Believe it or not, I've planned a sequel trilogy to the Dragonhost Saga; a fantasy/steampunk crossover with the provisional title of the Aetherworld Saga.
Here's the beginning of the second chapter of Book One, Mageborn. The first chapter is the short story The Girl And The Fox, which I posted here in January 2023.
BLOODLINES
The man sitting quietly in the corner of the tavern had several qualities that made him very useful to his masters. Among them were a face that did not draw attention and would not be remembered, the ability to pick out words and phrases from overlapping conversations, to listen without appearing to be listening, and to pretend to follow another conversation while he listened.
- I’m telling you, it’s true! Drago’s bastard son! Think what it could mean! -
The speaker was a trader of some kind, not prosperous, or else he would not be drinking in a tavern in the poorer district of Belogra. But he had the attention of half a dozen others, and they did not react with outright disbelief.
- But Prince Drago... he hunted and killed Veelas! To father a child on one of them... -
- I heard tell that he rutted a couple of them. Didn’t kill them. -
- That’s right! - the first speaker said. - Just think! This... Yastreb is Vaslav’s ward. If Vaslav died... he could take the throne. Give that Veela b**** the Death of Nine! -
- He couldn’t do that to his sworn sister! -
- If he’s truly Drago’s son, he’d never have sworn that! -
- Could be, he doesn’t know his bloodline. Has to be told. Made to understand the proper way of things. -
- Who’s going to tell him? You? Us? -
- There has to be a way... -
The man in the corner listened for a while longer, until he had heard enough. But as he made ready to leave to report to his masters, he noticed someone else who had been listening to the discussion, but was less adept in hiding his interest.
When that one slipped out of the tavern, the man in the corner discreetly followed him.
***
Sir Lukor Vuzrok, stoiyatnar of Paladins, swept watchful eyes over the nobles gathered in the audience chamber and reflected again on the changes of the past two years as the Dukes of the kingdom and their families made homage to King Vaslav, First of His Name.
A king had taken the throne after ten years of the Ownership’s rule, and taken a woman of the Veela for a bride and Queen Consort... and then a man of the Veela had in turn married into one of the highest Human families in Rashka...
Approaching the thrones as the Herald loudly announced them were Baron Dorian Wolfkin of Eastguard, Baroness Yerina Wolfkin… and after a noticeable pause, the Baron’s consort, Lady Soraine Ska-Vargr.
Consort! His mistress, and openly acknowledged! There had been open shock and dismay at such blatant flouting of marriage and morals.
“Veelas! What do you expect?”
“But... by the Saviours, he let his sister marry one...”
Leka Kapillan had weathered the storm, but then he was a Duke, with power and status that could survive such a scandal.
“Baron Wolfkin, Baroness Wolfkin, Lady Ska-Vargr,” King Vaslav said urbanely. “Your journey was without mishap, I trust?”
“Indeed so, Your Majesty,” Baron Wolfkin replied.
“Welcome, cousin,” said Queen Myrallea.
“My pleasure, Your Highness.”
Baron Wolfkin’s vassal knights came forward and bowed before the King and Queen, were duly acknowledged and moved to stand with him.
As they moved away, a lone figure approached the throne and bent the knee as the Herald announced, “Yastreb Veela’s Son!”
Veela’s Son… Something that had often been whispered about, yet had never been seen to anyone’s knowledge; a man born of the union of Human and Veela.
No-one had known what to expect of such offspring. The reality was, to some, disappointing. Yastreb the Veela’s Son was a young man of almost ordinary appearance, lacking the most obvious outward signs that made Veelas most notable, namely the pointed beast-like ears, and large eyes slanted like those of a cat. If not for his beardless face, with no sign of ever being shaved, he might have been taken as fully Human. Then again, if he looked as a Veela should, would anyone have known of his Human parentage?
King Vaslav smiled. “Yastreb... so you not yet found the answers you seek?”
“Sadly not yet, your Majesty. But I will keep searching.”
“Good fortune, my sworn brother,” Queen Myrallea said.
“My thanks, your Highness.”
As the Veela’s son bowed and then moved to stand with Baron Wolfkin and his retinue, Baron Marko Ervanok was approaching, and Lukor frowned briefly as the Baron shot a glance towards Yastreb; a glance that radiated anger.
