“He is actually kind of cute. Can I look at him closer?” Niman stepped close, but still maintained a safe distance from Bani.
“Cute? Speak for yourself! That thing nearly tore my face off.” Arken had recovered a little and was levering himself out of the chair.
“What did you guys do? Everyone down there is acting like they were smoking aisher root. Emeck hardly knows who he is.” Urake stormed in the door furiously.
“I… ah…” Niman for once was speechless.
“It was my fault. Bani startled Arken and I kind of over reacted.” Cero stepped forward.
“Over reacting is when you shove someone or start calling people names. I don’t know what this is.” Urake had his mouth open to continue when Inadar burst into the room and cut him off.
“What did you do to Torroth? He is all happy and just wants to sit and stare at the ceiling.” Inadar stalked towards Cero with her eyes flashing angrily.
“It was an accident.” Niman tried to restrain Inadar with a hand on her shoulder, but found himself shoved to the floor for his trouble.
“Enough!” Urake quickly stepped between the girl and Cero.
“I am sick and tired of you protecting him. I don’t care if Cero is your son. He can’t just do whatever he wants to without repercussions. Someone has to teach him a lesson.” Urake glared at Inadar, but despite her earlier fear, she didn’t seem to notice him now.
“Father, she has a point. I made a mistake. I will take it if she wants to teach me a lesson.” Cero gave Bani a reassuring pat on the head when he chirped nervously.
“Don’t you dare try agreeing with me!” Inadar snarled at Cero, her aggression unabated.
“Are you sure?” Urake eyed his son and Inadar apprehensively.
“Not here. We need to go someplace else where there aren’t any other people.” Cero stepped around Urake on the side opposite Inadar. They walked down the stairs and through the lobby where Emeck was snoozing comfortably in a chair like all of the other patrons. Fenar was flitting about making sure everyone was comfortable and looked up at Urake’s approach.
“They are all like this. Except for you five. Aleest is sleeping next to that great draft horse in the stables and as far as I can tell, even the mice have taken a nap.” Fenar smoothed some hair back under her hat out of habit.
“Cero overreacted a little and lost control. Inadar seems intent on beating the tar out of him and as far as I can tell, he is going to let her for some reason. By the way, why are you not taking a break like the rest of your employees?” Fenar paused for a second at Urake’s question before drawing herself up indignantly.
“It would be unseemly to be found in such a condition before my customers.” The stately woman would call an army to a halt so she could cross the street without soiling her skirts if she had a mind to. It wasn’t hard to believe that she could avoid any situation that she considered improper just by exercising her willpower. Shaking his head, Urake followed Cero out the door.
“Cero, put that thing under your shirt or something.” Urake turned to make sure that Bani wouldn’t be visible. Seeing that Cero looked normal and that no dragon was in sight, he continued. Fortunately, the drowsy effect appeared to have been centered on the Golden Thistle and was not noticeable once they had left the building.
It took a little while, but they found an abandoned barn on the outskirts of Warton that had been vacated sometime in the past century. Niman and Arken were placed on the lookout and Urake accompanied Cero and Inadar inside.
“I don’t necessarily agree with how you chose to settle your differences, but here are the rules. No weapons. No permanent injuries and avoid temporary ones if you can. If your opponent surrenders, then the fight is over. Understand?” Inadar nodded while removing the knives she kept hidden around her body. Cero tossed his simple hunting knife to the side along with Inadar’s where they would be out of the way. Cero made the motions of setting something on a heap of hay. Urake only raised an eyebrow when Bani materialized a moment later. There wasn’t much about dragons that wouldn’t surprise him by now.
“Are you sure that you do not want to reconsider?” Urake asked