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Emperor’s Shadow: Chapter 13

Sleep would have snatched them from that hill, guided them into the ethereal realm if not for nature’s cruel joke. Clouds had gathered as they enjoyed each other’s company, pelting the two with icy rain that stung at scale and flesh alike. With upmost haste they fled back to their accommodations back at the capital, where a bed and a raging fire had been promised them.

When his paws graced the stone of Qui’ttax once more, there was little question what they’d been up to. Siigonis eyes gleamed with hidden knowledge as the pair made their way to their room. Cordenth only chuckled with their passing, knowing they must have burned with jealousy over his ability to bed a future queen. Inside what awaited them was a bed of pillows and blankets, seemingly gathered from across the realms. Colors were mismatched, the hues didn’t blend together, it looked as though someone had tossed them in a corner and let them be. This room unlike the others in which they’d seen was of a perfect size for one such as he, perhaps larger still.

The stone here was carved with art of dragons, frozen in stone of their delightful dancing through the sky. Tapestries flowed down from the walls like waterfalls of color, stitched together with the upmost care. Opposite the sleeping area was a fireplace, a comforting flame already lit and waiting, warming them inside and out with it’s delightful radiance. But it was the center of the room that drew Cordenth’s gaze, for a table of oak was presented dead center, adorned with jewelry of glittering gold, gems thrust into their surfaces. There were necklaces, amulets, anklets for the forepaws, even a ring for his horn, or at least he hoped it was. Each was large enough for a dragon, and clearly a way of the siigonis trying to shower him with affections, earn his favor it would seem in hope that he would grant them luck in return. The dragon was warbling as he padded over, tail swishing, nosing at everything, noting how it not only smelled old¸ but valuable as well!

“Hey look, they even left a bowl of fruit in which we might feast upon!”

Unlike the dragon, Lyndis was not as bemused. In her hands she held an elegant dress of bright turquoise and gold, that rippled down to the floor. It was fitting for a queen such as she, but it lacked an important feature that she was waving her hand in front of, “How can they expect me to wear this? It’s hardly got a top!”

“Lyndis.” Came the clicking tongue of Cordenth, swaying his tail in amusement, “Should we not follow their customs? It is their way. Who are we to judge them.”

“Oh, shush you.” Her hands found his snout, shutting it close. “You only want me to because my tits be flopping out.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that assumption.” His frills gave away the game, fluffing in and out.

“See? That confirms it!” She laughed, collapsing into the sheets, wiggling like a worm.

“How? I said I could do neither! You’re not making sense. On an unrelated note, why would I distain the image of you with your breasts hanging free? Though it might sound odd my dear, I have a perversion where I find them attractive on you.” He snaked his snout down, teasing at her cheek with his tongue, enjoying the way she giggled and playfully smacked at his.

“So, you’d rather I strut around, on full display for everyone?”

He didn’t answer, such was the nefarious female’s trap. To which of course she laughed harder, smacking him upside the snout with a pillow. “Well, not in front of everyone…But just for me? Now that’s a thought I could get used to.” He padded into the nest of blankets and pillows, curling around her protectively, his paws holding her to his chest. “Just as you catching sight of my draconic maleness drives you to lust.”

“You assume much good dragon!” Came her snarky reply, smacking at his paws, “Who said that?”

“I believe you did, when we were engaging in the carnal act.” He rose his brows as he looked to her, “And I do quote, Cordenth your maleness drives me to lustful madness. Unquote.”

“I did no such thing!” She shot up, snatching the next pillow she could find, brandishing it like a club. “And to think I thought lies did not suit your maw.”

“You’ll find me full of surprises.” He warbled, adjusting his neck as she hurled her projectile, avoiding it, only to have her grab another and smack him upside the snout. He gave a dramatic groan, flopping down to the nest, “I have been slain.” He stuttered as his conquer proceed to kiss to an unseen crowd.

Laughing sleepily, she fell into his outstretched paws, snuggling up against his protective underside. Unable to resist, he held her close, coiling as a wall around her with a resounding warble that brought forth more giggles and flushness to Lyndis’ cheeks. But with a comforted sigh, enjoying each others warmth, minds started to drift, dip their toes into the ethereal realm. But all of that shattered with a knocking at the door.

