No, he would not! Kanin agreed hotly.
Khollo laughed and passed the comment along. Relam smiled appreciatively.
“Well, I now have two new friends I can trust. But you will not be around me constantly when the war is over. I must find more, but I expect it will be a difficult search. Any suggestions on where to start?”
“I would look outside the circles of nobility,” Khollo suggested immediately.
“Really? Why?”
“Well, in my experience. . .” Khollo hesitated, not wanting to cause offense, then decided Relam probably knew that Khollo thought him an exception to this rule. “In my experience, people born into power end up severely lacking in character, and sometimes ability.”
Relam frowned thoughtfully. “Yes, I think I can agree with that,” he said slowly.
“There are exceptions,” Khollo said hastily. “There are some children of lords like my friend Sermas that look upon the trappings of rank and power with disdain and are more inclined to be hard-working and respected. And then there are people of common birth like my friend Hern that you will find are still capable, with training, and possess incredible character.”
“The two cadets that Lord Kurkan had with him yesterday?” Relam asked quickly.
“The same.”
“They are young.”
“Not much younger than us.”
“True,” Relam agreed reluctantly. “I must continue to think on this. Perhaps my old mentors will know more people like me – like us – that would be willing to help. I have a small core of younger nobles, but if I could find more . . . ” Relam trailed off. Then, he shook his head. “That’s not the only problem. I need a better guard commander.”
“You already have a captain of your guard,” Khollo said, nodding to the small camp of soldiers a little apart from them.
Relam grimaced. “He was my father’s captain of the guard. He thinks me too young to understand the world and its dangers and is constantly contradicting my orders. I need someone who appreciates my capabilities better.”
“Speak of the devil, here he comes,” Khollo said quietly, looking past Relam to where the soldiers were stirring.
Relam turned and followed his gaze just as the captain of the guard began moving towards them. “And, just like that, our time is over,” Relam said bitterly. “I would have liked to talk for longer, Khollo, but we must return to the West Bank.”
“We will go ahead and check for hidden foes,” Khollo promised. “Clear the way as it were.”
“Thank you,” Relam said quietly. “You have given me lots to think on, my friend. I look forward to spending more time with you and Kanin once we have restored peace.”
“We look forward to those days too,” Khollo said, getting to his feet.
“Your majesty!”
It was the commander of the guard. Khollo saw Relam’s features harden, saw him armor up to protect himself from the role of king and all that went with it.
“It is time we were heading back,” the commander said, his tone making it clear that this was no suggestion but an order.
“I would have thought that would be for me to decide as king,” Relam replied coldly.
The commander shrugged, smiling slightly. “In these matters, experience out ranks everything.”
Relam stepped forward so that he was nose to nose with his captain. He stood a head shorter than the burly soldier, and was slightly built, but in that moment Khollo would not have traded places with the guard commander for anything.
“Not everything,” Relam growled furiously.
The captain backed away, looking down at Relam shrewdly. But there was no trace of fear or defeat in his expression.
Khollo sensed Kanin stirring behind him. Easy, he said to the dragon. Wait.
This one I may flame soon, Kanin growled. Especially if he continues to cause trouble for Relam King.
King Relam, Khollo corrected automatically.
Whatever. Doesn’t matter as long as I flame the tall soldier.
Relam stared down his commander a moment longer, then abruptly turned his back on the man. “Return to the West Bank with your men, commander.”
“What do you mean?” the man demanded.
“Those are my orders. Now, go.”
“But what about you?”
Relam frowned at the commander. “I think I might feel safer riding back with my new friends.” He turned to Khollo. “That is, if Kanin is up to carrying two?”
Always, Kanin replied immediately.
“No problem,” Khollo told the young king.
“Your majesty, I must protest. We don’t know this one and that is a dragon – ”
Something he would do well to remember, Kanin said to Khollo, the beginnings of a roar rumbling in his massive chest.
Kanin’s words did not reach the guard commander but the rumblings did. His haughty expression flickered and he took a half step back.
“Your majesty, come with us. You will be far safer.”
“No, I don’t think I will,” Relam said slowly, looking over at Kanin. “I think a dragon is better protection than ten soldiers any day. Just ask the vertaga we fought yesterday.”
Khollo gave a short bark of laughter and Kanin bared his fangs in the dragon equivalent of a grin. The commander’s nerve seemed to fail him.
“You are sure, your – ?”
“Go!” Relam shouted.
“But – ”
“You have your orders.”
The commander stiffened and saluted jerkily. Then, slowly, he turned and marched back the way he had come, back to the cluster of mounted soldiers. Even from this distance, Khollo could read their puzzled expressions.
When the guard commander reached his soldiers, a discussion immediately broke out. After a fair amount of arguing and gesticulating, he hauled himself into the saddle and grabbed the lead line of Relam’s horse. After one more long look back at the two young men standing by the dragon, the ten soldiers rode off down the hillside, headed east.
“Finally,”
