Waking the Dragon Ch. 02

Matayla stepped forward. "Enter Dragon," she ordered. Her tone was different from the inflection she used when giving commands to the soldiers and staff, though no less confident. Bane stepped through the door. Her expression was unreadable, as was Matayla's. Bane had always hated the stifled formality required when meeting the local leadership. "I am Queen Matayla of Avin."

"I am Dragon's Bane," the warrior responded.

"Welcome, Dragon's Bane." She turned to the side and began walking down the corridor in the opposite direction of her chambers. Bane kept pace with the woman. Eton and Gryph fell behind them and the girl brought up the rear of the train. Bane did not like people behind her, especially soldiers. Her senses stayed alert. The wolf padded alongside the warrior, eyes perked for abnormalities. Bane was grateful for the wolf's presence. The animal was also a warrior. "This is Captain Eton. We have prepared a room for you and a feast in your honor. Gryph will answer any questions you might have."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Bane said. The Queen stopped walking and the whole entourage paused. She motioned to an open door and Bane stepped inside the room. Despite the fact that the window faced the west and the sun was dipping below the horizon, very little natural light filled the chamber. The cliffs created a shadow, but Bane was fascinated by the way the light danced on the rock façade. When the Dragon turned to her escorts, no one but Gryph remained. Bane started in surprise before allowing her eyes to sweep the boy. She judged him to be in his early twenties or late teens. Her eyes settled on the collar around his neck. She contemplated the symbol of slavery but chose not to comment on it.

When Gryph led the warrior into the great hall later, the banquet table was filled with sweet fruits and hot meats. Musicians plucked rousing tunes from stringed instruments while the soldiers and their companions ate and danced. Several barrels of ale had been brought from the cool cellar and the strong liquor flowed freely. Bane sat back in the comfortable chair provided for the warrior and watched the party. Queen Matayla sat at the head of the table, her chair raised slightly higher than all the others. Bane sat to the Queen's left. The position did not settle well with the Dragon. Tradition always had a visiting Dragon to the right of the ruler. The Queen's behavior indicated she was familiar with the Dragons. The breach in protocol made the hair on the back of Bane's neck rise.

Captain Eton sat to the Dragon's left, a smile on his handsome face. He attempted to engage the warrior in conversation, but her attention was not focused. Instead, the Dragon was observing the behavior of the soldiers. She had discovered long ago that she could learn more about her enemies by being quiet and watchful. Her fingertips plucked at the food set before her while her dark green eyes surveyed every corner of the great hall. She noted that though everyone had been silent while the Queen had made an elegant speech welcoming the Dragon and toasting peace, no one made an effort to include her in their merriment.

Something brushed Bane's arm and the warrior turned to her left to see the pale girl who had lurked behind the Queen all night. Bane did not linger on the girl's naked body, despite the soft breast resting on her upper arm. Instead, Bane studied the girl's face. Her mouth was stretched around a thick gag and the warrior could see the leather biting into her white skin. Instead of admiring the nude form leaning over her, Bane found herself falling into the girl's brown eyes. Framed by the edges of the hood, the orbs were hidden in deep shadows. Bane narrowed her eyes, making the most of the flickering light dancing about in the grand room.

The warrior was surprised when the girl did not look away. Instead, she seemed just as held by the Dragon's gaze. Bane fell into the girl's eyes, trying to read in the brown depths all that the girl was unable to say because of the phallus between her lips. There was no magic in the moment. The edges of the room did not become cloudy and the din of the music and voices did not fade. Eton continued rumbling in her ear, but nevertheless Bane felt captivated by the girl's deep eyes. The warrior could count the number of heartbeats that their eyes remained locked, but the intelligence and spirit in those eyes for those few ticks burned themselves into Bane's subconscious.

"Move along, girl," Eton growled, backhanding the girl across the face. Bane glared at the soldier in shock and anger. The girl did not respond to the blow. She sat up and quietly finished filling Bane's goblet from the decanter in her hand. She didn't even spill any of the amber liquid. Bane reached out to steady the girl's arm. The girl withdrew from the touch, rolling to her feet and walking away from the captain and the warrior.

