Chapter Ten - Defensive Actions

"Well, I must say you are full of surprises Korbin. It is no wonder I have not noticed you. A raven, huh? You have probably been watching us for weeks now, yes? I mean quite a while is not very definitive." I replied to this new development with a raised eyebrow and a look that demanded an answer.

"From before your beginnings, Morrighan. I also watched your father and I believe he knew I was watching, but he never gave a hint of it. A very bright dragon he was, your father. He knew he was coming into long night, and with him being the last of his kind, well, lets just say thanks to his brains he is no longer the last of his kind."

Korbin sat quietly now studying his fingernails and was lounging back against the wall, with one leg crossed over the other waiting for his news to sink in. I mulled over what he had to say and was full of questions, but was not quite sure where to start. His attitude was frustrating to say the least. How much could I trust this deceptive man full of other creature's secrets?

I decided to get right down to the meat of the whole matter. "So tell me how you think you can help us. Our next actions will depend on what kind of help you have in mind."

Flashing a big smile, he leaned forward and replied "Well, I am the keeper of secrets. I can tell you the secret of almost anyone in this kingdom, including the King himself. I also understand he has a new advisor and he has a few dirty little secrets as well." This last sentence was said with a grin that leaned more toward a leer.

"He does not know any real magic and I bet that will pique your interest some, Morrighan. He is a fake and a bad one to boot. I think he weaseled his way into the castle through a mutual friend and then talked a lot of nonsense to some of the king's advisors. They believed him and led him straight to the king. Right now, in my opinion, he is your biggest threat. I have overheard him rumbling to the king about a dragon and how to eliminate it. He and the king are still under the impression that your father is still alive. If they send anyone up here, you will be defenseless in this form; beautiful or not." Korbin sat back again to let the last part of his statement hit home.

He continued after a few minutes "I think, first and foremost, you need a way to protect yourself from being caught unaware here at the cave. A defense or warning system of some sorts. If you are outside when any danger comes then you will be able to defend not only yourself but also hide the fact that your father is dead. Any of the knights that saw your father are long gone, either by his doing or by age. It has been a year or longer since a knight came up here and your father dispatched him before he could even get his sword out."

I nodded in agreement and looked at my two companions. "You two have any thoughts on this subject? No need to hide your talking, as I have a feeling that Korbin can understand you as well as I can." With that, I looked at Korbin and he was smiling again. "Shall I take that smile as a yes? He answered me with a quick nod. "Good then, we have no more need for pretenses. Let me say first to you, Korbin, that if you double cross us or cause anyone close to me harm, your life will be cut short and very quickly. Am I understood?"

Another quick nod with that annoying smile. "You have nothing to fear from me, Morrighan. As I stated before, I want Nepharious gone. He is a living pestilence on this land and the sooner he is eradicated the better."

As the last word was said Bones stood up and stretched languidly. He walked across the table to stand in front of Korbin. Looking him straight in the eyes he said "I want to thank you sir for saving my life. I was caught off guard and knew I was done in until you showed up. Those dogs would have torn me to pieces. So for that, yes, thank you from the bottom of my heart. In as much as I owe you my life, I also echo Morrighan's words. If you cause so much as a hair to be harmed on anyone's head, I will personally dispatch you!"

"I can understand all of your mistrust of me. I am of course a raven and as such, a creature of guile and thievery. In this instance though I give you my solemn oath that I will be faithful and true." As he said it, he took his knife and made a cut on his hand and pressed it to a plain piece of parchment lying near him. "I swear that if I fail you, I will voluntarily give up all the secrets of a person of your choosing."

Magically the parchment started to glow and roll itself up. When it had finished rolling, it vanished suddenly from sight in a flash of bright light. "There you have my oath. I have sworn it and sealed it. A man or bird in my case cannot prove his loyalty any stronger than that!" The flash of his teeth from his smile was almost as blinding as when the parchment vanished. "Blazes! It is hot in this cave! Got anything to quench the thirst?" He stood up and went to fetch a bottle of mead after I pointed the way.

Bones strolled back across the table and sat back down between Spot and me. In my mind I heard him say, "I still don't trust this Korbin, Mistress. He is sly and conniving, that one is. Don't let him out of your sight for a minute! Spot and I will watch him as well. He may well be the keeper of secrets, but he don't know everything!" I saw spot look and me with his beautiful eyes and nod his assent.

I replied back in the same fashion to both of them. "Not to worry boys. Between us we can keep this slick bird under control!" When Korbin returned with the bottle and a couple of goblets we got down to the business at immediate hand; a warning system. I reached for another parchment and quill. On it I drew the landscape around the cave as it looked from the air. It was crude but served the purpose. On it I placed the cave on the hill, then the village in the middle and then placed the castle down towards the bottom. I indicated the lake to the east of the village and the mountain range to the northwest that included our cave in the foothills. "If anyone were to approach us they would have to come through here." I drew a line from the castle, past the village and up to the entrance of the cave. "Any ideas?" I asked the three sitting with me.

Spot started purring rather loudly, almost like he was clearing his throat, but longer. "Pardon me Mistress, but I think I have an answer. Bones and I grew up here and we know personally all of the animals between here and the castle. I think that is your answer. All of us, including him (gesturing to Korbin with his paw), can speak each other's languages. I think that if the three of us... Korbin, Bones and I were to split up we could cover a lot of ground. We would need to get the animals organized on how to send the warning if it were needed."

It had gotten late and all three of us agreed that Spots idea was the best for now until something else could be worked out. I went to the storeroom and pulled some furs for Korbin to make a bed with. He decided to sleep next to the fire pit he had dug near the lab entrance and placed his furs there. Bones and Spot went out for a midnight patrol, feeling as though they should get an early start to our plan. They wanted to speak with some of the nocturnal residents nearby, in particular a grumpy old owl that lived in a tree between the village and our cave. "He maybe grumpy but he despises the king almost as much as we do!" Bones threw over his shoulder at me as he left.

I finished my goblet of wine and thought deeply on the day's events. I could not remember a day as eventful as this one since my birthing. As I took the last sip, my eyelids felt like they weighed more than I did. Yawning, I got up and crawled into my bed. The last thing I remember is the sound of Korbin snoring loudly over in his corner.

Chapter Eleven - A Day Out