(Dragonkin) Dragon Rider (22 page)

   "I am pleased to meet you Lessa." Menimeth replied. "All of my friends call me Meni. I would be honored if you would call me by that

name as well."

   "Thank you for your kindness Meni. Is there anything I can do for you?" Dralessa asked. "Would you like some wine or ale?"

   "Thank you for your offer Lessa, but regrettably I must decline it." Menimeth replied. "There is much I have yet to do today, and I need a clear head if I am to conduct the business of the empire."

   "The business of the empire was very exciting." She said, and turned and walked to the window. " But it was frightening as well."

   "I am sorry for the loss of your father my lady." Menimeth said in a soft tone. "And if you need anything, please do not be afraid to ask me."

   "The death of my father was his fault." The woman said. "He was far too ambitious for a regent, and he brought it on himself. The people of the eastern realm will not morn the loss of Beloran, but will hope the new regent treats them better I think."

   Menimeth looked at the beautiful woman who stood at the window, and wondered what her life was like with her father. She looked very young, but he suspected her to be much older than she appeared. Beloran was an evil man who ruled by force, and by fear. Menimeth believed his children were not treated much better than his people, and he hoped the son was like his sister. There was no need for the western regent to stay, so Menimeth told Falendor to go home to his family.

   Valiny walked into the room where his sister and the king were waiting, just as Falendor was leaving. He was worried that his father had brought suspicion on them, and they would be arrested for his crimes. He bowed to Menimeth, and looked at his sister to see if she was frightened, but could tell she was not.

   "Please forgive my absents sire." Valiny said to the king. "I was attending to my father."

   "I am sorry for your loss, and will do whatever I can to help you and your sister." Menimeth said. "If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask."

   "You are most gracious sire." Valiny replied. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

   "No, but I thank you for the offer." He said. "I am here to ask if you and your sister would like to attend the banquet this evening. It would be understandable if you declined, but we would like to see the new regent and his sister in attendance."

   "You would allow our family to continue as regent after what my father has done?" Valiny asked, surprised.

   "You are not your father from what I have heard, and I do not know much about the eastern realms, but the captain of the guard spoke highly of you. When the council begins again tomorrow, you will attend as the regent of the eastern realm. From this day forward, you will rule the realm in the name of the empire, and for the good of the empire."

   "Thank you my lord." Valiny said, as he knelt before his king. "I will do my best to serve the empire."

   "First, I would like you to call me Meni when it is not official business of the realm." Menimeth said. "And please do not bow or kneel to me unless it is necessary to do so. I may be the king, but I would prefer to be your friend."

   Valiny was caught off guard by the requests, and did not know what to say. He never expected to be treated kindly, but the man who stood before him was not what he expected, and in the end, he just spoke.

   "You are not what I expected from the first king of the empire in one thousand years." He said at last. "You are younger than I expected as well"

   "Valiny!" Dralessa gasped, shocked at the directness of the statement.

   "I hope I do not disappoint you." Menimeth said, smiling as he did. "Perhaps I should grow a beard."

   "No, I do not think you should cover your face. Valiny replied. "I like it the way it is, and my sister obviously does as well."

   Dralessa's face turned red, and she turned away from the men when they looked at her. She could not look at him, but she could not help thinking as she hid her face, that her brother was right.

   Valiny looked at Menimeth with a smile, and Menimeth almost started laughing. Brothers could be the cruelest people sometimes, but it was not out of malice.

   "I hope to see you at the banquet this evening, and your beautiful sister as well." Menimeth said. "I am looking forward, to speaking with you both again."

   When Menimeth was gone, Valiny walked to his sister's side. Looking out the window, they watched the warrior as he walked across the courtyard.

   "I like him." Valiny said, breaking the silence. "He is a better man than father ever was."

   "Yes, I like him as well." Dralessa said. "But he belongs to the empire, and it needs him."

   Menimeth walked into the building that held the offices of the steward and climbed the stairs. Semeon was waiting for him when he arrived, and greeted him at the door.

   "Please come in sire." He said as he stepped aside.

   "Thank you Semeon." Menimeth replied.

   "The items you ordered were sent to your rooms, and a few other items as well." Semeon said, as he walked from the door to his desk. "There are some parchments I need you to mark with your official seal, for the records."

   "Thank you for acquiring the items so quickly." Menimeth said, and used the ring Litlorn had given him to mark the official documents that Semeon had on his desk, as the official seal of the empire. "It will allow people to know who rides for the empire."

   "That is one problem I must speak with you about sire, six men have already asked to join your army. What do I tell them?"

   "I will have someone to train those who are able to become warriors, and there will be non combat positions available as well." Menimeth replied. "I will let you know who to send them to tonight at the banquet."

   "As you wish my lord." Semeon said. "There is the matter of the seating arraignments of the guests that are to attend the banquet. How would you like it arraigned."

   "The regents are to be treated as royalty of the empire, and their families as well. Donderan is one of the Dwarf lords of Kraudgov, and Litlorn is heir to the throne of the Elvin kingdom of Latrelarn. They are to be given the seats of honor. Brylen is a prince of the kingdom of Davinly far to the east, and should be shown all the honors accorded a prince. The other men of my guard will be seated at my table, and you as steward as well. You will not be able to change his mind, so Chanry will sit beside me. The rest you can seat according to their position."

   "An excellent choice, my lord. With this arraignment, the banquet should be the best we have ever had. All of the people of standing that attend, will feel as if they were considered special, and will be a lot merrier during the banquet."

   "Brylen will decide most of the business of the empire for now, but with my instructions." Menimeth said. "I will send him to you tomorrow, and he can report back to me daily. I will still be available to you for now, but will not be here often until the threat in the west has been eliminated."

