Chapter Twenty Four: The Seige

“Ahh”, Saber sighed, as he emptied his bladder into the river.  He stretched, scratched and farted all at the same time, as he finished he looked out over the valley and froze.

            “This is not happening!”  Saber declared.  So much for the rock wall, he thought.  An army was camped in the valley.

            Saber went back in the lair to rouse the Clan, he would send a runner to the Castle Guard for back up.  They could out flank the army if they came from both sides.

            Torch woke to Sabers alarm, and immediately went to the bedside of Stone.  He was awake, but scared.

            “Go to the Castle, and get Mara, we will make short work of this.”  Torch soothed his son.

            “Daddy!”  Leona said as she woke.  “I didn’t tell you because there is no malice from this army.  In fact they are almost celebrating to finally arrive here.”  Leona finished.

            “Leona, good or bad, whenever an army comes to the valley, you need to tell me, o.k.?”  Saber asked.

            “Yes Daddy, I am sorry, they are waiting for their leader.  I think its Mara.”  Leona informed Saber.

            “Mara?  I don’t understand, are we under siege or not?”  Saber asked Leona.

 

            “Yes, it looks like it, because if we don’t comply with their demands, they will begin a war with us.”  Leona answered.  “Daddy we really need our own army, to help with times like this.”  She said with a pout.

            “I’m beginning to agree with you.”  Saber nodded.

            Torch was just in time at the entrance to catch Mara flying in.  A great roar erupted from 

the army below.  Dragons yelling, whistling and clapping.

            “I take it these are yours?”  Torch asked.  “I didn’t realize there were so many.”

            “Yeah, they kind of increased, as we made for home.”  Mara said over the noise.  “I guess my magic with the animals is a great story now.  Soldiers from across the Realm, and every Clan, all but a few have joined my original small army, just to be a part of it all.”  Mara finished as she walked back outside.  The cheering became unbearable.

            “Please”, she shouted, as she did a lowering  move, with her arms going down.

 “Please, quiet.”  Mara said.

            “What’s going on, why’s Mara outside without a safety belt?”  Saber demanded.

            Torch just shook his head, wondering if Saber ever did anything without a safety belt.

            “These are Mara’s dragons, the second bubble, remember Saber?”  Torch said.

            “Oh-----yeah, I forgot.”  Saber exclaimed.

            “Well are we still under siege?”  Saber asked

            “Actually Daddy, Mara is helping a little, but she’s getting them riled up too.  We are still under siege.”  Leona said.

            “Um, maybe I should go mingle.”  Link offered.  “I am the biggest male, and I might fit right in with them.”  Link said.

            “Oh yeah, big purple guy with feathered wings.  Yeah, you would fit right in.”  Stone said, as he joined the family in the Great Hall.  “If you want a spy, use the one we already have, Missy.  She flies in with a blur, gathers information, and flies out, in less than five minutes, sometimes even faster.”  Stone said, with pride.  “She is awesome!”

            “Very good idea, Stone.  Leona could you ------ .  “I’m already here Grandpa, see ya!”  The blur took off.

            “Grandpa, huh? ...You know----”, Stone got cut off, with a big blue hand around his throat, lifting him up at the same time

            “Don’t even try it kid.  I might get a kick out of you picking on Ryan, but me?  No.  Clan Leader is off limits for your cute little jokes, got it?”  Saber asked, and Stone nodded once, scared to death.

            “Good, with that said”, he lowered him to the ground.  “You are family here, and there is no reason to be afraid of me or anyone else.  In fact we would fight for you to the death if necessary.  You my young dragon are a member of our family, and Clan Saber.”  Saber said with sincerity.

            “Can I still play with Raven, Ryan, Ryoch ?”  Stone asked politely.

            “I sure hope so, they can take it, don’t worry.”  Saber said.

            “Here she comes”, Mara said.

            Torch looked at Stone, no marks that was good for Saber, he might live then.

            “Don’t ever touch my son like that again.  You got a real problem, come to me and I’ll fix it.  Stones jokes are signs of admiration and respect.  He means no harm, it was uncalled for, you picking him up like that.  If you hadn’t noticed yet, Stone is very immature, for being about to gain his majority.  Almost seems like me at his age, I had a reason to pretend to be slow-witted, Stone doesn’t.  His is real.”  Torch warned Saber.

            “You’re right, and I’m sorry.”  Saber kept it simple.

 A blur smashed into Sabers chest, he grabbed a hold of it, and set it down slowly.

            “It takes her a little time to go at normal speeds.  Her shaking will stop in a moment.”  Mara told everyone.

            The noise level was going up again outside.  Torch looked out, and grimaced, “Mara, why are they here like this?  Your original army knows the plan, and knew you were going home.  Why are they mad now?”  Torch asked.

            “They’re not mad, Torch.”  Missy said, all calmed.  “They want Mara to choose.  Somehow they got the impression that Mara was coming home to find a mate, and they believe she should pick from her dragons, not someone here.”  Missy said.

            “Do they realize Mara is Royalty, and must choose from the upper class?”  Saber asked.   

            “I must?  How so?  Who said?”  Mara’s questions were almost angry.

            “Its law Mara, all Royalty must marry within their rank.”

            “Oh yeah!  What about Cherna?”  Mara said in a huff.

            “Yes dear, what about me?  You were a Royal Prince when we life-mated, and I was a simple working class dragon.”  Cherna added, as she joined the group.

