Rise of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 048 - Struggles everywhere (Patreon)

“My name is Tioanoe.”

Pammon had stopped growling and moved his head about four feet from the woman.

Kaen nodded as he gave a smile. Tioanoe’s voice had somehow not trembled at all when she said that.

Kaen stood there, watching her as she kept her eyes on his feet.

“Why did you attack me?”

She winced at his question and seemed to glance toward her spear a few yards away.

“We meant to rob you and take your equipment.  You are on our land and do not wear the colors that show you have paid the tax.  That means you are free game to any who find you.”

She slowly moved her hands and tapped an orange and red sash he had ignored around her belt.

“Most wear it around their arms or waist to ensure it can be seen.”

You know she is stalling.

Yes.  I watched as her hunting partners ran off.  She was willing to sacrifice herself to let them get away.

Pammon's anger still flowed through their bond, and Kaen did his best to block it out.  He couldn’t be angry that the woman had attacked him because it might actually be their custom. It was more upsetting that they had snuck up on him and almost succeeded in taking him out.  Without his previous encounter with poison, he probably wouldn’t have even been able to contact Pammon.

Let’s find out what we can about these people.  We both know different tribes live in the harsh land out here.  We were also warned to keep out of the desert by, Elies and Tharnok as you aren’t large enough to scare off everyone.  Who knows what we might find here.

Besides another way to waste the precious time we have?

Chuckling at the truth of Pammon’s comment, Kaen saw the woman lift her eyes to see why he was laughing.

“What is the usual fee to travel safely through this land?”

“It depends.”

“On?”

Her eyes darted at Pammon, who was still glaring at her, and then back to Kaen.

“Who is paying the fee and how strong they are.”

Pammon began thrumming, causing the woman to flinch.

“How much would the fee be for one like Pammon and I?”

Tioanoe studied Kaen’s expression and how he was standing.  She could sense he was relaxed and doing everything possible to not seem intimidating.  Not counting the dragon sitting next to her.

“We would only require a promise to be peaceful unless attacked,” she replied, her face winching as she spoke those words.  “Those who are obviously stronger than most hunting parties would not be provoked.  A lesson I am learning first hand.”

Pammon snorted, shaking his head for a moment.

I like her.

She is smart I will give her that.

“What if I promise not to hurt anyone unless they attack Pammon or me?  Would that be considered a fair trade?”

Tioanoe nodded, bringing her thumbs and pointer finger together on both hands, making a triangle, and putting it on the ground before her, bowing to touch her head.

“I have heard the promise and am grateful to accept.”

As she rose, she began to undo the sash around her waist.  “This is for you, Dragon Rider Kaen.  May you wear it, and my people know you can travel our land.”

Moving toward her, Kaen took the sash she offered, tying it around his arm.  It took one hand and his teeth to get it to stay tight, but he managed it on his own.

“Now then.  I guess this means I do not have to worry about you attacking me again?”

Bowing once more, Tioanoe sat back on her feet and smiled.  “I would be foolish to bring any more dishonor on my tribe.”

“Good.  Then stand up and come join me by the fire.  I want to hear about your people and this land.  I don’t have long, but I won’t waste this chance.”

Slowly, Tioanoe rose to her feet, making her way to the fire.  As she moved, she kept an eye on Pammon, who followed her every step.

There is another in the woods, about fifty yards behind some trees.  She must have forgotten she is downwind.

Kaen sat down on the rock he had initially been on and motioned to her to join him near the fire.

“Would you like to tell your friend she can join us, or would she prefer to hide in the woods?”

Tioanoe paused halfway between sitting and standing.  Her mouth hung open as she glanced at Kaen, who was smiling, and then toward the trees. “How did you know?”

“Dragon Rider tricks,” Kaen answered, giving her a wink before rummaging through his pack.  “Tell them to join us, and they can share some of my food.”

Standing back up, Tioanoe put her fingers in her mouth and gave a short series of whistles.  A few seconds later, another set of whistles came from the trees, only to be answered again by Tioanoe.

Kaen could see movement, and a young woman with the same colored brown hair Tioanoe had and matching leather armor came out from the trees.  She hesitated until Tioanoe motioned her to come close.

When she drew near them, the young woman bowed before Kaen and then scurried over to where Tioanoe was standing.

“This young one is Krudae.  She is a hunter with me in the forest.  She won’t speak because you have survived her darts twice.  You must be a ghost or a powerful shaman who could steal her soul for attacking you.  As such, she must speak with our queen and hear from her mouth that she can talk with you.”

Elies had told him about so many different tribes, countries, and other communities that all had different rules and rituals.  Even having been prepared, he knew his face must have given away some of the shock he felt at such a punishment.

“I apologize then that I could not succumb to her darts.  It pains me that you must remain silent.”

The young girl snorted and grinned while Tioanoe rolled her eyes before motioning for her to sit on the ground.

Both women sat while Kaen pulled out some dried meat and offered it to them.

They glanced at it, hesitating to take it.

“It’s not poisoned if that is what you are worried about.  I’m not that mean of a dragon rider.”

