Chapter Four
Vale
Vale tried to school his demeanor to one that seemed less affected. Each step away from Blaze was like he was setting his feet on broken glass. Except, it was a little easier now that he was walking toward Landon.
Maybe I feel something like what you feel.
Irritation filled him. Maybe Vale hadn't heard the call like Blaze claimed to, but he'd known Landon was special from moment one. He'd felt a connection, one that he'd been dying to explore for days while work kept him away. Vale had done his best to think of entertaining things for Landon to do, but Vale didn't want Landon seeing too much of The Garden without him there. He was being selfish, but Vale wanted all of Landon's first moments and interactions to be with him. Not with Juniper or some other guide. Definitely not with Blaze.
"That's your adviser?" Landon asked, coming out of a doorway once Vale had turned the final corner. Landon spoke with a mixture of wariness and awe for Blaze that Vale understood.
"You didn't go to your room," Vale commented, omitting like I told you to.
Landon's eyes widened. "I did!" He looked around at where he stood. "See, I'm in the doorway. That's technically in my room."
"Does the Diamond King allow you to split hairs so finely on Diamond Island?" Vale asked.
Landon didn't reply. His gaze went back to the hallway, down the direction they'd come, to where Blaze was. Vale sidestepped, blocking his gaze and feeling just a little bit petty in the process.
"I'm afraid I have one more important task I must do before I can give you the tour I promised." Rare indecision made Vale freeze in place. Normally, he would have left Landon to entertain himself, but now that Blaze was back, Vale wasn't sure Landon would be safe. "Do you, would you…" He cleared his throat. "Come with me." Vale held out his hand, again, Landon looked at it but didn't accept it. Landon had done the same thing the first day they met. In fact, Landon had yet to actually touch any part of him. Did he not want to touch Vale, or was there something else at play here?
"You may take my hand, Landon," Vale told him.
Landon stopped short. "You're giving me a choice?"
Was that annoyance in the young guard's tone?
"The option, yes."
"Hm." He didn't say more.
Possessive worry kept Vale close to the other man. But once in that position, he wasn't sure what to do next. Centuries of not worrying how his actions affected others put him out of practice. Apparently, his behavior was already needling Landon. Vale could be blunt and now he knew that if he wanted to get anywhere with Landon he'd have to soften that part of him. But, right now, Vale had more issues than trying to discover how to unlock the affection and not the ire of one diamond dragon.
***
"Read that section back to me, Juniper," Vale commanded his assistant. They'd spent the greater part of the morning constructing a message to the Onyx King.
"Avia Chryseum's list of charges grows by the minute. She has already attempted to kill her own grandson, as well as the Diamond's King newborn son and new mate. During her last attacks, she utilized a shadow beast, something that should be impossible. Because of this, we believe it is imperative that—"
"Change we believe to simply, it is imperative. The other way makes it sound like the three of us have been colluding against him." Which the whole letter would sound like anyway to a keen ear. And the Onyx King was nothing if not keen. Vale remembered when he'd first begun hearing of the Shadow King, as they called him. At that time, Vale had been King of The Garden for only a few decades.
The Shadow King didn't just uphold the law with strict rule as Vale did, but it was rumored that he rejoiced in punishment. Vale would do what needed to be done for the good of his people, but he never enjoyed punishing.
Juniper re-read the rest of the letter and Vale held in a sigh. Somehow, in the course of a few days, he had become the face and voice of the dragon reunification. Blaze had been right to doubt his actions. They had no reason to bring in a dangerous criminal and no reason to endanger their perfect home in this way. He'd often boasted that The Garden could exist, indefinitely, as a self-contained home. If the need arose, say a vicious battle between the dragon tribes, with their elixir, they could wait the war out for centuries and still be as fresh-faced as the day it began.
When they were finished, Vale used his flame to seal the message closed, creating a dark green scorch mark that acted as his official seal. "Send this with our fastest flier," he said, wishing for just a moment that they did have guards that he could have used in a situation like this one. He let that worry go as he found Landon sitting in the corner, trying to see if anyone noticed the way he'd knocked over the decorative statue Vale had placed on his desktop. Vale smiled at him and Landon's face burned bright.
"I'm sorry, I think I broke it." He held the pieces in his upturned hands. "Was it important?"
Vale waved his hand in dismissal. "A trinket," he said indulgently. As they left, Juniper stepped close to his side.
"That was a gift from your father, right before you became King!"
"And I have had many years to enjoy it," he replied in a whisper. Juniper fell back as Vale caught up with Landon. Though she was no longer at his side, Vale felt her stare.
