The White Dragon (5 page)

“No,” Mary said, falling silent.

Galen had other plans and switched tactics. “I withdraw the question. It’s obvious from the accused’s anger that he has issues with his temper, and I hate to place a poor servant in such a difficult position. You may be excused.”

Mary looked up, surprised, but the tactic seemed to work. It made Eric look like someone who had anger management issues while painting the magistrate as a kind, merciful questioner. Mary stood and walked away, giving Eric a sad look as she passed him.

“Anything else?” Corwin asked.

“I reserve the right to call for additional presentations after the accused has made his statement.” Galen walked to his table and sat down.

“Very well. Eric Bain, you have the floor. Do tell us what happened to your company.” Corwin gave him a nod.

Eric walked around the table and stood in front of the justiciar, standing with his hands flat at this side, being sure not to clench them. “As you know, the Highstone Pass has been the scene of several attacks by a force, or forces, unknown. I took my newly commissioned company, known as The Hunt, to seek out the attacker.

The trail led us high into the mountains where we stumbled upon a creature that was both fierce and deadly. We engaged the beast, and it was there, in its lair, that my company fell.”

Several sobs and muffled cries behind him alerted him to the fact that family members of his company were listening. Eric tried to continue, being as discrete as he could. “I narrowly escaped by sliding down the icy mountain and coming to rest where three Kesh were congregated for some reason. I was seriously injured, and passed out, only awakening to find myself under arrest at the Peak Pub. I did nothing wrong.”

The explanation was simple and straight to the point and light on details. The justiciar picked up on this right away. “What exactly was this creature that killed your company?”

Eric sighed, almost knowing this was coming, and he heard Lucius behind him. “No, Eric.”

Eric closed his eyes and then opened them, letting out a deep, long breath before speaking. “The creature that killed my company was a dragon, a white dragon.”

“Order,” Corwin quickly commanded as the entire hall erupted into half a dozen different cries of various emotions. Most were shocked by the statement, but some shock was quickly followed by laughter as the ludicrous statement was digested, and others murmured as if they knew it all along.

The soldiers tapped their weapons against the floor for a long time before the hall quieted down, and Galen spoke up quickly before the moment was lost. “You see, Lord Corwin, that I had to call for your assistance, as the man has gone quite mad.”

Eric shot him a nasty look and then noticed the justiciar was watching him intently. After a few long seconds, the duke’s representative for law and order spoke. “I don’t see any firm evidence that the man committed treason or murder . . . yet. However, right before departing Ulan Utandra, the duke informed me that the Kesh were going to be banished from Ulathan lands.”

The hall broke out into another round of noise that was quickly followed by the process of calling it to order. “Go on, please, my lord,” Galen prompted, eager to hear the rest of the news.

Corwin spoke louder now so that all could hear. “There is not specific reason yet, though the duke suspects treason and espionage by the Kesh against our realm and the central realms of Agon. So, by association with the Kesh, any Ulathan caught consorting with them is to be detained and questioned until further decree. Now I know that the accused was not aware of this—indeed, I was only recently informed—but the circumstances of this case warrant a further review.

Since we know there can’t be a dragon involved, the entire testimony by the accused is deemed not credible, and weight must be given to the magistrate’s charges.” Galen seemed to lean in closer to the justiciar, anticipating a guilty verdict, but the verdict was never given a chance to be issued, if there was one. A faint voice called out from the audience.

“A word, if I may.”

Eric turned from the justiciar to see who had spoken, and was surprised to see the historian his associate had told him about that morning. He was known to mostly everyone in the town, and he walked toward Eric, nodding at the guards who let him pass as Corwin waved a hand, allowing his intervention.

“Master Diamedes, you surprise me,” Corwin said, looking down at the man.

Diamedes reached Eric and then stopped and looked at him before addressing the justiciar. “Will you allow my expert testimony into the proceedings?”

