Chapter 7
The Truth
Toreen was happy to finally be headed home with his mate. Regardless of what happened now, Mabest would be leaving soon. He wished he’d unraveled the secrets of what had happened with his father all those years ago, but his life would settle now since he had a mate and a dragonlet on the way. What he’d done had been all there was to do. No other actions were left for him to pursue and he could feel he’d done everything open to him.
Cretia clung to him and he realized the excitement had worn her out. Now that the ball was nearly over, his time would be spent taking care of his mate. No other was nearly as important nor would they ever be. Together, they would care for and love their offspring, but they would take time to care for each other too. He’d learned the importance of that from his parents.
The wind was cool this night as it whirled around them while he flew his mate home. There were no stars to be seen in the sky and he scented rain. Most rains on Draconis, except for around a jungle area they had, were gentle rains that often came at night. The weather here was a gift from the goddess. No earthquakes or volcanos affected the planet because their technology drained the power from those planet wrecking natural and potential cataclysms storing the energy for the needs of the people.
It was true, much of the planet’s climate was regulated at least in a small way. That was the benefit of their technology. Aided by better weather and less dangers than the average planet, theirs thrived. The moons were also regulated as was the mining meteor where living spaces were built as the valuable ore was removed. Someday, the meteor would be an agricultural one. Not the first one they’d created or the last.
Just as he set down in his yard, it began to mist a cold rain. Most rains were warm giving him a chilly sense of foreboding. As they entered the manor house, they were greeted by Gavos. “Did you see them at the ball?” He asked.
“No, I guess they are not here either?” Toreen asked. For them to disappear couldn’t be easy and it made him wonder what Mabest was up to. Now that he’d been away from her for a while, he didn’t think her so harmless anymore.
“They left shortly after you and your lady did and they never returned.” The butler confirmed.
“Thank you for keeping up with them. They’ll return or not I suppose. Did they leave their possessions?” Toreen wondered.
“That is surprising. Your father’s stuff still sits in the guest suite, Mabest took all her items.” He observed.
“That is strange, to say the least. I wonder what her intentions are.” Toreen questioned.
“That’s what we would all like to know.” Gavos agreed. “I will go to bed now so you can turn in as well.”
“Thank you, Gavos. I’ll see you on the morning and then maybe we will know what happened last night.” Toreen said. He turned to his lady who leaned on him. Clearly she was exhausted. “Come, my love.” He whispered.
While he’d hoped make sweet love to his mate, it was more important to see to her other needs. Helping her undress and put away the costume carefully then remove the heavy makeup, now he put her to bed tucking her in. She was asleep in seconds. He undressed and removed his makeup before he settled in next to her and once his mind calmed, he was asleep too.
Daylight hit his eyelids making him come awake. His mate was no longer next to him. Jumping out of bed he hurriedly dressed before making his way to the kitchen. Cretia was there helping with the cooking. “Your father came back at dawn, but Mabest is nowhere to be found.” She whispered quietly.
Toreen didn’t know what to make of the news. As far as he knew, Mabest and his father had been inseparable. Was he wrong? Did they do their own thing part of the time? That was almost unheard of among the mated of his planet. Cretia had two plates fixed and two steaming hot drinks on a tray for them. He took the tray from her carefully and led the way to the dining room.
Picking the seat at the head of the table for himself, Cretia sat next to him on his right. The plates were full, but one had more than the other. He knew that one was his. She handed him one cup and he sipped it, coffee. Toreen had come to enjoy a cup or two in the mornings. His lady limited herself to one because of something called caffeen. Unsure what it was, he was glad she was being careful.
The food smelled delightful and his stomach growled. He ate quickly, but still enjoyed every bite. When he was done, Cretia was finishing her food too. Toreen knew they would have to go back to the castle to find out what had occurred last night. Because the king was so busy, lords almost always went to him. Hopefully, something had been resolved even if he couldn’t imagine what.
“What will happen now that the ball is over?” Cretia asked.
