The Lands of Remgeldon: Book 6

By Florence Joanne Reid

The Lands of Remgeldon

For three years, Zandrax had been cooped up at Dakes. He had to see and hear what was going on. In that time, he heard Halvards army was about to fall upon Dakes. He would be discovered. When returning to Dakes, he set about preparing to take the ship out, planning to leave Adrianna at Dakes and leaving those twin brats behind. But she was an adept spy and learned of his preparation and wasnt about to be left behind.

Zandrax also heard about the many dragons, nearly a thousand. They had only been breeding for eight years. He needed to go somewhere where there were no dragons. He had also heard that people were speculating about other lands all around them. There was the Isle of the Dragons. Why not other islands?

When Dakes was taken by the army, they learned that Zandrax had taken a ship out of Dakes and was headed east. Now they had to find out where he went. The search was begun anew. This time Dragonriders led the way across the oceans to new lands.

Not only was there a massive search for Zandrax underway but a massive exploration started. Search and exploration became one. Major leaders Thon and Holin Silver were in lands named Keloria and Eberlee; Bragan Pelingre and Sladan Silver went to the land they named Heartland; Waldon Graystone opened an island off his coast of Drude then went on to see if there was more land. Others took over exploration led by Kalan Silver, the First Dragon Lord.

The hunt for Zandrax was begun.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524565824

Florence Joanne Reid

Florence Reid attended BBI, Bible Baptist Institute, night school, for three years while still in high school, then attended Cedarville University, but didnt finish college. Instead Florence went home and married William Reid, whom she met in church. They had 24 good years together before he went to meet his Heavenly Father. They have 9 children, 21 grandchildren, and as of this writing, 14 great-grandchildren. In the course of her life, Florence taught Sunday School preteens, taught Bible Clubs in three different school after hours, played the piano at church, besides raising 9 children, and outings with preteens, with her children along. Florence loves to read scifi, mysteries, love stories, history, and intrigue, besides the Bible. She started writing when in her late 30s, then spent time rewriting and making them better. For hobbies she sews, embroiders, creates doilies and snowflakes, and knits, and occasionally paints outdoor scenes.

