Children of the Wildings Bonus Scene: Coltor and Torrin hear the 1 Million Gilding Demand
“Howdy, folks!”
The man’s voice boomed off the mountains and echoed across the valley, making Brin jump in his saddle.
“Holy hells!” Torrin exclaimed next to him. “What in all the hells –”
The voice was already continuing. “I’m pretty sure you all can hear me. I know this works, already tried it out on myself. Anyhow, you all did real good, providin’ my dragons with the victuals they needed and the monetary consideration I requested. Well, unfortunately, raisin’ dragons – and keepin’ ’em happy and under control – is a right expensive proposition. So I’m afraid I’m gonna have to ask you good folks for more help.”
“Up there,” Torrin said.
Brin looked at where his son-in-law and foreman was pointing, south towards the center of the Valley. Pretty much dead-center over it circled something that might have been a hawk or eagle – though, from this distance, an enormous one. The shape, with its long neck and tail, gave it away as a dragon.
“To keep my dragons well-fed an’ happy,” the voice went on, “I’m gonna need you good folks to open up your hearts, and your pockets and your bank accounts, and deliver the sum of one million gold gildings to the market field at the Gap before the first day of the cattle market. Otherwise, I’m afraid my dragons are gonna have to help themselves to as much of your cattle as they want. Maybe might even start a few fires, if they’re hungry and out of sorts enough. I know when Wildings folks pull together they can do mighty great things, so gatherin’ up a million gildings so my dragons don’t go hungry should pose no problem. Thank you kindly for listening, and we’ll be waiting for you at the market at the Gap.”
Brin let loose into a blistering string of Island curses. Of course something like this would happen, when they’d all caved like soggy bread to the first demand.
“How in all the hells is the dragon talking?” Torrin said.
“Ain’t the dragon, it’s their master. Damned if I know how he’s doing it, though. I’m going into town, gotta wire Vendine about this. You want to come with?”
“Sure. Wonder what he has to say about it?
“He said that boy of his, Blake, was following an outlaw’s trail down to that same part of the world and would take a look around, see if he could find out anything about the dragons. I sure hope he finds the bastard and does something about it.”
“Me too,” Torrin said, as they pushed their horses to a gallop, heading for town and the wire office.
* * *
“Howdy, folks!”
The man’s voice boomed off the mountains and echoed across the valley, making Brin jump in his saddle.
“Holy hells!” Torrin exclaimed next to him. “What in all the hells –”
The voice was already continuing. “I’m pretty sure you all can hear me. I know this works, already tried it out on myself. Anyhow, you all did real good, providin’ my dragons with the victuals they needed and the monetary consideration I requested. Well, unfortunately, raisin’ dragons – and keepin’ ’em happy and under control – is a right expensive proposition. So I’m afraid I’m gonna have to ask you good folks for more help.”
“Up there,” Torrin said.
Brin looked at where his son-in-law and foreman was pointing, south towards the center of the Valley. Pretty much dead-center over it circled something that might have been a hawk or eagle – though, from this distance, an enormous one. The shape, with its long neck and tail, gave it away as a dragon.
“To keep my dragons well-fed an’ happy,” the voice went on, “I’m gonna need you good folks to open up your hearts, and your pockets and your bank accounts, and deliver the sum of one million gold gildings to the market field at the Gap before the first day of the cattle market. Otherwise, I’m afraid my dragons are gonna have to help themselves to as much of your cattle as they want. Maybe might even start a few fires, if they’re hungry and out of sorts enough. I know when Wildings folks pull together they can do mighty great things, so gatherin’ up a million gildings so my dragons don’t go hungry should pose no problem. Thank you kindly for listening, and we’ll be waiting for you at the market at the Gap.”
Brin let loose into a blistering string of Island curses. Of course something like this would happen, when they’d all caved like soggy bread to the first demand.
“How in all the hells is the dragon talking?” Torrin said.
“Ain’t the dragon, it’s their master. Damned if I know how he’s doing it, though. I’m going into town, gotta wire Vendine about this. You want to come with?”
“Sure. Wonder what he has to say about it?
“He said that boy of his, Blake, was following an outlaw’s trail down to that same part of the world and would take a look around, see if he could find out anything about the dragons. I sure hope he finds the bastard and does something about it.”
“Me too,” Torrin said, as they pushed their horses to a gallop, heading for town and the wire office.
* * *
