The Second Prophecy (Part 1 of the Dragdani Prophecies) (36 page)

There were
not very many walking the streets at that time, but Peter knew if
even one person were to see the chest moving on its own, it would
not take long for the story to travel, especially in such a small
community.

The horse did
hot like being tied, so it took the farmer a few minutes to
finish.

While that
was going on Peter happened to look up at the sign that was hanging
above the door. A light breeze caused it to slowly spin, for it was
held by only one chain. The other was broken. Peter saw that on the
notice was a picture of a pig with a pouty expression on its fat
face standing on its hind legs with its arms folded. Below the
sketch written in large letters it read: The Huffy Hog.

When Jert had
finished with the horse, they stepped inside.

As the door
opened, tobacco smoke hit them right up the face. Peter squinted a
little as the thick cloud of swirling smoke stung his eyes. He
smelt another type of smoke mixed in there, too, one that he knew
well enough.

“
That smells
like weed,” he said to his companion.

“
You’re
right, it is,” said the Wizard merrily. It’s Staptaw. The best weed
from the Uamta-parts. They’re the best in their business, because
they leave it to ripen an extra term. Huri’s brother works up
there. He told me. But don’t go telling anyone else. If the Uamkaer
brothers find out, he could get the sack.”

Chapter Fifteen

The True Spawn of Salith

A terrible
silence fell over the room as the door opened and the two figures
entered
. The talking resumed when the
people in the pub recognized the farmer. However, it stopped again
when this strange young man came into view. Their eyes fell upon
the large heavy chest he was carrying with no trouble
whatsoever?

“
This is
Dermo, the son of an old friend,” declared the Wizard, “and he’s
been staying with my wife and me for a few days.”

At first, the
people just stared, but talking soon resumed, though the locals
continued to watch as the two headed for the bar.

Peter saw
that the lanterns that ran along the length of the walls were all
lit. Along with the smaller ones hanging from the dark-looking,
smoke-ridden ceiling, they emanated a dull light over the heads of
the people there. The boy also saw stalls at both sides of the
room. The booths were fitted with small rectangular tables. In
addition, there were also small square and rectangular tables out
on the floor, with the people sitting on little cushioned
stools.

“
Do you want
your usual beer?” asked the bartender when he saw the farmer
approach the bar.

“
You better
make it two double malts, Euol,” said the farmer. “And I think you
better have the same.”

“
Thanks.”

“
Oh trust me
you’re really going to need it.”

“
And why’s
that, old friend?”

Jert stepped
aside, and his friend saw the boy standing with the chest in his
arms.

“
Omigods!” he
said.

“
Yeah, that’s
what I said,” said the farmer.

“
By Lanasic’s
wings! Jert, he looks just like King Dragdani!”

“
Yeah, I kind
of noticed that too.”

“
Dragdani? He
was the King before my dad is that right?” asked Peter.

“
Yes, he was,
and he was also the one that stopped the - wait it would be safer
to talk in the back; we’ll have more privacy,” said the bartender.
He lifted up a section of the bar, and Peter and Jert went on
through to the back. A boy came up behind them carrying a tray full
of dirty dishes to the kitchen

“
BRATEN!
BRATEN!”

“
Dad, I’m
here,” said the boy.

“
Ah, there
you are Braten. You remember my old friend Jert.”

“
Yeah, dad.
He’s in here all the time.”

“
That’s
right; well this is Dra -”

“Dermo,” Jert put in. “for now anyway.

“
Yes, Dermo,”
said the bar owner. “Take care of them and get them whatever they
what okay.”

“
Yes, dad,”
said the boy.

“
Good
boy.”

“
But mum says
I’ve got to clean all of these dishes.”

“
Well,
tell her that I said that
you can leave them,” said Euol.

“
Are you
kidding? She’ll kill me! I think you’d better say to her,” said his
son.

“
I’ll tell
you what,” said the father, “take my wand use a spell to clean
them. You do remember how to -”

“
Of course I
know how to do magic. You taught me, remember? I hope someday
you’ll get me my own wand. You know my sixteenth birthday is coming
round soon.”

“
You know I
can’t. Not yet. Your mother would eat me alive.”

“
Yeah, I
know,” said the boy with a disappointed sigh.

“
Don’t worry.
I’ll talk to her about it. And remember, just a small spell,” said
Euol as he gave the boy his wand. “Now hurry in case your mum
comes.”

The boy ran
off to the kitchen, leaving the others standing in the hall. A
minute later, he was back and looking quite happy with
himself.

“
Well
?” said his
father.

“
All done,”
said Braten. He handed the wand back to his father, who put it into
what looked like a money purse tied to his belt.

Peter
noticed
the wand was longer then the
purse, and yet it went all the way in with no trouble whatsoever.
The young King was about to ask about it, though he didn’t get the
chance and soon forgot all about it.

“
Good, now
sit and keep our friends company,” said Euol, “while I help your
mother.” Then the tavern owner was gone.

Braten sat down opposite the farmer and the
young Draga-Wizard-Elf.

“
So what do
your parents do?” Braten asked Peter. “If you don’t mind me
asking?” he said politely.

“
My mum’s a
writer. My biological dad was killed at the battle of Kealhal, and
my step dad is deputy Grand Wizard of the city Cayer-Huld,” replied
Peter steadily.

“Seriously,” said the other boy, as though
anyone would be foolish enough lie about something like that in a
village of men.

“
Yeah, it’s
true. And just so you know, my name is Drago,”

“
What was
your dad’s name? I mean your real dad.”

There was a
short pause.

“
Jastark.”