“I’m not sure. Now that we’ve eaten, we’ll go see Erak. He’ll need to know that father is here, but Mabest is not. I wonder what he’ll make of it.” Toreen explained.
“Are you sure he doesn’t already know?” His lady wondered.
“I’m not sure of anything at this point.”
“Perhaps things will be resolved. All we can do is hope.”
That was certainly true at this point. He knew little and had found out nothing. Hopefully the king would be understanding. Toreen had given it his best shot. “Are you ready?” He asked.
Cretia nodded and they took their dishes to the kitchen as they exited the house. Changing and sitting down next to a table, Toreen waited for his lady to climb on board. She did quickly and grabbed on before he took to the skies.
The flight was fast and with the sun beaming down on them, warm. He landed on the rooftop area set aside for such uses. The guards recognized him and his lady immediately and waved them in. That meant the king was expecting him. That was surprising especially since Erak hadn’t contacted him. They went to the king’s office area and they were waved through there too.
Erak sat behind his desk while the emperor reclined in a seat in the far corner. “Sit, please.” The king motioned to two chairs across from his desk. “You are aware your father is at your house?” Toreen nodded. “Do you know about Mabest?”
“No, I hoped you would have some news.” Toreen admitted.
“I’ll be honest, had we not been watching, we would have been caught unaware.” The king explained.
“You have her?”
“I do. The whole situation came as a shock. Let me start by telling you a little about her. She is related to Dannia, but not Cretia. Her tribe, as you know, has many powers, at least the females of some bloodlines do. Mabest isn’t as powerful as Dannia. She can influence a male and her influence grows for a while, but at some point, the male begins to pull away.”
“This is what happened to my father? He seemed different around her.” Toreen observed.
“Yes, she was losing him and then the money dried up. Mabest was getting desperate. She saw your invitation as a golden opportunity to set herself up for life. She would leave your father, Niru behind to take the blame. Her plan was to disappear and never be found again.”
“How would she get all this wealth?”
“She had a plan to steal the riches. Mabest had an idea about what she would need to buy a house somewhere far away and live a good life for the rest of hers. Once she calculated what she needed, she had to find some place that amount of coin or items of value were. Those places are few and far between.”
“Where did she target?”
“She decided since she was invited to the ball and the ball was held at the castle, that the king’s treasury would support her.” Erak explained.
“That’s insane. The treasury is fully secure. Only a fool would attempt that.”
“I wish your faith was well placed. She made it to the inner courtyard and was among the beautiful art, jewels, and coins when she was caught. Your father was her undoing. She left him outside at the door guarding it. Her power over him had weakened to the point he wasn’t sure why he was standing there. Davy noticed and became concerned. She notified Romo and so it went up the chain of command until I was told. I dispatched guards who took your father into custody and checked to be sure the treasury was safe.”
“It wasn’t.”
“No, Mabest was inside drooling over the treasures. She tried to use her powers on the guards, but two were mated and she had no effect on them. The other two slowed and considered what she said, but shook off her control and did their duty.”
“So what did you do with her?”
“She’s in the dungeon for now. I’m considering sending her to the mining meteor. They can use females in the kitchen or the laundry. I’ll contact the manager there and see what he’ll pay. If she is acceptable, she can pay you some remuneration. Your father, he seems lost. I don’t know what to make of it.”
“You think he struggles to remember?” Toreen asked.
"I’m not sure he remembers much once he met her. Maybe that’s for the best?”
“Did you find her possessions? None were left in my house.”
“Yes, she liquidated most of her belongings and sold her house. She never planned to go back. She had only a trunk of clothing and a few treasured items. Mabest owned a small spaceship and it was waiting for her ready to take off. The pilot knew nothing of her plans. He was simply an employee.”
“She knew how to hide her behavior and her plans from anyone around her.” Toreen admitted.
“You’ll need to look out for your father. I truly believe he was a victim here. Perhaps Betty would take a look at him? She has experience with many things as an herbalist.”
“You feel he’s unwell?”
