Dragons of the Valley - Donita K. Paul [90]
“Your parents won’t mind what you’re wearing. They are more concerned with your welfare. All the parents in Chiril are thinking more seriously about what may happen to their children. You know of the unusual effects the three statues had on the landscape and now the populace?”
“Yes.”
“Well, men have been afflicted with malaise or a cantankerous attitude more than the women. And men who are ready to be independent and start their own families are the most often afflicted. That is why we saw a dozen men striding forth to protect the land and turning on each other instead.”
“Oh, Paladin, are we ever going to conquer such debilitating circumstances? Will Baardack take over Chiril?”
“I don’t know the answer to that. I thought Wulder wanted me to inform the citizens of Chiril of His willingness to accept them as His people. But perhaps He intends for me to be gathering in Baardackians as well.”
Caesannede landed in the open field, followed by the other two dragons, Kelsi and Merry. Paladin yelled to Bealomondore before he dismounted.
“Watch Danto. We don’t want him to escape.”
Danto promptly slid off his dragon, Merry, and ran for the opposite edge of the meadow. The dragon reached out her long blue neck, snagged the back collar of the runaway’s shirt in her teeth, and lifted him off the ground.
Some of the people in the crowd screamed.
Paladin announced, “The dragon won’t hurt him.” He turned to Merry. “Bring him here, Merry. I’ll watch him.”
She lumbered over to Paladin and set the man down carefully in front of him.
“Thank you,” said Paladin. “Danto, do you remember what happened when you lied to me?”
The marione nodded.
“Would you like to experience what happens when you disobey me?”
He shook his head.
“Fine. Stay beside me.”
Someone grabbed Tipper’s shoulders and swung her around. Her father drew her into a crushing embrace. “My girl, my girl. Do you know you look even more mature, elegant, and like a princess?”
She laughed and pulled away, looking down at her tattered apparel and pushing locks of hair off her face. “This is not elegant, Papa.”
Her mother beamed and gave her daughter a quick kiss on the cheek. “It’s the way you carry yourself, my dear. All those years of balancing a book on your head did you some good. Of course, I always found you sitting and reading the book instead of balancing it, but that minor indiscretion didn’t hurt your posture. I’m sure that in the end you may find it addled your eyes. We were just going to set off to find you.”
Tipper hugged her mother. “Addled my brain, Mother.”
“Now, Tipper, don’t contradict. Eggs are scrambled, eyes are addled, and brains should never be eaten.”
“Mother! Where did you ever come across that bit of wisdom?”
Lady Peg lifted her chin, looked down her nose, and employed her fan to demonstrate her disapproval. “Child, I did, upon occasion, open a book or two. You can see why I have chosen to forgo such endeavors. The things in books are quite shocking. I believe it was primitives who were touted as eating parts of animals that are best left undiscussed.”
A smile wiped away Tipper’s outraged expression. “Quite, Mother,” she said around a giggle that threatened to escape. “Some things should not be discussed because they are disgusting.”
Lady Peg turned to Verrin Schope with a triumphant look. “You see? I have done my part in raising her.”
The wizard draped his arm around his wife’s shoulders and pulled her close. “It is completely evident. But we must be about the business at hand.”
“What business?” asked Tipper.
“We are going to war,” said Lady Peg. “Not exactly we, which would mean all of us standing here. This we refers to our country. But not the entire country. The part of the country suited to defending us and banishing evil. And that us, in ‘defending us,’ doesn’t mean all of us standing here either. It’s very complicated, Tipper. I’m so glad you’re back. You and I will go to Byrdschopen, and your father and your suitor”—she glanced