"Will you join me for a tour?" Vale asked Landon. Now that the work part of his morning was over, he could concentrate on getting to know the shy man and figuring out if this connection he felt was fleeting, or something more.
"Is your adviser joining us?"
"No," he said, his tone harsher than he'd intended.
He'd had time to think about Blaze's sudden reappearance and came to the conclusion that it made sense. The first time in hundreds of years that Vale was curious about someone new and Blaze came back.
He tried again, concentrating on working the gruff out of his words. "I intended this tour to be only the two of us. Unless…" Was that hope he felt that Landon would want Blaze around? Now that was just ridiculous.
"What are you going to show me?" Landon asked, still so cautious and formal. Vale took a deep breath and tried to think of something he could do to help relax the situation.
"The bottom of the ocean," he joked and then watched in horror as Landon's eyes widened with fear. That used to be a joke his father would tell him as a boy when he'd complained of being bored with everything The Garden had to offer. Go explore the bottom of the ocean, his dad would say, and Vale would laugh. Except, Landon wasn't laughing now. "I'm not serious," he said quickly.
"Was that…a joke?" Landon asked, sounding a bit out of breath.
"A bad one, I'm sorry. Do diamond dragons not spend much time in the sea?" He waved his arm in front of him, indicating to Landon that this was the corridor they wanted to take out of the castle.
"Our seas are too choppy for sailing or recreation. The wind keeps the waves high and our shores treacherous. But, we can fly through the wind, and sometimes, people will take ships past the wind line. Or, more often, we fish off the coast."
"So, this must be new for you," Vale said, looking at The Garden with new eyes. He never even saw the translucent dome that kept them all dry anymore. At least, it normally did. Juniper had informed him that the dome had broken somehow over his chambers, but that there had been no water damage and it had sealed back up quickly.
Landon gulped. "Very." He looked up, with no small amount of hesitation. "Do you ever worry?"
"About the dome? No. I don't think there is an emerald dragon here that even thinks about it on a day to day basis. The plants here sustain us and, when they don't, we have our elixir to help grow our tunnels and to keep us strong."
"Is that what also keeps you young?" Landon asked.
Normally, when the conversation with an outsider switched to the abilities of emerald rose elixir, Vale changed the subject. Not this time though. Vale could trust him. "The elixir does help in that department. The actual rate at which the elixir slows our aging is different from dragon to dragon, but that isn't it. The elixir also keeps us healthy, heals what ails us."
"You drink it every day?"
Vale rubbed the back of his neck and stopped the moment he realized what he was doing. "Since it is such a potent thing and inherently rare, we distribute the elixir based on a system. The average dragon is given a dose of elixir for each member of their family once a year, more than enough to cure diseases and in older dragons, keep them young. The important businessmen and their families are given the elixir quarterly, another royalty, such as my niece receives a dose on major holidays and their birthdays. At the top of that tier, of course, is the King."
"I think I am confused," Landon admitted. "Juniper, she is your niece, right? What happened to her parents? I know your father died, but what about your mother?"
"My mother and father both lived long happy lives and died when they were ready." Vale's throat constricted at thinking of his brother. Both of Juniper's parents had deserved better. "My brother died in the dragon wars and his wife never accepted that. She searched for him for years before eventually disappearing. We believe she found her end searching for his remains in the sea."
They were outside of the castle now, and Vale was glad for it. He was giddy at the idea of turning the last corner and showing off the view beyond.
When they made it past the marketplace, the ground opened into sprawling sparkling green fields that quickly surrounded them on all sides. Here was one of two fields where rows after rows of emerald roses were planted. Their growth was quickened by the elixir and right now was a perfect time to view them since they were in bloom, their bright blossoms open toward the sky.
"Oh, my word," Landon whispered.
Vale smiled. After so much life, there was little that could surprise, shock or bring him continuous joy. Visiting his rose fields was one of those things, and now, watching Landon visit his rose fields, was another. The feeling he got when he looked out at his fields, it was the closest to perfection.
And, Landon hadn't even said anything disparaging about the system they had in place for dispensing elixir. Unlike Blaze, who had constantly claimed the elixir should be available for all and not hoarded, as he claimed it was. It didn't matter how many times Vale had told Blaze that the roses were precious resources and that like all resources, they could run out. Naturally, the roses took more than a hundred years to bloom. Their elixir helped them hasten that process. It wasn't foolproof though. What if they went through the plants without a care, burning each into an elixir until there was none left. What would they do then? Hope they lived the hundred years it took for the plants to bloom again naturally? No. These roses were the treasure of The Garden and needed to be protected. As it was, they had their system for who was allowed to consume elixir and when and it was illegal for an emerald dragon to steal or grow their own plants. Vale didn't like to think about the handful or so of dragons that had seen their end in the graveyard because they couldn't abide by the rules.
