Fall of the Last Dragon Rider - 054 - An Evil Taskmaster (Patreon)

It never ceases to amaze me how you can cause the common man to celebrate.  Look at them.  They are like that because of you.

Kaen was still wearing the same smile that he had been since the first piece of ore broke free.  The men were ecstatic when he held the piece in the air, celebrating as if he had found gold or gems.  Looking at the dancing and laughing workers, all stuffed from the two deer Pammon had brought them, Kaen absently patted the bag under his arm.

I’m glad everything turned out.  Thank you again for helping me with all this.

Snorting, Pammon shifted his head a little and gazed at Kaen with his golden eyes.

Please write that down.

Write what down?

That once again I have done what was required and brought forth success when the world seemed bleak and dark. You were lost, caught in the embrace of hopelessness, till I rescued you.

Kaen groaned and reached up, scratching Pammon’s side.

Who has been teaching you that stuff? I mean, seriously, that is horrible.

When you leave me alone with Aldric and Herb to use the restroom, they start talking like that and act out stuff.  I’ve not figured out why.

They’re mocking me… Hess and Herb did that a few years ago, but to my face.

Pammon started to thrum, realizing that was what the two grown men had been doing.

Seems you have a group of fans.

Nodding, Kaen closed his eyes and relaxed.

I’m going to sleep. It was a pretty long day. Tomorrow, we go home. I have a wife and some dragons to see.

Pammon’s mood changed, and Kaen could sense that his dragon was also looking forward to seeing their family.

-----

“Damn, son, this is a pretty big find!” Hess exclaimed as Kaen gave him the bag of ore.  “And you could see through the mountain? That seems unfair!”

“Blame it on the wood elves.  But without it and Pammon’s help,” Kaen said loudly, earning a slight thrum from his ever-present friend, “we managed to succeed.  How many arrows will this make?”

Making a few faces as he lifted the bag up and down, trying to judge the weight, Hess clucked his tongue for a moment.  “Two.”

“What? Only two?” Kaen asked.  The look of puzzlement on his face made Hess shrug.

“We’ll need to purify it, and by the time we make it fit, the new bow you got will only be enough for two.  I doubt we’ll have much left over either.”

Groaning, Kaen nodded.  “I don’t think the vein I pointed them in the direction will be enough for one then.  It wasn’t as bright as this one was.  I just wish I could have seen more.”

“Hairy dwarf balls, son, you’re complaining about being able to find ore like no one else has in generations.  The last time I remember hearing someone do something like that was a dwarf who supposedly had a nose that could smell it.  I found it hard to believe, but knowing what you did, who knows.”

Giving Hess a slap on his gimpy arm, Kaen winked and then started to walk toward Pammon, who was standing up in Bren’s courtyard.  “I need to go see my wife.  Tell Sulenda and Callie we love them.  Maybe in a week or two, she can come torture Foros and Tazorath for a bit.”

Pammon started to thrum again, this time loud enough that it echoed off the walls.

They did not seem to enjoy her attempts at charming them.

I heard.  Apparently, Callie was upset they wouldn’t let her ride them.

“You be safe! I’ll have these in a week or so!” Hess shouted as he waved his stump.

-----

Kaen stood there, enjoying how Ava felt in his arms and her lips against his.  Even though he had only been gone a few days, something made him miss her more than usual.

“Don’t say it,” she said quietly after they broke their embrace.

“Say what?”

Ava glared at him, smiling slightly, letting Kaen know she was playing.  “My stomach… it’s huge! These two children are already starting to grow!”

Rolling his eyes, Kaen shook his head, ignoring Ava’s attempt at pulling her top tight over her stomach to make it even more pronounced.

“Please… you can barely tell.  I mean, besides how much you are eating and how you walk,” Kaen teased, backing away quickly to avoid the fist she was already starting to send toward him.

“You better be careful,” she howled as they darted around the cave, “you might find yourself sleeping on the floor!”

A thrum came from Pammon as he watched the two play.

You seem in excellent spirits.  Should I ask what happened?

Turning his head toward Amaranth, Pammon ran his jaw against her neck, bringing a trill from her.

Sometimes, our riders learn how fortunate we are.  I am grateful every day that you and Glynnis decided to come with us across the sea.  Imagining my life without you two now seems difficult.

A thrum came from next to him, and Pammon swung his neck around, looking at Glynnis, who stared at him with her silver eyes.

You are growing up if you have realized how fortunate you are to have the two of us.  Perhaps you would like to go out in the coming days and fly together.

Pammon felt Glynnis’s intent, and a scent he knew far too well began to appear.

Amaranth began to growl playfully, and Pammon turned to see her eyes changing colors as she watched him.

Perhaps that can happen.  I will ensure that Kaen does not need me and let you know when.

The scent grew stronger, and Pammon snorted, shaking his head before laying it on the stone floor and closing his eyes.

You can sense that, and you know what they want.

Kaen began to laugh from across the cavern, and Ava glanced at him before turning to stare at Amaranth.

“Stop that!” Ava said, poking Kaen in the side.  “Why would you laugh at them like that?”

