Sleeping Dogs

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. Now, at least two or three flew into town every day! Tom looked up from the turnip patch as another one soared overhead. The occasional thundercrack of its wings seemed to shove all the air directly into Tom’s eyes and ears, and he watched as the impossibly large beast banked toward the town, the dim sunlight glinting off its rider’s armor.

“Tom!”

The boy jumped at the shout, turning to see his Pa side-eyeing him. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you boy?”

“No sir,” said Tom truthfully. He dramatically wiggled a grubby finger in his ear, trying to act as if the dragon’s passing had deafened him.

His Pa sighed, adjusting the wide-brimmed hat over his tanned face. He renewed his digging. “I said, that once you’ve finished pulling up those last turnips, you’re to go straight to your mother to wash off.” He continued to dig, ignoring Tom’s scowl. “We’re going into town today, and you’re so dirty that you could take off your clothes, and no one could tell you had!”

In spite of his embarrassment, Tom giggled at the image his Pa’s words created! He dug out the last turnip, placing it on the pile at his side. “I don’t see why I need to clean off every other day or so. I’m just gonna get dirty again helping you! Waste of time!”

At nine years old, Tom knew the value of time on their little farm. He made sure to get all his chores done the right way, at the right time. And so long as they got done, his Ma and Pa let him use the rest of his time as he wished. Of course, this also meant that if he didn’t get home before the church belltower tolled five o’ clock, then he wasn’t getting any supper. After all, he also had to respect the time other people gave to him, and if he couldn’t be home in time for Ma’s cooking, well that was a lesson of its own! So, he reasoned, why should he spend what precious time he had washing off the soil and dust of the day, just to put it all on again?

His Pa glared at him, though there was a spark in his eye that assured Tom he wasn’t in trouble. “It’s not a waste of time, boy. Your mother spends all day keeping the house clean and free of pests, keeping your bed nice and soft for you to plop into, and you’re just gonna rub your grubby little self all over everything?”

“Not at night!” Tom said, annoyed at his Pa’s ignorance. “But why should I get washed just to walk around the town? I’m not going into anyone’s homes and messing them up! I’m just helping you sell, or grabbing something for Ma!”

“It’s called ‘good manners,’ Tom. The same way ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘Light See You’ are all good manners! Just because you’d rather smell like the compost by the shed doesn’t mean everyone else wants to smell it!”

Tom grinned, pulling himself up to a crouch. “Then how come you're allowed to smell like it?”

At this statement, he took off cackling as his Pa chased after him, shovel upraised as if to swat him. Tom darted around the garden, careful not to tread or trip on the delicate vegetables still not ready to harvest. He zigged past the radishes, zagged around the carrots, and ducked under the tomato trellises. His father flung blue, red, and green streaks of curses after him, his deep voice careful to stifle the laughter. At last, he caught Tom in a lunge, and they both fell to the dirt! Tom tried to squirm away, but he fell giggling as his Pa exploited his exposed feet, tickling them until Tom was sobbing for air as he kicked!

“What in Her name is going on out here?”

Both father and son jolted upright! At the edge of the garden, a stout woman with a heart-shaped face was glaring at the pair, her hands on her hips. She was wearing her cleaning apron, and still had a straw broom in one hand. “I come out certain we’re under attack by the Tides, and I find you two scrambling about in the dirt like piglets!”

“He started it!” Pa pointed at Tom. Outraged, Tom pointed back, trying to drown out the blatant lies his father was spouting. Ma ignored their pleas as she strode towards them, her scowl thunderous. Reaching them, she pinched their noses shut, their protests faltering to let them breathe.

“I don’t care which of you two started it. Both of you are filthy! Now, the pair of you go around back to the pump and clean yourselves off. You have fresh clothes on the line. I’ll take these turnips in, and if I hear one peep out of either of you,” Her eyes twinkled dangerously, “I will come back there and scrub you both so clean, the next dragon that flies overhead will go blind from the glare, understood?”

There came a nasal reply of “Yes Ndear!” and “Yes Mba!”, before she let both of them go. Pa made to follow Tom, but stole a quick peck on Ma’s cheek, skipping off as she swatted at him with her broom.