Corwin’s face showed a hint of surprise and, for the first time that day, a real sense of confusion and even a small loss of control, as the request was not expected nor anticipated. “Of course. Your reputation precedes you. Do you speak for the crown?” Corwin asked, referring to the king of Tyniria.

“No,” Diamedes said. “I do speak, however, in my capacity as his royal historian, and the search for facts is at the heart of all I do.”

“Well, then, you will be heard,” Corwin said, motioning for him to continue.

Diamedes’ response was much shorter than anyone thought possible. “I believe the accused. There is a dragon.”

The hall did the opposite of what it had done that day and fell silent. Corwin reached a hand up and stroked his chin, deep in thought before finally speaking. “You jest?”

“I do not,” Diamedes said, turning to face Eric and giving the man a wink.

“Then what does your testimony propose?” Corwin asked, unsure of why a man of such stature would become involved in an obvious deception to the crown.

The small historian nodded and then spoke. “It’s simple enough. Allow the man a chance to prove his words to you.”

Corwin’s eyes widened, and he sat forward in his chair. “That is brilliant,” the justiciar said, obviously misunderstanding the historian. He thought the man was mocking the accused and, for some reason, giving Corwin an excuse for passing judgment. “We will have the accused lead us to this dragon and show us his evidence.”

Galen quickly regained his smile once he heard the decree. Eric looked down at the small historian, leaning close to the man’s ear to whisper to him. “You mock me?”

Diamedes replied, “To the contrary, I’m trying to help you.”

“You have a strange way of helping,” Eric whispered. “The difference between us is that I actually saw what I saw. I saw a white dragon.”

The royal historian nodded, turning his head to look at Eric. “I know, and I too have seen a dragon. More than one, to be exact.”

The following day found an unlikely group working together to investigate the claims by Eric that there was a dragon high in the Felsic Mountains near Moartown. Once it was clear that they would have to travel very high into the mountains, Corwin designated the magistrate Galen to act on his behalf, and lent his personal guard to the expedition at the insistence of Eric, who seemed most concerned that the party be fully armed and ready for combat.

Diamedes would also represent the crown in this matter, and the group basically consisted of a score of heavily armed troops, the magistrate, Eric, and Diamedes. Everyone else remained in town, and Eric was given a sword to use since he was still presumed innocent for the time being. No porters were taken; all supplies were carried on packs by the individuals traveling.

The first day, they traveled deep into the Highstone Pass and camped for the night. The next day brought them high into the mountains with another camp, and on the third day, Eric caught sight of the mountain peak where he nearly died.

“So that’s it, eh?” Galen asked, looking up at the cloudy mountaintop covered in snow. They were walking along a ridgeline, gaining in elevation, and the lead soldiers were stomping the snow in front of them into a crude path.

“Yes,” Eric replied. “The entrance is that dark area there, just beyond the clouds, and we should come across the small trail that will lead us to it.”

Eric pointed and Galen nodded, the snow and ice making the men set aside their differences for the time being. “Are you all right?” Galen asked the small historian.

The group was on foot, and for an old man, Diamedes seemed to be doing well to keep up, so the magistrate’s question may, or may not, have been simply polite. “Yes, I’m managing fine, thank you.”

“I suggest the troops light fires before we arrive at the cavern entrance,” Eric suggested.

Galen nodded. Though not believing a word the mercenary said, it was quite a different matter when looking at a forbidding place in a bitterly cold wind. “Break out the torches.”

Quickly, the group had firesticks burning brightly, and the group ascended the mountaintop until they reached a flat, snowy trail with rocky outcroppings. Moving single file, Eric in the lead with Galen right behind him and then Diamedes and the rest of the soldiers, they reached the entrance.

Ice blocks were strewn everywhere, and there was a sign of old blood in the snow but nothing else to indicate that mayhem had happened there. The cavern entrance was broad and wide, with no time for the ice sheet to reform. It was as if the place was exposed, but Eric felt a chill come over him. In the distance, a wolf’s howl was heard over the constant noise of the wind as it blew snowflakes around them as if trying to dissuade them from their course of action.

