**************

Chapter 25

**************

"We need to make a decision," said Lothinar. "We can't just stand around here waiting for Ardwynn any longer!"

"This waiting is really cutting into the carrot supply," his father agreed, but he smiled sympathetically.

"We also have some other problems that are hard to overlook and that we need to resolve," said Ardwella. "Like the body of the one-armed warden that will soon be stinking up our barn"

"Ok, that guy turned out to be really bad, I admit it. I was wrong. It is still hard for me to just take a life"

"You did not kill him. I did." said Tundor, "If that makes you feel any better"

"Not really, no," said Lothinar. "It just shows that I was unwilling to make difficult decisions, not to mention a really bad judge of character."

"That's why I didn't jump in," Said Ardwella. It was hard for me to watch him go at you with that knife and do nothing, but I needed you to understand something very important"

"Was it important enough to risk him killing me?!"

"I don't think you fully understand how superior your body and reflexes are compared to the average elf, Lothinar. I had every reason to believe you would survive the encounter"

"That makes one of us!" he replied hotly, then softened. "What is it you wanted me to understand?"

"We are truly still in a war. Though we are elves, we are on the side of the dragons. Ninety-nine percent of the elves you will meet are going to be trying to stop you by killing you or your dragon. I wanted that to sink in. Your survival depends on it. Candasar’s survival depends on it. You need to know it deep down inside. We cannot afford half measures at this point. We can negotiate some sort of peace later from a position of strength, but right now, we are still weak. There are a lot more of them than us. When they realize that we are liberating the dragons, they will be coming!" said Ardwella finally. Do you understand?"

Lothinar grimaced, pursing his lips, and then nodded. "You are right, of course. It's just that Jontain took me by surprise. I've worked with him for years, and although he wasn't a friend, I just had a hard time letting Candasar kill him last night!"

Son, you need to understand something more clearly. began Ardwella. Dragons use a type of audible speech among themselves but are ultimately telepathic in nature. They use a special soul-sharing communication with a bonded elf, but that doesn't work effortlessly for everyone else. Elves strong with magic can push through with a lot of effort and speak with them telepathically.

"I felt you do that with me the first time I met you," Tundor agreed. I kind of felt a 'pop,' and then I could understand you.

"Thank you, Tundor. That is exactly what I am talking about,” said Ardwella.

"When a dragon is around an elf they don't know and have not yet communicated with, they can still be very open to their mental energies. We might call it intuition or a hunch, but for a dragon, it's much stronger than that. Back before the war, I even sometimes used Esmarilla as a kind of lie detector. I was young and naïve, and it kept me from making some big mistakes with boys!" Then she blushed.

"Obviously it didn't work on me, laughed Alberad.

"It absolutely did work on you, " said Ardwella. I wouldn't have married you otherwise. "Esmarila could tell right away that you had a true and good heart. You were the type of man I had wanted for a long, long time."

Alberad coughed. "This isn't getting our problems solved this morning"

"My point is, Lothinar, You need to learn to trust your dragon. She knows more than you give her credit for."

"That guy was always going to be trouble," Said Candasar. "There was no doubt about it."

"Okay, here's what we need to do," Said Lothinar. Ardwynn is still not here. I promised not to leave without her, but all of you need to get started. I'm going into the warden's office to tell Cantrell what happened with Jontain and see if he has any idea where Ardwynn might be."

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"You are not going by yourself!" Said Candasar.

"I don't know how I'm going to sneak a ton and a half of dragon through town this morning," said Lothinar. "My channels are shot, and I can’t cast invisibility.

"It's lucky then that you won't have to,” said Ardwynn, suddenly slipping out from behind a tree.

"I totally knew you were there," said Tundor. "I just didn't want to interrupt."

"Where have you been? asked Lothinar. I was beginning to really worry!"

"Chase a guy for years, then be late once, and he falls apart. I should have tried the 'hard to get' route a long time ago." laughed Ardwynn. Then she grew very serious.

"Listen, we have a big problem...."

--------------------------------

Thirty minutes earlier…..

Cantrell raised an eyebrow at the two elves seated in front of him. Ardwynn was clearly unhappy. She didn’t want to be here. Her arm was increasingly resisting the hold the male elf had upon it. Perhaps now, in front of a witness, she had the courage to attempt to escape his obviously unwanted grasp.

“Are things as they appear here, Ardwynn? Do you need assistance?” Asked Cantrell.

