A silver-haired man seated next to Tony spoke up, “Tony is right.” The man, named Mott, added. “Why should we trust in this boy? I was there when the dark rider came to Southland and took control of the capital. It was no secret at the time that the son of King Kaufen’s own alchemist had come back changed. The magic he found, wherever he had gone for those two weeks, was evil just like the instincts of the dragons who gave it to him.”
Anders clenched his fists and was about to shout at the robust older man when Tarron’s voice quickly shouted into his thoughts, Do not lose your temper! If you display the anger Tony is trying to provoke, you will only add weight to their argument. Try to remain calm and think before you speak.
Pausing halfway forward in his chair, Anders felt the group of revolutionary leaders staring at him. Relaxing his grip slightly, he said in as rational a tone as he could summon, “To say that all dragons harbor evil magic or wish to see all other races in Kartania destroyed is to say that all humans are feeble-minded creatures whose only desires are to do what they are told.” He locked eyes with the crisp blue eyes of the gray-haired man siding with Tony, “That’s a sweeping generalization that lumps all individuals into one category. Dragons are much more intelligent than most people think. They have feelings and their minds operate on a much more complex scale than most of ours.”
Tony wagged his finger at Anders and huffed, “See, he’s defending the dark rider now. He’s trying to tell us that dragons are smarter than humans. Pffft, that’s ludicrous.”
Anders wanted to point out that anything was smarter than Tony, when he felt another of Tarron’s warning nudges on his thoughts. In a clear voice, Anders responded, “You misunderstood me, so let me be clear. I grew up in Westland, never knowing what was beyond Grandwood. All my life I have held the values instilled in me by my uncle to do what’s best for the people. I have never been an advocate for evil and never will be. I opposed Merglan’s army on the battlefield before I ever bonded with my dragon, Zahara, and I opposed him in direct combat just days ago. I want what’s best for all of Kartania and what’s best right now is ridding our world of oppression imposed by the likes of Merglan and his dragon.”
“Hear, hear!” Anders heard a majority of the men and the single woman among them shout.
When the chatter quieted, Rune spoke, silencing the others, “Take a look at the way this conversation has progressed. Anders is merely trying to warn us of the dangers to come, and you, sir,” he said pointing at Tony, “are trying to convince us to demonize him.”
“Are we not to be wary of the dangers a magician poses to our race?” Bert, a thin, bald man asked.
“We’re not saying that we shouldn’t be wary of magic and its overwhelming superiority as a weapon. We’re saying that there are those who know how to use that magic against anyone who chooses to wield it for evil,” the only woman at the table said, speaking for Anders and Rune. Her dark hair was braided in a thick rope that ran down the middle of her scalp and moved little even when she spoke with vigor. She stared with her dark eyes at each of them in turn and when her eyes landed on Anders, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated.
“Thank you for that, Helga,” Rune said still leaning forward on the table. “But I am curious, Tony, what would you propose we do in the event of an attack by Merglan and his dragon?”
All eyes shifted to the experienced soldier who also happened to be Max and Bo’s foster father. “We would weather his attack in the fortifications this town must build,” Tony began.
“Then what?” Anders asked. “After his dragon burns this town to the ground and he waits for you to emerge from your smoldering fortification, enslaving you with his magic, what would you do to stop him?”
“Listen to me, boy,” Tony spat, slamming his fist on the table and spilling his mug of brew. “I fought against Merglan’s forces in The War of the Magicians, so don’t you dare tell me what it’s like.”
“So, you are aware that during The War of the Magicians there was a task force of trained dragonriders who fought against Merglan and prevented him from coming into direct conflict with the ground troops?” Anders asked.
“We took the castle where the dark rider once sat on his throne, and we’ll do it again,” Tony growled. At this statement, the group erupted in argument, all trying to talk over one another.
“Can we please calm down!” a man seated along the middle of the table shouted over them all. “Let’s acknowledge what is coming to us here in Brookside.” The heavy-set man shook with fury and his cheeks turned red with frustration at the way this meeting had unraveled.
“Listen to Alistair,” Rune said, motioning to the trembling man. “The more we bicker, the farther we depart from reaching a civil decision.” He looked down at the table and shook his head, then said, “I suggest we take an hour recess to mull over what actions this organization should take next.”
“We are all in agreement that action is needed, aren’t we?” Helga asked, again scrutinizing them individually with her dark eyes.
Anders saw that most were nodding, all but Tony and Mott.
“Good,” Rune said, taking the lead. “When next we meet, each of us will have the chance to offer a well-thought-out plan for Westland’s army. Remember, it’s not just the army that’s counting on this; the people of Westland are as well.” As Rune straightened up the other members rose from the table. “In one hour, we reassemble in this room.”
When Anders saw Hensal, the last of the seven revolutionary leaders, leave the room, he walked to the window. Looking out of the house overlooking Brookside’s port and dock area, he felt Tarron’s presence in his thoughts.
You haven’t had much experience in politics I take it, he said.
It’s that obvious, is it? Anders asked, his eyes searching the port for Max or Britt who’d gone to start working on a naval defense.
Times truly have changed since I was a rider, Tarron said. The order was so highly sought after that only the most prestigious applicants from each society were accepted into the academy. It was common for members of royalty and high political standing to join the riders. All riders in my time had to have a deep understanding of political strategy in order to serve the order well. We are, after all, blessed with a great advantage over those who cannot use magic. We even have an advantage over non-bonded dragons themselves.
Times have changed, Anders responded a bit deflated. I wish I’d had the guidance you received in your training. Maybe then I could have a shot at defeating Merglan.
There is more to it than guidance, I suspect. This dark rider must have weaknesses as well. He wasn’t careful enough to check whether the crystal on your sword held a soul, Tarron pointed out. That shows us he has made mistakes before.
Anders spotted Britt’s frizzy black hair as she climbed the cargo ropes on a ship’s mast. I wish these people held me in the same regard as they do her.
You have an opportunity to change that.
Anders knew what Tarron was hinting at. He could feel the soul guiding his thoughts to publicly revealing his birthright. I can’t just up and tell everyone that I’m their king. Kaufen, my grandfather, was the last king they recognized as a civilized, humane leader. Westlanders will not follow a dragonrider as long as people like Tony speak as a voice for them. Their fear of dragons is too great.
Not after what I saw from the medical tent outside the Plains.
Those people were only grateful that I was using my powers to heal them. Acting as their doctor and earning their respect as their leader are two separate things. It would be hard enough to get the entirety of Westland to follow me without them fearing me. Ivan must have realized that these humans were too removed from the memory of a rider order for dragonriders to be trusted.
Your father clearly had his own battles to fight. He chose his path for a reason. You are not the same person. You have a chance to change the world, here and now. Anders, you can restore things to the way they once were, the way they should be.
And how do you know what’s best for today’s Kartania?
I’m not saying it’s what’s best, I’m saying you have the authority and the power to make it better.
Make it better? How? Even if I had Westland’s support, I would still have to overthrow Merglan. And if we somehow managed to do that, I would have to face all of humanity’s different factions. Southland is divided between those loyal to the throne and natives who hold their own loyalties. The Rollo Islanders have no desire to be a part of Southland’s former reach, and Westland has become so detached since Kaufen’s reign that they would likely want to become their own independent kingdom.
You do know something about politics, Tarron said.
I know now how many people think, and I know many would see me as a threat, just as these in the Revolution do.
So, what will you do when the war is over?
If the war is ever over and I live to see it, I... I don’t know. I haven’t any reason to think that far ahead. The threat here is too great. I should be thinking about how I’ll convince these leaders to leave this city.
That’s your plan for them? To run?