“The dragon is in there?” Galen said, peering into the empty-looking cavern, though they could not see the back wall.

“It was,” Eric answered. “Are you ready?”

Galen nodded, and the men drew their swords, the sound of the steel ringing as they came from their sheaths, echoing off the cavern’s walls. The men entered, followed quickly by the rest of the group. Two guards turned and stood watch at the entrance, looking out. They were professional soldiers, not mercenary hires, and knew what to do.

“Over there.” Eric pointed, seeing something standing in the dim shadows. The group quickly fanned out, and soon they started to relax a bit, as it was obvious the cavern was empty.

“What is that?” Galen asked, holding his brand in front of him and walking up to the figure covered in ice.

Eric and Diamedes followed with half the troops, the rest fanning out and illuminating the chamber with their torches. Eric warded himself when he saw who it was. “By Agon, it’s Milo.”

“Who is Milo?” Diamedes asked, but it was Galen who answered him.

“He’s Kesh, and a wizard by the looks of him.”

“He was my friend,” Eric said, tucking his sword back into its sheath and using a hand to touch the semi-transparent ice that covered the man.

“Well, the question of whether or not you were working with the Kesh has been answered. You as much admitted that you know the man,” Galen stated.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t know.” Eric gave the magistrate a look. “You’ve known Milo to be in my company for quite some time.”

“Yes, but he kept his staff and stature hidden.” Galen returned the look. “I gave no heed to the rumors that he was of Kesh descent. Now, tell us, where is your dragon?”

Eric was instantly reminded of where he was, and forgetting Milo for a moment, he rested his hand on his sword and took a few steps away toward the back of the cavern. “It was right there, not much longer than a week ago.”

Galen walked past Eric and toward the back of the cavern. He reached a pair of guards who held up what looked like the end of a sharp pike that had been broken from its wooden shaft. “What have you there?” Galen asked.

“Looks like the metal spear tip of a pike, sir,” one soldier said, offering it to the magistrate.

Galen took it and held it up for Eric to see. “Is this all the evidence we’ll see from you?”

Eric walked over to the men and looked at the ground. It was obvious that it had been disturbed, but there were not tracks, no obvious sign that anything bigger than a bear had been there. “I don’t understand . . .” Eric said, his words trailing off.

“I see no evidence that a dragon was here,” Galen stated.

“Nor do I see evidence that a dragon was not here,” Diamedes said, walking up to join the men.

“Please, Master Historian,” Galen started. “You can’t be serious, taking the side of this mercenary.”

“I’m taking no sides, just noting the facts,” Diamedes replied.

“Then note for the record that evidence was found that the accused was working with the Kesh.”

“I’m standing right here. You can call me by my name,” Eric said.

Diamedes looked around and then to Galen. “I will note that Eric worked with
a
Kesh, not
the
Kesh.”

Galen snorted and then barked out orders for the soldiers to prepare to leave after giving the place one last search.

“Doesn’t look good for me, does it?” Eric spoke softly to Diamedes. Galen had moved off to finish their work.

“I don’t know about that,” the small historian answered, looking around at the cavern and roof. “It could be worse.”

“How so?” Eric asked.

“We could have found the dragon here.”

“I thought that was our mission. It would have exonerated me.”

“Yes.” Diamedes nodded. “The actual objective was to find evidence that a dragon existed here, not the dragon itself. I daresay you would be dead if you had found it.”

“Then what in Agon’s name are you doing coming with us?” Eric could hardly contain himself. “If the dragon was here, then
you’d
be dead too, no?”

“Actually, no,” Diamedes said, looking to see how close Galen was to them. The magistrate was busy gathering what little evidence they could find and preparing to leave. Diamedes continued. “You said something very curious at your trial, do you remember?”

“How could I not?” Eric said. “What exactly are you referring to, since I seem to be missing the point?”

Diamedes nodded and then lowered his voice anyway. “You said the dragon confronted you, ready to finish killing you when the Kesh intervened.”

“Yes, so?”

“The dragon feared the Kesh?”