“Yes, he’s not right. I can’t explain it, but once you talk to him, you’ll understand.” Erak explained.
That made Toreen worry about his father. He may have disappointed him, but he would always be his parent. Whatever he needed would be seen to. Toreen’s immediate family was small and he would see to all of them if need be. Nothing had more value than those closest to you.
“I will see to him. I’m sure Betty will come to see him with Niku.”
“She’s a good female.” Erak said.
“You’ve all been lucky to find fated mates.” The emperor pointed out. “If Dori has more female relatives, we should encourage them to come here.”
“My mate isn’t one of Dori’s.” Toreen pointed out.
“Dori claims she is.” The emperor observed.
It was true Dori had taken Cretia under her wing so to speak. Finally his mate had felt like she had a family that cared about her. “You have a point.”
“You should go to check on your father. If anything else develops, I’ll send you a message. I think Mabest is finally dealt with. We have two other females like her in custody and other kings are investigating females like them in their kingdoms. The attempt to arrest Dannia is ongoing, but she’s not in our territory. It looks like at this point, we’ve done all we can.” The emperor said.
Toreen felt for him. He watched all those around him find fated mates while he still searched unsuccessfully. Females pursued him, but none were right for him. He nodded to him and to Erak. It was time to return home and continue to put his life back together.
He led his mate out of the office after the usual goodbyes. Mabest was under arrest which should mean she was finally out of their life for good. They headed to the roof where he changed and the guards helped his mate up on his back. He took off as soon as she was secure. It was time to begin the rest of their life.
His father would be reclaimed into his life and now with money finally building back up, his lordship would become successful once again. With hard work and determination, his efforts would finally get results. From the air, he surveyed his personal lands and a portion of what he ruled. He’d even caught a glimpse of the hut his lady had once stayed in before he landed. It was good to be home.
Once his lady slid off his back, he changed and it occurred to him he’d not checked his lady’s change to see how far it had proceeded. “Cretia, I would like to see how much of a dragon you’ve become.”
“There’s no way I’m a dragon, but I’ll admit my senses are better and I’m stronger, maybe even faster.” She said.
“Just try to make a change. Think about your dragon, even if it’s not a complete change. Think about her scales, her colors, and how much she wants to be freed, even if just for a few minutes.” Toreen explained and he felt the start of a change.
No one could have ever been more surprised as he when she changed into a smaller dragon, gray and blue. Her colors were lighter than his. She was gorgeous and she took to flight right away. He changed and he took off after her, the thrill of the chase and the wonder of flying with his mate. Perhaps the change was reserved for fated mates. After an hour they landed and changed back.
“Let’s keep this to ourselves for now.” Toreen suggested and Cretia agreed. They didn’t need to draw unnecessary attention right now.
He led them into the house where his father was in the kitchen when they entered. He sat at the table Cretia preferred to use. “Toreen, where have you been? Who is this lovely female with you?” He asked.
“Father, don’t you remember Cretia, my mate?”
“Cretia? That sounds familiar.” He looked confused.
“Have you had lunch?” Cretia asked his father.
“I haven’t.”
“Why don’t I get us something to eat?” Cretia said as she left them alone. Toreen saw dealing with this might be harder than he’d anticipated.
“Why don’t we sit, Father?”
“Why are you calling me father instead of Pa?"
What should he tell him? He hadn’t called him Pa since he’d taken up with Mabest and what was worse, his father hadn’t seemed to notice at the time. Now it seemed he had. It was like they’d traveled back in time at least as far as their relationship with each other went. Could he go back and put aside all that had happened? Would it be right or fair to hold it against his father if he’d been victimized?
To be honest, it was still so hard to wrap his head around a female taking control of a male’s mind. Even with the things he’d seen and been told it was so hard to process. He’d missed his father for years now. Would he turn away from the opportunity to have him back?
“I was just trying it out.” Toreen explained.
“I don’t like it. Just call me Pa as always.”
Cretia came back with a tray and began to set drinks down. Someone handed her another tray and she set plates down. “Are we ready to eat now?” She asked.
