Chapter 3

Several tense seconds passed where no one said anything. Finally Jack broke the silence.

"Tell me what," he said

Connor finally took a deep breath and pulled the armband off of his right wrist. Connor then held his wrist out palm up. Jack looked down at his wrist and stopped short. On Connors wrist was a ring shaped birthmark. Ice filled Jacks lungs as he removed his own gauntlet on Jack's right wrist was an identical birthmark.

"Jack," said Connor, "I'm your brother, well half-brother to be exact."

"How," said Jack in a stunned whisper.

"We have the same father but different mothers Said Connor, "you probably already knew that your parent's marriage was an arranged marriage, what you didn't know was that before he married your mother you father was in love with my Mother Morrigan."

Jack nodded in understanding and motioned for Connor to go on.

The day your parents got married my mother was already expecting me. Our grandfather sent my mother to the highlands to keep me a secret.

"I've got to tell our father about you!" said Jack excitedly.

"He already knows, Jack." said Connor with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"He knows!" said Jack anger flashing in his eyes, "Why didn't he ever tell me that I had a brother!"

"Because, that would have meant acknowledging another heir to your family fortune," Said Connor, "and besides I'm his illegitimate son, you're not."

"My father may be ashamed of you but I'm not," said Jack, he gripped his brother's wrist in the warrior's handshake, "I am proud to call you my brother.

Connor smiled at his brother's ready acceptance of him he squared his shoulders and stood a little straighter. Then he seemed to remember something.

"Jack," he said, "I was a little worried about how meeting my brother for the first time would go."

"A little worried," said Joules giving Connor a knowing look.

"Okay, Okay," he said, "I was a lot worried, so I had a gift made for you." Connor led Jack back into his quarters. Crossing the room to the table pressing a certain knot it was revealed to be a switch that caused a secret compartment in the tabletop itself to open. Connor reached in the compartment and slid out something that was long and narrow and wrapped in red linen. He handed it to jack who unwrapped it. The linen fell away revealing an ornate dragon's head handled sword. Jack's widened in disbelief.

"The sword of a Dragon Lord," he said, "Oh this is too much, I can't_," Connor held up his hand.

"Yes, you can, and you will," he interrupted, "My dragon Pyro forged it specifically for you." Jack shook his head in disbelief trying to comprehend it all, first finding out that he had a brother then to be given the steel that every swordsman in the 4 kingdoms dreamed of having as a gift was beyond his wildest dreams. Grasping the handle he drew the sword from the sheath and admired its glistening blade.

"Is Dragon Steel as strong as they say it is," he asked Connor while doing a quick drill with the sword to get used to the weight. Connor smiled.

"I thought, you might want a demonstration," said Connor, he turned and walked into the other room when he a regular sword much like the one Jack carried. Connor drew his own sword and holding the other sword out he slashed down with his Dragon lord blade. Sparks flashed and the end of the standard sword clanked to the floor. Connor held up the hilt of the standard sword and Jack saw that the Dragon Blade had sliced it like a piece of cheese.

"Does that answer your question?" he said with a smile.

"It sure does," replied Jack nodding. Connor sheathed his sword.

"Well, Jack," he said, "you look like you're strong enough to travel we should get you back to Seaford. Jack followed Connor out onto the platform. Pyro swooped down and once again landed next to Connor.

"Jack," said Connor motioning to the dragon, "this is Pyro. Pyro this is my brother Sir Jackson of Seaford, Jack for short."

"Hello, Jack," said Pyro, "Glad to meet you."

"Hi," stammered Jack astounded by what was happening, "Nice to meet you." He leaned over to Connor

"I can't believe I'm talking to a dragon!" he said

"Jack," said Connor with a chuckle, "there are two things that I should tell you: first whispering won't do you any good. Dragon's can hear a gnat sneeze a mile away. Second, you have a Dragon Lord for a brother now. So you're going to be used to talking to dragons before you know it."

Pyro leaned down and helped to boost Jack and Connor up on to his back.

"Where to, boss?" Pyro asked.

"Seaford," answered Connor, "Oh and Pyro, Jack's a first time rider so ixnay on the acrobatics."

"Right boss," said Pyro with a snicker. Pyro made a tremendous vertical leap, spread his wings and they were off.

Meanwhile…

The people in the kingdom of Seaford were trying to get back to normal after the rumored loss of one of its best Knights. King Crawford had sent out search parties to look for Jack but all to no avail.

After about an hour of coaxing the King had convinced Princess Kim to come out on the citadels raised pavilion and at least sit in the sun for a few minutes. She said down and watching the people in the marketplace for several minutes. Just as she was beginning to get bored a dragon came shooting over the treetops and immediately dropped down and swooped in for a landing in the middle of the courtyard.

Kim was out of her chair in a flash when she saw who was climbing down off the Dragon's back. Jack's feet had barely touched the ground again when Kim ran up and threw her arms around him. Jack flinched and gave a sharp grunt.

"Oh Jack," she said, "I'm sorry, I can't believe you're alive, I mean I'm glad you're alive, but how are you alive? We sent out search parties and what's wrong with your side?"

"Whoa Whoa Whoa," said Jack, "Slow down, to answer your questions, it's okay, Thank you, it's a long story, and an arrow wound that's still pretty sore." Jack turned to see Jerry Milton and Eddie coming toward them. The three friends exchanged excited greetings with Jack.-

Princess Kim who was still holding on to Jack looked up and saw Connor still perched on top of Pyro. Connor was sitting there with his chin propped on his elbow which was propped on Pyro's head both he and Pyro were looking amused.

"Kim," Said Jack, motioning to Connor, "This is the Dragon Lord Connor, my Brother."

"You're brother!" four voices said in unison. Jack nodded.

"Yeah," he said, "I just found out this morning." Connor nodded to the princess but continued to look amused.

It was at this point that Jack realized that Kim still had her hands on his shoulders and he still had his hands on her waist. They let go of each other quickly. Jack looked up at Connor and pointed a finger at him.

"Don't say a word." He said. He tried to sound menacing but he almost lost it when Connor and Pryo pointed to themselves and gave him a 'who us' look.

Connor straightened up and raised his hand in a wave to his brother as he prepared to leave.

"Don't be a stranger, Jack," he said.

"I won't," said Jack, "and I'm also going to get on father case and stay on it till he acknowledges you as his son."

Pyro shot into the air and disappeared from sight. Jack and his four friends started back toward the citadel while Jack regaled them with the whole story.

Just then a white horse with a rider on it who was hanging on the horse's neck and barely staying on rode into the courtyard. It was a young soldier whose right arm was covered in blood.

Several soldiers went to help him while one of the servants went to get the court physician. King Crawford recognized the young soldier as Sir Maxwell called Max by his friends. He was a young knight like Jack. King Crawford had assigned him to patrol the border between Seaford and Medaria which were the largest of the four Kingdoms.

"My King," he gasped as Jack and Jerry laid him on the ground, "Medarian raiders attacked the border station it was slaughter the border guards are dead!"

Jack looked at the princess, she had gone pale.

"Jack," she said, quietly, "this could mean war!"

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