Through the Ashes- The Complete Series, page 7
part #1 of Through the Ashes Series
“I love it, my little prince. You made me a very nice necklace. I’ll wear it always, I promise,” she said.
Jaekie looked up at her, beaming a wide smile, which she returned. He said, “Promise and cross your heart? Hope to die?”
“Yes, I’ll never take it off.”
“And don’t let Germins take it, ‘kay Mommy?”
“Daddy’s making sure they don’t, honey. Someday, you’ll make sure they don’t come get this necklace, too. And you’ll be even bigger than your dad.”
The boy squeaked with delight, but then stopped walking right there in the middle of the corridor, crossing his arms.
Rachel missed a step, stumbling to a halt, and turned around to face the kid. Jaekob saw the necklace she wore, then, and it was identical to the one he’d found with Kalvin. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I don’t wanna be First Councilor. Daddy is gone all the time, Mommy. I would miss you. I can make sculp-shures at home with you.”
Rachel let out a heavy breath and gently took Jaekie’s hand in hers. She led him to resume the walk. “You say that now, honey, but don’t you want Daddy to be proud of you?”
“Yeah…”
“When he gets old and tired, he’ll need a strong big-boy dragon like you to take over for him. Just like he did with his dad, so you’ll do it too.”
“Why? I don’t wanna. That’s not fair.” Jaekie’s eyebrows furrowed and his jaw clenched.
“No, it’s not fair. But people need good leaders, son. They need a leader like you, who cares as much about them as he does about himself. Or herself.”
“I’m a boy, silly.”
“Yes, I know, honey. You want Daddy to be proud of you, right?”
“Yeah, I already said it,” Jaekie replied, but didn’t sound too certain.
“And you want Safeholme to be safe for little boys and girls, and mommies and daddies? And not to let Germans take your mommy’s necklace?” She beamed a smile at the little boy.
“Oh, cer-tain-ly, Mommy. I won’t ever let any humans down here, not even Germins! I can keep your necklace safe, ‘cause I gave it to you.”
She stopped, knelt, and gave her son a giant, squishing bear-hug that half took the boy’s breath away. “Remember, son, you have responsibilities. You are a part of your people, and the people are more important than any one dragon’s dreams.”
Then, Jaekob opened his eyes and saw he was in his room—his real room—and Jaekie and Rachel were gone. He let out a long, slow breath and felt a heavy weight wash over him, settling on his chest. It ached. His pillow was damp, and he wiped his cheeks with the backs of his hands.
He sat up in bed and let his feet swing down to the floor, then fished for his slippers. He wiped his tears once again, knowing that, somewhere out there, Rachel’s spirit watched over him. He didn’t want her to see him crying, not even as an ancestor spirit.
“I wish I could do what she had wanted for me. I wish I could make her proud, take over for Father, and protect our people. But I just can’t do that.” His treacherous mind popped up with a question—can’t, or won’t? He shook his head to clear both that thought and the sleep-fog from his mind. She’d just have to get over it, because he wasn’t sure any of those reasons were enough to make him take a place in the Dragon Council. He had his own dreams, as he’d told her the day they went swimming so long ago, and they didn’t involve ruling over his people, making life-and-death decisions for them every day and sacrificing what he wanted to do.
“Sorry, Mom. I miss you.”
Still, after the dream, he felt doubts he hadn’t felt when he had gone to sleep. He trudged into the kitchen looking for a late-night mushroom snack.
Jaekob entered his father’s study and closed the door softly behind him, then stood by the door with his hands clasped together in front of himself as he waited for Mikah to acknowledge him. His father was writing a letter by hand.
After a minute, Mikah set his quill down and looked up, smiling. “Jaekob! Nice to see you midday like this. What brings you here? I thought you were at your smithy that I don’t know about, today.”
Jaekob smiled. He had suspected Mikah knew about it, but confirming it at that moment actually helped settle his nerves a little for what he was about to ask. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, smirking, “but I wanted to discuss a business idea with you.”
