Rise of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 035 - A debt paid, a price set low (Patreon)

Kaen grinned as he felt Elnidith squeezing him tight as they came in to land at the place she had pointed at.

The entire trip had only lasted twenty minutes since Pammon had taken his time and flew around to show off more of their land.  There were a few times it felt like Elnidith was trying to break a rib from how tight she squeezed his chest and abdomen.  He had laughed each time and she had loosed up.  A little.

The fields looked mostly empty as the time for their harvest was nearing an end.  The property they were coming to was, like many, tasked with growing a barley crop.  Useful for many things, including alcohol, it was a staple in the kingdom.

A decent-sized house sat in the middle of the property with stone walls leading from the main road back to it.  Each field was sectioned off with the stone that appeared to come from inside the mountain they were cutting out at a breakneck speed.

People in the fields and near the home could be seen running to the safety of the house, gathering in a large group and pointing up at them as Pammon circled for a third time.

He finally landed on the wide road, coming toward the house, and stopped a good fifty or more yards from the gate leading to the main estate's inner part.

You two will have to walk.  I have played the kind dragon role long enough.  Tell her I hope she enjoyed her only trip.

Patting his favorite scale, Kaen chuckled as he untied the rope that held him and Elnidith together.

“Sorry, I don't have a better system for staying connected right now.  I don't think it would make you feel better if I mentioned we crashed almost a week ago when fighting a pack of griffins."

He felt her go stiff and laughed harder than he should after undoing the last knot.  Sliding down to the ground, he held out his hands and helped her dismount with some dignity.

She chuckled as it took a moment for her legs to get used to the ground for a second.

"Thank you, Pammon," she quickly blurted out as she turned and bowed toward him.  "I am honored more than words can begin ever do justice for what I have experienced.  If there is anything I can do to repay that debt, just tell me."

Kaen started to laugh before Pammon even had a chance to reply.

"Before he bombards me with requests, he likes to be repaid in things to eat.  Something new is always a treat, but at the end of the day, he loves a cow."

Elnidith burst into a roar and started laughing so hard she coughed a few times.

"That I can do!  Tonight, you will eat every different creature I can provide!"

Pammon started thrumming at that statement.

Perhaps I should start offering a dragon traveling service to wealthy individuals who can provide me with food choices.

Groaning, Kaen moved over and scratched Pammon's scales.

Yes... let's find ways to feed you even more food so when you don't get those things, I have to listen to you complain even more.

Pammon gave a gentle push with his snout against Kaen, causing Elnidith to laugh again, watching the two of them wrestle for a moment.

"Should I ask what he said?"

Letting out a sigh after breaking his embrace with Pammon, Kaen smirked as he shrugged his shoulders.

"He asked me if we could open up a dragon transport service that required rare and exotic animals as payment."

Two minutes later, they walked toward the gathered group of dwarves, watching a weird scene with a dragon, a human, and a dwarf laughing.

Elnidith was still wiping tears from her eyes, and Kaen might have had a few tears needing to be wiped away.

"Up ahead is a dwarf named Marfo, the father of Gertrude.  I am sure you remember her as the warrior you saved a few years ago.”

Nodding that he did, Kaen looked at the man, clearly her father, standing before everyone else gathered.  His body shape and demeanor all reminded him of Gertrude.  He even had a few beard braids with metal rings spread throughout it.

“When word reached him that you were here, a messenger came to me last night demanding that I bring you so that he could honor a debt.  I have no idea what he might offer but please remember this is something serious for our people.”

Kaen recalled the number of times he had been approached over the last few years by dwarves he had saved.  They all had offered their life and service to him, including Gertrude and Brazuc.

“Perhaps I can just swing a few cows and call it a day,” he joked as he watched Elnidith wave at the crowd before them.

She snorted and spat on the ground after clearing her throat.

“He would offer you all his cows and more if you pushed, but I would not recommend that.  Let him offer what he wants and you can ask for less or more as you feel led.”

When they reached the gate, two dwarves opened it wide and gave deep bows as Kaen and Elnidith moved through it.  Both of them held their heads lower than Kaen expected.

“Dragon Rider Kaen!”

The shout rang out over the yard as the one he knew must be Marfo approached them both, holding his hands wide and a smile etched on his face.

Kaen saw the wrinkles on his face and knew this man must have seen a few things in his life.  His teeth flashed, and the two gold teeth on the bottom row caught him off guard.  His hair and beard were salt and pepper, with an equal number of white and black hair in each.

“I am honored for you to come and visit me,” Marfo called out as he covered the ground quicker than Kaen had expected with his stubby legs.

He gave a deep bow before standing up and extending his hand to Kaen.

Shaking those well-worn and calloused hands, Kaen smiled back and gave a slight nod with his head.

“I am honored to be invited to your property.  I have heard many great things about it from Bazuc and Gertrude,” he stated as he paused for a moment and scanned the fields.  “I am trying to figure out though which part of it belongs to Brazuc so i can tell him it is not as big as I think he led me to believe.”

Marfo started laughing and pulled Kaen in, giving him an unexpected hug.

“My daughter was right, it appears, when she spoke of your quick wit and fine sense of humor!  Now come inside and let us relax in there where I can get to know you a little better before letting you get back to the schedule I know Elnidith has set for you.”

A cough came from behind him, and when Kaen looked over his shoulder at Elnidith, he saw her wink at him as she shrugged.

