Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [76]
D’Shay, bouncing on her toes with her clothes flickering between shades of yellow and orange, added her part. “Any kimen orphan can come and apply for a position in the family.”
“No one has ever been turned down,” said Veazey.
“Gale was, and so was Sweptor,” objected Zayvion.
Veazey turned an annoyed face toward the outspoken male and planted her fists upon her hips. “That was two hundred years ago.”
“It still counts.” Zayvion frowned and looked stubborn. “As long as it happened, it happened. You can’t say no one was ever turned down if someone was turned down. Gale and Sweptor were both turned down on the same day in the same month in the same year. They were turned down together, and so you can’t say no one was ever turned down, because someone was turned down, Gale and Sweptor.”
D’Shay stepped between the two. “You’re right, Zay. Gale and Sweptor were wild and unruly, and of course they were turned down.” She patted his chest with her small hand, and sparks of blue and gold sprayed out at her touch. She turned to Veazey. “You’re right too, of course.” Her friendly smile drained the tension out of Veazey’s face. D’Shay sang her words in the strange melodic cadence of her race. “Gale and Sweptor calmed down and asked Paladin to forgive them for being such a problem. Then they applied to the family again and were not turned down.”
She touched her sister’s arm, and when she lifted her hand, a rainbow streamed from the palm of her hand to the place where it had rested. Kale blinked as the colored band faded away.
Kale said, “Do that again,” but the river noise drowned her request.
Zayvion crossed his arms over his chest. “Took Gale and Sweptor one hundred and sixty-two years to say they were sorry.”
D’Shay nodded, and her hair floated wildly around her head. “But Paladin forgave them.” She narrowed her eyes at Zayvion but didn’t finish her thoughts.
Kale knew what Mistress Meiger would have said. The old marione woman would have said variations of the same sentence for half a day beyond making her point. “If Paladin forgives someone, should another stand in unforgiveness? Does this other person who withholds forgiveness think he is greater than, smarter than, more important than Paladin? What folly!” Oh yes, Mistress Meiger could have scolded interminably on the subject. Kale gave thanks that the kimen was not as long-winded as her marione owner in River Away.
Veazey pointed at Kale. “She doesn’t know what we mean by airborne escort.”
“My name is Kale.” Kale frowned. I don’t like being called “she” anymore. When I was a slave, I wasn’t important enough for some people to remember my name. But since I’ve been away from my home, people have called me Kale, and I like it. Kale Allerion.
Veazey skipped closer and looked earnestly up into Kale’s face. “I’m sorry. Truly I am. I know you are Kale, the Dragon Keeper. Everyone knows about you. You’re famous. Paladin has said you are a fine servant. He said you are brave and true. We begged to be chosen as your escort.” She turned away and started spinning. Swirls of light came off her clothing as she danced. “We will be famous. The Trio family comes to the rescue, chosen to escort the great Kale, Dragon Keeper. Four of the intrepid Trio kimens joined the warrior Leetu’s rescuers and gave their airborne support as the doneel and o’rant jumped from the Risto cliff onto a passing dragon.” As she became more excited, her words turned into a song.
“They climbed, they rode, they intervened,
Zayvion, Veazey, D’Shay, and Glim.
When Paladin said, ‘Bring them to me.
Leetu, Dar, and Kale must be free,’
Paladin sent the Trio kin,
Zayvion, Veazey, D’Shay, and Glim.”
Zayvion and Glim stepped forward, laughing, and caught her as she whirled by. They pulled her toward the unconscious emerlindian.
“We have to be a part of the rescue,” said Glim, “before we can be famous and have ballads composed in our honor.”
Veazey held up one small arm and cheered. “To the end of the river cavern!”
D’Shay twirled toward the others with both arms raised. “Celisse