8. SHEEPS CLOTHING

SHEEP'S CLOTHING

V alerius sat upon his throne and brooded. Chione, who stood beside him, one delicate hand on the back of his throne, would have been the only one in that room to know he was in a fouler mood than normal. Tez, Illarion and even Esme knew him as a dour king in general. They had not truly seen how different he was around Caden and Iolaire. But, then again, waiting on the Red Dragon Queen Mei was enough to annoy anyone, especially when she was making a procession through Reach with her droids.

A screen had been set up so all could watch as she paraded through Reach with her wondrous creations. The streets were lined with his people. Close ups of the faces of the children showed only wonder for the droids similar to those they saw in movies like Iron Man , except there were no human beings riding within them. They were completely mechanical and all under Mei’s sole control. There were lines upon lines of them walking in lockstep all along the parade route while Mei smiled demurely, giggled behind one hand, and waved the other at the star-struck crowd.

She was a beautiful woman with long black hair and delicate features. She pretended in public to still be the school girl that she had been when she joined with her Spirit. She completely hid her masterful mind and her lightning quick temper. It was said that she had executed so many Councillors that none dare take the job any longer. Failure was not tolerated by Mei. Disagreeing with her was not tolerated. Disobedience of any form was not tolerated. She might not have camps like Illarion did, but her people were under as much of an iron hand as his were. But the public outside of her territory did not see this.

“Doesn’t Dragon Queen Mei look just stunning in that Chinese style dress?” one reporter gushed. “That lovely dark blue tunic with white piping at the sleeves and an aqua skirt was handmade by these little old ladies in a small village just for her. They were tribute! And she’s got the cutest shoes to match her top!”

“Not to say the dress isn’t beautiful and well-made but it is so nice to see one of the Dragon Shifters dress so… down to earth?” another reporter suggested.

The first bobbed her head rather like a marionette. “Indeed it is!”

Tez, who was wearing a sleeveless tunic in pale green with tan fringe, dark blue leggings and tan boots along with enough topaz around his neck to sink a small boat, stood a few feet from the screen, shook his head in disgust. “Are they so blind not to know that Mei demands those little old ladies make her dresses for no pay? It is tribute! But not of the voluntary kind! Woman of the people, please!”

“Some reporters are shallow creatures, dear. They often just want to look at the outside of something and present it in a nice light, depending on how ugly it truly is,” Esme replied airily from her stance by the open doors to the terrace. She was in one of her chic pants suits from Paris. “If they were honest, they would realize that Valerius probably wears the most down to earth clothes out there. Leather straps? All the same every day?”

“I do not care how I look,” Valerius growled as he rested his chin on his hand. He was, indeed, in his leather pants, boots and off-the-shoulder leather armor. He found these outfits useful and comfortable.

“You look like a reject from a renaissance faire,” Illarion muttered.

In contrast to Valerius, Illarion was dressed in a finely-tailored dark blue suit with white button down shirt open at the collar. His more traditional Russian style dress was for the evenings. During the day, he looked like a wealthy industrialist. Knowing that he kept most of his population in camps made those “civilized” clothes seem more of a stretch than Mei’s “modest” garments. Both of them were hiding what they were beneath sheep’s clothing.

“Have you been able to shift yet, Illarion?” Valerius asked mildly even though he knew that Illarion had not and it would annoy the Green Dragon shifter hugely to be asked.

Illarion flinched and looked up at him with a poisonous gaze. Tez laughed delightedly.

“So the little White Dragon has defanged the mighty Green Dragon?” Tez’s dark brown eyes were filled with glee.

Illarion looked like was chewing glass. “Iolaire will never turn that power upon me again!”

“Really?” Esme drawled. “And why is that? Because it is your mate?” Her voice dripped with disdain.

Illarion’s head whipped around towards her. “And why are you here, old woman? Do you think that the White Dragon would want your wrinkled form? Bah!”

“Dragon King Illarion!” Chione’s voice rose up sharp and powerful. “Such rudeness will not be tolerated.”

But Esme waved a hand in the air. “Do not worry, Chione. His words draw no more blood than a fly’s would. The day I worry about my desirability based upon Illarion’s judgment would be a sad day indeed. But you are truly foolish to think that the only thing one could offer Iolaire to join them would be a romantic attachment. Indeed, if one was very clever, they would be offering a partnership . Romance often dies. But partnership can shift with the tides of time.”