“Excellent, son. You know I’m always interested in new ideas to expand the family’s good fortunes. Tell me what you have in mind.”
Jaekob reached up and fidgeted with his bandoleer strap. It was an old nervous habit. When he saw Mika’s eyes shift, noticing the gesture, Jaekob brought his hands to his sides and stood as tall as he could. He said, “We have an opportunity to buy into the smithy of one of the best blacksmiths in the warrens, Thomaes, of Thomaes MBs.”
“Oh? Why is that a good investment? We don’t have any experience in that market.”
“The quality of his work has him drowning in the new production orders for the Warriors’ stockpiles, but when those are filled again, it will take awhile to shift production—”
“—And even longer for the price of iron, steel, and dragonsteel to go back down,” Mikah said, interrupting.
Jaekob nodded. “That’s the point. Our investment would profit us now and in the future, and give him the ability to take advantage of the shortage of other goods we’ll face when the Warriors orders are filled.”
“You mean, ‘and pay for raw materials while metal prices are high,’ right?” Mika’s mouth turned down ever so slightly at the corners.
“That’s true. I think you’ll find it worthwhile. And he has a child who will take over when he passes, so we don’t have to worry about that. I’ve worked with his daughter Jewel, and I know she picked up her fa’s impressive talent with a forge.”
Mikah watched Jaekob for long seconds, his face unreadable. Jaekob fought the urge to squirm under that unblinking gaze. “Son, I hear almost everything that goes on in Safeholme and even beyond. I know you spend a lot of time with Thomaes’ daughter, Jewel. This wouldn’t be connected to your ridiculous plot to get out of your duty to the dragon realm, would it?”
Jaekob felt his heart beating faster. This wasn’t the direction he wanted the conversation to go. He forced his best ‘bemused smile’ onto his face and chuckled. “We have plenty of time to talk about that. You know I have my doubts about what I want to do in life. Smithing is an honorable profession, and Thomaes’ business would skyrocket with our help, so maybe if I partnered with them after we prove how profitable it can be, it wouldn’t be so embarrassing to the family name? But like I said, I’m not sure what I want—”
“Jaekob! I would never be embarrassed of you, even if you were just someone’s house servant. It’s not about pride, son. You have to take over for me someday because it’s your duty, your obligation. Our family has led well for many centuries.”
“Okay… But that’s something we can talk about as we go, later on. This is just a business proposal.” Jaekob tried to keep his voice steady, but felt his throat tightening up.
“And it has nothing to do with being interested in this Jewel girl as something more than a business partner, would it? Because egg-partnering with a common blacksmith’s daughter is out of the question for the son of the First Councilor. We have certain expectations to meet, at our level. We’ll find you some girl you’ll like, someone worth your interest, if that’s why—”
“Father!” Jaekob felt his face flush hot and red at the mention of egg-partnering with Jewel. That was not a conversation he wanted to have with his father.
“What?”
“First of all, I’m talking about a business arrangement, not… you know. Not about Jewel. Second, why would anyone be embarrassed, even if I was? She works hard, she’s beautiful, she’s smart. She’d make any dragon proud to be her other half. You don’t really believe all that ‘social status’ garbage, do you?”
Mikah did frown, then, and openly. “Do not talk to me like that. You’re young, and you have no idea what you’re talking about. We’ve worked for thousands of years to get where we’re at, and I won’t undo all that simply because you’re young and impulsive. You’ll understand when you’re older.”
“I doubt it, and I can’t believe you think like that.”
Mikah glared at him and a low, growling rumble came from deep in his chest. His eyes flared red for a second, and Jaekob thought he saw the faintest whiff of smoke come from his father’s nostrils.
“I’m sorry, dad. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, not ever. You’re a good man, and a good fa. I just don’t like the way we divide ourselves. We’re dragons, and we ought to be better than humans.” Jaekob looked at Mika’s desk, unable to meet his steely gaze.
“Someday, you’ll understand, but I’m not going to let you throw your life away over some crush on a beautiful, intelligent young woman who is far beneath your station, nor by pursuing some idealized version of the nobility of blacksmithing. Noble it may be, but nobility doesn’t feed your children.”
