The Lark Taps Twice

Chapter 24: How to Vanquish a Dragon (or Two)

Miriam could keep her silence no longer. "Frenzy? Ceremony? Vanquish the dragons? Seeing as I am one half of this soulmate pair, before anything else is decided, I need the Cliff Notes version of what you guys are going on about so I am not caught off guard—again." She finished with her best approximation of the look her mother always used to persuade people to do exactly what she wanted, despite their own valid opinions on the matter.

Both royal males lasted seconds before caving to The Look. Jonatham used his hold on her to pull her away from the group a few feet to a bench, growling over his shoulder for the others to give them some space. Turning his back to the gathering, he scooped her off her feet and pulled her onto his lap as he sat. His arms cradled her against him as he buried his face in her hair and spoke into her mind.

I apologize that again I did not anticipate your lack of knowledge about our customs, my lady. I mean for this to be the last time, though with our luck, it will not be.

Her own laughter blended with his for a moment before he continued. Briefly, the third bond is much like the previous two, requiring both parties to speak a formulaic set of statements and perform physical actions. In this case, we will repeat the first set of final bonding vows before sharing our blood via pricked forefingers that will be bound together with bits of our clothing. While thus tied, we will repeat another set of vows to seal the connection.

At that time, our fates will be as one: what affects one of us will affect the other, including the sharing of magical protections and death itself. Within a few minutes, we will feel a deep need to seal our physical connection that will become irresistible in short order, and in the grip of the frenzy we are vulnerable to most attackers, thus the need for a private chamber that can be sealed for a few hours. Before the frenzy, we must both face the dragon assassins with our joined magical shielding and the dreamstone; the stone resists evil of all kinds and will reflect the dragons' flames back to them, ideally destroying them in one blow.

We will need to time the end of our personal vows with the dragon's next pass, for we will have only a handful of minutes before the frenzy takes hold and the pain of resisting it rapidly becomes ... distracting. Go with Jim to the guest wing and prepare the chamber at the farthest end of the hallway for our occupancy; my father and I will gather what we will need for the ceremony and prepare the dreamstone. Quickly, my love! Soon all will be settled, and we can forget the rest of the world for a while.

He tipped her chin up with a finger and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips before setting her on her feet. His palm on her back directed her toward the referenced hallway as he rose to his feet, and she missed its warmth when he paced away to inform the others of their intent. Not waiting for Jim to catch up, she hurried down the dim passage to assess what preparation it would require.

The ornately carved door swung open soundlessly at her touch, and she stepped into a suite that wouldn't be out of place in most luxury hotels. Besides the four poster king-sized bed covered in pillows and reflective royal blue bedding, a jacuzzi bubbled softly in the corner, and the stone floor was softened by several thick rugs. Across from the open door of the bathroom, the kitchenette boasted a sink and cupboards like the one in her prince's private rooms, complete with a projecting countertop that sheltered two stools.

By the time Jim lumbered into the room, Miriam had already assessed the amount of food in the kitchen (enough for two people to last a week), determined the freshness of the bedding (probably changed in the last twenty four hours), and checked the bathroom for towels and other necessities (all freshly stocked). She asked him to check the security of the door latch while she did the same for the window. In less than a minute, he called out that the latch appeared to be in good order, and that the provided iron bar fit snugly in the brackets to either side of the entrance. Miriam's inspection of the window lock assured her it too needed no attention, and she met him at the door to return to the others.

Jim stopped her progress with a meaty hand on her shoulder as she rushed past him. "I just want you to know, while I don't understand all of this — well, I don't understand even half of what's happened in the last few hours — I will stand guard outside this door when you're inside. Nothing will get through me, not even a whirligig of those wispy devils, if they return. From what the king told me, you two completed the spell to send those things packing, so maybe I can go back and rebuild my shop and my home without them getting destroyed again. Keeping watch while you are both ... indisposed would be only the start of me paying you back for that."

Miriam turned and flung her arms around his waist in a tight embrace. "There is nothing to repay, my friend, though I welcome your protection, should I have the opportunity to need it. No matter what happens next, I'm so glad to have met you. I hope I get to see your shop once you restore it to its former glory. Now, let's go see about getting rid of those dragons."

He allowed her to drag him out of the room, hesitating only a moment to pull the door closed behind them as they trotted back to the common room. As they exited the hallway, the karlet flew to Miriam and perched on her shoulder. Instinctively she ducked away from his beak when it jabbed toward her temple, but the sharp tap never came. Instead, there was a gentle pull on a lock of her hair.

tug tug

"Thanks for everything, little friend," she whispered as they reached the other animals, all resting in a semi-circle around the closed door to Jonatham's ruined chamber. Facing them, the king and prince stood side by side, backs to the door. Miriam slowed her steps at the intense expression both men fixed on her, and Jim looped her hand through his arm. The similarity of the scene to a wedding procession was unmistakable, and butterflies banged against her ribs.

All that's missing is the wedding march and my mother.

Jonatham held up his hand to halt her progress and whispered something in his father's ear. The king closed his eyes, brow wrinkled in concentration, and when his brown eyes met hers again, the chamber filled with strains of Mendelsohn's familiar tune. Tears blurred Miriam's vision for a moment before she blinked them away and took another step closer to her destiny.

Jonatham's voice murmured in her mind, I promise you can plan a proper Earth wedding with your mother, starting tomorrow. I hope this is sufficient for today.

Miriam stood alone before the two royals, Jim having left her side to sit on a chair to the side of the door. With a smile, she moved to King Riquero's other side and extended both hands to Jonatham. He turned to her and grasped her hands in his, a grin splitting his lips as she drew him closer.

"Thank you. The music made this moment perfect."

A chorus of dragon screams suffocated the symphony sounds, and the ceiling shook as thunder boomed overhead. Miriam found herself thrust to her knees with Jonatham's body curled over hers as dust filled the air. When quiet returned, Jonatham helped her to her feet, his expression grim.

"We are out of time, my love." He grasped her hand and turned them both to face the king, who was brushing grime from his clothes and hair. "Father, we are ready to begin the ceremony."