“Partnership? Partnership? You would share power? No! A mate is not an equal! They are a companion! To please!” Illarion scowled.

Valerius could not imagine a sentiment less designed to attract Caden than that one.

“I am certain with that very interesting view of how lovers interact that you will just bowl Iolaire over,” Esme replied faintly even as her expression was one of looking at an ugly bug that had crawled out from under the bed.

“Even if Iolaire had such low self-esteem that it should consider you, Illarion, if you were the only option on Earth, you are not! I am here to offer love and companionship!” Tez laughed, unapologetically even as Valerius had to hide the tensity that entered his form. “I am quite a bit more handsome than you, Illarion. And my Eldoron eclipses any other Dragon’s beauty. Plus my personality is quite a bit more pleasant than yours. I would make an ideal mate!”

“Only if the White Dragon wishes to waste its time with the dregs of society!” Illarion scoffed.

Seeing yet another fight about to take place, Esme said, “Eldoron is a majestic Dragon.”

Tez made a bow. “Thank you. And Scylla is a vision!”

Esme merely smiled, clearly not bothered by Tez’s compliments or by Illarion’s insults. Raziel regarded them all with disgust. It wasn’t that the Black Dragon Spirit did not enjoy Esme and Scylla, but it wanted Caden and Iolaire.

We will see them this afternoon, Valerius tried to soothe his Spirit.

We will not be alone! Mei will be showing off to them her mechanical men. I think we should melt them into slag! Raziel shouted. Iolaire will find that impressive.

Oh, Caden would too. Valerius imagined them doing just that and a smile reached his lips.

“Why do you let Mei parade through your village--”

“ City , Illarion, Reach is a city ,” Chione remarked bruskly.

Illarion grunted his assent and continued on, “Why are we punished for simply flying into Reach while she gets to bring an army?”

Valerius actually wasn’t pleased with this display, but unlike flying in his territory in Dragon form, these mechanical men were not a threat. Not a traditional one in any case. Mei did not mean them to be threatening. She was, after all, having them come in like highly expensive, elaborate toys that would thrill the people. And the people were thrilled from the look of the crowd. If he treated them like they were a real army then he would look weak. So in they came. They would all be placed in the dungeon the moment they arrived and guarded by the Claw.

“Because these tin soldiers are a party trick,” Valerius answered him.

“How can you be sure?” Illarion asked a rather cautious question from him.

Valerius' eyes glowed as he slowly leaned forward in his throne and said softly, “Because there is no substance on this Earth, or off of it, that Raziel and I cannot turn to molten slag in moments.”

Illarion actually twitched. Tez let out a nervous bark of laughter. Even Esme twisted her strand of black pearls tight enough that if they hadn’t been fine quality the strand would have snapped. They had not been in the same room until this visit since the war but they remembered his and Raziel’s abilities well. Perhaps it had been wrong for him not to call a meeting earlier just so he could remind them who was king of Dragons here.

He leaned back on his throne. “So let the crowd enjoy the display, just as Mei knows that by allowing it that I am not impressed.”

Captains Simi and Ngoye, who were both guarding the front doors to the throne room, ready to open them once Mei made her insufferable entrance, were grinning at his show of strength. He did not even have to glance up at Chione to know that her expression was cool and serene, showing her approval too.

“Illarion, is there a metal out there that your poison breath will not corrode?” Esme asked, seeming genuinely curious.

“No.” Illarion shrugged. “It was just a question.”

Tez looked at the television screen with his upper lip raised in disgust. “She should not have soldiers like this at all! Especially when they are made to look like toys! What does she need such an army for?”

“An army is for show or for war,” Esme murmured as she gazed out at the cerulean blue sky.

Valerius could tell she desperately wanted to fly. He would give her a dispensation to do so after Mei’s grand entrance.

“She has a right to rule her territory the way she wants,” Illarion immediately went prickly, clearly anticipating that if they criticized Mei’s army, they might get to his camps.

“Nothing is going to be verboten at this meeting,” Valerius found himself saying. “We will be discussing everything that is of concern to anyone.”

