Remy

  Remy sat alone in his new home. Renan and Basil had stopped by for a moment. They informed him that while Lou was still scared, Harper's family seemed to be taking good care of him. Remy was grateful to the dragons for that.

  More than just grateful. Did I misjudge Harper? I always thought he was too stubborn... Stubborn and rude. A little too carefree. Very childish for his age. He's still a young dragon, but... But now he saw another side of the young dragon. Harper was determined to take care of Lou. To protect Lou. And with iron patience. He's not too childish, he's too grown-up! Smiling, Remy looked out of one of the many pretty windows. Outside, children pyed with wooden spinning tops. Their ughter echoed through his lonely home.

  It was unusually quiet in the small vil he had bought. He missed his sister's, and parents’ nagging, his brother's pointed comments. At the same time, he felt unusually calm and free.

  He was drinking tea and eating some bread, fruit, and cream cheese when there was a knock at the door. Lazily, Remy stood up, smoothed out his sand-colored clothes, and opened the door. "Yes?"

  "Oh!" A servant of the temple stood before him. The young man was dressed all in white. Simir to the priests and priestesses. "Venerable Wizard!" He bowed deeply. "The Sages want your presence."

  Venerable Wizard. Remy smiled. He didn't like this form of address, which was reserved only for those who had made a covenant with dragons. "Well?"

  "Yes, Venerable Wizard. It's about the boy's whereabouts." The servant gnced past Remy into his new house. "I was looking for you at your parents' house..."

  "I recently moved."

  The servant wrinkled his forehead. "I didn't hear about a wedding? May I congratute you? Who is the bride?" Silly... But Remy couldn't compin about that question. It was tradition. But he had broken with it. He didn't like it.

  "My brother got married, not me." Remy had expected this reaction. As silly as he thought it was. Silly and old-fashioned. His neighbors had also greeted him with these words. And when he said no, they assumed that he was engaged and would soon bring a young dy into the house. He couldn't bme them. After all, it was outrageous to leave your parents' home while you were still unmarried. And the servant also came to this conclusion.

  "Then you're engaged? Congratutions." The servant chuckled. "But so suddenly... Is the young dy in joyful anticipation? Does everything still need to be arranged?"

  Remy raised his eyebrows. The servant immediately shook his head. "Pardon me, Venerable Wizard. I'm just curious. It's none of my business. Nevertheless, congratutions on the engagement!"

  "Thank you." Remy refrained from correcting the servant. Besides, Remy was definitely pnning to bring someone into his house. Not a bride, though. There is still plenty of time for that. I'll take care of that in a few years. Remy was in no hurry with this topic. After all, he would live a very long time. Maybe forever. If a dragon doesn't devour me first. He smirked.

  "Venerable Wizard? The Wise! They... Wish to see you now!", the servant reminded him now. As he did so, he peered into the mansion once more, as if he expected to see someone there.

  "Good. Go ahead. I'm following!" Remy told the servant and closed the front door. Together they walked along the beautiful streets to the temple. This one stood out magnificently behind the old vils. It smelled of the flowers that grew in the gardens of the temple.

  "I heard that your dragon took the cursed one away. Is that true?", the young man asked. He had a round face and tiny eyes.

  "At least that's what rumors say. I've heard about it, but I don't think it's true", Remy replied. "What's the mood like? Among the Wise?"

  "Tense."

  "Ah." Presumably, the elders assumed that Remy had instructed Narcisse to take Lou away. He had to convince them otherwise. The servant took his leave in front of the residence of the Wise Men to pursue his other duties. Remy looked after him for a moment. Then he entered the pompous building. He walked along a vishly decorated corridor until he was back in the round hall where the Wise Men awaited him.

  They looked young, between 25 and 30, but they were all very old. Relics. Silly, superstitious, malevolent relics! But Remy's humble smile didn't show his thoughts.

  Mitko cleared his throat and pointed to the center of the room. The old people sat in a circle again, on magnificent chairs. Remy stood in their midst, as instructed, and bowed. "You called for me?"

