The Best Man: The Good Man Series Book Three (Wattpad Preview)

Chapter Two: Outrage

The smell of stew hit the nose of Morek before he reached dinner. Morek grabbed a bowl and sat down at the table with his family and friends. They enjoyed each other's company, talking and laughing. Finally dinner was over, and everyone went to bed. Frajan and Casaris followed Morek back to his home as rain began to fall on the island. Thunder echoed across the waters, and lightening flashed in the sky.

His father and brother sat at the table as Morek added fire to the bed embers in his fireplace. The log slowly began to catch fire as the light shined in the warrior's brown eyes.

"Why?" he simply asked.

"I do not know Son," said Frajan.

"I thought he was a good man, a better man than all of us," Morek said. "He almost married Steris and she conceded in him. I had great honor for him."

Morek sat at the table.

"This is the same man that twice conquered the Orcs, created the Guardian Order, and gave you control of the next generation of Guardians," Casaris listed. "I still cannot believe he has declared war on our allies."

Thunder boomed outside as the fire snapped and popped. Morek stabbed his hunting knife into the wooden table in rage. Frajan and Casaris jumped.

"Calm," Frajan told his son. "I will speak to him. I promise you that. It would be good to have written support though. I will draft a Will of the People and get your students to sign it. Along the road, I will also ask others to sign it. This may show that many think this war to be wrong and out of line."

Morek removed his knife and sheathed it, walking to the fire. He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed.

"My apologies," he said. "I have been betrayed by someone I trusted once already. It will not happen again."

Frajan stood and came to his youngest son's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We all have potential," the wise man said. "What we do with it, determines the fate of ourselves and those around us."

He embraced Morek and then walked into the night followed by Casaris who gave him a brief "goodnight." Morek closed the door and sat on his bed rubbing his hands over his tired eyes. He stripped out of his clothes and laid down for the night, listening to percussion of the night.

Two days later, Morek, Casaris, Echnis, and Somian stood at the dock of Aria Island. Frajan climbed aboard a small boat with an Imperial Guard. Morek and Casaris said their goodbyes and farewells, waving as the boat set sail for the mainland. Blue skies shone overhead, but a dark cloud covered The Empire. Morek dismissed it and went back to the camp. Throughout the morning, Morek taught magic to the young Guardians. Lunch came, and Morek took his lunch to his cabin.

As he entered he dropped his plate when he found a small blue figure running around his cabin. When it came at him, he quickly slammed the door and ran to where the others were having lunch. He found Echnis and tapped on his shoulder.

"I need your assistance," he whispered in Echnis's ear.

"On what?" Echnis asked.

"The D-R-A-G-O-N," Morek hissed, spelling it out.

The Elf's eyes widened. He jumped up from his seat and ran after Morek. A worried Casaris spotted the duo and chased after them. They made their way across camp to the cabin where crashing came from inside. Casaris reached for his sword, but Morek guestered for him to leave it. He peaked the door open just slightly, and the three looked inside. The cabin was a mess as the dragon, no bigger than Morek's foot, ran around. It had four legs, a long neck with small horns protruding from its head, and two wings tucked back.

"What do we do?" Morek asked.

Echnis spoke up. "In the Dragon Age, riders established dominance by taking control of their dragons from a young age."

Morek sighed and slipped inside leaving a crack for the other two to look inside. He popped his knuckles and stomped, bringing the small creature's attention to him. It stood still a moment as Morek slowly approached. Then, as he got into grabbing distance, the dragon made an awful squeal and ran. Morek perused, leaping over the fallen table. The dragon ran behind the desk and tried to circle around it, just for Morek to swoop down and grab it. He cursed as his body hit the floor. He grabbed it in his arms and squeezed. Morek sat up and held it against his chest. While he held on, he hand stoked across where the dragon's neck met its back. Immediately, he felt a pulse flow through his body, and the dragon stopped struggling. They had somehow connected, linking the mind of human and dragon. He set it down on the floor, and all it did was look at him.

Morek stood and made a move toward the door. The dragon followed behind him, and when they reached the door and, Morek stopped, do did it. He opened the door and let the others in. They shut the door as the dragon ran at them, biting at their legs with razor-like teeth. Morek commanded it to stop, and it did just that. Echnis attempted to pick it up, but it snapped at him.

"Do you mind?" he asked.

Morek picked it up, allowing Echnis to examine it.

"Based on what I have studied, I believe it is a male," Echnis told Morek. "Which means it will grow faster and be stronger."

Morek nodded and placed it on his bed.

"Let us continue to keep this quiet until he needs to leave my cabin do to size," Morek said.

The others agreed and went back to lunch.

That night Morek climbed into bed and pulled over the covers. The dragon climbed up into the pit of his arm. Morek stroked its head and closed his eyes to sleep.

The next day, Nomes approached him with a letter he said a sailor had dropped off at the docks. Morek opened the wax, Dwarf inscribed seal to find a letter that shook him even more. He called Casaris over and shows it to him. The letter was from Nerngarohm in the Dwarg Empire. It told of Imperial forces engaging in war all over the empire and said Nerngarohm was soon to be under siege.

The dark cloud of The Empire was beginning to stretch even farther.