Dragonoak: Gall and Wormwood, page 36
“You got it, Your—er, Merchantness,” Varn said, grunting as she hoisted one of the larger bags higher up her back.
We avoided the town itself and wound our way down to Reis’ hut. It was a few hours after midday and the scorching sun was high, leaving much of the streets and beach deserted. Kondo-Kana walked barefooted on the burning sand, long red cloak trailing behind her, while I was drenched in sweat. I focused on Felheim, on the autumn that was promised and the winter that’d follow, and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand as I jogged the rest of the way to the hut.
“Reis!” I called, nudging the door open with my elbow. “We’ve got company!”
Reis wasn’t inside. There were signs of life, from the half-eaten rice on the table next to open account books, to their leg haphazardly discarded on the sofa, but all was silent. The others had let themselves in by the time I reached the end of the pier. I shielded my eyes from the sun, just about able to make out Oak and Reis.
Light danced off the gentle blue-green waves, and far from the beach, Oak floated with his wings spread out. Reis laid on his back, soaking up the sun. Had Queen Nasrin not been hovering by the door, I would’ve let them drift across the ocean until Reis remembered how much work it took to keep Mahon running.
I waved my arms above my head and achieved absolutely nothing. Atalanta joined me on the pier. With a polite smile, she took the responsibility of getting Reis’ attention off my hands. She brought her fingers to her mouth and sent out a sharp, sudden whistle across the ocean.
Oak was gliding towards us in an instant. Reis, broken from their trance, had an arm hooked around one of his horns and almost toppled into the ocean when he stopped sharply at the pier. Oak clambered up with a rush of water and soaked us for a second time when he spread his wings out.
“Alright,” Reis said, taking my hand when I offered it. Their cane had been left on the edge of the pier and Atalanta swooped down to offer it out to them. “What’s all this about, then?”
Varn jabbed a finger square against their chest, but Reis snatched hold of it before she could knock them off balance.
“What’s all—what’s all this about?” Varn spluttered. “Like me and Lanta turning up is a bigger deal than… that!”
“Watch yourself. His name’s Oak,” Reis said, releasing Varn’s finger and hooking an arm around her shoulders. “And I might not have my glasses on, but I ain’t completely blind. Pretty sure that’s the bloody Queen of Canth standing in my living room, along with a necromancer.”
Varn didn’t reply. All of her attention was on Oak, split evenly between awe and the desire to find out how difficult dragon slaying really was. When blinking didn’t drive him out of existence, she lifted a hand and Oak mirrored her. His tail swished in the water as he perched on the end of the creaking pier, and he pressed his great, clawed paw to her palm.
Varn laughed, mouth splitting into a smile that made her less rough around the edges. There’d be no getting through to her for a good while.
Atalanta was quietly impressed, endeared by Oak and Varn alike, and Kondo-Kana watched from a distance I couldn’t comprehend. If Kondo-Kana felt the same pull to Oak that I felt to her, I would’ve tumbled straight into the ocean in my rush to get to him.
Queen Nasrin wasn’t quite so impressed. Her gaze drifted past Oak and instead settled on the ships docked at port. To her, going to Felheim was more monumental than any dragon, half-dead or not. Like the Kastelirians once had, she likely expected the country to be teeming with more of the same.
Reis caught her eye. There was no formality to it. They simply tilted their head in mute respect and kept hold of Varn for support.
“Push me in the water and I’m gonna get Oak to eat you,” Reis warned.
“I remember when you used to have two legs,” Varn muttered. She was too distracted by Oak to shrug Reis off. “Weird how there’s less of you now but you’re still just as fucking annoying.”
“Why did we ever break up?”
I retrieved Reis’ leg and had Oak on his way to the docks as quickly as Claire’s name was out of my mouth. The six of us made our way across the beach and baked flagstones, drawing looks because Reis never went ignored and nobody was going to miss the opportunity to glare daggers at Varn. Between the two of them, they made a decent distraction. The pirates that hadn’t hidden from the sun were too busy watching a dragon being strapped into a ship to wonder who the women with Reis were, anyway.
