Dragon Kin 2

28

Carmen

The door through the Curtainwall closed behind us, and the large dome hill of the Woodstone city stood strong and sure on the sea of long green grass, and rolling hills.

With Airmed's enhancements of my eyes I could see the doorway, where the rip in the fabric of our dimension had come back together. I could see that tear and noted that it hadn't actually come back together. There were spaces – small, very small – which did not seal back completely.

However, the best enhancement to my sight, I felt, had to do with the way the goddess utilized my sight – with clear focal points rather than attempting to see everything at once. The experience of having someone else focus my eyes and move them to different points than I would have – was weird enough. But to discover they used my eyes better than I did was too much. I needed a nap.

"Wish I felt more confidence about this," Vlad said.

"You don't need it, I do," I told him. Glancing at him again I caught him studying me. "What? We haven't done too bad together."

With a nod he indicated he wanted to get moving, and I struck out toward the city beside him. Then with a light voice he said, "I don't recall it being 'we' when it was time to be eaten by gators."

"Why on earth would I want to do that?" I asked, while holding back a very inappropriate burst of laughter. "That's definitely a guy thing. In fact I'm sure of it. We can ask some ladies on our way into the city. See if I'm off base or not."

He smiled, understanding the sarcasm, but his smile thinned to a wan whisper before he said, "And your parents?"

"I don't see you flying off to say good-bye to your family before going to war," I pointed out.

"Well," he coughed into his fist, "they'll likely be on the field with me."

"Oh," I said. "I just don't see the sense in meeting them for an hour or two," I told him. "I have Alexis, who I must see. That is important. That's where my war is at. Other than that, I'll stay out of the way and we'll talk again once Alexis has been dealt with."

He didn't say anything.

"Alright, yes," I said, not liking his silence. "I want to see them, my parents, but maybe I don't want to meet them right now. Fine, alright? I admit it."

He still didn't say anything.

"Look, this is serious with Alexis," I told him. "I mean, it could be serious. I... well... it could be nothing, sure, but that's why I need to check." I said, and then added, "I don't think Airmed wants to leave."

Don't bring me into this dear.

Oh, sorry. I said to her, and then to Vlad with a low, under my breath voice, "Maybe she's not adamant about it."

We walked in silence for a long while – until we were to the first homes out in the fields, when I asked, "Have you been to war before?"

He shook his head slowly, "No, and I can't figure this one. There haven't been any boarder disputes or skirmishes. No hint anything was wrong." He paused, and his eyebrows came together in a scowl... then he murmured, "I mean, to warrant war? No insults? Nothing."

"What did happened then?" I asked.

He lowered his head in thought, then said, "Taerct, that's their king, his father, Narath, died. That night he left the north heading toward us with ten-thousand men."

"That's a lot of men," I agreed. "Wait, that night? He didn't bury his father first?"

"Not sure," he admitted. "But it's not that many troops. Not really."

I scratched my ear. "Wonder what his hurry was. Did he not like his father?"

Vlad narrowed his eyes, "I'm not sure this is the right path to chase rabbits around. The Lycan people don't deal with death like others. They don't have burial services or anything. They have no concept of mourning. They don't talk about the dead. Not even to mention their names."

That could result in overboard reactions – stuffing it like that, I mean. No one talks about it at all?

Then I corrected myself. These were social beliefs, possibly religious beliefs. Not my beliefs or my psychological needs. They were different, not better or worse.

"Alright," I said, abandoning what he thought would be a rabbit chase, but not forgetting, "what is with the number? That sounds like a large number of werewolves to be approaching our home. Ten-thousand. It throttles the tongue."

"It is a large number," he agreed. "But not large enough to win an attack against Woodstone. Nor against any of the cities close to us."

"Any chance he has reinforcements coming behind him?" I asked.

"Not really. We have high flying scouts," he said.

"Huh," I grunted. "You've mentioned magic... mana, anyway. What about that? Could the number of men be triple but hidden?"

"Not sure." He thought about this, and then suddenly shrugged. "Just because I don't know of a way wouldn't mean much. I'm not well versed in mana use beyond what little I use for personal needs. But we have five times his number here in Woodstone. We have twice that number available from armies half a day away – and I'm sure they are on alert by this time."

After shaking his head out of deep thought, he said, "Besides, its a tactic more apt for the Sidhe. Not Lycan."

"Ok, what about the number. Is there a historic connection?" I asked.

This gave him far more to think about.

"What? You think of something?" I asked him.

"Maybe," he said, drawing out the word. "Gives me something to look into when we get up there. Thanks."

"No problem," I said, feeling pleased with myself.

I noticed that we were drawing a bit of a crowd as we walked to the gates now. Wearing only t-shirts under long sleeve flannels, jeans and walking boots, we did stand out among the colors and cuts of the natives.

"What about you?" he asked. "Any experience with war?"

I bit my lip, "No, not really." Then I felt a stirring in the back of my mind and added, "Although Airmed might have some suggestions."

Indeed I do.

Again the goddess' voice felt as though it was coming from some place close-by, and not from inside my own head. It caused me only a brief feeling of vertigo.

"I don't think I'm cut out for the front lines," I added, feeling queasy. It hadn't occurred to me that I might have to fight.

When I glanced up at him I found his eye alight with mirth and his lips curled into a grinchy-grinch-smile. "No," he said, "I think there are better uses for you. Like perhaps the medical tents for the injured. Or something of that nature. Of course, you don't have to do anything..."

"Yes, that's what I had been thinking. I could help with the wounded."

He looked around, "Let's change the subject until we are inside."

I noticed that we had even more of a crowd following us now. There were at least twenty of them. "They recognize you?" I asked.

"Sure. I'm out in front of them often enough. People talk. Part of life at court." he said. "That, and the guard saluting me."