The Return of the Dragonhawk

Chapter 43 -- Asylum

"Cassandra expects an answer today," Rhoz reminded her husband of barely two moons. She had braved the patches of ice on the stairway to follow Alyx to the summit of the Kingstower, where he was watching for the noonday courier hawk from the Dragonhold garrison. A chill wind gusted, whirling a few flakes of snow. She pulled up the hood of her fur cloak.

"You heard what the Great Chapter said," Alyx replied irritably.

"They do not rule. You do."

"This is no time to wrangle with them. The war effort--"

"An alliance with the birds is part of that war effort."

"An alliance with the birds! Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"

"You have seen the ekketiren fight."

"They are specially trained and equipped."

Rhoz sighed. Because Alyx could not communicate with Cassandra as she did, he did not believe in the possibility of an alliance. Her repeated appeals to the Great Chapter had proven useless. Ghugo Faraight was non-committal; the rest found the idea preposterous.

"Even ordinary birds can do much," she said, stroking Cassandra's head, longing to fly with her. "Will you put the matter to the people?"

"To the people? How?"

"Send out a proclamation appealing to all bird owners of good will to honour their request for freedom. That might be enough to satisfy the Queen of the Birds for the time being."

"The Queen of the Birds!" Alyx snorted. "Can you truly believe there is such a thing?"

"Why not?"

Alyx ignored her question. "The hawk is coming."

Rhoz reached out with her mind and found nothing. The range of Alyx' Farsight was expanding all the time.

"And more," Alyx said. "Riders." He peered into his scrying bowl. "At least two dozen."

Rhoz felt her body straining to transform itself so that she could investigate. She bit her lip, fighting to stay an impending Metamorphosis. Much as she told Alyx that he worried too much, she could not deny the folly of approaching unknown riders in time of war. A single hostile arrow could put an end to her and the baby too.

She concentrated on Alyx' scrying bowl to distract herself, but saw only cloudy turbulence in the water. "Friend or foe?" she asked.

"Friends, I would say," Alyx said. "They have women and children with them. More refugees, most likely."

"Shall I alert the guard?" Without exception, Akynadarian refugees who managed to elude the Northlanders were prevented from ascending the mountain path to Draklunys. They were questioned, searched, and escorted to a camp west of Draklunn to be examined closely. So far, no traitors had been uncovered, but the memory of Brelathan still rankled.

"No need," Alyx said. "They are still far away."

Rhoz stood beside her husband, wishing there was something she could do to ease his burden. His eyes were more black than silver these days. Even love sport did not take him away from his troubles. He would stop in mid-caress to listen to a noise in the distance, and often left their bed to visit the watchmen or pore over his scrying bowl. When he finally fell asleep, he dreamed of war, waking Rhoz with his groans and battle cries. Between Alyx' restlessness and the antics of the babe in her womb, many nights brought Rhoz no rest at all.

They said nothing more to each other until the hawk arrived with her message. Alyx perused it, then handed it to Rhoz. "That explains our mystery riders. Griss is on his way with a handful of refugees, mostly children."