War of Dragons Page 7

  "Wow! Well, we will be able to change that in no time at all. But first you must get dressed, and quickly. You must be freezing."

  "We are," Jenna said, still shivering as she pulled on her light flying clothes.

  "Hmm, that will keep the wind off a little, but it's not going to keep you warm and your teeth are still chattering. What else do you have in your bags?"

  "A light tent, some blankets, some underwear…" Crystal replied.

  "Give me the blankets," Miriam told her. "Now put your arms by your sides." She wrapped the blanket around Crystal, tucking it in to prevent unravelling, and then put her bag on her.

  "But I can't move," Crystal objected.

  Miriam just laughed and turned to Jenna. "You too. Keep your arms still." Jenna frowned as she was wrapped up. "You have gorgeous hair; such a nice colour. There you go. Now, don't move."

  Miriam flipped backwards, transforming as she did so, landing on four feet as a Golden Dragon. She carefully gripped the two girls and brought them close to her body before taking off. Even carrying the two girls, she flew very fast, the ground flashing past beneath them.

  "How are you, Jenna?" Crystal asked. "Warm enough?"

  Jenna nodded, smiling. "She transforms just like John did. I always thought he was just showing off."

  "Me too," Crystal replied. "I didn't give him much of a chance at the start. Wow, look how fast we are going! Carrying us doesn't seem to slow her much."

  "Good thing too," Jenna replied. "Look at that sun. We haven't got long before it sets."

  Miriam let out a loud screech; not like the Blue Dragons' terrifying shriek, but more like that of a large parrot. Two replies told the girls that Daisy and the boys were nearby. Miriam ascended a little, and they could see the other two Golden Dragons to their left. Daisy was also wrapped up in a blanket, looking very snug, but the boys were just wearing their flying clothes, and probably weren't enjoying the trip.

  Miriam took the lead, and the girls watched the ground drop away from them as they left the mountains behind them. Crystal tried to look forwards to see where they were going, but as they travelled swiftly through the air, the wind made it too uncomfortable for her eyes. Without any warning, Miriam slowed down, flinging her wings open and flapping frantically to bring them to a careful landing before gently lowering her two passengers to the ground. She helped them to their feet and removed their blankets after transforming. Daisy, John, Arthur, Seth and a blonde-haired man who must have been Aharon were standing with them.

  "We've finally made it," John told them. "This is the land of the Golden Dragons. Welcome to my home!"

  Chapter 5 - Golden Capital

  Crystal and the others found themselves in front of a flight of steps leading up to a grandiose building, standing three stories high and surrounded by a well-maintained tropical garden ringed by a low brick wall. The golden light of the setting sun lit up the building beautifully, giving it a welcoming warmth. They were at a high point and could see the rest of the city behind them, lamps beginning to be lit in many of the buildings that reflected in the many waterways that cut through the city. Although it was getting late, the air was still warm and pleasant.

  "This building is Immigration House," Aharon told them. "It's a government-run building and is where all visitors to our city are sent when they first arrive. They'll be expecting you and will have prepared rooms for you to live in during your stay. Hospitality is very important to us, so you will be comfortable here. Follow me."

  "John, please come with me," Miriam told him. "We have a few moments of light left, so the doctor will want a quick look at your wounds while he still can." Miriam and John hurried into the building together.

  "Where will John stay?" Daisy asked, watching him leave. "Will he stay with us?"

  "I've been talking to John while we've been flying," Aharon said. "I wasn't familiar with his situation before, but he's explained everything to Miriam and me. He won't be leaving you—at least not yet. He has almost completed his mission by bringing us Crystal, but he has a lot of paperwork to complete before he can leave."

  "Then what?" Daisy asked. "What happens to John then?"

  "That will be up to John," Aharon replied. "I can't answer for him."

  Daisy looked a little worried by his reply, but didn't say anything, just trailed behind the group as they followed Aharon up the steps. The entrance hall to Immigration House was large and well lit, with the failing sunlight flooding in through large glass windows complimented by a number of lamps that a young man was lighting. Aharon led them to a large desk, behind which sat a lady who was in her early thirties who smiled and stood to greet them as they approached.

