The Dragon's Custodian by Paul C Rogers

Author:Paul C Rogers [Rogers, Paul C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-22T22:00:00+00:00

11

The serving tunic was stifling. The Royal City always carried a muggy air that teased trickles of sweat. This was not helped of course by the air-snatching sickly sweetness of the ever-present Honeyroot trees. Geron tugged at the chafing collar and was immediately reprimanded by his accomplice, Byre.

“There is a certain etiquette to the attire,” she tutted, re-fluffing the ruffle.

“This alone would make me want to join the Insurgents,” Geron grumbled, resisting the urge to scratch at his freshly shaven neck, which burned with a foreign irritability.

Appreciating the jest, Byre still warned him of no further talk on the matter of their allegiances.

They were approaching the servant's entrance. Unlike the suave and sprawling front pathway that welcomed chariot and carriage alike to the Palace, the servants instead entered through a most unassuming back passage that ran parallel to the Palace compound.

Even with no immediate evidence of wrong-doing, Geron could still feel a surge of guilt as he was scanned by a barrage of Kingsmen and Royal Guards. Passing through the inspection gauntlet, it left little in the way of dignity and much in the manner of resentment. Uncertain if the procedure was medical or security based, Geron emerged on the other side. Immediately he was cast into the throng of busy workers, all carrying out their designated duties under the scornful eye of the Palace Crew, still lowly in the social order, but making the most of their minuscule elevated position.

“Come with me,” Byre whispered, sweeping Geron away before he could be set to a mundane chore by the eagle-eyed Crew, whose vision seemed based on an absence of movement.

“Blood of the deities,” Geron hissed. He had expected the Palace grounds to be awash with luxurious frivolity. Instead, human labour accounted for almost all of the grounds' activity.

Byre began pointing at random destinations, her actions not mirrored in her words, the guise masking their true conversation. “Alright, the Ceremony is due to begin at noon, that gives you four hours to find this dragon and release it.”

Geron nodded, adopting the formal stance he had been demonstrated in agonising detail the previous night.

“But until then, you need to blend in. You see those flowers over there?” A bountiful display of various blooms were gathered in a pile. “Take some and transport them to the other side of the Palace. For some reason no-one questions the futility of this task, I think it is something to do with Queen Ictuse's condition, but that is a discussion for another time.”

They parted, Byre leaving to carry out legitimate duties lest any more suspicion be risen than was necessary.

Gathering the flowers in an assorted bunch, Geron deftly carried them around the side of the main Palace grounds. When the opportunity arose, he would quickly steal a significant glance in every direction, but each time, nothing was out of the ordinary. No presence of a dragon could be felt.

Finding somewhere discreet to dispose of the flowers, Geron completed his circumference. At the rear of the Palace

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