The Two Dragons, page 21
“Only use dead wood,” reminded Staff. “I doubt anyone would notice one small bit of smoke with the forest fire just over there, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
“How far east do you think the river took us?” wondered Croffut.
“I estimate about seven miles. It could be a bit further.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” asked Buttermore. “That puts us closer to Birmisia.”
“It also puts us closer to where they might be searching for us.”
“Maybe not,” said Senta. “I imagine that Hissussisthiss thinks he fried us. Even if he’s not sure, he won’t want the lizzies to know that he let us get away.”
“You’re right,” said Bratihn. “They think he’s a god.”
“He is a god,” said Senta.
“Either way he’s not going to want to appear weak.”
“I’m more worried about the Freedonians,” said Staff. “That airship was east of us. I’d like to stay as far west of where they’re searching as possible.”
“Won’t we run the risk of not being able to find our way home?” asked Buttermore.
“We don’t have to find our way home to Port Dechantagne,” explained Kane. “If we keep going north or even northwest, at some point we’ll run into the Mallontah and Birmisia Railroad line.”
They stayed where they were until the next morning, and then dressed and gathered their gear together. Traveling northwest, they walked through forests that grew taller and taller as they went. They had exhausted all of their food and so by mid-day one could hear numerous stomachs crying out unhappily. Staff was not inclined to shoot his weapon unnecessarily this close to their last known position, and anyway the only animals that they had seen since they had left Hissussisthiss on the grassland had been small birds. Staff wasn’t sure about hitting a bird on the wing with a rifle, even though Croffut assured him that he could do so. Femke Kane spotted a patch of mushrooms, the safety of which they discussed at length. At last the group decided to chance it. In the end though the small ivory colored fungi did nothing more than aggravate their angry appetites.
The next day was more of the same forest, more of the same walking, and more of the same hunger. Just before dusk they came across a single achillobator. Its bright crimson plumage made it stand out against the green and brown background of the woods. Both Staff and Croffut fired and both hit it, though it was unclear whose bullet had killed the beast. They cooked a breast and a drumstick from the achillobator which was more than enough to fill all their empty bellies, though it was a sad reminder that Manring, who had cooked a similar animal on their way south, was no longer with them.
They slept well that evening and in the morning they even had enough of the cooked meat left over that they were able to break their fast. Staff examined the Kanes’ injuries to find them healing well, and the party was once again marching northwest.
“Do you know what day this is?” asked Wissinger.
“What?” thought Kane. “The twenty-fifth? Twenty-sixth?”
“It’s Accord Day.”
“Cor Blimey!” exclaimed Croffut. “You’re right. It must be.”
“Well then, God save the King,” said Staff.
“God save the King,” repeated Kane, Bratihn, and Croffut, then Brown and Wissinger, slightly behind the others.”
“I should be at home eating bangers right now,” said Buttermore.
“Or drinking a cold beer,” said Vever.
“Or shooting fireworks,” added Bratihn.
“Or going to a dance,” said Mrs. Kane. Senta looked at her inquisitively. She shrugged.
The following day they reached the foothills of the high mountains they had crossed on their way south. Though they were miles west of their pass, Staff thought that he could negotiate another way through. Sitting at the base of one of the first hills they came across was a large black stone obelisk. It was tilted slightly and was covered on all four sides with strange, inhuman hieroglyphics. The party stopped and stared to find the tall pointed structure completely alone in the middle of nowhere, so far away from any signs of civilization.
“Sembor uuthanum,” said Senta, touching the stone. Then she translated the words. “I am Sessonoth, the great king, king of kings, king of all Sassonicah, the king of countries, spawn of the line of Sissisinat, and chosen by the gods who created this world and who created heaven, who created the people and who created happiness. I am Sessonoth, commander of many armies, in this land, far and wide. For the pleasure of the gods, this great city have I built and Sissisinat built. Whatever is built and is beautiful, we built it for the pleasure of the gods. May the gods preserve these works. Look upon these works and know the greatness of Sessonoth and of Sissisinat.”
“I’m not too impressed,” said Bratihn, looking around.
“It doesn’t look as though the gods were listening,” said Brown.
“Maybe they just stopped caring about it,” said Wissinger.
“Bleeding heck,” said Buttermore, looking up at the sky. “We’re going to be traveling in the rain.”
“Good,” said Staff. “No airship. No dragon.”
It took them five days, five miserable days to find their way past the mountains. On the other side the rain continued and they slogged on, managing to find only one other animal they could shoot, cook, and eat during that time. Two days later they stumbled across the rail line. Late that night the train from Mallontah chugged up the track. A large bonfire ensured that the train stopped, after which the ten wet, exhausted, and starving men and women marched up to the door between the coal tender and the first coach. A grey-haired bespectacled conductor looked down at them.
“We need ten berths,” said Staff, looking up.
“Got no berths. All full.”
“Coach seats?”
“Yes. Ten of them?” He waited for Staff to nod. “Six hundred fifty marks.”
