Chapter 10 - THE NEW DECREE AND THE HAPPY ENDING
Six months had passed since the day the Dragon Emperor returned to Ashevale.
The empire had undergone a profound, quiet revolution. Lord Vane and his conspirators were long gone, exiled to the far southern quarries to labor for their bread, learning for the first time what it meant to earn a living on the road. The High Council had been entirely restructured, replaced by representatives from every province, every trade, and every remote village across the realm.
Up in the northern frontier, the old, bitter decrees had been permanently repealed.
And at the grand entrance of the imperial capital, chiselled deep into the solid granite of the outer gatehouse by master stonemasons working under direct imperial orders, stood a new set of laws known across the continent simply as The Road Law:
Let it be known across all lands, realms, and skies, that no traveler in need—man, beast, or dragon—shall ever be turned away by decree, fear, or cowardice. If something is on the road, you help it first. Ask questions later. Signed, Emperor Kestrel — and Dileia Halloway.
Back in her quiet mountain home, life was peaceful once more, though nothing would ever quite be the same.
The cabin had been slightly expanded, its stone walls reinforced by imperial masons, and a brand-new, beautifully crafted ash-wood firewood sled—fitted with solid gold-inlaid runners and gleaming iron brackets—sat proudly on the front porch, a gift from the imperial armorers that Bram secretly used to haul firewood every single morning.
Dileia stood on the porch, leaning against the wooden railing, watching the crisp morning sun rise over the jagged peaks of the northern pass.
Suddenly, the sky above the timberline darkened.
A magnificent golden shape swept down from the clouds with effortless grace, its enormous wings catching the golden light as it landed with a gentle, practiced thud right in the center of the Halloway clearing.
Kestrel lowered his massive, horned head until his snout rested gently against the porch railing, right beside Dileia’s hand. The invisible scale-mark on her palm warmed instantly in greeting.
“Good morning, cart-puller,” the Dragon Emperor rumbled, his golden eyes sparkling with ancient amusement. “I trust the mountain road is treating you well today?”
Dileia smiled, reaching out to pat the smooth, warm scales of his snout with her bare, scarred hand.
“It’s quiet today, Your Majesty,” Dileia replied, her eyes bright and filled with peace. “No dragons in the snow. No assassins in the trees.”
Kestrel let out a low, rumbling chuckle that shook the morning dew from the pine branches. “Good. But just in case… I brought you a new set of replacement ropes. You never know when something might need pulling.”
May you like
Dileia laughed, looking out across the endless, winding mountain road that stretched down into the green valley below, ready for whatever—or whoever—might come down the path next.
And they all lived happily, stubbornly, and fiercely together for all the days to come.
