“Aye, she did, which is another reason for my irritation. Why did not Dillon call upon me instead of my mother?” Lara wanted to know. Then she sighed. “Of course. He didn’t want to ask his mother, did he? And he didn’t ask you, either, Kaliq, did he?”
“Nay, he didn’t. Just your brother, your mother and the dragon aided in casting the spell. It was quite masterfully done I must say. The timing was precise and perfect.”
“Speaking of my brother, what is this I hear from Ilona? My brother is courting a dragon? To what purpose?” Lara laughed at her own question. “He has always been adventurous in the lists of love, hasn’t he? My mother thinks it will come to nothing.”
“What is in Cirillo’s mind and heart I cannot tell you,” Kaliq answered her. “Nidhug, for that is the dragon’s name, is beautiful, clever and a female of great common sense. She understands duty, but she is, I fear, a little bit in love with Cirillo.”
“You like her,” Lara said.
“You will like her, too, when you meet her, and you will meet her if you will return to Belmair with me,” Kaliq said.
Lara looked to her husband, and Magnus Hauk laughed.
“Go,” he said. “It has been quite a while since you left my side for very long. Remain as long as you need to remain. When you were gone from me all those years ago it was Dillon who stayed by my side and kept my courage up, Lara. I owe him an equal courtesy.”
Lara caught her husband’s hand and kissed it. “Thank you,” she said. “Let me go and find Anoush, and tell her so she will look after her sisters and brother for me.” Lara arose from her place by the fire and hurried off to find her eldest daughter.
Anoush was in her apothecary making a salve for toothache with goose grease and ground cloves. “Mama,” she said looking up. “When will you be going?”
Because of her daughter’s gift of second sight Lara was not at all surprise by the query. “I will leave now,” she said.
“I’ll watch over Zagiri, Marzina and Taj,” Anoush said. “I’m making this salve for him. He is going to suffer a toothache in a day or two. Bring my dearest love to Dillon. Tell him that he will regain his bride. I have seen it.”
“Have you been able to see where she is?” Lara asked, curious.
“Not really,” Anoush said. “I can tell you it is a world of dim or shaded sunlight.” She sighed. “But nothing more, really, except that Dillon’s bride is unhappy although she has female companions who seek to cheer her.”
Lara nodded. “I will tell your brother that when I see him. Perhaps it will help to narrow their field of search. Thank you for taking my place. Magnus says to stay as long as I am needed so I do not know when I will return.” She kissed her daughter upon both of her cheeks, and returned to the Great Hall where her husband and Kaliq awaited. “I am ready to go now,” she told them.
“I will return her as soon as I can,” Kaliq told the Dominus of Terah.
“I know you will,” Magnus Hauk said. How odd, he thought. For the first time in all the years he had known the great Shadow Prince he felt no jealousy toward him. He watched as Kaliq opened the golden tunnel that would serve as their means of transport.
Lara and the Shadow lord stepped into the tunnel and as they disappeared down its length it closed behind them. At its end they stepped into Dillon’s hall in Belmair. She saw her son sitting by his hearth, his head in his hands. Lara immediately went to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as she said, “Why did you not call for me?”
He did not even look up, but his hand reached up to clasp hers. “Because I wanted it all perfect for you,” he said. “I wanted my kingdom at peace. I wanted Cinnia by my side. And nothing now is what I wanted it to be, Mother. My wife is gone, caught in carnal bondage to a Yafir lord who threatens the stability of all of Belmair.” He drew her around to face him, and Lara sat upon a settee opposite her son while Kaliq remained partially cloaked by the shadows within the hall on this winter’s night. Outside, a snowstorm howled relentlessly.
“Did I ever teach you, did Kaliq ever teach you, that everything could be perfect?” Lara demanded to know. “Belmair is your destiny, and you were not brought here to fail, my son. As for your wife, she will return with a greater appreciation for her husband.”
“The Belmairan dukes say I cannot take her back. That she is tainted by the Yafir,” Dillon told his mother.
“And what did you answer them?” Lara asked.
“I told them I would have her back no matter!” Dillon said.
“Then you are the son I raised you to be,” Lara replied. “Do not fret, my son. The winter weather has forced you to cease your search, I know. But the winter will soon be gone, and you will begin again. Anoush wanted you to know that Cinnia is in a place of dim and shaded light. She is sad, but surrounded by women who seek to cheer her. She could tell me nothing more, but I thought it a great deal considering the distance between our world and yours. Your sister sends you her love.”
“A place of dim and shaded light?” Dillon considered. “I cannot imagine where that would be. It cannot be inside the hills then. Perhaps within caves? But so far no sign of the Yafir have been found even in caves. Nidhug herself searched the mountain caves on Belia. You must tell her what you have told me, Mother. Perhaps she can help with that small clue. I will send for her tomorrow.”
“Where is she now?” Lara wanted to know.
“Within her own castle across the gardens,” he said.
“With my brother?” Lara said.
Dillon smiled a small smile. “My uncle is as enchanted with Nidhug as she is with him, Mother. Sometimes Cirillo takes the form of a male dragon, and other times he gives Nidhug a mortal female’s body. She has red hair, and breasts like melons, according to Kaliq.” The chuckle he emitted cheered Lara greatly although she sent a curious look toward the Shadow Prince, who now stepped forth into the light of the hall.
“You copulated with a dragon?” she said to him.
“They invited me to join them one evening in the beginning of their relationship,” he said, his bright blue eyes dancing mischievously. “Nidhug was in her mortal guise so it was actually a woman I fucked, and not a dragon.”
“And she has breasts like melons,” Lara said.
“Your brother seems to have a fascination with large breasts,” he replied, shrugging. “I must admit that the mortal body he has given Nidhug is most voluptuous.”
Lara laughed. “And you could never resist a voluptuous female, Kaliq, could you?” she teased him. “But Cirillo has not invited you to join them since?”
Kaliq shook his head. “Nay, he hasn’t.”
“Dillon, my son,” Lara spoke quietly. “I should like to remain with you for a time. But this is your kingdom, not mine. The decision is yours to make as to whether you want me as a guest or not.”
“Nay, my son. I think you are a good king for Belmair, and will one day be a great king,” Lara said. “Now, I am exhausted for it was coming on evening in Terah when we departed.”
“I will have our steward, Britto, show you to a guest chamber, Mother,” Dillon said, and then he asked her, “Magnus? Does he know you are here? Will remain?”
“Aye, and he was insistent that I come. He sends you his affections and respect,” Lara told Dillon.
Britto, hearing his name, had come forward, and waited for the king’s instructions. He bowed to the king, and his guests.
“Britto,” Dillon said, “this is my mother, Lady Lara. She is the Domina, the queen, of her own land, Terah. She will be staying with me. Will you see she has the best guest rooms we have to offer, and tell Anke she is to serve my mother until my own queen comes home.”
“If Your Majesties will grant me a little time to see the Domina’s quarters prepared properly, I shall see to it. And I will tell Anke of your desire, my lord,” Britto said as he bowed again. “I will prepare a place for the Lord Kaliq as well.” He bowed to them once more, and then hurried from the hall.
“A well-trained man,” Lara noted. “I am pleased to see your servants know their duties. Would you like me to oversee your hall while Cinnia is away?” She spoke as if the young queen of Belmair were off visiting, and not
