Sven was blinded by the sudden return of light. Blinking as he bowed his head he felt sweat along his spine. Aye, beasts ah power. He was not bull headed enough to refuse a gift… two gift snakes in the mouth. Bartered snakes? He wasn't going to question it.
Eir shuddered, "Aye be thinkin, the laddie be The Pheonix ah legend…"
Frigg nodded, "Aye be thinkin, we may be needen ta revisit them legends."
There was a chorus of nods all around. Even from the empire's men.
Randal shuddered, they'd wanted to… do what to Ashton again? He was just glad he wasn't civilized enough to be in his majesty's inner council. That might just work in his favor.
The healer was gripping his wooden knife. He'd only seen the mutilated beast corpses for a moment… but several were… legendary at worst. Hydras, Stymphalian bird, a typhon… whatever had happened to them… it had been instantaneous. None of the blood had even started clotting yet.
The ranger nodded repeatedly, "Mayhap… we find a new land. Ye are no so attached anymore, Randy?" A pebble hit him between the eyes before he could continue.
The mage rolled his eyes, "If we were gonna move, woulda been decades ago. Pull up yer big boy pants."
Randal watched as Ashton, Nix¸ was bombarded by the small birds. Each pecking at his accessories, chirping about how pretty he was.
Sebastian couldn't get the sight of the… corpse out of his head. How gently Lord Reece had picked up each piece, ignoring the dirt, the blood, the… foul. Whatever had happened to the man had been bad. Which begged the question… how had they done it without Lord Reece knowing… and why.
Calix pulled on his grandfather's sleeve, "Grandfather… the story. From before, when he battled a day and a night with a god… do you think…"
Sebastian closed his eyes, so, it had been a calculated cruelty. To draw Lord Reece out, and keep him from flying away. If a sea goddess showed up… there was a good chance it was related in some way to Alaina… which meant Adar.
Beloved landed on Nix's head. He was so sparkly! She only hummed lightly as Nix held three of the smaller birds in his arms. He was remembering… but judging from his heart's song, it was more fragmented information.
Haven shrank as he gathered the birds up in his tail. "Is it not sad?" Haven asked glancing over the dragonkin as he slithered toward the tree.
Sebastian jolted, realizing the snake god was addressing… them. "The… tortured man… yes."
Haven snorted, "Not him, though that was regrettable. A fine human, at least as far as I heard. No, what is sad, is that even now so many keep trying to take what is so freely given."
Sebastian shared an uncertain glance with his majesty, Duke Darnings, Leonard, even her majesty… "Your Godship… I'm afraid I don't… understand."
Haven's eyes constricted as he brough the birds into the shade, "Salvation. Nix's existence is your salvation. Had the dragonkin simply left him be, he may have been compelled to remove… all of the taint. Yet… instead of accepting a gift freely given, do you not plot to force the task upon him?"
Jaxon stiffened, "That… was not his plan."
Haven gave the dragonkin a malicious smile, "No? But, it was part of the barter struck when Ashton was offered up as sacrifice. Perhaps not the way you wanted, but the taint was already being absorbed. Once the body is… no longer of use, it will be cleansed. From what I can see, you were handed all the tools needed to save yourselves."
Jaxon gritted his teeth… if it was a barter struck with the Sun God… why… why wasn't it making sense.
Haven glanced over the dragon, "There was even a back up plan thoughtfully prepared, no doubt because Nix and Ru were aware how… dragon like your ruler is."
Beloved gasped as Kokono fell through a rift to land on Randal's head. Kokono opened her wings as if to hide the much larger body.
Beloved fell through a rift to land on her big snake's face, "That is a secret, one they don't know, I still want to see how the story unfolds."
Haven chortled as he curled up, no doubt his flock of birds were in need of a nap. "Is he so… interesting?"
Beloved nodded, "If the world is a story, in the empire's song, he is the protagonist, calculated from weak, to now strong." Beloved whispered behind her wing.
Randal stiffened… it's like… they were forcing him to reveal his cards.
Charmaine sneered from behind her fan, "Duke Hammer? Once exiled? He's little more than a coward in front of his Majesty. Only when he's around the rabble does he pretend to have a modicum of ability."
Nix glanced over as fire burned away his temporary appearance. "Exiled instead of killed? The crimes of which family was accused, more nonsensical than copper ungilded." Ashton remarked as his body shrank ever so slightly.
Leonard signaled for the others to restrain themselves. "I still do not see… How Duke Hammer can save the empire."
"So hard for them to understand, harder for them to see, the brilliance born from a king, who was once forced on his knees." Ashton said with a sigh as he rested his head on Haven's body.
Lucian bit back his retort as Ashton continued.
"When you weren't looking, where you couldn't see, he did most of the leg work, took the greatest of heed. Truly, the protagonist of the empire's story."
Randal clenched his fist as he waited…
"He admitted nothing, took all in stride, when things were amiss, aside he put pride." Ashton reminded as illusions of Randal bowing his head in their secret meets as he asked what no one else dared voice.
"He always asked the questions, never once gave up hope, his secrets he kept, from friends, more importantly foes." Ashton said lightly as he glanced over the imperial family.
"Now he returns, his conquest is great, not just with heads of leaders, no, more importantly, alive of the ancients they still speak." Ashton remarked. The covered wagon suddenly shook, drawing everyone's attention.
"Is it not sad, is it not funny, the smartest one, must hide how brilliant his light. For if the kin knew, would end only in fights." Ashton said with a sigh.
