Page 20 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

“You know, Dahab, if you didn’t seem so nice, I might think you were a stalker,” he teased her, although he was a little unnerved by everything she knew!

She lowered her head.“I am sorry.The Queen has told me not to investigate people who I shouldn’t.And if I do investigate them...not to tell.”

Caden laughed.“I think Queen Jahara might be right.Though…” He looked down at her.She was hardly five feet tall.“I’m impressed by all you know. You must be quite something with the net.”

She smiled up at him winsomely.“When I found out you had a sister near my age I had to know everything! She has kind eyes.”

“Oh? A fan of Tilly’s, are you? That shows wisdom!”Caden then colored.“You are one of Queen Jahara’s advisors so I guess you must already be wise.”

That smile grew. “Queen Jahara believes that one must listen to many voices to find the best and truest way forward.”

Caden considered this.“So that’s why she has you who are young and then some of those great-grandmothers too as her Matriarchs?”

She nodded.“Though I am not a true Matriarch as I am not the head of my family and being a greater age than my own thirteen years is needed to bear that title. But Queen Jahara says that the voice of youth is often overlooked.Our passion and sometimes black and white thinking are seen as naive in many eyes.But while there is some truth in that, youth can sometimes see things far more clearly than those who are jaded by experience.”

“And maybe a little beaten down by failure,” Caden added with a flattening of his lips.

“Yes! You are that voice for the Dragons, you realize?”she asked.

“Uhm, I’m definitely theyoungestby a long shot.”Caden nodded. He felt that trill of fear again even as Iolaire gazed at him lovingly. The weight of responsibility made him want to hide like he had been doing at Wally’s straightening werewolf hoodies and dusting Sphinx Shifter sculptures.

“The question is if you have something to say!”Dahab continued brightly, which had him dreading that responsibility even more.

“Oh, right,” he said faintly.

“We’re here!”

Dahab’s pronouncement was unnecessary as the doors were wide open to the suite where Jahara was staying.The central room had a large fire going and there were colorful pillows on the floor and more overflowing the sofas and chairs.The Matriarchs were seated everywhere, talking and laughing amongst each other.Jahara was not there however. When they caught sight of him and Dahab, there were universal gestures of welcome for them to come inside and join them.

Caden pasted a smile on his face as he felt a little overwhelmed with all those eyes upon him.While some were seemingly filled with bland disinterest, others mild intrigue and yet others with shrewd intent, he had a feeling that no matter what their outward level of interest indicated that they wereallwatching him carefully.Iolaire’s wings were twitching and it was making soft chirrups.

Yeah, I feel nervous, too, buddy.

A woman in middle age gestured for Caden to take a seat on a loveseat that was opposite where all of the women were sitting.He would be front and center.Caden thought about saying he’d rather stand or pretending to be Valerius and imperiously asking to speak to Jahara instantly.But he found himself sitting down with an embarrassing amount of alacrity while Dahab sat on the arm of a nearby chair. His quickness in obeying did not go unnoticed.

“He’s a polite boy,” A Matriarch with a gray stripe in her braided hair remarked.She was sewing together two bright pieces of cloth.

“And a pretty one!”Another Matriarch gave out a big belly laugh.

A Matriarch with half-moon glasses that gave off a blue-white light that accompanied phones and tablets--they must have been linked to the net--gave him a sharp look.“But has his beauty stopped him from developing his mind and his heart?”

“Aye, the pretty ones get by on those looks alone.”A Matriarch in her twenties with smooth and straight long locks tilted her head to the side.She was a beauty herself and used kohl to make her eyes appear catlike.

“I’m not that pretty!”Caden blurted out.

That had a waterfall of female laughter--though not unkind--filled the air.

“Don’t be mean!”Dahab defended him.“Caden is kind and brave!Not just pretty!”

There were murmurs of agreement, which had Caden feeling very grateful to Dahab.

One of the oldest Matriarchs in the room, her hair in short white curls, and her nutbrown face so creased with wrinkles that her eyes were nearly hidden by them said, “Kindness and bravery are always valuable, but can be crushed by experience and cruelty.”

There were more nods and murmurs of agreement. Caden, himself, knew that was true, but he wanted to hang onto both those things as long as possible.He thought they served him well and were different from what the other Dragons had to offer.Without intending to and without even realizing he was doing it, he said that outloud.

The oldest Matriarch smiled so broadly that her face became one huge wrinkle, but it was a kind face.“That is very true! And one may argue that balance above all things is necessary among the Dragons.”

Caden leaned forward, elbows on his knees, curious what these women thought about the dragons.“Do you think the Dragons need balance?”

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