“You don’t have to say anything,” Crown said. “I don’t expect you to. I just wanted you to know that, at least before you walk through these doors.”
“But why tell me now?” she asked.
“I don’t know what you might or might not remember,” he replied. “I just needed you to know how I’ve come to feel about you. Please, I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“No. Oh dear, you didn’t!” she quickly said.
“Well, that’s a relief,” he said, smiling and turning around to leave.
“But you’re not alone, you know,” she loudly said.
He smiled and said, “I’ll be right outside for when you’re done.”
The gate stood tall and proud before Kelly’s small and fragile human frame. She turned the door handle, and pushed the gates wide open, showing herself before an army of dragons, some soldiers, some servants, and some simply devoted followers of Viera that refused to cooperate with the rest of the population. The moment she showed herself, everyone knew who she was.
“It’s her,” one dragoness whispered. “It’s the hybrid.”
“It is her,” another repeated. “It’s her, it’s the human bastard!”
A surge of dragons came flying through the halls, some angrier than others, and some simply bewildered to finally witness what they have heard of but never truly laid eyes on. Four humungous dragons came forth with sharp spears, their footsteps heavy and their voices beastly.
“You are not welcome here, creature,” one of them shouted. “Our Queen will not be pleased to see your filthy human heart encroach on the only pure part left of this village.”
“I come here in peace, my friends,” she quickly said, hoping she is loud enough for everyone to hear her above the angry shouting and resentful scolding.
“How dare you call us your friends!” yelled another dragon. “You are an abomination, a tragic error, a beastly sin!”
“Will someone please listen,” she tried to shout over their voices. “I am here to see Queen of the Valley. I am here to see Queen Viera.”
“You will never come near out Queen!” they all shouted, one voice over the other.
As Kelly tried to speak to the dragons, to at least have her voice heard over their unmatched roars, a loud voice suddenly echoed throughout the palace.
“Settle down, my children,” it said. “Settle down.”
The heap of dragons all kneeled, their heads bowed to the ground in humble submission. It was Viera, appearing straight out of thin air, a soaring bonfire of flame flaunting heated colors with the wind.
“I see we have a guest tonight,” she said, looking scornfully at Kelly, almost in disgust.
Yet just when Viera, and everyone else, least expected it, Kelly got down on one knee, bowed her head, lowered her eyes, and said, “My Queen, it is an honor to be able to stand in your presence.” Confused whispers filled the halls. Viera felt it an incredibly unexpected greeting from Kelly. For a moment, she felt as if her pride was re-instilled. She looked down at Kelly, giving a slight smile and saying, “Yes, it is indeed an honor. Do not make the foolish, and may I say rather humanly mistake, of taking it for granted.”
“I would never, Your Grace,” she said, her eyes still lowered to her feet.
“Why are you here, human?” Viera asked.
“I am here to see you, Your Grace,” Kelly replied. “I believe that you and I would greatly benefit from an honest conversation.”
“You and I?” she asked, looking around and laughing. “How could you possibly be of any benefit to me?”
“You see, My Queen,” Kelly said, trying to keep a humble posture and submissive tone, “I believe that you and I can help each other make peace with our past.”
“Ha!” Viera laughed, “so long as one’s past reeks of foul betrayal and of wretched war, there is no way of making peace with it.”
“That’s where you and I would differ, my Queen.”
“I don’t know what hidden motives you might have, you foolish thing,” said Viera rather suspiciously, “but I suggest you take those intensions and leave these halls, this castle, and this village at once. Your kind has done enough damage as it is.”
As Viera started to turn around, Kelly shouted, “I know what you did to me!”
Viera turned to Kelly, looked directly at her, and ordered her to come inside.
Chapter 6
Kelly walked into Viera’s chamber with fear, with caution. Viera sat on a large throne, the walls pitch black and contrasted with tall Roman poles, velvet red and made of marble. The room clearly reflected Viera’s very character – proud, royal, noble, dignified and majestic. Kelly felt her presence about the room, in the walls, in the paintings, in the curtains and in the burning lanterns at each corner.
“Well don’t keep standing there,” Viera said. “Sit down and stop fidgeting.”
“Thank you,” Kelly said.
“Now, I see you’ve been told our famous story,” said Viera. “What do you know?” she asked, her voice strong and demanding.
“I know what you’ve done to my mother, and I know what you’ve done to me,” Kelly said, struggling to keep a steady tone.
“Do you?” she said, angrily. “And what are you here for? An apology? A justification?”
“I’m not asking for any of those things,” replied Kelly.
“You and that human mother of yours deserved it,” Viera said. “Don’t think I would ever have done things differently had I had the chance to go back.”
“What I want to first tell you is – “said Kelly.
“Yes?” asked Viera, expecting an offensive attack, to which she was ready to reply with violent rage.
“I want to tell you that I understand why you did it.”
Viera stood silent for a while, somewhat surprised at what Kelly had said.