  "Thank you, Aharon. I can take them from here. I was told they were coming."

  Crystal wondered how she could have known they were coming. The lady rang a bell and a young lady entered the hall from a side room. She looked barely older than they were. She smiled at the children, sizing each one up before nodding to the first lady and retreating back into her room.

  "Hello, and welcome to Immigration House, to our capital and to our country. I'm Naomi, and I'll be looking after you while you're here. If there's anything you need while you stay with us, you'll just need to find me and I'll be able to help you. Now, I understand you've been travelling a long way, so I expect you'll want to wash and eat first? Good. Follow me. Don't worry about your bags; they'll be brought up to you shortly."

  Naomi led them up the stairs to the top floor, then along a corridor to where their rooms were. She produced a key, unlocked a door and led them into a large well-furnished lounge with several side rooms. Jenna looked in one of the side rooms.

  "A bath!" she squealed gleefully. "Please guys, can I use this first?"

  Naomi laughed. "This room is for just one of you. I was going to put Crystal in here but it really doesn't matter. Here's the key to the room. There are towels in the bathroom already. Enjoy your bath!"

  Naomi took them to their rooms and told them that they could eat whenever they liked; just to come and find her when they were ready and she would take them to dinner.

  The accommodation was luxurious, a sharp contrast with how they had lived for the past few days, and on a par even with the standards that the twins had enjoyed back at their palace in the west. Crystal was delighted to find that a hot bath had been prepared for her and wasted no time in taking advantage of it, letting the warm water ease away the aches and pains that had accumulated over a week of uncomfortable resting places and continuous strenuous effort. She hadn't felt this relaxed for a long time. She had barely finished her bath when she heard a rap at the door. She answered it wearing just a towel to find no one there, just a pile of nearly folded clothes lying outside the door. She carried them into her room after drying herself, tried them on and found that they fitted her surprisingly well. Now that she was warm, clean and wearing fresh clothes, she decided to see what the others were doing, so she went to knock on the door of her cousin's room.

  "Who is it?" Jenna called cautiously.

  "Me!" Crystal called back impatiently. "Are you ready yet?"

  "It's open," Jenna replied.

  Crystal walked into the room, but Jenna was nowhere to be seen. She opened the bathroom door to see her cousin still relaxing under a mountain of bubbles. "How long have you been in here? Do you ever plan to leave this bath?"

  Jenna shook her head. "I felt disgusting. I don't think I've ever gone without washing for so long. I needed a long soak."

  "You've had one. Now get out and get dressed. I'm starving, but I'm not going down there on my own."

  "But what will I wear?" Jenna asked, not moving from the bath. "All of my clothes are filthy. Can't you just bring me some food?"

  "No! They brought you clothes while you lazed here. Where's the plug…."

  "Oh, that was mean. Even I wouldn't have done that," Jenna objected as the water rapidly drained away. She stood up and wrapped a towel around her, glaring at Crystal defiantly
. "Can I have just five minutes? Or is that too much to ask?"

  "Five only," Crystal replied sternly.

  She closed the bathroom door and took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs in the lounge. She had barely sat down when there was a knock on the door. To her surprise, it was Daisy.

  "Hi, Crystal, I was trying to find where everyone was. The boys aren't answering their doors."

  "Come in and sit down, Daisy. Jenna is being slow and making me wait. We can go to dinner together if you like."

  Daisy smiled gratefully. "Yes please. I can't find John and I think Arthur must be with Seth. I don't know why he didn't wait for me."

  Crystal paused. "What's wrong, Daisy? You seem anxious. Even more anxious than normal."

  Daisy laughed nervously. "Do I? I'm not sure why." She paused for a moment, but when Crystal didn't respond she continued talking. "It's about John. I was thinking, this whole time he's just been doing his duty. Towards you. Now that's all over. Suppose now that he's back, he wants to start afresh with his own people. Maybe he won't want to continue with me any more. I mean, thinking about it, I pursued him, not the other way around. It could have just been a convenient arrangement for him. Now, maybe it won't be."