“I would be honored to enter your home and spend time with you.”

“Excellent!” exclaimed Marfo as he clapped Kaen on the back and pressed him toward the entrance to his house.

He looked Kaen up and down as they walked and shook his head in disbelief.

“I’m not sure which of you is a finer specimen.  You or your dragon,” he joked as they walked.  “You both look like you eat well and judging by your clothes, you are still growing.”

Kaen let out a cough as he knew his outfit was tighter than he wished.

Waving his hand in the air, Marfo kept talking, ignoring his reaction and explaining who they were passing by as they made their way to the house.

“So tell me, Dragon Rider Kaen, if you know what a blood debt is, what can I give to fulfill my obligation?”

Kaen heard the struggle in Marfo’s voice as he leaned against his chair, running his fingers along the lip of the cup he held in his hands.  After the few minutes spent showing him around the house and his two pictures of Gertrude, one of her as a young girl and one now, he had led them into a room with just a few cushioned chairs.

Setting his cup on the small table near him, Kaen leaned forward and tried his best to not appear frustrated.

“The truth is that your daughter is a valiant warrior and provided me with great protection during our battle against the orcs and goblins we faced.  Both she and Brazuc honored their family names by how they fought and defended the entire squad that we were in.  I know you feel that I am owed something because of what my dragon, Pammon, did, but I feel that I cannot ask for anything myself in good faith.”

As Marfo began to respond, Kaen held up his hand and stopped him.

“I will ask any obligation you feel toward me to be given to Pammon instead.  He is the one that sent the horde running and provided us with the means to defeat the cave troll.”

Having closed his mouth, Marfo slowly nodded his head as a grin appeared on his face.  He let out a small snort and reached up with one of his hands as he scratched his beard for a moment.

“Honor a dragon for saving my daughter… that is… different.”

He glanced at Elnidith, who was sitting quietly, sipping her drink as her eyes drank in everything taking place before her.  Marfo noticed the glimmer of them and how she gave a slight nod with her head.

“I assume you know what your dragon would want as payment for this debt?”

Kaen leaned back in his chair as he chuckled, running his finger through his hair.

“He likes to be paid in things to eat.  As you have seen, my dragon does not miss many meals and finds that his love language is food.  He would not ask for more than one meal as payment as we both know the cost of quality animals.”

Still playing with his beard, Marfo gave a nod as he considered what Kaen had said.

“That is an interesting proposition.  I guess I should not mention I was ready to offer my daughter's hand in marriage to you or up to half of my estates if you asked.”

“While both of those would be considered great gifts,” Kaen stated, not showing his shock at what Marfo had been willing to give, “I already have someone I am bound to and I would never feel comfortable taking land.   I live too far away to manage the day-to-day requirements of such a thing like this.”

Setting his cup down on the table, Marfo stood up and stretched for a moment.

“So, no daughter and no land, just animals for your dragon to enjoy?” he asked, keeping his gaze steady.

Kaen stood up as well, nodding his head as he kept his eyes on Marfo.

“Very well,” he stated as he clapped his hands together.  “Elnidith will bear witness to the repayment of the debt I owed and that I have restored the honor to my family.”

He extended his hand once more and Kaen took it, shaking it and smiling as he saw Marfo visibly relieved at how the deal had transpired.

“If you will give me a moment, I will inform my servants to prepare for the agreed-upon repayment.”

He gave a slight bow again before exiting the room and leaving the two of them alone.

“That was very kind of you,” Elnidith stated as she stood up from her chair.  “I wonder if you realize just how much you have indebted yourself to him.”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Kaen replied as he turned and saw how Elnidith was looking at him.  “He gets to give Pammon the credit and all he has to do is give up a few animals for it.”

She chortled and nodded her head.

“All… you still don’t understand but then again, I guess you wouldn’t.”

Motioning around the room, she pointed to the weapons and shields on the walls.

“This room represents the true power of that man and his family.  These shields are a testament to how important they are and the number of favors he could call in at any moment.  His daughter is one of his greatest treasures.  Tell me, Kaen how many other pictures did you see in this house?”

His eyes shifted from side to side as he considered what she had asked.  Other than the picture of Marfo and his deceased wife, the only other pictures he had seen were the two of Gertrude.

“You already know there were just three pictures in the house.”

She nodded and moved to one of the shields on the wall, slowly running her hand along the base of it.

“Yes.  She has two pictures compared to the one he keeps as a memory of his wife.  She is the greatest treasure he has.  He would have offered her hand to you for saving her life, even though he knows nothing about you or the quality of your character.  He would have also offered you half of his land.  Something you really don’t know how much land that is.”

Her voice was like a teacher giving a lesson.  Clear and sharp, each point was accented, and her steady voice echoed in the room.

“You have allowed him to keep both when many had wondered how weak he might become if you asked for either of those two things.  He can marry off his daughter and gain much for her hand.  Instead, he will be looked at as a shrewd and crafty man.  He will earn honor for paying off the debt he owes at a fraction of the cost and also because he does it to your dragon.”

She paused as she chuckled and shook her head a few times.

“Sometimes I wonder if the gods must love you, Kaen Marshell.”

“Why do you say that?”

Turning around, she let out a sigh before giving him a grin.

“Marfo is kin to Bosgreth, and how you have handled yourself with Marfo will pay off when you meet with the King.”