“What do you mean you understand?” asked Viera.
“I mean, I know what drove you into doing it, and how you felt when you did it.”
“How dare you pretend to understand,” shouted Viera. “You know nothing of pain, of loss, or of suffering.”
“But that’s where you’re wrong, Viera!” continued Kelly. “I do understand, and I do know what it’s like to feel pain and to feel loss.”
“What could you have possibly lost?” asked Viera. “You… You tiny speck of dust, you insignificant human bastard.”
“I can tell you that, at the very least, I feel great pain and great loss for a past that I can never bring back to life.”
Viera paused, looking down at Kelly, not knowing whether to believe her.
“Foolish child,” Viera said, “We do not mourn the loss of something we never knew.”
“But you’re wrong,” Kelly said. “I keep remembering bits and pieces, fragments that I could never put together, feelings that I confuse with dreams, and dreams that I confused with reality. I had a life. I had a life, Viera, one that was stolen from me when I was too young to fight to keep it.”
“You are not the victim in all this, you know,” Viera said, listening to Kelly recite to her the implications of the curse she cast upon her years ago.
“I’m not saying I’m the victim,” said Kelly. “But neither are you. It is the dragon race that suffers the consequences of war and hatred.”
“That is precisely the problem,” said Viera. “It is you and your species that have left us in ruins!”
“But can’t you see?” asked Kelly, almost warmheartedly. “I am one of you!”
“How dare you – “Viera yelled in rage.
“You know it yourself!” Kelly continued. “I am as much of a human as much as I am a dragon.”
“I look at you and see nothing but a tragic mistake, an offense to the rhythm of life and the harmony of nature.”
“I’m sorry that you can only see that,” Kelly said, frustrated. “Because I am here to do whatever it takes to help this valley flourish, and to help the dragon race rise from hiding and in
to the world.”
“My darling mother, before she was killed by humans, reminded me to always be wary of humanity’s strongest weapon: cunning deceit,” said Viera. “So, things like you are never to be trusted.”
“You don’t find it strange?” asked Kelly, trying to reach out to Viera, to connect with her.
“Find what strange?”
“That your mother was killed by a human, and mine was killed by a dragon,” said Kelly.
“In our world we call that justice,” said Viera.
“In our world,” said Kelly, “we call that vengeance, fueled by harbored grudge and unresolved anger.”
“Oh, spare me your human dictionary!”
“You and I can do so much for each other, Viera,” continued Kelly. “We can help each other heal. Only then can we truly help this world move forward.”
Viera listened to Kelly, realizing something she hadn’t realized before – she had Damien’s character, precisely, absolutely and inequitably his exact character.
“Forgiveness, Viera,” said Kelly. “We must learn to forgive one another, and more importantly, we must learn to forgive ourselves.”
“You sound just like your father,” Viera said. “Crippled by daft hope and vulnerable sentimentality.”
“You wouldn’t you admit that such daftness, such vulnerability, is better than being entirely stunted by stubborn pain and unlevered grudge?”
Viera gave a slight laugh and said, “Spoken like a true princess.”
“So I’ve been told,” Kelly replied, smiling back and secretly relieved to finally hear Viera acknowledge her as a true princess.
“What do you want from me, Kelly?” asked Viera.
“I want you to give me back what you long ago took away from me,” she said. “And I want us to look past our histories, and try to work together to save both the human and the dragon races.”
“And you are, of course, suggesting we work towards reconciliation,” said Viera.
“Precisely. That is exactly what I think should, and can, be done.”
“Well, regarding you first request,” said Viera, “I cannot give you back your memories.” After a moment of silence, Viera added, “Neither can I give you back your powers of breathing fire again.”
“My what?” Kelly asked, even more surprised.
“Your name didn’t appear out of a vacuum,” Viera said. “You could breathe fire as a child, it’s the only trait you inherited from Damien.”
“And you took that away, too?”
“I had to make sure you wouldn’t go looking for answers,” Viera said, somewhat regrettably.
“But,” said Kelly frustratingly, “what else can I say, I’m practically begging you!”
“Not because I don’t want to,” interrupted Viera. “But because I simply can’t. The curse I cast upon you as a child is irreversible. There’s nothing to be done.”
Kelly looked around the room, then stood up and walked back and forth, pausing by the window.
“So you’re telling me that I can never remember what happened, who I was, or how I got here,” said Kelly.
“When I cast that spell on you,” said Viera, “you were no older than eight years old. After I did it, I wondered whether one day I would regret it.”
“Do you ever regret it?” asked Kelly.
“At this moment, part of me does.”
“So I am ruined, lost forever in fragmented memories,” said Kelly.
“You don’t need a solid past to begin a new future,” said Viera. “My past is made of nothing but death, ash and ruin. Yet here I am, conversing for human, and considering for the first time a plan of reconciliation with the very species that destroyed my past.”
“You’re not as harsh as they say, you know,” said Kelly.
