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NeStirrath stuck his aging, tangle-horned head out of his cavern "That’s no visitor; that’s one of the Drakwatch, but so long away he’s becos up and out at last, I see!"

"Out, anyway I’ve not ed up yet"

"You have heard the news, I expect"

"Yes The Tyr is dead What do you know of it?"

"It happened in his mate’s chambers I had only a quick ith NoSohoth; he could tell et back down here and ready the Drakwatch, saying those were SiDrakkon’s orders So here I sit, awaiting further orders"

"I’es, if you can The great winding one is blocked by those waiting for news and spreading rumor"

The Copper took his advice and made his way up to the Imperial kitchens, at some cost of scrapes to the poor, thin-skinned huardens, past dragons, drakes, dragonelles, and drakka thronging the garden

Some of SiDrakkon’s Skotl clan kept the rather profane insults with the catcalling Wyrr

"We want NiVom back; he was an honest Wyrr!"

"Anklene, more like," a Skotl roared back

"Make a breach, you; I’m in the Imperial line," the Copper boomed, a little surprised at how loud his voice sounded "Let me in to see my family"

"Air Spirit, even Batty’s turned up," someone said

"NoSohoth," the Copper roared at the Tyr’s door "I know you’re on the other side of that Let ht with NiVo shouted

"He’s a no-line half-wit"

"Not even hatched in the Lavadome What business is it of his?"

The portal opened, but the Copper didn’t catch as said In any case, the fat Skotl toughs made rooic day," NoSohoth said Naturally he was the one dragon who pronounced his new appellation effortlessly, as though it had always passed his lips that way "Follow athered in the shadows Even the tiniest brazier was aflaer versions blighters worked the fire with bellows

"Where’s Tighlia? I wish to speak to her," the Copper said

"She’s obviously in a delicate condition, shattered by the loss of hercha court in the Tyr’s chamber"

"Why don’t you just call him Tyr? Did the Tyr name a new heir?"

"Careful, now There’s the traditional one-year period of ize"

The Copper heard SiDrakkon’s voice as he passed through into the Tyr’s audience chamber It was smaller than he remembered it, perhaps because of the crowd Griffaran crowded the upper areas, two to a perch, looking agitated

"We’ll speak with one voice United I’m Tyr and that’s all there is to it," SiDrakkon said "They’ll have to accept it The succession is legal and according to tradition The worst thing we can do is divide and argue like this Blood could be spilled at any h she were enjoying the vien on the Imperial line

"I still say NiVom should have a proper trial," Ibidio said She stood just below the shelf "One Anklene, one Skotl, and one Wyrr judging hiain," Imfamnia said "He’s violent War-worn, I expect"

"He ran fro to appear for a trial," SiDrakkon said

"You seem very sure of that," SiMevolant put in airily He’d dusted his golden scales with ash for the occasion; otherwise he would have outshone the whole rooht out and say things I’ve no a if you’d had him killed, is all"

SiDrakkon turned a deeper shade of purple "Of course not! Shut your snout if you’ve nothing to offer but blather Talk! Talk! Talk! Talk! That’s all the whole lot of you is good for We have to act Let’s go out there and tell theins to fly"

"Yes, I think that would be for the best," a raspy voice said