Azure bonds - Kate Novak [23]
"Your speech is oddly accented," said the dragon. "I think you come from beyond Cormyr."
"Unless, of course," Alias continued, "you are a common dragon. Then, of course, you may behave as you will."
Fire flared in Mist's eyes. "And do you know the formal codes, O Supper?"
"I know first to ask the dragon's name if it is not already known," replied Alias.
"Common courtesy, at the very least, common sense as well."
"At this point, I must say you have offended me. You have monopolized the services of this halfling, an offense to art; you have kept her imprisoned in this cage, an offense to humanity; and you have referred to me as Supper, an offense to my honor. For these barbarities, Mistinarperadnacles, red mistress of flame and sunsets, I challenge you!"
"Quite nice," said the dragon. "Your composure does you credit. You astonish me, young one. This is a custom veiled in antiquity. I don't believe one sage in a hundred could recall the formalities so precisely. Just where did you acquire this knowledge?"
Alias did know the answer to that question. She remembered it, but she did not know how. Instead of trying to answer Mist's questions, she continued with the terms of challenge.
"My weapon will be this single blade." Alias indicated her sword with a nod of her head. "You may use your claws. No biting, no breathing fire, and no magic."
Steam was beginning to rise up from Mist's nostrils, indicating the beast was no longer amused or intrigued, but losing her patience. Alias continued hurriedly, "We fight until the first three hits or until the other surrenders. If I am victor, I demand you free the halfling Ruskettle and allow both of us to leave your lair safe and free."
"What? No demands for a chest of gold or for me to leave this happy land and never to return?" Mist mocked her.
"None," Alias replied flatly. According to the code, the more demands she made, the more compromises she would have to make toward the dragon's terms. If they even came to terms. Steam now poured from Mist in great billows.
She could breathe fire anytime, Alias thought. If her ego and pride don't bind her to the ancient code, I'm dead meat.
"It is a sad state of affairs," Mist growled, "when a dragon cannot use those gifts invested in her by Tiamat. At the very least, I must use my claws and my teeth. We will fight until you are dead or you convince me to surrender. In compensation, if you win, I will grant you a chest of gold. I am a generous spirit, you see."
"Accepted," Alias replied without hesitation.
The dragon reared back, her head raised into the stone dome high above. The raven flapped noisily from her head. Surprised, Mist could only foolishly repeat, "Accepted," thus locking herself into the agreement.
"The code is honored, the pact is made," Alias declared and lunged forward beneath the dragon's chest. She slashed out with her sword, catching the beast just below the forward knee. The blow was not forceful enough to cut into the scales, but it hurt. The dragon roared, and her knee buckled so that she toppled forward. Alias dashed between her hind legs. Careful to avoid the creature's tail, the swordswoman dragged her blade across Mist's purple-plated rump, knocking loose a few half-healed plates.
Mist howled and spun about. Her gleaming eyes seemed to burrow into Alias. "Foul!" she hissed. "You used the sharp side of your blade."
"Our contract did not limit me to the flat of my weapon, wyrm!" Alias shouted, dodging backward to avoid the slash of the triple scythes at the end of the dragon's paw.
"O ho!" Mist cackled, following up her first assault with a thrust from the other front paw. Alias twisted and rolled away as claw tips scored deep into the wall she'd had at her back a moment before. "So you are now a lawyer as well as a fighter!" Mist taunted as she yanked her claw from the rock, causing a small avalanche of stone to topple down.
Alias retreated back among the treasure and bone piles, sparing only a glance for the now-empty cage on the altar. She averted her eyes quickly so as not to alert Mist to