Reign of The Valdraken

by N L Nold

  Reign didn’t know what to say, was still so unsure of her feelings for these men. She knew she trusted them but was she really ready to tie her life to theirs.

  “Eerikki I…”

  He moved his chin from the top of her head, placing two fingers under her chin he forced her to look at him.

  “Shhhh love, I know you are confused and this is all so new but you must know how I, how we feel about you. Things are going to be difficult for us moving forward, I’m not sure what is going to happen. I need you to know that I love you Reign, no matter what I love you!”

  They both reluctantly stepped from the bath and found their way back into Eerikki’s room. They found trays of food waiting for them as well as new clothes for Reign. Once dry and changed they sat down and ate in companionable silence. Both exhausted they snuggled into bed and fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 19

  Moving forward

  In sleep she found herself returning once more to the familiar dream that had plagued her for so many years. She walked through the fog knowing the route by heart. She found herself staring at the little girl in front of the store.

  This dream was different though, this time the girl was not playing she was looking directly at Reign her curious eyes taking in everything about her. Unsure of what to do Reign stood there allowing the girl to look her fill. Seemingly satisfied with what she saw the girl stood and offered her hand to Reign.

  Unsure of what was happening but knowing in her soul this felt right she took the girls hand and followed her inside the little store. When they stepped through the door however they were not in a store but instead in the bedroom she and Eerikki had fallen asleep in. She looked to the girl next to her who led her closer to the bed where she and the fae slept.

  “I don’t understand, who are you and what are we doing?”

  The girl looked up to Reign and began to speak

  “I am you of course silly.”

  Her voice was that of a child but the look in her eyes indicated she was anything but.

  “You…. you, wait are you telling me you are me when I was a little girl?”

  The child nodded in response.

  “So are you a memory, no that can’t be right if you were a memory, we wouldn’t be seeing my present.”

  Now more confused than ever she took her free hand and brought it to her temple where a headache was beginning to form.

  The little girl laughed

  “Stop overthinking this, we always overthink everything. I am a memory as well as your current subconscious trying to warn you.”

  Reign let go of the girl’s hand staring at the bed where she and Eerikki lay

  “Trying to warn me about what?”

  The girl gestured towards the fae before her.

  “You are stubborn and untrusting of the men who wish to mate you, jaded by your past and the abuse you have experienced. You are so caught up in your own head you are fighting your destiny. The great dragon created us, endowed us with his gifts knowing we would be strong enough to handle the great evil coming. You will be tested beyond measure, meet people that will try to break you, and you will want to give in but you can’t for the sake of the world your cant. You must stop fighting fate and accept your destiny, starting with these men. They were made for us, we can’t do this without them.”

  With one last smile and squeeze of her hand the girl began to fade along with the dream.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Waking up wrapped in the warmth of Eerikki’s body was peaceful and reassuring. Reign couldn’t help but think back on her dream. She was telling herself to accept her destiny but was she really ready.

  Thinking back to last night and all that had happened she could help but wonder if it had all been another dream, shifting slightly the soreness between her legs ensured her it was in fact real. She couldn’t help but smile at the memory of his hands on her body, the way he felt inside her. Even if she was unsure of her feelings knowing that he loved her.

  The soft creek of the door alerted her to another presence in the room. The rune on her hand warmed slightly and she knew Abban had entered. She should have been embarrassed by her current state of undress but with her fae’s arms wrapped tightly around her she felt nothing but comfort and safety. The bed dipped slightly on her right side she tilted her head and smiled at the mage in greeting as he slipped under the covers.

  His strong arms wrapped around Reigns middle as he pulled her to him her back meeting the hardness of his chiseled upper body. Abban placed a warm kiss to the side of her temple and snuggled closer placing his head in the crook of her neck.

  “I missed you my Valdraken. Our bond allowed me to feel your emotions, and I was so angry so helpless. I wanted nothing more than to run to you and take on the world by your side but Eerikki has a plan and he ensured we would get you back unharmed. I’m so sorry my Valdraken, I should have never let this happen.”

  Reign lay there quietly still sorting through everything Eerikki had told her last night. Content to be lying between her mage and fae. The door opened once more and the signa on her ribs warmed as Maikoh entered the room in his wolf form.

  He unceremoniously leapt onto the bed and curled himself at her feet. The words in her mind where not as shocking as the first few times she heard them but still startled her slightly.

  “My Valdraken, I’m so very sorry.”

  She could hear the regret and sadness in his words.

  She was now surrounded by all three of the men willing to pledge themselves to her. In some way or another she had already tied herself to each of them.

  She had been bitten by Maikoh in his wolf form, causing her to shift into her true Valdraken form, she had saved Abban’s life by gifting him part of her soul, and she had joined her body with Eerikki’s.