“Were trying to bloody sleep! Lyndis yelled, unable to lift herself from Cordenth’s paws.”Come back tomorrow! After breakfast, and pray they have coffee!”

“They don’t have that.” Cordenth whispered, “It’s some sort of juice concoction.”

“I don’t care, long as it does the job!” She buried her face back into the pillows.

Again, came the knocking, undeterred by Lyndis threats, “But were after the dragon good queen!” The voice called from the other side, clearly siigonis. “The elders wish to speak with him, get his blessing on an important matter!”

With him? Cordenth shifted, letting Lyndis fall against the sheets as he pushed himself to the floor. This is what they’d been waiting for was it not? If they wished to speak with him, then obviously they’d come to agree to lend their aid! He swished his tail as he rumbled, enjoying these moments of their victory. He went to pad his way to the door, but found his tail snatched by a pair of loving hands.

“Do you have to go?” She shifted in the bed, giving him the largest, puppy dog eyes that the dragon had seen.

“I must.” He kissed her gently, fighting the urge to stay, held ever in her warmth. “You’re the one who was insisting we go here for help, I’m honor bound to see that through.”

“When do you care about that?” She scoffed, flopping to her side.

“Don’t worry, I shall return in most haste that I can.” He nuzzled her cheek till the sting of their parting dulled, and he offered but one parting kiss. “Now if you excuse me, I have a group of lizards to woo.”

*

With a swishing tail, Cordenth followed the siigonis through the temple grounds, admiring how open most the architecture was. The air was alive with new beginnings, swelling his chest and putting a proud step within his paws. History was to be made within these meager places, of the beginnings of his new and glorious empire. With Lyndis by his side, nothing would stand in their way. From the farthest reaches of Sethera, all would hear of what they would build, a glorious place in which dragon and mortal lived as one. He could close his eyes and picture the many dragons soaring above, dancing between clouds underneath the sun. No mortal would dwell within his lands that harbored ill will to dragons, for letting that fester would only lead to ruin.

“How do you feel on the cusp of something grand?” He eventually turned to his siigonis guide, who had dutifully remained silent during their entire padding through the temple.

Looking up with hesitation at being addressed by such a grand figure, the siigonis’ reply was sheepish as they began down the steps towards an open garden. Where plants a plenty were bursting with color, painted white and purple by the twin moon’s radiance above.

“It brings good tidings to me and my kin dragon. But how does your mortal feel? Knowing she won’t live to see your grand vision?”

“Astute question my scaled friend.” Replied, having thought over this question plenty of times during their lengthy flights. “But I will cherish my dear Lyndis till the ends of her days. When wrinkles afflict her and age has robbed her of her senses, I will be there to lift her ever higher.” He bowed his head, placing a paw to his chest. “Such is the burden with my long life, but I will adore the moments we share. I shall not forget her spirit, and carry it on into the future of our fledging kingdom.”

“So she’s like your pet?” The siigonis’ brow lifted as they reached the garden, the chilled grass tickling their paws.

He laughed at the ridiculous idea. “Even if our relationship resembles that of a mortal to their dog, with her being the dog of course. To reduce it down to that basic quality is ridiculous. Would that lessen her love for me? Or mine for hers?” He gestured to the glowing moons above with a claw, “I’d die for her, kill for her, nothing in this world is as pure as my certainty that I adore her. So don’t you dare slander her with assertions that she be my pet.” He snapped to the siigonis, eyes narrowed, chuckling as the siigonis scampered from his sight, mentioning that he’d retrieve the elders for his council.

“Such a weird place to meet me.” He muttered to himself, padding his way around the secluded garden. There were flowers a plenty of various shades, each intertwined in artistic displays of the siigonis forms. He spied a few dragons among these and rumbled in his chest, even here his people oozed from every inch, from culture to architecture. Was Drenedar to be like this in it’s distant future? Of buildings made for dragons as well as mortals? He was drawn to a sizable pool, where orange scaled koi did swim, circling the water’s edge as if he intended to feed them. The dragon lowered himself, observing all those little maws, opening, closing, then repeating, hoping for things that would not come.

