‎she’ll have time to work on it, Pryn said. I’ll bet she ‎invites people like Varen and Endra and makes a party ‎of it since you’re home for once.‎

‎I have to admit, that would be kind of nice, ‎Aralaiah said. I’ve barely seen those two for weeks, ‎either. Although, Varen almost certainly knows my ‎every move since Aralan or Nedris still follow me ‎everywhere.‎

‎Endra doesn’t, though, Pryn smirked. How ‎much do you bet she does the whole mother hen thing ‎and gives you a thorough examination while she’s ‎there? She is still officially your personal physician, ‎after all.‎

‎She probably would, too, Aralaiah said glumly. ‎‎That’s if you’re right about Beda inviting them, of ‎course.‎

‎Of course I’m right You wait and see.‎

‎Good idea, Beda said when they put the idea to ‎the others. That way, I can have a break tonight and ‎then cook something special tomorrow. And since ‎you’re home on a rest day for once, Aralaiah, I think ‎I’ll invite Varen and Endra to dinner. They haven’t ‎seen you for a while, either.‎

Pryn smirked at Aralaiah, who did her best to ‎ignore her and not blush like a silly schoolgirl.‎

‎In fact, I’ll go and send a messenger off right ‎now, Beda said. I won’t be a moment. She turned ‎around and hurried back inside.‎

When she returned, they all trooped off to the ‎tavern, where they spent a happy evening meeting ‎friends and acquaintances. The local tavern tended to ‎be the centre of social life in Dracos so there were ‎plenty of people there to catch up with. The meal, of ‎course, wasn’t a patch on one of Beda’s but then, few ‎were. ‎

However, the tavern still boasted some of the best ‎cooking in Dracos City, and the meal they were ‎served was simple but utterly delicious. Draken ‎bought a bottle of a fine red wine to go with it, and it ‎balanced the flavours of the meal perfectly. As usual, ‎when they dined at the tavern, people stopped by their ‎table during the evening to say hello.‎

All in all, it was a very pleasant time, although ‎Aralaiah could have done without all the questions ‎about the battle for Dragonville. It would be really ‎nice to be able to leave that behind for one evening. ‎But the battle was only a couple of months in the past. ‎People were interested, of course, and she was the ‎only person they knew who had taken part in it. She ‎supposed people were still trying to come to terms ‎with what had happened. ‎

After all, the Demorsans had appeared seemingly ‎out of nowhere, having come up through the cave ‎systems that ran under the mountains. They’d very ‎neatly circumvented all the measures that had been ‎put in place to detect them and warn of an impending ‎attack. That had to have people worried. They’d have ‎to be completely stupid not to be. ‎

She could definitely see why they were so ‎interested, so she did her best to answer their ‎questions, although there wasn’t a lot she could say to ‎reassure them. The simple fact of the matter was that ‎the thing could happen again. ‎

Even as they spoke, there were dragons and ‎Dragonesque talented in the inner sense and the earth ‎powers as well as those who knew the forests and ‎mountains well surveying both the inner and the outer ‎mountainsides of Dracos, looking for cave systems ‎that might provide a way up into the basin. They were ‎supplemented by troops on foot who were scouring ‎the forests. ‎

Everyone was doing their very best. But the ‎simple fact of the matter was that, no matter how ‎many men, women and dragons they put out there, ‎and no matter how hard they looked, they couldn’t ‎cover it all. The distances involved were simply too ‎vast. ‎

There were hills and valleys, cliffs and clefts and ‎forests and a cave entrance could be hidden in any of ‎them. The inner sense, in particular, which was the one ‎most likely to pick up on the fact that there were ‎hollow places hidden underground, could only be ‎used if one was actually touching the thing one ‎wanted to examine. It was simply impossible. About ‎all they could hope to do was to get lucky now and ‎then and find at least some of them. ‎

Aralaiah didn’t like lying, and she knew she was ‎fairly hopeless at it anyway, but she also didn’t want ‎to destroy what fragile hope her friends and ‎neighbours had, so she did her best to sound upbeat ‎and reassuring. There was, after all, absolutely no ‎point in getting people upset about things they could ‎do nothing about.‎

It was a strain, and one she could have done ‎without. Despite that little fly in the ointment though, ‎she enjoyed herself. It was good to have a couple of ‎days off to touch base with friends and family and get ‎back to reality for a while. It helped to keep her ‎grounded and able to function.‎

CHAPTER THREE

‎Your sister’s a dragon rider isn’t she, Beda? one ‎woman asked. Were she and her dragon in the battle ‎at Dragonville?‎

‎No, she and Banin are stationed down in the ‎Lowlands, working as messengers and transport and ‎providing aerial support for the troops down there as ‎needed, Beda said. That’s where they’ve been since ‎the war started, actually.‎

‎How’s the war really going down there? another ‎woman asked. I mean, I know what the public ‎reports say, but who believes them? I mean, I don’t ‎really believe that they’d out and out lie to us, but I’ll ‎bet they’re selective with what they tell us.‎

Several others nodded their heads. ‎

‎Well, I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything ‎different, Beda said. The last letter I got from ‎Sholin was about a week ago, and she said things are ‎pretty much the same down there. It looked for a ‎while as though the Demorsans were going to make a ‎major push forward from the towns they took before ‎the winter, but it’s all settled down again now. It was ‎apparently only diversionary, an attempt to direct ‎attention, and possibly troops, away from Dracos and ‎the invasion at Dragonville. I gather that they’re all ‎just sitting there at the moment, waiting for the ‎Demorsans to make another move. The failure of the ‎Dragonville attack seems to have disrupted their plans ‎a little.‎

‎Well, we’re always happy to help with that, ‎aren’t we? one man said cheerfully, and the group ‎broke up in chuckles and comments.‎

‎I imagine it will be a bit of a shock when those ‎riders come home and see the damage to Dragonville, ‎the woman who’d spoken before said. I hear it was ‎fairly extensive.‎

‎It was, Aralaiah said. Although, it could have ‎been much, much worse. At least the town’s still ‎there, and it shouldn’t take them too long to rebuild ‎those buildings that were lost.‎

‎So, what did you do with yourself all afternoon, ‎Aralaiah? Draken asked when there was a break in ‎the stream of friends. I noticed you weren’t in your ‎office.‎

‎Were you looking for me?‎

‎No, but I noticed the absence of a guard outside ‎on my way past, Draken said.‎

‎Yeah, no privacy when you have guards ‎following you around all day, Pryn said.‎

‎I decided it wasn’t really worth going in to work ‎for just half a day, Aralaiah said, ignoring Pryn. ‎‎Especially since Red Queen and I are off again the ‎day after tomorrow. I spent the afternoon helping ‎Pryn.‎

‎Probably wise, Draken nodded. You’d barely ‎have time to get yourself organised and then you’d ‎have to leave and do it all over again when you get ‎back next time.‎

‎That was what I figured, Aralaiah said. So I ‎helped Pryn with a few things and spent most of the ‎time making new fabrics for her.‎

‎Well, Draken said, emptying his glass and ‎stretching, I think I’m about ready to head on home. ‎‎What do the rest of you think?"‎

They were all ready to head home, so they paid ‎their bill and set out. The days were warmer now, but ‎the evenings in Dracos were still chilly, and they ‎didn’t dawdle.‎

‎That was a lovely evening,