Draka

When a Lady Justice of the Karakanian ruling council requests your presence, you don't keep her waiting.

The little family dressed in a hurry. Makanna and Herald helped each other into their finest silk wraps, while Tamor and Valmik put on richly dyed wool robes. The quality was nothing remarkable and they could have afforded better with their newfound riches, but it was the best they had. Even then the clothes were almost new, barely worn, and they had only been able to buy them thanks to their shares of the Old Malinese silver they’d found together with Draka.

No matter. It was more than enough for people of their standing when going before a Councillor. The Tekereteki siblings’ choices of bright yellows and greens for their finery was perhaps a little on the nose, but Valmik had insisted that not only would it be a visible declaration of loyalty to their city, but that the chosen shades would complement their dark skin beautifully. And he’d been right, as he so often was when it came to anything aesthetic.

As they each got ready they said a quick goodbye to Draka. The dragon was clearly uncomfortable with the situation, but Makanna and Herald had convinced her that they were in no danger. As they got ready they gathered in the common room of the inn, and, when they were all there, stepped outside. Garal found a street kid and paid him a Peacock to go to the Wolves’ temporary barracks and report where they were going, with a promise of another when the kid mentioned his name. Neither Garal or Lalia were on duty that day, but it often paid to make sure their fellow mercenaries knew where they were going. Rib and Pot, of course, went where they pleased. Unless Commander Rallon went out himself they had little in the way of duties, being held back for special assignments. Special assignments such as protecting Rallon’s investment in a certain dragon, which included looking after the best interests of that dragon’s friends, servants, pets, or whatever else you might want to call them.

Not that either Rib or Pot minded in the least. Where around the Sareyan Sea were they going to find anything more interesting to do than hanging around a gods-damned dragon?

The small patrol of guards with Captain Vakkal at their head escorted the party down Merchants’ Street, past the central market, and up Independence Way. They crossed the forum, climbed the many stairs to the central hill, and entered the Palace, where the council met to decide on matters of high importance and where the Justices passed judgement in matters of law. All the way they were gawked at, talked about or, in more than a few cases, admired. You did not live the kind of life that the little family or the Wolves did without cutting a striking figure, especially those of them who were dressed to impress.

Ardek, one time street rat and ganger, did not have quite the same lustre as the others. He’d have preferred to stay at the inn, really. He had hoped to never get closer to the Palace than the steps. But the boss had sent him with the others, so there he was, hanging back so that nobody would associate him with them and dull their shine. The guards didn’t seem to care whether he followed or not, which suited him just fine.

Inside, Captain Vakkal handed them over to two Palace guards. He nodded to Makanna, bade them good day, and left with his patrol. If he had ever recognised them, he hadn’t mentioned it.

“That’s far enough,” one of the guards cautioned Rib as she made to follow Makanna and the others. “No uninvited persons beyond the atrium.”

“What?” Rib sputtered as she drew herself up. The guard looked entirely unimpressed. “That’s–”

“Lady Terriallon,” Makanna said, emphasising the title and making the guards look again at Rib. “Thank you, but there is no need to concern yourself. Where could we be safer than here?”

“Yeah, sure,” Rib grumbled. “But–”

“We’ll be with you soon. And if not, please let our friend know. You know how she worries.”

Rib frowned, but relented as Pot gently took her arm. “We’ll be here,” she called after Makanna as they were each led away in opposite directions. “Right here. Not going anywhere!”

The Palace guards led the little family through a short hallway lined with columns and brightly clad statues to a set of large, polished wooden doors. The first stepped up and knocked firmly, and opened them when a voice inside called out, “Enter!” He bowed to the room’s occupants, ushered the little family inside, then left, closing the doors behind him.

Behind a low, expansive table, the Lady Justice Sampralia sat on a wide cushion. She didn’t look up, but continued writing, quickly yet carefully, on a scroll which lay rolled out before her. Behind her, so still that he might have been a particularly fine statue, a man stood at rest with his arms behind him, looking in the general direction of the newcomers.

“Sit,” Sampralia directed them, indicating, with a flick of her pen, a number of cushions arranged across the table from herself.

Makanna, as head of the family, took the seat in the centre and slightly in front of the others. There should perhaps have been another one similarly placed for Valmik as he was not formally part of her family, but the Lady Justice had made no such arrangement, and he sat with Tamor behind Makanna.