“Kafira. Doesn’t it cost less than that to go all the way from Mallontah to Birmisia?”
“Have to pay for the unscheduled stop.”
Staff pulled out his wallet and peeled off a series of one hundred mark bank notes. The conductor stepped aside and the group climbed up the steps and found places in the half full rail coach. The seats were arranged two to a side and all faced toward the front of the train.
“Is the dining car open?” asked Staff.
The conductor pulled out his pocket watch and examined it. “It’s 2:16 now. Breakfast service begins at five.”
“Try to get some rest,” said Staff, looking around at the others. Senta sat down and fell immediately asleep, though she popped wide awake when Mr. Vever shook her shoulder less than two and a half hours later.
“Breakfast,” he said.
Mr. Brown and both of the Kanes preferred to keep sleeping but everyone else adjourned to the dining car, where along with a few early risers among the passengers from St. Ulixes, they feasted on fried eggs, white pudding, sausages, potato farls, and soldiers. Once full, Senta went back to her seat and slept until the train pulled into Port Dechantagne station just after 9:00 in the morning.
Staff made sure that each member of his party was safely off the train. Croffet, Bratihn, and Wissinger made for the trolley stop. The others called for lizzie-pulled rickshaws that waited in a line along the side of the station. Senta climbed into one of the two-wheeled carts and a husky olive colored lizzie started off. She didn’t offer directions and would have frankly been surprised if he needed any. Within twenty minutes the rickshaw had pulled up in front of Zurfina’s tower.
“Szessit?” she asked.
The lizzie held up five clawed fingers, meaning half a mark. She fished three one mark notes from her bag.
“You know Graham Dokkins?” she asked, handing the reptilian the money. He nodded. “I want you to find him and tell him I’m home. If he wants to ride, bring him here. I’ll pay you five more.”
“Thess,” said the lizzie. It might have meant “yes” or maybe “thanks”. It didn’t much matter. It turned around and pulled down the street.
Senta didn’t go to the front door, but rather walked around the tower to the giant barn behind. Opening the large double door just enough to enter, she closed it behind her. Bessemer was not at home, but Senta found Zurfina lounging on the massive pile of pillows that the dragon used for his bed.
“You’re home.”
“You don’t usually state the obvious,” Senta replied.
“Are you all right? You look tired.”
“I haven’t gotten enough sleep. Or food for that matter. Plus I had a dragon and about a million lizzies trying to kill me.
“Are you ready to learn a new spell?”
“No, I’m not ready to learn a new spell! Did you even hear what I said? Were you even worried about me? Do you care what happens to me?”
“Yes… of course I… do.” The sorceress sounded as though she honestly had no idea what Senta was going on about.
“Why don’t we just have that talk we were going to have?” Senta sat down in the pillows beside Zurfina.
“I was going to wait and talk to both of you at the same time. It seems such a waste of breath to have to tell the same story once to you and then again later to Bessemer.”
“Humor me,” said Senta.
“Fine, fine. It’s not really much of a story. You already know that I was most unfairly confined.”
Senta nodded.
“Well, after I escaped, when I tapped energies that hadn’t been released in centuries in order to wreak my vengeance, I must admit that I suffered a bit of… hubris.”
“Really. You. Hard to believe.”
“I know, but there you are. Well, I thought that given how I might well be the most powerful magic user in the world, there must be some sort of great destiny awaiting me. I sought out a seer. She was in fact, Miss Jindra’s mentor. She cast the most powerful divination spell at her disposal to prophesy for me what my destiny would be.”
She paused.
“Well?” asked Senta.
“It was disappointing. It seems that I, the greatest sorceress that the world may have ever known, am destined only to be a guardian… a protector… a parent if you will. The prophecy said that I would be the keeper of a powerful leader of a distant land or something to that effect. I really don’t remember the exact words.
“I had quite forgotten about it when I heard of the Dechantagne’s plans to colonize Birmisia. I used a suggestion spell on a Mernham Yard wizard so that he would mention my name to them. My only thought was that it was a good opportunity to get away from Brech. When I found the magister willing to sell me a dragon egg, then it all seemed to come together. A powerful leader… a dragon… a distant land… Birmisia. I resigned myself to my fate—to be a dragon’s godmother. Then I found you watching the Dechantagne house and I discovered you had potential. I decided right then to bring you along with me. Now here you are doing magic beyond even what I did at your age.”
“Well, I can’t be the powerful leader, right? It has to be Bessemer.”
Zurfina shrugged. “Who knows?”
“Well I’m glad you found me when you did,” said Senta.
“Of course I would have stopped by to see you regardless.”
“What do you mean?”
“I would have stopped to see you before I left Brech forever.”
“Huh?”
“Come now,” said Zurfina. “Surely you know this already. Deep down? We look so much alike after all.”
“Are you trying to tell me that we’re related, Fina?”
“Of course we’re not related, silly. I’m your mother.”
“What? That’s not possible.”
“Of course it’s possible. I do have all the necessary parts.”
