The Dragon Who Loved Me (11 page)

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Authors: G.A. Aiken

BOOK: The Dragon Who Loved Me
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“Don’t bellow at me, demon spawn!”
She pointed at Ásta. “And you! Don’t threaten anyone without my permission, barbarian witch.”
“Is there a reason you’re here, my lady?” Dagmar asked, knowing the Dragon Queen hadn’t come down here to simply entertain Dagmar. And gods, Dagmar was quite entertained. “Or just dropping by for your weekly torture?”
The queen smirked and answered, “We have a problem, little barbarian.”
“Bigger than the Western Tribes descending upon us as we speak? Which they are, according to Keita.”
“Aye. Bigger than that. I heard from Morfyd. . . . Annwyl’s gone.”
Keita pressed her hand to her chest. “Annwyl’s . . . dead?”
“Did I say dead? I don’t think I said dead.”
“Then what the hells did you say?”
“Again with the yelling?”
“My liege . . .” Dagmar pushed.
“She’s gone,” Rhiannon said again. “As in Morfyd woke up one day and Annwyl was gone.”
“Kidnapped?” Talaith asked.
“No. Just gone. Along with Izzy and Branwen.”
Talaith’s eyes grew wide in panic at the mention of her eldest daughter. “That crazed bitch took Izzy?”
Rhiannon pursed her lips. “Ooops. Bercelak warned me not to tell you that part.”
“But you did! You did tell me!”
“Now
you’re
yelling at me?”
Dagmar stood. “Everyone stop. Right now.” She motioned to Ásta. “Commander, if you would excuse us.”
Trying to shake off whatever Rhiannon had done to her, Ásta got to her feet and walked to the door.
“And could you take the children back to Ebba please?”
The children jumped down from their grandmother and charged out of the room, Ásta following and closing the door behind her while Keita helped Ren into a chair.
Once all had calmed down, Dagmar looked to the She-dragon queen in human form. “Now, my liege. Perhaps you could explain what the battle-fuck is going on.”
 
 
Rhona kissed her father good-bye and left him at the base of the large hill he called home. He didn’t like staying at Devenallt Mountain, had no desire to reside by the lake with the Cadwaladr Clan, and he didn’t like sleeping in a bed like a human. So he found and dug out his own place in a hill no more than ten miles or so from the Garbhán Isle gates and was as happy as any dragon could be. Her father was an uncomplicated male, easily pleased but just as easily annoyed. And, like most of his volcano-loving kind, he was even more solitary than the Fire Breathers.
Walking through the nearby town, desperate to get to sleep, she passed a pub. It sounded as if everyone inside was having quite a good time, but she kept walking. She wanted to be up early tomorrow and on her way before the two suns were high in the sky.
And Rhona knew what would happen if she went into that pub. Well, what would happen besides the drinking.
The pub door slammed open and Rhona picked up her step, hoping to get past before she was—
“Rhona!”
Strong hands grabbed hold of her and hauled her into the pub. Her aunts and uncles were nowhere to be seen, but the majority of her cousins, mostly the females, were in attendance.
Rhona was forced into a chair and a pint of ale shoved into her hand.
“Drink!” one cousin cheered. “And tell us all about the violence at the front!”
“Nothing happens here,” another cousin complained. “For five years, no one’s done anything and Mum won’t let me go to the Valley. ‘You’re needed here,’ she says. Here for what? Watching those demon spawn twins grow taller and meaner every day?” She leaned in and drunkenly whispered—which was really screaming—“And by the gods those two are so bloody mean!”
“Any new scars?” another asked.
“That Lightning you came in with . . . he’s a big buck. You fuck him yet? If you didn’t, are you going to? ’Cause ... you know.”
Rhona lifted her ale to her lips and drank it all in one gulp. Then she motioned to the barmaid and demanded another, her cousins cheering when she did.
 
 
Vigholf escorted his mother to the front steps outside the Great Hall. They’d had dinner in his room, had gone for a walk around the grounds, and during all that had talked for hours. Tonight she’d stay in the castle so they could enjoy breakfast together in the morning before he left.
With so many sons, Davon always managed to show each of them how much they were loved. Although they’d all known she had a special place in her heart for Ragnar. But Vigholf had understood that. Since Ragnar had hatched, their father had made it his business to crush Ragnar’s soul rather than harness the dragon’s power. Perhaps because Olgeir had known from the beginning that of all his offspring, Ragnar would be the one to bring him down.
“I’m so glad we had this time together,” Davon told him before they went up the stairs.
“Me too. But this should all be over soon enough.” Vigholf glanced down at his feet before asking the question that had been bothering him and his brothers. “And once this is over . . . will you come home?”
Davon blinked wide blue eyes. “Of course! Why would you think any different?”
He shrugged. “You weren’t with the Horde of your own free will, Mum. I know that. So I can understand if you’d rather not come back.”
“But I will. Because my sons are there. My grandsons. And you, your brothers—you’ve made it different now.”
“It’s really been Ragnar.”
“He wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without you and your brothers and Meinhard. And I’ve never hated the Northlands. I love it there. I merely hated your father—and he’s dead now.” Gods. She sounded so . . . perky.
“If you’re sure.”
“Of course I am. Now”—she took his hands into hers—“stop worrying about me. I’m perfectly safe here. I just want you to go back and help your brother win against those awful Irons.”
“I will, Mum. Promise.”
“Good. So . . .” His mother looked off and frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“I think your weak little friend could use some help.”
Vigholf looked across the courtyard, and there was Rhona, leading her female kin toward the side door that would lead them back to the nearby lake. It wasn’t an easy task, though, when She-dragons kept breaking off from the group and trying to make a run for it.
“Give me a moment, Mum.”
“I’m going to bed, so take your time,” she laughed.
 
