**************
Chapter 31
**************
Cantrell and several of the other wardens made the trip back home. Ardwella had asked him to try and find out what kind of response they might expect from the Elven village. Since that is exacly what he had wanted to do himself, it was an easy thing to agree to do. The wardens had taken up various observational positions on the outskirts of Tasumakoji. before finally heading into town for a closer look.
It was a strange feeling to consider the town where he lived as hostile territory. He had to assume it was possible as he had no idea what actions Quinton and Ulaire might have taken since the battle near Delora Natine five days ago. He supposed it might even be possible that they thought the Duke was still alive. He certainly had been hard to kill. Now the members of the team were coming together to make their reports.
"Warden's office is still locked up as we left it, said Dahlwell
"Absolutely nothing going on over at Ardwella and Albarad's barn. Jontain's body has been removed and its been cleaned up very thoroughly.. It's like somebody is hiding that it ever happened." said Cenderick."I did run into a neighbor of theirs named Mavis. She looked relieved to see me and said that she would like to speak with you."
"Hooper over at the general store said that Quinton and Ulaire came by for some supplies and then left on horseback two days ago. They are obviously long gone." said Bondine.
"It's a three-day ride to the capital on horseback from here," Said Cantrel. I wish I could guess what the emperor is going to do."
"I don't think he's going to allow his brother to be killed without a major response. I wouldn't," said Telehalla.
"I'm not sure that they even know he’s dead. Who was going to tell him?" Asked Bondine.
"He set out to kill some dragons. Not coming back sort of leads to the obvious conclusion," answered Yewstrong. That’s why the Dutches and her son blew town.”
"Well, the rest of you check in on your own living situations, and I'll talk to Mavis," said Cantrell. "Where can I find her Cenderick?"
"She lives just a few minutes from Ardwella's place. Come on, I'll take you," Said the elf.
Cantrell and Cenderick found Mavis in her yard, taking some clothes off a clothesline. She ran up to them, holding a laundry basket, when she saw them approach. She looked extremely overdressed to be doing laundry.
”Chief Warden, I’m so glad you’re back!” She looked around a bit. “is it just the two of you?”
”Yes, Who were you expecting ?” Asked Cantrell, a little confused.
”Well, I thought Lothinar might be with you. He is my neighbor, you know.”
‘Cenderick raised his eyebrows and shot the Chief Warden a bemused look”
”Yes, I realize that he and his family live just down the road there…”
”Do you know he flew past this very spot about a week ago on one of those beautiful blue dragons your team must use for patrols? He waved to me!”
”Well, I guess that there is no use denying it then,” said Cantrell trying to ignore the strange feeling that the cat was quite out of the bag regarding Candasar.
“I hope you have those valuable dragons safely secured somewhere because I think Ulaire and her son might be trying to steal them. Are all of your dragons already bonded?
”We actually just have the one flying one so far”
I saw Quinton at Lothinar’s barn earlier in the week, trying to hide evidence of a murder. One of your wardens, I believe. I couldn’t see that well ‘cause I was trying to stay out of sight. But only the guilty try that hard to cover up a murder. He snuck out the body and was washing down the walls and everything!”
“I see said Cantrell. We were aware something like that must have happened. Did you see what he eventually did with the body?”
”Yes, I can be pretty sneaky when I want to be. I’ve had some practice secretly watching Lothinar.” Then she realized what she was saying and blushed furiously. “Anyway, he threw the body into the lake!”
”You’re sure about that?” asked Cenderick
“Oh yes. I hid in some tall bushes right down near the water. I saw him throw that poor dead elf in. I got one of my good pairs of shoes all muddy and everything “
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
“Well, thank you for letting us know.” Said Cantrell. “We appreciate the help.”
”Wait, I haven’t even gotten to the interesting part,” said Mavis.
”There’s something more interesting than disposing of a body? Ok then, what’s that”
“Well, while I was standing there trying to scrape the mud off my best shoes, a big blue water dragon came right up to me. She was almost the exact color as the flying one that I had seen earlier. Even though I think I peed myself a little at first, It was a little surprising. I told her so. I mean, not about the pee, but that I had seen the blue flying one too. She seemed really happy to hear about it. She was actually very polite. I think someone has been spreading incorrect information about their dangers.”
Cenderick and Cantrell exchanged strange looks.
”Anyway, the water dragon’s name is Aleena. She said the one that was flying around was her cousin Candasar. She really wants to talk to her again. She asked if there was any way I could help make that happen.”