“But that was the name of the King,” said the
boy, his eyebrows rising.

“
That’s
right,” said Jert, “and this is King Drago, son of
Jastark.”

The boy’s
mouth fell open.

“
You’re the
Wiz-Wit King?” he asked Peter.

“
I just told
you he was, didn’t I?” said the farmer

“
My dad
served your dad. He told me everything that he could,” said Braten.
“I’ve always wanted to see the Wiz-Wit cities. My dad told me about
them and taught me a lot of spells, but I’ve always wanted to see
the city with my own eyes and maybe even go to the Wizard school,”
said the boy eagerly.

“
Maybe your
mum and dad will let you go,” said Peter.

“
Dad would,
but my mum? I doubt it.”

They
continued to talk about the Wizards and Witches, which, of course,
was Braten’s favorite subject.

Peter was
also happy to talk about them, for although he knew Wizards and
Witches existed, until that day he had no idea there were so many.
He only knew those few who were introduced to him now and then. The
young King liked that he would learn a bit more about
them.

Jert did the
most of the talking, for he was the only one of the three that had
actually been in the cities.

However, in
the kitchen the innkeeper’s wife had seen the stack of clean
dishes, glasses, and tankards that were slightly bigger than Euol
had thought.

“
BRATEN!”
shouted the boy’s mother.

Braten jumped up and ran to the door.

“
Mum, I’m
here; what’s wrong?” the youth asked.

“
Tell me how
you finished that pile of dishes so quickly?” she said as she
stormed toward him.

The boy said
nothing. However, his silence seemed to have said
everything.

“
You used
magic again, didn’t you?”

“
Don’t take
it out on him, Kireth. I told him too. I didn’t see any harm in it
-”

“
Euol, I
thought we agreed that he wasn’t to use any magic again until he’s
old enough to use it responsibly.”

“
He’s nearly
sixteen, and I think that he’s learned his lesson after the fire,”
said the boy’s father sincerely.

“
I know that
he’s been more responsible, but still -”

“
STILL
WHAT?
YOU PROMISED! YOU SAID THAT WHEN I
WAS OLD ENOUGH THAT I COULD GO AND LEARN IN CAYER-HULD!” screamed
Braten furiously.

“
DON’T YOU
DARE SHOUT AT ME, YOUNG MAN. I’M STILL YOUR MOTHER!” the woman
replied, just as heatedly and with higher volume so everyone in the
building heard her.

Peter thought
this woman reminded him of his own mother, though she wouldn’t have
been so smothering as to keep him away from something that he might
have wanted to do.

“
Stop
shouting,” said Euol. “Everyone in the town can hear the two of
you. Besides, we have guests.”

Kireth spun
round to see the farmer that she knew very well, though she knew
his wife better, as they were sisters.

“
Jert, I’m so
sorry. I didn’t see you,” she said earnestly. Then she realized
that there was someone sitting not too far away.

“
Hello,” she
said. “I don’t think I know you.”

“
May I
present Drago son of Jastark?” said the innkeeper, “King of the
Wiz-Wit world.”

The woman
looked at her husband half expecting him to laugh, but when he
didn’t, she reddened.

“
He’s your
King,” she said to her husband.

The Wizard
nodded.

She became scarlet at the thought of a King
seeing her behave in such a way.

“
He’ll think
I hate Wizards,” she whispered to her husband. “Forgive me for not
showing you the proper respect just now and for not greeting you at
the time of your arrival,” she said.

“
You don’t
have to apologize,” said Peter now going a little red
himself.

“
Can we talk
in private?” Kireth said to Euol.

“
Sure, dear,”
said her husband.

“
Please
excuse us, won’t you,” she added to the two guests.

Once again
the three were left to talk as the innkeeper and his wife went into
the room opposite. The man sat on a scarlet chair, which had a
pattern of puffy flowers of a finer red color.

The woman
stood in front of the large unlit fireplace. The thick grey ashes
were still smoking slightly, indicating a fire had recently
died.

“
Why didn’t
you tell me that your King was here? I looked like a Wizard-hater,”
said the Wizard’s wife.

“
Well,
everyone else in this town
is, so I doubt if one more will make a difference,” laughed the
Wizard. “Besides, you’re married to me, and our son is a Wizard, so
I think it’s clear that you’re not a
Wizard-hater.”

“
Still, it
would have looked better if I could have been introduced to him
before I made an arse of myself.”

“
You’re
right, of course. But I think here might be a way of redeeming
yourself, just in case he did take your outburst the wrong way,”
said the innkeeper slyly, seeing his chance to try and keep his
promise to his son and change his wife’s mind.

“
And what is
it?” she asked enthusiastically.

“
King Drago
will surely be heading to Opredanas and to Cayer-Huld.”

“
You must
think I’m pretty dumb if you think I’m going to fall for that. I
know what you’re trying to do.”

“
And what’s
that?”

“
You’re
trying to convince me to agree with you and send Braten to the
city,” said the woman sharply.

“
He’s almost
sixteen. Two years is all the time he has left. After that, he
won’t be able to go to the Wizard school. And remember, you did
promise that he could go,” said Euol sincerely.

“
Huri and
Jert sent their son away to be a Wizard, and where’s he now, huh?
I’ll tell you where he is Euol. He’s dead, and I don’t want that to
happen to our son,” said Kireth.

“
You can’t
hold on to him forever, Kireth. If you do, he could grow up
resenting you for it, and I’m sure you don’t want that either,”
said the Wizard.

“
It least
he’d be alive.”

“
Kireth,
please let it be his choice whether to stay or go. Let it be his
birthday present.”