For a minute, then two and three and five, there was no sound in the room except the scratching of the pen, and the low hiss of paper as the Lady Justice rolled up her dry work, unrolled a fresh surface, and slid it across the table. Then, with no warning, she set down her pen and looked up.

“Miss Makanna,” Sampralia said, her voice no less rich or firm for her age. “Formerly of Tekeretek, now of Karakan. One of our more unusual citizens. I wish that I could say that it is a pleasure to see you, but it is most decidedly not. Last evening I was dragged, practically from my bed, to expedite a judgement. Normally I would have dismissed such a demand, but seeing as it came from her Young Ladyship Terrallion Rebatia of Tavvanar, and was supported by his Young Lordship Terrallion Poterio, also of Tavvanar, I deemed it politic. Why?”

Makanna was caught off guard by the sudden question. “Why what, exactly, my Lady Justice?” she asked after a short, embarrassed silence.

“Why were you detained, and why were the scions of two Tavvanarian City Lords willing to stick their necks out for you? I have heard what the Guard Captain had to say, now I want to hear your side. And don’t try to dissemble or lie. It’s tedious. One doesn’t become one of the Lords and Ladies Justice without being able to see through deception.”

“We…” Makanna began, but whatever she’d been about to say petered out. She took a breath and began again. “Last night, my brother, Tamor, and his man, my friend Valmik, who are both here with me, returned from Tavvanar after successfully selling an item we’d found in the ruins of an Old Mallinean villa. The Terriallons are friends of ours, and they were waiting with myself, my sister, and some others to welcome Tamor and Valmik home. As they were on their way ashore in a boat, they were intercepted by people we believe belonged to a criminal organisation run by a woman known as the Night Blossom. They were saved when the criminals were attacked by a… creature–”

“What. Kind. Of. Creature?” Sampralia’s words were whip cracks in the silent room.

“... a dragon, my Lady Justice.”

“Continue.”

Makanna swallowed. “The criminals were attacked, and destroyed. Some may have thrown themselves in the water, but there was no one alive on the boat afterward. She… the dragon took one of the bodies and flew off. By the time Tamor and Valmik reached the docks, where we waited with some other friends to welcome them home, a guard patrol had arrived and chose to take them into custody, along with myself, as head of the family, I would guess, and my sister. I do not know why they took her. To complete the set, perhaps.”

“But you do know why they took your sister,” Sampralia stated, her eyes boring into Makanna’s. “Such a pointless thing to lie about. Would you care to try again?”

Makanna sighed, and said, “She may have had some harsh words for the guards. They did not appreciate them.”

“Better. And the Tavvanarians?”

“The Young Lady and Lord are friends of ours. They felt that we were being treated unfairly, as citizens of Tekereteki origin, and did not want to see us remain in custody.”

Sampralia scoffed. “That, at least, is true.” Then her eyes locked again on Makanna. “The dragon killed a dozen men and women, but left Tamor, Valmik, and the two crewmen on their launch alone. Why?”

“It…” Makanna licked her lips. “They…”

“Do not lie,” Sampralia said, her cadence clipped, and the man behind her casually took one of his hands from his back and placed it on the pommel of his sword.

“It is alright,” Herald whispered from behind Makanna, putting her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Tell her.”

Makanna turned around, and Tamor and Valmik both nodded. She looked back at Sampralia, who was waiting patiently, and tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. “She…” she began, but the sentence died in her throat. “I can’t,” she whispered, lowering her eyes. “I can’t betray her.”

Sampralia studied Makanna, her gaze heavy with displeasure, but said, “Would anyone else care to try? I will have answers, one way or another.” She looked to the three in the back expectantly.

Tamor and Valmik looked at each other, then at Herald, but as Tamor readied himself to speak Herald spoke up first, her voice clear and steady.

“The dragon, Draka, spared Valmik and Tamor because she was there to aid them. Because she was awaiting their arrival. Because she cares for us deeply,” Herald said, her smile soft. “Because she is our companion in adventure, and a sixth share of the money from that sale was hers by right. Because she is our friend, and she will not suffer her friends to come to harm. And because the Night Blossom, whose minions those poor souls on the boat were, harmed us and is her enemy, and ours, and she destroys her enemies. But the two crewmen on the launch were nothing to her. They had not touched anyone important to her. So, they were not only spared, they were simply never in any danger.”

