Page 3 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

Why is there laughter in your voice?Valerius asked suspiciously.

Oh, no reason!But Caden’s thoughts betrayed a memory of Raziel’s butt up in the air, tail wagging, as it played hide and seek with Iolaire.No reason at all.

Best not be, Valerius snorted.

Rose! Marban! I don’t see Mom though,Caden told him as Rose and Marban pushed their way through the growing crowd to the circle of space that had naturally formed around them.

Unlike when Iolaire was only present, no one eagerly pressed forward with Raziel there.They all kept a respectful distance.Only Marban walked beyond the line of the crowd with Rose tentatively following after him.Her eyes were fixed on Raziel’s jaws, leary of fire, evidently.

Raziel and Iolaire had broken apart and were both watching the newcomers approach. Iolaire leaned down and greeted Rose with an affectionate nuzzle.Marban gave Iolaire a pat on the snout, a small smile appearing on the Swarm Shifter’s face. Even Marban was not so completely jaded that Iolaire did not affect him in some way.

Your mother and the other members of the Faith have been removed from the Below by the Claw,Valerius explained.She must not be treated differently in front of others.

Right, yeah, of course.Caden longed for his mother, but it was clear he was relieved that Rose and even Marban were all right.So what should we do now? Just seeing us isn’t enough.

No, it is not.Valerius sighed.I have to give a speech.

The Swarm Shifter soon turned his attention fully to Valerius, evidently knowing too that a speech was coming or needed. The old man had become his Councilor as much as Chione had.He would have thought it absurd not that long ago, but here it was.

The Black Dragon King shifted into his human form.His gaze swept from the reporters to the common folk.There were people who had stains of blood from the bomber on their skin and clothes.There were people whose eyes were shadowed, whose lips trembled, who kept those they loved closer to them than before. He said nothing as he looked upon them, meeting their gazes evenly and calmly.Though no one called for quiet, the crowd hushed all on its own, even the reporters.

“As you know, I am not one for speeches,” Valerius said, his voice lifting up into the quiet.

There were some who gave him faint smiles in return, acknowledging this weakness of his.But most looked hungry to hear him talk.To tell them something comforting.To give them strength and purpose and a way to counteract this chaos.

“I wish there were words out there or in here.”He touched his chest.“That would ease your fears and the fears of those who are doing these terrible things.For, mark me, these peopleareafraid as they strap bombs to their chests or leave them in public squares or set them off at meetings. Fear is a constant.It is how we deal with it that counts.”

Iolaire gazed down at him and nodded.It understood. It had heard Cary and Jennifer’s words.And behind all of what they said was a sort of terror of the bad things thatcouldhappen so they were making their own bad things happen to somehow counteract that. Valerius looked at Marban.

“Fear is in many hearts because things are changing,” Valerius said.“Some changes are long overdue.”Marban lowered his head even as he nodded. Valerius looked at Rose.“New voices are being raised.New perspectives are being heard.”

Rose flushed and leaned against Iolaire’s shoulder.

“A new Dragon, aninthDragon, has joined us.”He smiled up at Iolaire.The White Dragon let out a billow of snow that came down in icy, glittering fakes. “These are good changes.”

There were murmurs all around from the people gathered there.The reporters were frantically taking notes of the speech so they could give their takes or ask him questions afterwards. He wondered what they would all think about what he was going to say next.

“But change--evengoodchange--is frightening,” Valerius stated simply.“While it has been 30-years since Shifters were revealed to exist, the truth is that we are still changing because of it.”

He saw nods.There were flashes as pictures were taken of him and Iolaire at that moment.He wondered how it would look to those who would see them later or who were watching now.Iolaire gazing down at him with love.Rose appeared pensive but showed no fear at being cuddled by a Dragon.Marban with his hands pressed together as if in prayer, his expression stoic and serious, giving his full attention to Valerius.

“For as many good changes as there have been, there have also been bad ones, too, in some people’s views,” Valerius acknowledged. “Some have felt left behind by these changes.Some feel their futures have been proscribed or even eliminated by them.Anger, rage really, flows through some veins because of this and they want a different change. Perhaps for all the changes that have been wrought to be undone and things to go back as they were.”

There were lowered heads and some clenched fists. That rage was here even now in those that weren’t planting bombs.Not yet anyways.

“And there are those who see that anger and feed it.They believe that this anger will lead to a terrible place and they must stop it at all costs,” Valerius stated, which had confusion rippling through the crowd.

He knew they had thought he was implicating Humans First and their ilk in the bombing, but now it appeared he wasn’t.

“The truth is that what was begun 30-years ago, is still ongoing.And people are fighting on many sides, trying to get their voices heard, and attempting to make the changes they want to happen.”Valerius drew in a deep breath.“There is nothing wrong with that.”

People were blinking.Even though he had allowed dissent all during his reign, the truth was that some people didn’t quite believe he liked it.Sometimes he didn’t.Many times he didn’t.

He put a hand on Marban’s shoulder.“Marban and I have not seen eye to eye on many things.”

Marban gave him a crooked smile.“I’m just here to speak for the common men and women, King Valerius.I am not nobility like you. Our perspectives are bound to be different.”

“Perhaps, though Marban is being… humble.”Valerius returned that crooked smile.“We all know how intelligent he is and how he has served his people well. That is why he is bringing about a Shifter and human council that will be formed in the coming months to address the changes people want and those which might need to be made for a fairer, just society.”

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