Nikhi looked at Kennie out of the corner of his eye. His hot tempered young friend had ruined his chances of negotiation. Intolerable, why can't she just sit and talk for once, always running into fight after fight, she… He stopped the thought. Nikhi knew why Kennie had acted the way she had, and he could never stay mad at her for long.
Well, we both know why that is, a teasing voice sang in his head.
Shut up Sparta, she's my oldest friend, you know that. Nikhi answered back, before. Sparta's mental laugh sounded through his mind.
I'm sure, she replied smugly.
Nikhi looked at Kennie from the corner of his eye and realized again how little he knew about her. She never liked to talk about her past, and since he could tell it was a sore spot for her, he never pushed her for details.
One day I'll have to find out what her story is, maybe help her reconcile with what she ran away from, the same as she did for me after I washed up, he thought mentally nodding to himself.
The door suddenly opened, causing Nikhi's gaze to snap the newest arrival. It was another Ranger, although this one was short, shorter than Will. Despite the figure's size, there was a commanding air emanating from the figure, and his face was hidden in the deep cowl of the cloak. Will looked up in surprise, and started to say something, but was cut off as the figure raised his hand to forestall the words.
Nikhi marveled at the figure's obvious power in this room, and it was evident that he was deeply respected. A low voice came from the cowl; "The Queen has asked for my help with this matter. I can't say my wife was too happy with my leaving. Again."
"I'm sure you'll get a tongue lashing when you return," Gilan smiled, debating clapping the new Ranger on the shoulder, having entered the room unseen behind him.
The man threw back his hood, revealing a stock of silver, rough-cut hair and matching beard. He shook his head with a heavy sigh. "Already got one," he turned to Nikhi and Kennie but spoke to Will, "Now tell me what's so important that you needed me? And who are these two?"
"Oh, come on Halt, don't be that way," Will almost smiled at the old man, it seemed only intense concentration stopped him.
"I'll be whatever way I want," Halt narrowed his eyes at Will.
Nikhi nearly fell from his seat. The Halt, Hero of Hackham Heath, savior of Araluen, and countless other titles and honors was standing before them. Not only had Nikhi found himself in the Royal Suite of Castle Araluen, he was in the presence of actual heroes, three of them!
"I had to ride all the way here, spending four long nights on the mud-soaked ground with hard rations, listened to all kinds of threats being shouted behind me from my wife as I rode off, dealt with incompetent soldiers, petty thieves, and superstitious locals—and I find out it's over children?" the elder Ranger's brow rose as the tirade continued, ending with an indignant huff.
"You're not looking at the bright side Halt," Will grinned at his former mentor. Halt's brow rose further beneath his shaggy silver hair as he waited to hear what "bright side" Will had managed to find.
"You get to see all of us," Will responded to the incredulous look of the old Ranger.
"I'm tired of seeing all of you. That's why I retired and moved to Seacliff, with my wife, who I had to leave behind for this little adventure."
"So that's where he's been hiding."
"I knew it."
"Pay up," there was a jingling of coins as Olivia, Peyton, and Rachel exchanged silver coins, Olivia grinning as the other two deposited their losses in her hands. Angie received a few pieces of silver from Peyton and Rachel as well.
Gilan gave them a reproachful stare while the transaction occurred, clearly disapproving of their early gambling habit.
"So who are these two?" Halt drew the attention away from the girls, returning to the cause of his sudden summons from Cassandra.
"Why should we tell you?" Kennie snapped at Nikhi's side.
"Do you know who I am kid?"
"A grizzly old man?" Kennie offered, her fowl temper radiating off her in waves.
Halt's eyes narrowed at the child. "I'm Halt, and if you like living, I'd suggest you cut the attitude."
"You're threatening a child?" Kennie hardly seemed surprised by the quick turn of events, she took it in stride.
"No, it's a promise." Halt's face held no expression as he spoke. "Now, enough with the attitude."
"Her name is Kennie," Nikhi interrupted before Kennie could shoot off another retort at the Ranger. "I'm Nikhi."
Halt nodded, seemingly satisfied with the provided information. Then he turned his attention to Horace. "So what's this about?"
"We're waiting for Cassandra," Olivia answered before Horace could.
"Queen Cassandra," Halt and Will corrected the child. She huffed crossing her arms and slid further down in her seat.
"Tell me what's happened."
The explanations took a lot less time that Nikhi would have thought necessary. But Will spoke quickly, it seemed he only needed to tell half of the details for the elder Ranger to understand what had happened. When Will finished the report, the silver-haired Ranger stroked his matching beard and sank down in a chair beside Angie.
And they began waiting once again.
Boredom had overpowered Olivia and Rachel by the time the door opened to reveal Cassandra and the healer. They were tossing bits of paper at one another and at Peyton who was trying her best to remain uninvolved. They were about to coax her into the game when the door finally opened.
Cassandra had both of her hands bound in fresh linens, and had donned a long sleeved robe to help hide her injuries. She smiled thankfully to the healer as he passed through the gathered crowd in the royal suite. She turned her attention to her friends once the door closed.
"He says I'll be fine," she answered the unasked question as she took the seat Peyton vacated for her. "Just a few weeks with these bandages while the cuts heal."
