Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [91]
Amedahast blinked. The blue dragon had been mentioned in the texts, but not the other two. "What about Mabel itself?"
"Almost as old as Suzail," said Azoun. "Originally a logging encampment of folk who moved in when the elves moved out. It's been part of Cormyr, off and on, for about three hundred years. It would petition to join, or be conquered, or be absorbed in one generation, then grow restive and break away the next. It's officially part of the nation right now, but it has always been-and remains-very independent. The saying in court is 'A rabid kobold could start a rebellion in Mabel.' Of course, we don't say that around folk from Mabel. They're a little touchy about it, to say the least."
And so the afternoon passed. The young prince was a font of knowledge, picked up from a lifetime of listening to the tales of Anglond's court. It turned out that Baerauble had taught the young king his letters, and Azoun was amused to hear that the old scarecrow was as demanding and boring now as he was then.
Amedahast shared the bread she'd brought, and they passed the bottle of port back and forth. The shadows of the afternoon grew longer, and the young wizardess realized that she was no longer watching for Baerauble's return. The old mage was probably back by now, wondering where in the Seven Heavens she had disappeared to and planning a suitable punishment for her return.
She jumped up at the thought, rousing young Azoun, who had moved himself to sprawl on the bench next to her. "I should get back!" she said, stuffing the scrolls into the satchel. "The old… that is, Master Baerauble will have me flayed if he thinks I was lollygagging around all afternoon." She bolted down the steps two at a time while the young prince was still pulling himself up.
"Will I see you again tomorrow?" he shouted after her. "I'll be here after my ride."
Amedahast turned and waved. "If I'm not slain or locked in a tower room, I'll be here." And with that, she ran back to the wizard's quarters, her long robes billowing behind her.
Baerauble was indeed there when she returned, bent over his workbench and examining some detailed clockwork through a huge lens. Without looking up, he asked, "Have you been studying?"
Amedahast gasped to recover her breath and gulped, "Yes, Lord Baerauble."
"So tell me something about geography," he responded. Amedahast took a deep breath. "Soldier's Green was originally the site of an orcish massacre. It was also where the Dracohorn family gained its name. Keolan Dracohorn killed a blue dragon there. The ruins of Marsember are regularly used by pirates, and periodically adventuring groups are secretly hired to clear them out. The High Horn was the first fortification among the Storm Horns and remains the largest, with dwarves emigrating from Anauria being hired to hollow out the mountain itself."
She paused to take a breath, and the old wizard interrupted, still without looking up. "Good enough, but slightly inaccurate. Keolan Dracohorn found a dead young blue dragon there, drove his sword into the cooling body, and told his version of the tale so often that it became the family legend. Not everything that is claimed as history is true. Remember that. Now go prepare for dinner. We'll be discussing Lathanderian philosophy."
Amedahast bowed formally and retired to her quarters, taking the steps two at a time. She couldn't see the old wizard's face as he crouched over the clockwork nor see the wide smile on Baerauble's lips.
* * * * *
Amedahast and Azoun met in the garden for the remainder of the month. Azoun kept her posted on history, family legends, court gossip, and local custom. "Right now all the petty nobles are in their country estates overseeing the plantings and first shearings. Come month's end, they'll all descend on Suzail. There will be a great ceremony that takes forever as each family lists its triumphs since the close of the last noble season. Naturally there will be intrigue and fistfights over who gets to be presented to my father first."
Amedahast told the young prince about elven