Page 30 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
If Valerius hadn’t been in Dragon form Caden would have seen him blush, which was something he never did.He had seen theLord of the Ringsmovies, of course, including some of the animated movies from the 1970s. And he’d read all of the books.Many times.His favorites wasThe Fellowship of the Ringfollowed byThe Hobbit.When Chione had found him, he’d had dozens of dog-eared copies of the books and maybe--just maybe--it had inspired him to act.But he had a complicated relationship with these stories.
He had found the elves unutterably stupid in many ways, because of their decision to fade away, to not fight to stay in their territory. Why cede what they loved to humans?It was absurd! He would never fade away and go into the west.This territory washis.The whole world was his and not the humans or the Behemoth would take it from him!
Then there was, of course, that idiot Dragon, Smaug, who managed to get itself killed because of a missing armor piece.Ridiculous!Dragon hide was solid all over. Clearly, the author had never known any real Dragons.But, he supposed, Tolkien had to give the humans and elves a fighting chance against the great wyrm.
When he and the other Dragon Shifters had taken to the skies, humanity’s incipient war on Shifters had died.When they saw that none of their missiles had any effect, nor their lasers, nor their machine guns, nor their tanks nor anything at all, they had realized that surrendering was the better part of valor.
They had demonstrated what theycouldhave done to the cities, but none of them were going to slaughter humans.Illarion had wanted to, of course.Mei thought that they should make examples of people.Jahara and Tez had no love for those that had dissected their people.Anwar was ready to make some of the city center into deserts.Even Kaila had an angry glint in her eye.It had been him and Esme that had convinced the others that they needed to begin as they meant to go on.If they began with death, it would be almost impossible to convince humanity it wouldn’t end with death.
In a way, the war between humans and Shifters ended the exact opposite way that theLord of the Ringshad.Humans had been beaten back, subdued, shown that they alone didn’t rule everything, and Shifters got to stay in the lands they loved and be out in the open.
And, therefore, before Reach, before really anything else, he had created this place.Because one of his favorite parts of the books was Rivendell.He had loved the look of it in the films, too, and when he’d raised the Gray Mountains, he decided… well, that he’d create it for himself alone, as a reminder that the Shifters belonged here.That was one thing about being out to humanity.He could shape the world the way he wanted.In little bits anyways.
You’ve recreated the Last Homely House East of the Sea.I think that’s the full title!Caden chuckled.
Valerius would have blushed more but for the scales, even as something inside him twisted a little bit. Caden thought him quite unromantic in a lot of ways.He’d had to be, because of what the world had shown him: an ugly, dirty face that was lit with a sneer many times.This place seemed full of hope and utterly impractical.
I might have enjoyed the Lord of the Rings,Valerius said stiffly,but I don’t think--
What do you call this place?Caden challenged.
Shouldn’t you be thinking about how you’re going to land?
Valerius knew that was a low blow, but it would stop the questioning. Because, of course, while he didn’t call it Rivendell, what he did call it would give away the whole thing.
Oh, you’re so not getting out of this that easy!Caden was not to be deterred even with the thought of landing.No more fear of falling onto his head out of the sky.I’ll just drop down directly into the flower garden--
No, you will not! There are delicate bridges there!Not to mention the flora that I have painstakingly planted!Valerius cried as he imagined all the flowers dug up and a bridge snapping under Iolaire’s weight.
Caden’s laughter made him think of the young man rolling around on the ground; he was so amused.Worried about the flowers?Did you plant all of this?
I directed it to be planted, but I did some of the work myself,Valerius admitted. I do not have a green thumb.And when Raziel would get bored, it would breathe fire too near the plants.So...
Raziel, you dog!
I am a Dragon.Not a dog,Raziel rumbled.Why we ruined good mountains with this structure, I do not understand.
Iolaire loves it,Caden said.
Raziel appeared discomfited.Iolaire would prefer my cave!
Your lair, you mean!Caden sounded utterly amused and unrepentant.Iolaire would like to be wherever you are.So that’s that.
Valerius rather felt the same way about Caden.But this place had meant--did mean--something to him. He wanted everything perfect here so he’d shown the movie with the scene of Rivendell a million times and the gardeners had helped him recreate it.They didn’t laugh at him though.Only Caden, and maybe Chione and Esme on a very good day, could do that. The gardeners had worked incredibly hard, still did, to keep this place a paradise.
You really care about this place,Caden said thoughtfully.
Valerius led them to a huge slab of bedrock that allowed for easy landings about half a mile from the house.The ground barely shook as both of them landed lightly and shifted into their human forms. Almost immediately though, Caden was making a hacking sound and picking out something between his teeth.
“Oh, gross,wool!I’ve got wool between my teeth!How is that possible?”Caden gagged.
Valerius gently thumped his back.Caden had his hands on his thighs and was leaning over.
“No more sheep.Not for a long time,” Caden said through dry heaves.
Sheep are good!Iolaire enjoyed the plump one that I especially gave it,Raziel said as it shook its head.
Iolaire was already bedding down in their lair, obviously sated and needing to digest said plump sheep. Caden was still hacking.Valerius repressed a laugh.
