"So, what if I don't win?" Gavin queried, penning Hesper into the stablehouse where all Dragon Round competitors now gathered before the start of the tournament. "Then asking for the cure is up to you again, right Rib?"
Rib nodded his head. He'd been awake throughout the night, wondering about Memory and where she was. It put him in such a dispirited mood, he'd even declined to wear his bells that morning and asked Gavin to keep them stored in the saddle.
Why did Zheal have to flee with her?
"Do you think you will win?" Damara asked.
Gavin shrugged. "I only practiced this game yesterday. And besides, look at these other competitors."
At each stall, nobles and dukes were getting ready, stretching and pampering their monigons. All of them looked as though they'd been preparing for this tournament for months on end. Gavin, however, just stood in the corner with Rib and Damara, plainly dressed with a flask in hand. He grinned, taking a swig of his water.
"I look like a joke," he said. "Although, I suppose that's why they call us Dragon Fools, eh Rib?"
"Huh?" Rib blinked. His dreams of Memory were just beginning to flood back into his mind and he struggled to focus as Damara stared him harshly in the eye.
"Don't forget what we're here for," she told him.
"The cure, I know!" Rib grew angry.
That's all she cares about.
What of my sister? The plague started just this year, and it's horrible- but Memory's been a slave most her life!
At that moment, Griffith burst in, a gold and purple robe stretched over his large middle with a matching crown to trap his wild red hair. Rib dipped his head in confusion as everyone around him bowed.
"Gentlemen!" the King boomed. "It is with great joy that I welcome you! Now, let us see what fine dragon hounds you've brought."
Rib could hear the King going from stall to stall, greeting competitors and commenting on each monigon. Coming down the line, the man's voice only grew louder and more enthusiastic.
"Ah, the Dragon Fools!" Griffith declared, spreading his arms wide to behold Rib and Gavin. "So splendid that you could come. When I heard of your fame, I knew it was only fitting that you should attend my tournament."
"Thank you for inviting us, Your Majesty," responded Gavin. "Will you be competing?"
"No, I will not." Griffith brushed stable dust off his robe. "Oriole and I will be watching from the royal booths. Rib, I trust you will be joining us?"
"Yes," Rib answered hollowly.
The King frowned at him. "What troubles you, my friend? Are you not eager for the games?"
This is my chance to ask about Memory, Rib realized. He sensed Damara draw nearer to him, clearly pressuring him not to.
But I must.
"No, I am," he said hesitantly. "Only?I was expecting someone else to be here as well."
There was a pain in the leather of his folded wing as Damara dug her nails into him, but he ignored it.
"Oh?" Griffith asked, stroking his meager beard. "Who?"
Damara's sharp grip tightened.
"My sister?known as Tairg," Rib answered. "I was told Zheal fled with her some days ago."
"Tairg!" the King exclaimed. "Why, I had no idea she was your sister!"
"What were they fleeing from?" urged Rib. "Where did they go?"
The pain in his wing went away, as Damara seemingly gave up.
"Ah," Griffith sneered. "Wherever Zheal has gone, he'd better stay away from here. I'd have had him executed if Tairg hadn't saved him."
"What?! My sister saved him?"
"Yes, and I had no quarrel with her until then. It was Zheal who went behind my back, challenging my title of Sole Wizard of the World." The King bared his teeth. "Never trust a Huskhn. They're thieves and backstabbers, every one of them."
Rib swiveled his eyes to Gavin, then to Damara, but neither said a word.
"The arena is ready, My Lord," a herald said, bowing his head as he approached the King.
Griffith clapped his hands together. "Come, Rib. Everyone, I wish you luck!"
Rib hesitated before padding after him, glancing again at his companions. Gavin nodded, while Damara refused to even look at him.
But my sister! Why did she save Zheal when she could have escaped alone?
Is there something I don't know?
"Oriole should be waiting for us," Griffith told Rib, striding forth. "There's room for you both in my royal booth."
Oriole! She must have met Memory!
I have to speak to her.
. . .
"Hello, Rib!"
Rib stared at Oriole, dumbfounded.
"Wha- what happened to you?" he asked. "You're?feathery!"
The dragon fluffed herself in pride. "Aren't they lovely? Lord Griffith gave them to me. The finest feathers of the finest songbirds, he said."
So it's not just his brother that he turned into a freak? That faun was just the start of it?
