The Dragon, Shrouded

By Brian Wakeling

An exhausted and desperate man staggers out of a mountain pass bringing dire news from the South. Ancient legends are re-awakening, and dark forces are mustering to bring them into the light.
The Burning Rose Armed Company, now a Royal bodyguard detachment, are sent to investigate the man's story. With very little solid information to go on, and people disappearing, they nevertheless follow the trail into the vast Kcodi desert of the South.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781326231934

Book preview

The Dragon, Shrouded

The Dragon, Shrouded

Book VII of the

Have Sword & Sorcery: Will Travel™

series

A NaNoWriMo Novel

by Brian Wakeling

About the Author

Brian Wakeling was born in the Midlands, bred in the Home Counties, raised in Yorkshire, and went to university in Edinburgh, where he studied fencing and drinking at QMUC – from where he was finally kicked out for the second time in May 2000. He returned to Yorkshire nine months later where he tried to get a life but couldn't afford one. In summer 2005, following his ambition to get a job in a theatre, he moved down to London – and almost completely failed in this ambition. He has been writing in one form or another for most of his life. He was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in March 2009.

Other books

Have Sword & Sorcery: Will Travel™

Please Kill the Neighbours

Finish the Job So We Don’t Have To

All’s Fair in Love and Politics

Things Never Go Smooth

Cult Following

Customs & Duty

The Dragon, Shrouded

The Dragon, Rising

The Dragon

Copyright

Copyright © Brian Wakeling 2014

I, Brian Wakeling, hereby assert and give notice of my right under sections 77 and 78 of the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. Any unauthorised copying, lending, distributing or hiring is prohibited, whether by electronic or by any other means.

All characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The GURPS rules and system used as part of the creation of this work are © Steve Jackson Games. GURPS is a Registered Trademark of Steve Jackson Games.

Cover image:

Dragon Silhouette, imgkid.com (posted as public domain)

Composite of desert render and photograph of St. Agatha’s Tower, Malta, B Wakeling 2014

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

First Edition 2015

Second Edition 2016

ISBN 978-1-326-23193-4

This forms part of The Published Works as defined in the SOAUL

(http://www.sabremeister.me.uk/soaul.html)

Have Sword & Sorcery: Will Travel is a Trademark of Brian Wakeling

http://www.sabremeister.me.uk/Hsaswt.html

Map

Dedication

Sir Terry Pratchett, OBE

28/04/1948 – 12/03/2015

Thank you

The Dragon, Shrouded

It was a bright moonlit night on the southern reaches of Turnobae-Galorndan. Though the sun had set some three hours ago, it was not yet midnight, and the full moon was near its’ zenith. The two shepherds, watching over their flock and sharing a flask of wine, were not really paying much attention to the grey mountains rising not far to the south. Then they heard the rattle of stones and the thump-rumble-thump of a boulder heading downhill. Landslides this close to the peaks were always a danger, but usually only after heavy rain. They looked round for the source of the noise, expecting to see just a few rocks loosened by a gust of wind.

What they saw was a man. He had fallen, prompting the descending rocks. He was on one of the paths out of the high peaks, a path that was little-used even in the best of times. The nearest village was several miles away, and small. On the other side of the mountains, in Demona, the nearest village to the southern end of the path was just as small and remote. The shepherds approached.

As they got nearer, they could make out more details. The man was struggling to keep moving, but the trip through the mountains had obviously taken its’ toll. He was crawling slowly on his belly, each limb movement raising his posture closer to all fours. He was wearing rags, that may once have been quite good clothes. His skin was dark, but that was fairly normal coming from warm Demona, and he had no shoes.

Easy there, friend, the lead shepherd said as he came close enough to kneel in front of the stranger. Just lie down a spell, we can help you down to the road in a minute.

The stranger looked up, and from somewhere found the energy to leap into a crouch. Where? he croaked.

Near Pepistrille, the shepherd answered, taken aback by the sudden movement and the desperate look in the man’s eyes.

The man shook his head. Wht country?

Turnobae. Turnobae-Galorndan.