He planted himself down upon the cold grass, twisting a claw gently through the waters. As it rippled, he could see the future he was building. A place of towering spires that reached out with claw like limbs to the fluffy clouds above, where leathery wings carried his citizens, both mortal and dragon that fell under his loving guidance. They would adore him, herald his coming, sing songs that would be remembered into the eons of time, touch every land that dotted this sphere. The dragon smiled as he could picture it now, letting the night fade away, replaced with the warming sun, the delighted peoples and the bright tomorrow that awaited him.

It would take generations, but it would be worth it. No longer would dragons grow under the threat of being hunted for the crimes of others. There would be no wars upon dragons just for the sake of it, with wrymlings cowering in their nests, made orphans because some grubby mortal decided to get rich. True there might be some objection, there always was to great change, but he had the friends and the connections to sweep those people aside. Let them be hurled away by the winds of change, forgotten to time as those unwilling or unable to brace the unity that he proposed. All those dragons that he’d read about, or dreamed about, their deaths would no longer be in vain. All the suffering and dwindling of dragon kind would be fixed, woven together by the bonds he and his friends built in these days.

Cordenth closed his eyes with a gentle hum, oblivious to the sounds of the night around him. But a sudden ruffling pulled him from his meditation. He turned from his stars and moons to the steps behind, ready to make the future into a reality. His heart caught in his chest as it was not the elders that greeted him on those steps, nor was it the siigonis guide that had led him here. It was instead a dragoness of great size, with grey scales that covered her from head to claw. Predatory ice blue eyes were locked upon his snout, filled with experience. The dragoness towered over him at least twice over, fluffing her black, white, and grey feathered wings as if to taunt him with their length.

“Lovely night for a stroll don’t you think?” Asked the dragoness with a hint of amusement in her voice.

“I wasn’t under the impression this place had other dragons.” He blurted out in surprise, only just raising to all fours as the dragoness closed the distance between them. She was close enough to swat him aside with a claw if she wished, or lash out and snatch his neck between her jaws. Yet concern didn’t occur to him, he knew this dragon, but where? He hadn’t a clue.

“They are always lurking around every shadow, putting the fear rightfully into the hearts of men and beast alike.” She got closer, sliding around Cordenth as he tried to back pedal away. To this she clicked her tongue, “Has traveling with your half-human pet clouded your senses? Made you oblivious to me in your carnal activities?”

He managed to slip free of her immediate presence, warding away her advance with a flare of his wings and a snap of the jaws. Even to this she wasn’t frightened, merely chuckling to him as a dragon might to a wrymling trying to test their boundaries. “Now, before we continue this conversation, you’ll explain who you are. I just don’t share the company with strange dragonesses that invade my personal space.”

The dragoness tapped her jaw, “Is this before or after your pet corrupted your heart? If before, you’re unlike most dragons that I’ve ever met.”

“Guess I should count myself proud of my unique quality.” He lashed his tail, “Now who are you?”

“Oh Cordenth, fine. If you can’t pluck the answer from between your horns, I shall tell you. It is I, Queen of the Eternal Flame, tamer of this realm, master of undeath, champion of dragon kind, loyal daughter of the Emperor. But to you?” She grinned, showing off her rows of razor-sharp teeth, “You can call me auntie dearest.”

** *************

Vishta, agent of the Kobold Intelligence Network, settled into her seat in one of many bars that called the capital Qui’ttax home. It was called the monkey’s bane in the common tongue and did hold the bones of a few unfortunate humanoids that trespassed onto the siigonis’ sacred lands, propped up in a grim honor. This wasn’t a place for warmbloods, nor was it the fanciest. Tables were stained with the beer and mead, going perfectly with dents and dried blood, echoes of bar fight’s past. The kobold nursed a crimson ale, a popular treat among the populace, thick with fruity flavor. It had just the right amount of kick to twirl her tail, but she dare not tell Lyndis what was dashed away in her drink, human blood.