The Lady Justice’s eyes widened minutely, but that was the only sign she showed of her surprise. There was a drawn out silence, marred only by the soft sound of her guard shifting his hand from the pommel of his sword to gripping its hilt, awaiting his Lady’s command.

“Do you mean to tell me,” Sempralia said slowly, “that you are acquainted with this creature? That it is intelligent enough to understand such things as ‘innocence’ and ‘restraint’?”

“I believe that ‘love’ and ‘friendship’ and ‘loyalty’ are more important, and more relevant to our conversation, but, yes. She understands those things, and anything else you might expect from an intelligent individual. Including spite and retribution.”

The guard’s grip tightened on his sword.

“I had you followed, you know, as you returned to your inn,” Sempralia said conversationally, after pausing for several seconds. “I did not see it as just that you should be detained, but I was curious what you might do once released. My investigator reported that something followed you on the rooftops, which concerned him, of course, considering the reports from the harbour. He couldn’t quite see what it was, and lost track of it once it reached the roof of Her Grace’s Favour, which I understand is the name of the place where you are staying. Do you have any thoughts about that?”

“Draka was worried, of course,” Herald said. “There was a real chance that we might be ambushed in the street on our way home. While we could most likely have defended ourselves, Draka does not like to leave our safety to ‘probablies’ and ‘most likelies’.”

“You… do not lie,” Sempralia said. “But you are not telling me everything. Where is it now?”

“She,” Herald said with emphasis, “is right where she was when we were summoned. At the inn, awaiting our return.”

The Lady Justice clasped her hands in front of herself on the table. “Miss Herald,” she said. “With the way you emphasise certain things – loyalty, retribution, awaiting – one might think that you were attempting to subtly threaten me.”

There was a dangerous glint in her eye that made Herald pause and consider her words very carefully. The worried glances the others were shooting her did not help bolster her suddenly flagging confidence. This woman had treated them and their parents with great kindness, or at the very least with fairness, but that did not mean that they knew her. They knew her by reputation, certainly. It was said that she applied the law fairly and equally. And, it was said that she did not suffer the law to be abused. But that did not necessarily mean that she was beyond pettiness, or anger, or rash decisions.

“I... apologise, my Lady Justice,” Herald said, lowering her eyes. “I truly did not mean to imply any such thing. But it is important that I make the situation clear. Draka is not violent by nature–”

There was a snort, quickly smothered, from Makanna.

“–not unreasonably violent, by nature,” Herald corrected herself. “She wants only a few things in life. Friends, peace, and treasure. But she loves us, she knows where we are and with whom, and she expects us back, unharmed, within a reasonable time. If that does not happen, I cannot predict her actions, but I know that they will be terrible. Please understand, I only say this because I do not want her to put herself in danger.”

“That…” Sempralia said slowly, “is the truth. As you see it, at least. Fascinating. You care for this creature, for her, don’t you?”

“I do. She is my dearest friend. Practically family.”

“And the rest of you?”

“It is as Herald says,” Valmik said seriously. “Draka is a friend and a companion, and a loyal one.”

Tamor nodded. “We are richer, in every sense, for knowing her.”

“And you?” Sempralia said, turning her eyes on Makanna, who had remained silent. “Do you consider her a friend?”

Makanna hesitated, then met the Lady Justice’s eyes. “I do not know if ‘friend’ is an adequate word for what she is to me, my Lady Justice.”

It looked for a long moment as though Sempralia would demand that Makanna elaborate on that. Their eyes remained locked, but then Sempralia smiled, just barely, and she asked, very carefully, “Do you own this creature?

Makanna snorted, her mouth twitching. Herald quickly covered her own mouth, Tamor grinned openly and even Valmik had an amused smile on his face.

“No one could own Draka,” Makanna said, shaking her head. “I’d say that I would pity anyone who tried, but so far only the Night Blossom has been so foolish, and she deserves every consequence of that mistake. No, my Lady Justice. None of us owns Draka.”

“The so-called Night Blossom. That one again,” Sempralia muttered sourly. “You had a run-in with her, did you?”

“Yes. She had myself and my sister kidnapped and… and tortured, my Lady Justice.”

Sempralia’s mouth became a tight line. “And why would she do that?”

“Because of our involvement in disrupting her slaving, my Lady Justice.”