All three Dragon Shifters’ heads snapped towards him. Even Chione looked shocked for a moment, but she quickly covered it with her Sphinx-like calm. After the initial shock had passed, Esme nodded with a small smile on her lips. Tez looked excited as if he had a million criticisms to make. Illarion stared at him without blinking.

“Concerns have been raised,” Valerius said simply. “And as much as we would all like to think that each of our territories is a world unto itself, that is not true. We are all connected. What happens in one territory affects all of the others.”

“My goodness, Valerius, you almost sound like you’re going to exercise your first among equals status for once,” Esme said mildly.

She was right. He had not though intended to say any of this, or do any of it, but as he stared at each of the three dragons here with more to come, he realized that he could not ignore this opportunity. Bringing Marban in had already taught him that disparate voices, perhaps voices one would not think to listen to, often had things to say one needed to hear.

“We made our pact 30 years ago. The world has changed. We should discuss those changes,” Valerius answered her simply.

Though he could see they had questions, his gaze went to the screen where Mei was taking a bunch of flowers from a little girl and kissing the girl’s blushing cheeks. He would speak only when all of them were there, or in private with those he sought to win to his side. He would not repeat himself. Talking exhausted him.

His bad mood was partially caused by that exhaustion Watching Mei pretend to be a down to earth queen when he knew her to be a vicious empress was taxing enough. Having Illarion scowl and strut about the castle while trying to bark orders at Valerius’ staff was another rub. Tez constantly ribbing him about having a romantic attachment to Iolaire was like being pricked constantly by a needle in one’s shoe. But, if he were honest with himself, it was not being able to see Caden that was truly making him edgy.

Their phone call last night had been necessarily brief. Though the phones were encrypted, careful Dragon ears could hear most anything. The longing in Caden’s voice for them to picnic again--though really he doubted it was the picnicking and not the lovemaking that Caden really wanted as did he--and to fly once more was quite apparent. But there had been a sadness and exhaustion in Caden’s voice as well that had alerted Valerius to something being wrong. His normally indeflatable young man was deflated.

“What is it? What’s happened?” he had demanded finally when Caden seemed to not intend to tell him voluntarily.

“What--how did you know?” Caden asked, not being able to lie to him or not willing to. Probably a mixture of both. He’d likely made a deal with himself that he wouldn’t say anything unless Valerius asked him full out.

“Caden, tell me,” he simply demanded.

Caden let out a sigh. “I didn’t want to mention it because… because it’s going to sound stupid. And it is stupid. But it's not, either.”

“You are speaking in riddles,” Valerius said with just a huff of impatience in his voice.

“I got into a fight with my parents about the incident in the park,” Caden told him.

“And?”

That couldn’t be all of it. Caden’s tone told him that something momentous had happened and fighting about the park didn’t seem sufficient to warrant this type of despair.

“I said some–some things that maybe needed saying but I was really mean in how I said them. Dad is in his study. He doesn’t want to talk to me. Mom is furiously canning stuff, and talking in single word answers when she does talk at all. If it weren’t for Rose and Tilly, I would feel invisible!” Caden wailed. Then he swallowed and said, “I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything less. I really hurt my parents and they need time to stop being angry with me.”

“What did you say exactly?” he prodded. He really wasn’t good at waiting to hear what the point was.

“Like that my dad is using the fact that I’m a Dragon Shifter to settle some old scores in his own life. Like they want me to have a territory but not go to the park, because they think they’ll be able to control the territory themselves while I… I grow up, I guess. Like not considering what I want or what it really means being the White Dragon,” Caden said, his voice rising with every word.

“Those are things that you must settle with them,” Valerius simply agreed.

There was a surprised silence. “You--you guessed these were problems?”

“From the moment your father hired lawyers and made plans on your behalf without talking to you… yes. You took it well enough because you are good-natured, but even you have a breaking point,” Valerius answered as he stretched out on his bed. He looked over at the empty side of it and realized he was acting as if Caden was lying there. He forced himself to stretch across the whole bed like usual.

Another silence. “Do you--do you think I’m naive? That’s what Mom and Dad think. They don’t believe I can really understand the power I have, let alone use it appropriately.”