Kaen shook his head and smiled.  “I’m not laughing at them. I’m laughing at Pammon.”

Ava looked at Pammon, who ignored her question, his eyes closed, and the sound of him trying to sleep.

Turning back to see her husband sneaking away, Ava ran after him, embracing him from the side as they made their way to the small dinner she had prepared.

“You’re going to have to tell me what was so funny about that,” Ava declared.  “Amaranth wants to know as well.”

Shaking his head, Kaen smirked.  “Sorry, my love, but Pammon would not appreciate it if I told you or his mates.  Some things are best kept between dragon rider and dragon.”

She groaned and rolled her eyes, letting him pull her toward the table.

-----

“Faster! You need to be faster!”

Phillip and Frederick raced by Kaen, each covered in sweat from the multiple times they had run the obstacle course, which was now part of their weekly training.

As they slowed down and prepared to join Kaen where he was standing, a roar in the sky mimicked the shouting Kaen had just done.

You two are letting your riders win! You are dragons who can fly! Do not let them win again!

Kaen chuckled as Pammon’s voice resonated through him.

Neither Foros nor Tazorath replied. Both simply slowed down and landed near Kaen, knowing their riders would soon be there.

“You two look tired,” Kaen said after the silver and red dragon had come near him and plopped to the ground.  Their wings and tails were spread out, the extent of having run this gauntlet over a dozen times and its effect on them on display.

Think we should give them a break? We have run them pretty hard.

Are you trying to be the nice one and make me out to be the mean one?

Pammon’s question made Kaen chuckle, and he watched as his dragon started to land in the field they were constantly training in.

I mean, they're your kids, so they have to love you even if you’re mean.  I’m just the fun uncle who tells them their sire is mean and always breathes fire.

Pammon growled as he landed, causing Foros and Tazorath to quickly rise up from the ground.

You would do that.  Just wait till your children come.  I will make sure they love me more.

Kaen burst out in laughter, getting looks from both dragons and riders as he shook his head at Pammon.

I have no doubt they will say your name long before they say mine.

Frederick and Phillip made it to where Kaen was standing, each going to their dragon and scratching their heads and necks.

“You four have done well.  As such, Pammon and I decided that you four deserve a break.”

Both men smiled, and the dragons let out a trill.

“You four will camp out here tonight. Find yourself some food and cook it. There is water in the well at the far end of the field. Tomorrow, we will start after the sun is up. Do you have any questions?”

“So, no more training today?” Phillip asked his tone not hiding his disbelief of Kaen’s statement.

“No more training.  I know you have been busy while Pammon and I were mining.  Tomorrow we will go elsewhere for some training.  I’ll pick up some clothes and supplies.  You’re going to be roughing it for the next few nights.”

Both men exchanged glances with each other and eventually shrugged and nodded.

“Beats running this thing over and over,” Frederick replied.

Pammon began to thrum, already knowing what Kaen was thinking.

“Uh… it has to be better than this… right?” Phillip asked after hearing Pammon laugh.

“Sure… believe that,” Kaen answered, smiling and moving toward his dragon.  “Just be ready when the sun is up.  We’ll be here.”

Phillip and Frederick let out a groan for a moment before starting to discuss what possible pain Kaen might have in store for them.

You really are evil.  I like it.

I just tried to think what you would do, and the idea came to me. Undoubtedly, your children are strong enough for what I’m thinking.

Pammon thrummed.

If not, they will be.

-----

“Listen up, I want all these stones broken to about this size.  Once that is done, Foros and Tazorath will take turns carrying the stones a quarter of a mile toward town.  Eventually, you will bring them into town for the people to use.  If they are broken from dropping, then they won’t count.”

Phillip and Frederick looked at the quarry they were standing in. The ogres and goblins had destroyed it when they came through the land, but there were still plenty of stones to be hewn, and each boy was strong enough to move them.

“How many do we need to get to town?” Phillip asked his expression not hiding his concern about what Kaen would say.

Kaen looked up at Pammon, who was sitting at the top of the quarry, reviewing the task with his two children.

“Fifty stones, larger than three feet. Make sure they are the length of the pickaxe handle.  Once all fifty are inside the outer walls of the kingdom's defense, you can return home.  Until then, you need to find food and water here.  While I don’t expect orcs or goblins to bother you, a wise person once told me to always carry a weapon.”

Both boys looked around the quarry once more and saw stones that might be large enough to count and others that would require them to be broken.

Dropping the sack he had been carrying with various tools on the ground, Kaen smiled and started walking toward the ramp leading to the top.

“That’s it?” Frederick shouted after him.  “Just fifty?”

Kaen didn’t look back but just nodded and waved, a massive grin across his face.

This is going to take longer than you expect.

Oh… I don’t plan on seeing them for a week. Learning to cut a stone to the correct size is more complex than it looks. Either they make the stone too big, and Foros and Tazorath will struggle to carry it, or they may end up making it too small. Trust me, all four of them will beg to run the course again.

Pammon thrummed as he watched Kaen coming up the ramp, his smile even larger than before.