“Do you think it means anything?” he asked. “The way Ivan and Natalia suddenly stopped their lecturing and how they just watched, seemingly indifferent when it was happening, makes me wonder if they know something.”
She opened her mouth, then hesitated, closing it until she could find the right words, “I’m not sure. I feel like I need to meet him again.”
“So, it was a male?”
She nodded.
“Let me ask you. Do you feel like there’s an uncontrollable urge to have that electrifying pulse again? The one you described when you touched it?”
“I touched it?”
“Yeah. You held out your hand and touched it on the muzzle. Then it spooked and took off.”
“Wow, I had no idea,” she said amazed. “But yeah, it was amazing. I want that feeling again.”
Anders gave Zahara a sideways glance.
She nodded.
“You should try to find him again. Maybe after the meeting, or later tonight?” Anders suggested.
“Really?” Maija asked.
He nodded, “I felt that same thing when I touched Zahara for the first time.”
Maija paused, thinking about what Anders said. “We’ll see,” she said finally.
When they returned to the inn, Anders put on his charcoal grey suit from the night before and joined Ivan and Natalia in the lobby. Maija followed them, but Anders could tell her mind was elsewhere, thinking about the dragon encounter. They made their way across the bustling city to the king and queen’s castle. When they arrived, the dwarf guards led them past where they’d dined the night before and into a throne room.
The stone throne at the head of the room shared the same craftsmanship as the rest of the dwarf masonry. It was carved with intricate knots and symbols depicting the dwarfish culture. Carvings of a battle axe and war hammer formed the armrests. At its center, resting on the seat, was a regal crown, fit for any king or queen.
Near the center of the room, in line with the throne, stood a long rectangular table constructed in the same gothic style as the rest of the room. Its intricately carved dragon-claw legs rested solidly on the stone floor. Five dwarfs emerged from a side door in the far corner, their steps echoing loudly as they walked across the silent room.
King Remli led them as they approached the table. They took a seat at the table, Remli sitting at the head. The dwarf king’s chair resembled a large war hammer for a backrest, representative to the king’s namesake, Madhammer. To his left, Queen Joslina took a seat at Remli’s side, her chair adorned with a scarlet red ruby, displaying her namesake. Following her to the left, farther down the table, sat Metlarm Brightstone of the royal protectorate. Beside him sat Baylynn Coinhart of the royal court, and lastly, Korvir Richvien, the dwarf’s delegated ambassador and chief negotiator for their work with the elves.
Clearing his throat loudly, Remli rose from his seat. Ushering them in with his thick arm, “Please, honored guests, sit down so we may begin our discussion.”
Ivan stepped forward and pulled out the chair closest to Remli’s right. He took a seat, folding back his coattails before sitting down. Natalia and Anders followed, with Maija taking a seat farthest from Remli on the right. Zahara sat back on her haunches opposite the dwarf king.
As soon as she did so, Remli smiled and said with a laugh, “Today the mighty Zahara and I will head this discussion. What say you, dragon?”
Zahara tilted her head and spat a small lick of fire into the air above her head. Anders said in his most embarrassing mental tone, Zahara, that wasn’t polite.
She replied, Tell him this is how dragons begin a negotiation.
Before Remli could make up his mind whether Zahara meant him harm with her spout of flame, Ivan spoke up, “That is a sign of respect among dragons. To show that they are willing to discuss the terms of a negotiation.”
Remli let loose a deep laugh. To his left, the dwarfs Korvir, Baylynn and Metlarm joined in after a short silence. Queen Joslina smiled and folded her hands, setting them on the table in front of her.
Wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, Remli took several long breaths, sighing as he regained his composure. “Let’s begin with why you’re here,” he said now gazing seriously at his guests, “King Asmond and his wife have continued to be unbearable to work with on trade agreements. In the past, our people have bickered and taken shots at one another, but never to the degree they’ve reached this time. The king in the forest demands too much for us to make our trades profitable.”
Ivan replied, “To my knowledge, Asmond is willing to discuss prices of certain goods, but isn’t willing to be robbed blind.”
Remli scoffed, exhaling audibly, “Well, if that pompous prig thinks we’ll be taking anything less than what he’s paying now for our ores, he’s barking mad. We’re hardly breaking even as it is. This kingdom can’t continue to give its precious metals away so cheaply.”
“I understand that there are rates of inflation, but I’ve seen the letters myself; you are asking far more than the metals are worth at present. I don’t see how you can tell us that you’re hardly breaking even at these rates,” Ivan said splaying his hands on the table.
Remli slammed his fists on the table, his face burning a deep red. His full cheeks shook as he prepared to begin a verbal assault, when Joslina grabbed his wrist, wrapping her fingers around it tightly. As she squeezed harder, Anders saw Remli’s eyes glance toward her. The queen’s expression remained stern; she raised an eyebrow at him, tilting slightly forward and giving him an unspoken warning to calm himself. The whites of Remli’s knuckles flushed as he loosened his clenched fists, color returning to his skin. He took several more deep breaths, drawing in through his nostrils and exhaling through his mouth, eyes closed, trying to calm himself.
While he did this, Joslina took his place in the conversation, “What rates exactly are you referring to?” she asked Ivan, a hint of polite formality in her soothing tone.
“The price of steel, iron, copper and silver specifically,” Ivan said opening his hand to Natalia, who placed a small bag onto the table. Opening its drawstrings and carefully removing a scroll of parchment, she unrolled the scroll and read aloud the written prices for the metals and silver.
Remli and Joslina each looked confused. They whispered to one another and then Remli straightened, “May I ask what you were paying for them a year ago?”
Natalia dug through the pouch, pulled out a second piece of parchment, and read the prices aloud. The rates were five times lower than the current demand.
“Baylynn,” Remli said, leaning across the table, “bring me the registry of coin.” Baylynn pushed back her seat and walked swiftly out of the room. Remli and the others sat stone-faced while she exited.
After several long moments of awkward silence, Metlarm was the first to speak, “How is it that the elves ask a king’s ransom for silk and cloth, made from naturally replenishing resources, mind you, yet during these hard times, shouldn’t they see to kindly lowering their prices?”
Natalia replied before Ivan could, “The price of our silk hasn’t risen. On the contrary, it has lowered as the volume of resources continues to grow. We recognize that your resources have a limit and it’s wise to re-forge any metal that’s lost its purpose, but our prices have stayed consistent with the growth of our production, where yours have not.”
“Why is it then, that you say one thing and your king demands another?” Metlarm posed.
“Why is it that your king says one thing and the letters we’ve received in his name say another?” Natalia replied in kind.