Jaekob’s mind raced. Why was his father being such a snob? Everyone had value. Maybe being the dragons’ version of a king for too long had spoiled him. Jaekob was about to say as much, blurting it out, but Mikah thankfully cut him off. “Besides, I’m going to need every trained warrior, soon. That includes you. And who will buy your blacksmith toys, then?”
Jaekob stared, mouth open and eyes wide. That could mean only one thing. “No… You’re going to war?” he cried.
Mikah looked away for the first time Jaekob could remember. “I have not yet decided, but if we do, then I’ll need my son by my side. It may come to that, no matter what you wish the situation to be. You need to be prepared for that chance. I know what a talent you have for the Warrior’s Path. Bruindy talks to me, you know. You’re a natural, you have good instincts in battle, and you care about dragons’ welfare. Your people need leaders like that.”
Yeah, right. If the First Councilor wasn’t already pretty sure he’d be going to war, he’d never have looked away. The room felt too warm, suddenly. Jaekob leapt to his feet and began to pace, unable to contain himself. After a long, awkward silence, he said, “Fa, it’s not that I don’t appreciate everything you’ve given me. I just have friends and a life outside of this. I want those people in my life more than I want to rule the dragons. I don’t need to be in charge of anything but myself and a smithy. Can’t you understand how I feel?”
Mikah pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. “Son, I get it. I had dreams outside of all this, too, when I was a young man. But the dragons need a leader, and we’re the ones to do it. Eventually, you’ll be the one.”
Jaekob frowned. He did understand what his father was saying, if he were honest with himself, but it wasn’t the life he wanted. Surely, someone else would step up and rule the dragons well. Better, even.
Mikah continued, “I heard about how you handled the near-riot at the egg crèche. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. You stepped in and fixed the problem, and you took charge of the Guardians who came to break it up. Leadership is in your blood. Don’t you think your people deserve a leader like that? Especially in these times. War is coming, I feel it in my bones.”
“Father, if you go, you should know that I can’t go with you. I don’t support this. The people don’t want it, either, just as… Just as I don’t want to follow you as the First Councilor.”
There it was. The words couldn’t be unsaid, and they hung in the air between them like a haze. Jaekob could almost feel Mikah recoiling, though he said nothing. The silence was deafening.
A few seconds later, Mikah stood, turned his back on Jaekob, and walked away.
Jaekob stared after him. He’d hurt his father, and the feeling made his stomach churn and his chest hurt. He didn’t want to hurt Mikah. He loved his father. Maybe he should have taken more time to think about it before saying it. The thought hit him that, even if he did follow Mikah as the First Councilor, things might never be the same between them after this conversation.
“Come on,” Jewel said, and Jaekob followed her with a grin and a picnic basket. She carried the blanket. “I’m so glad you invited me. I have some good news to tell you.”
That got his curiosity up. He wanted to ask right then what the news was, but they had all afternoon to talk about that. It was his one day off from training that week, and Jewel had made sure it was hers, too. Instead, he quickly became mesmerized by the way she walked, hips swaying with each step, her lithe figure lit by the glowshrooms brightening the corridor. He almost missed what she was saying, so lost in watching her sway like a cat does with string.
“… and I put an extra one in the basket,” she said.
“What? Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” he replied, his face flushing bright red when she turned to glare at him. He was busted.
“I said, stupid, I put an extra glowshroom in the basket so we don’t have to eat in black-and-white.”
Wow. That meant she was taking him somewhere without lights. And that meant some abandoned section of the warrens. They’d be alone, without the possibility of interruption. He felt his pulse quicken. “Fantastic. Good thinking,” he said brightly.
When they got to the T-intersection at the tunnel end, she turned right, and they left the lights of populated tunnels behind. She seemed to know her way, though, so he followed her as they navigated through one tunnel after another. Soon, he began seeing dust everywhere.
