A/N: I've found that dumb drive!
Responses:
Simplegrl007: Yes, you're a good reviewer and all. I'd love to have you beta. Even if you don't review, you still read them, I'm guessing. Anywho, if you do, that's cool. If you don't, I've lasted this long without one, I'm sure I can manage.
Onto the (real) reason we're here.
Chapter 21: Isolationism
I stopped at the door; Mira was seated. "Do you want to come, Mira? I'd be there; Coven couldn't hurt you then, if he did… well… I am the Dragon-Queen…"
Mira shuddered. "He'll know by now. He always has."
My eyes widened. "Does it feel like there's always some of him inside you? Like he's sitting in the back of your mind, no matter what you do to forget him?"
Tears leaked out her eyes. "Yes, and I hate it. He taunts me, speaks to me, saying I caused my mother's death… even now."
I walked over to her and gently put my fingers on her temples, much like I did with him so long ago. I closed my eyes. "Forget thy bond."
Her eyes opened wide. "What have you done?" She asked.
I smiled. "It's a trick I learned from my father. It disconnects any internal bond you have with another thing, whether it's a lover, an animal or a sibling, even a place! I – I used it with Ade when we escaped from the palace."
Mira wiped her forehead. "Is it permanent?"
"I can make it." I smiled. "Depending on how much strength I use. Mostly, I temporarily remove it. Tomorrow, if you like, I can remove it forever."
Mira's eyes watered. "I knew you would help me!"
I brushed her cheek like my mother had when I was young. "How long have you had it?"
"Since my mom asked for his help." She whispered.
I narrowed my eyes. "Did he ask?" Mira shook her head. "That's what I thought. One more charge: intrusion of privacy."
"No one will stand for me." Mira said as I turned to leave. "I'm a commoner, he's a lord. The courts will favor him."
"Not if I'm presenting your case." I hissed. Mira recoiled until she realized my harsh tone wasn't for her. "Come on, dragonet. Time for a meeting with the devil."
- - - - - - - - - -
We didn't stop until we were sure the natives had left us alone. Sara and Syan fell asleep quickly. I hunched over, holding my d– Syan. Why do I think of her like that?
Because, my love, I heard an echo of Ceara whisper, you want one yourself.
I looked around, wondering where her voice came from. I shrugged. Must be my brain thinking up things Ceara would tell me.
Why did she leave? I asked, hoping her echoed voice would give me an answer.
It was silent.
"Why do you think they're corralling us, Ade?" Everett interrupted my thoughts.
"We passed the same tree three times in one day." I said flatly, absently stroking Syan's draconicly silky hair, it felt a lot like Ceara's.
"That just means we're running in circles." Fiona added. Tonight Sara was sleeping on her instead of Everett. She turned to Everett. "Doesn't it?"
"No, that's not what I mean." I said. "I mean, I saw the same tree three times, not that we followed the same path all three times. I think we're spiraling toward the center of something."
"Of what?" Everett muttered.
Fiona's eyes widened as she spoke.
"The Dragon Gate."
- - - - - - - - - -
Her scouts reported that the ignorant city-dwellers and the former slave had figured out their plan. They would not be afraid of them anymore, the scouts testified.
They would not run.
Hyane was beginning to wonder how afraid they'd been in the first place. She still held the envelope, checking the seal constantly.
Should she just leave it on the prince's chest late at night? No, she couldn't without knocking out the slave of the Dragonblooded.
It would have to be the slave. Violence against an outsider Dragonblooded was strictly forbidden except to purify the blood for a sacrifice to the Dragon Mother, the one her mistress called 'the Goddess'.
"We will wait until the slave is on watch." Hyane told her head scout. "Then, we will knock the slave unconscious. I will enter and place this," She held out the envelope, "On the prince's chest. We will depart and watch. We will continue the corralling."
The head scout, a female also, nodded and bowed. She exited.
Hyane was in better spirits.
- - - - - - - - - -
"We must leave now." Everett whispered urgently in Fiona's ear. "Get Ade up as well." Fiona mumbled a reply and opened her eyes. Everett's face was close. She flushed. Slowly, she moved her face to force his lips onto her cheek, not hard, just inquiring.
He looked startled. "We'll talk about us later." She promised and left the stunned widower holding his younger child. He looked into Sara's face and she was like a small angel when she slept, peaceful and beautiful. The silver streak caused by her blood only caused her to be even more saintly.
Ade was up, holding the elder Syan in his arms. There was an air about him Everett had never sensed. The other man realized the prince had the air of a father about him.
Everett was more pleased than jealous.
And you shouldn't be. A tranquil voice told him. This will prepare him.
For what? Everett asked the soft voice. It didn't respond.
Everett felt like he knew the feminine voice from somewhere… but where he didn't know.
As they snuck out of the camp, Everett's over-sensitive ears heard a woman's voice – more harsh – yelling words in the Furdain native language. He shivered and the group ran out of the camping ground.
- - - - - - - - - -
"And as you can see, the finances have taken a deep deficit." Coven ended and the other Dragon-Councilors nodded. Mira was by my side, sitting in a smaller, but nonetheless important-looking, chair. "Thank you."
Coven's eyes met mine and he knew I had disconnected his link. I smiled graciously.
"My esteemed lord has given a wonderful speech." I noted. "But, his speech and presentation has flaws, as my Dragon-Councilors might have noticed.
"The implementation of my newest reform governing the restrictions placed on young adolescents and younger has not affected the economy of Dragonhold. What legal business would support the exploitation of children slaves?
"My efforts to establish trade outside of Dragonhold have gone largely opposed. Why is this? Because isolationism is the main doctrine established during the Dragon Empire's recession into our current state! We can establish a city outside of the Dragon Gate if that would help ease the fears of the Humans abusing our last defense, our Gate.
"This would cause the economy to influx, reducing the number of the poor and the unemployed while swelling the pockets of merchants and those nobles in command of lucrative businesses.
"Therefore, Lord Coven, if you wish to make economic reforms, think about establishing a city outside of Dragonhold to trade with Humans who have things we need while we can export our finely crafted clothing and weapons to them." I smiled at the end of the speech.
That'd better put an end to this idiotic isolationism. The addition of a prince to the royal family of Dragonhold would further my efforts to create a better life for my people.
And I would have my beloved Ade back in my arms where I wouldn't be alone in raising our half-Dragon children.
Coven looked deflated and the other Councilors seemed to be swaying toward my more liberal reforms.
I nodded. "We can speak on this more tomorrow. Councilors dismissed." They stood, only one lingering after my dismissal.
Coven.