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CONTENTS

Prologue

Thanos Royal Castle

Thanos 1561.0924

One

Dakes 1561.1010

Drude Two 1561.1012

Silver Meadow 1561.1012

Brogan 1561.1018

Wylche by the Sea 1561.1023

Silver Meadow 1561.1026

Dakes 1561.1026

Dakes 1561.1030

Two

Rankin 1561.1102

Hogue Two 1561.1103

Brogan 1561.1105

Marga Two 1561.1108

Drude Two 1561.1212

Silver Meadow 1561.1213

Brogan 1561.1214

Lichen 1561.1218

Wylche 1561.1222

Three

Thanos 1562.0110

Pitzar 1562.0115

Four

Rankin 1562.0119

Weber 1562.0119

Kirby 1562.0119

Pitzar Three 1562.0126

Freedom Two 1562.0209

Pitzar Three 1562.0214

Brogan 1562.0217

Thanos 1562.0224

Five

Lichen 1562.0224

Wylche Three 1562.0228

Drude 1562.0303

Marga Three 1562.0309

Six

Dakes 1562.0315

Drude Two 1562.0317

Serra 1562.0320

Dakes 1562.0305

Seven

Thanos 1562.0409

Hogue Two 1562.0409

Dakes 1562.0414

Marga Two 1562.0417

New Land 1562.0418

Drude 1562.0428

Eight

Freedom 1562.0505

Drude 1562.0506

Marga 1562.0507

Drude 1562.0602

Nine

Silverdane Two 1562.0703

Drude 1562.0719

Ten

Waldons Island 1562.0720

Drude 1562.0722

Silverdane 1562.0728

Eleven

Waldons Island 1562.0729

Obert 1562.0801

By the Lake 1562.0803

The New Land 1562.0803

Varan 1562.0805

Twelve

Eberlee 1562.0808

Eberlee 1562.0811

Heartland 1562.0814

Heartland 1562.0822

Thirteen

Thanos 1562.0822

Eberlee 1562.0822

Heartland 1562.0823

Darcy 1562.1022

Heartland 1562.1022

Keloria 1562.1109

Silverdane 1562.1205

Graystone Castle 1562.1212

Fourteen

Thanos 1562.1220

Heartland 1562.1220

Southland 1562.1231

Fifteen

Silver Two 1563.0119

Silverdane 1563.0126

Rainbow Castle 1563.0203

Isle of the Dragons 1563.0207

Marga Two 1563.0219

Sarlon 1563.0224

Drude Two 1563.0228

Southland 1563.0230

Sixteen

Southland 1563.0301

Graystone Castle 1563.0304

Pitzar Three 1563.0315

Corvair Island 1563.0318

Keloria 1563.0321

Keloria 1563.0324

Dakes 1563.0404

Marga Two 1563.0408

Corvair 1563.0408

Varan 1563.0412

Corvair 1563.0412

Seventeen

Freedom Two 1563.0415

Corvair Island 1563.0427

Eighteen

Pitzar 1563.0508

Freedom Three 1563.0515

Marga Province 1563.0518

Freedom 1563.0521

Lichen Three 1563.0521

Drude Three 1563.0521

Waldons Island 1563.0529

Nineteen

Corvair Island 1563.0601

Silverdane 1563.0603

Marga Two 1563.0610

Eberlee 1563.0612

Freedom 1563.0612

Keloria 1563.0615

Waldons Island 1563.0621

Twenty

Lichen 1563.0623

Varan 1563.0624

Highport 1563.0628

Corvair 1563.0629

Hogue 1563.0630

Epilogue

Heartland 1563.0630

Major Characters

Queen Riders and Dragon Mates

First Dragon Lord Kings

Isle of the Dragons

North Remgeldon

South Remgeldon

Elven Family Tree

Bragan’s Women Guards

Oaths

Acknowledgements

BOOKS BY FLORENCE JOANNE REID

Dedicated in memory of my son, Jim Reid, who not only

inspired the Remgeldon story, but worked with me on the outline.

62921.jpg

Prologue

Thanos Royal Castle

Thanos 1561.0924

H igh King Halvard Pelingre occupied the easy chair, feet propped up on a stool, relaxing in the family room on the second floor of his castle. Savanal, his wife and High Queen, sat in a matching blue chair, her feet on his stool. Both of them faced the fireplace where a comfort fire burned. It was late evening a few days after the end of the long war for this year, which Zandrax and Adrianna started about thirty years ago. And an active war for the past nine years.

Zandrax had wanted to rule the world from this holy city of Thanos.

He had been defeated.

Zandrax’s major downfall had been in kidnapping the High King’s great-grandchildren, who just happened to be the twin son and daughter of Lady Dariella and Lord Darius, son of Lord Darak, the God, who had come down from Heaven to aid them in their fight against evil.

When Darak had come to Earth he’d taken on the body of a human man, and as a human, had fallen in love with the High King’s daughter Ariella, but Zandrax, even back thirty years ago had spewed forth his evil magic and had killed Ariella, except Darak had kept her alive long enough to give birth to their son Darius.

In due time, Darius grew to be a young man, and married the elven Princess, Dariella—named after the Goddess Ariella—daughter of King Rantriel, and gave birth to twins Darlan and Darlaina.

Halvard mulled that over for a long time, twitching and turning, disturbing Savanal as she leaned against his shoulder. There was Darak, Darius, Dariella turned Goddess, now Darlan and Darlaina. Five!

What in the world is Zandrax planning we need five Gods? He didn’t say that loud enough to wake his wife, who was dozing lightly.

