The Bird and The Dragon

Ayu did know how to be charming company. She disapproved of his father but loved the theater and that Kvenrei had pulled a few strings and got them good seating in a fully booked show. A few young men had eyed Ayu curiously and Kvenrei had found his fatherly urge to protect the young woman. This was a surprise and conflicted with the information he planned to share with his daughter.

Initiating the discussion was difficult and by the first half, Kvenrei had managed to say nothing clever. Neither had Ayu asked him anything. The girl was well-informed about the play’s theme and recognized many faces from the audience. Of course, many of these people were Enidtha’s customers. It reminded Kvenrei how much he had missed about his daughter growing up.

At halftime, Kvenrei led Ayu to the foyer looking for Cassine.

“An acquaintance of mine should be here,” he explained to the girl describing Cassine.

“Is he from Haven?” Ayu asked, showing an interest in Kvenrei’s ventures for the first time.

“No, but I want to ensure his visit goes smoothly.”

Ayu’s gaze was intent and reminded Kvenrei of Jesrade. Ayu had her aunt’s skill in drawing sharp conclusions. “Why are you doing that?”

Kvenrei smiled and set his hand on Ayu’s shoulder. “Because that is what I am paid for.”

“Is that the true reason behind all your travels? Keeping things…smooth with the foreigners?”

The man nodded and looked around. He was not going to mention running away from his father or to give any details. Cassine was moving towards the outhouses and Kvenrei told Ayu to wait for him. He followed the Southerner, but the man was nowhere to be found.

Kvenrei returned to the foyer to find a knowing smile on Ayu’s face. The girl nodded with the tiniest gesture towards a small corridor closed with a thick, braided ribbon and a sign saying ‘Private’.

“He returned when you were gone and slipped in there,” Ayu said.

“I’ll have to follow him. You’ll go to see the second half of the play.”

“I’d like to see your work.”

“Your mother will not approve, and I trust her instinct.”

“Mom said I should learn to know you, Kvenrei.” Ayu never called him father.

“Well…this doesn’t make you my apprentice, mind you. And if anything happens, we are not going to tell Mom.”

Ayu nodded.

“Actually…if anything happens, she must know. So, you take care that nothing happens. Right?”

“Agreed.”

Slipping into the private corridor was easy when they timed it to the rush at the end of the halftime.

“Walk like you belong here,“ Kvenrei instructed. “But walk silently and if I tell you to do anything, you do it without questions.”

“Yes, Kvenrei. Do you know people from Marya’s club?”

“Only a few of them and they have been forced encounters.”

“Really? Why don’t we socialize with them?” Ayu sounded almost angry.

“Because those circles are rotten,” the man whispered. “Now, be silent.”

They walked on. The music from the show carried through the walls. The different offices and the other rooms needed to run and entertain the people in the culture business circled the building. Kvenrei and Ayu had proceeded far in the hallway when they heard running steps, breaking glass, and shouting.

Kvenrei pushed Ayu to the small cover provided by a decorated doorway. The windows in front of them showed the yard where a man was stumbling across to disappear under their windows. To Kvenrei it had looked like Cassine. He was being followed by an agile man, whose movements Kvenrei recognized instinctively. It was his commander Anhava, a known lover of arts, a member of Marya’s unofficial inner circle, and a certified psychopath, at least in Kvenrei’s opinion.

“He went to the clothes storage,” Ayu whispered.

“What?”

“The first man. The storage is below us and its windows are always open because it is hot and crowded and the shoe glue melts your nostrils.”

“Let’s find a stairway,” Kvenrei said. Of course, Ayu knew the theater as it was one of Enidtha’s customers. Anhava would have no trouble murdering Cassine, but Kvenrei didn’t like his principles. If Cassine had only been curious and of the wrong race, murdering him would be a crime. Kvenrei wanted to believe Cassine to be innocent and in love even if it was unlikely. He felt he owed that much to his sister and knew it was stupid and was doing it anyway.