“Ah. Your little act of heroism. That was her, was it? Can you prove that? If half of the rumours about her are true I would very much like to see that woman found. A lifetime of servitude would do her good, I think. But I need actual, legal cause. She has been accused of much, but that is all I have. Accusations. Whoever she is, no investigation has turned up any evidence of wrongdoing on her part. So, can you prove your claims?”

“Prove them?” Makanna lowered her eyes. “No, my Lady Justice. We can show you where we were held, and we can give testimony. But we cannot prove anything.”

“My Lady Justice,” Herald said. “Does this mean that you can tell us who she is?”

“Tell you who she is? No, most certainly not. I will not encourage or aid in vigilantism, and you have made your friend’s disposition clear enough. Besides that, I simply do not know, myself. Now, there are several possible suspects, and with a strong enough motivation I am sure that any of them could be found and brought in. Until I have that motivation, though, in the form of some kind of evidence, or the testimony of several known associates, there is nothing I can do.”

“Within the law,” Herald added.

“Just so.”

There was another long silence as the Lady Justice studied them. “Does she breathe fire? Is she likely to cause any public harm or destruction?”

“No, and no, my Lady Justice,” Mak answered quickly.

Something passed over Sempralia’s face. A shrewd, calculating look that vanished as fast as it had come. Then she gave a dismissive wave of her arm and said, “Very well. You’re free to go.”

“We are, my Lady Justice?” Makanna asked, her eyes widening. “Just like that?”

“Just like that. You have befriended a dragon. There is no law against that. Perhaps that is an oversight, but there are no laws regarding dragons at all that I know of in Karakan. Nor is it illegal to defend oneself against bandits or pirates, whether on land or sea, or, as the case may be, in the harbour. If you made a claim of ownership I would have you fined for bringing a dangerous animal into the city without proper precautions, but you make no such claim. But I warn you.” Her wrinkled face became stern. “Neither is it illegal to kill such a dangerous animal, in the city or out of it. This dragon, this Draka, as you call her, has no protection under the law, and I am sure that you know that, as a dragon, she will be of special interest to all manner of adventurers, hunters, and glory seekers. If she is harmed, or killed, you have no legal recourse. Attempting to defend her would be unlawful violence, or murder as the case may be. And if she becomes a danger to the public, or a nuisance, she will be hunted down. It would be best if she were not seen in the city again. Do I make myself clear?”

“You do, my Lady Justice,” Makanna said, “but, with all respect, we do not control her. We can only ask her to stay out of the city, or at the very least well hidden.”

“You do not think that she will do this,” Sempralia stated, a small sigh announcing to the room that she had hoped it might be different.

“No, my Lady Justice,” Makanna said. “Not so long as the Night Blossom lives.”

“Then, until the odious woman is dealt with, I suggest you keep your distance from your friend, to avoid being implicated in anything she might do. She is not your responsibility, unless you make her so.”

“My apologies, but I’m not sure that we can do that, my Lady Justice.”

“I thought not. I would also prefer if you did not spread word of her existence unnecessarily. That will certainly happen anyway, but the slower, the better. And I hope you understand that I would be most displeased if you were proven to have exploited your connection to her. Assault, threats, and blackmail are illegal, no matter the means.”

“Understood, my Lady Justice,” Makanna said, and then, when Sempralia remained silent, added, “Will there be anything else?”

“No. That will be all.”

“In that case…” Makanna looked to the others. “With your leave, my Lady Justice, we’ll go. Thank you for your time, and your understanding.”

“Remember,” Sempralia said. “The dragon is outside of the law. In its eyes, she is an animal. If you wish to protect her, the best thing you can do is to make sure that she is not seen in this city. Good day.”

“Good day, my Lady Justice,” Herald said as Sempralia’s silent guard opened the doors for them, and the others echoed her.

They walked in silence, escorted by a Palace guard who had been waiting outside of the Lady Justice’s chambers. When they arrived in the atrium, the relief on Ardek and the Wolves’ faces was palpable. Still, they said nothing until they were well outside, answering no questions until they had walked down the steps to the forum.

“Did anyone else notice,” Tamor asked in a low voice, “how the Lady Justice didn’t actually ask us to try and stop Draka from killing the Night Blossom? Only to try and make sure that she is not seen?”

“It was made very clear that Draka is outside of the law, and not our responsibility,” Valmik added thoughtfully.

“I did notice that, yes,” Herald said, and a vicious smile spread slowly across her face.