Valerius pinched the top of his nose. This was a difficult question to answer, because Caden’s unjaded outlook was both a strength and a weakness. “I think you are… idealistic. That can fall into the naive category at times, but other times it can inspire. Inspiration is the greatest of powers, Caden. It can move things that force cannot, that fear cannot.”

Caden let out a low chuckle, evidently not offended at all. “You know that’s one of the nicest things you could say about me.”

“The thing is that people like your father--and even, like me --see the world quite differently. Where you see light, we see dark. On the one hand, we want to protect you so that you can keep seeing the world in that idealistic light. On the other hand, we find it frustrating that you do not see what we do and court danger for yourself and those that follow you,” Valerius said, and almost felt exhausted by it. He talked more with Caden than with anyone. And he knew that this talk they were having was crucial to help Caden.

“When you describe it that way it makes sense. You want to do everything you can to keep me as I am, but as I am, I get myself into messes because you’re protecting me?”

“Yes.”

“I do need Dad’s help,” Caden said quietly. “He knows so much more than me. You… you know eons more than me. But I have to try some things on my own, even if they are mistakes. Maybe especially if they are. If he doesn’t let me play a role in my own life…” Caden broke off with a sigh.

“There is a balance. Raziel understands it far better than I do,” Valerius admitted. “I wished to swoop in the moment that you were in the park, but…”

“I did okay. It was a bad situation. But I won’t hide from Humans First! And like I told my parents last night, Tilly and her friends fearlessly taunting the protestors took their power away,” Caden said. “On the news, they keep showing how dumb the Humans First people look for claiming to be worried that the kids were in danger. It was clear that they just hate Shifters.”

Valerius had seen that himself. In fact, Chione had been twittering to him about it excitedly. On his call with Marban, to check in on the status of the Shifter Council, the wily old criminal had thought it genius.

“But Caden might have been…” Valerius had broken off, realizing he was revealing too much of himself to the king of the underworld.

“I know it is hard to see the younglings take action on their own,” Marban had responded with actual sympathy. “They see only how far they can fly , while we see how far they can fall . But they can only learn one with the other. So we must learn to sit back and watch only.”

In that moment, Valerius had realized with a start that he liked and appreciated the Swarm Shifter on some level. Marban had something good to offer. It had been a rather stunning revelation. Even he, evidently, could learn something new.

Interpreting his silence as the end of the call, Marban had said, “Wally says hello.”

“Ah, that is right that you took Caden’s spot today at the shop, which I appreciate. But are you still there?” Valerius had frowned. It had been very late.

“No, no, Wally and I are having drinks at his place… with his cat,” Marban had said the last as if there was a sour taste in his mouth.

Valerius had let out a burble of laughter. “A Rat Shifter has a cat for a pet?”

“He adores them. Get off my lap!” Marban had hissed at the cat evidently. There had been hissing of the feline variety that had followed.

“I will let you go then. Enjoy your evening.” Valerius had hung up laughing.

But his call with Caden had not ended in laughter but rather simple longing.

“You will be coming as Iolaire to meet Mei today,” Valerius said.

“Oh, right, yeah,” Caden didn’t sound intrigued.

“She’s going to bring her toy soldiers.”

“Toy… oh, the droids?! That’s cool,” Caden warmed a little. “But what if she intends to use them for nefarious purposes? Marban thinks that the people behind the bombings and even Humans First might be from outside. What if Mei is behind it?”

“I have considered this, and this is partly why I am allowing her to bring the soldiers,” he stated.

“But… oh! You think she’ll use them, but you’ll have people like following them and checking them out!” Caden got it.

“Indeed.” Valerius smiled at Caden’s evident enthusiasm for spycraft.

“It will be interesting to meet her, I guess,” Caden said with a deep sigh and Valerius reached over to the empty part of the bed again as if he could touch Caden’s arm and link their hands together. “But I miss you. I can’t wait until they’re gone and it’s just the two of us again.”

Valerius smiled softly. “Neither can I.”

Simi’s voice drew him back to the present as he boomed, “Dragon King Valerius, do I have your permission to allow the Red Dragon Queen Mei to enter the throne room?”

Valerius let out another sigh before answering, “Let her in."