[stylist] Trials of an honorary Dragon. Chapter 18 (new chapter).

[helene ryles]

Chapter 18
My career as a Spy by Pyre Parvesh
1997

I could hear sobs coming from Liza Parvesh Bronze's room.  The crying
had been going on for hours now.  She had been crying Ever since Liza
got back from visiting her family.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked when I heard Pluto and my grandmother
coming out of her room.
"She's worried about her niece.  I'll just have to put a memory
modifying charm on her.  That'll be best," my grandmother decided.
"That's despicable!  We should help her get her niece back," my
brother Pluto argued.
"What chance does Liza have against two powerful witches?  Your father
has already lost one wife.  Don't you think it's a little unfair to
put Liza in danger in this way?"
"It's more then a little unfair to Marry Liza off to an idiot," I replied.
"Pyre, that's no way to speak about your father," my grandmother snapped.
Just then I heard the patter of tiny feet.  It must be Sunniva's
enchanted dolls again.  She was forever getting them to go on
demonstrations of one kind or another.
"What are they protesting against now?" I asked her.   I thought it
rather insensitive of her to play with her dolls when our new step
mother was so upset.
"They are campaigning to liberate Liza's niece, Nadia.  I may be
little but  I know there is something very wrong about this situation
and I mean to do something about it, even if the grown ups don't care.
 My dolls will carry on protesting until the whole of the Parvesh clan
get to hear about Nadia and we all offer to help set her free."

Our new step mother Liza fascinated us right from the start. It wasn’t
just the sound of her voice, or the way my sighted cousin’s were
talking about her either.   It impressed me that she had managed to
get as near to our cave as she did, even if she did get lost.  Nobody
but a witch from the Parvesh Clan could possibly have found the
entrance unaided.
We were also impressed by the way she insisted on keeping her surname
Bronze.  Lots of women marry into our family, just so they can use our
name.  There is a certain prestige about the Parvesh Clan, which the
other witch clan’s don’t have.  It made me wonder why Liza wanted to
marry someone like father, if not to use our name.
I was particularly intrigued by her attachment to her dragon.  She
spoke so lovingly about Talmon, and she attended these monthly
meetings with the Bronze dragon clan.  We had been hearing very wild
stories about what Liza did with these dragons, but Liza insisted that
her supervisor Beria was only spreading such tales because she was
jealous.
I couldn‘t help but wonder what there was to be jealous about.  It
seems Liza just sat around looking pretty for hours on end.  Although
she told me she really enjoyed the experience, her flat tone did not
match her claims.  The whole ordeal seemed unbearably tedious to me.
Then there was Nadia, her niece.  It seemed Liza was forbidden from
seeing her.  She spoke a lot about Nadia too, and was obviously very
worried a about her.
It wasn’t the first time I had heard about Nadia.  When Nadia’s sister
Zakia died, mother wanted to take care of Nadia along with her twin
sisters, but Madrella wouldn‘t agree to part from her.  So mother went
to speak to our evil auntie Beria about it.  She wanted Beria to help
remove Nadia from Madrella by main force.  Not only was Beria not
going to help her, but she threatened to take Madrella’s part in the
matter.  She felt witches should not interfere in another witch’s
business whatever the other witch was doing.  I remember the argument
mother had with Beria after that.
Mother was going to make arrangements to rescue Nadia anyway, but Liza
Bronze beat her to it.  So mother let Liza keep Nadia and helped
protect Talmon’s home from Madrella with extra charms.
It worked well until Mother left us all to go up North.
“Oh for goodness sake Vinny, you’re such a slob.  I’ve been working
hard, all year, just to come back to this pigsty.  I’m sick of the
sight of you,” were the last words mother screamed.   She didn’t even
take Sunniva with her, and she’s never been back since.  Father’s
divorce was settled entirely over the phone.
Fifteen months later, Nadia was reclaimed by her mother.  Despite how
abusive Madrella was, my grandmother was just going to let things take
their course.  She intended to keep Liza well out of the way, with the
use of memory modification charms and sleep inducing potions.
I found the very idea repellent.  So I had to get to the bottom of
this and help Liza and her niece get together again.

