Chapter 43
Chapter forty-three
Valeraine found Merna reading a book, tucked away in the servants’ quarter of the house. It was one of Merna’s frequent haunts, because Mamma didn’t go there.
“Could I borrow one of your Dragoneer’s Journals?” Valeraine asked.
Merna immediately perked up, dropping her book to her lap and fixing Valeraine with a stare. “What do you want them for?”
“To research an older Scaleheart column. Do you remember the one —”
Valeraine had uttered the magic words, and Merna was standing and leading the way. They went to Merna’s bedroom, which held a trunk in the corner. It was full of newssheets, carefully archived.
“Which one are you looking for?” Merna asked, finally stopping to check Valeraine was still with her.
“The one that reports the death of Mr. Allencourt. Selaide had it from you a few months ago...”
“How could I forget? I had to ask her to return it four times. It’s about the derby at Marfont.” Merna produced the article in question.
Mr. P— is the perfect example of the worst of dragon riders: violent, grandiose, and proud. In this derby, many reputable witnesses saw him deliberately rip at the wing of poor Mr. Allencourt’s dragon, causing them both to fall to their untimely end.
“Do you know who this Mr. P— is?” Valeraine pointed to the section, and Merna read it quickly.
“That should be Mr. Ponsinter. I think his name is finally used a few weeks later, when a public lawsuit was brought against him — unsuccessfully.” Merna, for completion’s sake, pulled out that sheet and confirmed it. “Why are you interested in the death?” she asked.
“It’s not this death, per se. I had been under the misunderstanding it was about Mr. Pemberley. I was just confirming my stupidity,” Valeraine said.
“The scandal sheets are difficult in that way. The writers are so circumspect as to create wholly new rumors. Scaleheart is better than most, though.”
Scaleheart had always been Valeraine’s favorite writer in the Journal. Now, she wondered at that. Would the pieces read differently, now that she knew it was a man of great means behind the pen? “Do you have a favorite piece by Scaleheart?” Valeraine asked.
Merna flashed her a smile. The fastest way to her heart was to appeal to her expertise. She dug through her trunk, coming to a paper that had to be a few years old.
Valeraine had certainly read this edition before, as she had with all of The Dragoneer’s Journal since she learned to read. The allure of news of the dragon world, coming from the house of her uncle, had always been strong. She didn’t remember this article, though.
The Purpose of Dragons
by our trusted correspondent, Scaleheart
In response to the inflammatory comments of Mr. Calwood:
Of all the animals in the world, the dragon is the most majestic, and the most useful.
It is the great success of humans that we not only live in harmony with dragons, but tame them.
Without dragons, Kinella would be weak. The dragons bolster our army, protecting us from invasion.
With the stalwart dragons at home, our agricultural production is robust.
However, is that all our dragons are for? What is the purpose of the dragon?
Yes, the dragon provides monetary and militaristic advantages to our kingdom. But what is the nearer impact on us? I cannot speak to the impact a dragon has on every person, but I can speak to the impact dragons have had on me.
A dragon emerging from its shell is the most wondrous thing.
It is not done with delicacy, nor with great flame.
The hatchling breaks from its confinement in a sudden burst, then is tired, and falls asleep shortly.
The greatest moments of my life have been holding these sleeping, little dragons, and knowing I will provide them security and love.
The dragons give us the opportunity to care for them.
Our dedication to them is reflected back in their industry and flourishing.
Though much has been written about the dragon as a symbol of fierce might, I prefer to see the dragon as a symbol of our tender nurturing.
It is a symbol of how welcoming something into your life can pay large dividends, sometimes in unexpected ways.
It is a symbol that devotion leads to fulfillment.
Though the derby is a dangerous and unruly tradition, even that can be seen as a healthy display of the dragon’s power.
The dragons love to race, and so do humans.
In this way we are alike, sympathetic. In the passion for flight, we connect with the dragons on a level that is deeper than just a mutual respect or care.
We connect on the plane of passion, the unity of goals and excitement.
