Page 14 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

All of them went over to the railing to watch as the fog wall reached the bottom of the mountain that housed Reach.Valerius watched as the city was swallowed up and the lights seemingly extinguished. The wall drew closer and closer.It reminded him of boiling clouds.Caden drew closer to him as the first wisps of it touched their faces, kissing their skin with dampness.If Jahara was attacked, this cloud would have been a scalding mass which would have burned flesh from bones, cooking people where they stood in their own fat, and turning lungs to leather.But it was not.It was merely a parlor trick.

She thinks we cannot see her in this pea soup!Raziel muttered.The moment she gets close to our jaws...

She just wants to “appear” before us as if by magic,Valerius stated with mild exasperation.

The fog completely obscured the plaza now.The very top of High Reach was covered over as well.He could barely see Caden who was mere inches from him. But Valerius turned to look towards the center of the plaza, nonetheless certain Jahara was there.Caden clung to him, clearly discombobulated by the thick whiteness all around him.

Then the fog disappeared.

It did not lessen and drift away.No, it simply vanished.And ten feet from him was Queen Jahara and her retinue of matriarchs.She wore bold, bright colors that shimmered in the dusk light. A crimson skirt that flared wide at the knee down to her feet.A loincloth of pink over it.There was a slash of bare skin across her midriff showing a flat, muscled stomach.Her top was made of fine blue and gold material.Bracelets lined her forearms and others curled around her upper arms.A large gold choker encircled her neck and a single gold circlet was around her forehead.Jahara was beautiful, elegant and imposing. Even if she were dressed in rags, one would know she was a queen.She wore her nobility like armor.

While Jahara appeared to be a woman in her late twenties, the women who surrounded her were of all ages from one that looked no older than thirteen to others that were clearly grandmothers or great grandmothers.Many of their dark skinned faces reflected lives that had not been easy.

Many of these matriarchs had done back breaking labor for over half a century while others had been the heads of companies, lawyers and doctors. They were the wisest women from villages and cities all over Africa.In order for an idea to reach Jahara’s eyes and ears, it had to get past them. And they had advised her well so far.

Jahara’s green eyes fixed upon Caden.Her expression was as hard as diamonds for a moment.The suspicion that Mei had credited her was showing full on.But then it softened into something much closer to confusion.Caden, in a sweater too big for him with those large, innocent eyes, hardly looked the part of any villain.Not that looks couldn’t be deceiving but still.

For his part, Caden was staring at her with amazement and interest.Jahara blinked and quickly looked away from the young man as if he affected her in ways she had not expected.Her gaze landed on Valerius. He knew better than to expect a bow.Jahara bowed to no one.But she did incline her head as did her wise women in greeting.

“King Valerius, thank you for your hospitality,” Jahara intoned in her rich, low voice.

“You are most welcome, Queen Jahara.I am pleased to have you in my territory,” Valerius answered coolly.He was polite, but his displeasure hosting all of them was not lost.

Before she could respond, there was wild clapping and Kaila barrelled out of the group and dashed towards Jahara.There was a faint smile on Jahara’s face before it was obscured by Kaila engulfing the smaller woman in a hug then Kaila spun her around, much like what Valerius had done to Caden.

“Jahara!I’ve missed you! That was a wonderful trick to appear like that!”Kaila squealed in delight.

“Kaila!I am happy to see you as well.My heart sings, my sister. But please set me down,” Jahara said to the Turquoise Dragon with a self-conscious laugh.

Kaila gave her one more squeeze before setting Jahara on her feet again.“You must not be so formal, Jahara!You are here among friends!”

Jahara’s gaze swung to Mei.“Hmmmm, friends.”

Kaila clasped both of Jahara’s hands in hers, and just like with Mei, she tugged the other Dragon queen after her right over to Caden.Like a proud child showing another child her toy, Kaila gestured to Caden.

“This is Caden! His Spirit is Iolaire!He is the White Dragon King!”Kaila exclaimed.“And, Caden, this is Jahara!”

Chione was looking down studiously, her lips twitching suspiciously.Esme did not hide her amusement at all.Illarion stared up into the air, letting out sighs of boredom.Tez looked like a little boy looking for an opportunity to tug Jahara’s ponytails. If she had any.

Caden smiled sweetly and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Queen Jahara.”

He extended his hand and Jahara hesitantly took it in a loose grip.

“And you, King Caden,” she answered.

“Oh, I’m not--”

“Yes, Caden, you are,” Valerius reminded him softly.

Caden blinked.“Uhm, okay, sure.”

“You do not claim your title?”Jahara’s sculpted eyebrows.

“I…”

“You do not wish territory?”Jahara pressed.

“Well, uhm…”

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