Chapter 1 #2
Alric’s smile froze and twitched. Did this man not know he was a mage? How…How was that even possible?
Or was he pretending to be only human, as Alric himself was doing?
This would take more than a few minutes to figure out.
And it did put a wrinkle in his first plan.
He’d hoped to simply find a private setting to reveal himself as a dragon and then take the conversation from there.
That option was clearly out. To buy himself a moment to think, he offered a hand. “I’m Alric Burkhard.”
The mage accepted the handshake with a firm one of his own. “Cameron Park, nice to meet you.”
“You’re here on holiday, I take it?”
“Yeah. I heard someone say one of the larger Dragon Festivals in Europe was here for some reason, so I decided to come and check it out.” Cameron looked about and shook his head in bemusement.
“It’s been more than I bargained for. They weren’t kidding, this is quite the party.
Why here, though, I don’t understand. Sonthofen’s not really that big.
I figured Munich or even Berlin’s would be bigger. ”
“It’s more the location.” Alric experienced a sinking feeling in his stomach.
This young man was not aware at all of the significance of who he was—or who he spoke to.
Alric needed to handle this carefully. He couldn’t lose his chance to win Cameron over by scaring him off.
He absolutely must bring him into the clan somehow.
Flying by the seat of his pants, he turned and indicated the Allg?uer Hochalpen mountains nearby.
“In the mountains is Schloss Burkhard. Traditionally, the castle was believed to be the home of the Fire Dragon Clan.”
Cameron’s mouth formed an O in understanding.
“Burkhard? Like your family name.” Alric only smiled in return.
Better to simply evade this question than try to convince him he was a dragon.
Cameron winked as if he was in on the joke, and Alric studiously ignored the stab of guilt that came from purposefully not correcting Cameron.
The omission felt like a lie. “Gotcha. That makes more sense. But why not hold the festival up there?”
“It’s not open to the public. They choose to hold it here, nearby.”
“Huh. That’s interesting; no one mentioned that part.”
Alric extended a hand toward the festival. “Please, allow me to give you a proper tour of the area. I know it and its history well.”
Cameron’s interest visibly perked. “Oh, you’re a native here?”
“I am. I live in Burkhard Castle, in fact. I’m happy to play tour guide as an apology for Ravi.
” Alric held his breath, fervently hoping his lure would work.
If he could get Cameron to walk with him of his own accord, so much the better.
He needed to spend time with this man if he was to foster a better connection with him.
And he didn’t have much time if Cameron was simply passing through.
Cameron didn’t even hesitate. “Sure, I’d love to take you up on that. Frankly, it’s always so much better to get a native to show you around rather than a tour guide. You get to see the really cool out of the way stuff the professional tours never hit.”
Alric dared to breathe out. “I feel the same. Are you aware the city is very old?”
“No, really?”
“Indeed. Sonthofen was already inhabited during the Stone Age. It was settled by Germanic Alemans who first built at the foot of the Kalvarienberg—” Alric continued on, gently leading him through the crowd to the outside of the city center, partially so he could be heard without raising his voice.
It was quite noisy in the middle of the festival throng.
He tried not to ramble too much about the history.
A hard thing to do, as he was quite keen on history himself.
But that wasn’t the point of this. The point was to earn enough of Cameron’s trust so the mage could openly admit who he was. What he was.
Why did he hide it? Surely the name Burkhard meant something to him.
The Fire Clan had been known to all the mages before the war.
Cameron should have realized instantly that he was safe with Alric because he was a Burkhard.
It didn’t make any sense to Alric. The dragons were very eager to find mages. Wasn’t the reverse true as well?
Then again, considering how the Dragon War ended, perhaps not.
He weaved in many a story of mages and dragons as they walked, watching Cameron’s expression keenly. Aside from interest, and curiosity, there was no other emotion, as if this didn’t connect to Cameron himself on a personal level. Alric wasn’t sure what to make of this, but it boded ill.
They came within eyesight of the ruins of the Burgruine Fluhenstein.
It sat further up on the mountain slope, the walls still standing although the roof had given out ages ago.
It looked blocky and imposing from one angle, but sad as well; a relic of a time gone by.
Alric gestured up toward it. “A castle once stood there, although as you can see it’s completely in ruins now.
It stood somewhere around 1360. The fire dragons lived there first, when they came to this area.
They moved out only when a fire damaged most of the structure, deeming it impossible to repair. ”
Cameron regarded him with a quizzical air. “The dragons are very real to you, huh.”
That wasn’t at all the reaction Alric was going for. He faced Cameron squarely, trying to read the man past his pleasant expression. “Do you not think of them as real?”
“I suppose they were. But I think of them in the same sense as dinosaurs, or Atlantis, or anything else that existed more than two hundred years ago. It was something of the past, not something to be considered in the future. But when I listen to you, I think of them as if they were here yesterday. It’s strange, but kinda nice. Makes me wish they were still around.”
Alric bit back a groan and his knees went a little weak as the enormity of the situation slammed down on him.
Any mage worth his salt would know he was speaking with a dragon.
If he didn’t know Alric was a dragon, didn’t know that dragons still existed, then there was an equally good chance he had no idea he was a mage.
Or perhaps he didn’t know the name of the fire dragons?
Perhaps the name Burkhard meant nothing to him?
Alric wasn’t sure what the situation was here.
But if Cameron knew so little of his magical heritage, it did pose an issue.
It left him with the very interesting question of how to convince someone of their own magic.
He’d love for someone to supply him the answer. Alric hadn’t a clue. “To me, they are very real. Perhaps as we tour the area, I can convince you of it.”
Cameron’s face lit up, a half-laugh in his mouth. “I’m ready to be convinced!”
“Well, I say that, but I’m not sure where to start with you. If you’re interested enough to climb up to the castle and see it, the trail isn’t that steep.”
“I take it that there’s no cars or trains going up that direction?”
“I’m afraid not. Just a hiking trail.”
“Maybe on a day when I haven’t had three beers.” Cameron patted his flat stomach. “I feel like I’m already making sloshing noises.”
“Shall we drink some water? We can discuss what might be the best move. There’s several interesting landmarks in the area.”
“Sure. Water’s a good idea at this point for me. And maybe some cheese. I’m told this area is famous for its cheese, but I haven’t tried it yet. I haven’t eaten much, just snacked.”
“In that case, let’s find lunch. Food and water would be wise, and it will get us away from the crowd for a while.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Alric looked about, getting both his bearings and seeing the options. “Are you interested in German food?”
“It’s been really good so far. Why, do you know a hole-in-the wall?”
Alric turned a mild frown at him, confused. “I’m sorry, a what?”
“Small restaurant that looks iffy on the outside but has all the yumminess on the inside,” Cameron clarified.
“Oh. Yes, I know a few. The Holzar-Schlemmer-Alm is nearby, and it’s quite good.”
Cameron gave him a wave. “Lead on, fearless leader! And don’t lose me in the crowd; I seriously doubt I can find you again.”
Alric might have been a touch too serious as he replied, “I won’t lose you.”