—--

Kinvale used to be a quiet town. Even during the war, very little happened, other than the occasional messenger. But after the Tides had been defeated, Kinvale became a sort of rest stop for the knights and their mounts, as they made their patrol of the new border. Tom didn’t understand exactly who the border belonged to, but while all the grown-ups grumbled about it, there wasn’t the panic or concern that suggested it belonged to anyone dangerous. Pa had once said something about it being a “concession to a member of The Alliance,” but since the only “concessions” Tom knew of were the food and treats served at games and fairs, this didn’t help all that much.

Pale blue peeked down through a cracked gray sky. As Tom and his parents walked through the town gates, Tom saw several dragons resting in the town square, which was the only space open enough for them to not knock over any buildings. As Tom watched, one of them, a long green one with a white underbelly, stretched like a cat, its leathery wing buffeted a smaller brown one, which snorted in annoyance. Even though the day was cool, Tom could feel the heat radiating off of them as they passed. As they circled around the square, Tom turned off towards the market, before being called back by Pa.

“We aren’t going to the market today,” Pa explained. “We’re here to see Grandpa!”

Tom did his best to smile, but groaned inwardly. No wonder they wanted him to wash! Grandpa lived in the biggest house, right in the center of town, which was only appropriate for the Mayor of Kinvale! Tom sighed. “Do we have to?”

Ma glared at him “Now don’t give me that, young man. You love Grandpa, and you’re always asking him to tell stories!” Which was true, Tom had to admit.

“But there’s nothing else to do! All you guys do is sit around and talk, talk, talk…” he pinched his thumb and fingers together like a quacking duck. “At least let me go play with Carol and Sammy! They know how to play!”

“Don’t worry,” said Pa. “Your cousins will be there too! But you’ll have to be on your best behavior!

“How come?” Tom’s ears perked up at this! Usually, “best behavior” meant some sort of reward!

Pa bent down to whisper, “It’s a secret. And I’m not allowed to tell you!”

“Don’t tease him, Jareth!” Ma flicked Pa’s hat off his head, and he scrambled to put it back on. Ma turned to Tom “He doesn’t know why either, Tom. Neither of us do! So we’re going to Grandpa to find out!”

“Spoilsport!” Pa dusted off his hat.

Grandpa’s house was on the far side of the square, the sun shining off what Tom was sure must have been hundreds of windows! They were welcomed into the foyer by the staff, where Carol and Sammy, Tom’s cousins, were waiting with their parents as well. The two children were arguing about what the surprise had to be, and Pa’s hand grabbed the back of Tom’s coveralls to keep him from joining in. Ma made polite chitchat with Tom’s uncles, her brothers, and while Tom couldn’t hear all the words, there seemed to be a chill in the air. Chillier than usual, when all three were in the same room. His aunts were speaking cordially to each other about something to do with the Merchants’ and Artisans’ Guilds.

At last, they were ushered into the main living room, where Tom and his cousins promptly jumped onto the sheet covered couch set aside for them. They’d only just sat down when Grandpa came in through the other door, and they promptly charged him, nearly knocking him over as he braced for impact.

“You scamps are incorrigible!” He chuckled, hugging each of them in turn. “You aren’t getting into trouble at home, are you? Not going to have to send Sherif Baker out to keep you in line?”

“No Grandpa!” The response was unanimous, easy after years of practice. They scurried back to their couch as Grandpa greeted their parents. With the grown-ups distracted, Tom turned to Sammy, who was closest.

“So what is the surprise? Do you know?”

Sammy lowered his voice, speaking with utter solemnity “I think one of us is going to be made king! Why else would it be so secret?”

“Don’t be stupid!” Carol scoffed, flicking her tangled blond hair out of her eyes. “We already have a king, dolt! And a queen! Why would they pick us?”

Sammy pouted, his brown eyes narrowing at his cousin. “Well it’s better than your idea!”

“Is not!”

“Is!”

“What is your idea, Carol?” Tom interrupted before they could start arguing again.

“I think,” she said primly, “that there’s a fair coming, and we’re going to get to see all the acts first before anyone else!”