  "Remy. My boy!" Mitko greeted him. The eldest of the Wise smiled fatherly. "You've caused us trouble again. Didn’t you?"

  The other Wise Men nodded. Their faces seemed less friendly. Three men to Remy's right whispered softly. Three brothers. They looked very much alike. Asen, Fidan and Cosimo. They all had dark red hair and heavily tanned, almost leathery-looking skin.

  "Did I?", asked Remy. He smiled mildly. "I don't know when."

  Mitko smirked. "I expected this answer. Right, brothers?" The Wise Men addressed each other as brothers. Another old tradition. The others nodded with serious faces. "Your dragon Narcisse has taken the cursed one away. There were eyewitnesses. Do you have anything to do with it? My boy?"

  Remy shook his head. He stroked his hair zily. "No. Certainly not."

  The Wise Men, as expected, did not believe him. They murmured, and some shook their heads until Mitko asked for silence. "Didn't you take him to your parents' house?"

  "Who?" Remy suppressed a grin. "Narcisse? Or Lou?"

  Mitko narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

  Remy nodded, amused. "Good, good. I brought Lou to my parents' house, yes. He was almost devoured by a bck dragon. His house was destroyed. I couldn't let him stay in the rubble. So I got him to safety. Then I went to get his sister, Louise. She missed her brother and was worried about him. We pnned to wait for the verdict of the Wise and hand him over, but... I have nothing to do with the doings of my dragon. If it was him."

  "Wasn’t he ?" Mitko grimaced. "We questioned the girl. She told us simir things. Your statements fit together. She spoke of a dragon with dark hair. Hair, like Narcisse's. Nevertheless. Why would your dragon take the cursed one with him if not because you wanted him to?"

  "Do you think I'm stupid?", provoked Remy. He crossed his arms and shook his head. "Why would I send a human without magic to the dragons? The boy is almost blind. He could tumble down the cliffs or end up as dragon food. Is it certain that it was Narcisse? I know from Renan and Basil that they didn't see Lou with him. Maybe it was another dragon? Narcisse isn't the only one with long, dark hair in human form!"

  "Eyewitnesses said they saw Narcisse. They were sure!", countered Mitko. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Louise was just talking about a dragon with bck hair. But that fits with what your neighbors say."

  "Of course, it fits." Remy nodded. "I'll tell you again! It's not just Narcisse who has bck hair in human form. Dragons fly fast. How would my parents' neighbors have recognized him? Surely they saw the dragon only fleetingly."

  "Hm." Mitko looked at his brothers. They all nodded. Then Cosimo spoke up.

  "Maybe the dragon was hungry? In that case, our problem would be solved, wouldn't it?"

  "If only it were that easy!" Mitko sighed. "The boy is a test. The gods test us. Us and his family. Our city! If we’re lucky, the gods will not hold his death against us. But if they do? The gods refuse to give us clear instructions for the trial. We may have to endure his existence. The priests are to consult the gods again. Maybe they'll finally get the answer we're longing for. To let the boy die, or live."

  Grumbling, Remy swallowed his anger. He was silent, though he would have preferred to scream.

  "We should have the boy searched!", added Asen. "Of course, also in the cave of Narcisse's parents. We need to verify the statements." After Mitko, the three brothers were the oldest in the group. Sometimes they spoke up. While this was unusual, it was tolerated as they were only a few years younger than Mitko. Remy wanted to roll his eyes.

  "We're going to search in all the caves. First of all, with all dragons that have dark hair in human form. Then we'll know for sure!", added Fidan. The other Wise Men nodded until Mitko cpped his hands loudly.

  "That's it. Thank you for your honesty, Remy!" Mitko's words sounded like a threat. But what could they do if they were to expose the lie? Nothing. I will take your pce. Maybe not now, but in the future. Now Lou is a priority. You won't get him. Remy bowed.

  Everything went as expected and according to pn.