Questions and Changes

Chapter Seven Questions and Changes All the visitors were finally leaving the manor and saying their good-byes. It was nearly 2 week before all the meetings were complete. The King and Queen said their good-byes and the King asked Baron Jamal if he could take the dragon. Baron Jamal said graciously no, for the dragon did not belong to him. He belonged to Arganteilin his apprentice. "I see," said the King. Well I would like to have it anyway. Have her fly him to me next week. We shall use him for our armies and scouting the enemy. Baron Jamal just put his head down, and said "Yes, your Majesty". When the baron came to see me later, he was very sad.  I was confused by his sadness; I figured he really wanted us to leave him. But then he told me of the Kings request. I started to cry, I wanted to go home. I want to be with my mother and father. He cannot have my dragon. Emerald is not a slave; Emerald makes his own choice to be with me. I have nothing to keep him. We love each other; we are each other's friends. "Please your Excellency; do not let him take emerald from me! Please!" I pleaded. I ran from the manor and emerald and I flew to Lady Peregrines home. We sat and talked about what was happening with my dragon. She told me to go against the King was treason and that I could be tried for treason and hung if found guilty of it. I thought, is this what my Goddess had in store for me? To be hung? I did not think so. Lady Peregrine and I walked around her property having some tea. Emerald was trying to keep up, but he loved the grasses there and was eating and walking with us. As we walked, I remembered that the king named his heir to the throne, His Royal Highness Edric Aaron Hartwood and Her Royal Highness Faizeh al-Zarqa. I wondered if a plea to the royal highnesses would help. It was worth a shot. I would ask them to release emerald after he became high king. Then we could go home where we really belonged. Lady Peregrine told me that my time with Baron Jamal was nearing an end that I have been with him for 5 yrs and that was long enough to be an apprentice to him. "You should really think about going to Caid and living with Baron David and Baroness Adelicia. They are very good people and their barony loves them very much. I think that is were you should go. Learn all that you can from him. He has much to offer". Lady Peregrine said to me. "Going to a new land is just another adventure for you. Think of the people you will meet and the places you will get to see." She added. I thought about it, and it really would be fun to travel again and be free in a sense. I still had to deal with the King and his demand. How do I get around having Emerald being a slave to the king? How do I explain to me all things in nature are not to be owned?  I stayed with Lady Peregrine for a while longer then set off back to the manor. I needed to talk with my Master and Baron on this subject. Off emerald and I went flying over the barony.  The rolling hills have green and tans then looking past it nothing, just desert. Tyre was like an oasis in the desert. Lots of trees and looking towards the sea you can see all the ships coming and going. Trading everything from fabric to spices and different food items. It was an experience to go to the port and watch all the trading, selling, and bartering that went on there. I wondered about the new land I would be seeing, what it like was. Could you see the rolling and twisting sea from their manor? Did they have trees to play hide and seek with my dragon? What kind of people were there? Did they like dragons or would they want to hurt my emerald? I had to speak to the Baron on these matters. Emerald swiftly but quickly moved his massive wing. They seem to slice through the air like a hot blade on freshly churned butter. In no time we were back at the manor. I jumped down off emeralds back and hugged him for the ride to Lady Peregrines home. He responded back with a head rub and a snuggle. Then off to the fields for more grasses and grubs he went.  Then off I went to find the Baron and Baroness. I wanted to hear from both of them on this matter. Finding the Baroness Eowyn was easy; she was poised in the sunroom to the gardens doing her great tapestry.  She was sitting there very intent on her needle craft when I bolted in to the room, half scaring her to death. "My God child, what is it?" "Your Excellency, I need to talk to you and the Baron. Do you know where he might be?" I said to her, very out of breath. My husband the Baron is a wandering Baron; one never knows where he is. I once tried tying bells to him; he took them off and gave them to the children in the village. He might be down at the port. You might want to check there" I thanked her and apologized for scaring her like that" she said, she understand the urgency. That she would be right were I found her when I returned so we could talk together. I looked through the whole manor looking for him; I asked everyone if they had seen him, everyone said "No". So then I went outside to the market place, maybe he is looking at the vegetables for this eve's supper.  I went to merchants row looking for him, I asked along the way if they had seen him. Finally an old woman said she had, he left the walls a while ago heading towards the port. I thanked her and started towards the port. I started to run, but it was a bit of a way to get there. Down a winding road of dirt and up some small hills and down again. Trees lining the road and tall grasses all around.  It was a very peaceful walk after all. As I turned a corner on the road, I heard a yell or holler it sounded like the baron; oh my Goddess was he is trouble? I ran quietly to try not to make so much noise. As I came to an opening in the trees to a meadow, I saw many a fighter hitting the Baron with their great swords. The Baron had his armor on and was yelling, "No, not hard enough" then he would be struck again by another. "You hit to light, not a good strike" You need to swing with force but not use your arm to do it; you need to use your hips. Swivel on your hips. Try it again. So the fighter did try it again and it was a success, till the Baron reacted to the swing and clobbered the fighter. I started to laugh but stopped as not to disturb the Baron at his training of the next to squire him. As I watched him, he has such power and grace on the fighting field. It is no wonder that he is a knight to the king. His knowledge is great about how to wield a sword in battle. I sat there for what seemed like a few moments, but was really more like hours watching and learning the moves. I thought to myself, I will speak with him after he is done here and we are all back at the manor. After our evening supper when all is quiet. I slipped away and headed back to the village. The baron will know what to do about this problem with the king wanting emerald to be in battle with the armies. There had to be a simple way to get out of it. If anyone knew how to fix it the Baron would.  I went to the kitchen to do my afternoon chores and get supper ready. I cleaned the vegetables that were picked that morning and got them ready for roasting over and open flame. The baron liked the tasted of flamed vegetables. I cut up onions and parsnips, leeks and turnips covered them lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then placed them on a grill onto the open fire. They will start to burn, so I set the grill off to the side of the flame as not to burn them. Next I worked with the meat for the main course. Rabbit was the dish, again it had to be dressed out and cleaned. The Baron had made a rub for the wild game it was of many different spices I rubbed olive oil all over the rabbits and then began rubbing in the spices. I placed them on a spit and put the above the open flame. The flames danced and flickered up to lap at the juices running out of the rabbit. Then off to tend to the setting of the tables. The great hall has much room in it for entertaining, but when it is just the Baron and Baroness I set a small table for them.