“I can’t believe I’m going already. I just got here. It’s barely been a week!” I said, while Kondo-Kana waved my crew away and leant against the bow, talking with Oak under her breath.
“Can’t be keeping you here for years again, I guess,” Reis said.
The others were on board, luggage and all, save for Varn. She hovered on the gangplank.
“I’ll be back, alright? Once this is all sorted. I’ll bring Kouris, too,” I promised. “Want me to tell her anything for you?”
Reis shrugged.
“Tell her I said hi.”
I laughed under my breath and shoved Varn onto the ship to distract myself from the ache in my chest that told me I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to leave, but Claire and Kouris were in Felheim, Akela too, and I had to let that thought keep me company on the way home.
I helped pull in the gangplank, and instead of tending to the ropes, the crew told Oak that we were ready to leave. The ship set off with a heave, and I held my hands above my head, waving as Port Mahon slowly pulled away from us. Reis watched, unblinking, but the moment I was about to turn my back to them, they started waving.
I grinned but didn't get the chance to wave harder. Reis fired their pistol skyward, forcing a thwup into the air.
“The hell?” Varn called, rushing to the stern.
“I believe somebody wants our attention,” Atalanta said, and called, “Terribly sorry, but we're going to have to wait a moment,” to the crew.
Oak was confused but would've had no qualms about returning to shore for Reis, had turning back with a boat strapped to him been an easy manoeuvre. We weren't left in suspense for long. One moment Reis was being sailed over in a rowboat, and the next they were clambering up the side, grumbling, “Bloody hell. Alright, alright.”
Resisting the urge to kick them off the side, Varn took Reis' outstretched hand and pulled them onto deck.
“The hell you playing at now?” she asked.
“You lot ain't going nowhere without me,” they said, finding their feet. “It's about time I took a break from Mahon.”
“You're coming with us?” I asked.
Reis was right there in front of me but it still felt too good to be true.
“Yeah. Mahon needs to figure out how to pull its weight without me, and it ain't like my parents are far. They're always telling me they'll take care of things, like I'm needing a holiday. Well, here it is. Plus, it's been too long since I last saw Felheim, and y'know. Kouris,” they explained, rubbing the lenses of their glasses against their vest. “Got room for me, aye?”
“Of course!”
I would've slept on the deck if it meant making room for Reis.
They journey back was shorter by almost a day. Oak was more confident crossing the ocean and warm, favourable winds carried us back to Asar. I spent those six days with Reis, Atalanta and Varn, for the most part. We played dice and card games to pass the time, and Atalanta shared stories about her past adventures. Even Reis raised an eyebrow at the authenticity of them.
She told us about her time spent in a land that was all frost and ice, where the humans were as tall as pane, and about the house-sized boar that had spent half a decade tormenting a town full of seasoned hunters. The locals hadn’t been able to stop it, but Atalanta had killed with it a single well-placed arrow.
Supposedly.
Reis snapped commands at the crew and had them working twice as efficiently with a few well-timed stares, and Varn didn't spend as much time acting as something akin to a pirate as I'd expected her to. She kept to her quarters and the centre of the deck, and didn't so much as lean against the railings to take in the view.
I didn't see Kondo-Kana, but in the same way that I'd felt Katja through the walls on my last trip to Asar, I knew she was there. I knew that something had changed, as well. At night, when the blanket of stars stretched on forever, light crept between the boards that made up the walls and door of her quarters. When the wind dropped to a whisper, silent, empty howling resonated from within her. Queen Nasrin rarely left the room, and when she did, any questions about Kondo-Kana were met with a curt shake of her head.
As much as Kondo-Kana wanted to return to the Bloodless Lands that were still Myros in her mind, she had to cross her own watery grave to get there. I had died a handful of times falling down a mountain, and though it had been over in minutes, the thought of it still made me uncomfortable in my own skin. Too much had changed within me. Kondo-Kana could've been trapped at the bottom of the ocean, drowned and dead, for weeks, for all I knew. Parts of her could've been nothing but bone.
