A Courteous Kidnapping, Part 2

The course of true love runs more smoothly when there's a dragon involved. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Abraham Littlefoot Skullcrusher, Esquire, (known as Abe to his family and Crush to his friends) had long ago grown accustomed to the look of dismay that flashed across his clients’ faces when they first saw him. In that regard, his most recent client was no different—dragon mannerisms were notoriously difficult to read but Abe had taken a course in cross-species relations during his junior year at university. He easily identified the emotion behind his client’s narrowed gold pupils and the subtly clenched claws. Disappointment, disbelief, and (if he was correctly interpreting the dragon’s crinkled snout) mild amusement.

He straightened himself up to his full height of three feet and two-and-a-half inches and locked his knees to prevent them from shaking.

“Greetings, Vinthraxilan.” He tossed his briefcase up onto the table between them before bowing politely, his arms pressed across his chest in the traditional greeting of draconian petitioners of yore. Dragons didn’t rule anymore, of course. But it never hurt to show proper deference to someone capable of eating you.

Vinthraxilan bared a set of impressively sharp teeth. “You’re small for an orc.”

Abe felt his left eye twitch. It was a joke he’d heard too many times to count. People did not, after all, hire an orcish firm expecting to get a halfling lawyer. Especially one with Abe’s last name. But working at Skullcrusher, Bloodworthy, and Jones was family tradition and one that Abe had dedicated his life to upholding.

He took a deep breath, calling to mind his adopted father’s recent hints that a partnership might be in the cards should Abe win this trial. National media was having a field day with the situation given that it involved royalty. Princess Irene’s kidnapping had dominated headlines for the past two months, culminating in the news that she had been saved by a stable boy of all people. Since Vinthraxilan had inexplicably lived through the princess’s rescue and not been slain, the King’s council had decided to press charges.

Now, it was up to Abe to rescue the dragon.

The only stool available in the visiting room was nearly as tall as the lawyer, but he nonetheless hoisted himself onto it with practiced ease. He opened his briefcase and took out a stack of papers—some had to do with the trial but a good half were simply filler to make the firm look better informed that it actually was. He smoothed out the top sheet to calm his nerves.

“You’ll want to know my motive, of course,” said Vinthraxilan before Abe could begin. “Why I decided to come out of retirement and steal the girl.”

Abe frowned at the dragon. “To be clear, your involvement in Princess Irene’s disappearance is simply the council’s conjecture. Both the princess and her now-fiancé have refused to testify against you.”

Vinthraxilan snorted. “Self-preservation.”

Rather than press for answers, Abe waited. Sometimes, it was best to let the client ramble so as not to steer the conversation. He didn’t have to wait long.

“The girl and I came to an agreement,” continued the dragon. “I took her from the castle and chased away any knights who tried to get her back until her childhood sweetheart came to save the day.”

“The stable boy.” Abe nodded as the pieces clicked together. “May I ask why you agreed to her proposition?”

“Gold.”

“She paid you for services rendered?” Abe’s mind whirled as he began to formulate a strategy. “And during the interval between her departure of the palace and her so-called rescue, she stayed with you?”

Vinthraxilan nodded.

Abe couldn’t repress a grin. His father was going to make him a senior partner for sure. “Am I also correct in stating that the princess did not cook for herself?”

“I would bring back deer and she would cook bits of it,” replied Vinthraxilan.

“I see.” Abe’s smile widened. “Well, Vinthraxilan, I have good news. Not only are we going to plead not-guilty, we’re going to sue the Crown for Princess Irene’s room and board.”