Legends of the Dragonrealm, Vol. III

The elfwood had been the beginning of the king’s recovery, but his marriage to Princess Erini of Gordag-Ai had truly saved him.

The queen still looked as young as on the day she had first ridden into Talak to be the betrothed of the dark and mysterious king who ruled there. She was the fairy-tale princess come to life, with perfect features highlighting a pale, oval visage. Sun-drenched tresses almost comparable to the gold of Aurim’s own head flowed behind her like a second cape. She was slim and somewhat petite, which caused more than one unknowing person to assume that the queen was a delicate, fragile person who relied upon the towering strength of her husband.

Such fools did not last long in the royal court of Talak. Erini complemented Melicard. It was Erini’s love more than anything else that had made the king what he was. The queen was also not one to sit quietly and let others make decisions concerning her kingdom. Melicard and his bride ruled on an equal basis, although he would not have denied that she could sway his opinion to her thinking with but a smile.

Her ability to rule both her kingdom and her husband aside, Queen Erini possessed one more ability that made her a force to be reckoned with. Outwardly, the only evidence of that ability lay in the fact that she did not look much more than eighteen despite being more than a decade older than that. Melicard looked to be almost three times her age.

The queen of Talak was a sorceress. She had not wanted to be, but the power would not be denied. It had manifested shortly before her arrival in the mountain kingdom and had, Cabe knew, been instrumental in saving both her and the king from the machinations of Mal Quorin, counselor to Melicard and secret servant to the late, unlamented Silver Dragon. Like all other mages, she wore silver in her hair. At present, however, her crown and some subtle styling served to all but hide the telltale streak.

The king and queen waited in regal silence as Baron Vergoth led the column to a position before the steps of the royal palace. Cabe took the opportunity to once more admire the building and grounds. Melicard’s palace, the largest structure in sight, was a sprawling ziggurat surrounded by a beautifully landscaped park. In the high season, flowers of all colors and scents blossomed everywhere. There were small groves of fruit-bearing trees and even a stream whose source was underground.

Despite the splendor of the grounds, the palace was by no means designed simply as a feast for the eyes. The ziggurat was well-defended, with arrow-slits as the only visible evidence. Many of the defenses were magical in nature or simply hidden. Talak itself was also protected by spells, but it was rumored that conquering the entire city would be simple in comparison to attacking the palace. Cabe could sense great power surrounding him, but he knew better than to probe. That was a good method by which to set off any of a countless number of spells. Even the warlock, who knew the king and queen well, was not privy to all of their secrets.

The caravan and its escort came to a halt. Cabe and the others dismounted. At the same time, Melicard and Erini, accompanied by their people, began to descend the steps of the palace.

Baron Vergoth led the warlock and his companions forward, save for Darkhorse, who chose to stay back for reasons no one dared ask. The two parties met at the bottom of the steps. The baron saluted his monarchs. “Your Majesties!”

It was as if the caravan and the rest of the population of Talak had disappeared. Now the world consisted only of the two small groups.

Melicard looked over the group before him, his eyes alighting briefly on first Cabe and then Kyl. “Welcome, honored guests, to our home! Welcome to Talak!”

Cabe had almost expected the Green Dragon to speak for his group, but Kyl surprised him by stepping forward. He bowed to both king and queen, adding a smile for the latter, and said, “You do usss great honor, Your Majesssty! We thank you for your hossspitality and hope that thisss meeting between usss will be the firssst major ssstep toward permanent peace between our two racesss.”

“That we wish also,” the queen returned. “But come! You’ve journeyed some distance to be here, and I do not doubt that many of your people could do with food and rest. If you do not object, I will have someone show your retinue to their quarters. We have set aside part of a wing just for them.”

“That would be mossst kind of you.”

“As for yourselves, special accommodations have been arranged for all.” Erini smiled at Cabe. “Master Bedlam will be familiar with the rooms we have given to him and I think he will be able to vouch for their comfort.”

“They’ve been nothing less than perfection, Your Highness.”

Her smile blossomed. “I am happy to hear that! Lord Kyl, if you like, I will be happy to escort you and your companions to those rooms. Then, after you have had a chance to refresh yourselves, perhaps you will join my husband and me for a light supper. The others, are, of course, also invited.”

Becoming daring, the young drake suddenly reached for the queen’s hand. Melicard and his men tensed, which made the drakes with Cabe also stiffen, but Kyl simply took Erini’s hand, turned it palm down, and kissed the back lightly. He matched her smile with a brilliant one of his own-the type that the warlock had most recently noticed directed toward his own daughter. “You are both a graciousss hossstess and a mossst beautiful lady. I would be honored to have you essscort us. Your other sssuggestionsss I alssso find most agreeable. But name the hour for the sssupper and we shall be there.”

For the first time, Cabe noted traces of suppressed emotion play across the face of Melicard. The flesh and elfwood countenance of the king briefly twitched in disgust and anger, but Melicard quickly and quietly subdued the escaping emotions. In a calm voice, he turned to the warlock and said, “While my wife escorts His Majesty to his rooms, I would like to take the opportunity to discuss a few minor details with you, Master Bedlam. If you have the time, that is.”

And it would be best if I did have the time, wouldn’t it? the mage thought wryly. He hoped that the king’s temper would remain in check. Now was not the time for Melicard’s hatred and jealousy to rise to the forefront.

“I’m at your service, Your Majesty.”

“Fine.” The monarch turned to Kyl. “My lord, I hope you find your rooms satisfactory. If there is any need we can fulfill, please do not hesitate to ask. I look forward to the supper and hope that it will be but the first step toward the peaceful relationship both of us desire.”

Erini frowned to herself, then suddenly glanced past Kyl and the others. “But we are being remiss! There is one more who should be there!”

From behind Cabe came the stentorian voice of Darkhorse. “I do not eat nor do I require a place to sleep, gracious queen! Yet, if my presence is desired, I will come to your supper!”

He’s offering them the chance to forego his company. Whether the eternal’s reasons for making the offer were selfish or because he thought the two sides would be better able to negotiate without his presence to disturb them, Cabe Bedlam could only guess. Still, the very idea of offering the choice went against what the shadow steed had said to the warlock among the ruins of Mito Pica. Cabe wondered what the stallion had in mind.

Before the king and queen could say anything, Kyl spoke up. He looked at Darkhorse as if offended. “By all meansss, you mussst join usss! In fact, I will go ssso far asss to insissst.”

“Yes,” added a more reluctant Melicard, “it would be remiss not to include you.”

His wife was pleased. “There! That’s settled, then. Baron Vergoth, would you see to it that someone helps those with the caravan to settle in to their chambers? Also, something must be done about separating the riding drakes from the horses.”

“As you desire, my queen.” Vergoth saluted his lord and lady, then Kyl. “If you will excuse me. . . .”

Queen Erini separated herself from the king and made her way to Kyl’s side, where she took the heir’s arm. “Now, then, Your Highness, if you and your companions will follow me, I will take you to your own rooms.”

Kyl was all courtesy. “You are too kind, my lady.”

The two of them started up the steps, with Lord Green, Grath, and the two guards trailing close behind. Four royal guardsmen followed the party. Melicard watched them go, then turned back to the warlock. “Shall we adjourn to my private quarters, Master Bedlam?”

Cabe did not answer him at first, instead turning to where Darkhorse had been standing. “What about you-”

The shadow steed was gone. Scanning the area, Cabe could not find the eternal among the soldiers and