Bane watched the girl until she had faded into the crowd. It was easy for the Dragon to catch glimpses of the naked form moving among the dancing guests. When the warrior returned her focus to the Queen's captain, the fire in her eyes withered the man's bravado. "She was doing no harm," Bane hissed, her muscles tense and ready to retaliate in defense of the innocent girl.

"She knows her place," the Queen answered in a steady voice. Bane shifted her gaze to Matayla in her regal, elevated position at the head of the table. The Queen was expressionless in her answer, dismissing Bane's protest and Eton's behavior. Matayla had already moved away from the subject. She was surveying the party again, her crystal blue eyes moving over the drunken revelers.

"How did the girl come into your service, your Majesty?" Bane asked.

Matayla returned her attention to the warrior, raising an eyebrow in amusement that the warrior would ask such a question. Eton tensed, expecting wrath from the Queen. Matayla regarded Bane for a moment, trying to determine if she would reward the warrior with an answer. "She is the spoils of war, my dear Dragon, something with which I am quite certain you are familiar." The Queen held Bane's eyes for a few seconds after she answered, allowing the words to register in the Dragon's head. Matayla also wanted to see how the warrior would respond.

Bane did not give the Queen the satisfaction of seeing guilt flash her eyes. Bane remained as solid as the Queen, holding the blue stare. The Queen nodded her head once and rose from her chair. The room went silent, eyes turning to the Queen. Those sitting also came to their feet. Bane remained seated, watching their behavior. The Queen exited the quiet room without a word. The room remained wordless until the Queen's footsteps had faded to nothing. Once all traces of the Queen was gone, there was some shuffling of feet on the stone floor and a few hushed whispers. The musicians left their corner and people began filtering out of the great hall. Gryph and the girl and other servants began removing trays and cleaning up the mess. Matayla's abrupt exit meant the party was over. Eton turned to the Dragon. "Please, go for a walk with me and allow me to apologize for offending you."

Bane started to refuse. She had no use for the arrogant captain. She knew though that he could be a potential source of information. She would allow him to believe that he was any ally until the time to draw lines began. She nodded and rose, taking a last drink from the strong homemade ale in her goblet. She did not make a face, despite the bitter burn in her chest. A half smile crossed Eton's face as he admired her fortitude. He offered her his elbow, but she did not take it. Instead, she fell into step beside him and allowed him to lead her from the great hall.

Eton took the warrior to the high bulwark of the castle and they walked along the ramparts in the cool night air. They paused to look over the sleeping village sprawled below them. Bane stood with her arms crossed, her face unreadable as her eyes sought the line of the Forest, following the road that she had traversed that morning. Eton looked over the village for just a moment, and then turned to study the warrior's profile. Her face was shadowed in the moonlight, giving her an almost ghostly glow. Her midnight black hair reflected the lunar radiance. In that illumination, Eton found the Dragon's beauty mesmerizing. He felt stirring in his manhood as his eyes drifted over her powerful body. He cleared his throat and returned his attention the village, forcing his body to focus on the task at hand. "What brings you this way, Dragon?"

The Dragon sniffed, testing the wind in the brisk night as she contemplated the answer. "The setting sun," she finally replied. "The wind at my back and the wolf at my side, I'll walk until something tells me to stop."

"Did you feel compelled to stop here, Dragon?" he probed, trying to appear casual in his inquisition. He did not want the warrior to feel threatened by his questions. If the Dragon was uneasy, they would not retrieve any information from the distrustful warrior.

"Aye, I did," Bane respond, not changing expression or tone as she answered. She used her peripheral vision to judge the captain's reaction. She suspected that he was not a worthy opponent, but Matayla was not available. He hid his reaction well, only a moment of surprise flashed across his eyes before he reigned in his control.

"For what reason?" he demanded, though his tone was not harsh.

"A place to rest before I continue West," she replied immediately. She turned to examine the cliffs. In the night, they were black, impenetrable walls. "What's the best way up this escarpment?" she asked, confident that thinking she would move on soon would relax Eton and the Queen.

