"Daine," Onua called her friend over. Daine wheeled Cloud round and trotted over to the K'mir.
"What is it?"
"I've just spoken to Jonathan; he wants you to go to King's Reach. Apparently there was a dragon sighting there and he wanted you to go and check it out."
"A dragon?" Daine looked intrigued, Kit stuck her neck out and chirruped, "what do you think a dragon'd be doing so far from home?"
Onua shrugged, "Alanna and one or two others are already headed out that way, you're supposed to go meet up with them along the road."
"Alright," Daine agreed, "I suppose I'd better head off. Think you can manage without me?" she grinned.
"Get on with you," Onua retorted, "and take care, your husband'll have my guts for garters if anything happens to you. I'm supposed to be looking after you."
Daine laughed, "Honestly Onua, I'm twenty eight, I'm more than capable of looking after myself."
"Well, if it's all the same to you, I'll let the anxious father know where you've gone soon, while there's still a large amount of distance between us. And if he has any complaints take them to Jonathan."
Daine grinned, "Ok, then. I'll just get some supplies and I'll be off."
Five minutes later Daine broke off from the group of Riders with a wave to her friends. Then she headed back the way she had come. King's Reach was about a days ride from where she was; it lay to the northwest of the capital. She had never been there before but knew it was where the Princess Kalasin spent most of her year. Her brother and his wife had recently gone to visit her and spend some time together away from court life. She wondered who Alanna had with her. Probably her new squire Jasson, the youngest of the Conté sons and maybe another gifted knight. With three of his children at King's Reach she wouldn't be surprised if he sent more force than would realistically be needed.
She hadn't seen Kalasin for a long time, but she knew she would be anxious about the upcoming wedding with Emperor Kaddar. Their wedding had been postponed for a long time while Kaddar reconstructed the Empire in the wake of Ozorne's destruction. It had been agreed that the event would actually take place in summer, with Kalasin and a Tortallan delegation going over to Carthak in June. Daine planned to go with them, it would be nice to see Kaddar again.
Some time towards late afternoon Daine stopped to rest and refill her water from a bubbling spring just off the main track. She lifted Kitten out to let the dragon stretch her legs and knelt down, dipping the water-skin into the crystal pool. Suddenly she stiffened, what was that sound? She changed her ears into bat ears and listened hard. Then she smiled, relaxing as she let her ears change back to normal and returned to filling her water. What she had heard hadn't worried her in the slightest.
"…if it hadn't been for Sir Neal, we could have been hours ahead," snapped a female voice.
"Hey! It was necessary," protested another voice, male.
"He was just the same as a squire," the woman said, "always obsessed by his appearance."
Someone laughed.
"A man has to be presentable, Alanna," retorted the second voice.
"Don't mind mother, she's always like this," replied someone else dryly…
Daine grinned to herself and walked to the road to greet her new companions, from the sounds of things Alanna's companions were Sir Nealan and Sir Thom, this was definitely going to be an interesting journey. Jonathan certainly seemed to have a sense of humour about the situation.
She waved as the four riders came into view. They rode over and dismounted.
"Hello Daine," Alanna said, firmly grasping her hand in greeting, "I'm sorry you'll have to endure the company I've brought with me, but Jon insisted that I bring gifted knights."
"I'm certainly an extremely gifted knight, a natural one might say," put in Neal, grinning.
Alanna and Thom both rolled their eyes and the young prince looked rather amused.
"I was hoping to have left this fool behind, he's a very bad influence on the prince," Alanna sighed, her eyes twinkling.
"I'll have you know I'm a very good role model," Neal said, dismounting and walking towards them, "just ask Kel. Hello Daine" he added holding out his hand.
Thom dismounted too and greeted her, "he really is a terrible travelling companion, he never ever closes his mouth."
Neal pouted and the prince laughed.
"Act your age Sir Neal," Alanna said, shaking her head, "honestly I can't understand what the Lady Yukimi sees in you."
Daine grinned, "So do any of you want to rest or shall we press on?"
"We'd best keep going," Alanna replied.
"Faleron and Liam'll be waiting if we don't get a move on," added Neal.
"Well this is one for the record books, Nealan of Queenscove is worried about being late," Thom said dryly. Alanna grinned at him as she motioned for them all to mount. Neal decided not to dignify this with a response.
Several hours later they neared their destination and Alanna contacted Liam. The others stopped for a short break while Alanna talked into the ball of purple fire in her outspread palm.
"Are dragons really that dangerous?" Prince Jasson asked, as he came to stand next to Daine offering her a drink from his water bottle.
Daine accepted the drink and took a gulp, "it depends, your highness," she replied reasonably, "some are. Mostly they avoid human contact, which is why I'm curious about this particular dragon. What is it doing so far from the Dragon Realms?"
"But they can do magic and stuff?"
"Oh yes," Daine replied, nodding, "it takes a very powerful mage to be able to even begin to think of challenging one, a full grown one anyway."
"And that's why Papa has sent gifted knights, right?"
"Right," agreed Daine, "but hopefully force won't be necessary. I'd like to speak to it, find out why it's here and ask it to leave the town alone."
"They're heading this way, so we should meet somewhere in the middle," Alanna said, the fire disappearing from view, "It shouldn't be much longer until we meet."
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A/N: just a short note to thank you guys for your reviews and your patience, I've got so much work at the moment it's untrue! Well, hope you enjoyed this. xxx