“I believe we are.” Toreen said and they began to eat. He had a lot to think about and his father was at the center of much of it. Dannia was a problem too, but one he could do nothing about.
The day went well with his father seeming to settle in and he and Cretia got on well. The next few days fell into a routine as his father learned the changes that had occurred on their lands and with their people while he’d been gone. It was decided he would stay at the manor house and take a job as a foreman.
That was a good position and paid well. Having Pa in the position took some of the responsibility off Toreen and Pa had always done an exceptional job in any position he’d filled on Toreen’s lands. The gap in his memory bothered Pa and they decided to lie to him. Maybe it wasn’t the best solution, but it eased his mind.
Once the decision was made, they immediately put it in effect. Betty and Niku came over for lunch the very next day. The dragonlets and Selia stayed with Dori. There was a knock on the door and Toreen rushed to answer it.
“I’m pleased you could both come for lunch.” Toreen said and glanced behind him to see Pa standing there.
“Niku! I’ve not seen you in a while.” Pa exclaimed seeming thrilled to see his youngest son. “Who is the lovely lady with you?”
“Pa, it has not been that long. This is Betty, my mate and a healer. She is here to look at you and see if all is well. You had an accident and your memory has concerned Toreen and Cretia.”
“I have had some headaches. I thought they would go away.” Pa admitted.
“Why don’t we sit and have lunch? We can talk while we eat.” Cretia suggested.
The food smelled terrific. “I don’t remember eating this well.” Pa said his forehead creased as he tried to remember.
“That’s been a recent change.“ Niku admitted. “Do you remember Laurelia Proper getting hit by a meteor and exploding?”
“Goddess, no! Did they all die?”
“No, the planet was evacuated. As far as we know all made it off before it was hit.” Toreen explained.
“So now there are no mates or did they all come here?” Pa asked.
“A few came here, but many left to the other side of the galaxy. We found a new planet with compatible females.” Toreen observed.
“This is where your mates are from?” Pa questioned.
“Betty is from the new planet. Cretia was here before the incident. Her chosen mate died. When I met her, I instantly knew she was for me.” Toreen explained.
“That is a wonderful thing, knowing. I am so happy both my male offspring found mates.” Pa declared.
“Do you remember that Niku has twin female offspring and that Betty brought a precious little female with her?” Toreen asked.
His father rubbed his forehead. “I didn’t remember that. What of you and Cretia?”
“We’ve only mated recently, but we can share that we now have a dragonlet on the way.” Toreen admitted.
“The goddess has truly blessed this old dragon.” Pa said and his eyes looked watery. It was like he had his old Pa back. That would truly be a blessing. “You two lovely ladies just call me Pa.” He smiled at both of them.
“Pa, could you tell me more about your troubles?” Betty asked.
“I get headaches when I try to remember. Also, there are terrible dreams. I’m embarrassed to talk about them.”
“Would you prefer to discuss them privately?” Betty asked.
“No, I have nothing to hide from my youngsters. It’s just in the dreams, this strange female takes over my will. That’s a little embarrassing. You know?”
“I can imagine for such a strong male.”
“Exactly. She must be a witch or something. I wake and my breath comes hard, my heart pounds almost out of my chest, and my head is killing me. Crazy, I know.” He laughs but there is no humor in it.
“I’ve brought something with me. This tea is made from your comfort berry. It will help you sleep easier. Then when you rise, this powder made from a mix of herbs will help ease your headaches. If you’d rather not take it daily, you can take it if you feel a headache coming on.” Betty explained. “Other than that, just take care of yourself. Eat healthy, exercise daily. And get the right amount of rest. For now, eight hours a night. If you get to where you feel better, that would be anywhere from six to eight hours depending on how you feel. Also, let your dragon out daily for now. If he feels caged it could be effecting your health.”
