Two days after the ship had sailed carrying Electra and Avor to Taz, Dagon was still the guest of the king and queen at their castle in Fernland. He had been treated as a true guest, better even. More like a family member. This was quite a turnaround for one who had been hunted as an outlaw by Fernland soldiers only a few months ago. He wondered, not for the first time, if there might be some devious reason for this newfound hospitality.
Dagon was still curious and a little apprehensive as he waited outside the kennels of Fernland's castle for King Geoffrey to make his appearance. Geoffrey had invited Dagon to join him on a hunt this morning. All round him, grooms and pages rushed about in a fever of activity. A boy about nine years old walked by with two hounds on leashes. Dagon smiled at him.
"Will your dogs be joining us on the hunt?" Dagon asked the boy
The boy nodded. "This ere's Little Bit an tother be Singer. Both as good a blood hounds as be anywhere. Them noses can't either one be beat."
"They are fine looking hounds. Are you their caretaker?"
"I am that. Bucky's my name. I sleep right there in the kennel with 'em. They're my family, like."
"They are lucky to have you, Bucky. I'm sure they will make you proud."
Bucky patted the dogs on their shoulders. He looked up at Dagon. "You some kinda famous hunter?"
Dagon laughed. "No. Why would you think that?"
The boy shrugged. "King Geoffrey hardly ever goes out huntin' less some guest is visitin' an bent on a hunt."
"In truth? I didn't know."
Bucky looked embarrassed. "I shouldn't a said nothin'. Not my place ta say."
Dagon smiled at the boy and ruffled his hair. "Don't worry. It will be our secret." Dagon mimed buttoning his mouth with his fingers and the boy smiled back.
The master huntsman sounded his horn to announce King Geoffrey's arrival. The king was followed by a wait staff who set up planks on saw horses and spread out an array of breakfast foods.
King Geoffrey walked up to Dagon, who rose from his bale of hay to make a short bow. King Geoffrey waved him back down and sat on a bale of hay beside him.
"A good day for a hunt." King Geoffrey looked up at the clear blue cloudless sky.
"Have you a quarry in mind?" Dagon asked.
"I'm told there is hope of a stag."
"Your hunt staff seem in high spirits."
"I'm sure they are. I used to hunt quite often, but after Electra was kidnapped I could see that Delphinia was reluctant to let Avor go along on a hunt. And of course Avor was devastated if I left him behind. It seemed more politic not to go at all. Silly, but it is the first thing I thought of doing once I knew Avor would be gone for a time."
"Quite understandable."
"The things we do to keep our women folk happy." King Geoffrey shook his head as he stared off into the forest.
Dagon found himself nodding without thinking.
King Geoffrey looked at Dagon from the corner of his eye. "Yes. I suppose you would understand." Geoffrey cleared his throat. "I hear from Electra that you are building her a school of medicine."
Dagon came to attention. "Yes. It seemed a thing that might occupy her."
King Geoffrey pulled a handful of straw from his seat and balled it up in his hand. "She seldom confides in me but I sense she is quite excited about the school."
"That is my hope."
"Do you suppose Serafina was the one to plant this idea to study medicine?" King Geoffrey posed the question as though his interest was only idle curiosity. Dagon knew better.
"If that were the case, I doubt the idea would have taken root unless it coincided with Electra's ambitions." Dagon made a little mark in the dirt with the heel of his boot.
"I know they stay in touch. Electra admitted as much when she got the idea of taking Bataar to Henge." King Geoffrey threw his ball of straw in the air and caught it with the same hand.
"I try not to interfere in Electra's affairs except as it affects her safety."
"I would count Serafina a threat to all our safeties. Would you not?"
"Certainly she would be a formidable enemy." Dagon wondered where King Geoffrey was headed with this conversation. He wished he had questioned Electra more closely on how much she had told her father about Serafina. He was running out of ambiguous replies to Geoffrey's questions.
"You have no doubt heard that I have offered a reward for Serafina's capture?"
"I have, yes."
"And I suppose you would hold her prisoner should she come to Helsop."
"She is not likely to come to Helsop with Electra living at King's Lake."
King Geoffrey seemed suddenly interested. "She has visited Electra in Helsop?"
Dagon was blindsided. Did the king know of Serafina's visit when Bataar was there? One of Geoffrey's Royal Guard had driven the royal carriage that accompanied Bataar to Helsop. Dagon had made sure that the carriage driver was kept busy and out of the way with a mysteriously broken carriage wheel when Serafina had put on her demonstration of exploding arrows. He did not think Electra would have told King Geoffrey of Serafina's visit. He took a chance that the king did not know, since he did not seem to know that Dagon had first hand knowledge of the exploding arrows.
"To my knowledge, they exchanged messages regarding Bataar and his designs on conquering Henge. Bataar left after breaking two of his men out from my stockade and his tracks headed west toward Henge. I believe he planned to make an attempt on Serafina's life." Dagon hazarded a glance at King Geoffrey and found him nodding in agreement. Dagon let out a breath slowly.
King Geoffrey pushed himself up from the bale of hay. "See here. I'm keeping you talking while you are likely hungry. We'd best have something to fortify ourselves. It could be a long day."
Dagon felt the truth of the king's last statement. With the sun barely over the horizon, he already felt worn out and sticky with nervous perspiration. If King Geoffrey's close questioning kept up throughout the day it would be a long day indeed.
After a quick breakfast, the hunters mounted up and the hunt master blew his horn. The dogs took off in a cacophony of barking, howling and baying, noses to the ground, with the hunters close behind. They followed deer trails and scat droppings through dense areas of scrub and pine trees to a small lake. A small group of deer grazed peacefully on the opposite shore. The hunters split up taking opposites routes around the lake to box in their prey.
King Geoffrey was given the honor of killing the cornered stag. He held his arrow steady and the shot was true, killing the animal instantly. It was a large buck with ten tines on his antlers. Dagon congratulated the king on his shot.
The king nodded. "I should go out more often. I was lucky with that shot. I need to get back to the archery practice field as well." King Geoffrey was in a very good mood. His skin glowed with perspiration and exertion. They rode back to the castle slowly along a wide path that allowed two horses to ride side by side.
"I suppose you have heard the rumors about these new arrows," King Geoffrey asked.
Here Dagon felt he was on more solid ground He knew from Electra that Muller had brought back evidence of the arrows from Barburee.
"I have both heard rumors and verified them. The rumors are true."
Geoffrey raised his eyebrows. "You have sent spies to Barburee?"
"No, I have sent spies to Henge. It appears Prince Blackwell has also perfected the exploding arrows and we are left to play catch up."
King Geoffrey reined his horse to a halt. "When did this happen?"
"I do not know how long he has had the secret. My man brought back a sample of the exploding powders from Henge and I have been working to duplicate the mixture."
"With any success?"
"I have yet to ascertain a source for one of the powders."
"The white powder?"
"Exactly." Dagon turned his
lips up slightly. "I don't suppose you would be willing to share such a source if you have found one?"
"I don't suppose I would. But as it happens I have not yet located one myself."
They rode on in silence for a time. King Geoffrey finally broke the silence.
"Any idea how long this engagement to my daughter is going to last?"
Dagon blushed but managed a weak smile. "I am hoping the completion of the medical school might occasion the fixing of a wedding date."
King Geoffrey scowled but seemed to make a decision. "Perhaps I'll order some lumber sent your way."
Dagon, caught off guard by this latest show of generosity, had to gather his wits to manage a surprised, "We would be grateful."