In a throne room cluttered with piles of books and papers, Magnus bent the knee before Lord Staufen and placed his fist over his heart. For six years he had served and never once doubted his master's orders, for his leader had always ruled with fairness and justice.

This unnecessary ordeal Magnus would not abide. Nor would he stand in silence while his beloved Kara suffered through the test simply to prove her morals and ideals. 

The other tests tried her patience and fortitude, but they were not malicious. This one would play Kara like a broken veille. 

Dressed in regal robes—a purple so dark they almost looked black—Lord Staufen rose. He walked with deliberate steps, his polished leather boots clacking on the stone floor of Castle Minningen until he reached the dragon.

Not many humans stood taller than him. But Lord Staufen did.

"Rise, my friend," he said in a deep baritone. "Join me for a walk in the gardens."

That man had taught Magnus how to speak with the kind of perfect calm that demanded strict obedience. Without a word the dragon rose. He observed Lord Staufen with a wary expression hidden behind his impassive silver mask.

Something isn't right here.

Until Kara had joined the Guild, his master had always treated his servants with dignity and respect. But Lord Staufen had changed in the past few weeks. His behavior had become erratic, and he had lost patience with his servants much too readily.

At first Magnus had thought the pressures of looming war had overcome his master's rationality. Now he was not so certain. Not after Lord Staufen's most recent decree.

To test Kara by giving her the chance to avenge her father's death.

It didn't bother Magnus that he needed to put his life on the line. Granted, that prospect did not fill the dragon with glee. In a moment of weakness, Kara might indeed fall to the darkness and slay him.

What bothered Magnus was the willful deceit and manipulation inherent in the test. Kara would come face to face with a man she thought to be dead, the same man who had killed her father.

Though Magnus was no longer that murderous creature avenging his family's death, Kara might not see it that way. She would paint the dragon as responsible for her pain. Her grief. 

Lord Staufen himself would order her to kill him. Could Kara resist? Disloyalty would normally result in being sent to the dungeons for a week, if not outright dismissal. Only by standing strong and disobeying her master's orders would the wizard pass the final test. 

Until now Lord Staufen had always ruled with honor, but now...

What right did his master have to use his servant's grief? Had Kara not shown herself to be a quick study with morals and principles? Did Lord Staufen have no shame?

And who will catch the fallout from such treachery?

The Lord, perhaps? Indeed not.

Magnus would catch it all. Kara would hate him even more than she did now, and the wizard would have every right to do so. This situation was not to be borne. Though much could be forgiven in preparation for war, some boundaries must never be crossed.

The dragon had learned that lesson the hard way.

As they left the castle and entered the gardens, the sun almost blinded Magnus. Even after six years the dragon's sensitive eyes could not cope well with the light. Had he not joined the Tower guard, he would have had to shield himself in similar attire, as his light-gray scales could not stand the blazing sun.

Once his eyes adjusted somewhat, Magnus took in a wondrous combination of reds, oranges and yellows. The autumn leaves had begun to change color and all the flowers were in full bloom. He could not remember their names, but a sweet array of honey and spice clouded his senses and tickled his nose.

The gravel crunched under their feet as they strolled: Lord and servant. Magnus knew he had no right to request his master to reconsider his orders, but if the dragon did not speak now, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"You may speak freely," said Lord Staufen.

"With all due respect, my Lord, I cannot do it," said Magnus. "Surely there are other...more respectable...ways to test Katharina's resolve."

"More respectable?"

"In a way that does not...manipulate her emotions," Magnus clarified.

"First, Katharina learned the key of silence." Lord Staufen clasped his hands behind his back. "Second, the girl has proven she knows the value of hard work and resilience."

"Indeed."

"You questioned my methods then. And yet they worked, did they not?"

Magnus hesitated. "Yes, my Lord."

"Third, the wizard must stick to the values of Minningen and the Light," said Lord Staufen, "even when her Lord asks her to follow the path of the darkness."

"What if Kara decides to kill me?"

Lord Staufen raised a quizzical brow. "Kara, is it?"

"I meant Katharina." He sighed. "Forgive me, my Lord, it was a slip of the tongue."

"Do you trust her resolve?"

Magnus gave a curt nod. "Yes, I do."

"Then what do you fear?"

Magnus paused and weighed his words carefully. He could not simply admit openly to his feelings for Kara, or Lord Staufen might call his loyalty into question. He'd made an oath of celibacy. One not easily broken.

Although no law had bound the dragon to serve the Tower Guard, and he could leave his post with a season's notice, Magnus had made a life for himself here. A career.

Without it he would be a penniless refugee without land, title, or trade.

Lord Staufen had adopted him from the Great Split and coached him toward the Light. How could Magnus repay his generosity by abandoning his servitude over a spat?

What if he is simply exhausted from the recent negotiations with Teufelwald? Then came the drill. We are all weary. 

I must be patient until my master returns to the Light.

"You have feelings for this girl, yes?" asked Lord Staufen in a dull monotone.