Toreen was stunned. He’d bet that hateful bitch Mabest had kept his father’s dragon caged. Once freed, his dragon might fix all this. Dragons were the stronger half of them in many ways. Having a dragon caged could have serious health effects on a male. There were herbs that could cage a dragon. Mabest probably knew all about them. It was possible once his dragon got out, he would have his father back completely.
It was a shame his dragon wouldn’t repress all those bad memories, but they were now part of him. That meant Pa would have to deal with them and so would the rest of them. The rage Toreen felt when he thought about all that almost ate him up. He saw the others felt the same way he did but each of them would have to deal with it in their own way. They had Pa back, but he had baggage he would carry the rest of his life. It was baggage they would all help him deal with in whatever way they could.
Everyone turned their attention back to their meal. It was finished in no time and Toreen knew now they needed to take a flight. “Niku, would you like to go for a flight with Pa and me?”
“Of course. The ladies can talk while we hit the skies.” Niku said. It was clear he didn’t want his lady with them. There was a good reason for that.
No one knew how a dragon repressed for several years would react when finally freed. They left the females inside where they’d be safe as they headed to the yard with Pa. It was a perfect day for a flight. The sun was bright over head the breeze blew slightly. The scent of the flowers and some freshly cut grass floated on the breeze. Toreen could even smell the scent of water from the creek nearby.
Pa changed and lifted into the air immediately, but then he rolled head over heel and landed on the ground. His dragon roared and had he been a fire breather, it would have filled the air. Luckily their fire breathing status came from their mother’s side. His dragon roared in pain and misery, the sound hurtful to their ears. Niku and Toreen looked at each other, helpless to calm their father’s pain.
It was like all the hurt from their mother’s death and his subsequent handling by Mabest had hit him all together. His dragon slowly came under control. But Toreen saw tears hitting the Earth. The loss was hitting the dragon hard. Toreen had been sure his father had dealt with his mother’s death. After all, she’d not been present since he’d come around. Now it looked like he’d just put off with dealing with her obvious absence.
The dragon finally seemed to come around and he took to the air. Niku and Toreen followed, but not too closely. Pa went higher and higher until he was where the air was barely breathable. His two sons followed lower, but close enough to help if he became incapacitated. His flight was frantic and fast, so it took all they had to keep up.
After a time, his dragon slowed and eventually landed. “I’m sorry.” Pa said as they approached him cautiously.
“Why are you sorry?” Niku asked.
“For everything that happened starting with your mother’s death.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“She might not have killed your mother had she not thought me so easy to use.” Pa said.
“She killed our mother?” Toreen asked anger filling him.
“Mabest admitted as much. On those rare times I was somewhat clear headed, she told me her plan and how she had carried it out. I would have killed her had I not been chained to my bed.”
“She kept you chained?” Niku asked.
“Mabest used drugs on me. When it was time for the next dose, she’d have me lay down and she’d chain me or have her servant do it. She’d wait until I was clear headed then dose me. While she waited for it to take effect, she would tell me of her evil ways.”
“It was to torment you.” Niku observed.
“Yes, she loved to torture me with her words. The chains, my dragon tried to break them, but couldn’t. They were special chains, only those could hold an enraged dragon.”
“This is true.” Toreen agreed. Those kinds of chains were illegal to be used by anyone but the military. All law enforcement was military. They were under the purview of the lords, the kings, and finally, the emperor.
Draconis was completely ruled by royalty. Lately, because of the emperor’s and the king’s new outlook, some civilian leadership was being allowed. They called them mayors after similar positions on Earth. They didn’t run law enforcement though, they only oversaw commercial and personal things. That meant they couldn’t give someone chains. That meant only someone in the military or possibly someone off world had access to them.
The king would need to know about this and secure the chains Mabest had. They also needed to track them back to who had gotten them for her. Of course she’d probably used control on the poor bastard because what dragon would chain another or give someone the means to? It was unthinkable for any of their kind to willingly work with one such as her. Not only was it just wrong, but there would be a death sentence attached to the behavior.
