20
With the virkin feeling more energetic, Keera insisted that Malea use the saddlebag they’d been sleeping in for the gemstones. She even helped put them inside, making sure the delicate ones were tucked into folds of the soft shirt the virkin had been using as bedding.
Meanwhile, Kurt had been sent outside by the dragons to get another bag and wrappings for the obsidian.
Arch flew over to where the dragons had withdrawn a few yards farther back into the cave, and it sure looked like they were having an intense, silent conversation among themselves.
Malea assumed Arch was filling them in on his view of the battle they’d all just fought and solidifying their new friendship a little more.
Keera probably should have done the same, but she was too entranced by the gems. She always loved it when Malea took a rough crystal and cut and polished it into a sparkling jewel.
“I can cut and polish some of these for you, Keera, if you like,” Malea offered. “I’m sure Master Goldman wouldn’t mind. There are enough here to satisfy him with quite a bit leftover. I might even convince him to make you a golden breastplate that I could set with these gems. Would you like that?”
Keera stopped her self-appointed work loading the saddlebag and blinked up at Malea. “Could you really do that? Make something just for me?”
“Of course, my heart. It would be my honor to create something beautiful for you. You are my dearest friend, after all, and I think you deserve a sparkly reward for all your hard work helping me and Kurt on this mission. We both know we couldn’t have done it without you and Arch.
Speaking of whom, do you think he’d like something special?
Kurt and I talked about it a bit while you were sleeping, and he thought maybe he could make something with the obsidian since it’s not sharp enough to harm either of you, but it would be quite dangerous to anyone else.
Well, except for a dragon, of course. Kurt thought about commissioning a breastplate and inlaying it with obsidian. Do you think Arch would like that?”
“Sparkles for me, blades for Arch?” Keera seemed to consider.
“Both would be set in metal, though we do have to consider the weight. I wouldn’t want it to be too heavy to be comfortable for you.
Maybe they would be worn for ceremonial occasions?
I’m not sure what else you might like. Really, I’d be happy to do whatever you want.
I just want to find a tangible way to thank you,” Malea insisted.
“Oh, I like that! We could wear them to pay our respects to the King and Queen. That would make the whole thing special,” Keera said with enthusiasm.
“All right, then. I’ll start work on it when we get home. You just pick out the colors and shapes you want, and I’ll do my best to make it how you want it.”
“I only want three little stones, set in a triangle. One of the green ones next to one of the blue ones, topped by a diamond from the ashes of the mine,” Keera said, returning to her work loading the saddlebag.
“Oh, Keera, I don’t know if we can get any of those diamonds,” Malea said softly, hating that she would have to disappoint her friend.
“Don’t worry. They’ll probably be waiting for you when we get back.
Sammy’s army is bringing back a few wagons of broken diamond crystals for the King’s coffers and some of that will be going to each of us as payment for our work for the crown.
You and your gem cutter colleagues are going to be busy cutting and polishing diamonds for a good long while. ”
Malea knew the virkin all seemed to call General Samnir Brighton by the nickname Sammy .
He was the reason so many had relocated to Valdis in the first place.
He’d come from Elderland where he’d been friends with many virkin, and when he settled in Valdis, they’d surprised him by relocating as well.
Malea really didn’t know how to take the news that, just for doing this job for the crown, they were all going to be receiving diamonds.
As a gem cutter, she knew the value of diamond rough, even if the others didn’t quite understand that they were all going to be wealthy after this.
Even just one rough crystal of decent quality was worth more than most people made off a year of work to the right buyer.
And Malea had access to the right buyers from all over the world through her guild and Master Goldman’s resources.
If the others wanted to sell or barter any of their diamonds, she could help them get the best value.
There were Kings and noble courts all over that valued diamonds and other gemstones and were willing to pay handsomely for them.
In fact, Valdis was known for its mines and production of high-quality stones of many colors, which was why the gem cutters guild had such a strong presence here.
Several times each year, buyers from all over came to Valdis to shop for stones for use in their lands, both traders and buyers from royal or noble houses looking for something special.
