“This is a little more attention than I was expecting,” My-re said to herself. Riding on a wagon, she sat on little more than an old board. It was hard with rough edges, so splinters were a concern. However, the smell of their team of oxen irritable bowels was more problematic. A dozen heavily armed members of the Shagornan elven crew from the Unsinkable III accompanied them on foot with the mere dragon, Koma, in a large, iron-barred cage behind her on the cart. It frequently turned scattering the fresh straw. Koma was agitated and didn’t like confinement. The other two mere dragons, Kata and Kuki, remained on the ship. They were even less incline to enter the cage.
As soon as the Rirorni capital of Rithakhar came into sight, at least thirty mounted Rirorni scouts galloped towards them. They appeared almost out of nowhere. Their ponies were fast.
Vomarian Fae and captain of the Unsinkable III, approached. “My-re, with me.”
Checking her armor and the battle axe’s reach on her back, she gave her headdress covering and silk veil a once over and disembarked from the wagon. The two approached the Rirorni and a solo rider met them.
“Hail, sons of the horse!” My-re called out in Rathiri, the Rirorni native language.
The Rirorni were dark-skinned, dark-haired, and dark-eyed. They were very similar to Delarquans she had met on the Isle of the Eye, but more Asiatic-looking.
“You elven lot are not bringing that dangerous beast into Rithakhar,” the lead Rirorni snorted wielding a scimitar.
“As you can see good horse master, he’s caged and heavily guarded. It poses no danger to the citizens of the Empire,” My-re replied in Rathiri.
“No danger? Slaughter the dragon out there and then you can enter and sell its parts,” the Rirorni answered.
“It’s not for slaughter. The mere dragon is to be sold, as-is,” My-re replied.
“Then elf, you’ve come this way just to turn around,” the Rirorni said then began to back up his pony.
Vomarian Fae asked quietly, “What were you saying? Are they letting us in?”
“No.”
“Do something fast,” Vomarian snapped.
“Our buyer will not be pleased,” My-re stammered in Rathiri.
The Rirorni stopped and asked, “Who’s your buyer?”
“They prefer to remain anonymous. However, it’s safe to say if they are paying the gold to purchase a mere dragon, they are rich and has substantial influence,” My-re said and then continued. “They would be most disappointed if we didn’t show and learned stopped outside of Rithakhar.”
“The buyer is who then?”
There were several heartbeats of silence between the two. Snorting at the non-response, the Rirorni then began to back up to leave.
“Araminth, her name is Araminth,” My-re called out.
He stopped at the name and sneered. The Rirorni then seemed to stare at her a little harder. “Wait. There’s something wrong. Remove your headdress.”
My-re hesitated.
“What’s he saying?” Vomarian asked.
“He wants me to remove my headdress,” My-re translated.
“That’s not a good idea.”
“Obviously.”
“Remove your headdress,” commanded the Rirorni in Rathiri.
Hearing the same words in the Rirorni native language, Vomarian Fae shook his head hard and said, “Make something up. Tell him you’re my wife and its customary for women-”
At Vomarian’s visual display of disagreement, the Rirorni slapped his scimitar on the Shagornan elf’s shoulder interrupting him. He then said calmly and forcefully, “Remove your headdress.”
Looking at Vomarian, he nodded at her to do it. My-re removed the silk veil revealing her face and lifted her headdress. There was static electricity on the cold, winter air and she could feel her short dark hair stand on end like a crazy person.
The surrounding Rirorni chuckled at her.
The lead Rirorni approached closer on his pony and studied her face.
The Shagornan elves tensed and started to size up the distance of the mounted Rirorni. My-re noticed Vomarian Fae test the reach of his weapon.
“I knew there was something wrong,” the Rirorni stated.
My-re started to plan the best way to dispatch-
Interrupting her train of thought, the Rirorni said, “You’re not a Shagornan elf. You’re ears aren’t pointed.”
Realizing he wasn’t recognizing her as My-re and banished from the Empire, she began to think quickly. She huffed and snapped, “I’m 1/32nd Shagornan elf! That’s racist and I am highly offended! I can trace my lineage all the way back to the elves of Alfhame! Just because my ears aren’t traditionally sharp doesn’t make me no less elven!”
The Rirorni backed up at her curt words.
“Now, you will escort us into Rithakhar. We will sell our mere dragon to our buyer, collect our bounty, and return to our ancestral home,” My-re commanded. She then rubbed her belly for effect, looked at Vomarian lovingly, and continued, “So, my husband and I can give birth to our first child.”
The lead Rirorni nodded in understanding. He quickly motioned for his men to fall in line to escort them.
“One more thing. Since I’m with child, I assume there won’t be a problem with keeping my headdress and veil on in Rithakhar, as it Shagornan elf custom for expecting mothers?” My-re snapped. “It is a sacred time for a woman carrying a new, fragile life and important to remain hidden from evil spirits and curses, so I won’t be removing it ever time a stranger asks.”
Nodding in understanding, the Rirorni formed up and rode in front of them at a slower pace, My-re boarded the wagon. Vomarian Fae came up to her and asked, “What did you say?”
“I shamed him, so he was more susceptible to my suggestions,” My-re said.
“What about your headdress and the possibility of someone recognizing you?”
“Easy, the Rirorni are highly superstitious. I just told them I was with child and it was customary to have your face and head covered to hide from evil,” My-re replied.
“Brilliant. Wait, what?! By who?”
My-re looked at Vomarian Fae and sighed, “My dear husband, I imagine he assumed by you of course.”
The Shagornan’s face went red with embarrassment as he stammered, “Me what?! Be we never-”
“That’s right my husband, it’s your baby.” My-re proclaimed, winked, and nodded in his understanding. “He thinks you knocked me up.”