Eton turned and allowed his eyes to survey the cliffs. "When you are ready, Gryph can escort you," he commented thoughtfully. "The best path if you don't know it is straight up. You could get into the caves and never emerge if you don't have someone with you who knows the trail."

She muttered an appreciation and they began walking again. "How long have you been in service for Matayla?" she quizzed offhandedly, listening to the night sounds floating across the landscape.

"I was conscripted when I was fifteen. She was a commander at the outpost where I was first stationed."

Bane heard what the captain did not say. Matayla was also a warrior. If the woman was a commander, then she was a skilled warrior. She was able to lead and to plan warfare. They were nearing the end of the rampart and Bane knew it was not the time to press any harder or dig any deeper. She had plenty of information to contemplate. They stepped through the door of a tower and she followed him down the narrow spiral stairs until they reached the main floor. They walked by the door of the great hall and Bane paused to look inside the room. Most traces of the party were gone, but the girl was still in the room. She was kneeling on the stone floor, scrubbing with a bucket and sponge. She sensed their presence and lifted her eyes to the Dragon. Bane felt an electric current race through her body as their gaze connected. Bane narrowed her eyes, trying to read the girl's expression.

Eton did not allow the connection to last long enough for Bane to draw any conclusions. "Gryph," he said in a firm voice. Gryph emerged from the kitchen as if he had been waiting on the command. "Escort our guest back to her room and see to all of her needs."

Bane watched the girl for as long as she could, but Eton entered the room and blocked the warrior's view. Gryph cleared his throat softly to indicate that the Dragon should follow him. They walked silently to the small room that the Queen had designated for the guest. Bane noted that the blankets on the bed had been folded back. A basin of fresh water sat on a table near a mirror and a basket of fruit was on the bedside table. Bane crossed over and picked up an apple. She rubbed it with the hem of her shirt and crossed to the balcony to gaze into the darkness.

She bit into the apple as her eyes again surveyed the dark cliffs. They moved from the tops of the bank, down the high escarpment, to the sprawling yard behind the castle. Squat, one-story buildings were nestled against the wall and Bane studied them. Yellow lights burned inside. Her eyes drifted across the dark grounds until she saw a bobbing light moving out of the palace. She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing in order to see better in the dim light. Eton stepped onto the stone path leading toward the gray buildings, tugging something behind him. It didn't take Bane but a moment to recognize the slim, pale figure trailing willingly on the rope behind the captain.

Bane followed the figured, her eyes lingering on the slender waist, the flare of hips, and the curve of breasts. The Dragon's eyes rested on the round buttocks until Eton lead the woman into the gray building. "How did you come to be Matayla's slave?" Bane asked without taking her eyes off the distant door, hoping to see Eton and the girl emerge quickly.

"My family owed the Queen tribute and could not afford it," Gryph answered without hesitation, anger, or shame.

"So, you were the replacement for the money," Bane mused as Eton walked out of the building without the girl. "How long will you remain in order to pay the family debt?" The girl did not follow Eton back into the cool night. Bane felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that the girl would not be molested by the captain that night.

"The debt keeps accumulating. This is not a bad life. Mistress Matayla is good to me. I am well fed, have a dry place to sleep, and my family does not have to worry about the tribute."

Bane thought of Roane, and Gwen becoming a slave to Matayla in return for Roane's lack of payment. The thought sent a spark of rage through her. "Who is the girl?" the warrior queried, trying to continue to sound casual in her questioning. Bane tried to see into the windows of the building on the horizon but could not. Shades were drawn against the night.

Gryph still did not hesitate in his answer. "She is a conquest of war, Dragon."

Bane puzzled on the answer during a long silence. "What is her name?"

"She has remained nameless since I have been here, Dragon."

"What are those buildings?" Bane demanded, changing pace rapidly in the conversation to keep the loyal servant off guard.

"Barracks for the sentries," Gryph replied. "Would you like me to take your clothing to be cleaned and repaired??"

