III

IT WAS not unusual for Audwin to stay out late with Varthikes. Those two often spent the night gazing at the stars, and, on summer nights, Audwin would sleep outside with him. So, Ilka didn’t give his absence the night before much thought. But, as she woke up that morning, it was to find the house unnervingly silent. She looked over to the other side of the bed to find it still vacant and undisturbed. She sat up, flinching at the cramp that cried out in her back, and called Audwin’s name. There was no answer. Even when he did spend the night outside, he would still make breakfast for them both, but there was no smell of food being cooked or sounds coming from the kitchen indicating that something was being prepared.

She swung her feet out from under the covers over the side of the bed to the floor. No longer covered by the blankets, she shivered at the cool morning air that enveloped her.

She looked down at the weight in her swollen belly and ran a gentle hand over her smooth skin. The baby was due any day now. “Where's your father?” she asked her daughter, trying to calm her own worry. She could not conceive that, after a year together, Audwin would just decide to leave her. Not that there was anywhere on Draconia he could have gone. Hatching was the only Human settlement on the planet.

Varthikes would certainly not have allowed anything to happen. If something did happen, Varthikes would have flown in as fast as he could to inform them. Unless something happened to them both… But Varthikes was a twenty-five-foot dragon with scale armor, strong talons, a mouthful of sharp teeth, and the ability to spit fire. What could possibly happen to him?

She rose to her feet, groaning at the soreness in her hips—wouldn't she be glad when this baby finally came!—and began to get dressed. After breakfast, she left the house and wobbled across the graveled street to the Administration Building. After being granted permission through the secretary, she continued through the opened door to the governor’s office.

Governor Kiyoshi Takamura welcomed her and offered one of the two cushioned bamboo armchairs in front of his desk. Ilka gratefully accepted. “Ha-have you seen Audwin this morning?” she asked when she was seated.

Takamura’s smile faded. “I have not seen him since yesterday afternoon before he left with Varthikes. He did not come home last night?”

Ilka shook her head. “I-I know that he and Varthikes enjoy spending the night together stargazing. Audwin usually ends up sleeping outside with him. But he-he’s usually home in the morning when I wake up.”

“Have you checked with the Draconian guardians?” Takamura asked. “Perhaps he was called away on urgent business. He is their ambassador, after all.”

Ilka nodded as she considered that possibility. Then, a welcoming bugle sounded from the landing field and a response was heard from the sky above them. “Perhaps that is them now,” Takamura said with a gentle smile as he stood. Ilka did likewise and followed the governor out the door.

The moment they stepped outside, a Draconian with wide-spread wings passed overhead toward the landing field. They turned a corner onto the road that led straight to the field. Upon arriving, they found that an adolescent queen had joined the two guardians. All three turned to face the Humans on their approach.

The queen bowed her head to the governor and stretched her wings to the ground in a respectful manner. “Greetings, Sarkiphing,” Takamura said in reply to her telepathic greeting.

Sarkiphing raised her head and folded her wings. She turned her eyes to Ilka and the two exchanged a more intimate greeting. She stepped up and lowered her snout to touch Ilka's swollen belly ever so gently, crooning. Ilka could only imagine what was going through her unborn child's mind in response to the Draconian's telepathic contact.

Is your youngling well? Sarkiphing finally asked.

Ilka placed her hands on her belly, nodding. “Should be out any day—sunrise—now.”

Very pleased am I to hear that, Sarkiphing replied. Then, she raised her head and stepped back. I have come to see if Audwin was present in a possible attempt to locate Varthikes.

“I-I was about to ask you the same question,” Ilka said, eyebrows raised in concern. “They’re not at Bare Peak Range?”

They are not.

“I haven’t seen them since yesterday—last sunrise—when they went to the beach to swim. They… I know they love spending the night together, but Audwin always returns in the morning.”

As she spoke, Sarkiphing sensed Ilka's increasing worry. Possible is it that they have embarked upon the explorings that they also enjoy doing, she suggested in an attempt to relieve the Human queen’s anxiety.

Ilka shook her head. “I… Audwin would have told me if he had. And, he didn’t take any of the things he normally takes with him on such journeys.” She glanced down at her swollen belly. “And, he wouldn't leave with our daughter coming so soon. I-I don’t know what could’ve happened to them.”

A moment of silence hung between them while Sarkiphing considered what Ilka told her. You said that they were swimming the last time you saw them? she finally asked.

“Yes. In Sunrise Sea.” Ilka waved a hand back at the sea.

I will then search the shores and return here with my findings. She turned back to the guardians and told them what was happening. A moment later, one of them followed Sarkiphing into the sky and proceeded with her to the sea.

*

Sarkiphing and the guardian, Vanthres, reached the sea in a single beat and proceeded in opposite directions around the sea. With her wide-spread wings carrying her upon the cushioning wind currents, Sarkiphing kept her eyes on the sandy shore that passed beneath her. It was all plain—nothing out of the ordinary. Then, her sharp eye caught something that did not look like it belonged on the beach. Its color made it stand out heavily with the white sand and reddish rock of the cliff.

She banked sharply and alighted upon the beach near the items. Cautiously, she extended a talon to touch it and spread it out. There were several items, she realized. They were materials that Humans used to adorn themselves. She found pieces that went over a Human torso and that covered Human feet.

She looked up and scanned the beach but found no one in sight. She watched the sea for a moment in case there was a Human diving. Humans, she knew, could hold their breaths for only a very short time, but she did not see any movement in the water to suggest one of them rising for air.

These might belong to Audwin, but where was he and Varthikes? She did not recall there being any large predatory creatures swimming in this sea that could have over-powered a Draconian. A Human, maybe, but Varthikes would not have allowed his closest friend to fall prey to anything. She scooped up the torso-covering in her talons and leaped back into flight. She flew to the other side of the sea where Vanthres searched.

When he was in sight, she bugled to get his attention. I have found something! she exclaimed. The king turned to fly toward her.

What is it that you have found? he asked.

Human coverings that may belong to Audwin. She was coming alongside him now, showing him the torso-covering in her clawed hand. She also told him about the feet-coverings that she found with it.

We must show this to Governor Takamura and Doctor McClance, Vanthres said at length, his tone grim. I will continue to search the remainder of the shore while you do that.

So, as Vanthres turned to resume his previous course around the sea, Sarkiphing turned about and proceeded toward Hatching.

“It… It is Audwin’s,” Ilka said, examining the shirt in her hands. She had been sitting in a chair that had been brought out to the field when Sarkiphing had returned. Sarkiphing now sensed a sharp increase in anxiety from Ilka. She looked up at the Draconian and seemed to be about to produce those droplets that fell from Human eyes in times of sorrow or intense happiness. In this case, it would be sorrow. But, none came—yet.  “This… This all you found?” she asked.

I found also feet-coverings where I found that. Hoping to allay further worry, she added, Vanthres, though, is still searching the remainder of the shore. Possible is it that he may find something additional.

Ilka was only slightly comforted by that possibility.