Page 21 of Dragon Fight

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“Here she is!”

Kay’s voice was bright as I walked into the dining room on Brom’s arm at the end of the day, having gingerly negotiated my way down the stairs, with the others acting as our entourage.

“Lady Pippa! Should you be up and about?” Bernard asked.

“I’m fine, my lord, but thank you for your concern.” Brom’s father looked me over as I walked to the table and sank gratefully into the chair my husband held out for me, my other men arranging themselves either side of their wing commander and me. “Apparently dragon riders are made of sterner stuff.”

“Indeed,” he said with a smile, though I could see his concern.

“A good meal is what you need,” Kay said, nodding decisively. “We have a lovely big joint of lamb, with all the trimmings. Though I could send to the kitchen for some broth if you prefer?”

“Broth?” Soren frowned. “She needs meat, to give her strength.” And without so much as a by-your-leave, he grabbed my plate and started piling slices of the tender lamb onto it, even though protocol dictated that Prince Draven serve himself first.

However, that protocol did not need to be followed, because he was conspicuously absent.

Ged and Flynn assisted Soren in his endeavours, pointing out various dishes and discussing their potential benefits for healing. Ged picked up a bread and butter plate and started a separate collection of appropriate invalid delicacies when he felt Soren wasn’t moving fast enough.

“Ahh…” I said, looking at the mounds in alarm. “Riders…? Riders!” The three of them looked at me blankly. “I would need to be thrown from several horses to fit all of that in and I don’t have Glimmer to feed the scraps to. I thank you for your concern, but…” Soren and Ged sheepishly put the food before me and then sat down to their own repasts.

“Well, if you’ve got your appetite back, perhaps we should talk about the party?” Kay asked brightly.

“Wife…” Bernard growled.

“No, it’s fine.” I picked up my cutlery and cut into the lamb, feeling a little strange in doing so, because no-one else had moved. Instead, they all watched me as if to see whether I was capable of eating unassisted. Once I had taken a bite, however, everyone else set to their own meals. “What is it that you wish to talk about?”

“Are there any family members on your side who we should invite?” Kay asked. “I know it’s a long way from Skane to Harlston, but perhaps—”

“No family to speak of,” I said with a shake of my head. “We were always a very minor branch of the Aster family, and not one blessed with many children, unfortunately. It’s my belief that is why my step-mother set her sights on my father: there was no distant male cousin to inherit the property out from under her.”

“A terrible business,” Bernard said with a shake of his head. “Wouldn’t happen here in Harlston.”

I somehow doubted that but, rather than making that point, I focussed on eating my dinner.

“Well then, my dear, you’ll find you have an extensive one to call your own now,” Kay said kindly, before turning to Bernard. “We must invite your brothers and sisters.”

“All of them?” Bernard sighed. “That’ll put a kink in your plans, because the maids must have time to air out and prepare each room for your guests. You’ll need to set the date sometime later than you were hoping for.” As he turned away from his wife, he winked at me.

“Oh, well—”

“And Cook needs time to prepare a feast of that size. She’ll have to send some of the lads to the village to pick up supplies.”

“Well, then—”

“And then there’s travelling time. Even the dragons can’t possibly bring everyone and their luggage. Each of my siblings has their spouses and children. Venisha always wants to bring that damnable lap dog of hers.”

“Yes, well, perhaps we need a more intimate party for Pippa’s introduction to the family,” Kay amended. I felt bad at the sight of her visibly deflating, disappointment writ large on her face at not having the chance to show off her only child’s spouse, complete with golden dragon. Bernard’s eyes sparkled, though, as he provided the option of a future celebration.

“And we can do a proper introduction with the whole family at some point when Brom and Pippa are on leave. We’ll have plenty of time for preparations and, with sufficient notice,allof the family can make it to the estate under their own steam without having to bother the Royal Riders. Imagine what a grand affair you could plan with sufficient time.”

I felt I was catching a glimpse of what the marriage between Brom and I might be, some time in the future. Bernard had gently pointed out some of the flaws in Kay’s impulsive decision, without her losing face. Then, just as she was feeling downhearted at not being able to have what she had wished for, he had provided her with another opportunity to get exactly what she wanted, but in a way that would be more easily managed. I watched Kay’s eyes shine at the prospect of the future festivities, before I looked to my left at Brom.

He was watching me, not his parents, and he smiled slightly when he saw he had my attention. But this was more than a mild exchange of glances between a husband and wife. His hazel eyes burned with an intensity that was almost flammable. Daringly, I reached towards him to squeeze his hand. He didn’t let it go, even though it meant he was then reduced to eating his dinner by spiking morsels with his fork. His thumb swept a gentle path back and forth across my knuckles, raising little sparks of sensation in its path.

“So, for the immediate family, that’ll be your nephew, Charles, and his family. My cousin, Randall, and his wife might possibly be able to come as well.” Kay nodded decisively. “That will be more than enough.”

“I bow to your wisdom in these things, m’dear,” Bernard said before adding gravy to his plate.

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