If I had attacked, there would no longer be paws to heal beneath those bits of cloth, Sparta narrowed her ruby eyes at the Queen.
I was just trying to get them off Kennie, Argos defended himself, his sapphire eyes narrowing at the red dragon wrapped around Nikhi's arm. I could have ripped her paws off if I wanted too.
Of course you could have, Sparta shook her head, turning to look at Argos. But you did not.
You did not come to Kennie's aide, Argos growled deeply in his chest, curling around Kennie's arm.
Kennie is not my responsibility, nor I hers. Sparta responded coolly. Had the queen-woman attacked Nikhi I would have ripped her delicate paws to shreds.
You would not.
Do not tell me what I would or would not do, Sparta hissed, her razor sharp teeth barred at the blue dragon. We might be nestlings Argos, but you and I are very different.
I had noticed, Argos turned from Sparta, crawling over Kennie's lap to curl around the girl's other arm.
Nikhi and Kennie watched the dragons with furrowed brows, each turning to watch as the dragons separated. Angie had also noticed the obvious exchange between the dragons. She was about to comment on the obvious argument when Cassandra spoke.
Cassandra looked up from her bandaged hands, eyeing Nikhi and Kennie warily. She took a breath, cleared her throat, and fixed her gaze on Kennie. "I do hope you're not planning on starting another fight in here, I don't think these two could handle it," She jokingly gestured to Will and Angie. Kennie looked up with a retort ready and started to stand when Nikhi elbowed her in the ribs.
"Sit down," he whispered sharply. "There is a slim chance of a diplomatic solution out of this."
Cassandra saw the look of severe annoyance and anger that the girl shot him, but at least she listened, though it took noticeable effort. Cassandra smiled inwardly, She reminds me of me when I was a girl, always had to have my own way.
"I have asked for you to be brought here," Cassandra started, indicating the pair with the dragons, "to try and explain myself. I acted rashly out of desperation. I shouldn't have, and so apologize for those actions."
Nikhi nodded his thanks, while Kennie remained stubborn in her defiance of the Queen. Cassandra took another deep cleansing breath before pressing on, "The two eggs, which hatched for the two of you, came from a far off land and the dragons in your arms are among the last of their kind, the last of the mighty dragons. They have been hunted to almost extinction, and their remaining Riders, have gone into hiding. Dragons are magical creatures; they have ruled the skies since the dawn of the world, and hold the key to many secrets. As they are magical creatures, magic comes naturally to dragons, and is why they can breathe fire and perform other wondrous acts."
Cassandra paused, letting what she had said sink in before continuing, "The dragon hunters caught wind of two more eggs, the ones you have, and sent a group after them. I always dreamed of magic as a child, and I could not allow such mysterious and beautiful creatures to be extinguished by a group of fanatics, so I had the eggs ordered here, put quite a dent in the Royal Treasury actually."
She gazed at the dragons, Sparta sitting proudly on Nikhi's shoulder, her head raised high, while Argos was desperately trying to breathe fire, but ultimately failing. Cassandra smiled when she saw him, "This is why I was so angry when I realized they had been stolen, and hatched for you. You're children who can be influenced, who could be abducted; could be headstrong, reckless, stubborn, and vulnerable.
"But I now realize that I was wrong about you two, which is why, with Gilan's permission, I'd like to extend to you the opportunity to join the Ranger Corps, where you would train under my daughter, Maddie."
"Maddie plans to train them both?" Halt interjected, casting a stern look at the Commandant. "It's her first time as a mentor; do you really think that's wise?"
"No," Gilan shrugged after a brief moment's thought. "But Maddie offered."
"It wasn't like she really had a choice," Angie commented sourly from where she was sitting by the mantle. Halt turned his questioning glance on the apprentice.
"They demand to be trained together, or they're leaving, with those pretty little dragons." Halt nodded once again, accepting the terms.
Nikhi looked at Kennie, then looked at Cassandra, "We need a moment to discuss this, privately?"
Cassandra nodded, "You can use the antechamber."
Nikhi and Kennie moved into the room indicated, and shut the door. Neither of them said anything for a full minute. Nikhi decided to break the silence. "Kennie, I think we should," he began.
"No Nikhi, we shouldn't." Kennie interrupted him quickly. "We worked too hard for our freedom, and I will not give it up to her to be trained as one of them!" Kennie exclaimed hotly, her eyes flaming. He could see she was struggling with his decision, why would someone willing give up their freedom?
"Kennie, please just think," Nikhi tired again, but she cut him off.
"No, I'll not have someone else controlling me," her voice cracked.
"Controlling you, what do you mean?" Nikhi asked, concern written on his features, "No one's going to be controlling us."
Unnoticed, Maddie slipped into the room, hearing the voices.
"You don't know that. You don't have any idea what they really want from us. I'm not going to allow someone to have that kind of power over me. Not again," she shouted, before storming out.
Nikhi stared after her, trying to decipher the meaning of her last shouted outburst.
"Well that didn't go well," Maddie sighed, watching Kennie stalk away, her every movement burning with anger.
Nikhi just sighed, "Don't worry, she'll be back, she knows the Queen's offer is for the best." Maddie nodded as she started into the room with her parents and the other Rangers. "I hope," Maddie heard him mutter as she opened the door.