I climbed on my cane and flew to a cave where Pluto and I keep and use
our mobile phones, along with several other electronic gadgets.  We
have to keep them there since my grandmother doesn't approve of modern
technology.  Liza's speech processor is stored there too, when Liza is
not using it, because otherwise my grandmother kept hiding it from
her.
Flying a long cane is rather like flying a broomstick only even less
comfortable.   It’s the only way to get about in Nazdonia since we
don't have a public transport system like Darthrila does.  We don't
even have many footpaths except for the ones my family created.
I planned to get a job at Stilosarka police station so I could spy on
evil auntie Beria.
I had once asked Beria for a job in the Darthrilan secret services.
She offered me work as a Telephone operator.  She made it sound like
she was doing me a really big favour because she was my aunt but I
hadn't taken a degree in criminal psychiatry, just to answer the phone
all day.
"Hello, do you still have that telephone job available?" I asked when
Beria answered the phone.
"Oh my, so we are getting a little more desperate now it seems.  I
really should turn you down since you were very rude to me last time
we spoke, but you are family so I'll give you another chance.  Don't
expect any special treatment though.  If we have to disrupt our work
in order to guide you to the toilet you'll be out of that job in no
time.  Yes, and you are expected to make your own way to the police
station," Beria told me.
"Certainly, that’s what my long cane is there for."

 A few days later I entered the police station.  I heard several
prisoners being dragged in by a group of aggressive sounding police
officers.  One of them was Liza Bronze.  I heard growling and snarling
of police dogs.  They were snapping at the prisoner’s heels.    I
heard one of the prisoners turn and kick the nearest dog.
“Hey Liza, how are you doing?”  I yelled.
“One of those low lives has just kicked a respectable working dog. I
was very tempted to release the dogs so they could savage him a bit.
It’s another demonstration by that dreadful group of Nazdonian
terrorists. They want us to release this dragon Slayer we captured.
How they get the nerve I don’t know.   There is nothing I hate more
then dragon slayers.  Death is too good for the likes of them…” Liza
hotly declared.
"I thought you weren’t alowed on the beat.  In fact I thought you were
dismissed from the police service altogether…” I asked using tactile
sign language.
“Well apparently not.  Who would Beria have round to make fun of, if I
wasn’t there? I’m not usually allowed outside the police station, but
today was a very big demo and we were a little short staffed, so they
decided to let me go, so I could help manage the dogs,” Liza replied
using speech.
After Liza had gone, I made my way to the interview room.   I hadn't
exactly been given much in the way of direction but I found my way
using my seeker stone.  I just directed it to find me a witch from the
Slyrake clan. It gets warmer, the closer I get. If I take a step in
the wrong direction it suddenly goes cold.  Seeker stones are very
useful things for a blind witch to own. I was just hoping there
wouldn't be too many Slyrake witches working in this police station.
"So, you made it on time.  It seems you know Liza. You don't need to
sign with her.  Liza can hear with her cochlear implant you know,"
Beria's domineering voice commented as I entered the room.
"Yes, of course I know Liza.  She's my step mother.  She's a bit loopy
isn't she? My dad and Liza go very nicely together don't you think," I
replied.  I had already decided that I would get further with this
woman if I pretended I didn’t like Liza.
"You think so? Most people are blinded by her good looks, but I know
her better.  She's been badly spoilt by that dragon. You know some
dragons actually crave their human’s affection.  They will let their
humans interfere in their dietary choices.   I've even known a dragon
who allows his human to paint his nails, turning himself into some
sort of household pet.  Of course there is none of that sort of
nonsense with my owner.  I'm there to do his bidding, which is how it
should be.” Beria told me.
“Yes, of course,” I blandly agreed.  Hoping I wasn’t overdoing it.
"Of course we don’t usually employ people with dual sensory impairment
in the Darthrilan police force.  I just had to make a special case
because Liza is family," Beria added putting on a virtuous air.
"Like with me and Madrella you mean?" I asked.
"Why do you mention Madrella?  She has nothing to do with anything..."
Beria snapped suspiciously.
"Oh sorry, doesn't she work in the police force? Maybe I got her
confused with someone else?" I replied, in an effort to smooth things
over.
"Madrella in the police force? That would be the day! She'd be behind
bars if it wasn't for me, but family should take care of their own.  I
think you probably mean Melissa.  She is deaf too you know.  She is
much more capable then Liza is.   I'll have to introduce you to her,"
Beria told me.
"Yes please," I cried.  I didn’t have to put on any enthusiasm since
the more contacts I had in this police force, the better.
"I'll do that then.   As I was saying, I don’t think they would have
considered Liza Bronze at all if I hadn't given her a leg up," Beria
announced.
"That was very kind of you," I commented, wondering if Beria ever got
tired of putting down her niece.
"Loopy Liza has always been an embarrassment, especially when she
insisted on Kidnapping Nadia from Madrella.  The kidnapping of Nadia
is obviously just Liza’s way of get back at Madrella for punching her
in the face. She was asking for it, after Madrella caught her in bed
with Nadia's father," Beria told me.
"Still, I hear she's good for a bit of comic relief," I said
flippantly, Hoping that I had not gone too far with this comment.
"Oh yes, our disabled officers are very useful that way. It lightens
the atmosphere.  It’s a shame you can’t see the impressions I make of
Liza and Melissa.  The girl’s find it so amusing. Poor Liza probably
doesn't even notice.  I take more care not to do it round Melissa
though, in case she gets offended," Beria replied smoothly.  I bit my
lip to stop myself from correcting her on that account.  I was there
as a spy so it wasn't my place to correct her atrocious assumptions.
Beria spent the rest of the interview bad mouthing Liza.
Still, I got the job.

