shout came from the house, something about ferrets and turtles and sugar cookies being licked.
"Yes, peaceful," Cas added firmly.
"Huh. I'll consider your advice. Thanks, Ahn." He thumped her on the shoulder and headed for the house.
Cas changed her mind about going in that direction and turned back toward the duck blind instead. If those cookies had been licked by a ferret and a turtle, she was less enthused about them. Besides, she now had a tin of crackers to snack on. At least for the moment. Several ducks waddled out of the water and followed her up the path.
Scene #3: Fowl Revelations
General Ridgewalker Zirkander flopped down in his comfortable-if-hideous chair in the duck blind, groaning as he draped a leg over the armrest and settled in. He had been working non-stop for the last two weeks, and it hadn't been the enjoyable kind of work, such as patrolling the shoreline, hunting down and shooting enemy aircraft. No, he had been lecturing at the academy, choosing graduating officers for the squadrons, training everyone on the new models of fliers that were rolling out, and traveling all over Iskandia for inspections. He'd hated inspections when he had been the one being inspected, and he found the rigmarole even more tedious as a general. Instead of enduring one inspection, he had to endure one at every base he visited.
He let his head loll back, too tired to grab a book or the latest issue of Essential Model Builder Magazine. Sardelle had left a note in the house, saying she would be home later. He had been dreaming of shared massages all day and hoped she wasn't as weary as he was, or they would be giving each other rather limp rubs. Maybe a nice nap would reenergize him.
As he closed his eyes, a chorus of demanding squawks started up outside of the duck blind. The fowl that lived in this pond were not blind at all to the existence of the stone structure, and they were probably letting him know that he hadn't been by to feed them for a long time. Tylie should have tossed some crackers out now and then, but perhaps she was busy learning magical things. She hadn't been at the house either, so she might be out with Sardelle.
"I'll feed you after my nap," Ridge called out to the ducks.
Plaintive quacks floated through the window. He swore the little creatures could understand him.
"They've been lonely without their human cracker-delivery service," came a familiar voice from the doorway.
Ridge wanted to sink lower in his chair and hide long enough for his visitor to wander off. But how did one hide from a dragon?
Bhrava Saruth poked his head through the doorway. As was usually the case in the neighborhood, he was in his blond-haired human form rather than in his golden-scaled dragon form.
After many long days of dealing with soldiers and military politics, Ridge doubted he had the energy to listen to a dragon who thought himself a god. Still, it was worth putting out some effort to keep Bhrava Saruth happy and content. He had been instrumental in chasing the enemy dragons away from the castle that spring, and if any more trouble came to Iskandian shores, he would be a powerful ally.
"Hello, Bhrava Saruth. Acquire any new followers?"
"I have indeed. I am very pleased with my progress. I came to share the good news."
Bhrava Saruth ambled inside and flopped down in the other chair, the one with staples in the seat holding the striped fabric together. He did not seem to notice any discomfort. Emulating Ridge, he slung one of his legs over the armrest. He wore grass sandals and cutoff trousers, a hemp shirt with tiny purple flowers sewn onto it, and several beaded necklaces that dangled almost to his waist. Ridge did not comment on the interesting style. He was relieved whenever the dragon remembered to including clothing when he shape-shifted.
"I have acquired three new followers," Bhrava Saruth said. "Two are only children, but they brought me a stuffed dragon toy and sweets. The third one is a voluptuous young woman with very curvy and bouncy--"
"Yes, I remember her," Ridge said, hoping to interrupt before excessive details came out. "You tried to bring her to the house to enjoy those curves."
"Yes, that is she," Bhrava Saruth said with all the shame of a dog thrusting a leg into the air and licking his nether regions. "This is what I came to speak with you about."
"I don't want to hear about your conquests."
"My conquests? In the Cofahre Empire? In my day, I had many when I battled against the imperial dragons and dragon riders who came here to attack Iskandoth. When the humans saw my gloriousness, they flocked to my temple to become my worshippers." He slumped back in the chair and sighed. "I miss those days."
"Because you had other dragons to keep you company?"
"Talon and fang, no. Dragons are incredibly uptight and so unappreciative. My human followers were much more enjoyable to be around. I received many toys from children. And many sexual favors from women."
"Not at the same time, one hopes," Ridge murmured.
"No, but all in my temple. Ridgewalker, mate of my high priestess, I've come to implore you." Bhrava Saruth shifted in the chair, turning his striking green eyes toward Ridge, eyes that held such power and magical energy that they made a man shift uncomfortably, no matter what silly things their owner was talking about. They did, indeed, manage to look imploring.
"About what?" Ridge asked warily.
"I wish your help in finding a place in your city where I might build my temple."
"I..." Ridge had no idea what to say. It wasn't as if he was some noble who owned countless properties in the capital.
"Yes, my high priestess said you would be the person to ask."
"Uh, Sardelle said that?" Ridge and Sardelle might have to talk about more than massages when she returned.
"Her precise words were that you would be more the person to ask than she."
"An enthusiastic endorsement then."
Bhrava Saruth leaned on the armrest, his expression very earnest. "Would your military not have land that might be used for such an important structure?"
"Not in the city, unless you want to put it in the army fort." When those green eyes brightened, Ridge rushed to add, "There wouldn't be much room in there. Lots of buildings already taking up space. Buildings full of offices and ordnance and training facilities."