“Told you it was stupid,” Sammy muttered, ignoring Carol as she stuck her tongue out.

“Well, I think,” Tom paused, his mind racing for something that was amazing enough to top both of theirs, yet simple enough to be believable. “I think that… we’re going to get private dragon-riding lessons, and it’s all secret like, so none of the other kids get jealous!”

“Oh!” Carol sat up straight, beaming! “I want the other kids to know! Especially Mary! She’ll be so jealous, her face will turn green for the rest of her life!”

Sammy, on the other hand, looked thoughtful. “I dunno. I think we’re too old to bond with a dragon. Maybe it will just be a one time thing? Like the pony rides at fairs?”

“Yeah,” Tom agreed. “That makes sense. It would still be cool, though! I always wondered what the valley looked like from above!”

“Like a teardrop, silly!” Carol laughed. “Haven’t you ever seen a map?”

“Tear drop? What, all clear and runny?” Tom was confused.

“No, I mean.” Carol floundered, trying to find the words. Carol was the smartest person in the town, maybe in the whole kingdom, Tom thought. But sometimes she got so smart, she’d get confused whenever someone else said something sensible. “Okay, how about ‘shaped like a pear?’”

Tom grinned. “Green, round, with a lump on one side?”

Carol swatted at him. “I’ll give you a lump on one side!” Sammy had to spread his arms out to keep the giggling pair from doing serious damage.

“Ahem!”

All three froze, staring up at Grandpa’s cocked eyebrow. It said much more than any speech Tom had heard him give to the crowds outside. “I do hope,” he said, voice perfectly level. “That I’m not interrupting anything vital, am I?”

“No Grandpa!” All three replied.

“Good!” He and all of their parents sat down around the long low tea table. Servants came in with tea for the grown-ups, and juice for the children, and small sweetcakes for both. After they were settled, Grandpa spoke again. “Now, on to the point. We don’t have long, I’m afraid.” He glanced up at the clock. “But I think there’s time enough to prepare you for the visit.”

“Visit?” Uncle Brent sat up, his eyes keen. “Is someone coming here to Kinvale?”

“That is generally what the term ‘visit,’ implies, dear brother.” Uncle Roth spoke in a bored tone, acting as if the occasion was wasting his time somehow.

Brent scowled. “I was asking father who was coming, you pedantic twerp. Not everyone is as straightforward or blunt as you.”

“Agreed,” Roth shrugged.

Grandpa coughed, and both Uncles fell silent. “As I was saying, we’re getting a visitor today.” He stirred more sugar into his tea. “I’d known someone was coming for the past week, but I only learned this morning who it was. The message came in via air courier.”

“So that’s what woke us up this morning!” Ma scowled. “I swear they’re all aiming to fly directly over our house!”

“I’ll be sure to have a word with them,” Grandpa said consolingly. “But onto the point I’m trying to reach, we’re being visited today…”

At this he stopped, taking a deep breath. Everyone leaned forward as he opened his mouth… and took another sip of tea. Tom noticed that even the other grown-ups looked annoyed at this. At last, he cleared his throat, before speaking in a much more quavery voice Tom had ever heard from him.

“We’re being visited by The Cobalt Knight.”

There was an audible gasp from everyone in the room. Carol covered her mouth, her cheeks turning bright red. Sammy, like his father Roth, looked stunned, slack jawed. Tom could see both Pa and Brent staring at Grandpa, as if waiting for him to jump up and shout “Got you! Surprise!” But Grandpa just sipped his tea, clasping his cup in both hands.

“Well that’s nice and all.” Ma’s voice seemed rudely loud in the silence. “But that’s no reason for you to shrivel up into a ball of nerves! You’re acting like the Tides are turning back and coming straight here.”

Grandpa spoke levely. “It isn’t just that The Cobalt Knight is coming here to Kinvale, Mara. He specifically requested that we abstain from the usual fanfare we would give a visiting noble, or other person of his standing.” He produced a small scroll. The broken blue seal looked comically large on such a small piece of paper. “He even went so far as to apologize for his late warning, and explained that he didn't want us to make a fuss!” He leaned over the tea table to hand it to Ma, who’s eyes jumped straight to the bottom.