  Would it be so bad to have these three men in her life forever? Could she truly allow them in and trust them completely with her mind body and soul? She thought to herself that only time would tell, but the further they ventured on this journey the less time they seemed to have.

  Reign knew that a Valdraken was only born of necessity, and that they were created to fight a great evil that threatened the world. She was starting to believe that Saline was a great evil but it appeared that she only threatened the fae not the world so what else was out there that she would have to face and would she truly be willing to face it on her own?

  Looking to three males around her a warmth began to bloom in her chest and her skin began to glow. Her body rose off the bed and out of Abban’s arms. Both he and Eerikki sat up staring at her in awe as Maikoh lifted his head to gaze upon her as well.

  Her wings slid from her back as her black scales covered her bare skin. The white light increased in intensity causing the men to shield their eyes. A burning in her skin caused her to look down at the mark on her chest from Abban.

  Now there were three marks burned there one for each of the men in the room. The light began to dim and she looked down once more on the men before her.

  “I Reign, the Valdraken accept you. I accept your love, your loyalty, and your protection. I will not accept your service without one condition, however. You will all be my equals not my lesser, your voices, hearts, and bodies will all be held in equal states to me just as I would have you look to me the same.”

  The men all nodded their agreement.

  “I am new to this and was not raised with love nor kindness, I know little of the outside world, and even less of humanity and its worth. I will need your guidance and counsel moving forward. You will all still need to prove to me that mankind is worth saving, but I am willing to listen and be shown.”

  The light faded completely and Reign softly floated to the floor at the foot of the bed looking upon the three men she had tied her life to. Smiling at them, she didn’t know what the future held or where it would take her but she knew now for certain that she would no longer be alone.

  With a bi
t of a dramatic flair because it just wouldn’t be her without it, she looked to each them reaching out with her shadows and wrapping them tightly around each one of the men’s balls she stated,

  “And so help me if any of you ever lie to me again, I will castrate you without a second thought.”

  With those final words she gave a good squeeze watching the men’s faces contort in agony before releasing the magic. One by one the men stepped from the bed and bowed before her giving her their promise of love and loyalty.

  They swore oaths to protect her, to love her, to share her, and to teach her the ways of the world.

  When they had each finished their oaths to her, they made a pact as brothers to always be there for one another, to protect each other, to never get jealous, and to be brothers always and forever.

  With their impromptu ceremony finished Reign turned towards the door of the bedroom.

  Eerikki spoke to her back

  “Where are you going Valdraken, it is not safe to wander the fae forest on your own.”

  With a malicious grin on her face she called back over her shoulder to the fae

  “I’m going to have a chat with your mother.”

  With that she stepped out of the bedroom and towards the door. The men had all scrambled out behind her as she opened the door to the suite.

  There were still two guards stationed on the outside of the door but one look at Reign in her true form had them shying away.

  “My lady you are to remain in the prince’s chamber until the queen states otherwise.”

  The guard on her left managed to stumble out. Not bothering to acknowledge the guard she continued on her trek down the hall.

  “Eerikki, if you would be so kind as to lead the way to the royals, I would like to kindly remind them who they are dealing with.”

  Eerikki offered a slight bow and a manic smile,

  “Of course my Valdraken.”

  He led them out of the hallway and once again into the main trunk of the tree. They began ascending steps and after the third landing people had begun to take notice of her. The whispers erupted and stares lingered. Soon a crowd of fae where following behind their small party.

  Once they reached the top of the tree and the final landing Eerikki stopped outside of a set of large wooden doors carved with scenes of what appeared to be fae history.

  Reign would have to remember to take a closer look at them when she wasn’t so hell bent on knocking an evil queen down a few pegs. The doors opened as they approached and Beatrice stepped out. Eyeing the crowd in front of her and Reign on full display she quickly hit her knees and bowed her head.

  “My Valdraken, it’s an honor.”

  Who was this woman and what had she done with the hateful, arrogant Beatrice from the previous day? Had she not known who Reign was yesterday when she treated her so poorly?

  Maybe none of these people knew who she was, perhaps that was part of Saline’s plan. She looked to Beatrice and then the rest of the crowd who having heard their suspicions confirmed now bowed before her as well. She looked to her men all smirking at the scene before them.

  Shaking her head slightly and suppressing the grin she herself felt ready to surface, Reign stepped towards the double doors and pushed them open.

  Chapter 20

  A Valdraken does not Bow

  Stepping over the threshold the room before her took her breath away. She stepped onto an open-air platform built at the very crown of the tree. At the end of the platform sat two thrones one filled by Saline and the other empty.

  She appeared to be holding court as there were several fae seated on either side of the isle that led to the thrones. Stepping forward onto a plush red and gold rug she took in the beauty around her.

