Page 21 of Consort's Dragon
She wondered if the ill luck Prielli mentioned spawned the interest.“Do you worship a god?”
“No.I’ve never been the religious type, although I make the occasional appearance at the more notable ceremonies seeing how the shrine’s become important to my citizens.Fear not, you won’t be forced to go.”
“We don’t have anything like this in Daerva.People pray to the old pagan gods, but none of them have a dedicated space in the cities or towns.”
“This is one of a few shrines that have been constructed around Merisu.The biggest one is actually situated at the base of the volcano because those who built it eons ago considered fire to be the strongest of the elements and thus worshipped it.”
“Doesn’t water douse it?”
“Not magma,” he countered.
“I guess it depends on the amount.Verlora’s volcano is still seeping into the ocean.The meeting of the lava and water cause the fog around the isle.”A fact she’d only learned once she’d set foot on shore.
“We don’t have an ocean close to ours.When it explodes, it travels for many leagues without obstruction.”
“Does it happen often?”
“At least once every generation.As a matter of fact, we’re due for an eruption.”
“Doesn’t that worry you?”
“Not really.There are no towns of any size in its near vicinity and, as if by design, there is a crevice that forms an almost perfect circle enclosing the volcano.After an explosion, the lava rolls into the chasm like a fiery waterfall.It’s quite magnificent.We have a painting of it in the palace.Remind me to show you.”
They continued their walk and soon hit the outer edge of the marketplace, which was already bustling with shoppers and vendors hawking their wares.
Avera’s step quickened as she saw the first kiosk held books.She peered over the tomes while the merchant hovered.The titles confused.The Mariner and the Lady.The Adventures of Graham.After reading a few titles, she turned to Titus and exclaimed, “Are these people’s biographies?”
“No.These are more like fairytales for adults.”
“I didn’t know there was such a thing,” she murmured.“Our fictional books are mostly for children.”
“What you see is a recent addition from a local printing press.”
“A what?”
“A recovered Verlorian machine that allows us to make many copies of a story.Given the lack of interest in history books, the owner decided to try something a bit more daring.”
“I think he’s succeeded,” she remarked, noticing the women clustered and tittering over a few on the end.The one titledTaken by the Kinghad a few of them glancing at the emperor and fanning themselves.
They moved deeper into the marketplace and the array of goods truly had her fascinated.Garments of unique design, fruits that exploded with color, animals in cages the likes she’d never imagined.“Why is it these items never came to our markets?”
“Your mother kept a very tight leash on what goods she allowed through her ports.Anything labelled ‘pointless’ was rejected.”
“Why?”she asked with a frown.
“You’d have to ask her.What I do know is when I tried to negotiate with her about it many years ago, she said something to the effect that the people should invest their resources into useful items, not frivolity.”
“She allowed Verlorian artifacts,” she noted.
“Because most had a purpose.”
Avera wondered if nostalgia for her missing Verlorian father might have played a part in her mother’s decision.
As Avera stood looking over some paintings, Titus murmured, “Excuse me a moment.”The emperor left her side and went to a stall selling sweets.
Avera kept browsing only to become distracted as her nape prickled.She whirled in time to see an arrow streaking and without even thinking, ducked.It ripped through the painted canvas she’d been perusing, hanging at chest level.
People screamed and scattered while Avera remained crouched, looking to see if she could spot the bowman.