“Hmph. He even signs it ‘The Cobalt Knight.’ What a stuck up-” She glanced around. “-what a high opinion he must have of himself, not even telling us lowly folk what to call him. Do you suppose we’ll have to say The Cobalt Knight when talking to him, or would Sir Cobalt Knight suffice?”

“Mr Cobalt Knight, perhaps?” Roth added, taking the note from Ma to read himself.

Sammy nudged Tom and Carol, and whispered: “Mr Sir The Cobalt Knight!” He and Tom quickly stifled their giggles, but Carol just glared at them.

“He’s a hero! He saved thousands of people on his dragon, and once flew from Camleigh to the Capitol in just two days to deliver a vital message!”

Sammy nodded, his giggles dying. “I heard that he held Morsei Pass all on his own, against a whole battalion of the Tide! With a broken arm!”

Tom nodded along, but didn’t add any stories of his own. He’d heard of The Cobalt Knight, of course, but only from one or two of the news criers when he’d been in town. Ma and Pa always insisted he ought to mind his own business, and refused to talk about anything when he asked about the war, or the heroes in it. He glanced up as he realized the grown ups were still talking.

“I’m just saying,” Roth was clearly in a bit of pique, “that you should be out there, on the steps, telling everyone to get home and put on their Sun’s Day best, because the hero of the kingdom is coming here, and we’re hardly much to look at as it is!”

Uncle Brent rolled his eyes “Yes, because two hundred odd villagers all dressed to go to church on Spring’s Day won’t raise his suspicions in the slightest, surely!”

“Regardless of what either of you might think,” Grandpa raised his voice to be heard, waving the paper for emphasis, “he explicitly requested no fanfare! And furthermore, he said he wished to meet us!”

“Us?” Several people said this, though Tom wasn’t sure who.

S

Grandpa read from paper. “I quote ‘while I do not wish to impose myself upon your hospitality, Mayor Jean, I would be most pleased to be acquainted with your family. I hear your sons have gone into business, and that your daughter Mara is married to one Jareth, and that you have three lovely grandchildren: Carol, Samuel, and Tom.’” He waved the scroll again. “So obviously, he would know if we tried to pull any tomfoolery.”

The voices blended into nonsensical babble, as Tom’s mind reeled! The Cobalt Knight knew his name! His name! It was incredible! It was… odd. He knew of plenty of people he’d never met, but someone knowing him… He glanced over at Sammy and Carol, who looked equally as stunned. Carol’s face was turning from bright apple to deep cherry!

Tom lurched to his feet as Ma tugged him out of the chair by his arm. He yelped and stumbled, spilling the last of his sweetcake on the ground.

“Well!” Ma’s voice was harsh, but not loud. Tom knew this to be her most dangerous. “Thank you, father, for the lovely invitation. But if you think I’m going to expose my son to your politicking, and have me and Jareth strut around like showponies, you have another thing coming!”

There was more arguing as Tom was dragged along, and he wasn’t sure how to react! He’d never go against Ma’s wishes, but surely she could see this was a once in a lifetime moment! To see the greatest hero of their lifetime, right here and now! Tripping over his feet, he squirmed in her grip, but she just tightened it as she dragged him towards the door.

“Mara, be reasonable!” Grandpa was almost pleading. “This has never happened before! We need to show our best and most honest side!”

Her nails dug into Tom’s arm at this, and he gasped in pain, tears squeezing from the corners of his eyes.

“Then go ahead and do that! And you can honestly tell Mr Cobalt Knight that your daughter and her family weren’t able to make it! Tell him we were busy, or we were delayed or, I don’t know, we didn’t want to!”

Not slowing down, they were already at the foyer before Pa caught up to them. “Mara! Mara!” He grabbed her arm. “Mara, you’re hurting him!”