Rib couldn't help but gape. The female still had a hide patterned white, black, and yellow, but now feathers of many colors crowned her head, downed her chest, and even layered her wings.
Who could call her a dragon now? Rib was utterly baffled.
"How long have you?been like this?"
"Oh, soon after Lord Griffith assumed the throne." Oriole simpered. "He's been making more wonderful potions ever since!"
The King stood back, nodding agreeably. "You'll have to come see my Fairy Realm, Rib," he declared. "That is where all of my creations reside."
"Uh?"
Like what?! Rib was disturbed. I'd never seen Damon make such things! Was this really in his book of potions?
"Really, I insist." Griffith pressed. "The Fairies are always pleased by dragon visitors."
"Alright," he consented, smiling timorously in response to the King's grin.
Gavin had better win?I don't want to go there alone.
"Lords and ladies!" a herald announced from the middle of the arena. "Lord Griffith welcomes you to his tournament of Dragon Round. Long live Lord Griffith!"
Griffith took his place on his throne and people chorused back the chant. Rib watched as Oriole swept over to the King's left, leaving him no place to stand but the other side.
I'll have to question her about Memory later, in the Fairy Realm.
"Will Sir Yaxen, Duke Wetsy," the herald went on listing names, "please come to the field!"
Rib peered curiously at the competitors filing in, their monigons bounding at their heels
There's Gavin!
From the King's raised platform, Rib recognized his friend striding to the far side of the field with Hesper padding after him, forked tongue lolling.
The arena was circular and grassy with tiny white flowers blooming in patches all over it. Not a stick or stone could be seen on the ground. Evenly spaced around the perimeter of the arena were eight traced rings, and behind each was a tall structure stacked with benches for the audience to sit. It amazed Rib how many people there were, waving flags and cheering as the six competitors stepped inside their ring.
Rib saw Gavin look up at him in the royal booth and wave, as though nothing about the tournament made him anxious. Hesitantly, Rib flexed his wings in response.
Focus on your goal! Rib silently pleaded with him, glancing at the ring directly across from Gavin where a tall noble stood proud, a beige monigon curled around his feet. You must win!
"Gentlemen!" the herald addressed the competitors. "Salute the Crown!"
All eight men raised their right hands to Griffith.
"Salute the one whose favor you bear!"
Over half of them looked to the sky, but Gavin simply patted Hesper on the head.
"Salute each other!"
They bowed vaguely in their opponents' direction.
"By your honor and the sound of the horn, you may begin!"
With that, the herald marched off the field and ascended the level just below the King's booth. Rib peered down as a man also on the platform gave h
is large scarlet wyvern a ball, which it gripped in its talons and flew over the clearing with.
All eight competitors held tight to their monigons' collars, watching the wyvern release the ball over the center of the field. The moment the ball hit, a horn blared and every man sent his monigon after it.
Rib kept his eyes on Hesper as she arrived to the center too late, forced to the edge of the fight that erupted among those who didn't. It horrified him to see one animal clamp its jaws around the throat of another, causing it to drop the ball in its mouth. Rib saw a little blood spattered over the ground before a monigon actually managed to escape with the ball, chased by all the rest as it ran for its owner.
Oh no! Rib was dismayed as the stranger got the ball from his monigon's mouth while standing in his goal. That person won!
There were cheers from the audience, but none of the other competitors stopped what they were doing. Instead, they ran to the center of the field, where the scarlet wyvern was just about to drop a second ball.
Gavin still has a chance?
Rib found himself leaning forward in anticipation. All the monigons were still jumping at the man with the first ball while their owners jumped for the second that fell.
While the fight among monigons had been gruesome, this was even worse. Rib gawked as the men threw elbows, shoved, and hit each other in the face. Every time one got a hold of the ball, they planted their feet and called their monigon, but by that time another would have wrestled it from their hands.
"Yes!" Griffith hollered. "Yes! Yes!"
Humans are violent, Rib thought, digging his claws into the wood, his body tense. And all for a ball!
He watched a thin man snatch the ball up in his hands, then gasped as Gavin ran up behind and swung his leg at the back of the man's knees, doubling him backwards.
That's what Damara did to him!
Before Gavin could get the ball that hit the ground, however, Hesper dashed in and got it.
"Here, Hesp!" Gavin's call echoed around the arena as he ran for his goal and stepped inside.