Zandrax was the progeny of the former King of the elves, Vernandriel and his human wife, Gretchen—who had magic powers—and Alexander, now Zandrax, had inherited. Alexander also had an older brother, Warmound, and it was now believed he was murdered by Alexander. And he had a sister, Savanal, the High Queen of Thanos for the past thirty-two years.

Halvard sat thinking on that for a long time before going on with his thoughts on those very early days.

When King Vernandriel stepped down as King, since it was elven law that no King could rule Salator married to a human. That’s when his son Rantriel became King. It was Rantriel’s daughter who married Darius. Making Zandrax great uncle to the twins he kidnapped

Well, Halvard said after a deep breath, still studying the flames. Darlan and Darlaina will soon be back with their parents.

It’s been a long war, Savanal said with a soft sigh. Wonder why Zandrax, and I cannot think of him as Alexander, my brother. Why he took them, and why to Dakes? He had to have known our army would eventually retake the city.

Nine long years, voiced her husband. Four years Zandrax has kept the twins. He made no mention that the mage, his wife’s brother, was uncle to their grandson Darius. Didn’t want to think that a relative of the twins could be so evil.

In a matter of months now it will be over, Savanal said. Come spring.

Much had been happening over the past few years in which he had not been able to talk about. Secret stuff. The High Queen thought he needed to talk, and she needed to listen. She looked over at him. He was still wearing the blue pants and shirt he habitually wore. He had a closet full. Many years ago she had quit trying to get him to wear some other color besides blue. It had not worked.

So she listened until he ran down.

After a lengthy pause, he said, Wonder what Waldon will do next?

Savanal grinned. He’s a surprising lad, isn’t he?

He should have had a bigger land to rule, Halvard claimed with a gusty sigh. Keep him out of trouble.

Savanal laughed gently. He’s always been curious about things, dear. Remember how he pulled mud up from the bottom of that pool you made in that stream east of the wall, to examine it?

They don’t remember me making that swimming hole.

Oh, I think they do. And remember when the fish you all caught there, how he examined the innards?

Halvard chuckled. He could have been no more than six at the time. I thought he’d be sick. Mostly I remember him reading every book in the castle library. I never expected him to be a daredevil.

Our three youngest certainly are different than our oldest son, she remarked, now sitting up.

Halvard didn’t know what to make of Charidan lately. Was it turning forty that messed up his mind? Himself, he figured he had three, maybe four more years to serve as King of Thanos, over all Remgeldon. Then Charidan would take over. For some reason he could not fathom, his oldest son thought he would die before him, that his son Bragan would be the next King, just because Bragan was now a dragonrider.

It was true that the era of the High Kings was about to come to an end, but Charidan would be the last High King. When Charidan died, the Royal Castle at Thanos would be destroyed. The Holy of Holies atop the castle would be gone from this world.

Bragan will get a new castle, one befitting a Dragon Lord. But no telling how long that might be.

Charidan would be forty-four or –six coming into office and would have maybe twenty-five years to rule. Nothing he said to that son seemed to penetrate that thick skull these days.

You’re thinking too hard, dearest. On what? Savanal asked.

Oh, Charidan, he said, and sighed again. That man has the hardest head.

He’s certainly been gloomy lately.

He believes he’s going to die before I do, and his son will take the throne.

She looked over at her husband. That’s not going to happen, is it?

No, Halvard snapped out. But I can’t get it through his thick head he will be the next High King. He turned forty this year and I honestly think his mind slipped a cog or two.

She laughed, a low husky sound that set Halvard’s blood racing, with thoughts elsewhere besides his son and their six other children.

A lot has changed since the war started. She let out a gentle sigh. Her three younger sons were not only Dragon Lords, but Kings miles and miles away from home; from Thanos. Both her living daughters were married to dragonriders, who were dragonriders themselves. All in the last eight years.

Those changes started almost thirty years ago. Halvard brooded over that for a while. Thirty-two years he’d been High King. He was sixty-seven. He didn’t think he had more than five more years as High King.