  Crystal shook her head and laughed. "Oh, Daisy, I don't mean to laugh at you, but I don't understand how you can so completely misread someone who is as easy to read as John."

  "Do you think I'm worrying over nothing?"

  "Of course. Come on, let's go to dinner." Crystal raised her voice. "Jenna can go down on her own unless she's out here in ten seconds flat! Ten, nine, eight, seven, six—"

  "I'm coming, I'm coming," Jenna said, hurrying into the room. "Honestly, I don't know what the rush is. We've arrived. Can't we relax now?"

  "We haven't eaten all day and I'm starving," Crystal replied. "We can relax when we've eaten. Let's find that lady Naomi."

  They went downstairs and found Naomi at the reception desk and she was just as welcoming as before. She led them through to an informal dining hall where Seth and Arthur were finishing their dinner. They were the only people in the large hall and had chosen to sit next to the buffet table, having helped themselves to plenty of food. They were also wearing clean clothes and their hair was still wet from bathing.

  "Couldn't you have waited?" Crystal asked, taking a seat beside Seth and pouring herself a glass of water.

  "Not really," Seth answered between mouthfuls. "I'm a growing young man. It's not healthy to go without food for so long. Shame about the lack of wine, but this food is superb."

  "Have you seen John?" Daisy asked, looking around as if he might be hiding somewhere in the room.

  "Ah, Daisy, Daisy," Seth replied, shaking his head. "Who'd have thought he'd have forgotten you so quickly? I'd have thought it would have taken at least a couple of days… ow! That hurt, Crystal!"

  "Leave her alone," Crystal reprimanded. "Can't you tell she's worried?"

  "Yes, but I can't understand the reason. John's fine. He'll be here soon. Ah, here he is."

  John walked stiffly into the hall, still wearing the clothes he arrived in and obviously in some discomfort. "Hello, everyone. Are your rooms alright?" he asked.

  "Where have you been, John?" Daisy asked. "We were worried."

  "She was worried," Seth corrected. "We were enjoying the food. You should tuck in, John. This is excellent."

  John took Daisy's hand and led her to a seat before sitting down next to her. "Not a bad idea. I'm starving. And tomorrow will be a big day."

  "What's happening tomorrow, John?" Arthur asked.

  "Lots of things," John replied while helping himself to some food. "I have to give my report in the morning and it could take some time. Crystal, they'll be interviewing you as well in the afternoon. Don't worry, it's not a test; you'll be fine. Well, not a test of you anyway. I doubt they'll spend that long with you—not straight away anyway. The rest of you will get some sort of guided tour of the city while we're working. Then the day after tomorrow, you'll be introduced to members of our government. That will be important. I'll be doing most of the talking, but they will ask questions to corroborate my version of events. Just answer truthfully, without exaggeration, don't try and guess or fill in gaps, and you'll be fine. Only tell them what you know and nothing more."

  "When will they call on the Brown Dragons?" Arthur asked. "We don't want to wait any longer than we need to."

  "That depends on what happens when we meet with the government. I met with a friend of my father's who told me that my father will be in the city, and that tomorrow, he and my father will be meeting with some key members of parliament to canvass their support. They have some influential friends and will impress on them the importance of supporting you. He is confident of gaining their support and with that, the blessing of the government." He noticed Daisy's sad expression. "Girls, why aren't you eating? Sit down, eat. Daisy, why aren't you eating? What's the matter?"

  Daisy shrugged and avoided his look, but John wasn't willing to accept that. He stood up, lifted Daisy to her feet and led her away to the next table, where they spoke in whispers to each other.

  "Wonder what they're talking about," Jenna commented archly.

  "Sleeping arrangements probably," Seth replied. "They're probably wondering if Arthur would realise if Daisy changes rooms."