When shore came into view, I climbed and crawled across Oak's restraints and made the rest of the journey on his back. The people of Ironash had been expecting us, in the same way that I had expected a Knight to arrive in my village; just because it was a possibility didn't mean it would ever happen. There was a smattering of a crowd at the docks, but the rest of the town withdrew into their homes.
Oak landed in the water and drifted towards the shore. He planted his paws against the dock to stop, and the ship thudded awkwardly behind him. Praising the sight of land and cursing how cold it was all in one breath, Varn darted across the restraints to help me free Oak. He knew the plan by heart. Reis had written a letter to Claire, explaining that I was returning with company, and Oak was to deliver it, ahead of us.
I tied it around his neck and told him he could rest, if he wanted to, but he flew towards the castle at full speed. I didn't blame him: I was just as eager to see Claire and Kouris. I would've gone on his back, had I not been determined to play the part of ambassador.
“Quit smiling,” Varn snapped. “I already hate it.”
“What's wrong with it?” I asked, watching as she cautiously placed a foot on the docks.
“It's shit! Look at it—it's bloody cold, and everything's covered in plants.”
“Ain't even winter yet,” Reis added helpfully.
It was easy to secure a carriage and horses, after showing the seals Claire had given me. We dragged our luggage towards the streets and loaded it onto the carriage, and Queen Nasrin and Kondo-Kana joined us. The Queen walked with her arm around Kondo-Kana's waist, murmuring something in her ear as she supported her.
Kondo-Kana had her hood up and her cloak wrapped tightly around her, but even at midday it was too easy to see the light pouring from her. It filtered through her long, tangled hair, bled through her cloak, and her steps were heavy, misplaced. Had Queen Nasrin not been there, she wouldn't have been on her feet, let alone moving in vaguely the right direction. This wasn't the Kondo-Kana the stories spoke of. There was no power, no destruction. She was vulnerable enough that a stray breeze could be the end of her.
“Hah! She's lost it again,” Varn said gleefully. She jabbed Kondo-Kana in the shoulder. “Hello? Anyone home? We're back on solid ground!”
“Leave her be, Varn,” Queen Nasrin said sharply. To her credit, Varn snapped a salute and her mouth shut in the same instance.
Atalanta and Varn took the driver's seat, and I sat next to Reis in the carriage. Kondo-Kana sunk into the corner, making herself smaller, and absent-mindedly raked her nails against the door. Queen Nasrin kept gently wrapping her fingers around her wrist to draw her hand away, but Kondo-Kana invariably shook her off and started all over again. Reis and I looked anywhere but at her, pretending it didn't bother us.
“How long until we reach your capital?” Queen Nasrin asked, though I was certain she'd already studied the maps for herself.
“Just a few days. I want to stop off at my village first, but it's on the way and it won't take long.”
“Hm,” Queen Nasrin said, tapping her fingertips against her knee. “Is it always so cold here?”
“This is almost as hot as it gets,” I was sorry to admit. Varn wasn't whining for no good reason. I'd only been back in Canth for a little over a week and already missed the searing heat. “I'm sure Claire will help you find something warmer to wear!”
Nudging me in the side, Reis said, “Don't reckon I've ever seen you so excited.”
“Of course I'm excited. Everything's... well, if Rylan had come back while I was gone, they would've heard about it in Ironash. People wouldn't be so calm. Which means that this is a good thing! Queen Nasrin's here, Kondo-Kana's here, Varn, Atalanta, you. I get to have all my friends in my Kingdom, and it's going to be good for Felheim and Canth. It's a big deal!”
“Aye, aye,” Reis said. “And seeing Claire ain't got nothing to do with it, I suppose.”
“Maybe a little bit,” I said, like my grin didn't give me away.
My village was in sight by early evening. There was no point in causing too great a delay, so I had the carriage stop at the top of the valley and rushed down with Atalanta at my side.
“This is where you grew up? Goodness! It's like something out of a story,” Atalanta said, taking in the view. “It's wonderfully rustic. What humble beginnings you have!”
I banged on the farmhouse door and Atalanta removed her hat, dusted it off, and ensured the feather was standing up properly.