Savanal tried to stifle a wide yawn unsuccessfully.

Halvard stood and reached for her hand. Time to put our thoughts to bed, Love. I’ve a feeling tomorrow will be busy.

She placed her hand in his, and as he pulled her up, he pulled her into his arms for a passionate kiss. He might be getting on in years, but their passion for each other wasn’t dead yet. He proved that later in bed.

But afterward he lay there thinking of the past two years. The war had not ended yet. Darlan and Darlaina were still missing. The search was still going on, on two fronts, southeast Thanos Province and south of the Ancient Bridge.

In the lower continent Pitzar and Drude had been opened and searched by his sons Darton and Waldon’s dragonriders and an army of ten thousand men. Earlier this year Hogue had been opened and searched by his nephew Adric and dragonriders and that same army. Next year it would be Lichen and his son Jovian. Kings, Dragon Lords, of those southern lands.

General Mallan would be leading the army eastward toward Dakes along the Central Caravan road and those lower seaports. That was slow-going. There were a lot of seaports to search on the way, and cities on the Central Caravan road as well. There were other roads leading out of Dakes to hold.

As Halvard lay there thinking about all that had to be accomplished so far, he slipped into sleep, a welcome oblivion.

One

Dakes 1561.1010

F or three years Zandrax, as Prince Basil, had been cooped up in the Lords Castle at Dakes. When he first thought of the plan to kidnap Dariella’s twin brats he had not thought it would be so hard to remain in one place for such a long time. He had thought he could spend the time studying his books of magic. That had gone well for the first year and a half. For the last year and half all he’d done was eat. If he ate any more he’d be too fat to walk more than ten steps. On the other hand, he was no longer rail thin, but had the frame of his youth. The spell he used kept him at age thirty-three.

Periodically General Resnik came in with reports of what was happening in the city, and around the Province. He did let the mage know that four wagoneers were dead, and their wagon trains sold off. One of the dead was Lyndell, the one man the mage had definitely wanted dead.

But Resnik was extremely lacking in the news that Zandrax—yeah, he know who he really was—wanted to know most about, which was of the world outside of Dakes. Resnik certainly didn’t tell the mage about the spies he’d sent out to stop Mallan, killers, who had never returned. None of them returned, for which Resnik was delighted.

General Resnik had thought it a grave mistake to kill the wagoneers. Wagon trains was the only way they got supplies. He had expected the North Remgeldon army to stop wagon trains from coming to Dakes after what happened. And he sincerely wanted to tell Zandrax, I told you so.

Why don’t you go somewhere? Adrianna complained, and giggled. No one’s going to recognize you.

He gave her a scorching glare, but three years stuck here was getting on his nerves, along with Adrianna getting on his nerves.

I mean it Zandy.

He hated his name shortened, and she knew it. But he contemplated leaving. He could teleport to several places.

Take one of the horses, Adrianna advised. Otherwise you’ll be at some distant place with no way to move around except on your own two feet. And don’t wear your mage robes, for heaven sakes! she called out after him. No sense in advertising what and who you are.

Zandrax contemplated taking a horse, until he recalled he had not ridden one of the beasts in three years. He would have to teleport, and it would have to be out of Dakes. He had been nowhere in Dakes. Having decided he would leave, next he had to decide where he would go. He couldn’t go to any castle.

That made him think of the southland. He wondered how the search was going for the twins down there. But he shook his head. If he went anywhere, it had to be in the north first, lest he be caught in a snowstorm by going north second. He seriously thought of going to Thanos. Eight years had passed since he’d destroyed the city. It would be changed.

He thought of the inn he and Adrianna had stayed in on the Velka road. That would be a good place to start, and he could hire a small buggy and horse. He didn’t have to ride a horse. A single-seater buggy was almost as fast as riding a horse. He thought about what he’d need. Mostly a couple changes of clothing and a lot of coin. In the last couple of months he’d had new clothing made, all black, because of his expanding waistline.