 
Rhona caught hold of another cousin and yanked her back to the group.
Gods, she didn’t have time for this. She should be in bed, getting a few hours’ sleep before the suns rose and she returned to the armies in the valley. What she shouldn’t be doing was dragging her kin from a brawl—that
they
started—in the middle of the nearby pub and trying to get them to bed.
When did that become her job?
Once Rhona got one cousin back in line with the others, another cousin made a run for it. Where were they running to? Most likely back to the pub for more drink and more fights. But before her cousin could get far, the Lightning was there, swooping up the She-dragon in one arm.
“Need help, Sergeant?” he teased.
Although Rhona would like to tell him no, she couldn’t afford to at the moment.
“I just need to get them back to the lake. The aunts will take care of them from there.”
“I can help with that. But what will I get out of it?”
Annoyed, she snapped, “Not to get my fist shoved up your—”
“Now, now. Let’s not get nasty, Fire Breather.”
“Are you helping or not?”
He picked up another one of her straying cousins in his free arm and motioned to her. “Lead the way, Babysitter.”
“I hate that nickname.”
“I know you do,” Vigholf laughed. “I know you do.”
 
 
Rhona may hate the nickname Babysitter, but she had to see how it fit her. At least that’s how Vigholf felt as he watched the She-dragon chase down one of her cousins and tackle her to the ground. Once Rhona had her pinned, she grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back to the lakeside.
“Now stay!” she ordered the female, brown eyes fierce.
Vigholf chuckled until a hand reached up and gripped his crotch and twisted.
“Owwww!”
Rhona ran over and desperately tried to pull another cousin’s hand off him.
“Let it go!”
“It’s
huge
, Rhona! You should give it a feel.”
Rhona dropped to her knees in front of him, one hand trying to pry the other female’s fingers off him, the other pulling at her wrist. “I will. I promise. But you need to let go!”
The she-viper finally released him and Rhona flung her kin’s arm away. Dropping back on her heels and panting, she looked up at Vigholf.
I am so sorry
, she mouthed at him.
Vigholf nodded and forced himself not to rub his poor cock.
It took some time, but eventually they got all the females in their bedrolls and asleep. Once done, Vigholf and Rhona headed back to the castle.
“Well,” he muttered, “that was fun.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again.
“No need to apologize. But I’m surprised you didn’t keep your promise.”
“Promise? What promise?”
“The one to your cousin to give it a feel.” He glanced down at himself, gave her a wicked grin. “So you can see how huge it is.”
“What are you talk . . .” She shook her head and laughed. “Gods, you’re pathetic.”
“I’m merely trying to help you keep your promises to your kin.”
“Of course you are. Look, a few of my cousins may not be able to hold their liquor, especially when a male is around, but I assure you that I can.”
Vigholf stopped, studied her when she faced him. “You drank tonight?”
“Drank more than any of them, that’s for sure.”
“And yet you’re . . .”
“I’m what?”
“Sober.”
She chuckled. “I’m my father’s child, Northlander, and he can hold his liquor.”
“Considering how badly off the rest of your cousins are, I have to say I’m impressed. You don’t seem even a little different.”
“What can I say? It’s a gift.” Rhona suddenly held up a finger as if to silence him—although he hadn’t said anything—and then she sat down hard on the ground. Still holding up that one finger.
Vigholf crouched next to her. “You all right?”
“The universe began to spin, so I decided to sit until it stopped.”
“Good plan.”
Since he didn’t know how long she’d need to sit, Vigholf sat beside her. He carefully took her raised finger and tucked it back into her fist.
“Thank you. I didn’t seem to have control of that talon.”
“Finger.”
“Whatever.” She smiled a little. “You can let go of my hand.”
“I could, but probably won’t. What with your universe spinning and all.”
“Any opportunity. You Lightnings take any opportunity.”
“There’s truth to that, I’m afraid.”
“You are, however, surprisingly light of touch.”
“Pardon?”
“The way you’re holding my hand. I always thought you’d be more of a mauler. Like a diseased wolf chewing the knuckles off me fist.”
“That’s very nice.”
“Not really.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
“Oh. I see.” Rhona gazed off for a moment, then asked, “Where are we?”
“Okay. That’s it. I’m taking you to bed.”
“No, no,” she protested as Vigholf got to his knees. “I’m fine. I can walk.”
“Is the universe still spinning?”
“No. Now it’s just the trees.”
“Right.” He reached for her, put his arms around her. “I’ll put you to bed and you’ll feel better in the morning.”
“I’d rather stay out here. Sleep under the stars.”
“You don’t like beds much, do you?”
“They’re all right, I guess. But I’m just as happy on the ground, looking up at the sky.”
“Then we’ll do that.”
Vigholf picked her up and carried her over to a big tree. With care, not wanting to bash her head against the ground, he set her down.
“This is nice,” she said, smiling. “Can’t see the stars, though. With all those branches and leaves in the way.”

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