Both women grinned, and Krudae leaned forward, taking the meat and splitting it with Tioanoe.

“Now tell me about your people.  I would like to know more about your tribe and how we might work together.”

“Why would we need to work together?” Tioanoe asked.  “No other nation has ever come to work with us.  Some have traded, but most have only sought to enslave us.”

Kaen took a small bite and nibbled while he considered what she said.

“I’m unlike most people and don’t need slaves or servants.  I prefer to help those who need it and find ways to work together if possible.  I will be honest. I know nothing about your people other than how strong you are to survive in this area.  Tell me, do you all deal with orcs or goblins?”

Tioanoe spat on the ground and scowled.  “We see the green ones rarely, but usually, we deal more with the scaled dogs.  They attack our people in packs and then run off, leaving us unable to pursue and bring about retribution.”

“Scaled dogs?”  Kaen glanced at Pammon, who told him through their bond that he had no idea what she was talking about.  “What do they look like?”

Biting her lip, Tioanoe stared toward the trees to the south and took a moment.  A log in the fire popped and sparked, causing her attention to be drawn back to them, and she shrugged.  “Brownish scales, not as large as your dragons but like a snake,  yet stronger.  They can run on two or four feet and have long snouts.  Some wear armor and carry weapons, while others use their hands and teeth.  They are not strong alone but can be very dangerous as a pack.”

Nodding, Kaen bent down, found a twig, and did his best to sketch out what she had described in the dirt.  Although he was not an artist, he was gifted and soon had completed what he thought she was describing.

“Exactly!” Tioanoe said.  “How do you draw one so well?”

Tossing the stick in the fire, Kaen reached into his bag and pulled out a book.

“I have read many books, and what you described was in one of them.  It had a picture of one like I drew.  They are called Kobolds by many.  Are there many of them?”

Krudae poked Tioanoe’s arm and made some movements with her finger.  Tioanoe nodded and made more motions with her fingers in return.

They are using their hands to communicate.  That is impressive.

They are more intelligent than one might have guessed at first glance.

I did not get a first glance.  I was shot with a poisoned dart, remember?

Pammon’s thrum caused the two women to pause their communication momentarily with their fingers.

Tioanoe turned her head back to Kaen and saw him smiling at her.  “Sorry,” she said, bowing her head.  “I forget that it might be considered improper to talk like that before you.”

Waving his hand at her comment, Kaen motioned to Pammon with his head.

“We have our own version of that.  No worries about it here.”

Their shoulders loosened up, and they were more relaxed as their fingers began flickering in patterns and movements.

That is how we must appear to others when not paying attention to the conversation around us.

At least we don’t have to move our body parts.  Imagine if you had to use your tongue or talons to talk.

After a few minutes, Tioanoe turned and ensured Kaen was watching her.

“These kobolds, as you call them, have been a nuisance for the last year.  Krudae has been on more scouting runs than I have and talked with other villages.  She says there have been rumors of thousands across the desert and larger attacks on some of the bigger towns.  It has been one of the reasons we have pushed north into the forest. The safety of our people, combined with less game, is moving us from the land we have lived in for generations.”

Both women had scowls as Tioanoe spoke.  Kaen could see Krudae tightening her hands into fists.

“Our way of fighting puts us at a disadvantage against large groups.  Most of our targets are down in under a few seconds from a well-placed shot.  Even a bad shot takes less than ten heartbeats before they are on the ground.”  Tioanoe paused as a smirk appeared.  “Watching you somehow resist not just one but two darts to your head left us very concerned that our poison was no longer working.  Only when I learned you were a dragon rider did I suspect how that was possible.”

“But against a group of kobolds, you would struggle to fend back their numbers in a straight-up fight.”

She nodded at the truth of Kaen’s statement.  “We have strong warriors but limited armor, which poses a problem against their claws and weapons.  We could use better weapons, but we have little to offer the other kingdoms, and most trade is for specific herbs or other rare compounds.”

Kaen scratched his chin, feeling the beard that was getting thicker. He had forgotten it was still growing, and Ava had commented on how it looked good on him.

“Perhaps in the coming month, I might be able to help.  I could speak with Ebonmount to see if we could send weapons and armor.  I’m not sure what we might ask for in trade, but if I have learned anything in the last few years, we must stand together.”

Both women began speaking with their fingers again for a brief moment.

“Would you really offer us a treaty?” Tioanoe asked, rising to her feet.  “A treaty with a dragon rider would carry much weight when I talk with the queen.”

Kaen extended his hand toward her, watching her look at him for a moment before she took it, squeezing his hand as he squeezed hers.

“I will ask the King of Ebonmount to assist you.  That is what I pledge.”

A bright smile appeared on both women's faces, and they hugged each other, seeming to forget the fear they had earlier in the evening.

“Then it’s settled.  You two will carry my message to your queen, and I will leave first thing in the morning on a mission I have.  Once back, I will inform King Aldric of my request.”

Both of the women bowed low, tears streaming from their eyes.