            “I gave up my position in line to the Throne, Cherna.  You were worth it, and you still are.”  Saber said, with love in his voice.

            “Okay, so just our two families are Royal, and that’s a little like inbreeding in my books.....yuk!  So where do I choose from?”  Mara asked.

            “No Mara, every Clan has its own Royalty like ours is.  I am Clan Leader, Ryoch and Torch my seconds, Link and Leona my thirds, and on down the line, see?  Each clan has a Royalty that extends three generations.”  Saber explained.

            “Oh, well that’s a relief.  Cuz Link?  Yeah, not gonna happen.”  She shook her head.

            “I’m crushed!”  Link said.  “You’ve got too much magic for me anyways.”

            “So how do we solve this?”  Mara asked.

            “They want a tournament, where the winner gets to marry you.”  Missy said.

            “What’s a tournament?”  Mara asked, confused.

            “It’s war games, and also used to gain land and property.  The competitors fight and have contests, and such.  They are knocked out if they lose and moved up to the next level if they win.”  Link explained.

            “Can I enter Dad?”  Link asked.

            “What if you win?  Ick, I’m not mating with you!”  Mara said again.

            “Oh, right.”  Link pouted.

            “I have an idea.”  Torch said.   “Say you accept this tournament, then have Link here show some really cool magic, and sweep you off your feet, right in front of all of them.  They respect, and follow because of your magic.  They would do the same for your mate.”  Torch suggested.  “You won’t actually be mated, just for show, then they settle down, see?”

            “Yes and I can have my Captains return the army to the war zone.”  Mara said, with a smile.  “This will work!”

            “Link?  You up to one fantastic show of your magic?”  Torch asked.

            Link was almost grinning (yuck), he was so up for it.  “When can I start?”

            “Go now!”  Torch said.  “Mara and everyone come on out side.”

            Mara calmed the army again, and with a shaking voice, she gave permission for a tournament.

            A loud crack of thunder went off, right over the valley.  The blue sky had not changed.  A bolt of lightning hit the valley floor, and several of the soldiers jumped a mite high.  Thunder cracked again, but even louder this time, the soldiers were getting nervous.  Lighting struck the river, driving soldiers back soaked in poison water.  The ground started to shake, and several soldiers hit their knees praying to the Gods.  As the valley floor rolled under their feet, a few soldiers ran for the gate opening.  A tournament wasn’t worth getting killed for.  A strong wind blew in, stopping the fleeing soldiers by picking them up, and depositing them back with the army.  Wind howled through the valley, and with one more lightning bolt, a walk way was made splitting the army in half.

            There in the back stood Link, he raised his arms, and slapped them against his legs.  Thunder and lightning crashed all around the army.

            As Link moved forward, soldiers got out of his way.  Weapons were plucked from dragon hands, and off their bodies.  The weapons made an odd mix of picks, swords, bows and arrows, mace and whips, all floating and following Link.

             Link stepped into the clearing in front of the poison river, he had all the weapons thrown into the river.  A small layer of fog followed Link as he  passed the soldiers.  Link turned towards the army, he called upon his magic to lift Mara gently, and to float her down to his arms, just as Mara reached him, a thousand butterflies swirled around them, and left to float around the army.

            A great roar let loose, and then it was completely silent.  Link stood Mara up, and they watched as every dragon in the valley bowed to Mara and her chosen mate.

            “Wow!  I wouldn’t have missed this for a million jewels.”  Spoke Raven, from the side of the lair.  He lightly jumped into the opening.

            “Who are you?”  What are you doing here?”  Saber asked.

            “I am sorry, I am Raven, Emissary to the Crown, from the Elementals Clan.”  He bowed to Saber.

            “Elementals, huh,” Saber asked wary.  “Could you do that?”  He pointed at Link.

            “Not on my best day.”  Raven admitted.  Saber puffed up, and said with pride, “That’s my son Link, he and Leona are twins.  I hear you already met her.”  Saber added.

            “You’re Saber!  I was hoping to talk to you.  The Twins of Destiny are real, not just a myth.  You and your life mate have magic?”  Raven asked.

            “Not a drop, unless you count physical abilities.”  Saber said with a smile.

            “Like what?”  Raven asked.

            “Like me, Sparky.”  Cherna said, standing right behind him.  Raven jumped a mile high, and turned to face a very large purple belly button.  Raven looked up, and up, and up, by the time he met Cherna’s eyes, his head was tilted straight up.  “Oh my, yes I think I would include physical abilities in my report.”  Raven said, swallowing hard.

            Saber and Cherna laughed, “We have no magic, I’m just a big female, that’s all.”  Cherna said, as she stopped laughing.

            “I hear you asked my daughter to be your life-mate”, Cherna’s laughter was gone, as she pulled the Elemental up by his tail.  Everyone in the Entryway stopped silently, and watched Cherna eat the Elemental for breakfast.

            “Hey!  Put me down you huge purple female!”  Raven hollered.

            “Wrong answer!”  Cherna said, as she tossed Raven out the entryway, and down the mountain.  Cries, thumps and cracks were heard as Raven bounced down the mountain.

            Everyone was looking at Cherna, with their mouths open in shock.

            “Oh, o.k., Stone will you go help him with his injuries please?”

            “Do I have to?”  Stone asked, sarcastically.  Torch poked him.  “Oh alright, he is my uncle after all.”

            As Stone left, the entire clan busted up laughing.