”What did you tell her?” Asked Cantrell.
”I told her that I would talk to you.” Then she batted her eyelashes.
———————————-
“One of the logistical challenges we are dealing with is that Esmarilla, the dragon god, eats about three times as much as the other two,” said McDonald. If we are going to have sustainable herds we are going to need another source of protein. At least until we can import some more cattle “
”Food requirements are abnormally high for various reasons right now.” Said Ardwella to the other three. “Once we are sure about a response from the Elves and the Emperor we can go back to foraging for wild deer about half the time. That’s going to be easier for Candasar and Esmarilla than for Tundor, of course. Just because of the distances involved. “
Starett, the priest, McDonald and his wife, and Ardwella were having a meeting in the high priest’s office about the food supply situation.
”The two smaller dragons are still rapidly growing, but that will begin to slow down a bit soon. Esmarilla is really gobbling down the cows because not only was she hibernating for a very long time, but she just put a huge demand on her magic reserves bringing back Candasar from being a water dragon.” Said the beautiful female elf. “Neither Esmarilla nor my son will be able to do that again soon, but we will get there”
”The more she eats the faster her magical reserves replenish. You may have noticed that while she used to be jet black, lately, she is a little more grey.” She is starting to darken back up, but it will take a bit longer before she’s at her best.
Ardwella had finally removed the black bandage, and although her arm still looked a little pink, Ronette McDonald, the milkmaid, was happy to see that there didn’t seem to be any permanent scarring.
“I see your arm is better,” said Ronette.
Ardwella smiled.
“Thanks for noticing. Have we met?”
This is my wife Ronette. I’m Mike McDonald. We’ve been made the official cow suppliers to the temple since our involvement on almost day one when your dragon first visited our farm. It’s been ‘minute by minute’ ever since. She’s very polite. I really appreciate that you have always paid your bills. Were you the one who taught her how to write?”
“Well, it’s the nature of the bond, actually. We’ve been together for such a long time. Just about everything I know, she knows.” I appreciate that we’ve been ‘depending on you’.”
”It keeps you running,” said Ronette, “ but we are honored to help.”
“I really want to thank you also, Priest Starett, for the way you have welcomed and taken care of so many things for us,” said Ardwella.
“Well, I grew up watching Esmarilla, the statue version in the temple.” Said Starett. “I used to fantasize what it would be like if somehow she was real. How it would be to interact with such a wonderful creature. Now all my dreams have come true. Thank you for that!”
”We appreciate your service. Perhaps sometime soon, I can ask Esmarilla to take you for a little ride. You are not afraid of flying, are you?”
” Definitely not.” Said the priest excitedly.”
‘You know, Mike, I couldn’t help noticing that for an older couple your wife is still very pretty.” Said Ardwella.
”Coming from you, that is quite a compliment, “ said Ronette. I don’t know if you noticed, but one reason I have aged so well is, of course, that I’m half-elf.
“Of course you are,” said Starett smiling. So obviously not the milk, then."
———————-
Emperor Argent looked at his nephew and his brother's wife as they knelt before him in the throne room.
"The quota for dragon eggs has once again not been met. I sent you and my brother there to resolve the shortages, and yet it has gotten nothing but worse. I don’t think I need to tell you what will happen if you do not get this situation in hand."
Ulaire looked at her son.
"Do you want to tell him, or am I going to have to do it?”
—————————
Candasar stood on the cliff overlooking what had once been her cove. Next to her was Lothinar, her bonded companion .behind them both crouched the small black mountain that was Esmarilla, Ardwella sat astride her with a grinning young priest.
They had just flown in at the request of her cousin Aleena, who now seemed to have a strong leadership position among the dominant females that, for the first time, had filled the recent vacancies on the leader's council. In the waters below swam over three hundred dragons. All that were able to make the trip down here near the town of the men. Delora Natine, the town named for the tears of fire.
Together with Lothinar, Candasar was able to broadcast her thoughts to all those gathered below.
“We will be moving the nests far away from the elven outpost. We will stay at this end of the lake where our friends, the humans, can help protect our young and our eggs. We will no longer be surrendering them to the elves. Many will continue to hatch into swimming dragons, but as our magic grows and returns, more and more will be born with wings. Then our people will return to our place in the sky. We will have to fight, but soon we will again be free. The water dragons howled their approval.
Candasar smiled.
Lothinar thought that it was one of the best smiles he had ever seen, even if it was on a beautiful blue dragon.