It had been a week since Eliena had returned to Tortall. She was beginning to worry about Daine and Numair.
"Stormwing!" a lookout cried from one of the towers of Legann's fortress.
"Eliena?" Jonathan looked at the girl, outfitted in the best chain mail, wearing the tunic of the Riders, with her sword at her waist, quiver on her back, and bow in her hand. The only sign of her royalty was the tiny crown painted on her helmet. "You want to take this one?"
"Sure." Eliena fitted an arrow to the bow and readied it.
"Oh, Eliena," the Stormwing tsk-ed. "No need for that." Eliena grinned.
"Don't shoot!" she called. "This one's a friend!"
"A friend?" Jonathan asked.
"Rikash," Eliena replied. The Stormwing landed in front of her.
"I suppose this would be your father," he drawled, and gave a Stormwing bow: he lifted one wing and ducked his head. "I'm honored, Your Majesty. My name is Rikash Moonsword, one of Queen Barzha's." Jonathan inclined his head.
"Please to meet you," the king replied. "Any friend of my daughter's is a friend of mine."
Eliena looked at the Stormwing. "News of Daine and Numair?"
"We dropped them at the Dragonlands," Rikash replied. "And they should be on their way back now."
"Dragonlands?" Jonathan asked. "Eli, what is he talking about?"
"Nothing, father," Eliena replied. "Stop worrying."
"El, Numair is the Realm's greatest mage. I hear he's somewhere called the Dragonlands and—Great Merciful Mother!" His blue eyes were wide. Rikash and Eliena looked to see two large dragons flying over Port Legann. The soldiers on the tower were frozen.
Daine waved furiously from the back of a fifty-six foot long gray and gold dragon. Numair rode an eighty-foot long dragon; with scales so blue they were almost black and flecked with violet and gold. There was a golden crest almost like a crown sloping from his forehead to his shoulder.
"Great Mithros, Daine!" Eliena exclaimed. "You do know how to make an entrance! Stand down!" she ordered the soldiers. Daine laughed as the dragons landed.
"Eliena, this is Wingstar-" she patted her dragon, "-and Diamondflame. They've decided to help us out," Daine explained. "Wingstar, Diamondflame, this is Princess Eliena of Conté and her father, King Jonathan IV.
Jonathan bowed. "I'm honored," he said.
--From what the girl has told us, you seem like a well-enough king,-- Wingstar remarked.
"Was that…?" Eliena looked at Daine.
"In your mind? Yes," Daine replied. "Dragons speak mind-to-mind."
"Fascinating," Jonathan breathed. Eliena smiled-her father loved learning new things, almost as much as her grandfather Myles.
"Are we going to fight or sit around and talk all day?" Barzha inquired. "I have a score to settle with the Emperor Mage."
"Patience," Numair told the Stormwing, who grunted. The mage turned to Jonathan. "We stopped in Corus. Buri and Duke Gareth told us Alanna is on her way with a Yamani fleet." He glanced at Daine, obviously keeping her silent. Eliena knew she could pry it from the girl later.
Jonathan nodded. "We have a job for you, Numair—Inar Hadensra," the king said.
"I know," Numair replied grimly. Eliena knew of the Scanran mage aiding the enemy. He made her shudder with his ruby eye.
"You should get a start on that," Jonathan said in a voice suggested that he meant now. Numair nodded.
Eliena embraced him. "Don't do anything stupid, Numair. We'll need you around here." Numair smiled and tweaked her nose. He turned to Daine, whose eyes watered as she hugged him with all hr might. Eliena didn't hear what they said, but she knew she had missed something between them. Numair went off, and Daine smiled at Eliena. The girl opened her mouth, but Eliena stopped whatever Daine was going to say. "It all seems quite interesting, and I'll have to hear all about it later. For now, we have some serious Ozorne behind to kick." The Stormwings cheered and flew off to find the former Emperor Mage.
"Can you handle it?" Jonathan asked Eliena seriously, meaning commanding the army while he used the Dominion Jewel.
Eliena looked amused. "Father, I think that this is as good a time as any to prove that I am worthy of being called 'the Tigress.'" Jonathan smiled. "But I want to be fighting, not sitting here and commanding."
Jon put his hand on her shoulder. "Command from the field, Eliena. I know you can do it—Lioness blood runs in those veins." Eliena smiled and hugged the king.
--You may ride me,-- Diamondflame told her. –-It would be a pleasure to fly such a girl as you.—Daine looked surprised at this. Eliena smiled and settled herself on Diamondflame's back.
"Is it OK with my mail?" she asked the dragon.
--Fine,-- he replied. Jonathan put his hand on his daughter's leg.
"What a time you live in, Eliena, to command from the back of a dragon," he said. "Stay safe. I would be in a lot of trouble with many if you were to get seriously hurt or killed. Tortall needs their Tigress as their future queen." Eliena leaned down to kiss him. "Keep her well, Diamondflame."
--I am a respected older dragon,-- Diamondflame informed the king. –I believe I know how to care for young ones.—
Eliena heard her father's laugh as Diamondflame and Wingstar took to the air.
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