“What!” Mara spun around, glaring at Pa. She blinked, and looked down at Tom’s tear streaked face. “What?” She let go of him, looking at the red marks on his arm. She gasped, falling to her knees and pulling him into an embrace. “Tom! Tom. Tom, I am so sorry. I’m not mad at you, you didn’t do anything.” She held his head to her shoulder, rocking him as he caught his breath. “I just… I got angry, and I didn’t realize it. I’m sorry.” She let go, and took a closer look at his arm. “Listen, when we get home, why don’t I make some of that strawberry pie you liked so much? Okay?”

Tom sniffed, but refused to shed any more tears. “It’s okay, Ma. It was an accident.” He shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “I’ve had worse.”

Ma sighed. “You shouldn’t have to compare this to ‘the worst,’ Tom. It shouldn’t happen at all.” She wiped at his eyes with her sleeve, pretending she was getting rid of some dirt he’d missed.

Pa knelt down and pulled him into a hug, patting him on the back. “You okay, boy? Are you going to be alright?”

“I think so,” Tom replied. He glanced at Grandpa standing in the doorway, eyes creased with worry. “Ma, are you sure we shouldn’t see The Cobalt Knight? He didn’t do anything wrong, did he?”

Ma sighed. “No, sweetie, not wrong. It’s just… he’s a hero, who’s done incredible things. And everyone wants to be a hero. But for every hero who’s survived impossible odds, there are hundreds who don’t survive. Who aren’t remembered. And because people forget them, they think being a hero must be wonderful.” She caressed Tom’s face in her hand. “I just don’t want you to go off and hurt yourself like your…” She paused, glancing at Pa.

Pa’s face had gone stony, but he shook himself. “It’s okay, honey. He knows.”

Ma blinked in surprise, but didn’t say anything.

Tom was pretty sure he knew what they weren’t talking about. Last solstice, Pa had explained to him that he’d named Tom after Pa’s own brother, who’d died in the war. After that, he’d get really quiet, and would change the subject whenever Tom tried to ask. Tom didn’t know what it was like to have a brother, but he had Sammy and Carol, and he wasn’t sure how he would have felt if they’d been killed. So he didn’t pester any more.

“We just want you safe, is all.” Pa said. “It’s why you have to be home by five, so you can find your way home.”

“I know, Pa.” Tom gave both his parents a hug, and stood up again. He wasn’t sure if they were still leaving, but Ma wasn’t dragging him this time. She turned to Grandpa.

“Father, I know you mean well by all of us but-”

The windows rattled in their panes, and at first, Tom thought the dragons in the square were taking off. But none of them were moving. Yet the panes rattled, louder and louder, again and again! A shadow crossed over the cobbles, writhing against the ground as the invisible dragon above continued to beat its wings! Tom rushed to the window, trying to see up! The dragons in the square craned their necks upward to watch their brethren as it passed. Tom only had a brief glimpse of blue scales against the gray sky, before it slipped over the buildings beyond sight!

“Did you see it?” Carol came running into the foyer, bursting past them out the front doors. Tom’s uncles and Sammy weren’t far behind, as Carol babbled excitedly! “Was it him? Was it a blue dragon?”

“Looked like,” said Pa, “though I didn’t get a very good look.”

Ma sighed, turning back to Grandpa. “Well, it seems we’ll be meeting him, but we won’t be staying any longer!”

“I suppose that’s fair,” sighed Grandpa. “I’m sure he’ll understand that life goes on for all of us. Well, we’d best make our way out. I didn’t realize he’d be here so early!”

The ten of them, as well as a few of the house staff, made their way through the square towards the main gate. Tom’s aunts, who had said very little during the meeting, were talking to Grandpa about the Merchants’ Guild, and how this visit could affect their businesses. Carol was still babbling to her father about how dreamy The Cobalt Knight was, and how he must be eager to meet them. Uncle Brent was just nodding, not wishing to squelch her ideas. Sammy and his father were speaking in quiet tones, which Tom couldn’t hear.

He turned to his Pa. “Do you know The Cobalt Knight?”

Pa looked surprised. “No, why would I?”

“Well, he seems to know Grandpa. I was wondering if maybe he was a friend?”

“I don’t even know his name!” Pa laughed. “Unless his parents had very high hopes for him when he was born, that is.”

Ma spoke now. “His name isn’t a secret, I don’t think. It’s just that news doesn’t travel as far or fast as stories do, and the war was very far away from us.”

