The Dragons of Argonath by Christopher Rowley Read Free Book Online Page A

found himself face-to-face with Farmer Pigget.
    "You know, we came up to Marneri for your funeral, lad."
    Relkin smiled politely. He'd heard all about his funeral, held at the memorial service that dedicated the monument to the fallen on the expedition to Eigo.
    "I'm sorry you had to go so far for nothing."
    "Don't be. It was good for us all to be there. The country came together then. Aubinans stood with the rest of us. It's easy for us to forget, kept safe and sound in this lovely land, that we owe our safety to the heroism of boys like yourself, and dragons like the Broketail."
    "I thank you for your words, Farmer Pigget," said Relkin.
    "And I was especially glad to hear that we were wrong to have written you off. We should've known that the Broketail and his dragonboy would survive somehow, even on the dark continent."
    "Well, it was close, I can assure you. I called on the old gods, though I don't know whether they still listen."
    "Ach, you young devil," said Tomas Birch. "Put away those ancient gods. The goddess is all there is. All there ever has been."
    "So they say, Farmer Birch," said Farmer Pigget. "But whatever it was, whether the gods or the goddess, they brought our prodigies home, and we are thankful!"
    They drank to that.
     

Chapter Seven
    Relkin would have slipped away, but Ivor Pigget insisted on a toast in his honor, and they drank it off. Then Trader Joffi suggested a toast in honor of the 109th Marneri Dragons! And they drank that off too.
    "Some day, young Master Relkin, I'd like to talk with you about what you plan to do come retirement," said Farmer Pigget.
    "No secrets there, sir. We plan to retire in Kenor and take up land grants. I even know where."
    Pigget chuckled. "Remarkable. And your investments, they will help you there."
    "We plan to buy as much as we can afford. Land is still not expensive in the Bur Valley. The soil is good, but there's no way to ship downstream yet. It's still wilderness there, so we will clear land and supply the hill tribes with wheat and barley. They can only grow oats on the fells."
    "You've thought it all out, have you?" said Pigget.
    "Well, sir. I happen to know that there's a plan to put in an Imperial chute system on the Bur. Take heavy goods quickly down the rapids at the Lion's Roar."
    "Oh-ho, and so you'd be sitting pretty…"
    "We hope so."
    "Have you thought about taking a wife, Dragoneer Relkin?" said Haleham.
    "Oh yes, Farmer Haleham. In fact, I am affianced. With a young lady of fine family in the south of Kenor."
    "Oh, are you now? Well, well, and might we know the young lady's name?"
    "Surely, Farmer. 'Tis Eilsa Ranardaughter of Clan Wattel."
    "The clan that stood at Sprian's Ridge?"
    "The same, sir. Eilsa was there that day. She fought beside her father to the end."
    Farmer Haleham's eyes grew round as he listened to this.
    Just then there came a commotion at the door, and the Pawler brothers burst in. They were huge men, with wild hair and wild expressions, their skin reddened from a life spent on the hillsides with the sheep. Ham Pawler and his even huger brother Roegon stood in front of the bar. Ham was distraught, there were the marks of tears on his face.
    "Something's been worryin' the sheep!" he hissed. His eyes were filled with pain.
    "By the Mother's Hand, but it's terrible up there," said brother Roegon.
    "What has happened?" said Pigget.
    "Forty, fifty dead, just torn to pieces."
    "Torn? Not cut?"
    "Torn, twisted, as if they were killed by giants, maybe trolls."
    There was a collective intake of breath. Feral trolls had long been feared in Blue Stone, ever since the Baron of Borgan had employed some on his property. Some had run off up into the hills back then, and not all had been recaptured.
    "Mother preserve us."
    "The dogs?"
    "Gone. Not a trace."
    "That is weird. It'd be a quick troll that could catch a dog."
    "I left my dogs, Tonko and Trot, up there last night. Good hounds, will kill a wolf if it comes too close. But they were gone