After a discussion about Ena, who shot up my list big time, I had wondered if she was so protective of Kurth perhaps because Rajaion was. What little we get of him, he was a pretty great guy and definitely seemed to love his family, going by the fact that he went for Almedha and her son himself.

Though he had come onto the balcony to watch the sunset, Prince Kurthnaga did not seem to mind, or notice, it had set hours before. He was deep in thought, his mind racing with the recent troubles that had befallen their family.

His sister was gone. She had left after a long fight with their father. He wanted them to stay inside Goldoa, where they and their people would be safe. She wanted to fight. And fight she had managed to do, if even a shred of the rumors that had reached them were true.

Not only was she gone against their father's wishes, but she had married as well. The Mad King, the beorc called him. He was igniting the flames of war all across the continent. The only good word they had heard was that Almedha had delivered a child.

Kurthnaga, and his brother, Rajaion, both wanted the safety of Almedha and her child. But the Mad King would not release them. There had been another fight that evening, this time between the king of the dragons and his oldest child. When the quarreling had started, Kurthnaga fled to the balcony.

Even the sound of boots on the floor did not rouse him from his thoughts, but the hand that clapped on his shoulder made him jump.

"Rajaion," he said, his heart racing wildly. "You frightened me!"

Rajaion smiled and squeezed his brother's shoulder. "So this is where you've come."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry you heard that."

Kurthnaga tried to smile, but it ended feebly. "I think all of Goldoa might have heard that."

The two of them chuckled, but the mood was not lightened. Kurthnaga pulled his cloak closer to him. There was no breeze that night, but he was chilled. "Do you truly intend to go?"

"I want nothing more than to bring our sister and her child home."

Kurthnaga bit his lower lip. From what he heard overheard, his father had given up on Almedha. If he was honest with himself, it had sounded like his only daughter was dead to King Dheginsea. He had even referred to his own grandchild as an abomination.

"Do you think that?"

Kurthnaga jumped. He did not realize he had repeated what their father had said aloud. "No," he whispered. "They are both our family."

"That's exactly why I'm going to get them. I'll bring them back, Kurth. And perhaps," Rajaion shut his eyes and sighed, "perhaps the sight of his daughter and grandchild will melt Father's icy resolve." The older prince did not believe it, but he did feel, deep in his heart, that their father would not turn them away if he returned with them.

"Will you take me with you?"

Rajaion shook his head. "Absolutely not."

Kurthnaga scowled at him. "Why? Because I'm not as big or as strong as you?"

In a move that surprised them both, Rajaion pulled his younger brother into a quick one armed hug. "Come now, Kurth. You have a lot of growing to do, yes, but that isn't it and you know it. We cannot have all of Father's heirs out there in a war driven continent." He did not want to add that Kurthnaga, who the beorc would consider ancient in age, was young and quick to his emotions. That would not be a wise combination should they run into battle.

Kurthnaga looked away from his older brother and started to stammer out an apology. Rajaion brushed off his brother's words. There was no need to apologize. "You'll be fine here. And Ena will keep you company."

"You aren't taking her?"

"I have asked her to stay."

"Do you think she will?"

Rajaion laughed again. The sound of his laughter caused Kurthnaga to smile. "Knowing Ena as I do, if I do not return quickly enough for her liking, she will follow. I trust Nasir to keep an eye on her if she does."

There was something nagging at the young dragon prince. He could feel a fluttering in his stomach, but he was not certain if it was nerves or just a foreboding feeling. There was clearly no talking his brother out of his. Again, he pulled his cloak tighter to himself, and, in a very small voice, he asked, "You aren't going alone, are you?"

"That would be madness. I have a group of red dragons willing to accompany me."

"Will you take Gareth?" Taking Nasir would be out of the question, as he would not leave his granddaughter, Ena. But perhaps their father's other retainer, Gareth, would go with Rajaion.

"Gareth and Nasir will stay here. I doubt this Mad King is mad enough to challenge the dragons of Goldoa, but if he has issue with us taking his wife and child..." Rajaion trailed off, noticing how pale his brother had become. "That won't happen, little brother. I won't allow it."

The two of them lapsed into silence. Rajaion wanted to kick himself for upsetting Kurth like that. He spent the silence looking for the right words to say.

It was Kurthnaga who broke the silence. "You will hurry back, won't you?"

"Even if I have to drag our sister back kicking and screaming, I will return as soon as I am able."

"Thank you."

"It grows late. Why don't you get some rest?" Though Rajaion feared his younger brother would have nightmares of wicked kings and warfare, he felt Kurthnaga did not need to be up all night worrying himself.

To his surprise, his brother agreed. "I suppose I could use the rest," he admitted.

The two dragon princes left the balcony. Rajaion accompanied his younger brother to his quarters. Outside the door, he made a promise. "I won't leave without telling you good-bye. Even if you sleep until the afternoon."

Kurthnaga smiled at him. "Good night, Brother."

Inside his room, the cloak slipped from Kurthnaga's shoulders onto the floor. He bit his lip and sank down on the end of his bed. There was nothing right about this, but what was wrong, he did not know. He wanted to rush from the room, track down his brother, and plead with him not to go.

But once Rajaion made up his mind, there was no changing it. Prince Kurthnaga pressed his fingers to his lips to stifle the sobs he held back for his brother's sake, but he could not stop the tears from falling. Nor could he fight the feeling that was the last time he would have a conversation with his brother.