Tom frowned. “So, he isn’t a great hero? It’s all made up?”

“I don’t mean that!” Ma said quickly. “Well, maybe some stories got bigger as they went farther. Like that lie Billy the baker’s son told last summer, about catching a whale in the stream?”

Tom laughed, but he understood now. Billy had claimed to have caught a fish as big as his arm, but let it go, so there wasn’t any proof. The kids all retold the story he told them, and by the end of it, half the kids were convinced they’d seen Billy riding on the back of a whale down the stream!

“Anyway,” Ma pressed on, “everyone here knows of The Cobalt Knight, but we’re so far away that none of the stories mention his actual name by the time they’ve reached us. At least, none I’ve heard.” She glanced at Pa, who shrugged.

"Nothing about his name, no.” Pa shrugged. “All we hear are the stories of him riding his dragon, or saving two or three princesses a week, or the like. Name doesn’t seem to be important to anyone.”

“Hmph.” Ma scowled, but didn’t push. They were reaching the town gate now, and Tom could hear raised voices outside, and orders being barked. As they passed through, he couldn’t help but gasp at the sight!

There were three dragons on the wayside by the gate. Two of them, like all the others Tom had seen, had two wings, and two legs, and were the length of three haycarts pushed end-to-end. They were both dull red in color, and their riders were currently attending to the third dragon. This dragon was massive, twice as long as the other two! Its folded wings were the size of fair marquees, and it stood on four clawed feet in the churned earth where it had landed! The sun peeked through a crack in the clouds, and its scales glowed blue in the direct sunlight, sending shards of light across the grass around them! Its underbelly was a soft cream color, but Tom could see scars and dents in the scales where it had been attacked. As they approached, it fixed them with bright gold eyes. Tom had grown up around horses, pigs, and other large beasts, and knew none of them were as “dumb” as people liked to say. But the intelligence behind this beast’s eyes spoke of a much deeper mind, and Tom was sure that if dragons could speak, this one would.

The riders, which Tom guessed must be attendants, were detaching the great dragon’s saddlebags, and transferring them to Grandpa's house staff. Tom looked around, but couldn’t see anyone wearing the trademark blue armor of The Cobalt Knight. The only one nearby aside from the riders and staff, was a young man working to unclip the massive straps that secured the saddle. As it fell, he continued to work, massaging the scales the saddle had covered. The dragon arched its back in response, looking much like a massive cat. The young man turned, as if noticing the group for the first time. He quickly walked over, and while his stride seemed eager, his face was strangely still. Not angry, just… neutral.

“Mayor Jean?” His voice wasn’t deep like Pa’s, but it was strong. He shook the Mayor’s proffered hand. “I’m sorry to impose myself upon your hospitality, but I admit that I’ve been eager to return to Kinvale.”

Tom blinked. Return? This man was from Kinvale? Then he saw that the man’s tunic was a deep blue, with gold stitching on the hems of his sleeves. And the kingdom’s crest emblazoned on his lapel. This was The Cobalt Knight! And… He was from Kinvale?

One by one, he was greeted by the others. He shook the hands of his uncles and Sammy, and kissed the hands of his aunts and Carol, who could barely contain her giggles behind her blush! At last, he turned, and saw Tom. There was a strange light behind his eyes, as he held out his hand. “And you must be Little Tom. It’s good to meet you.” His grip was strong, as Tom responded automatically in kind. His parents did not extend their hands. They seemed frozen. Tom glanced up and saw that Pa was ghostly white, and Ma was almost as red as Carol, and… she was crying?

They stood like that for far longer than what was considered polite. At last, The Cobalt Knight spoke. “Hello Mara.” Ma said nothing. Another few seconds passed, as if he was waiting for a reply. Then, he turned to Pa. “Hello Jareth.”

Another pregnant pause passed, as everyone stared. Then, Pa spoke.

“Hello… hello Tom.”

At this, Ma fell to her knees, gasping and near sobbing.

Tom wasn’t sure what had happened. But this wasn’t anything how he’d thought meeting the hero of the realm would go.