Pa was still shaking, but he had begun to calm. He’d known his mate had died, he’d simply not been given the opportunity to grieve. Now, he would do that. At least he had his offspring, their mates, and the offspring they had. Toreen found he liked the terms Earthers used. Son, daughter, and the grandchildren. It held warmth and regard for the little ones. Once his father got his emotions under control, he would enjoy time with his grands. Once Cretia delivered, he would have four.
Four grands was more than many males had. Pa would feel that he was finally blessed. Niku’s twins were adorable, Selia was pretty, and he was certain his own offspring would be just as wonderful. In truth, he couldn’t wait for his dragonlet to be presented. Looking at Pa, he saw he was ready to head back. It would take time, but they would be a family once more with Pa at the center of it.
They flew back much slower and it took some time because of the distance Pa’s crazy flight had covered. Once they made it back, they found their ladies sitting outside at a table waiting for them.
“I hope we didn’t keep you waiting too long.” Pa said.
“No, we had much we could discuss. Betty know a lot about plants and I have a garden that helps feed those at the manor house. Herbs are also a hobby and Betty suggested some that would be helpful for our household.” Cretia explained.
Betty blushed. “I have a little knowledge that I like to share. Cretia has knowledge too that I like to gain. She finds the best herbs for the castle to buy. Even Mom hasn’t caught up yet.”
Toreen thought it endearing the way each of the females tried to make the other sound good. “I’m sure both of you are interesting to talk to.”
“As am I, but Betty and I must go home. Perhaps you will join us for supper soon? In a few days we plan to have a pit cook off. Betty’s family will join us as well.” Niku invited.
Cretia looked to him. “We would be pleased to join you. Pa, you wouldn’t miss it either, would you?”
“Never. I wish to see the twin dragonlets and little Selia, too and meet Betty’s family.” Pa agreed.
“It’s settled then. In three days’ time, we will begin at midday.” Betty announced.
Betty changed to her dragon first and took off. Niku shrugged then he changed and he chased her in the direction of their home. “It’s a wonderful thing when your mate can change as well. Rare, but lovely.” Pa said with a wistful look on his face. Toreen knew he was remembering his mother and her dragon. They had played in the skies whenever they could find time.
Toreen was happy his mate could turn as well, he knew he was lucky to have a mate and a fated one as well. He was already blessed more than many of his fellow dragons. That Cretia was so helpful with his work was another blessing.
They went into the house and Cretia went to the kitchen where she and her helpers would see to supper. He led his father into his office, he felt his father wanted to talk. Toreen motion to the seat for his father to sit as he closed the door for privacy. Taking his seat across from him, he waited to see what he would say.
“You were going to mislead me?” Pa asked.
“Only for your own peace of mind. It never occurred to me your dragon had been bound and the memories would all return.”
“Never keep things from me again, Toreen. I understand you thought to shelter me, but a male must deal in truth. Eventually, I would have remembered and it would have been even harder.”
“Okay, Pa. I can see how you feel about this. Is there anything you need to know?”
“Yes, what happened to Mabest?”
“She is being sent to the mining meteor. I am sure she will never leave there.”
“They should destroy her. If any could escape, she will.”
“They plan to use some new technology to limit her mental abilities.” Toreen explained.
“How could they have such a thing?”
“It came from Earth. While it’s true most Earthers no nothing of us, we contacted the military. We’ve done some trading and that is something we got from them.”
“Trading can be a worthy activity, but I hope we are careful on what we give back.”
“We’ve mainly traded medical advances so far. They’ve asked for weapons and spaceships, but accepted what we’ve been willing to give. We did improve their solar energy program and give them plants to clean their water. Beyond that, we haven’t approved anything else.”
“You are kept informed?”
“All lords, kings, and of course the emperor are. This new planet we are dealing with has both the best and the worst in people we have ever found present anywhere.”
“As long as you are all being careful, things should work out fine.”
Toreen watched his father leave his office. His life had changed so much in the last few weeks. He had the greatest of hope that his life would finally be all it could have been. Time would tell and time could be either on your side or against you.