Kokono used her wings to hug her favored human's head. Patting him consolingly.
Randal's jaw ticked as he eyed the snake, and the birds. "Is there a reason… you're pointing this out now?"
Beloved gasped, "The dragonkin are dumb, kept secrets from you, had the very thing, you've been seeking, but they… are fools."
Randal whirled on the emperor, no… no! "You… they… they didn't!"
Beloved covered her face, then dove into Nix's arms. "Good luck!"
Randal had barely held himself from charging at the emperor… first he saw off the visiting Brigade delegation. Their king was braver than him, keeping not one, but two nation destroying snakes in his furs.
Now he was on the very of throttling them all to death. "You had a curse destroying artifact… when I've been looking for one fer twenty years? When I've posted bounties worth a kings ransom, fer twenty years. When, as I was reinstated, me only request was ta ken if ye had one in the treasury?!" He roared in the emperors face.
Lucian's eyes took on a reptilian shape, color slowly bleeding into his irises. "Watch your tongue duke Hammer."
Randal grabbed the closest chair, moving so fast it shattered on the wall behind his emperor. "WE COUDA BLOODY ENDED THIS TEN YEARS AGO!!! YE BLOODY, IGNORANT, SELFISH, PIECE OF SHITE!!! TWENTY YEARS!!!!" He roared.
"ALL I BLOODY NEEDED WAS SOMETHING TO BREAK THE FIRST LAYER OF THE DAMNED DRAGONS CURSE!!! TWENTY YEARS!!!!!! TWENTY BLOODY YEARS!!!! AND YE STUPID, PIGHEADEDNESS IS GONNA HAVE US ALL DAMNED!!" Randal's blood was surging. If the small bird wasn't doing something on his head no doubt he'd have revealed himself already. That might actually be for the better!
Jaxon shoved himself in Randal's face, "Watch yourself!"
The mountain man stood up, kicking the table leg so it broke, causing the table to fall. When he had everyone's attention, he spoke. "Tis yer fault the bloody empire be damned! Ye bloody ma willin ta use er own body for them wretched experiments!"
The priest sighed, "Randy… I know I've said it before, but… maybe… we go back ta the old days… an jus leave."
The ranger nodded, "Tis no yerself ye damn by tryen ta save these fools Randy, tis… everyone else."
The mage remained silent.
Kokono glided off her favored human's hand so she could change her appearance. "He can't leave. It's not a want, it's… part of the curse."
Everyone's eyes turned to the female warrior as she sat down. "What do you mean, part of the curse?" Leonard asked when even Randal looked surprised.
Kokono shrugged, "The first priestess, none with her blood can leave. They must die in the empire. She hated the greed dragon so much… she used her own life to curse all that carried her blood."
The mage closed his eyes, "Why did ye no tell us Randy? We'd never leave ya."
Randal gripped his head as pain shot through this skull. "I, no…"
Kokono pulled on her favored human's hand, "He may not be cognizant of it. It's more… a compulsion to return. To die here." She tilted her head, "That's why your song is so fragmented, we thought it was because you suppressed your memories."
The mage gave a soft cough. "Oh, that part be me. Tis only when all of us be together does he have all his memories. To… keep his majesty an the others from forcing information outta him. Not that we ever believe they could. Randy be a stubborn arse."
Kokono nodded, "Like keys to his memories! So interesting."
Randal opened his eyes, "That bein said, this Ruby Tear could dispel curses under the 8th tier… an now its gone." He'd been aware of the dragon's curse… he'd been trying to get information for decades… but he knew he couldn't trust anyone with dragon blood. Not even his daughter… ha… even after everything… after thinking he could trust them… they still managed to sneak the bloody head of church by his side. His wife… illegitimate daughter of the previous pope.
Randal collapsed into a chair, twenty years… and it had been right bloody here. He'd just needed… one break. Now, he'd all but exposed himself to this fool of a puppet emperor who couldn't wipe his own arse.
Kokono glanced around, then puffed out her chest. "I know a bird, one who is smart, what can you offer, to defeat the devout?"
Randal opened one eye to look at the bird, "I'll no beg, not even yer kin. If the empire falls, tis fate."
Kokono blinked, "But… will you barter?"
The mountain man couldn't stop the slow grin that crept onto his face. "Oh ai, we do barter."
Ashton blinked as they hid beneath Haven's wings. "Did you see it? Do you now know?"
Beloved pouted, "He was too sneaky, he was too sly… I was distracted… I think he is shy."
Ashton nodded slowly, blinking blearily… "A plan we do need…"
Beloved nodded with a yawn, "A plan… after a nap."
Haven smiled as his little flock settled in for a nap. In the meantime, he was allowing bread dough to rest. A nap, then a snack. Then to see what they had planned.
Caius wanted to scratch at the tree… they'd left him all alone again!!! Aiya!!! Mean snake!!! Bringing them so high up!!! Glaring when he looked up! Mean! Teasing! Neglect!!! He… wanted to cuddle with his Little Snack… his Little Snack should smell like fox! Not snake! Overbearing! Caius huffed as he curled up beneath the tree. Alone.
Talvi rolled her eyes as all of them were snuggled up under the tree with Father Caius. What were they? Chopped liver?
Littlest snorted as he burrowed under his owl's body. He was smart enough to catch his bird. Father Caius was just not pretty enough. No one could fix that.