Fall of the Last Dragon Rider - 051 - Sharing Burdens (Patreon)

“Frederick seemed pretty excited with the win,” Ava said as she helped Kaen cut up some of the vegetables he had acquired.  “Winning by one point, all because of a deer.”

Chuckling, Kaen nodded and finished chopping up a carrot, depositing the tiny pieces in the bowls with the other vegetables. “I think he scared away all the other game because Phillip had five rabbits, and had we not run out of time, they would have probably won,” he replied. “Besides, seeing how Tazorath struts around after she wins is pretty funny. She knows it bothers her brother a lot.”

Groaning, Ava rubbed her belly gently and then poked it twice.  “You two better not be like that.  I’m not sure I could handle that kind of competition.”

Kaen leaned over and kissed her on the cheek while rubbing his hand softly on her stomach.  “Ignore your mother. She doesn’t want to have any fun.”

Laughing as the flat side of the knife slapped his backside, Kaen held up his hands in surrender.

“Go get that pot and bring it here so I can put these into it.  I’m afraid it's mostly vegetables and not a lot of meat.”

Shrugging, Kaen moved and fetched the pot from the cooking fire and brought it over to her.  He studied the exhaust that Herb had some tradesmen come and build for them.  How it managed to carry the smoke so far always amazed him.

“I’ll be fine without meat.  I’ve had my fair share of it.  You need to eat it.  You’re eating for three.”

“Please don’t remind me,” Ava said as she frowned.  “None of my pants fit anymore, and I’m stuck wearing these dresses and skirts.”

Having set the pot down, Kaen helped Ava as they transferred the vegetables in, and she added a few spices.  Motioning to him to take it back, Kaen pretended with a few grunts and groans that it was now too heavy to carry.

“You know I love you, Kaen Marshell,” Ava said with a sigh. “Even if you act like those boys out there with their dragons.”

-----

Frederick and Phillip sat at the Dragon Rider Inn’s bar and slowly sipped their one cup of alcohol.  When word had reached the townspeople that they were there, it wasn’t long before the place was packed with people just coming to see them.

Each did their best to talk and acknowledge those who wished them well, telling stories of when they were kids and more.

“So, what is it like having a dragon?”

Frederick motioned to Phillip that it was his turn to respond to that question for the thousandth time.

Not losing his cool, Phillip leaned down and ruffled the hair of the young boy brave enough to ask that question.  “It’s hard to compare it to anything because there is nothing better I have experienced than that.  Getting to train from when Dragon Rider Kaen paid for everything was special.  When I got my lifestone was one of the greatest days of my life, but when Foros spoke to me, and I knew he was my dragon… it was ten times better than all of that combined.”

“Woah…”

Frederick chuckled and nodded as he watched the little boy stand there with his mouth open, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Do you think I can have a dragon one day?”

Phillip winced slightly as he heard the second question.  No matter how many times he heard it, it was not an easy answer.

“Maybe,” he replied with a smile and a shrug.  “I never expected to get a dragon, yet here I am.  All I can say is to work hard and obey your parents.  Who knows what will happen in the coming years.”

The boy nodded, eyes wide as their cups and bounced on his feet.  “Thank you again, sirs!”

Phillip winked as the boy's parents led him away, watching the child whisper, ‘one day, I’ll have a dragon like them.’

“Are you sure Kaen sent you two here to relax?” Eltina asked as she leaned over the counter. “From the looks of it, he sent you two here to deal with all the questions he doesn’t want to answer.”

“Maybe,” Frederick replied as he looked at his half-empty mug. “I’ll gladly take a night away to relax. Kaen wasn’t lying when he said we would train harder than before.”

Snorting, Eltina nodded and motioned to the people in the room.  “I will say this, that boy always makes my life harder.  I had to bring out two casks because of how many people had come in.  I won’t have alcohol for a week if more people keep coming in. Doesn’t he know how hard it is to get alcohol?”

Phillip leaned forward and motioned to Eltina to come close.

The dwarf leaned in, moving her beard out of the way as she got on her tiptoes to get close.

“He did mention something about wanting you to suffer… something about getting you back for all those times you made him buy rounds for the whole inn.”

“Goblin nuts,” Eltina cursed as she stood upright and scowled at Phillip and Frederick, both boys laughing at her expression.  “You’re both about to find out what that feels like if you want to play like that.”

“I yield!” Frederick declared.  “We both know I don’t have any money to pay for that.”

Rolling her eyes, Eltina focused them on Phillip, who picked up his mug and turned to look around the room, ignoring her gaze.

“Bah, you two are just like him.  Spirits help us, just what we need.  Two Kaen juniors…”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Frederick said. “With Ava having twins, we won’t be–”

“TWINS?! Ava is having twins?!”

Frederick's face went white as he realized that Eltina had not heard the news yet, and now, in one moment, it would appear the entire town was about to find out.

“I’m going back,” Phillip said with a sigh as he put his cup on the counter.  “Good luck with this one!”

Frederick watched as Phillip bolted for the door as people began to come to where Eltina was leaning over the counter and trying to grab Frederick by his vest.

“Uh… I gotta go, too!” Frederick exclaimed, setting his mug down so hard it spilled over the bar and knocked down his stool as he jumped off.

“Come back here, you fool!” Eltina shouted as both boys ran out the door, leaving a throng of people asking Eltina what she was talking about.

