Roger Parkinson - Summon Your Dragons

“No. Althak comes with me.”

For the first time Vorish looked surprised.

“Menish sent you on this errand?”

“Menish cast me out when I told him I was going with Azkun. Vorish, you must understand. We've seen the Gashans with our own eyes. This is no war with wild southerners or Vorthenki pirates. They have the Eye and they're fearsome. We need more than horses, swords and brave men.”

“Menish has seen them too. Yet he does not chase after dragons.”

“You know Menish as well as I do. He'd never call on dragons or Aton or anything else.”

Vorish nodded slowly.

“But you don't even know if such a place exists. What will you do? Sail east until you fall off the edge of the world? No one has ever returned from Kishalkuz.”

“It exists,” said Azkun. “When we sailed here from the north a creature called a dolphin spoke to me and told me of it. I asked if it could guide me one day. The dolphin agreed.”

“Isn't there a tale among the Vorthenki of a dolphin guiding a boat?” He turned to Treath who had been silent until now.

“Indeed there is. Tarath’s journey to the North Star is said to have been guided by a dolphin. But, M’Lord, this is surely fanciful. Dolphins don't tell tales of Kishalkuz. I've heard it said that the dragon isle isn't in the world at all and only a magical boat could reach it.”

“Yes,” rumbled Angoth. “It does seem… well it doesn’t sound likely.”

“Neither does the power of Gashan but I don't doubt that. I'll think on this. Go and rest now. You're weary. We'll talk again in the morning. Meanwhile, Angoth, send the dispatches we have ready. That will have the Drinols begun rounding up the peasant levies. Send the recall to the divisions we picked from the south. Now, Treath, these supply accounts…”

The sleepy-eyed youth showed them to rooms similar to those they had stayed in last time and left them. There was no food available at that time of night and the baths were cold so, they cast themselves on their sleeping furs and did not wake until long after dawn.

When Azkun woke it was to the sound of a muffled giggle. Tenari was curled up on the furs beside him. She snuggled closer and kissed him, and he remembered her lively spirits the last time they had been at Atonir. Immediately after Althak had eaten breakfast Vorish summoned them once again to his study. The pile of parchments still lay on the table, the wine jug was empty and Vorish still sat in the same place, wearing the same clothes. The only change was that Treath was gone and there were the remains of a meal being cleared by a servant.

Vorish looked as fresh as if he had slept all night.

“Sit down. Did you sleep well? You looked as if you'd sleep for days if you could.”

“We've slept well,” said Althak carefully, as if he were wary of expressing too much friendship.

“Good. I've come to a decision. You will go to Kishalkuz. I do recall a promise I made to Azkun before you set out for Gashan. But I made no such promise to you, Althak. You go at Menish’s extreme displeasure. I suspect that he had hopes of also using you, Azkun, in this war. However, you'll have to accompany Azkun, Althak. I don't believe Azkun will reach Kishalkuz unless you go with him. You've precious little chance anyway.

“I see these things differently from Menish. I've been able to study many of the old documents that tell of the Eye and I believe it's a real danger to us, much more of a danger than the fire throwing. Menish defeated the fire throwers last time and he did not have me there then. No, this Duzral Eye calls for a desperate attempt. Your offer to journey to Kishalkuz is timely.”

“You believe me then?” asked Azkun.

“I didn't say that. I said the attempt was desperate but justified. No more. I believe that you're probably going to your deaths, but if I understand this news of Gashan, so are we all. Now, by all accounts, and there are few, this will be a long journey. I can provide you with a ship, of course, but I can't provide you with a crew. I made inquiries this morning, it seems there are few Vorthenki who will risk the sight of Kopth himself.”

“Kopth is not whom we seek. Kopth is evil.”

“Yet Kopth is feared by the Vorthenki. I could only find two who would accompany you, and I wouldn't compel a man to make this journey. Ugly things may happen on the high seas far from the Emperor’s eye.

“One of these you know well. He's Shelim, who accompanied you from Lianar. He's a competent seaman and should serve you well. But so small a crew demands a small vessel.”

“You said two men, who's the other?” asked Althak.

“Not two men. The other I spoke of is a woman.” He smiled crookedly. “Thalissa.”

“What?”

“She's my mother, Althak, and you'll remember that. She's also the mother of Azkun.”

“I know. Menish told me. But what's she doing here?”

“She found a boat travelling south and followed Azkun and Tenari. She landed here after you left and was found wandering in the streets. She is… something of an embarrassment to me to keep in the palace. But all she really wants is to be with Azkun and Tenari. She doesn't, of course, realise who I am and I've been careful not to meet her. Of course she sees no connection between ‘Vorish’, the name Menish gave me, and ‘Keig’, the child he took from her. You'll not enlighten her.”

“So you want us to take her with us?”

“Nothing else would make her happy. She'll not be a liability to you. She's old but she's tough. She knows the sea and will prove a useful crew member.”

“This is madness,” said Althak.

“Tenari, I presume, is going with you?”

“Of course, but she follows Azkun like a dog.” For that remark he received a look of scorn from Tenari.

“Why should Thalissa not come with us, Althak?”

“What if something happens to her? What if she doesn't survive the voyage? She's your mother, Vorish. Will you risk her?”

Vorish looked at Althak carefully.

“I trust you, Althak. You'll not harm her. She's paid for her crimes.”

Althak shifted uncomfortably.

“She can come with us, then. I'll do her no harm. But, by Kopth, if she brings harm to herself I'll not be blamed.”

“So be it,” said Vorish.

To organise and provision a small boat was no great task, but even so they did not sail until afternoon. Shelim met them later in the morning and briefly discussed what provisions they would need with Althak. But there was no sign of Thalissa. Tenari, as before, had changed from her solemn stare. She was bright and lively. She found a harp and played on it, then danced when one of the servants played. But still she did not speak, and still most of her gaze was directed to Azkun.

Not long before they set out for the docks Thalissa came to them. For a moment Azkun did not recognise her, for she was tall and stately A costly, woollen robe hung from her shoulders and her long, silvered hair hung like a waterfall down her back as she surveyed them regally with her strange, violet eyes. She had been something of a queen here when Sinalth had been alive.

Then the moment was gone. She was the old woman of Lianar again, her face crumpled back into the wrinkled visage Azkun had seen before as she wept and threw her arms about Tenari. Althak withdrew himself to the far end of the room.

“Tenari, Tenari, my dear. At last I have you back. Oh, I know you can't speak, it doesn't matter. We're together again.” She held her away from her for a moment to look at her. Tenari was smiling, but at Azkun, not at Thalissa. Suddenly she turned and looked at the woman who had tended her after she had left the Chasm. She lifted her hand to Thalissa’s face and, with a deceptive smile, raked her cheek with her fingernails.