The man closed his eyes, put his hands together and looked upwards, sighing. Nrly there, he said.

Nearly where?

How far to Darash? Or any city?

The shepherds looked at each other and shrugged. They were not educated men, and they had never been more than ten miles from their little village of Pepistrille. A fair distance, still, one said, when it became apparent the man needed an answer.

I must get to a city, as soon as possible, the man said, and climbed painfully to his feet.

Hey there, the state you’re in, you won't be going anywhere for a while, the first shepherd pointed out.

The man glared at him. It was a harsh, piercing gaze, and the shepherds recoiled from it. They are coming, the man said. They are coming, and I must warn the right people!

2

Ten days earlier, six hundred miles north...

The late evening sun came in through the window and dazzled the young woman as she used a large brass mirror to make a final adjustment to her shawl. Tonight was a special occasion, a formal dinner at headquarters, and she wanted to look good. Looking good was not something she was accustomed to being, her usual duties as a mercenary precluding it somewhat. She was in effective command of sixteen men and five women of a mercenary company that had been lucky enough to land a long-term contract with the royal household, and tonight was everyone’s night off. The night off was due to an old friend of the Captain’s coming to visit, and the officers had invited the senior NCOs (and one guest each) to join them for dinner. It wasn’t any old army pal or drinking buddy, though – the guest tonight was a royal personage, hence the need to look good.

Squinting against the glare, she tweaked the shawl one last time, and turned to step out of her room. Below the open landing where she now walked was the common room of the barracks, mostly empty, except for a few who hadn’t yet left to go drinking, the ever-stingy Dwarf Takksys, and her companion for the evening, who was waiting patiently at the foot of the stairs.

Evening, Sergeant, he greeted her as she descended. You look terrific!

Thank you, Hode. And we’re off duty tonight, remember?

I remember, Saggitta, he said quietly, then leaned in to peck her on the cheek. But we are still within range of the grunts, so I thought a little respect was in order.

Thank you, Corporal. Do you have my cloak?

It’s on the hook, as always.

Let’s go, then. She brushed past Hode, and yelped as he goosed her, so turned and glared at his blankly-innocent expression.

Are we going?

Not if you goose me in front of the grunts!

You wouldn’t have felt it if you’d been wearing a dress.

I don’t wear dresses. She turned again and led the way to the side door (the front being reserved for use by on-duty troops).

Well, what can I say? My girlfriend constantly puts temptation in my way by showing off her gorgeous arse by wearing breeches, and then when we go on a date, and she’s also wearing a top that wouldn’t be out of place on the Queen, well, why shouldn’t I give in to temptation?

You should wait until we’ve left. Saggitta reached the hooks by the door and collected their cloaks.

Goose you in the street, got it, Hode grinned and helped her on with her cloak.

Don’t you dare, she grinned back as she fastened her cloak. The clasp was a copy of their company’s symbol, a white rose with yellow flames rising from the top. She popped onto her toes to return the peck he’d given her earlier, then turned and opened the door.

They left the barracks, and Hode immediately offered his arm. As usual, Saggitta didn’t take it. They began walking towards their headquarters, a few streets away in a slightly more refined area of the city. They had barely got to the end of the street, however, when around the corner came a young woman in dark robes carrying a short staff.

Saggitta, Hode! Her voice sent shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it. I was hoping to meet you here.

You were, Lieutenant? Saggitta instantly became formal in front of a superior officer.

We’re all off duty, Saggitta, the young woman reminded her.

Of course, Morgan.

Hi, Morgan, Hode added as they all moved off again.

Hi.

Not dressed yet? he asked.

Oh, um, no, not yet. Actually Hode, I was hoping to talk to Saggitta.

Talk away, her ears do not belong to me.

Privately.

Oh! Well in that case, I think I’ll head on over there a few yards and you two can follow without me overhearing the latest scurrilous gossip.

Since when have either of us ever shown an inclination to gossip? Saggitta demanded.

I dunno, Hode shrugged, and carried on walking.

How do you put up with him? Morgan asked, shaking her head.