“I know. I’ve seen them. But… how?”
“The usual way.”
“No. What about Granny and the other kids.”
“Admeta, the woman you know as your granny, was my mother’s younger sister, my aunt, although we were really more like sisters. She always loved children. I think she was the only one in the family that did. She was certainly the only one that loved me. They never accepted it when my mother married my father—he was a Zaeri you see. Then my parents died, and I went to live with my other aunt, Wiolet. As soon as I began to show the first signs of talent…”
“Magic?”
“Of course. She sold me as an apprentice to a sorcerer. Well, you know that story already.”
“He’s not my father is he? That creep you burned in his bed?”
“No. If he had been, I don’t think I would be able to look at you.”
“Then who?”
Zurfina stood up, bit her lip, then took a deep breath.
“You do know, don’t you?”
“Don’t be a twonk. Of course I know. It was Smedley Bassington.”
“Oh my god!” said Senta.
“He was really quite dashing in those days.” She lay back down on the cushions.
“I’m going to be sick.” Senta dropped down beside her.
“Don’t be so dramatic,” said Zurfina. “Although perhaps you should be thankful you favor me.”
“But my name is Bly.”
“I’m sorry to tell you Pet that you are a bastard and bastards don’t get their father’s name.”
“But where did Bly come from?”
“Well, that’s my name.”
“Zurfina Bly?”
“It doesn’t have much of a ring to it, does it? That’s why I don’t use it anymore.”
Senta climbed back out of the cushions and stood up. She paced back and forth for a moment.
“You should lie back down,” said Zurfina from her reclined position. “You do look terrible.”
“So you left me with Granny, when you were locked in Schwarztogrube?”
“Yes… No… I left you with Admeta just after you were born. That was about a year before…”
“So you didn’t want me?”
“Well of course not. You know how I feel about children.”
Senta opened her mouth but nothing came out.
“You know I care about you now, don’t you,” said Zurfina. “Now that you’re interesting, I mean. Babies are just so disgusting.” She stuck out her tongue.
Senta just stared at her for a moment, and then turned to walk out. She stopped short however and turned around. “Does Smedley know he’s my father?”
Zurfina shook her head. “If he ever found out that I had a child, I’m sure he could work it out from the timeline. He’s quite a good mathematician.”
Senta pursed her lips.
“Do you know who you look like just now?” asked Zurfina.
“I don’t want to hear it.” Senta stomped out of the barn.
She walked around the tower toward the front door. When she reached it she looked down the road. The lizzie rickshaw driver pulled his little vehicle toward the house.
“Thank goodness,” she said, walking back out into the street. When she did though, she saw that the rickshaw was empty. The reptilian handed her a small piece of paper and she read the note scrawled in a familiar hand upon it.
“Busy right now. See you tomorrow. G.”
“That wanker,” said Senta, fishing out the promised five marks and handing it to the lizzie, who started off once again, presumably back to the train station.
“Hey,” said a voice behind her.
She turned around to find Saba Colbshallow standing in the road.
“Hey.”
“I heard you were home. I wanted to come and see if you were all right.”
“I wouldn’t say I was all right…”
He stepped forward and put his arms around her shoulders. She let herself be pulled close and put her head against his cheek. He was one of the few men she knew who was tall enough to hold her this way. She tilted her face upwards and suddenly his lips were on hers. She tasted his breath and then suddenly she was looking into his eyes. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she pushed him away. Or was she pushing herself away from him?
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I don’t know. What are you doing?”
“Probably something extraordinarily stupid.”
“Then perhaps you ought not to do it,” she said.
There was a loud whomp, as Bessemer, the steel dragon landed five feet away.
“Hide me!” he shouted.
With two quick hops he reached the barn and bounded inside. The door slammed shut and they could clearly hear sounds of bolts being thrown inside. The morning sky above them was suddenly blackened by a monstrous form directly overhead. The green dragon Hissussisthiss beat his wings lazily to hover just above. Almost four times as long as Bessemer was, he probably outweighed him by ten times.
“So you made it home, Sorceress.” His voice was like the roaring of an avalanche. “Send your whelp out. His time has come. Your time has come too.”
Suddenly Zurfina was standing beside them. Senta saw her scoop up a handful of colorful glamours, activating the spells stored within.
“Uastium premba uuthanum tachthna paj tortestos—talik!” the sorceress shouted. Hissussisthiss seemed to explode in a shower of sparks that rained down over half the city.
“Thank Kafira you were here,” said Saba. “Who else could have destroyed a monster like that?”
“She didn’t destroy it,” said Senta. “Not a dragon. Not like that.”
“Quite right Pet,” said Zurfina. “I sent him away. But he’ll be back.”
“Is he gone?” called Bessemer from the barn.
“You see?” said Zurfina to Senta, striking a pose. “All this, and destined to be nothing more than a mommy.”
Chapter Fourteen: Father and Grandfather
“I guess I do feel vindicated now,” said Zeah Korlann. “Of course I didn’t realize so many people thought I was lying before.”
