Free A Tale Of Two Dragons by G. A. Aiken Page B

her shoulder.
    Once she stood next to them, Addolgar asked her, “You ready?”
    “As ready as I’ll—”
    Braith’s words were cut off as Shalin rushed out of the Main Hall. “Addolgar!”
    At his mother’s barked words, Addolgar, Ghleanna, and Bercelak dropped their travel bags and pulled their weapons. They instantly surrounded a confused Braith.
    From the sky they dropped, the Queen’s Royal Guard, surrounding the small group.
    Ailean came out of the front door, pushing Shalin and Maelona back inside. Once the doors were closed, he pulled out his sword, resting the tip on the top stone step while his hand loosely clasped the pommel.
    “Can we help you?” he asked . . . kindly.
    “We’ve come for her,” the leader said, his claw pointing at Braith. “Give her to us and we leave you and yours in peace, Ailean the Wicked.”
    Ailean laughed. “Peace? Cadwaladrs know little of peace, I’m afraid.”
    On his words, shadows moved and then the Queen’s Guards, who were surrounding Addolgar, Ghleanna, and Bercelak, who were surrounding Braith, were now surrounded themselves . . . by Addolgar’s kin. Most of them were just waking up from a hard night of even harder drinking, but it was one of the first things that every Cadwaladr learned . . . to be ready for battle at anytime, anywhere, with the understanding that once they were done killing, more drinking could begin!
    Now uneasy, as the Cadwaladr reputation was always in the forefront of any Southland dragon’s mind, the guards slowly pulled their weapons, their bodies tensing in preparation for a fight.
    “No, no!”
    Braith easily muscled her way past Bercelak and Ghleanna, shocking them both since few had ever managed that before. “This isn’t going to happen because of me.”
    “Braith—”
    “No, Addolgar!” She let out a sigh, faced him. “I appreciate everything you’ve done, but no. This is where it stops.”
    Braith faced the Guard leader. “I’ll come with you. Just leave the Cadwaladrs out of it.”
    Pretending not to be as relieved as he was, the leader nodded and stepped back, gesturing for her to move ahead.
    Braith looked over her shoulder at Addolgar. “Thank you for everything, Addolgar. To you and your kin. I truly appreciate all you’ve done and tried to do.” She smiled at him and Addolgar felt his gut tighten at the sight of it.
    “Braith, please—”
    “It’s all right. I’ll be fine.”
    But Addolgar knew she wouldn’t be fine. It was her damn honor that was leading her down this road. Her damn honor that was making her take on what he would consider a suicide mission. It was her damn honor that would ensure she’d never listen to reason.
    He watched her walk away until she had enough room to remove his shirt and shift to her natural form. She shook out her long, blue hair and blue wings before taking to the skies with the Queen’s Guard at her back.
    Once they were gone, it was deadly silent all around him as if everyone was giving Addolgar a moment to mourn—
    “Owwwwww!” Addolgar roared after Ghleanna’s hard hand slapped him in the back of the head . “ What was that for? ”
    “Are you just letting her go?”
    “She told me to. Owwwww!” Addolgar now glared at Bercelak , who had also slapped him in the back of his already sore head. “ What the hells? ”
    “She told you to?” Bercelak barked. “What are you? A well-trained dog?”
    “Last night you were ready to cut her down in Da’s hall.”
    “That was last night. Today is different! And we’re not talking about me, we’re talking about you, you idiot! ”
    “Big-headed Bercelak is right!” one of their cousins called out, earning a glower from Bercelak. “We should follow those Queen’s Guards and slaughter them all!”
    Addolgar’s kin cheered in agreement, but a calmly spoken, “No,” stopped them from doing just that.
    Ailean still stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at them all. “We will not slaughter