It’s his way of getting back at us for giving him orders, Saggitta replied as they began to follow him. What did you want to talk about?

Well, actually, I wanted to talk to you about Hode.

About Hode?

"Yes – well, you and Hode."

Me and Hode? Is our relationship inappropriate?

No – not that there haven’t been comments, but it’s not a problem, Morgan reassured the other woman. And if there was, it wouldn’t be me coming to talk to you about it, Alys would speak to you.

I see. Then what can I help with?

Well – uh, this is a bit awkward, really. Morgan began to blush and look down as she spoke. I, uh, I was … Well, you were a Sword Sister, yes?

Yes. It was my job to ensure the safety of women taking part in the Festival of Kos, and to defend the temples of the Forest during that time, as well as to protect women wherever there was need. What of it?

"Well – did you ever find it difficult to … find a partner? I mean, being a woman who belonged to an order with a reputation for cutting mens’ bits off?"

A boyfriend, you mean? Morgan nodded. I never found it particularly difficult. As long as I wasn’t wearing my armour when I first met them, it wasn’t too difficult to persuade them to ... be with me. Saggitta paused. Is there a particular reason you’re asking?

Morgan’s blush enveloped her entire head. Well, there’s this young man who I think likes me-

Dalian? Saggitta named the company clerk and quartermaster.

What!?

It’s been common knowledge that he’s fancied you practically since we got back from the Eastern continent.

Oh. Well, yes, yes it is. She began to rush her words, giving the impression of a complex piece of machinery running wild with a lose gearwheel inside. Only, you know Rassillon was still dead and we’d really loved each other and I needed space to get over that and Castle Corssfalts was not the best place to come to terms with a life-changing event especially when I had to pretend to make out with Cullan a couple of times-

I - Saggitta stemmed the flow, "I am aware of all that. But unless Mordlin is more powerful than I realised, Rassillon is currently dead, isn’t he?"

What? Oh, yes. He’s dead. I meant that he was only recently dead.

"I see. So, you want to know how to prompt Dalian to come out of his shell and ask for your, favours?"

Well, he tried. At Castle Corssfalts, when I took him his weapons the night before the raid, he needed an excuse to keep someone out who tried to come in, and-

Yes, Cullan told me how often the ‘impromptu makeouts’ excuse was used there. Something in the air, he said.

Yes, that was almost an occupational hazard for any woman there.

I don’t think I would have liked it, Saggitta said. So – did you?

What? No! I turned him down, and I think that may have discouraged him. He hardly looked at me for weeks – months, afterwards. And he’s taken a long time to get back to start looking at me as anything other than a superior officer again.

And you think now’s the time to move on from your dead former lover?

Yes!

That’s understandable. And he may have been waiting for you to indicate somehow that you were ready to resume intimate relations with someone.

I think that’s only part of it. I mean, he’s not exactly overconfident, is he?

Saggitta snorted a laugh. The only time he shows confidence is when he’s being the quartermaster.

Yes. And I … I don’t think I can approach him. I’ve never been very confident with boys, and him being nervous around me makes me nervous around him. Any advice you can offer would be really helpful, Saggitta. How did you and Hode get together?

Saggitta smiled. Hode and I got together by talking to each other when on watch, our first night in the Eastern continent. He made me laugh, and I appealed to his self-contradictory nature.

Oh. I don’t think Dalian is like that at all. How did you get boyfriends when you were a Sword Sister?

Honestly? I wore a top like this. She twitched aside her shawl for a few moments to reveal a deep neckline that showed off an impressive amount of cleavage.

"What? You did that? I mean you did that, someone whose life was pretty much dedicated to preventing men thinking of women as sex objects?"

I was a horny teenager, Morgan, I had no problems with letting handsome and intelligent men ‘see the goods’ once I’d talked to them for a bit to make sure that that was what they were.

Oh! I see. Morgan pondered for a moment. I don’t think I can do that. I don’t have the confidence to wear a top like that, I’d be worried that everybody was looking at me all the time.

Everybody looking at you is pretty much the point of wearing a top like that.