Malea idly wondered how the influx of high-quality diamonds was going to affect trade, but she realized her guild would set limits in order to prevent flooding the market too badly.
That was one of the reasons the guilds existed.
They helped keep craft work valuable for their members and set standards for quality.
It was one of their core missions, and the Masters at the top of the power structure would be sure to regulate the flow of the mage-diamonds to protect their constituents and their livelihoods.
While Malea’s mind spun, she continued to pack the gemstones into the saddlebag with Keera’s help. It was Kurt who caught her attention and drew her back to the present. He’d filled two bags with obsidian and hefted one on each shoulder as he came over to her.
“I feel a little strange about this,” he admitted softly, gesturing to the bags he was holding.
“I know what you mean,” Malea agreed, standing from her crouching position as the saddlebag was stuffed so full it could not hold one more crystal.
“Oh, please don’t,” Meerandalath said, turning to look at them as she moved back toward them. “We wanted to reward you to show you how much we appreciated your help.”
Malea bowed her head. “I understand, milady, but this seems too much. Just a few of these stones would have been more than enough. I feel guilty taking so many.”
The dragon scoffed gently. “They’re just rocks and pebbles.
Pretty ones, I’ll grant you, but they are all over our caves, and this little pile doesn’t seem like a lot to me.
Please take them and use them as you see fit.
Share them with the others who helped. By your deeds you have gained our trust, and I believe you will do your best with these little crystals to not only make your own lives more comfortable, but to do so for any dragons you may know or meet along your path. ”
That did make Malea feel a little better as she realized the small crystals were probably truly tiny to a dragon of Meerandalath’s size.
There were large crystals all around the cave that seemed more in proportion with the ice dragons.
The small pile of rough stones was small when compared to a dragon.
But to a human, each little speck of crystal was something special.
Malea shrugged and accepted her fate, as it were.
“Thank you, milady, for your generosity. I promise to do my best on all counts,” she replied solemnly.
“Then I am content,” Meerandalath replied, bowing her head as Malea did the same.
“There’s just one more thing I’d like to give you, and this is especially for you, Malea.
I understand young journeymen are always on the lookout for something they can turn into their Master piece, by which to prove themselves to the other Masters in their guild. Am I correct?”
“Yes, milady, that is true. But as this is only my first journeyman trial, I did not expect to find a special enough gemstone on this trip. Sometimes, it takes years. Sometimes, it doesn’t happen at all,” Malea told the dragoness.
“Good. Then I have something just for you that may ease your search. It is not given lightly, but for what you have done and for proving yourself a friend to all dragons, I want you to have this.”
The dragon squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then raised her foreleg, holding her hand with its giant talons open, as what looked like a tear slid down the side of her face to land in her palm.
Only it was solid as it landed in the dragon’s hand.
Solid and shiny, sparkling with pale blue light that made Malea catch her breath.
Malea had heard of such things. There were legends about dragon’s tears and how they were the most precious gems in the world. She hadn’t really believed the tales, but what she had just witnessed brought home how wrong she’d been.
The dragon held out her hand toward Malea. “This is for you. I hope it earns you your Master’s rank.”
“Sweet Mother of All…” Malea breathed, stepping closer to the dragon’s outstretched hand, wary of the razor-sharp talons tipping each finger.
“Go ahead. Take it,” Meerandalath urged with good humor. Malea looked up to meet her sparkling gaze.
“It’s too much, milady.” Her voice was a soft whisper filled with the awe she was feeling.
“No, it’s not. You helped make the skies safe again.
And besides that, I’ve decided I like you, Malea.
I’d love to see what kind of design you come up with to show off this tear to its greatest brilliance.
Maybe you’ll come back someday and show me.
Or, maybe… I’ll fly down to your city and pay you a visit. ”
“Oh! You would be most welcome, milady. Most welcome! And, for the record, I think you’re great,” Malea babbled, allowing some of the admiration she’d felt since first meeting the ice dragon to show, though not very eloquently.