  "Shut up, Seth," Arthur replied flatly, not rising to the bait. "Listen, everyone. This is where it gets serious. John has done his bit by bringing us here; now it's up to us to ensure that we get to meet the Browns and that we persuade them to join in the fight. We've just been passengers up until now, but now it's all on us. If we fail, this whole trip would have been as waste of time—for us, anyway. John and Crystal have got other reasons for being here."

  "Hey, Arthur, my family are back home too," Crystal pointed out. "My reason for being here is the same as yours."

  "Maybe. But my point is still the same. Tomorrow is when it gets serious. If we can't convince them to speak to the Browns—"

  "Then John and I will have to take you to them ourselves." They swung around to see a young blond-haired man standing in the doorway of the room, leaning against the doorframe. He bore a striking resemblance to John, but his hair was a little longer and he had a self-confident, almost arrogant air about him. John turned to see who had entered the room.

  "Mark!" he shouted excitedly, getting up to approach the door. "Is that really you?"

  Mark smiled and approached him, shaking his hand vigorously. "Welcome back little brother! It is good to see you!"

  "And you!" John replied, looking more animated than Crystal had seen him before. "Wow, I hardly recognise you now. It seems so long ago…."

  "Six years, brother; that is a long time. Too long."

  A voice from behind him echoed his sentiments. "Too long indeed. Far too long to be separated from your family." Behind Mark and John stood an older man, with a slim young lady standing next to him.

  "Father!" John cried, looking at him in amazement. "I didn't think you'd be here this evening."

  His father embraced him warmly and then stood back to look at him properly. "I was lucky. I wouldn’t normally be in the capital but I was and news of your arrival travelled fast. A young man arriving with five Red Dragons—well, that could only be you. Unfortunately your mother isn't in town, but she'll be here tomorrow."

  Crystal recalled that John had mentioned that his mother was not well and that he hadn't heard from her in some time. She felt a little relieved to learn that she was still alive, at least.

  The young lady cleared her throat, smiling politely.

  "Ah yes, my apologies. Allow me to introduce you," John's father said, turning to the young lady. "John, this is Leah. Leah, this is John."

  Leah extended her hand and John shook it. "Charmed," she replied. "Although, not wishing to be rude, you aren't the one that I am here to meet." She glanced meaningfully at Crystal. "You know who I am, I take it?"

  John nodded. "Allow me to m
ake all the introductions. Let's start with the guests." He explained who each of the five of them were before moving on to the Golden Dragons. "This is my brother—my older brother—Mark, as you've probably all surmised, and this is my father, Paul. Lastly, this is Leah, who is here to meet you, Crystal. She's your cousin and your closest living relative."

  Crystal opened her mouth in shock, having had no warning that she would be meeting any of her biological family or that she even had any left alive. Leah had been fixed on Crystal all the time that John had been speaking, smiling at her knowingly, and stepped forwards to kiss Crystal on each cheek.

  "I volunteered to be sent in John's place," she told her. "But they told me that I was too old and that John was better qualified. How they could tell that when he was eight I don't know."

  Crystal gazed at her cousin in amazement. "John never mentioned a cousin. In fact, he's told me very little about my family."

  Leah gave a dismissive shrug. "Perhaps he wasn't as well qualified for the job as they thought. I wouldn't have neglected important details such as that."

  Crystal glanced at John, who chose to ignore Leah's snide comment, although his father wasn't so forgiving.

  "Perhaps that's why they chose John," he said pointedly. "He knows how to obey instructions and he was told to give Crystal no details of her family."

  "Leah and I will be looking after you tomorrow," Mark said, changing the subject quickly. "We can give you the tour of the city."

  "Yes, I imagine it will seem a little small and quiet after life in your capital," Leah added, "but we're proud of our little city and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by what we show you."

  "Will you be able to tell me more about my family?" Crystal asked. "Our family, that is."

  Leah glanced at Paul inquisitively before replying. "Yes, of course. I can tell you anything you like. I'm afraid we don't know all of the details around your parent's death, but I'll tell you what I know."

  "Thank you. I don't know anything about them—not really. Or you, for that matter. It's wonderful to think I have another cousin."