It might have been unethical to sip on such a thing, but it was intoxicating to say the least. She was already on her second tankard, the effects tingling through her spine. She wiggled on her chair, one they had to procure from the back, meant for patrons with a more, diminutive stature. Even then, the lizard’s feat couldn’t reach the floor. She settled back into the weathered wood, mulled over by the satisfaction of a job well done. The elders would gather and bicker with one another, such was the way of leaders, but in the end, Lyndis would get her reinforcements, the queen of eternal flame would be thwarted, the uniter would be kept from her grasp. She’d get a promotion for a feat such as this, especially having to put up with the arrogant, pompous attitude of the green dragon in which she was saddled with!

The monkey’s bane was aflush with customers, large and small of the siigonis kind. They were mainly keeping to themselves, enjoying the air of pipe smoke and ale. Several were engaged in a game similar to cards, but played with blocks of stone. Others gobbled their simple meals, some entertained the siigonis barkeep, Broxl had two male concubines seated on either side of him with salacious looks in their eyes.

“So what awaits the spy this eve?” The hunter asked, stroking a hand along the chin of one of his entertainers for the evening. They were absolutely eating each other up, not even giving Vishta a glance. “Passion? More drink? Or will you lose yourself in papers and books?”

“Don’t look down on a good scroll friend, they can…Fuel the mind just as well as anything your carnal acts could accomplish.” She replied with a smirk, “But yes, if you must know, I have plenty of logs and journals to look over. We accomplished but one of our objectives, tomorrow the next leg of the adventure begins.”

“Never ends does it?” He sipped his own drink, before turning to the other concubine with a throaty purr, teasing the infatuated man with a flick of his reptilian tongue.

“When it does, I best be retired. Gods only knows what I’d do with myself.”

“I could think of a few things.”

“We know you’re thinking with a different head right about now.” Scoffed the spy, rolling her eyes as the siigonis nuzzled against one another. “Don’t tell me you’re going to get at it on the table.”

Broxl laughed deep in his throat, chasing it with a swig from his mug. “And yet I’m not wrong Vishta. Tonight you taste victory, relish in it just for a night! No one is going to judge you if you do. You don’t look like those elves you know, and I’m certain one of my new friends here would entertain you for the eve.”

Her nostrils flared at the idea, missing her time with the elves all the more. At least they didn’t seem to let their carnal instincts get the better of them. “No doubt that he could, but how about this-“ She flickered her eyes at the lustful siigonis, currently grinding up along Broxl’s side. “You go enjoy both of your friends for the both of us. They seem to be your type anyway.”

“That much is certain.” Rumbled the ranger, “Now if only we could have gotten the dragon’s attentions, now that would have been a night worth remembering.”

She stopped mid sip of her drink, brow raising on its own. Broxl had been favorable of Radiant Star since their time in the temple together, something clearly was up. She searched the hunter from claw to snout as he lost himself in salacious talk with his two concubines. Did the dragon use his power on him? Vishta bit her lip, “You’d be hard pressed Broxl, the dragon seems to have his horns pulled in only one direction, you have too many scales it seems for his tastes.”

“His loss then if you ask me. Now if you’re not going to partake of this delightful tail before me, than it leaves more for me.”

“Spend lots of time here?” Vishta chuckled.

“After long hunts, travel, whatever better way than good drink, good food, atmosphere and sex?”

“Hard to argue I suppose.” She slid from her seat, flipping the barkeep a few gold coins for his trouble. “Just don’t catch something that leaves your dick itching eh?”

“Yea, I’ll try not to.” He scoffed, “Now don’t go getting lost, I’m going to be busy!”

It wasn’t her first time here in her life, and most likely not the last. She stalled in the entryway, shaking her head in amusement over the hunter’s over joyous reactions at being alone with his catches for the evening. With her mind soon floating to the journals in which she was going to spend the remainder of the eve, she stepped forth out the bead like door into the night air. There she was awash with the distant songs of it’s people, the clicking of cart wheels, and the earthy smell of these people. She uncovered a symbol of loki beneath her vest, a small flame dangling by but a thin wire. She rubbed it for luck, closing her eyes, whispering her thanks for the luck that had transpired. Just as she was taking her first steps onto the stone streets, the shattering of a glass gave her pause.

That sort of thing happened all the time in establishments, did it not? Someone knocked over a bottle on accident, their senses robbed by their drink. But the sound of a scuffle within, combined with draconic hisses? That was less than typical. A shiver slithered down Vishta’s spine as she heard tables scrape across the floor, followed by pained grunts upon the air. Tavern brawls, the start of an adventure, the drunken squabble of fools, if not for Broxl within, she wouldn’t have wheeled around with conviction, unsheathed her energy hand crossbow and returned.