"That is unfortunate. Soldiers lead dangerous lives. It would be most convenient if they could come to me for blessings before leaving on their missions."
Ridge rubbed the back of his neck. "I suppose I could stop by the tax office and see if anyone is delinquent and if the land might be acquired cheaply. I know there was some damage to structures in the Cofah attack this spring. Some of the owners couldn't afford to--"
"Someone comes," Bhrava Saruth announced, looking toward the doorway.
"Sardelle?" Ridge asked hopefully. He could either foist Bhrava Saruth off on her, or he could clasp her hand and lure her off to the house, telling her to shoo the dragon away so they could spend some time enjoying each other's company.
"It is that strange woman who doesn't believe in dragons. How can you not believe in dragons? Dragons are magnificent. I do not think she will ever worship me."
"Are you talking about my mother?" Ridge sat up in his chair. What had brought Mom out to visit this late in the evening? Seven gods, she wouldn't want to spend the night, would she? That would make it awkward if he pulled Sardelle off into the bedroom and shut the door. It was bad enough Tylie lived in the house most of the time, though at least her room was downstairs. "Is she coming out to the duck blind? You should go. Even when you're human, you're too... too... I don't know. She'll think you odd."
"Me?" Bhrava Saruth's green eyes blinked. "Odd?"
Ridge made a shooing motion, but it was too late.
"Ridge?" his mother called from the trail around the pond.
Ducks squawked outside of the blind, and wings flapped. The hungry creatures were probably going to descend upon her. Ridge hopped to his feet and charged through the doorway, not sure if he meant to defend his mother from an alarming flock of ducks or if he meant to keep her from runni
ng into Bhrava Saruth. Maybe both. He kept thinking that he should sit her down someday and attempt to explain that Sardelle was a sorceress and that Bhrava Saruth was a dragon, but he didn't know how she would handle that when she didn't believe in the existence of either.
"Mom," he said, nearly crashing into her a step outside of the duck blind.
"Oh, good," she said, gripping his arms and smiling. "You're home. Vilhem said you should be, but you never are. Really, Ridge. I don't know how you plan to father babies when you're so rarely with the lovely Sardelle."
She wore a sleeveless summer dress dotted with tiny yellow buttercups, and turquoise bracelets dangled from her wrists. Bright yellow enamel hair clips with suns painted on them matched the dress and kept back her long gray locks. Ridge briefly wondered if Bhrava Saruth had inspected her wardrobe for fashion ideas.
Ridge shifted strategically to block the doorway--and the view inside. "I don't think the creation of babies will be all that hard when we're ready to, uhm." Hells, he hadn't even planned how he meant to ask Sardelle to marry him yet. Shouldn't that come before babies?
"That's what I came to talk to you about," his mother said.
"About babies?" Why had everyone come to talk to him on his rare evening off? The long days of summer meant that it was still light out, that he could relax in his humble duck blind and enjoy the quiet. He loved his mother, but he loved her more when she was in her house fifteen miles north of the city, and visits were on his terms.
"Marriage, Ridge."
"Oh. I've been thinking about that--"
"You are going to propose, aren't you?"
"Yes, I just haven't decided how to do it yet. I... Mom, there are six ducks staring at you." He nodded toward the trail behind her.
"Don't you keep bread crumbs for them? They seem expectant."
"I have some crackers inside, but--"
"I'll get them." His mother patted him on the arm and moved to slip past him. He shifted his weight to block her.
"I'll get the cracker tin and meet you over by that cove with the reeds in it," Ridge said. "The ducks feel safe there, and we can talk while we feed them."
"Don't be silly, Ridge. They're blocking the trail. We'll never get by without a bribe." She tried to slip past him on the other side.
"I'll get the bribe," he said, blocking her again. "Just wait outside, please. I have company."
"Company." Her lips pursed with disapproval. "It's not a woman, is it? Ridgewalker Meadowlark Zirkander, if you're cheating on my future daughter-in-law with another woman, I'll club you in the side of the head with a rolling pin."
"No, Mom. Nothing like that." He grimaced. He was going to have to let her in. She'd crossed paths briefly with the human Bhrava Saruth before, so maybe he could just pass the dragon off as one of Sardelle's colleagues. A quirky and eccentric colleague with eyes that bored into a man's soul while reading his every thought...
"Step aside, Ridge," she said with the same firm tone that she had used to order him to drop his drawers for a spanking.
Ridge sighed and did as ordered. "As you can see, it's not a woman. It's just--"
"Your ferret?"
"Uh?" Ridge peered into the duck blind.
Bhrava Saruth, now transformed into a golden-furred ferret, chittered at them from the chair. He flopped onto his back, legs in the air, and stretched out, displaying his belly.
"Yes, my--ah, Sardelle's--ferret. He scares the ducks away. I wouldn't want him to run out."
Bhrava Saruth made some more noises and gave his belly a pointed look with his green eyes. Those eyes were always the same, no matter what incarnation he was in.
"Do you want to rub his belly, Mom? I'll grab the crackers."
"Hm." His mother bent to stroke the ferret. "He doesn't look like he would scare the ducks, but I suppose he is a predator."
Ridge bit his lip to refrain from saying that she should see what Bhrava