“It didn’t look afraid, though it didn’t attack either.”

“No,” the small historian said. “It knew what it was up against, and it decided to . . . disengage, so to speak.”

Eric nodded, though the confused look on his face remained. “And this is important in what way?”

“It is relevant,” Diamedes said, using a more descriptive word, “because we are not alone. The Kesh are very close.”

Eric turned quickly toward the entrance, looking intently. “Where?”

“You won’t see them. They are concealing their presence, but they have tracked us since we camped the first night.”

“How in Agon do you know if they are hiding themselves?” Eric turned to face Diamedes.

The small historian pulled out what looked like a cheap piece of custom jewelry, a clear piece of glass shaped like a diamond. “I have a small gift from someone rather important, and it shows me things that normally can’t be seen.”

Eric didn’t touch it, but Diamedes held it out for him to look through. It was pointed inward, and Eric bent down slightly to look through it, almost gasping out loud at what he saw. Streaks of bright white light were all around the cavern. “What are those?”

“I can’t be sure, but if what you said is accurate, then those markings are not only the traces of magic by your friend Milo over there but also signs of the dragon.”

“We must show this to the magistrate.” Eric raised his head and looked at his companion.

“That would not help. He would simply call it evidence that you worked with the Kesh.”

Eric nodded, thinking the old man was right. “Well, then what?”

Diamedes put the glass back into his pocket and looked at the tall, aging mercenary. “I’m afraid you’re going to need to find your dragon and perhaps the reason why the Kesh saved your life. I can assure you it wasn’t an altruistic gesture.”

“No,” Eric said. “They’re up to something, that’s for sure.”

“Time to go.” Diamedes nodded in the direction of the entrance where Galen stood next to their troops also lined in a column, ready for the march down the mountain. “Do you have friends or companions you can call upon to help you in this quest?”

Eric nodded. “Acquaintances would be a better word to use to describe them.”

“Best if you get them ready. I don’t think the magistrate is going to let this go, and Justiciar Corwin is obligated to make a ruling.”

The two men walked toward Galen at the front of the group and prepared to depart. Eric didn’t bother to respond, pondering the historian’s words and not wanting the magistrate to hear their conversation. Everyone was somewhat at ease with the tension of “the dragon” encounter firmly behind them. Therefore, they were most unprepared for the attack when they stepped out of the cavern and onto the narrow trail.

The first wolf landed on Eric’s back, biting into his neck. It would have killed him if the historian hadn’t yelled a warning a split second before. The impact knocked him on his chest, and the bite took out a piece of flesh at the base of his neck. Blood once again covered the snowy, white ground.

Several more attacks impacted several soldiers, and Galen found himself sliding down the same slope that Eric had hurled himself upon over a week earlier to escape the dragon. Only by stabbing the ice with his sword was he able to stop his momentum, and the large white wolf that had attacked him slid down the slope, scrambling furiously with its clawed paws.

Cries came from the soldiers as they counterattacked with their pikes and spears. They were of scant use in such a confined space, caught between the mountain and the slippery slope. Many dropped their long arms and drew their blades. Diamedes managed to dodge his own attack by ducking, and the wolf bounced a few steps before turning to face the historian, who had now drawn a rather wicked-looking dagger.

The wolves howled, and only their bright blue eyes, seemingly to gleam against the white snow, gave away their position easily. Their white fur coats were the perfect camouflage. Eric managed to roll over on the narrow path, rolling on top of his attacker. Drawing his dagger from his belt, he stabbed backward, hitting the wolf in its torso and eliciting a growl as the creature clawed at him, ripping up his cloak in the process.

Diamedes ran to him and stabbed the wolf in the eye, killing it instantly, and then offered a hand to Eric, who took it, standing up. “I was going to tell you to get behind me, but maybe I should take cover behind you?”

The small historian nodded, and the wolf that had attacked renewed its effort by leaping at the old man. Eric drew his blade and stabbed the animal as it landed on them, all three falling back down again into the snow.