They found a narrow spiraling staircase. The father and the daughter descended downstairs where the upper level’s delicate mosaic floors and art-covered walls turned into plain stone. Rows of doors and piles of random items like fake trees, a box of hats, and a giant spoon covered the walls. Theater employees hurried around in their business and someone was arguing over a pair of shoes. Kvenrei had once visited the theater’s basement, but it had been a long time ago. Ayu seemed not to mind the chaos. “I vote for the shoe shop window,” she said watching Kvenrei like waiting for something.

“If Cassine has any sense, he is already gone. But take this.” Kvenrei took a veiled hat belonging to the moth queen’s servant. It would cover Ayu’s face. For himself, he took an ant soldier’s head, which had shiny black goggles.

“They belong to the theater!” Ayu whispered furiously.

“The art belongs to the people,” Kvenrei proclaimed. He had never minded such details and the girl put the hat on.

Ayu found the door she was looking for. A strong odor welcomed them to a dark room with an open window. Kvenrei looked around, but first, he had to remove the ant mask to see anything.

“Cassine, stop hiding. Let’s go and have a chat somewhere where the air doesn’t liquify eyeballs.” Kvenrei said aloud. Ayu’s eyes were wide open and the man continued. “There is no one to hear us over the noise in the corridor.”

“Would he come out with you asking?”

“I have no idea. It depends if he wants to stay safe from the gentleman, who has a disgustingly sharp sword and is known to use it in imaginative ways without asking the questions first.” Kvenrei was amused, but almost bit his tongue when Cassine crawled from under the table.

“Did he already go?” Cassine wiped the dust from his knees.

“Did he come here?” Ayu asked in a scared voice, eyes huge under the veil. She had heard of Commander Anhava’s murderous tendencies.

“Almost behind me. I think I heard the door closing.”

“Let’s get going,” Kvenrei said and opened the door. He picked a walking stick from the table. It was halfway covered in fake jewels, a poor defense against a sword, but better than nothing. They went for the stairs to reach the crew corridor and the alley.

“How did you end up being hunted?” Kvenrei asked Cassine, trying to find a carefree tone.

“I was curious. I talked with this lady, but she was in a hurry and left me in the corridor. I was watching the paintings about dragons when that tall man jumped into the corridor with his sword, shouting I listened and…I got scared.”

“An understandable reaction,” Kvenrei said. He didn’t believe Cassine, not all of it, but Ayu raised her finger to sign silence.

A distant voice asked something behind the corner and Kvenrei recognized Anhava’s tone. Without hesitation, he opened the first door and pushed Ayu inside. Cassine had the sense to follow. The room was long, but narrow and had only dim lights. They walked inside, where the room widened to house a sofa and a few chairs.

“Let’s wait for him to go away,” Kvenrei whispered.

“Who goes away?” a quiet, but clear voice asked. It belonged to the woman Kvenrei had wanted to avoid at any cost in this situation. All the will to fight melted away and Kvenrei turned to face the huge black chair and the tall black figure wearing black sitting in the shadows.

“Commander Anhava, Lady Agiisha. My apologies for disturbing your peace.” Ayu froze for a second and dropped hastily into a deep curtsy her teeth clattering.

“Get up girl. Who are these people, Kvenrei?” The woman, the dragon’s human body rose from the chair and stepped silently closer. She was tall, hairless, and colored matte black. Only her eyes were luminous blue orbs, without irises, without any sign of white. The dragon was wearing a black, sleeveless robe. Cassine bowed stiffly.

“Ayu is my daughter. Cassine entered the New Freedom with the expert group from the Three King’s land, the mission the strategej Patrik ordered.” Agiisha walked to stand next to him and Ayu took his sleeve like she was about to faint. Agiisha’s existence was known, but she seldom was seen in person. When Ayu stumbled Cassine took something from his sleeve and ran to the dragon.

