Firedrake - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,33

Declan had often thrown Mace’s accomplishments in Drake’s face when he hadn’t lived up to expectations. That wasn’t Mace’s fault. He’d always been better, brighter, and more diligent than Drake. It was just the way he was built.

Mace persevered. His character was such that if he didn’t get something the first time, or even the second, he stuck with it, trying until he mastered it. Such thoroughness had led him to a high level of skill in a wide variety of endeavors that Drake didn’t have the patience or inclination to even try. Swordplay had been fun, so Drake excelled at that. Other weapons came to him easily as well, but the other things a knight was expected to know eluded him for the most part. Oh, he did well enough, but he didn’t excel. Not the way Mace did.

Of course, Drake had an active social life, even back then. Mace had spent most of his evenings studying. Not for Drake was the life of a scholar. He far preferred common rooms filled with interesting characters with tall tales from far off lands. Much of Drake’s real education had been earned on the road, talking to people and learning from the stories they told.

He’d turned his interest in people into songs and tales that paid his way from one inn or faire to the next until he’d joined up with the Jinn. They’d taken him in and nurtured his natural talents, taught him instruments and how to play in a group or solo. He’d loved every minute of it. Learning from the Jinn Brotherhood hadn’t felt like work. Finally, he’d found a way to excel.

It had taken fifteen long years though, to learn wisdom.

“Nellin is my dragon partner,” Mace said with pride as they shook hands in the warrior style.

“I remember him. A fine dragon for a fine knight.” Drake recalled the young dragonet, only a little older than Jenet. He’d been big for his age and promised to be a devil in the air, even back then.

“He’s a handful, but we get along.” Mace was being modest. They were highly ranked for such a young pair. Drake had heard about Mace’s achievements from his family. “Have you eaten? I was going to get some lunch if you want to join me.”

The invitation was polite, and Drake accepted with some alacrity. They were rivals once again, this time for a beautiful, willful woman, so Drake fell into the role with which he was familiar. He envied Mace almost as much as he respected him.

Lunch was pleasant enough, and it had the added benefit of stalling his return to the castle. Mace brought Drake up-to-date on the happenings among their age group over the past fifteen years. Mace was as solid and steady as Drake remembered, and he found he enjoyed catching up with Lair life more than he’d expected.

After a few companionable hours with the knight, Drake made his way back to the castle and his waiting family. Unlike their last meal together, this second dinner with his family was much less tense and even somewhat enjoyable.

Rather than the long, drawn-out affair of the night before, this dinner was blessedly brief because the men had to report for duty soon after. That left Drake alone with his mother and Jenet for the rest of the evening. He talked about his adventures with the Jinn and the foreign lands he’d visited. His mother wanted to know all about his travels and Drake had even brought a few things to give her.

Once he’d made the decision to head home, Drake had picked up gifts for the family. In the tumult of the previous day, he hadn’t had much chance to give his mother the silk scarves, rare spices, colorful fabric and other things he’d acquired for her. He had a few items for Ren and Declan as well—master-crafted blades and small leather workings he thought they’d like—but he’d wait for a more opportune time to give them his gifts. They were small things, really, but Drake knew his family would enjoy them.

For Jenet, he’d brought a buttery soft, golden leather pouch she could wear around her neck if and when she finally chose a knight of her own. It matched the color of her scales and had pretty designs wrought on it. More importantly, it was made to fit comfortably against her hide and not get in the way as she flew. Drake had designed it himself and commissioned it from one