“I know,” Anders said. “Zahara and I tracked it back into the mountains where another surprise waited.” Natalia tilted her head in curiosity. “Another dragonrider had killed the wraith and taken the crystal.”
“One of Merglan’s?” Natalia asked.
Anders shook his head, “I don’t think so. When I tried to get it back, he retreated to his bunch of riders.”
Natalia stopped him, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. A bunch of dragonriders?”
Anders nodded and was interrupted by a familiar man’s thick accent and boisterous tone. “Anders, look what I have done for you!” Red called out, approaching from his left.
Anders swiveled to see the huge man with dark curly hair and thick black beard approaching. He wore a seal skin cloak that concealed his tattooed skin and muscular body. “Red,” Anders said nodding in acknowledgement.
“Would you excuse us for just one moment,” Natalia said to the Warrior Chief.
Red’s forced smile faded quickly into a scowl, “No,” he stated adamantly.
“What?” Natalia asked, stiffening.
“I am Chief, and I will do what I please. I don’t take orders from a filthy elf,” Red spat, placing his hands on his hips and planting himself in the sand next to their small group.
Anders saw Natalia’s face burn red and thought the situation was about to escalate to a violent degree when he heard another familiar voice interject from behind him.
“Red, what are you doing now to destroy our working relationship with our allies?” Britt asked, stepping into Anders’ view.
Anders suddenly found that they were all caught in the middle of what could be even more deadly crossfire. Adding Natalia’s hot temper to the mix could be the spark that would cause an explosion. He grabbed Natalia by the arm and spoke into her thoughts, I’ll explain the details later. He felt her emotions disagreeing with him so he added, We can’t afford to start another war.
Natalia jerked her arm free of his grip and scowled at the Warrior Chief, but Red had turned to focus on Britt.
“What is she doing here?” Red asked, staring at Britt but directing the question to the others.
“I could ask you the same,” Britt said folding her arms.
“I am Chief here, not you. I banished you from the Islands,” Red said with disdain.
“We’re not on the Islands,” Britt responded coldly. “And based on the actions of our people, they’ll go to war without your say in the matter.”
Red clenched his jaw and glared at her as if he might pull steel on her right then, but after a moment of tension, he relaxed slightly and said, “I approved sending the ships to Southland and it was my idea to come save all of you from the orcs.”
“That’s mighty generous of you,” Natalia said still glaring at him.
“Yes, it is,” he replied curtly. “You’re lucky I am so nice and willing to save your nation.”
“Red,” Anders said in warning.
“No, no. It’s fine. I’ll be glad to show him who needs saving by the end of this,” Natalia said. “It would be my pleasure to see my people save the Island Warriors from utter annihilation for the second time this year.”
Before Red could respond, Britt said, “Our people will gladly work alongside the elves and other nations to defeat our common enemy.”
Anders saw Natalia turn a shade redder when she realized her comment had attacked all Rollo warriors generally.
“I make the decisions for our people,” Red said.
“Really? Is that why they disobeyed you to come to the Lumbapis’ aid on Anders’ plea, or are you going to continue to pretend that was your idea. Who do you think you’re fooling?”
“Silence,” Red spat.
“Look around you, Red; this was all our doing, not yours. You have lost control of them. The people are finally seeing you for the selfish braggart you really are.”
“Enough, I said!” Red bellowed and Anders saw him reach to his side.
Anders, Maija, Natalia and several of Britt’s crew who’d seen the exchange begin formed around Britt, their hands on their swords already pulled part way from their sheaths. Red stopped, seeing he was vastly outnumbered.
“This isn’t over, Captain,” Red barked and stormed off the way he’d come.
When he was well out of hearing range, Natalia finally broke their uncomfortable silence by saying, “What’s his deal?”
“Corrupt, indignant, narcissistic,” Britt said. “The list goes on...”
“I hope I won’t be seeing much more of him,” Natalia replied.
“He’ll be at the meeting tonight, but after that we’ll keep the elves and Rolloans separated. He’s not the only one who wants to pick a fight with your people,” Anders said.
“It’s something I’m working on to change their opinions,” Britt said.
“I wish you were their Chief and not that guy,” Natalia said.
“Me, too,” Britt said coldly.
After a few deep breaths during which they all stared after Red, now moving away down the beach, Maija returned their conversation to the incident that had occurred the night before. After a brief retelling, Anders realized the Lumbapi people were disembarking from their ships and onto the docks. Seeing no one was there to welcome them, he excused himself. “Britt, you’ll make sure Red is at Rune’s by sundown?”