Go, Hesper! Rib urged the monigon silently, eyes wide. The animal streaked towards her master, leaping over another monigon before jumping into Gavin's arms. The young man reeled back with the weight of Hesper, but he got the ball out of her mouth and kept both feet inside the ring.
"Yeah!" Rib cheered along with everyone else. "He did it!"
"Now he just has six more rounds to win," Griffith shouted over the crowd.
Six?! Rib was exasperated. How can he manage that?
Gavin moved to the platform below Rib with Hesper, as the first winner had done. The rest of the monigons were now running for the third ball which had just been dropped, but Rib was distracted by Gavin.
"Hey!" Rib half-shouted, half-laughed to his friend, who turned. "You copied Damara."
Gavin grinned up at him. Light seemed to dance in his ocean blue eyes. "Worked well, didn't it?" he replied, but was hushed by the herald.
Where is Damara, anyway? Rib thought suddenly, searching the stands. On a lower bench of the stand closest to the royal booth, he saw Mortaug and Jasper, who cheered incessantly, but Damara wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere.
She said she'd come watch! Rib became irritated. Gavin won with her trick and she didn't even see.
Then, he glimpsed something in the corner of his eye and looked to see Damara watching from the top of a tall tree just behind one of the stands. Rib gawked at her, seeing how smooth and branchless the trunk of the tree was.
How did she climb up there? Has she been there the whole time?
Judging by the entertained grin on her freckled face, she had.
Rib shook his head in astonishment, turning his attention back to the game that went on.
When someone finally got the seventh and last ball released, his sole opponent left was recognized as the first loser of the tournament. Baring his teeth in anger, the loser stalked out of the arena and out of sight, kicking his monigon.
The seven remaining competitors were allowed a short break while servants rushed to retrace the necessary goal rings and smooth the terrain.
"I'll wager Duke Wetsy shall be joining us in the Fairy Realm tomorrow," Griffith said to Oriole. "Look how fierce his dragon hound is."
"I know," Oriole agreed. "I thought it was going to kill Sir Yaxen's!"
"It still might," Griffith replied, a wicked smile on his face.
"Wait, that can't be allowed," Rib protested. "Can it?"
The King split into a grin. "The crowds would riot if I forbade it."
"That's awful," Rib cried, but only got a sympathetic gaze from Oriole.
What if Hesper got killed?!
"Gavin!" Rib shouted down again. "Gavin, don't let Hesper die!"
"What?" his friend asked, but was again shushed by the herald.
Hesper panted at Gavin's feet with a gaping, dog-like smile. Rib studied the monigon from where he perched.
She looks alright so far?
Soon, the herald called the competitors back to the field and each stood in a ring, the loser's left empty.
This time, when the horn was sounded, Hesper was of the first to reach the ball. With a quick snag, she caught it up in her mouth and escaped the others, bolting through the audience stands to disappear with the rest chasing after her.
Gavin slowed to a halt, staring after the direction she'd disappeared. The people watching stood up on their benches to also see where the animals had gone.
"They left the arena!" Rib exclaimed the obvious. "Is that allowed?"
"Of course," Griffith retorted. "But they're bound to get tired on their way back."
"I once fell asleep waiting for them," Oriole admitted sheepishly. "I do hope these ones are quicker?"
Rib watched anxiously as one of the competitors, Duke Wetsy he thought, stalked over to Gavin. With his keen hearing, he was able to listen in on what was being said.
"This is your fault," the man accused. "Your scut of a hound put a halt to everything!"
"Yeah," Gavin laughed breathlessly, placing his hands on his knees. "And right when I needed a break, too."
Leaving the man scowling behind him, Gavin went over to his goal and sat down to catch his breath.
Then, from behind, Hesper crept out from beneath a nearby seating structure and nuzzled him, the ball still in her mouth.
She hid with it!
Rib laughed at Gavin's shocked expression.
Most everyone else was still looking around for the runaway monigons and hadn't noticed Hesper there. Silently glancing around him, Gavin accepted the ball offered to him and stood, announcing, "Found it!"
Found it? Rib laughed again when everyone turned in amazement to see Gavin, in his goal, the missing ball raised in his hand.
Immediately, the scarlet wyvern was sent out with another ball and the men went for it, their monigons still gone. As Gavin waltzed back to the platform below Rib, the game proceeded with one man throwing the ball towards his goal, then another kicking it towards his, and so on.
