Free Dragonfly by Julia Golding Page A

half-covered in straw, down the steps and out into the clearing. Tashi was dumped beside him. In front of them lay the bodies of a Gerfalian forest warden and a Crescent sailor.
    "Look what you made us do!" raged Orboyd, his hands still red with the warden's blood. "We were trying to do this the kind way--no one getting hurt, just a quick dash for the border and goodbye. We are peaceful people and you made us kill these men!"
    Ramil now noticed that the dwarf, Tighe, was wiping a bloodied knife on a rag. It seemed that he had been responsible for despatching the sailor.
    "I cannot have this. You must play by my rules or there'll have to be more killing." Orboyd seized the whip from the tiger tamer. "Which one of you made that noise? I've got to punish you or you'll force me to kill again and I don't like it!" He ripped the gag off Tashi, then Ramil. "I hope, Your Highness, it was the witch. I don't want to lay a finger on you if I can help it."
    "It was me!" Ramil said quickly.
    "He lies. It was me," Tashi said, appealing with a look to Gordoc.
    The big man strode forward. "You're not harming
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    the girl!" He snatched the whip from Orboyd's hand and threw it back to Pashvin.
    "You forget yourself, Gordoc. I say who gets punished and who doesn't!"
    thundered Orboyd, going eye to eye with the giant.
    The old woman strode over, still wearing Tashi's boots, and spat at the ground in front of her. "You're wasting time, Orboyd. Now you've killed these men, others will be after us. We've got to get to the border by nightfall.
    There's time enough for punishment when we get to Brigard."
    Orboyd broke away from Gordoc. "All right, Minka, all right, we'll settle this later. Hide the bodies. Set the horses loose. Gordoc, put our guests back in the cage and tie them up properly this time."
    The bodies of the warden and the sailor were not found until the evening.
    Ramil's and Tashi's riderless horses were discovered not long after, trotting back towards the castle. King Lagan heard the news with dismay. It seemed clear that Ramil and the young Princess were victims of some terrible crime.
    He regretted now that he had doubted his son even for a moment. Were their bodies waiting to be found too? Fearing the worst, he ordered the search to be intensified. Every wagon was unpacked, every traveller questioned; all that is except for the cage belonging to one very hungry-looking tiger. The border guard had peered inside and decided that no one could be in there and live. Besides, the circus people were friendly folk, free with their food 78
    and wine, in no rush to pass over the border to Brigard. They did not act like fugitives with something to hide.
    Once in Brigard, the neighboring country recently conquered by Fergox Spearthrower, Ramil and Tashi were untied and taken out of the cage. The mood of the circus people lightened now that the immediate danger of discovery had passed. They were travelling through spectacular mountain scenery: soaring peaks, snow-covered slopes, and thick forests of pine trees. They had to climb high to cross the range. The air was icy but the weather fine. Gordoc insisted that Tashi ride beside him for protection, snugly wrapped up in his fur rug. Ramil could see her now in the wagon ahead of him, her long fair hair streaming down her back in a ripple of gold.
    He'd had no opportunity to talk to her--not that they had anything to say to each other--for he was now the travelling companion of Orboyd. The circus leader had taken the precaution of chaining his guest to the wagon, but then proceeded to treat him like a favored friend, chatting about Brigard, the fluctuating fortunes of his little band, his plans for the future. He regarded Gerfalians as natural friends to the Brigardians, lamented the political circumstances that temporarily put them at odds, looked forward to the day when those differences would be settled by Gerfal bowing to the inevitable and submitting to Fergox. He referred often to his master