Zandrax hauled out his traveling bag and neatly folded in his clothing, then thought of a few other personal items he’d need, small clothes, comb, a thong to tie his hair back, a warm black cloak, lined in red wool. He’d let his beard and mustache grow over the past three years. He was sure no one would recognize him. Lastly, he went to the treasury room to pick up some jewels and coins that would see him through his short trek.

Only when he was about to teleport himself out of the castle did he think that he might need a knife or sword. He was no swordsman, preferring to use magic, but he was headed out into a world where dragons ate up magic, and the magician. He went to the armory and belted on a sword, chose a couple of boot knives, and wondered if he needed anything else.

If Adrianna had not seen Zandrax descending the stairs from the lounge area of the second floor, she wouldn’t have known he was actually leaving, until he was gone and she wanted him. She met him coming out of the armory.

What do you want?

She merely looked him over. He sported a figure like when she first met him thirty-five years ago, except for the beard. That made him look old, and she told him so.

It’ll add to my disguise for the present.

Where will you go first?

I want to see what Halvard’s done to Thanos.

I almost wish I was going with you.

I can’t teleport anyone but myself.

Thought you were taking a horse?

I haven’t ridden in three years. I have no hankering to subject myself to physical pain. When I get there I’ll hire a buggy. It’s almost as fast.

You’re going to that little inn on Velka road, aren’t you?

He admitted he was, then he vanished before her startled eyes. He came out in the trees along the Velka road, and stepped further back into the trees until he studied the lay of the land. There were no dragons about, but there were people traveling on the road, many of them walking, some riding, some with wagons. He waited until the present bunch moved on, then stepped out onto the road, as if he had simply gone into the woods to relieve himself.

He walked on the side of the road to kick up a bit of dust so it would look like he had traveled a long distance. It was a nice day, partly cloudy, no rain in sight, but cool enough that he didn’t work up a sweat walking. At the inn, which was only half an hour from where he’d landed, he stopped for the noon meal. It was simple then to hire a buggy to finish his journey to Thanos. In a couple of hours he’d be there. By then the taint of using magic would have worn off.

When he left the inn it was with a number of other people, all going to Thanos. When he arrived, he saw that the city outside the city was being rebuilt, but instead of houses along the Velka road, he saw there were stores and an open-air market lining both sides of the street. This is what should have been there eight years ago. If it had been, he would have won the war. An abundance of trees made it seem almost park-like.

He joined a long line of people at the gates of the city, along with a wagon train that was pulling out. Once inside the gates, he drove along the main road, his brown eyes taking in the sights. There was no evidence that eight years ago he had destroyed this city and nearly everyone in it. Stores lined the road, along with inns, dining halls and taverns. There were more trees than he remembered from his first visit, some of them tall, he presumed with seven or eight year’s growth. He considered a spell to destroy something. Then he saw the dragons. A pair of blue and green dragons were flying over the city.

People around him looked up, sighed and smiled. They were safe. But it angered Zandrax; his eyes glittered with his angry thoughts. One thing he realized, he should not have come to Thanos. He was tempted sorely to do some serious magic to undo everything Halvard had accomplished.

Not finding a stable anywhere on main street, he went to an inn to rent a room for the night. There he learned that the stables were all off the main street, but that the inn’s stableman would take care of his horse and buggy. He had to think of a name. He couldn’t use Basil and have anyone connect him to the Prince Basil staying at Dakes. Instead he picked Dancel. Lord Dancel.

You haven’t been here in a while, I’ll wager, said the innkeeper, grinning. I’ll wager too, Lord Dancel, you haven’t seen our new stores. You can get in them from the main street, but the main entrances are inside the plaza. Like a park it is inside.

Seemed more had changed than Zandrax gave Halvard credit for.