  Even though there was no ceiling to the throne room the trees surrounding it offered a canopy of leaves and branches creating a dome of nature. The light shone through the leaves casting the whole platform in a natural soft green glow. Reign took a deep breath the air smelled of magic and nature.

  She stepped down the aisle with purpose headed straight towards the woman she intended to confront. Reign was tired of being kept, tired of being used, and this woman this supposed daughter of Valdraken would not steal her power.

  The fae in the room immediately bowed as soon as they noticed who had stepped into the throne room, whispers, and awes erupted from the crowd. She didn’t acknowledge the fae in the room her eyes focused solely on the evil queen seated at the head of the room.

  Saline watched her march up the aisle, a look of disgust and anger contorting her face. As reign arrived before the throne her men fanned out behind her the platform growing silent in anticipation.

  Saline stood from her throne

  “What is the meaning of this, I am the Queen and you will…”

  Reign didn’t allow her to finish that statement. She threw out her shadows binding the queen around the middle.

  “You are a false queen crowned through lies and deceit. I am Reign, the one and only Valdraken, true queen of Taru and all who reside within it.”

  She looked to Saline stretching her wings wide and allowing her power to flow through her, she stepped up to the throne and the false queen.

  “I know who you are Saline, I know what you did to gain this throne, and how you think you can steal my power.”

  She spoke loud enough for all the room to hear while she leaned in toward the false queen.

  “I am Valdraken and Valdraken bow to no one.”

  Reign expected fear, perhaps some begging, of all the things she pictured she could not have anticipated what happened next. Saline burst out in laughter, a dark malicious sound erupting from her throat. She spread her arms breaking right through the shadow Reign had used to bind her.

  Reign was still leaning in towards her when Saline turned her head toward Reign

  “You are a foolish girl, you think you can take me on, you haven’t even gained your full power.”

  With another dark chuckle she leaned back meeting Reigns eyes

  “Your mother was just as foolish thinking she could save you by sacrificing her life to save yours, but in the end her power became mine just like yours will.”

  Reign froze, trying to process the words she had just heard. Her mother, how did Saline know her mother? Had she just heard her, right? This evil woman before her had killed her mother for her powers, and her mom had sacrificed herself to save Reign.

  All this time Reign had thought she was abandoned, left to her fate and the cruel world that wished to use her. Something deep within her broke, she could feel her heart shattering as the thoughts of what had happened ran through her mind. She looked to Saline disbelief and pain welling within her.

  The evil queen looked back a smirk gracing her lips. She was proud of what she had done, smirking at the pain she had caused and the lives she had taken all for greed and power. That thing within Reign that had broken, the thing that caused her such great pain and sadness, turned and transformed into pure rage.

  Saline must have noticed the change in her because she had enough sense to take a step back. Reigns body erupted into white hot flames. Gasps came from the crowd and the smirk on Saline’s face was quickly replaced with a look of concern as Reigns body began to twist and morph.

  Her feet changed first transforming into two deadly weapons of claw and scale. The transformation continued up her legs causing them to grow in width and lengthen. Scales traveled over her entire body a deadly tail filled with spikes growing behind her as her wings grew and stretched.

  Her arms transformed followed by her hands landing on the ground looking the same as her feet now did covered in black scales, silver talons protruding from the ends. Finally, her neck lengthened and face transformed into that of a dragons. Rows of razor-sharp teeth lining the inside of her mouth as spikes grew from her back matching the deadly ones that adorned her tail.

  Reign now stood far above all the fae before her she pointed her giant maw to the sky
and released a stream of white-hot fire that burned through the leaves and branches above causing a shaft of light to shine down making her black scales glitter.

  She looked down to Saline opening her mouth once more, she stepped forward with her right foot and extended her wings the light shining through the runes decorating them.

  “I am Valdraken, you will not steal my power, you will not rule my people, and you will pay for killing my mother.”

  Saline Smiled causing Reign to hesitate for moment, all the time the evil queen needed. She lifted her arms encasing herself in shadow as she began to disappear.

  “You are still a foolish girl and I will have your power Valdraken, you will bow to me they will all bow to me. I may have underestimated you but don’t think I will make that mistake again.”

  With those words she was gone a puff of smoke in the wind. Reigns lifted her head to the sky and let out a roar that shook that forest around her.

  She turned her large new frame around taking in the crowd before her. They were all bowed on their hands and knees before her, for her. One by one their heads began to raise words of thanks and awe leaving their lips. They slowly began to celebrate, and Reign heard mixed declarations, “She’s gone”, “We’re free”, “The Valdraken saved us”, “All hale the Valdraken.” Reign felt the rage lessen within her body as her form began to shrink and return to its normal size.