Her finger hit the activation rune, letting the weapon’s deadly hum swim through the air. It’s vents began to vibrant, gears turning, ready to cool what would be the intensity of magma. What greeted her was chaos, of overturned tables, knocked over tankard and startled siigonis, some with eyes so wide you might think they were dinner plates.

The center of attention was Broxl, how could it not be, his arms being held behind him in the forceful grip of one of his entertainers. The other was grasping a firm shaft, but that of a dagger’s hilt instead of anything pleasurable. It was currently plunged into the hunter’s belly, right to the base. Blood had already begun to pool around the edges, slinking down like rivers to dribble upon the floor. Their tails lashed as one as Vishta swung her weapon home, issuing her threat.

“Away from him now boys, otherwise you’re going to get a few new holes to try out. Should you survive.”

No a soul stood to help her, or hissed at these would be attackers, but the siigonis beheld her like a child. Those that held Broxl hissed their amusement.

“Our quarrel is not with you kobold.” One said in the draconic tongue, “Leave and our blades shall not kiss your flesh.”

She highly doubted that, and they’d already made their first mistake, not realizing she’d given an order. With a twitch of her finger the one holding the blade had a hole seared through his throat, sending him flopping backward to the floor, clutching himself in utter shock. As his partner came to grips on what had transpired, Vishta flung herself to the nearest gathering of tables, using her diminutive size to pass unseen to set up her next surprise attack.

“Where did she go?” The uninjured assassin barked, letting Broxl drop to the ground with a pained grunt. “You don’t scare me kobold!”

But he should have been. She held her weapon tight, eying the wide eyes of her target. He was brandishing a scimitar in one hand, raising a spiked shield in the other. How many had she killed like this? Brave warriors who had no idea what game they were playing? She levied her weapon and aimed, having no intention of revealing herself.

“She’s under the table, watch out!” The bartender shouted, hurling a spear in her direction. The bladed tip nearly struck her, but throwing off her aim. Her next shots went wide, blowing a few holes in the wall with a sizzling crack.

Not good, she tried to return her aim upon her now charging foe, who was far quicker than she gave him credit for. Though she tried to scamper to another table, he closed the distance in no time at all. She found her cover ripped from atop her, the crazed lizard bearing down upon her with his wicked blade. She just nearly raised her weapon to save herself from getting beheaded. She was sent flying back to the ground with a pained gasp, her weapon tumbling out of reach.

She cursed and tried to right herself, but the siigonis was right on top of her. Her assailant clutched fast her vest, using his superior strength to slam her to the floor with impunity. Pain shot through her, stars burst in front of her eyes, desperately she flailed to claw at him. It only ended with his bulk down upon her, pressing against her windpipe as the siigonis snarled atop her a crazed look in his eyes.

“Should have taken the out kobold.” He hissed, squeezing tighter to restrict her breathing, “Now you die, just like your friend.”

Lungs bursting, she tried to kick, but her assailant was just too strong for her to put up any real challenge. In grim silence her resistance was met with his stone like defense, only scuffing up the floor. Blackness now was teasing at her vision, the smug look of her attacker taunting her to the last. Was this how it was going to be? Choked to death like this on a bar floor? In a last desperate act she reached for her belt as her attacker leaned in, reveling in watching her light go out in her eyes.

“That’s right, this is it…The e-“

She thrust a dagger up into his chest with the last of her strength, then twisted. In his startled state she slipped free of his grasp, taking a sweet, gasping breath of the air. Head spinning she found her hand-crossbow, turned and blew the siigonis head square off before he could even issue another threat at her.

“See? You got ahead of yourself.” She panted in relief, ending the barkeep soon after with the bark of her crossbow as he brandished a spear in her direction. She was left shaking and coughing as his body hit the floor with a dull thud, setting the monkey’s bane into a sense of uneasy calm. With her next fractured breath, throat still stinging, she stumbled over to Broxl’s side. The hunter had not moved from where he fell.