“Die you plague machine! You don’t belong here!” Cassine shouted trying to hit the dragon. Kvenrei threw himself to Cassine, but Agiisha was much faster. A field of power shimmered into existence between her and Cassine. Kvenrei took hold of the man and a small metal syringe dropped to the floor. At the same time, the dragon’s hand moved with unnatural speed taking a cruel hold of Cassine’s head.

The man grunted and fell to the floor unconscious. Agiisha’s blue stare turned to Kvenrei and his daughter.

“Sit down,” the dragon said with a toneless voice.

Ayu dragged Kvenrei down to the sofa. The girl was shaking. Agiisha stood upon the fallen man.

“Explanation, please.”

“My dreadful mistress, Cassine was among the theater audience, and he sneaked to the office corridor during the halftime. The next time we saw him he was escaping Anhava. I had no reason to believe he was searching for you.”

The syringe floated up. The dragon observed it for a while and let it fall again. “Nanoid explosives. A fragment of them is still active. They used to be manufactured to be used against the nocturna. Where would he get them?”

“He came here with two nocturna.”

The dragon smiled cruelly and kneeled beside Cassine. She set her black fingers, like a shadow to the man’s face and Kvenrei saw something like roots growing inside his eyes. Ayu stared silently and Kvenrei put his hand on her shoulders, hugging the girl reassuringly.

“Someone has tried to augment him. The outcome is terrible. Probably a ritual.” Agiisha’s words were flowing like rain. “Good to have him with me. Anhava would have been too enthusiastic. You are not going to mention this incident. Let me take the girl’s memories away.”

“No, please!” Ayu said. “I just learned so much about Kvenrei. This changes everything I have assumed about him. Lady Agiisha, please. I’d like to remember this. I’ll never mention this to anyone.”

“I’ll take the full responsibility,” Kvenrei said.

“Do you even know what kind of man your father is?” Agiisha said to Ayu, leaving Kvenrei without attention.

“Not anymore. But he knows you. He serves you and the nation. What is he?”

“He is a headstrong offspring to the strategej Ikanji. He had the habit of sitting by my feet writing poems.” Kvenrei tried to prevent embarrassment from blushing his cheeks. Agiisha’s words were true; after running away from home he experienced a period of suicidal obsession with the dragon. Ayu stared at him with bewilderment, trying to manage this information, but it didn’t find any correspondence from her earlier assumptions. “And he is my unruly, but delightful servant,” the dragon concluded.

“It is true, I’ll explain later,” Kvenrei said. Agiisha smiled and the expression widened to a bestial grin when she turned to eye Cassine.

“What do you order me to do to him, o mistress of mine?” Kvenrei asked.

“I want to use him.” The syringe flowed to the dragon’s palm. She pressed it between her hands like in prayer. “I’ll remove the latest hours from his memory. And he gets his weapon back, harmless.” The dragon smiled like a predator who tasted blood. “We will put him onboard and see where he returns to recover and report.”

“Mistress, he had a lover here. Miklen, they have lived together.” Despite Cassine’s treachery, Kvenrei felt dirty when he had to pull Miklen into this.

“Thank you, sweet Kvenrei. Anhava has left. You may go.”

“Was that all?” Kvenrei was disappointed. Cassine’s case felt personal to him. He didn’t want to leave the man or possibly innocent Miklen to be crushed into Anhava’s machinery.

“Yes, my servant. That is all. You don’t have to mind this incident any further. Do you need something? You will get paid.” The dragon’s voice carried a dismissal and Kvenrei stood. However, he didn’t leave, but walked to Agiisha and kissed her cold cheek.

“For those poems, Agiisha.”

The dragon allowed the touch and removed her hands from the praying position. The syringe was still on her palm. “Will you one day grow up, Kvenrei?”

“I don’t know. Wouldn’t it make me less entertaining?”

“Disappear, before I call Anhava here.”

Kvenrei chuckled and took his daughter’s hand. Ayu stared at him like seeing him for the first time.