Champion of Fire & Ice - Megan Derr Page 0,30

"If we're talking weapons… you could outfit a few large armies."

"What in the world would I do with my own armies, other than make His Majesty think I'm plotting treason? No, thank you. Full plate for me, and again for my squire, to have when he's formally knighted. Swords and matching daggers as well. Two measures each for His Majesty and Her Highness. A dagger and full jewelry set for Lord Davrin, with opals. If there's anything left after that, I'll figure something out."

"There'll be plenty left," Croy said. "I'll keep you posted on the progress, and well done, Sir Cimar. May your name go down in history."

"May there be no more lindworms," Cimar replied, and departed, leaving the blacksmiths cheerfully arguing over the finer points of the new work they'd been given. For most of them, it would be their first time working with lindworm scales, but there would be damaged segments used for practice.

With that final duty executed, he returned to his chambers and had a couple of the guards stationed in the hall assist him with his armor. Someone, likely Davrin, had arranged for a bath to be waiting, for which Cimar was exceedingly grateful.

Roughly an hour or later, dressed in warm clothes that felt like nothing after days of wearing armor, heavy even when the weight was properly distributed. His soft boots, meant for walking around the castle, seemed weak and inefficient compared to the sturdy ones he'd worn into the mountains.

He knocked on Davrin's door and nearly jumped when it was opened as he'd barely finished. Davrin smiled. "You could have waited until morning, but I'm glad you came." He stepped back and let Cimar inside, closing the door quietly behind him.

A lot of things washed over Cimar at once: that as careful and contained as Davrin was, it was clear he was on edge about something; food had been laid out, more than enough for two; there was a ring on Davrin's on left hand that hadn't been there before, and it bore a hawk's eye stone; a duplicate of the ring and what looked like a royal ring of state were strung on a chain around his neck, clearly so Cimar would see them.

"What is going on?"

"A lot," Davrin replied. "You were gone mere days, but that was more than enough time for… well, everything to change. I have leave from Her Highness to discuss all of it with you, but how about you eat and relax first? I'm sure you'd like to be off your feet for a bit and simply doing nothing."

What Cimar wanted to do was kiss the man breathless and figure out the rest of the evening from there, but as tempting as that was, he would try to act like a reasonable adult with some sense of honor and decorum. So he settled for smiling. "That would be nice, I concede. Thank you for doing all this."

"All I did was ask it be done," Davrin said dryly. "I'm a noble. The only work we do is talk endlessly about how everyone else should go about solving problems."

Cimar laughed as he took the seat Davrin indicated. "I think you do a bit more than that."

"Write a lot of letters."

Still chuckling, Cimar poured wine for them both from the pitcher in the middle of the table and filled his plate with a bit of everything: veal tart, gravé of birds, which was a favorite chicken dish of his, fennel sausages, fresh bread, onion tart, cheese, stuffed eggs, and chopped spinach and artichokes. It was, quite literally, a feast fit for a king. "How did you convince the kitchens to bring all this up here?"

"I would love to say it's because they like me, but the truth is that they were eager to do something for the mighty Sir Cimar, Noble Champion and Lindworm Slayer."

Cimar sighed. "I suppose that is what will follow me the rest of my life now."

"You have to concede it's quite the achievement. Even the great Sir Bermont, the Black Dragon, did not achieve anything half so great."

"Sir Bermont was a drunken wastrel who took credit for the work his army did," Cimar replied. "I've read the personal accounts of many of them, and he does not deserve the legends that keep his name alive."

Davrin snickered. "Nothing like reading to disillusion one of… well, practically everything."

They settled into an easy silence after that, enjoying the food and quiet. Eventually, though, Cimar's curiosity would no longer be contained.