“Broxl! Broxl! Are you there?” Her weary voice cracked as she fell to her knees by his side. His scales were drained of color, hands clutching at the blade buried within him, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

“You know…” He coughed, tail quivering, “When they said they had something big and hard to show me…A poisoned dagger isn’t what I had in mind.”

Oh thank the gods he was alive. She sheathed her weapon, “Poisoned?” She did a double take, “Are you sure? Stabbing you wasn’t enough?”

“Unless its supposed to feel burning. Hard to remember, it’s been a bit since I’ve been stabbed.”

“Not your first time?” She slid off her leather pack, rifling through the contents for her potions of healing. Her brow scowled at the fragmented remains of the glass and stains from the liquid, it seemed her siigonis attacker had done more than just wound her pride.

“Hardly.” Laughed Broxl with pain, “Though the first time by a prostitute.”

“No potions, and no anti poison vials.” She growled, sifting through the ruins of her pack. “Why does it have to be like Zarcana? Even you getting stabbed is the same!”

“You and I remember Zarcana a lot differently. I seem to recall it was you that was stabbed?”

“Don’t you have a spell to remove the poison? Same hunter’s trick you used on Lyndis?”

“See I would have…but I might have used all my power entertaining the two men you just killed.”

She groaned, clutching at the scales of her snout,“We’ve talked about this, that’s what you get for thinking with your dick.”

“Is now the time for a I told you so?”

“No, but should you survive you’re getting an earful.”

“Remind me to die then.” Broxl tried to stand at her suggestion, his legs wobbled, he unleashed a terrible groan, and collapsed back onto the floor. “Alright, no walking for me.”

She cursed, dragging a table over to shield them from sight. Even now she could hear a murmuring from beyond the entrance. Was it friend or foe? “Who would want us dead? You got more jealous boy toys out there I don’t know about?”

“Perhaps they think we’re too attractive.” Groaned the hunter, “But if I’m being honest, it feels like an assassination.”

“From who? Which clan?” She grit her teeth, how exactly far did this traitor business go? Did it’s corruptive claws have a strong hold on Qui’ttax? Or was this but the last gasp of a wounded foe?

“I’d imagine the shadow clan. Always didn’t trust them. Probably see us a threat to stability here.”

“But out in the open? No markings? You said it wasn’t their style.”

“You can complain to them then.”

“But great, we’re stuck here without a way to tell Lyndis what’s going on.” She clutched her weapon tight as a cold claw gripped her chest. Was she the target of assassins same as them?

“Bah, she’ll be fine.” He waved her concerns away, “She has the dragon with her. I think he can handle a few assassins. They’re invincible you know, and immortal.”

“You’re aware the immortal is just for lifespan, they aren’t really invincible, no matter what tales he spins.” She levied her weapon to the entrance as a siigonis dipped it’s spearhead through the door.

“Kobold, you don’t need to die!” Yelled a siigonis from the outside, “We only want the traitor siigonis with you. Come out and you go free!”

“Traitor?” She scoffed, they thought they were the traitors? “Nice try, but I was not hatched yesterday. If anyone here is the traitor it’s you! Moment I walk out, you’re skewer me same as him, I’m better off sitting here, blasting anyone that dare walk through that door! How about if you want to talk, give us some anti-toxin! Then, when our dragon friend finds us, we’ll talk to him about sparing your miserable lives!”

She grit her teeth as the guards beyond the entrance spoke to one another in hushed voices, evidently amused by her boldness. Her eyes darted to the kitchen entrance, knowing there was always another way out of this. But she took one look to Broxl’s wounded form, it meant leaving him here to die.

“Vishta.” Broxl wearily said, grabbing her arm in a shaky hand. “You must get out of here. Find Lyndis, Radiant Star. Don’t let what we’ve fought for die here in this bar. Don’t be that stupid.”

Her heart stretched as he stared into her, pleading with the last strength he had. But she spat his appeal right back at him, wrenching herself from his grasp with a growl. “Alright, you’ve lost the right to talk to me if you’re going to say plans that absentminded. Unless you have a plan to get us both out of here, shut the fuck up. We’re not dying here.” Biting her lip, the kobold held tight her weapon at the entrance, praying to the gods above.

* * * * * * * *

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