Martin Scott - Thraxas and the Ice Dragon

«So we've got fifteen minutes to get Lisutaris into a fit state.»

We hurry back to the garden where Arichdamis and his servant — both quite elderly, and neither of them strong — are still gamely walking Lisutaris around the garden. So far, it doesn't seem to be helping.

«It was very unwise of Lisutaris to boost the power of her thazis,» says Arichdamis, who seems shocked by the occurrence. «Is the Mistress of the Sky prone to this sort of excess?»

«Very rarely,» I reply, and send the other servant off to make deat, a herbal brew with some powers of sobering up the intoxicated. Makri and I take over walking Lisutaris around while Arichdamis slumps into a garden chair to rest.

«You might want to tell your servants that Barons, Sorcerers and probably some foreign ambassadors will be arriving soon.»

Arichdamis leaps to his feet. «What? I'm not ready to receive Barons. We have no food prepared, or drink, or»

«Tell them there's a war on. Everyone has to rough it a little. Damn you Lisutaris, will you stop grinning stupidly and open your eyes?»

As soon as Arichdamis disappears inside I fetch Lisutaris a fairly hefty slap on the face. Her eyelids flicker. So desperate is the situation that Makri doesn't object. Lisutaris opens her eyes.

«Thraxas, if you slap me again I'll make your head explode.»

We sit Lisutaris down on the garden chair and start pouring deat inside her. The Sorceress shakes her head.

«Spell must have been too powerful. But Arichdamis's thazis is inferior. I was just trying to boost it a little.» She yawns. «I'd better lie down for a while.»

«You can't lie down!» exclaims Makri. «Have you forgotten the meeting?»

«Meeting?»

Makri brings Lisutaris up to date with recent developments. Lisutaris's eyes open wide.

«I don't want to meet Barons. I'm not ready.»

Horses hooves and carriage wheels sound in the street outside. Lisutaris casts a baleful glance in my direction, then rises to her feet. Her legs give way and she slumps back into her chair.

«I can't walk,» she says, rather feebly.

«Arichdamis,» I say. «Tell the Barons that Lisutaris will receive them in the back garden.»

At this moment the junior dragon, until now absent from the proceedings, decides to put in an appearance. It wanders out from a clump of bushes and makes straight for Makri.

«Go away you vile beast,» says Makri.

The dragon starts rubbing itself against Makri's legs. Makri tries to shove it away, which only makes it more enthusiastic. It rises on its hind legs and tries to lick her face. Makri winces as it digs its claws into her shoulder. She bats it back to the ground, quite violently. The dragon, thinking this is a splendid game, purrs in pleasure and starts climbing up her again.

«I'm getting fed up with this,» says Makri.

Baron Mabados, Baron Marcos, and Lasat Axe of Gold come storming into the garden.

«What is the meaning of this change of location?» demands Lasat. «It shows an outrageous lack of respect for the council.»

Elupus, his bodyguard, is next into the garden. Several more Samsarinan Barons follow, along with their entourages. After them come a group of Sorcerers, including Kublinos, and various men in military uniform, Generals from the Samsarinan army. Finally Daringos, the King's Chief Steward, resplendent in his crimson robe, strides in with his nose in the air. There's some confusion, with questions being asked from all sides. The loudest voice comes from a Baron I haven't met before, an extremely large man, at least in girth, who demands to know where the refreshments are.

«Don't tell me we've been invited to a house where's there's nothing to eat?» he says, looking round the empty gardens with some dismay.

«Never mind food, Baron Girimos,» says Daringos. «I'm still waiting to hear why Lisutaris has chosen to inconvenience us all.»

A full complement of hostile eyes turn towards Lisutaris. Unfortunately she hasn't yet recovered her wits. She looks around her, eyes not quite focused, and mumbles something unintelligible. Lasat studies her very suspiciously. I think he might be sniffing the air for traces of thazis. I hurriedly put my foot over the pile of ash.

«It's quite simple,» declares Makri, loudly. «And Thraxas, Chief Adviser to Lisutaris, will now explain everything.»

I purse my lips. This was always going to be the difficult part. A flaw in my plan, you might say. But only if you were unacquainted with exactly how resourceful a man like Thraxas can be in a crisis. Sharp as an Elves ear, as my admirers have been know to say. I march over to the table, sweep up Arichdamis's plans for the crossbow sight, and brandish them dramatically.

«Lisutaris realised that Arichdamis — finest inventor, mathematician, and scientist in the West — has hit upon a device so vital, so important to our war effort, that she was unable to leave it unguarded. She decided, quite rightly, that the meeting must be re-convened here, to prevent any risk of it falling into enemy hands, before she's had time to construct a mighty spell of protection.»

Lasat Axe of Gold frowns. «Couldn't she just have brought the plans with her?»

«Too important to carry around,» I say, though I know right away it's not the most convincing of answers.

«Lisutaris has also been busy helping me look after the young dragon,» says Makri. «You know how important that is to the King.» At this moment the young dragon decides to give Makri a playful nip on the ankle. «Damn you!» she cries, and deals it a hefty kick in the ribs.

Lasat Axe of Gold is by this time looking completely exasperated, and from the expression on Chief Steward Daringos's face, he won't be reporting that favourably on Lisutaris to the King.

«Perhaps the Mistress of the Sky would like to tell us herself why she summoned us here,» he says.

Lisutaris rises to her feet, a little shakily. «As my Chief Adviser has explained, I've been engaged in important work. I would not have wished to report to the King that the unwillingness of his Sorcerers to travel a short distance had led to the loss of our new weapon.»

Lisutaris hasn't really said anything more convincing that Makri or I, but she has an air of authority, and it sounds better coming from her.

«What is this weapon?» enquires Baron Mabados.

«An advanced crossbow featuring a special sighting device which will enable our troops to bring down an Orcish war-dragon in full flight.»

«What?» exclaims Mabados. «That's impossible. No bolt from a crossbow could pierce a dragons hide,»

«I plan to build a device which can fire an eighteen-inch steel shaft with a hardened tip right through its scales,» says Arichdamis, in defence of his pet project.

«To fire such a heavy bolt high and fast into the sky would require a crossbow of tremendous power,» protests Mabados, who's seen dragons in combat. «Surely such a machine would be too bulky and slow moving? Dragons don't just hang around in the sky, waiting to be shot.»

«My crossbow is mounted on a rotating trestle and uses a new type of sighting device. I believe I can hit a dragon in mid-flight.»

Arichdamis's claims are met by some cynicism by the assembled visitors, particularly the military men. But by now, everyone's attention is being drawn towards Makri and the dragon. After some tussles back and forth, the creature has settled down comfortably at her feet.

«Is that beast purring?» asks one of the Generals, a dark, weather-beaten man in a green military cloak.

«My bodyguard Makri has a way with wild creatures,» says Lisutaris.

It is quite an impressive sight. The baby dragon, previously known for its aggression, now seems almost docile in Makri's presence.

«Have you experience with dragons?» asks the General.