The purpose of dragons is to be themselves — a product of what we made them, through domestication and through hatch-mothering. The purpose of dragons is to be excited about flight, and to show us the heights we can reach with them.
“He really loves the dragons, doesn’t he?” Valeraine said.
“Who?” Merna asked.
“Oh, Scaleheart. She has an affection for the dragons.”
“Yes, that’s evident. There’s passion that’s missing from others’ articles.”
“It’s folly, though,” Valeraine argued. “Scaleheart writes of the goodness of dragons, but doesn’t consider the harm. For example, the great divide which forms between the houses that can easily maintain their dragon population, and those that cannot — or those without dragons altogether.”
“Of course Scaleheart’s writings are full of folly. She never considers many things. But she’s still the best, because others consider even less. This is my favorite article because it asks a ‘why.’ It’s so philosophical and impractical and clever.”
“Just because someone asks a question does not make them clever.”
“What would you say the answer is then?” Merna asked. “What is the purpose of a dragon?”
“A dragon is our way of life. Without Lelantos, our house would be nonexistent. We would be poor farmers somewhere, of a wholly different sociality.”
“If we lost Lelantos tomorrow (heaven forbid), I fail to see what large difference would be made in our lives.”
Valeraine reminded herself that Merna often missed the larger picture, particularly of social ramifications. It would do no good to accuse her of being stubbornly foolish.
“Of course our lives would be different,” Valeraine said. “Our house’s status would fall with Lelantos. Our poor tenant farmers would be stripped of their easy livelihood, and we would all become destitute. Only luck would lead to us winning advantageous futures.”
“It wouldn’t be that bad for the farmers.
Lelantos has been declining in strength and productivity for decades, and the farms have been likewise downsizing.
We’re ready for his demise. Papa has almost finished a deal with Netherfield to acquire our tenants in the event of Lelantos’ death — or inability to work. They’ll be upheld.”
“They don’t need to be upheld by Netherfield. I’m getting us an egg; and a new dawn will come to Longbourn.”
“Hatchlings can take a decade to be tame enough to work with farmers,” Merna said. “In the meantime, our tenants would have to support a dragon’s feeding and care without the benefits. It wouldn’t be a new dawn to our farms, just a complication.”
“But think of future generations. They would have a dragon to help them, one from Longbourn house.”
“Yes, a generation from now, they would prosper. But, Val, our children will be fine either way, even if they don’t attend balls. Our tenants will be fine with Netherfield, as Papa has planned.”
“How can you and Papa have given up so thoroughly?” Valeraine said.
“We’ve looked to the future, and planned with practicality.”
“But you are not even trying —”
“Val, please consider,” Merna said. “Would it be so bad if Longbourn falls? And think of the disruption you’ll cause with an egg.”
Valeraine considered.
If they were not a dragon house, then Alyce’s newly awakened hopes of marrying Nethenabbi would be dashed.
The social divide between them would be too great.
Unless the marriage was part of the merger to transfer the tenants to Netherfield.
Then, it would be unobjectionable enough.
If their love was true, even objections wouldn’t stop it.
Valeraine and her sisters wouldn’t be able to secure a marriage to a high house.
But Kesley had little prospects, as a spare son from a low house.
He might stay by her side. Merna did not yearn for marriage.
Selaide, with her charms, would flirt herself into a fine match, even if not with a dragoneer.
Longbourn house would fall, and nobody would mourn it. Except Valeraine.
Valeraine would lose her dragon. How would she ever find contentment without a dragon to fly? How would she ever sleep peacefully knowing she failed her family?
And yet, could she really save the house? Merna was absolutely certain an egg would inconvenience the tenants. Valeraine allowed that this might be true. However, in the long term, it was the only solution for Longbourn’s decline.
Valeraine was doing all this for Longbourn. But what if Longbourn didn’t need her sacrifice?
She could give up racing and be the charming daughter. She could care for Lelantos until he died, then die herself in a house of no consequence.
What maudlin thoughts. She needed the perspective of someone else, someone who cared for dragons like she did. For the first time that week, she truly missed Kesley.