“My sister,” chuckled Quinton. “seems to feel she had more important things to do this morning than accompany me here to speak with you. I disagreed, as some of what I wish to discuss with you involves her work responsibilities “

Ardwynn somehow, at that moment, twisted her arm quickly and managed to pull free of his grasp. He looked at her with annoyance but did not attempt to renew his hold. For the moment, she seemed willing to remain seated but glared at Quinton, rubbing her wrist.

”She seems unusually loyal to this job and you personally, Warden. To the point where my mother has started to grow concerned that she is being overworked “

”All of the staff assigned to this office equally share in the duties of the job and perform their tasks admirably. I am not sure how your mother comes into the picture, but if the Imperial Palace has concerns about us working too hard, perhaps you should suggest that they increase my budget so that I can hire a few more personnel “

”Normally, I would dismiss your blatant attempt to increase your budget as self-serving politics, but it has recently come to my attention from another source that your control and management of lake resources is becoming tenuous. Some additional staff may actually be required “

Cantrell looked at the elf, trying to keep his face neutral. Had someone already discovered the evidence of the water dragon battle yesterday?

”What are your concerns?” Asked Cantrell.

”A naturalist on independent assignment to the imperial staff came upon some evidence that the dragon population was escalating their internal conflicts. Several have perished.”

”This has been known to happen from time to time with wild populations, “ said Cantrell

“Yes, it is not totally unexpected that conflicts between them might arise. However, our naturalist saw evidence that at least one of their battles took place on shore. Considering the physical limitations of the species that warranted greater inquiry. Do you know anything more about that?” The Imperial envoy smiled a shit-eating grin at Cantrell.

”This independently functioning naturalist you mentioned just happens to be the mother of both you and Ardwynn?” Asked Cantrell, finally putting the pieces together.

“That is correct “

”I wasn’t made aware of her involvement in this nature preserve and have not had the pleasure……”

“Look,” interrupted Ardwynn, “Boss, as you know, I have duties to perform this morning. Can I go?”

”We are not done discussing your redeployment and reduced work commitments, “ said Quinton with annoyance.

”Yes, fine…you two work it out, but this morning, I have a lot to do,” said Ardwynn, getting out of her seat.

”You can go,” said Cantrell, earning himself an angry glare from her brother.

Ardwynn sidled from the room but not before hearing her brother begin to berate, having females attempting to work at the tasks best done by males.

Retrieving the backpack that she had left near the door, Ardwynn rushed away and toward her new life with the elf she loved. She hoped Cantrell could delay her brother long enough for all of them to make their escape.

“I wonder how it all worked out with Jontain?” she thought….

——————————-

“So you left Cantrell there with your brother and came straight here?” Confirmed Ardwella.

”Yes, and we need to go now! If my brother was to suspect that there are three land-based dragons on the loose with two that can actually fly, he could have hundreds of spell-casting troops from the capital here within a day, if not hours.”

Can the men at the dragon temple stand up to such a force, or even would they try?” Asked Lothinar.

”That remains to be seen, “ said Ardwella, “But it must be our next step, regardless.”

Lothinar took one last look at Jontain’s body still cooling in the barn. The elf’s face still bore a frozen look of shock. Suddenly, Ardwynn stood next to him, rubbing his back sympathetically.

“Your mother told me what happened. You gave him every chance.”

”I don’t know why I’m taking this so hard,” said Lothinar

”It’s because you are a good elf and care about life. From the way Jontain came after you and what he said about how he intended to sexually ravage your mom, I would say he was almost your exact opposite “

”I suppose that helps me feel better about not giving him a decent burial “

”Don’t worry about him,” said Ardwella, coming back into the barn. “There are going to be investigators all over this place in just a few hours. He won’t be there long. I’m actually grateful for that. Now we really do need to go!”

She was not wearing her leather fighting skirt, but the white sword was visibly strapped to her waist.

“Your father is already on the road with the wagon and Tundor. He has already started to attract a little attention. Others have seen them”

”How did they react?” Asked Lothinar.

”Shock mostly so far, but that’s mild compared to what probably happens next”

”What’s that?” Asked Lothinar

”Climb on your dragon Lothinar, Ardwynn, you are with Esmarilla and me. This town is going to get an eyeful!”

”Can she carry me?”

”I guess you are going to find out,” chuckled Ardwella. “Make sure to hold on tight!”

”Come on, my brave elf,” came Candasar’s thoughts. “I want to show you something spectacular!”

———————-