I’d heard much of the changes, Zandrax, as Dancel, said. That’s why I came up from Wylche to see for myself. Been long before the war that I was here.

Thanks to the Dragon Lords the worlds a safer place these days. Now, as you go up to your room on the second floor, you can go directly into the plaza at the end of the hall. Saves my customers from going outside should it be raining or snowing.

Zandrax followed the lad up the steps and to his room. Feeling generous, he gave him a copper coin. Then locking his door, he went to investigate this plaza the innkeeper was talking about so enthusiastically. At the end of the hall, he came out on the second floor of the plaza. Right away he could see the hand of dwarves on the place, with all the running water, waterfalls and water running over rocks and through a waterwheel.

Hundreds of people were inside. From this vantage point, a floor above, he could see the long line of stores. Across from him was a horse and stable establishment, and next to it a clothing store advertising work clothes, and beside that a small place to get something to eat. Next in line was a boot and shoe store.

Having been engrossed with what was below it surprised him to find stores behind him. Shops carrying pottery, glassware, pots and pans, knives lined the walkway and a store with the new kerosene lamps that were becoming popular. There were also smaller places that had handmade articles that women made at home. There was another small place that had dyed wool yarn.

He came to steps and took them down to the main floor. Almost in front of him was a coat and cloak store. He’d heard of these coats. He went in to try one on and ended up buying it. It was so dark blue to be almost black, and came down to the top of his boots, and it had a hood, the same as a cloak, and buttoned up the front. He knew it would be warmer than his cloak, and if he needed added warmth, he still had the cloak.

He spent the evening, before dinner, walking around the new plaza. After getting over his initial anger that Halvard had rebuilt so soon, he enjoyed the new way of shopping. It was neither hot nor cold inside. He didn’t know how they did that. He had a notion that in the winter it would be snug and warm.

Everywhere he walked, he saw men dressed in a type of uniform, armed with knives, swords, and sometimes with bow and arrows. At dinner that evening, he listened to the men talking at the next table. It was all talk of the army, and the way they wore their new uniforms with pride.

They also spoke of the southland, how that all the Provinces down there had been taken over by the new Kings, except Lichen, which would be taken over this next spring. Zandrax heard from another source that the army of the High King was close to taking over Dakes, which by this time next year all the fighting would be over.

Zandrax tried not to show his alarm.

He jumped when a small lad came at him from the side unexpectedly and touched his arm.

Your bath is ready. My father said to come tell you.

He laid a copper coin on the table for the lad and five copper coins for his dinner.

Up in his room, he stripped and stepped into the tub of hot water, soaking the soreness out of his legs until it cooled. He wasn’t used to walking as much as he’d done that day. Still, he wanted to hear more about the army. He recalled the tavern down the road. After dressing, he went out and walked down the raised wooden walkway, eight-foot-wide, along the front of the buildings. That was a new idea, too. Along the walk was a railing to tie horses, and there were several. This main road through Thanos had always been wide but to Zandrax it looked wider.

In the tavern he took a table by the wall, ordered ale, and sat back to listen to the talk going around. Here too, talk was of the army, the new uniforms, and that the war would soon be over. There was also of talk about dragons and dragonriders. He heard men boasting of five hundred dragons.

Zandrax wondered if he really needed to go to Wylche.

But the next day curiosity won out. He rented the horse and buggy again. As he recalled, it was a six-day trip in a horse and buggy to Wylche by the Sea, with good inns along the way whereby he could stop for both lunch and a room at night.

Drude Two 1561.1012

Alynna’s golden dragon Jaalah was about to rise on her first mating flight. Signs had been going on since last night. Now this morning she was strutting around making the brown dragons antsy and noisy. Alynna had not made her choice evident, so Waldon had called in several single brown dragonriders for this event.

Drude Providence belonged to Waldon, as did Graystone Castle and the three hatcheries. He had thirty dragonriders under his command. With this mating flight, and later eggs laid, he hoped to get at least twenty more riders, but that wouldn’t happen until next year.