"Ah, there's P.C Rickshaw... Hey Melissa, could you show Pyre Parvesh
where the rest room is.  He’s my poor blind nephew, and he’s a vegan
too, so no eating meat in front of him, or he might try to have you
arrested.  I’m giving him a little job working with the phone, just to
keep him happy,” Beria announced in a sugary tone that made me want to
hit her.
"Of course, if he'll just grab my arm," the woman replied. She didn't
have a deaf accent like Liza did.  She spoke in an artificially clear
voice, like a well trained Parrot.
"You don't have to take me; the seeker stone will find me the way. I
just thought it would be nice to get acquainted with my colleagues.
I'll even offer you a drink.  I like the sound of your voice," I told
her.  I was keen to get to know Melissa in the hope of gleaming
information from her.
"You really think so; I had a lot of speech therapy on my voice to
make it sound just like a hearing person.  Now, nobody will believe I
am deaf.  You don't have to buy me a drink.  If I take you to my
office we can chat there in privacy.  It’s really nice to meet a
fellow witch," she gushed.
I let her guide me to a small room, where I started chatting her up.
"Beria is such a bore isn't she," Melissa stated, "She keeps wanting
to cover up for all her pathetic relatives.  It was hard enough before
Madrella pushed Nadia into the underground railway station... No
forget I said that.  I didn't mean what I said.  I heard Nadia
slipped.  That's what we've all been instructed to say anyway.   You
won't tell Beria I said anything different then that will you.  She
would be furious,"
"Of course not; whatever you say to me won’t go any further then me,”
I assured her. I was hoping she would carry on making such slips of
the tongue.
"Good, because Madrella has always given me the creeps.  My brother
had the misfortune to marry her.  We were misinformed about Madrella.
Her step father Snyder told my family that Madrella was good with
children, and very helpful around the house.  Madrella didn’t reveal
her true nature to us until after the wedding was over,” Melissa told
me.
“How could that happen?  Surely your family must have had some
indication of Madrella’s true nature?” I asked her.
“Not necessarily, Madrella lived in Nazdonia and we live in Druzil.
Plus my parents were very keen that my brother should marry a witch.
That’s enough of that dreadful subject.  You know I would have Nadia
put in care full time and Madrella behind bars, but Beria wouldn‘t
hear of it.  So what am I to do about that?” Melissa told me with a
sigh.
"Wasn't there a court case about Nadia?  Couldn't you have spoken up then?"
"I tried, but somehow I never got any further then the witness box.  I
was sick for months after that.  Now I must go.   You know it's really
good to talk to someone who doesn't cover their mouths when they
speak, and really listens to me.  We're kindred spirits.  How would
you like to spend the night at my flat? It‘s not far. It would save
you booking a hotel."

