And who are you?” asked the King. After days of being marched westward, Gleve
stood, filthy and sore, at the foot of the throne in the King’s reception room, his head
bowed even before the officer guiding him pushed it roughly downward. For days he had
been looking at the ground because they had his hands tied so tightly behind his back it
forced him into the bent posture of an old man.
“Speak up,” the officer prodded him. His name was Pitley. He had been in charge of
the band of soldiers on the bridge. Just before coming into the room, he had instructed
Gleve to address the King as “your Highness” every time he spoke, if he was required to
speak.
“My name is Gleve, your Highness. I am a Healer.” Hopefully the provisions of the
treaty protecting the Healers would save him from torture, or at least make it a bit lighter.
“Look at me,” said the King. Gleve tried, but his bent back would not allow it.
“Untie him,” said the King.
Pitley made a point of cutting Gleve’s wrist lightly as he slashed away the ropes
binding him, not deeply though. Probably blood on the expensive carpets would get him
in trouble, Gleve thought. His spine and neck objected sharply, but Gleve forced himself
to straighten, his shoulders also complaining as his hands dropped to his sides for the first
time in many days. He looked at the King, saw a careworn and aging face, still handsome
and imperious, framed with neatly trimmed grey hair and beard. “So what to you know
about this incident on the Deep River bridge?”
“Very little, your Highness. I was traveling with a companion, hurrying to make it
over the bridge before daylight, when he was snatched by a Dragon.” Gleve’s throat
tightened. He fought to speak as if nothing important had happened. “The events that
followed were as surprising to me as they were to your soldiers.”
“And what were those events, as you saw them.”
“A large man came onto the bridge from the far side, waving his arms and shouting,
and then a… miniature Dragon appeared and flew in circles around the Great Dragon’s
head. It dropped my friend and came after us—me and your soldiers--and I saw no more,
your Highness.”
“Was it a Little Dragon you saw?”
“I don’t know, your Highness. I have never seen one. Nor my parents or
grandparents.”
The King leaned sideways on his elbow, stroked his beard and studied Gleve. “Why
did my soldiers arrest you?”
“It seems they think I have something to do with the amazing events on the bridge,
your Highness.”
“They also report that the reason you were on the bridge in daylight was because you
And who are you?” asked the King. After days of being marched westward, Glevestood, filthy and sore, at the foot of the throne in the King’s reception room, his headbowed even before the officer guiding him pushed it roughly downward. For days he hadbeen looking at the ground because they had his hands tied so tightly behind his back itforced him into the bent posture of an old man.“Speak up,” the officer prodded him. His name was Pitley. He had been in charge ofthe band of soldiers on the bridge. Just before coming into the room, he had instructedGleve to address the King as “your Highness” every time he spoke, if he was required tospeak.“My name is Gleve, your Highness. I am a Healer.” Hopefully the provisions of thetreaty protecting the Healers would save him from torture, or at least make it a bit lighter.“Look at me,” said the King. Gleve tried, but his bent back would not allow it.“Untie him,” said the King.Pitley made a point of cutting Gleve’s wrist lightly as he slashed away the ropesbinding him, not deeply though. Probably blood on the expensive carpets would get himin trouble, Gleve thought. His spine and neck objected sharply, but Gleve forced himselfto straighten, his shoulders also complaining as his hands dropped to his sides for the firsttime in many days. He looked at the King, saw a careworn and aging face, still handsomeand imperious, framed with neatly trimmed grey hair and beard. “So what to you knowabout this incident on the Deep River bridge?”“Very little, your Highness. I was traveling with a companion, hurrying to make itover the bridge before daylight, when he was snatched by a Dragon.” Gleve’s throattightened. He fought to speak as if nothing important had happened. “The events thatfollowed were as surprising to me as they were to your soldiers.”“And what were those events, as you saw them.”“A large man came onto the bridge from the far side, waving his arms and shouting,and then a… miniature Dragon appeared and flew in circles around the Great Dragon’shead. It dropped my friend and came after us—me and your soldiers--and I saw no more,your Highness.”“Was it a Little Dragon you saw?”“I don’t know, your Highness. I have never seen one. Nor my parents orgrandparents.”The King leaned sideways on his elbow, stroked his beard and studied Gleve. “Whydid my soldiers arrest you?”“It seems they think I have something to do with the amazing events on the bridge,your Highness.”“They also report that the reason you were on the bridge in daylight was because you
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