“I swear I’m going to murder those three boys,” she growled under her breath as she prepared to deal with the chaos unfolding in her inn.

-----

“Rule number one, make sure what you say is common knowledge or be very careful when you say it,” Kaen said as he walked along Frederick and Phillip.

Both boys were loaded down with chains and dragging them across the field they had already cleared of rocks and rubble.

“Now, I personally think it was funny, but my wife… well, she told me I needed to make sure you both understood the rules about sharing that a woman was pregnant.”

“Sorry…” gasped Frederick as he labored under the weight. “It… wasn’t… Phillip’s… fault.”

“I know,” Kaen replied, seeing Phillip not saying a word but toiling silently.  “That’s why his weight is slightly less.  But you two have been attached at the hip since I can remember.  You both have always done everything together.  One day, you both may live apart, responsible for a kingdom, and as I have learned the hard way, the words of a dragon rider carry a lot of weight.  So today, you two will also learn to carry that weight.”

Two grunts came as the boys dragged more weight than most men could ever imagine moving at once across the field.

I want you to know their dragons are upset.

Because you are punishing them for what their riders did? That was your choice.

No… they want to help their riders.  Flying will only do so much to wear them out.  They cannot do too much as they continue to get stronger.  So I was thinking…

That might be a good idea. Why not let them carry that burden together? It would also help the boys to see that their dragons suffer due to their actions.

Exactly.  If you look closely, you can still see the scar from that arrow the goblin shot me within the cave.

Kaen began to curse, and both boys risked a glance to see if it was something they caused.  Seeing that Kaen was looking at the sky, they put their head down and kept walking.

You’re going to make me suffer for that one mistake my entire life, aren’t you?

I’m just proving a point.  One mistake can cost a rider or a dragon considerably.

Grumbling, Kaen caught up with Phillip and Frederick.

“OK, boys.  Drop the weights and rest.  In a moment, we’ll move to lesson number two, courtesy of Pammon.”

-----

Kaen and Pammon watched as both men and their dragon worked together to pull the heavy chains and weights across the fields.  It had taken time for Phillip and Frederick to figure out the best way to get the chains to stay without hurting their dragon's wings or neck.

I know they are complaining to each other slightly, but I can also feel a sense of bonding from this.  It is a good thing that you listened to me.

Yes… now, how long do we want to make them do this? I’m getting bored watching the four of them lug those things back and forth.

There is one more trip. After that, they should be ready to return home and eat. Amaranth and Glynnis both went and found food for them. Apparently, their mothers wanted to make sure they would eat well when they found out what we had planned for today.

No one got you anything, did they?

Pammon snorted as he lounged on the ground next to Kaen.

No, they did not. I voiced my feelings about that, and neither seemed concerned with my problem.

Laughing, Kaen shrugged as he held his hands up to his mouth.  “One more lap, and then you four are done!  Rumor has it there is some fresh venison back at your place.”

A few woops and hollers, along with some trills, broke out briefly, and Kaen couldn’t help but grin when he saw the four of them work harder, anxious to finish the task and go home and eat.

You really are a brutal trainer. We should ask Hess to help.

I already sent him a letter. That is his task for next week. We have other things to do.

-----

“So, how many days should I expect you to be gone?”

Kaen scratched his chin, feeling the thickness of his beard.  “Two days, maybe three.  If the mine is what Herb says, I’ll do some work inside it.  Without that ore… well, I need more arrows, and I’d feel a lot better having an extra one or two.”

“I’ll be fine.  Glynnis and Amaranth have told me they will help me with anything I need.  Besides, my mother will be bringing a few things up here.  Now that we are living here, she feels we are lacking in being ready for a baby… or two.”

“Are you ever ready for a baby? Even Aldric said that it turned out he was not ready for his child.  With two, I can only imagine how unprepared we will be.  Have you considered your mother's offer?”

Groaning, Ava shot daggers at Kaen with her eyes.  “I would prefer not to live with my mother or have her here.  She would be into everything and want to do it her way.”

Kaen crossed his arms and bit his lip for a moment as he watched his wife complain.

“What?” she almost hissed, frustrated at how he looked at her.

“It seems odd… the woman I know doesn’t let herself get bossed around and almost always ensures things are done her way.  Are you saying you cannot handle your mother?”

Ava’s mouth flew open so fast that Kaen was concerned she might pull a muscle in her jaw.  Yet no words came out as she forced it shut and wagged a finger at him.

Finally, she groaned and raised her hands in the air as she turned and walked away.

If she could have breathed fire… well, it is good you can’t be burned by it.

Kaen started to laugh and regretted it the moment Ava spun on her heel and strode back to where he was.  She pressed a finger in his chest before grabbing his shirt and pulling him toward her.

“You’re a stupid man to tease a pregnant woman… especially one who always gets her way.  Now, why don’t you be helpful and take care of dinner?  I’m going to go rest.  Understood?”

Kaen nodded, resisting the urge to smile and draw even more ire from his wife.

Now we both know for certain I was correct.  You have the harder mate.

I would never agree with that statement.

Why?

If I did and Ava ever found out that I said that, breathing fire would be the least of my concerns for a long time.  You and I might end up living in the woods again, with a shed I have to build by my own hands.

How do you always know what to say that will keep me from ever sharing our secrets with her?  I still have nightmares believing I was going to die as an eggling, crushed by your terrible shed-building skills.