Several hours later I sat on Melissa's sofa with her, politely forcing
down the limp dry salad that Melisa had prepared for me.  She was so
close that I could smell her perfume.  Her long hair brushed against
my face as she took what was left of my food away.
“It’s such a pleasure to have you round.   I wish I could be friends
with Liza too, but she really hates me.    I’m afraid I was taking my
family situation out on her.  Now I just want to make it up to her in
some way,”
“Why don’t you learn sign language? Liza much prefers people to
communicate to her that way,” I suggested.
“Oh no, I can’t do that.  I’ve put so much effort into learning how to
speak,” Melissa objected.
“Surely you can do both.  My first word was in sign language.  Mother
taught me how to ask when I wanted her milk, yet I had no problem
learning to speak afterwards,” I told her.
“How come?” Melisa asked.
“Mother taught all three of us tactile baby signs.   Then, when we
moved to Nassoli for a few years, she went on to teach us some tactile
sign language so we could communicate with the deaf people who live
there,” I told her.
“Well it’s different for you.  You are a hearing blind person.  Sign
language is an accomplishment for you.  For me, it would feel more
like letting my family down.  After all the effort my parents put into
teaching me how to speak…” Melissa objected.
“No it wouldn’t.  I’m sure you would manage to do both.  I‘ll teach
you how to fingerspell if you like,” I offered.
I spent the rest of the evening showing show her the alphabet.

            ***  ***   ***

The nightly visits became a regular event.  After eating out for a few
nights, I eventually managed to persuade her to allow me to do the
cooking.  She rather hesitantly showed me round her kitchen.
“Just call me, if you need anything.  Don’t worry if you break
anything, or set fire to my kitchen. The fire brigade is right next
door…” Melissa announced, before she left.  It was comments like that
which made me understand why Liza didn’t like her much.
I made a tortilla, with tofu, a few spices and various vegetables
which she already had in her kitchen.
“That was absolutely delicious, I’m really impressed how well you
manage with a frying pan,” Melissa gushed.
“There is nothing to it really.  My mother showed me…”
“So did mine, but I never took it in.  I was more interested in other
things, so l let my sisters do all the cooking,” Melisa confessed.
“My Father was like that, that’s why Mother left him,”
“My mother didn’t even expect my dad or my brother to help.  She just
said it was the way men were.  In a way I find it even more amazing
that you can cook as a man, then as a blind person.”
“It’s not amazing at all,” I contradicted.
“Maybe it‘s just the sort of family I lived in.  My mother used to get
on my case a lot about me being a modern woman, we didn’t get along
too well, but I really missed her when she died,”
 “I‘m sorry to hear about that,” I told her.
“It’s Madrella who should be sorry.  She created a really vile
atmosphere in our home, with all the domestic friction between her and
my brother.  My brother claims Madrella caused the fever, which killed
mother, my sisters and Madrella’s own daughter too.  Not that we could
prove she had a hand in it though.  She was just so indifferent about
it all.  She really hates her own sex.  I can‘t think why," Melissa
told me sadly.
"Madrella sounds like a real psychopath to me.  Why doesn‘t anyone do
anything about her?" I asked.
"The murders were always done in a way that made it look all so
natural to outsiders.  If anyone got suspicious, Beria would always
cover up for her, one way or another.  Beria is just as bad, covering
up for Madrella and her loathsome brother,” Melissa cried.
“I agree.  She does seem very unprofessional.  How did she get to be
such a high ranking police officer in the first place?” I asked her.
“It’s Because of her owner.  He used his influence to get Beria a job
in the police force.  I‘m afraid it happens a lot in Darthrila.  The
rest of us have to work really hard to get where we are, but those
with owners get placed in really high positions without any effort at
all.  Some of them are really unhinged too,” Melissa complained.
“That doesn’t sound right.  Do you have any idea Why Beria hates Liza
so much?” I asked.
“She’s eaten up with resentment because Liza is accepted into the
Bronze clan, whereas her own dragon treats her really badly.  Can you
keep a secret?”
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Well I’ve seen her cut off legs from the criminals we arrest.   It
was really gross.  It’s all hushed up too.  With powerful memory
modification charms the prisoners think they have always had one leg,”
Melisa whispered.
I was lost for words after she told me this. This was another of her
slips of the tongue no doubt.
“Actually I would rather you forgot I said that.  Beria had me sworn
into secrecy since it‘s illegal here in Nazdonia to remove someone‘s
legs without their permission unless they have committed a capital
offence… I should never have told you this, but I’m getting really
sick of keeping all Beria’s dirty secrets to myself.”