Meanwhile, all the mated browns with him he sent to his brother’s place at Pitzar, a long way away. He didn’t know why, but the greens and blue dragons, males, were never interested in what golden Queens were doing. Green dragons mated with apricots and blues with Rubys, if they mated at all. But most of them did.

Waldon sent his own brown dragon, Avrl to Darton’s place in the Tarakana Mountains along with all the rest of the browns. He was surprised, and shouldn’t have been, that his dragon listened to him plea to not fly after Jaalah, that he was not interested in mating Alynna, did not want her as his Queen.

The couple, whoever he was, would be housed at the Candidate Inn at the third hatchery, becoming part of his fleet of dragons that would guard not only his Province, but him and his castle, and all his future children.

About midmorning Jaalah took off with nine browns after her. Waldon thought now that he wished Avrl was here so he could monitor the flight, to make sure it was good and high, not just to catch her, but keep them both safe.

Brodi was the lucky man when his dragon Thorl, caught her. Brodi was with Ravan’s squadron. For now Brodi and Alynna would be staying at Drude until she laid her first batch of eggs and until they hatched. Waldon didn’t think the pair would be staying at Drude long. He just had that feeling.

He was content with that for now.

Silver Meadow 1561.1012

However, with Jaalah’s rising, the apricot dragons from the same batch rose hours later. Kasamera’s Carissah was one of them. Kasy was Waldon’s youngest sister. Waldon heard about it later since his sister and Sladan were staying at the army camp at Silver Meadow.

But Sladan had been anticipating this day. Although married legally by the High King, his father-in-law, solemnized a little over a year ago, Sladan needed his brown dragon mated to Kasy’s female apricot dragon to make it official. Dragon mating was essential when the two people involved with dragonriders.

To this day Sladan still had a difficult time thinking of Halvard Pelingre, the High King, as his father-in-law.

There were enough brown and green dragons on guard duty here at Silver Meadow to insure Carissah flew high, but Sladan was determined only his Hanl would capture Kasy’s dragon. He warned all those riders. Kasy was his. They were only to give chase, making sure it was a high flight.

He had a son, Zyel, three months old. There was a good possibility they would have another child next year with this mating flight.

Sladan had had only one experience like it. That had been back before Hanl was old enough to know what mating was all about, when all the browns males of Hanl’s clutch transmitted to their riders what Rydl was feeling when mating with Rachah. Rydl forgot everything he was teaching the dragonets.

Sladan wanted Kasy to feel the passion fully, to love him fully as a woman, not as the childish crush as a budding teenager, even though she’d had a child of her own. He wanted her wild passion in their lovemaking.

And he got it, in full measure. And she laughed. And laughed. It angered Sladan at first.

When Kasy could speak, she said, I did not know it would be like that. And she asked coyly, Can we do that again?

Oh, yeah, he could do it again. And a few hours later, again, and before getting out of bed in the early morning, again.

I’ll have you know Sladan, she said in a commanding tone, I will love you forever and ever. Never doubt that.

The grin on his lips felt like it would never go away. As he left to start the business of the day, his walk was, maybe, slightly less than a swagger. She loved him.

Brogan 1561.1018

Casterson waited weeks for his brothers to return to Brogan where he learned they’d had no success in even getting close to Waldon, that King of Drude, in order to kill him. It only made them more determined to succeed. Their cousin Karak joined them in Casterson’s room in the inn where they could have a very private conversation.

His brothers, Talgart, Bart and Solly, didn’t need to ask why he was at Brogan instead of South Veron where they had gotten him an office and living quarters above that office. All the guards they had put with the wagon trains had either been killed, or removed from those trains. Someone knew what they were doing. They surmised that those men were led by Waldon, Dragon Lord of Graystone Castle, King of Drude Province. He was the one they wanted to kill more than the other two kings.

