G. Aiken: Dragon On Top

“To the east,” Bram explained. “The Port of Awbrey. There will be a boat there that will take us up the coast to the Alsandair ports. I’ll meet my contact there.” “A boat?” Adain asked, frowning. “Why are you taking a boat? Why not just fly into the Desert Lands?” “Flying into the Desert Lands would be seen as a sign of aggression by the Sand Dragons. And it’s faster to go by sea than to walk.

“That far south,” Ghleanna explained, “we’ve always traveled by foot unless escorted.” “Why not fly over the ocean then?” Bram, Addolgar, and Ghleanna laughed outright at that.

“Gods,” Bram observed, “they are young.” “What does that mean?”

“It means you’ve got much to learn about Sea Dragons,” Ghleanna answered.

Addolgar explained, “If more than one or two dragons fly too far over the ocean, the Fins will definitely consider that a sign of aggression.” Hew asked Bram, “So you really can’t make it on your own?” Bram could make it by himself easily, but he had his reasons for not flying over the ocean, alone or otherwise. Very good reasons. “Are you feeble in some way?” “Babysitting the royal is Bercelak’s idea.” Ghleanna told them. “You going to disagree with him, brothers?” When her younger siblings didn’t answer, she nodded. “That’s what I thought.” “Do you have any fighting skills?” Hew pushed.

“I have a mighty flame.”

The three younger brothers glanced at each other. “Don’t we all?” Cai finally asked.

“Mine’s stronger.”

Cai shook his head. “Gods, that’s pathetic.” Addolgar slapped Cai in the back of the head — ignoring his cry of pain — and asked, “Do you want to move out tonight, Ghleanna?” “No. We leave at first light.”

“That’s fine. We can all camp here for the night.” “No need. We can stay at Lord Bram’s castle.” Bram’s entire body jerked. “They can?” “Get your gear,” she told her kin.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Bram demanded once Ghleanna’s brothers had walked away. “Do you hate me so much?” “You are the one who wants my brothers to like him.” “No, I don’t. I couldn’t care less if they like me or not.” “Well, they’ll like you much better if they have a soft bed and warm food — or at least a cow or two — for the night. And what could it hurt?” “What if they disturb my things? My papers.” Bram began to panic. “My books!” Ghleanna laughed. “And what, exactly, do you expect my kin to do to your precious books? If they notice your books at all, I’ll be shocked.” She stepped closer, surprising Bram, and brushed her hand against his shoulder. “I won’t let my brothers harm your books or your papers.” “You promise?”

“I promise.” She grinned, and it was a beautiful thing. “I’ll take very good care of you, Bram the Merciful.” Her grin grew wider. “Trust me.”

Cai’s big boots landed on the table, right on top of the peacemaker’s important papers. So Ghleanna grabbed him by the ankles with one hand and flipped him back, Cai and the chair slamming to the hard earth-packed floor.

“Oy!” Cai demanded. “What was that for?” “You keep your claws and your big, fat feet off Bram’s books and papers.” Cai got to his feet and leaned down until they were eye to eye. “And if I don’t?” That’s when Ghleanna head-butted her younger brother. Since he’d been asking for it and all. And it made her other brothers laugh. She did love making her brothers laugh.

“You mad cow!” Cai yelled, gripping his head.

“You’ll do as I say, little brother, or that lump on your head will be the least of your problems. Now”—she looked at all her kin—“we’re going to eat and sleep like civilized dragons and no one will start anything. Understood?” When her brothers only grumbled in response, she cracked her knuckles for emphasis. “Understood?” she growled.

“Yeah, yeah,” Addolgar quickly told her. “Understood.” “Good.” She smiled and walked over to the royal, who stood a few feet away, watching her.

“See?” she asked. “I’ve got it all under control.” “You head-butted your brother,” Bram noted.

“Aye.”

“Your brother.”

“Sometimes it’s the only way to get through to them. And it’s kind of fun,” she admitted. “Me and Addolgar do it to each other all the time. Since we were hatchlings. Used to drive our Mum insane.” “I can imagine.”

“Don’t worry about us.” Ghleanna motioned him away with her hands. “I’ve got control of this lot and I can see that you’re desperate to go and do something important with your books.” “I should stay. I’ve been told enough I’m a horrible host. Great peacemaker — horrible host.” “You don’t need to be a host with me or my kin. We can take care of ourselves.” “You sure you don’t mind?”

“I’d tell you if I did. Go on.” “All right. But just a few minutes. I just need to write a few letters. I won’t be long. I’ll be back before you know it.” “Sure. No problem.” Ghleanna watched the royal rush off to his study. “Won’t be seeing him for hours.” “So can we put our feet up on his things now? ” Hew asked from behind her.

“No, you lazy git! And don’t test my patience. Head like granite, I have,” Ghleanna reminded him, pointing at her forehead. “Just like our dear Da.”

Bram signed the last letter he needed to finish and leaned back in his chair, stretching his fingers to loosen them up. That’s when he saw Ghleanna sitting in the chair across from him.

“Hello. Is dinner ready?”

One corner of her mouth quirked up on one side, but she didn’t answer.

“What?”

“Four hours.”

“Four hours what? Four hours until dinner?” “Four hours until the suns come up.” “What?” Bram pushed his chair back and strode to the window. He looked outside and winced, realizing when he’d first sat down it had still been light out. Now it was pitch black. Even the moon was gone.

“I got up for some water and realized you were still in here. How are you going to travel all day without any sleep?” “I’ll be fine,” he promised.

“We’ve eaten. My brothers argued over who’d get to bathe in that big tub first.” She grinned. “I won that.” “Another head-butt?”

“There’s no shame in the head-butt. If it works it works. They all went to bed hours ago. Charles said you shouldn’t be much longer. . I think Charles lied to me.” “It’s not his fault. He always reminds me of the time and I just get. . lost.” “That’s all right. I find it endearing.” “You do? Most females have found it rude and intolerable.” “Stuck up, prissy asses, if you ask me.” Bram laughed. “I’ve never heard ‘stuck up prissy asses’ before.” “Because I just came up with it. Look, it’s not like you’re at the pub, feeling up the bargirls. You’re doing important work.” “You think what I do is important?” “Definitely. Because when your precious truces and alliances are broken, war breaks out.” Her grin was wide, showing all her teeth. “And then my important work begins.” She stood and walked over to him. “We need you peacemakers. Without you, there’d be no reason for war, now would there?” “It’s nice to know how integral my job is to your happiness.” “And my career! Don’t move up the ranks of Dragonwarrior without a war to fight, enemies to kill. So thank you, peaceful dragon, for being ever so helpful.” “It’s my pleasure, warmongering female.” They laughed and she caught his hand. “Now off to bed with you. You need at least a few hours if you hope to make it through the day.” She pulled him out of his study and led him down the hall. “Addolgar’s a tyrant when traveling. He likes to go and go and go. The quicker the better for him.” “Is that my shirt you’re wearing?” “I needed something to wear. Charles practically fainted earlier today when I got naked in front of him. These humans. . so ridiculous about their own bodies.” But what did she expect when her body looked so. . astounding. Long legs stretched out from under his shirt, while a plump ass moved seductively under the plain cotton. Then they were walking up the stairs and Bram realized she wore no underthings. Gods, the female was torturing him. What had he ever done to deserve such torture?