A few minutes later, they emerged into another vast chamber, wider across than his dragonsight could see in the pitch blackness. The cavern had many stone and mud houses, long abandoned, like the one he’d been in with Kalvin the other day. Whole villages tended to move when a major ore vein ran out, leaving much of the warrens riddled with such abandoned settlements.
Once the blanket was spread out to protect them from the dusty, rocky ground, he plopped to the ground, smiling up at her, until she took a seat on the blanket beside him. He was pleased when the spot she picked turned out to be close enough to him to brush arms, her closeness sending warmth flooding to his cheeks. It was odd how much of an effect she had on him when they were close like that, he mused, keenly aware how fast his heart had started to beat.
What she said next knocked those thoughts right out of him. “Jaekob, this place sort of reminds me of when we were little, scavenging to get by during the second German war.”
She was right, he noted, but that wasn’t what he’d hoped to be talking about. “I guess.”
She leaned against him for a moment, bumping him playfully. “You guess. Yeah, right. Do you remember when our moms—”
“Yes,” he hissed, suddenly angry, “I remember.” As she looked at him with eyes wide, he caught himself before snapping at her any more. “I’m sorry, Jewel. I just don’t like to think about her, not in a place like this. I didn’t mean to snap at you, though. It’s not your fault.”
They were quiet for long seconds, but then she set her hand on his arm for a moment, before opening the fungus-fiber basket and pulling out its contents.
Jaekob suddenly wasn’t that hungry for the meat, sulfur-cheese, crackers, and bottled esper-wine. It was very low in alcohol, being a cheap style she could afford, but esperberries were so commonly harvested that the wine it made was even within the price range of a blacksmith’s daughter. He’d brought the cheese, of course.
She handed the bottle to him to open, smiling faintly, but didn’t meet his eyes. He felt even worse about snapping at her earlier, as he let out a sigh and got busy working the cork out. He’d heard they used wood for wine bottle stoppers up above, but down there in the warrens, they used a particularly fibrous kind of mushroom stem.
As he did, he tried to put on a beaming smile at Jewel, hoping she’d forget about him biting her head off. When she smiled back and looked into his eyes, his forced expression became genuine. Those eyes… he could swim in her eyes all day, if she’d let him.
“What?” she said, a charming blush hitting her cheeks. “You’re staring at me.”
“Oh. I was just—”
The cork popped out with a bang and flew up, bouncing off his forehead. He smacked his head with his free hand where it hit, adding insult to injury. “Ouch!”
Jewel laughed at him, her voice rising higher. She had the prettiest laugh in Safeholme, he’d have bet money on that. “You are such a goof, Jaekob. Do you think you can pour the wine without smashing the goblet on your face, or do you need help?”
“Oh, shut up,” he said back, grinning with embarrassment. “You forget, I was there when you smashed your thumb with a mallet and took off your fingernail.”
She laughed again and put her hand on his forearm. “Believe me, I remember, too. I had to walk around for two months with my claw out, until the fingernail grew back. They called me Clumsyclaw around the shop the whole time.”
Ah, the memories they shared. Flashes of other scenes together throughout his life flashed through his mind, a lot of them funny, some tender, and a few tragic. His smile faded.
“You okay?” Jewel took the goblet he offered, but set it down next to her and shifted her seating to face him directly. “Sorry, I keep asking what’s up with you.”
“Yeah, I’m okay. And it’s fine. I was just… well, thinking about mom. Mine and yours.”
She nodded, ever so slightly. “I know. I’m glad she didn’t pass alone. My mom was there, and both of us. Our moms saved our lives, you know. Your mom was so brave that day.”
He forced a wan smile. She meant well, but it was a painful memory. “I never knew how they got to be friends. My fa doesn’t ever talk about that, but I know he hates it that you and I are friends.” Mikah had tried to forbid him from associating with her, when they were younger, but he couldn’t watch his son every minute. Jaekob became a master escape artist, finding ways to get out of the manor to go to Jewel’s family blacksmithing shop, and eventually, his father had to just turn a blind eye to it.