                       ***  ***  ***

"You know Liza is wrong about Madrella murdering her sisters,” Melissa
told me on another nightly visit, “I remember Beria telling me how she
paid her father a visit.  She came just in time to witness Liza's
birth.  Snyder took one look at Liza and asked if Beria's owner would
like to buy her legs, and if he wouldn't mind bringing the rest of her
body back so he could fetch a good price in various organs.  Snyder
was asking for three thousand dren.  Beria gave him 50 Dren as a
deposit and took Liza away from that home before Snyder found an even
more unscrupulous client.   She was meaning to bring Liza up herself
but her owner wouldn’t have it.”
“Mother told me about that too, but somehow I think it’s out of
character.  Are you sure Beria didn’t simply want to feed Liza to her
dragon?” I asked.
“I’ve no idea.  She also claims to have paid the cost of various
medical expenses, which his wife and daughters accumulated over the
years.  He's really loaded yet he won’t pay for medical treatment for
them.   He caused some of their injuries himself by beating them up.
The bills add up to over six thousand dren, which Beria says she paid.
I didn't believe her at first but she showed me all the bills.  That
thug Snyder belongs behind bars for the way he treated his wife and
daughters alone,” Melissa told me.
 “Mother told me about this too.  He married Monika off to this Dragon
slayer up north without even getting her consent first…” I informed
her.
“Really, that’s just typical of old Snyder.   If only we could simply
arrest him but Beria won't let us.  Just because he is family,”
Melissa sighed.
"Do you have anything you can pin on him?" I asked her.
"Quite a lot actually, but as I said Beria won't have it..." Melissa
told me in a resigned tone.
"What's to stop you from arresting him anyway?" I asked.  This Snyder
wasn’t my main target, but I was hoping that once he was out of the
way, we could proceed to arrest Madrella and Beria too.
"Oh no, I'd be out of a job in no time.  I'm only a junior police
officer you see... but he really does belong in jail.   We also
suspect him of trading in illegal substances.  He's got a business
selling enchanted prosthetic legs but he earns far too much money from
that.  You know he even sells prosthetic legs to people who murder
dragons," Melissa told me.  She seemed more horrified by the fact he
traded with Dragon ‘slayers then any of his other crimes.
In the end I managed to persuade Melissa into organising Snyder’s
arrest behind Beria‘s back.

                 ***  *** ***








"Hello can I help you?" I asked as I answered the phone, the day
Melissa had decided to arrest Snyder.
"I want to speak to Beria," a haughty voice demanded.
"Beria is not in at the moment.  If you will just tell me who is
speaking..." I lied.  I'd heard Beria arrive earlier that day.  I also
knew who he was already.  A friend of Pluto had done a recording of
Snyder Slyrake to help me identify his voice.
"It's Snyder Slyrake.  I want to know when Nadia will be getting back
from her appointment."
"Right I'll pass that message on to Beria.  I’m sure Beria will get
back to you as soon as she can..."
"There! Caught you at it," A voice whispered in my ear.  I startled.
A tiny finger was put against my lips.  I could feel that she was even
smaller then my seven year old sister Sunniva.
"Don't say anything. I'm Fiona the fader.  I‘ve been snooping round
here longer then you have.  I saw what happened to Nadia.  She would
have died if I hadn’t been there to save her.  Something fishy is
going on, and I want to get to the bottom of it.   I want to know if
there is anything I can help you with," she asked. Her tone was so low
that I had to strain to hear her.
I put my hand on my braille watch before answering her.
"Yes, if you go to the underground station now, you should see a
dragon and a police officer.  They are waiting for Liza's train to get
there before going on to arrest Snyder.  If you can fade I'm sure they
will find you useful, but hurry as they will be going once Liza gets
there," I whispered back.  She did not need telling twice.