And when the competitors' monigons finally returned, panting and sluggish, the round was drawn out until the second loser was determined.
So it went that Gavin continued passing each round. As one after another loser was singled out and made to leave, Rib found it easier to watch his friend and his tactics. He admired how Gavin and Hesper worked together, like the perfect pair.
It was likewise amusing to see how careless Gavin appeared as he dodged and weaved around man and monigon to get to Hesper. Sometimes Rib thought he heard the young man whistling his market tune while jaunting alongside Hesper for the goal.
Why, he's casually excellent! Rib marveled.
At last, six rounds had gone by and Gavin was left to face his last opponent, Duke Wetsy.
"What a match we have here!" Griffith proclaimed, looking at Rib. "Your friend head to head with my wager. Who do you think it will be, Rib? Who will join us in the Fairy Realm tomorrow morn?"
Rib stared out at Gavin and Duke Wetsy, comparing them and their monigons.
Gavin was stockier, but proven to be light on his feet and quick to respond, while his opponent was slightly taller and had a long reach. Rib had also observed the Duke's throw was very fast and precise.
Of the two monigons, Hesper was the taller one but, like her master, she was swift and cunning. Her rival was frightful to look at, almost hunchbacked with its head always low. Its features were blocky, its hide beige with the occasional dark scale. Rib couldn't be sure from his distance, but he thought he glimpsed a snaggletooth popping over its upper lip.
That's the monigon that could kill Hesper! Rib felt the urge to glide down and take his friend's monigon up in his talons. Gavin needs her!
Rib watched as both contenders took their places one last time. It reminded him of Gavin and Damara, when they'd practiced on the beach. Only now, fear seeped in through Rib's scales.
With a screech, the scarlet wyvern released the final ball. At the blast of the horn, Hesper and her rival charged for the middle. Hesper skid to a halt and took the ball, but in that moment, the other monigon rammed into her, sending her flying back. With a yelp, she dropped the ball, but her rival didn't go for it. Instead, he champed down on Hesper's throat and threw her in a rage.
No! Rib panicked, wings unfolding. No, no, no!
He was just about to fly to Hesper's rescue as the brute advanced on her, snarling, but Gavin dove over her, protecting her from the monigon that lunged.
"Gavin!" Rib wailed, horrified when the brute went for his friend's arm.
Gavin screamed in agony as the animal sank its teeth in and tore at his flesh.
Rib was off the platform in an instant. Everyone was hollering. Griffith demanded for everything to stop.
Before Rib reached his friend, though, Hesper had picked herself up and now tackled the brute. With awful shrieks and yowls, the monigons fought each other.
"Are you alright?" Rib cried as he landed in front of Gavin, who clutched his bleeding arm.
The young man nodded, heaving for breath, his eyes wide. Damara was suddenly with them and already tearing fabric from her dress to wrap Gavin's arm in. Rib could still hear the battling of monigons happening behind him and he turned to see.
I have to help Hesper! he thought, but could hardly single either of them out, glimpsing the flash of fangs and claws. Stepping closer, he tried to intervene. At once, the brute broke away to snap at Rib. With a pounce, Rib pinned the monigon to the ground, easily overpowering it.
Rib stared down at the maddened beast, then looked to Hesper, who could barely hold herself up, bloody and ragged. Gavin came to her, hushing her as she whimpered and fell into him.
"For attack against a human," Griffith's commanding voice rang out, "Duke Wetsy's dragon hound is to be executed immediately! Would the victim like to deal the death blow?"
Rib gazed at Gavin, but before the young man could reply, Duke Wetsy came forward, knife in hand.
"I'll do it," the Duke snarled. "I'll kill the damn beast. He cost me my victory!"
What?! Rib scrambled back just as the man plunged his blade into the monigon's throat. There was a sickening sound and a squeal from the animal, then all was quiet.
Rib watched blood ooze from the monigon's neck, stunned. Soldiers came to restrain the Duke and take his knife, though the man yelled at them to release him. Rib felt his scales begin to lie flat as the man was dragged away. He hadn't even realized he was bristling.
Rib stared around at Gavin, Damara, Hesper. Jasper and Mortaug only just managed to push their way through the benches and ran to meet them. They all exchanged glances.
What now?
Tentatively, the herald sidled up to Gavin, who still crouched with Hesper.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the herald announced, his voice cracking, "I present to you your winner, Fool Gavin."
Chapter 12