"I prefer to handle it myself," Bane answered absently. The picture became clear. The girl had been taken to the guards' barracks naked and left there by the captain. It didn't take a great imagination to picture what was happening to the girl. Bane felt her muscles tense as she pictured the drunken soldiers taking their turns with the girl. She felt her hackles rise and her jaw tighten. She wanted to free the girl from her bondage. Matayla had tried to imply that the Dragon had also taken trophies from battle. Bane had certainly received her rewards for battles fought and won, but she had never enslaved anyone as a result of a conquest. The Dragon knew without a doubt what her purpose in Avin was.

The wolf seemed to sense it, too. The animal was tense and battle ready. Bane knelt and ran a soothing hand over the animal's haunches. Her touch was meant to be soothing to the animal. Now was not the time to attack. They would have to take time to continue to gather information and plan their strategy. The two of them could not over power Matayla's whole army and that's what it might take to free the girl.

The wolf relaxed beneath Bane's touch. Bane breathed deeply of the animal's familiar scent. The companionship settled them both. Bane put the water basin in front of the animal before rising and looking at the slave. Gryph seemed to be embarrassed to have witnessed such an intimate moment from the steady warrior. He was shuffling his feet and staring at the floor. "Why is it you warrant such better treatment than the girl receives?" she quizzed.

Gryph did not answer immediately this time. He did not have a prepared reply to that question. Bane was pleased at the lack of response. It gave her time to study Gryph as he searched for words. He was boy and did not have the maturity to fully hide his emotions. "She is a trophy," he finally answered. "If my family could pay their debt, I would go free. She will never be free."

"What would happen if you were to try to make an escape?"

Gryph knew this answer. He had heard it hundreds of times. "I would be allowed to go free. My family would be tortured and murdered." His voice was flat, but it was evident that he was convinced of the threat. He would stay in place, doing Matayla's bidding until she decided that the family debt had been paid in full. Bane was familiar with the tactic. It was almost always effective as long as the captor was true and did not harm the loved one anyway.

"When have you seen your family?"

"I'm allowed to go home once a month."

Bane nodded, turning back to the window. There were troops moving into the building where the girl had disappeared. Bane tried not to react. Her facial expression did not change and her muscles did not tense. The wolf finished the water and went to the end of the bed to lie down. Bane glanced at the animal and released a low breath. "I believe the animal has the right idea. I've been walking a long time."

"Where are you headed?" Gryph asked.

"I'll know when I get there," Bane said, pulling her tunic over her head. She handed it to Gryph and he folded it across the back of a chair. "I don't think I'll ever have a final destination. I've been traveling too long."

Gryph turned to her, his eyes flittering over her strong arms, her small breasts, and the bandage around her middle. She unlaced her britches and walked to the side of the bed with them open. Gryph continued to stand sentry inside the room. The Dragon sighed as she sat down to remove her boots. She lifted her hand and waved him away in dismissal. He paused a moment, his brows coming together thoughtfully. She waved again and he exited the room, allowing the heavy wooden door to click into place.

He stood outside the door for a moment, listening for movement inside. He heard some gentle rustling before the light spilling from beneath the door disappeared into the darkness. Confident the warrior had turned in for the night, he moved soundlessly down the hall to Matayla's chambers. He rapped on the door and waited for her command to enter. When it came, he turned the knob and entered the dim room. A few candles burned and it took his eyes a moment to adjust and find the Queen. She was seated on the divan, a glass of wine in her hand. She motioned and he came to kneel in front of her. "Mistress," he greeted.

In the flickering candlelight, he noted the shadows moving on her face and in her hair. She gazed down at the boy as she sipped her wine. "Is our guest settled for the night, boy?" she questioned. She was still in her full robes. He mumbled an affirmative. She shifted, putting a bare foot against his crotch. He stroked him with her toes and in a moment his rod had hardened in his pants. "Tell me about her," she cooed.

Gryph tried to concentrate on the Queen's request, but his mind was occupied by the blood pumping to the apex of his legs. The pressure her foot applied was firm. His trousers became tented. "She is a traveler," he managed to say. "She wanted to know how I had become your slave."

Matayla reached out with cool fingers and caressed his smooth cheek. "Did you tell her the truth, my boy?"

"Of course, Mistress," he replied, pressing into her palm and breathing deeply of her heavy scent.

"What else did she want to know?" Matayla asked, rotating the ball of her foot against the head of his straining manhood.