Prince of Dragons

Chapter 25 - Questions

A/N: I'm going to try and update another chapter later today. Tomorrow, I'm leaving for the holidays; as I've said before, I may be able to update during that time, but I can't promise anything. It really depends on whether I'll be able to use the WiFi of my accomodation.

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Enorwin was trying to focus on his book – which told the story of how Sir Elgass had slain Dragon King Norvand, the successor of Wainur –, when he heard a pounding at the door of his room.

He laid the book aside with a sigh and stood up from his bedside, adjusting his tunic as he walked towards the door. He opened it. "Yes?"

"My lord," a young man dressed like a squire said in the Middle language with a thick Northern accent, "I am sorry to interrupt, but there are two men at the gates who claim to be your companions. Could you please come to the gates to confirm this?"

Enorwin let out a deep sigh. He had the impression that his mind was literally growing tired of all the annoyance his companions had forced him to put up with. Shaking his head in disbelief, he followed the squire outside.

As they walked out onto the courtyard, Enorwin shivered in the winter cold. He should have taken a cloak with him; however, it was too late for that now.

At the gate, held by the arm by two guards armed with halberds, there were two men, whom Enorwin immediately recognised as Arwund and Maréin. There was a mockingly amiable grin on the rogue's face, as if Arwund had suddenly mentally declared himself and Enorwin the best friends in the world.

"Are these two your companions, my lord?" one of the guards asked Enorwin, his accent just as heavy as the squire's.

Enorwin closed his eyes for a moment and breathed in deeply. "Yes," he said, as if he regretted it – which quite frankly, he did, "they are."

He walked up to Arwund and Maréin and said, "Be glad that His Grace has decided to be lenient this time. I don't think he'll forgive a second time."

"Yes, my lord," Arwund said, his voice drenched in sarcasm.

Enorwin shot daggers at him. "I want a word with the both of you. My room. Right now."

From the corner of his eye, the prince saw a guard trying to suppress his laughter. For a moment, Enorwin considered commenting on it; then, he chose to ignore it.

"Follow me," he simply said to Arwund and Maréin, before turning around and striding back to the guest quarters.

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"What in the world made you two think you could just leave the castle like that?!" Enorwin yelled at his two companions. He was standing in the middle of his room opposite Maréin and Arwund; his fists were clenched. "The duke forbade you to! Now I don't know about your worldview, but when a duke forbids something, then you shouldn't do it!"

"Frankly, I think that depends," Maréin said calmly. "I did not trust the duke, so I decided to investigate. Arwund came with me for the same reason. And it turned out we were right."

"Say again?" Enorwin said, his voice menacing.

"Maréin said that we were right," Arwund responded in the wanderer's stead. "The duke has been taking people away from the town in the valley for a while now. Abducting them, really. Those people rarely come back."

Enorwin looked the draconic human rogue in the eye. Maybe, just maybe, there was truth in what he said, but it seemed very unlikely.

Of course it isn't true! Enorwin suddenly thought. The two men were probably just trying to justify their disobedience by making outrageous claims like that.