Prince of Dragons

Chapter 17 - Failure and success

A/N: So I uploaded again. Turns out I'm bad at uploading at regular intervals. Sorry for that.

This chapter is a bit shorter than the last few chapters were, but I really wanted to publish a chapter. I hope you like it.

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"That woman wants to do what?" Enorwin asked. "I am not letting her join us! I know this mission isn't secret, but we needn't let every peasant in Garowain know we are going to slay Darfith!"

"Which is precisely the reason why you're shouting it near the walls of Stehnburg for all to hear," Arwund remarked sarcastically.

"Are we going to slay Darfith?" Vaciana asked, trying not to laugh. "That's silly." She was wearing a new set of clothes Maréin had given her; she'd deemed it best to burn her old clothing, since it was probably infected.

Enorwin looked from Maréin to Vaciana and back to Maréin, his mouth mimicking words that remained unspoken. Eyes wide, he asked the wandering knight, "She didn't know yet?"

"She did not," Maréin confirmed. "I have merely asked her to come along."

"Well, if I'm not allowed to join you, then I'll just leave," Vaciana said, looking like she wanted to turn around and walk away.

"Wait," Enorwin ordered. He sighed. "Great. Now she knows we're planning to kill Darfith. How do we know she isn't a one of his Servants?"

"You don't," Maréin said, "but how can you be so sure that I'm not a Servant? Or what about Arwund? No offence, but it is possible that even Bedreigh is a spy. Unlikely, yes, but possible."

"... my lord," Enorwin finished. He sighed, closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "I suppose I have no choice but to take her with us now. But Maréin," he added, looking the knight in the eye, "I will hold you responsible for her conduct. If she does indeed turn out to be a spy, then I will make sure you are put on trial and punished. Do I make myself quite clear?"

"Certainly, my lord," Maréin said.

"All right," Enorwin said, turning around, "let's go, men."

Arwund raised an eyebrow. "Men? Are we your soldiers now?"

"Are we?" Bedreigh asked, seeming genuinely curious.

"Trust me," Enorwin said, "if the army of Garowain were full of men like you two, Maréin and Arwund, then it wouldn't be able to withstand even the smallest attack."

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He had met the dragon so many times already, but lord Darfith's appearance still impressed him.

Darfith was as tall as a castle and probably twice as long. His pitch-black scales reflected the dim light in the cavern and guided an onlooker's eyes from the immense head with its long, sharp tusks all the way to the tip of the majestic tail that could sweep aside a careless human with the greatest ease. Darfith's breathing was almost as heavy as his body and produced a low rumbling every time he exhaled. His wings were pressed against the body, not revealing their true size.

The dragon moved. He lay down, his head between his paws. Huge, razor-sharp claws the colour of alabaster pointed at the man and he carefully took a step back.

The black slits in lord Darfith's yellow eyes moved, now looking in the man's direction. The dragon's jaw slowly moved up and down as he spoke in a low voice that resembled a roar, "Carlard has failed. I want you to find him and bring him to me."

The First Servant's smile was crooked. "Dead of alive?" he asked.

"Either way," Darfith said, "though I would prefer him to be alive, so that I can punish him myself."