The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume II

Exiled and denied the right to nurse my lawful husband through this terrible trauma?”
     
    “No, we will not deny you the right to nurse your husband, Myrilandel,” Katie announced. Her little chin came up in a proud gesture her husband was coming to dread.
    “She has to be exiled,” Konnaught shouted across the courtyard. A guard stood behind him, carrying a small satchel. “If you are throwing me out of Coronnan, then you must do the same to her!”
    Quinnault had forgotten that the boy would sail into exile as soon as the tide changed.
    A nasty smile split Konnaught’s pudgy face. “She’s a witch, and we don’t allow witches in Coronnan. The Council will depose you and that foreign hussy you married, if you let your sister stay. Then they’ll bring me back as their king.”
    “Be careful how you address your queen, boy. You no longer have a title or lands. Within the hour you will be a penniless peasant on your way to the Monastic School in Sollthrie. I signed the order last night,” Quinnault said slowly and evenly so there could be no mistake in his threat.
    Konnaught didn’t slink off. He stood straight and defiant, Lord Hanic and two other lords directly behind him. Quinnault met their eyes, girding himself to show no emotion.
    Quinnault sighed. Too many of the lords preferred Konnaught’s philosophy that titles and land granted privileges and the right of exploitation. Responsibility for the land and people who lived upon the land was a sometime thing with them rather than a way of life. If Quinnault was going to hold sway over those lords, he had to obey his own laws. His entire reign, the benign government he’d fought so hard for, all depended upon law.
    He turned back to his wife and sister, hoping to find a compromise. “Katie, Myrilandel, the people of Coronnan have made a law against solitary magicians. For the good of all we have to control magic. Only the Commune can do that. Myri can’t gather dragon magic and join the Commune.”
    “What good is a law without compassion!” Katie stamped her foot and shouted at him. “There is no justice in exiling her after she saved the kingdom from invasion.” Her eyes blazed and bright color tinged her cheeks. Her absurdly short curls bounced about her ears. She had never looked more beautiful.
    Quinnault was tempted to kiss her. That would solve nothing but his own need to hold her close and ease his instant passion. He still had a Council of Lords who could override any decision he made with a two-thirds majority vote. That was a law he had requested. The kings of Coronnan couldn’t be dictators.
    “Compassion and justice are concepts that have been missing from Coronnan for three generations. The people will have a hard time understanding why their king breaks the law for such vague ideas,” he said, sighing.
    “Then isn’t it about time they were exposed to such ‘vague’ ideas?” A smile tugged at the corners of Katie’s mouth. The humor that was never very far from the surface threatened to break through. “All of you recognize the ‘vague’ idea of diplomatic immunity.”
    The lords and magicians nodded.
    “If SeLenicca sent a magician as ambassador, his diplomatic immunity would exempt him from the law. You’d have to let him stay or risk war.”
    “Granted, Katie. But Myrilandel isn’t the ambassador from one of our neighbors,” Quinnault replied. He tried to keep his voice firm. He nearly lost that battle facing the humor that glowed from Katie’s face.
    “She is the ambassador from the dragons! She is the one they selected to develop the Covenant. Without her, you have no Covenant, no dragons, no communal magic. She is the cornerstone of that treaty . That makes her an ambassador and exempt from your laws.” She smiled triumphantly.
    Quinnault nearly danced her around the courtyard in glee. “Ambassador Myrilandel of Shayla’s Nimbus, prepare to present your credentials.”
    “What credentials?” She cocked her head puzzled.
    “Oh, we’ll think of something later.” He bent down and hugged her tight. “Welcome, sister. Welcome home.”
    “Someone take this poor man to a comfortable bed and get the healers to look at him,” Katie ordered, pointing to Nimbulan who shuddered and trembled on the ground. “And find a good hot meal for both of them. I can’t believe no one thought of this before,” she finished, shaking her head.
    “Thank you, Your Grace.” Myri dipped a slight curtsy toward Katie.