   "I understand sire, and will do all in my power to help you." Semeon said, and rolled the parchments, placing them on a small cart.

   Chanry sat on a footstool, and was looking at the boxes stacked all around him when Menimeth entered the royal suite. The boxes were labeled to show what was inside them, and that made it easier for Menimeth to send them to whoever they were intended. Messengers were made available to him, and he sent one to summon the men from Alenvale. One he sent to Brylen, Darik and the commander, to summon them as well.

   The first to arrive was Commander Rayden, and most of the boxes were for his men. White cloaks with the golden dragon on them, trimmed in the red of their kingdom, and a bronze clasp shaped like a dragon for each. A purple sash trimmed in gold, with a golden dragon stitched in both ends to represent the Great Dragon Empire, was included in the items to be sent to The Lost Cavalry. A messenger was sent to bring back men to load the boxes onto a wagon, and they would be distributed among the men as soon as possible.

   Javen and Kyler arrived while the boxes for the Lost Cavalry were being removed from the royal suites, and loaded onto the wagons. Brylen and Darik arrived seconds later, and watched as the boxes disappeared. The armies of the empire would be forming soon, and leaders were needed to command them. The three men from Alenvale would become captains in the Dragon Guard, and with the help of Menimeth, would train and command the men who enlisted in it. The badges of their rank appeared on the items given to them, and with their armor, would reflect their position in the empire. Solders of honor and courage would once again wear the purple and gold of the empire.

   Brylen was given tunics and breeches that reflected his position and standing in the empire, along with the other items he would need to interact with the ruling class. The golden dragon was on all of the items given to him, but his family crest was there as well.

   Darik received robes of a dark purple trimmed in gold, with golden dragons of various sizes all over it. Soft leather boots dyed the same color, with a golden dragon that curled around each one from the tail at the top, to the head at the bottom, were included.

   All of them were given sashes like the ones sent to the Lost Cavalry, and even Menimeth wore one. The gifts were designed to increase the presents of the empire to the people, and bring men to the banner of the king. The empire needed men to build an army to protect it, and the realms would have to supply them.

   Menimeth hoped that some of the displaced solders from the kingdoms overrun by the forces of the mage king would find their way into his army. They would be hardened warriors who hated Arnoran, and would fight for the empire that much harder. There was sure to be spies who would try to enlist in the Dragon Guard, but there would also be deserters. News of his dragon would reach the towns of the empire within weeks, and men would begin to travel to Corlindum.

   The private rooms were in the back part of the suite, and Semeon put the scrolls and other items of the empire, in the private rooms of the king. After the last two of his friends were gone, Menimeth went to his rooms and removed his armor, to rest before the evening's events were to begin. He would look at the items Semeon had placed in his rooms after the banquet, and decide what to do from there. He needed news on the camp in the northwest where the threat was located, but had no way to gather that information at this time. He knew a war was coming, but he did not know how long he had to prepare for it.

   That night at the banquet, Menimeth was dressed in the new clothes that he had ordered for these kinds of events, and looked like the king he was. He spent a lot of his time at the main table with the regents and their families, and ate while he discussed their realms. The south was growing faster than the other realms, and was better protected as well. The north was still wild in the western part of the realm, but it also was well protected where the towns were located.

   Valiny and his sister sat across from Menimeth, and to his right, while Kyler sat across from them. The green and black of their realm made Dralessa look very beautiful, and Kyler seemed to look at her often. It did not go unnoticed by the woman of his interest, for she too was looking at him.

   Valiny was free to be himself after years of his father's oppression, and talked to all the other regents openly. He had not been allowed to speak around them when his father was alive, and they were very impressed by him. Menimeth liked the man, and believed he would be good for the empire. He would find out soon enough that Valiny was the best choice that he could have made.

   Darik entertained Falendor's younger children with small magic tricks he had learned as a boy, and delighted in their laughter. Saesic was the only one of Falendor's children that did not make the journey to Corlindum, and the banquet was the better for it. Chrisanna hardly removed her eyes from Javen, and they smiled at each other throughout the night. There were musicians in one end of the hall, and he danced with her several times as the evening progressed. Falendor and Aliseain watched them when they danced, and looked at each other smiling.

   Borlund asked many questions about the problems of his realm, and the increase in brigands on the road. He was worried about the people of his land, and Menimeth liked him for it. Most of his questions would be answered at the council hall when the council of regents resumed, and Menimeth would be there to represent the interests of the empire.

   Menimeth walked around the hall, and spoke with as many people as he could. Corlindum would no longer be abandoned after the council was over, since a king would be in Glansford again. Many of the people that were here now would go back to their homes, but others would take their place. The business of the empire would be conducted here, and in Glansford across the great road. No longer would the capitals of the empire be abandoned, but would thrive in the coming years, provided it survived the forces that were building in the west, and the war that would follow.

   Later in the evening, the regents and the princes that were present at the banquet, talked to Menimeth about the future of the four realms. They were alone on a balcony, and away from the other guests, and the conversation went unheard by all but Chanry. Chanry would not let his master out of his sight while he wore no armor, and he would not be dissuaded for any reason.

   "When the council begins again tomorrow, Valiny will not be speaking for his father." Menimeth said. "He will be speaking as the new regent of the east, and will represent the people of his realm."

   "I believe he is someone with which we can agree about the business of the realms." Borlund said.

   "He has turned out to be more than we had hoped, and I believe you are right in your assessment." Thadric replied. "I know his people love him, and he, them."

   "I look forward to our working together here at the council, and in the future." Falendor said. "The empire has needed someone who would rule for the people in the east for a long time, and who would think of his people first."