Elminster's Daughter - Ed Greenwood [136]
The song dragon regarded them… and shivered. "Will you use these? If I try to fly away now?"
Vangerdahast shook his head. "Nay. Sworn to defend Cormyr I am, but in her defense I'll stand and fight those who come against her and me. I'll not lash out and become a tyrant over those who may menace her or rival me. I will never make Cormyr into the likes of Thay, or Zhentil Keep, or Mulmaster, just to keep its name on maps."
He started to pace, as if forgetting how close and powerful she was, and added, "I've far more to worry over than dragons-I've the usual treachery among nobles, traitors among the War Wizards, and more than one eager Red Wizard all seeking the downfall of the Forest Kingdom. Any of them is apt to do more harm to Cormyr just now than dragonkind of any sort."
He stopped and turned to face Joysil again. "I don't intend to bind any unwilling dragon-and now I must take steps to link the spells you so fear to my own life, so that if I'm slain they'll destroy themselves and leave no mage empowered to bind you or your ilk."
The dragon's turquoise eyes studied him thoughtfully. Joysil sprang into the air, swooped low and away behind some trees, and flew away, her wingbeats fast and furious.
Myrmeen and Vangerdahast stood in the sunlight watching her distant form dwindle, until the old wizard sighed, shook his head, and peered about to see if there still was a passage he could traverse ahead of him. At his shoulder, Myrmeen said softly, "You're either the greatest fool I've ever met-or the greatest man."
Vangerdahast looked at her. "The former, I fear-yet I'll cling to some pride in not trying to be the greatest villain, when the power to be so has come into my hands, time and time again. 'Tis why I admire Elminster, my sometime teacher, even though he infuriates me more often than not. Temptation snatches at him and finds him wanting, over and over."
Myrmeen nodded. "I've met Elminster… long enough to come to know him better than some high ladies of Cormyr know their husbands. A very great rogue. We parted with swords drawn on each other-respectful, but wary."
Vangerdahast lifted one bristling eyebrow. "That," he told her, "is a tale I must hear in full someday."
He spun around to stride briskly down another passage back to his spellchambers. "But not now. Now I must do as I promised Joysil and bind my spells to my life."
"How swiftly can that be done, and at what risk to you?"
The retired Mage Royal shrugged. "In the space of a grand fool's speech akin to the one I just uttered. The risk is no more than the one you both apprehend: Slaying me ends this danger to dragonkind."
"What do you expect the dragons and the other foes you mentioned to do now?"
"Come here with all speed and slay us," Vangerdahast replied gruffly, throwing wide the door to reveal a glimmer of lantern-light and walls cloaked in a latticework of full scroll-shelves. "So I must get you safely gone ere I must go down fighting. 'Twill be interesting to see who gets here first."
"My lord, I'll not leave you," Myrmeen said, lifting her sword.
Vangey chuckled. "Lass, I can have you deep in dreamslumber and halfway across Faerun before you can blink."
"But you won't," Myrmeen replied, diving forward to lie across a desk of spell-scrolls challengingly, clasping the lit lantern to her breast. "I've but to smash this, and let the flaming oil spill…"
Vangerdahast sighed. "All right, lass-what do you want?"
"To stand with you and die fighting at your side. I, too, am sworn to defend Cormyr."
"Right then, so you shall. Now put that damned lamp aside- carefully!-and get your distracting self up and off my writings so I can fulfill my promise!"
The binding took a long time, and Vangerdahast was trembling with weariness when he finished. They exchanged glances, and Myrmeen put a steadying hand on the mage's shoulder. "And now?"
The former Royal Magician shrugged.