Casterson had sent his cousin Marcus to deal with the man. He’d been with the caravan and gone back to that army town to kill Adric, King of Hogue, who had given him fake starstones in payment for all the cargo those elves had stolen.

He never came back.

But how? Talgart demanded. They all had dark brown hair and always looked like they needed a shave. Eyes were dark and brooding within mean-looking faces. Having served time in the southern army, they were broad through the shoulders, thick in the waist, sword-carrying men.

They’re building a town at the foot of Waldon’s mountain, Bart reported.

That gave Casterson an idea. We’ll take in several wagon loads of wood next spring. Some of it we’ll use ourselves. He was different from his brothers, never having served in the army. He was shorter, slim and no swordsman having been the Guild Master, an office worker. Now he was the brains of the outfit.

I’m not building no building, Karak hotly declared.

Casterson gave a sly grin. We won’t be building anything except a rock slinger.

What do you want to build a catapult for? Karak demanded.

Why! To knock Waldon off his dragon, of course. We’ll have to haul the wood up into the mountains and build it up there. There should be a lot of rock.

That’s a harebrained idea if I ever heard one, Bart snarled.

You haven’t come up with anything better, have you? his brother demanded in a clipped voice, also reminding them that neither of their cousins Marcus nor Gareth had returned. They had to be dead. They’d been their two best swordsmen.

They all had to admit they had not a better idea. Solly said, We need something slyer, or sneakier to kill these kings.

That’s why I thought of this rock slinger. What I intend is to have all those pieces of wood cut, bored out, ready to assemble. We’ll do that this winter and store it in the barn. We’ll make sure we have all the pieces and nuts and bolts. I’ve got enough coins to buy seasoned wood in the spring.

What happened at South Veron? Solly, his youngest brother, asked.

I made it out of my office one step ahead of the dragonriders, and out of town. Never went back. I sent an agent into town to take up the lease of my offices, then to later sell everything, except my personal stuff. It’ll bring in some coin, but not much. What coin I had, I brought with me.

Good! I’m tired of living off the street.

There’s not much left, Solly. We’ll all have to take jobs for the winter if we want roofs over our heads and food in our bellies.

Doing what? Bart demanded.

Well, I thought of that, Casterson stated. I bought out Nemmetts Warehouse. Caravans run all the time down here. I won’t be able to show my face, but I can buy and sell. You four will take care of the rest. We’ll all share in the business. Come spring I can sell the place.

Maybe we won’t have to, Karak put in. Sell, that is. I ran across cousin Nicko down in Jaffreys a while ago. He might come up to run the place while we’re gone. And if he’s around, if they survived the war our cousins Elmer and Ross might join him.

Ride down to Jaffreys and see what Nicko’s doing, and if he’d like a change of jobs, Talgart told his cousin. Their father had six sisters, and they each had a lot of children; before the war they used to have a lot of cousins.

Karak stood. I’ll be back in two days.

Bart rose. Maybe I’ll mosey along with you.

Two days later they were back with Nicko, and Nicko’s wife and small son. As he said, he’d been drafted into helping in the shipping yards building ships. Winter was a cold time to be outside at the water’s edge laying out planking. Any number of ex-soldiers could do the job.

Know where any of our cousins are? Casterson asked Nicko.

Saw Ross not long ago, but he said he was going down to Drude. He was sicker’n a dog on his voyage home and never wanted to see another ship as long as he lived. That was the beginning of last summer. He said he was going to farm.

I don’t mind going down to Drude to look him up, Karak professed. He’ll have to come into town for supplies for the winter. I’ll catch him then.

If he has any supplies, and wants to come up for this job, buy a wagon or two and bring up everything. Casterson handed him a few gold coins. Meanwhile we’ll look around for a place where we can all live.

Nicko can go to South Veron and pick up all your household stuff, Solly proposed. "No one would ever know, unless he tells them, that