My father answered the door and Atalanta immediately took his hand.
“I understand that you have no idea what I'm saying whatsoever, but it's terribly good to meet you! Your daughter is quite wonderful, and something of a living legend in Canth.”
My father shook her hand heartily, nodded his greetings, and turned back to me for an explanation.
“This is Atalanta. She's Canthian,” I said. “Some of my other friends are with us, too! I can't stop because we kind of have the Queen of Canth with us and we need to get back to Claire. There's not room in the carriage, but you should come to Thule, okay? I don't like you and Michael being alone down here when we have plenty of room up there. So think about it! I know Claire would be happy to have you there.”
“A pane, a dragon, a Canthian, a Queen...” my father muttered and shook his head. “I'll leave the decision to Michael. Which means yes, doesn't it?”
Beaming, I said, “I'll get Claire to send you a letter once we've sorted everything out with Rylan. Once it's safe for you to come up.”
I left with a hug, and Atalanta looked all too proud of herself for saying goodbye in Mesomium.
We travelled late into the night. I took the driver's seat with Reis and Atalanta both, being the only one who knew where I was going, and whenever Varn asked if we could finally stop, Queen Nasrin waved a dismissive hand. Travelling at night was no easy task and my eyes were heavy before the sun had set, but I understood her haste.
Our stops were impromptu camps. I built the fires, familiar with our surroundings, and we slept on the hard ground while Kondo-Kana and Queen Nasrin remained cramped in the carriage. For once, Kondo-Kana wasn't sleeping. She was barely blinking. It wasn't until late into the second day of travelling that something within her changed. Her blank stare became a little more focused, and she began to mumble under her breath.
I closed my eyes as the carriage jolted over every loose pebble in our path, and tried to take in what she was saying, even if it was in Myrosi. I didn't need to speak the language to know that it meant nothing and everything all at once. Queen Nasrin gently hushed her, one arm around her shoulders as she idly patted the side of her head.
“Is she going to be alright?” I asked.
“In a manner of speaking,” Queen Nasrin replied. “She'll recover, if nothing else. Kana slips away from herself, from time to time. That's all. I knew she should not have made the journey, but she would not stay in Canth. There is no stopping her when she sets her mind to something. Kana is... afraid, more than anything else. Afraid more than any of us can know. She insisted on crossing the ocean she died in time and time again, because the Bloodless Lands were promised to her.”
“Do you know about them? The Bloodless Lands?” I asked, and no matter how much I knew I was prying, I couldn't stop myself. “Do you know what happened?”
“Indeed. I know what it is, how it came to be, and why. All that there is left for Kana to tell, that is,” Queen Nasrin said. “But it isn't my story to share, Rowan. I know she wants to tell you. But you have to understand that while who she is remains constant, what she is comes and goes; she does not keep things from you to be cryptic, but simply because she does not remember them.”
I nodded. I wanted to understand. Too often it felt like Kondo-Kana had a plan for everyone and everything, that she saw decades into the future and knew patience enough to ensure everything happened at the right time. It was easy to think of her as a Yin Zhou with a thousand years more practice behind her, rather than someone who simply forgot and spent much of her time lost.
“You have been there. You’ve seen what she has done,” Queen Nasrin said. “Does this change what you think of me? I chose her, regardless of that. I knew. It was an informed decision.”
“I… I think it’s more complicated than what I think, Your Majesty.”
As we wound further north, what little heat there was simmered. An early autumn was upon us, and while I relished the way the leaves were turning crisp along their darkening edges, promising blooms of red and orange-gold, Varn had nothing but complaints. I hoped it would start to snow, bitter winds freezing her mouth over. Atalanta was far better company and had nothing but genuine curiosity and delight to offer up to the passing landscape. Reis looked on in silence, trying to remember a Kingdom they’d left a lifetime ago.
A handful of hours from Thule, Kondo-Kana’s eyes stopped burning as much as they ever would. The Myrosi on her lips faded and she stretched out, knees knocking against mine as her feet slid under the bench I was on.