"Do you like them?" Vale asked, his tone husky.
"They're beautiful," Landon breathed. "How do you make elixir from the roses?"
"My emerald flame," he replied with rightful arrogance. "Only the King can reduce the roses to a liquid. If anyone else tried, it would just be ash and a waste of a bloom." And the act would earn the perpetrator a one-way ticket to the graveyard. Of all the offenses, a rose-related offense was the worst for an emerald dragon to commit.
"And this elixir helps you keep your other plants healthy?"
"A small amount is added to the water supply to help ensure the plants that make the castle, grounds and dome grow and at a faster rate than they normally would. It is truly a circle of life that begins and ends with me in this field."
For some reason, Landon's expression as he looked out at the field grew somber. He hugged himself around the middle making Vale wish they were already close enough that he could hold Landon like that. "I don't envy your responsibility," he said quietly. "To decide who gets what, and how much. I get why you have to ration it. Even when it seems like you have so many, something could always happen."
Finally, a man who understood the burden, Vale thought.
Landon turned his silver gaze on Vale and the King didn't dare breathe as the younger man evaluated him. "I'm sorry you are forced to decide," he said without judgment.
Vale's heart twisted. He didn't regret being the one to decide, he was the King, it was his right and responsibility. If the choice wasn't his to make, then whose would it be? Now, that was something to fear, someone else making the decisions. Like Blaze. Your fields would be bare in weeks! Vale shook his head, clearing it of all thoughts of his former best friend and adviser. "Shall we head to the marketplace? You seemed to really enjoy it that first day."
At that, Landon smiled. It might have been his first one. "You noticed?"
"Hard not to. I kept having to pretend to be a naturally slow walker just, so you could absently keep up with us."
***
Luckily, the marketplace was bustling when Vale escorted Landon down the main alley. As they walked, the dragons bowed and moved out of the way. Other Kings may have needed guards to keep them safe. All Vale needed was the graveyard. And, it helped that while he didn't have an heir, there would be no one left to carry on the emerald flame. Some thought that perhaps the ability would blossom in another relative, Juniper being the closest, but no one was willing to risk it.
But, that didn't mean Vale didn't see the whispers and scowls.
"Sir, sir, your Highness," a frantic man pushed through, separating Vale from the trinkets he'd been eying. "My son, he is sick. He has a fever. Please, just a drop of the elixir and he would be cured and ready to attend school by this afternoon."
The man dropped down to his knees and begged without ever touching Vale.
"When do you receive your ration?" Vale asked him. He was clearly a merchant, but not one affluent enough to warrant more rations.
"Sir, please, we received our ration only a few months ago. There is no way my son can wait."
Vale let a little growl rumble in his chest. He continued to watch Landon peruse the wares of a jewelry maker from the corner of his gaze. As the conversation continued, Landon strayed farther and farther away, likely trying to give Vale space to attend his business.
"If you have already received your ration then you know my answer," Vale said, waving him away with irritation. This was supposed to be a pleasure tour, the first chance he'd gotten to lead one for Landon in days. "I must assume by your presence here that you believe your case is somehow unique. As long as you distributed your ration fairly among your family members, then your son should have no problem overcoming a common fever. Now, step away." Vale turned, fully expecting his words to put an end to the conversation. Then, he felt a tug on his shirt and he spun back incredulous at the man's daring. "You will remove your hand," he spat.
Across the marketplace, there was a yelp of fear. Already attuned to Landon's voice, he knew it was the young man who cried out. He searched for Landon, spotting him in the middle of an angry group of dragons. One man had him by the wrist, preventing Landon from returning to the King.
"Stop!" he ordered, but he was too far away and the crowd already too energized to hear him. They closed ranks, blocking Vale's sight. He could still hear Landon's cries but more than that, it was like he could feel the man's fear. It was as if a stone had lodged into his throat as he fought his way through, contemplating shifting against the damage it might do. Then, the crowd surged, blocking Vale's view and silencing Landon's cries.
Vale's heart seized, lurching in his chest. He prepared to shift, hoping to be able to avoid most of the innocent bystanders when the crowd broke apart and Vale stopped short.
Blaze emerged from the mob with Landon in his arms. He carried him like a groom might carry their bride through the angry crowd right up to Vale's feet where Blaze set Landon down, his hands lingering at just above Landon's elbows as he waited for the man to gain his balance.
"I have him," Vale snapped, grabbing Landon's arm in an attempt to pull him into an embrace. Blaze didn't let go and Vale had to stamp down his first impulse, to continue pulling until Landon was free of the other man's grasp. He wasn't a rope to be tugged on for fun. "What happened, Landon? Are you okay?"