"I serve Minningen," replied Magnus, weighing each word with care. "As such, I care for all of our citizens and would sacrifice myself for their well-being."

"But you admire this woman in particular."

"I fought for her not to be on the team." Magnus straightened his posture. "If you wish to know who admires her, perhaps you should ask Professor Weisen."

"Weisen admires intellect and skill, whereas you admire Katharina in her entirety."

"There are certain aspects I can do without."

"But you cannot do without her," Lord Staufen halted and turned to face Magnus. "Answer me truthfully, Sir. Do you have feelings for her?"

Why does he care so much? Is he afraid I will not abide by my oath?

Magnus remained silent. His heart clenched until he could almost hear ice shards breaking away piece by piece, threatening to show the emotions hidden deep inside.

Somehow the dragon managed to keep his calm, hiding everything behind the mask.

"No answer is also an answer," said Lord Staufen, his face as expressionless as Magnus' silver mask.

Nowadays Lord Staufen almost reminds me of my former Queen.

Magnus halted. A trail of molten lava burned down his spine.

Light and Shadow! It cannot be, can it?

Is that why I feel the darkness so keenly of late? 

"My orders stand," said Lord Staufen. "You will remove your Tower Guard uniform and your silver mask. You will don the garb of your draconic folk. You will remain in the dungeon until tomorrow's dawn."

My true master would know that I cannot remove the mask in public.

"What good could that possibly do?" sneered Magnus.

"Manners."

"What good could that possibly do, my Lord?"

"One day Katharina will discover the truth," replied Lord Staufen in his unbreakable calm. "Better for the wizard to decide to forgive you now, before she takes the blood oath."

"Katharina will never forgive me," said Magnus. "She will never obey my orders."

"Once she sees your face, she will not strike." He paused. "I have seen the orbs. All of them. Every meeting. She loved you back then, and her feelings will make her weak."

Weak? Lord Staufen never considered love a weakness. Who are you?

"So certain you are," said Magnus in an even tone.

"Indeed."

"Will you stay her hand? If Katharina strikes?"

"Tomorrow Kara turns twenty-five. She has the right of vengeance if she chooses," replied Lord Staufen. "I must obey the law of the land as much as you."

Oh, my Queen. You have shown me your hand. That was a mistake. One last test.

"Funny how it never applies to your family during tax collections or the draft."

Lord Staufen flicked his wrist and Magnus stood ramrod still, unable to move. With a vice-like grip, his master grasped his throat and hauled him to eye level while the dragon's feet dangled helplessly.

The dragon could not gasp. Or speak.

Lord Staufen would never have reacted this way. But you would, my dear Queen, wouldn't you? Or one of your minions, at the very least?

When did you kill my master?

"I could have killed you," hissed Lord Staufen. "But I took you in, trained you with the best of my men, and gave you power and titles. And this is how you repay me?"

Magnus' lungs screamed for air.

"You will say nothing." He squeezed tighter. "You will do nothing without my express permission. You will wait for Katharina to exact justice. Do you understand?"

Lord Staufen gave him a shake before setting him back on the ground. After another flick of his master's wrist, Magnus gasped for air and coughed until his breathing returned to normal.

As each moment passed Magnus grew more and more convinced this was not his true master. Or, if it was, that Lord Staufen had fallen sick with brain fever.

"Do...you?" sneered Lord Staufen.

Magnus stared at him with raging fury that momentarily turned the grass to frozen tundra before thawing once more. A mere hint at the Shadow that had once consumed him.

"I understand."

"You will hang in chains tonight as you deserve for your insubordination," said Lord Staufen. "Tomorrow your precious Kara will decide your fate."

Like the Queen of Teufelwald, Lord Staufen turned on a whim. Back then, she would show kindness, generosity and graciousness whenever her subjects followed her orders. Any time the Queen had met resistance, the royal would grind her enemies into dust.

"As you wish," said Magnus with a bow.

"Pray to the Light for mercy." Lord Staufen gestured at the Tower guards standing ready by the western gate. They came marching at once. "Take him to the dungeon, give him draconic garb, and feed him bread and water only."

The guard balked. "My Lord?"

Lord Staufen drew himself to his full height and the guard backed away. "I do not take kindly to repeating my orders. Take this traitor away, and lock him in chains."

The guards cast a glance at Magnus, who shook his head.

"Do...you...understand?" bellowed Lord Staufen.

"Yes, my Lord."

"Of course, my Lord," replied the other.

Together they marched toward Magnus, each grabbing an arm. "Forgive me, Sir."

"And me," said the other.

"There is nothing to forgive, men," replied Magnus. "You are following your orders."

"You don't deserve this."

"It's madness," whispered the other guard under his breath.

"Do you think a wraith might have taken him over?"

"Yes, and a dangerous one." Magnus paused. "Can you do me a favor?"

Both guards nodded. "Anything, Sir."

"I need you to send a secret message." He paused. "Tonight."

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Word count: 1,894
Total word count: 22,354/40,000 (max)