“What a pity that you think so,” said Viera, jokingly. “I have a reputation to uphold, so you better not go around spreading word of my kindness.”
“They all love you, you know,” noted Kelly. “The dragons. No matter how much you think you’ve fallen out of the majority’s favor, they still think of you as their queen, and hold you in their highest regards.”
“That’s good to know,” Viera said. “But I highly doubt I am as popular as you claim. Many still think I am a primary hindrance to reaching peace with the humans – they think I am cold, vile and resentful, full of nothing but anger and hate.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, My Queen,” said Kelly, “I hold you in very high regard at this very moment, despite the tragic past you and I share.”
“You humans, you’re as unpredictable as any species can get.”
“So you’ll help us then?” asked Kelly. “Will you help us put a plan of reconciliation with the humans?”
“I suppose I will,” she said smiling. “After all, it could possibly be the very last battle we fight. It will either go horribly right or horribly wrong. Only time can tell.”
“Friends, then?” said Kelly, extending her hand. “You and I?”
“Let’s stick to the word allies for now,” Viera replied, taking Kelly’s hand in peaceful agreement.
Kelly and Viera walk out of the castle, hand in hand before the entire dragon population. Crown stands up, witnessing what he believed was something he would never see. For the first time ever, it truly felt like the village was in harmony. There was hope that things could change. Damien was summoned by some of the guards, and once he came out and saw Kelly standing with Viera, his eyes were tearful and full joy. William, Damien’s closest guard, was with him, and was also terribly pleased to witness this glorious moment.
“At last,” said Damien, “Our royal family is harmony. Now we can truly begin the process of change, of peace building and reconciliation with the humans.”
“It’s all Kelly’s doing, you know,” said Viera to Damien. “She reminded me of how much she and I had in common. I suppose we are not so different after all.”
“No,” said Kelly, “We certainly are not.”
“There is, apparently, hope in that strange species after all,” said Viera with a smile. “Let’s give it another chance, what could be our very last.”
“Yes, my darling,” said Damien, taking Viera’s hand. “My beautiful, beautiful Queen, oh how I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, my dear,” said Viera. “I truly have.”
The village had never been so joyous as it was at that moment. Watching their king and their queen finally stand hand in hand as one, they knew that change was truly possible.
“Summon all our chief guard,” said Damien. “We must begin planning at once!”
They all flew about to organize themselves, and a large chamber in the castle was prepared for many days and nights of meticulous discussion to come.
“Crown!” Damien said suddenly, “You’re our chief expert of the human species. We’ll need you every step of the way. You and Kelly will work together on how to approach the humans.”
“But, Your Grace,” interrupted William, “Shouldn’t I be working with Princess Kelly? After all, it is I who had was destined to…”
“Yes, yes, William,” said Damien, barely listening to him and mentally occupied with several other logistical and organizational matters. “But it was Mr. Crown who spent the past years on closely day to day relations with the humans, and it was he who found our precious Kelly to begin with, so I believe it is best left to him, my boy.”
“Yes, but Your Grace…” muttered William.
“My decision is final, General,” said Damien. “We can discuss further matters when the time comes. You have my word.”
“Of course, Sir. Thank you.”
As William prepared to fly out and begin to summon his soldiers, he walked toward Crown and said, “I advise you to be very careful, my friend. These are delicate times, I suggest you be wary of any inappropriate intentions your confused heart might have.”
“I don’t know what you mean, General,” said Crown, smirking at Wi
lliam and the walking away.
Crown walked up to Kelly, looked at her straight in the eye, took her hand and said, “Well done, my princess. I cannot tell you how very proud I am of you.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have been able to know how to get on her good side had you not helped me,” she said.
“Shall we go inside?” said Crown, “I assume we have plenty of work to get through. The plan that you and I come up with will be the central part of this operation.”
“Yes, of course,” she said. “Let’s get something to eat and get started.”
Chapter 7
Kelly and Crown spent an unimaginable amount of time together. They were almost inseparable, commencing their day to day activities around the central plan of how to begin contact with the humans, let alone how to reach out with a reasonable plan of reconciliation. They were able to strongly benefit from each other’s experiences. Kelly, with her lifelong knowledge of not only what it means to be human, but also how it feels to be one, and Crown with his years and years of living amongst them, learning their habits, their traditions, their everyday rituals. Together, they made a powerful team, one that was indispensible to the operation.
General William, however, noticing the close bond being established between Kelly and Crown, grew angrier and more envious. He knew something was going on between them, something more than the alleged planning process. One evening, finding Kelly and Crown alone in the drawing room, William decided to stand at the door and listen to their chatter. Their voices were low, interrupted by subtle laughter and Kelly’s giggling. Peering through the small door opening, he saw Crown, in his human form, resting his arm on Kelly’s thigh as they both poured over a series of notes, maps and blueprints.
Love of A Dragon (Exalted Dragons Book 1) Page 6