"It does not look as if you do have him," Blaze said arrogantly.
"I'm fine. I didn't know, I thought the bloom was a replica," Landon said frantically.
Vale understood the issue at once. Sometimes, in reward for great service, his people could earn extra roses with the option to have them turned into elixir at any time. Generally, those people kept their gifted roses on display, knowing no emerald dragon would be so heedless as to touch another dragon's bloom. "Was the blossom harmed?" Vale asked.
"I just touched the stem. I'd wanted to so badly earlier in the fields. And then everyone started screaming at me," Landon said. "I didn't know what to do." He looked up at Blaze like the sun rose and set with the man.
Despite his earlier conclusion that Landon wasn't a rope, Vale still tugged him just a little bit closer. "Do you want to continue?" Vale asked him, ignoring Blaze's very presence. "You could go and rest until dinner."
"What is at dinner?" Blaze asked loudly.
It sounded trivial now, especially after what Landon had just been through. "I've had our cooks researching and perfecting the delicacies from your home. They've constructed the perfect eleven-course meal that represents your home. I thought you could give me a little tour of where you come from in the form of food."
Landon still shook with residual fear when he replied. "That sounds good. I think I will go." He eyed the crowd. Worryingly, they scowled right back at him. The emerald dragons weren't used to visitors. And, they didn't trust them either.
"I'll walk you," both Vale and Blaze said. Vale couldn't ignore him anymore.
"What are you doing here?" Vale snapped.
"Seems like I'm helping calm your people. They were going to rip him apart for touching that bloom. You've turned roses into a rarity and these people were willing to kill for it. Is that what you want?"
"What do you want?" Vale seethed, barely remembering to keep his tone low. "Bare fields? A kingdom crumbling around you when we run out of elixir?"
"No, my King. I want equality. Every emerald dragon should have a right to those blooms, as many and as much as they like."
Vale just shook his head. He didn't want Landon to see him like this and this was just the tip of the iceberg of what the two of them were like when they were together. "Come, Landon, I will take you to—" Vale stopped speaking when he saw that Landon had left while they were arguing. He was already at the end of the marketplace alley, his head down as he kept his arms tucked tightly at his side, clearly afraid of accidentally brushing up against anything else.
"He doesn't wait for you," Blaze commented with a grin Vale didn't have to see to know it was there.
Vale didn't reply and rushed forward, the look on his face making sure that there would be no more interruptions. "I offered to walk you," Vale said when he reached Landon's side.
"Then you fought with your adviser, I thought you wanted the privacy. I know the way. I'm clumsy and touch things I shouldn't, but my sense of direction is amazing."
Vale swallowed his sigh. "I don't think you aren't able to find your room," he said. At that point, they were near to Landon's door. "I was telling you, I want to walk you."
"Why?" Landon asked and if Vale thought he was trying to be sly or coy, he might not have answered, but the question was honest. Landon really didn't know. "I have no idea why I am here, King. You agreed to do something you didn't want to do, but only if I stayed. You didn't really ask me if I wanted to stay. You just told me. And, I know you said Blaze is your adviser, but I have to say, when you two get together, it doesn't seem like your relationship isn't more. I don't want to be used as a tool to make anyone jealous." Landon had his hand on his door, ready to close it, but Vale had a suspicious feeling that if he let Landon close the door now, without clearing things up, that Landon wouldn't ever open it to him again.
He grabbed the doorway, making it so that if Landon wanted to shut his door, he'd have to crush Vale's hand in the process. "I'm not great at this, Landon. I've lived for hundreds of years but I've never been on a date. I've been attracted to one man my entire life and we can't be near each other for five minutes without fighting. When you came, I felt a spark that intrigued me. One I am trying, in all the wrong ways, to explore."
"A spark?" Landon asked, his tongue peeking out to swipe over his bottom lip.
Vale leaned in closer, their mouths inches apart. "Yes, a spark. I've been nothing but King for so long, I need to learn how to be a suitor. Will you wait? Clearly, today was a disaster, but tonight will be better. Dinner, the two of us, will you agree?"
Landon's mouth turned up in the corners. "You're asking me?"
Vale chuckled. "Yes. I am asking. Landon, Guard to the Diamond King, will you please go to dinner with me?"
"Sure, sure, you don't have to be so formal about it," Landon said, his eyes twinkling playfully.
At his response, Vale let out a breath and wondered just how long he'd been holding it. He felt a hundred years old again, young and carefree. Though, he was able to keep a calm face on the outside. "I shall see you tonight then," he replied, thinking that just maybe, he'd figure this whole courting thing out.