"But I don’t want everybody to look at me! I only want one person to look at me!"

Saggitta grinned. I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about. Hode’s with me, and Cullan’s with Alys. They both know what would happen if we caught them looking down another woman’s top. Kenyon’s been with Salazia two months now, and since she nearly beat Alys in training I don't think his gaze will stray either. And our guest is royalty, so you can probably count on him to behave himself.

Morgan nodded to herself. Cadell didn’t show much interest in anyone when we worked together, true.

So all you have to worry about is Dalian staring so much he forgets to eat.

"Oh! Oh, no, I don’t think I’d want that. I mean, if he’s staring, that would be embarrassing."

You don’t have to wear something as low-cut as mine, Saggitta pointed out, just enough to show a little something interesting.

A little something interesting. Right. Thanks Saggitta, I can probably find something. Or at least modify something in the time available.

Glad I could help. And only just in time, too. They turned the last corner and saw the headquarters of the Burning Rose Armed Company a bare score of yards ahead. Hode was waiting for them, and making polite conversation with a straw-haired blonde in pale blue wizards’ robes.

Yes. Thank you, Saggitta. I’ll see if I can get you a little something extra at the end of the month.

Thank you, Morgan, that’s kind of you.

Hode noticed their approach and broke off his conversation.

Ytemiah! Morgan recognised the woman. What are you doing here?

I just wanted to let you know you’re not the only one with a social life, Morgan.

Oh? Okay. If you’ll-

I’m going out tonight, with Pargella. Her and me have got dinner reservations at Scorvii’s with the Schengen brothers.

Oh, good for y-

And afterwards, we plan to go back to theirs and spend the night having hot, noisy, sweaty sex! All together! Rather puts your dinner party with royalty in the shade, doesn’t it?

You could look at it that way, I suppose...

Hah! You’re just jealous you can’t unwind enough to screw anyone since your boyfriend died! Don’t expect me in tomorrow until at least lunchtime, it’ll take me that long to recover. The mage turned on her heel and stalked off, swinging her hips, before Morgan or the others could say anything in response.

Who was that? asked Saggitta

That was Ytemiah, Morgan told them. She’s my new liason with the Mage Corps, but we don’t like each other and she doesn’t listen to anything I try and discuss with her.

Not surprised, Hode said, she’s a complete bitch.

No argument there, Morgan said.

Who was that Pargella she mentioned? asked Saggitta.

The Mage Corps’ newest battlemage. Complete psychopath. You can see why they get along. Come on. She opened the door for them. Inside, Kevin, their guard-monster, woke up from its’ nap to make sure the new arrivals were ones that were allowed in. Morgan, as Kevin’s Master, gave it a friendly pat on the snout before following the other two up the stairs.

Dalian was waiting at the top of the stairs. Ah, Hode, good. I need to speak to you about your expenses.

My expenses? Can’t it wait, Dalian?

Not really, I need to get it sorted before pay day.

Alright. In the office?

In the office, yes.

Fine. Hode turned to Saggitta. I’ll see you in a few minutes, love. They pecked each other on the cheek again, and Dalian gave Morgan a quick, nervous smile, then the two of them went into the office. Morgan shook herself, then hurried up the stairs to her room to change. Saggitta went into the exercise room, where they were meeting for pre-dinner drinks.

In the office, Dalian perched on the edge of the desk. Hode, who had been prepared for Dalian to sit in the chair behind it, stopped and looked puzzled. Is this not about my expenses?

Er, no, your expenses are fine. I, er, actually wanted to ask you about something.

Hode waited. Something? Something important?

Er, yes, sort of. The clerk was noticeably nervous. I don’t quite know how to begin. Um … I wanted to talk to you because you’re sort of in the same situation as I hope to be.

Situation? An archer?

No. With, er, with a lady. Of higher rank.

You mean Saggitta? She’s a Sergeant, yes, and I’m a Corporal. So … can I guess the lucky lady?

It’s Morgan, Dalian told him.

Well, you’re no fun.

"I don’t intend to allow anyone to