The Fire and The Storm - The Nexus of Kellaran #2 novel Chapter 134

Part 20

As the track was open to the public that day, and some of those using it might be novice flyers, everyone was started at staggered intervals. The competition was for quickest time, rather than crossing the finish line first. It was explained that this reduced accidents. There was nothing to stop someone from going off the course; it was insubstantial from the inside. But once outside the track there was no re-entering except to go back to the start, and no time was registered for that lap.

Incredibly; the record for the five kilometer course was just less than a minute, held by a professional race flyer who did little else. The Hilians flew for over two hours, and while all of them were skilled flyers, none of them could best a minute and a half on any of the three track configurations they flew that evening.

Alilia posted the best time among them, and Val the slowest, but there were only six seconds between them.

It was nine very happy but fatigued flyers who accepted Alilia’s invitation to dine at her home, and they all ate heartily of the feast of forest-elvish dishes on a great flat veranda outside her residence’s dining room, where there was room for dragons. As Povon pointed out with a chuckle; “There’s not much use in eating as a Simulacrum. Besides, there’s room for fifty of us here.”

“This tastes like our wedding.” Mark grinned to Talia around a mouthful of roast venison.

“Many of the dishes are the same.” Alilia pointed out with a smile. “They may even have been prepared by the same chefs. And… Excuse me.”

“She’s getting a Speaking from Smogin, her Regent.” Talia explained to the rest as Alilia fell silent for a moment.

“I have some things I need to deal with.” Alilia announced when she returned her attention to the table. “I’m still the ruling monarch here, and Smogin is my Regent, but he’s not Prince Regent, as Povon is Dragon Lord Regent of Serminak. There are many things that he’s not allowed to do on my behalf; I must do them myself for as long as I reign. And my citizens have the right to appeal to me directly in many matters. If I’m unavailable, all these issues must wait until I’m available again, so they accumulate while I’m on vacation or otherwise indisposed.

“It would be a mercy to Smogin if I deal with the most pressing of these issues while I’m here tonight.

“As you’ve let me help you in governing Hilia and Serminak, so I welcome your input on anything you might choose to contribute to, all of you. On the other hand, I’ve been doing this for a long time and I tend to hurry through it, so if you want to speak up you’ll have to be sharp about it. You’ll probably have to be Linked with me in order to follow what I’m doing or to intervene effectively.

“Smogin will be here with the petitioners shortly.”

“Very fine.” Kragorram said between huge bites of buffalo. “Mark, Talia, Povon and myself are all novice rulers, and we haven’t had much opportunity to observe any experienced monarchs while they were actually performing acts of rulership. So this should be both interesting and instructive.”

“Hey, for us too!” Fire laughed. “Don’t forget we’re still the Governors of Hiliani, and I’m Princess of The Sylvan Nation now. Zwak still does the actual administration of the Sylvan Nation and Hiliani is administered somewhat co-operatively by the elders of Homestead and the Sylvan, but we really should learn to do it ourselves.”

“Well said, Love.” Talia smiled as she reached over and gave the girl a quick caress on her head.