Dragon Scepter

by Angelique Anderson

  “Your majesty, I simply asked what your son would want, not to cause dissension! Please, just hear me out!” Astrid pleaded with him, her fingers moving away from her bow as guards came marching in from either side of the throne room, their faces set in angry scowls, swords drawn as they prepared to take Astrid and Cayden by whatever means were necessary. Astrid watched them close in and her voice became more desperate.

  "Your majesty, please! Call off your guards! Listen to me for just a moment!" She reached her arm back behind her neck, to grab the tip of her bow, and ready herself for attack from the guards.

  The king smiled, his lips curving up in a half scowl.

  "Fine, I'll call them off. Just tell me this..." He paused for a moment, allowing the tension to build.

  Astrid’s heart beat faster, as she contemplated a way out. Her eyes scanned the throne room, searching desperately for an exit. She counted the guards and glanced to Cayden. He’d come unarmed into the throne room with her, but he wasn’t truly unarmed. She knew he carried a sword under his armor, hidden from sight. Astrid hadn’t seen him fight a whole lot, and didn’t know how good he was—how many Caelestans could he take on by himself? How many could she? As she finished her scan around the room, she realized there’s wasn’t any escape except the way they’d come in. She imagined there had to be another way—a way for the king himself to flee in case of danger, but she couldn’t figure out where it was hidden.

  "What do you want?" she asked, watching the guards closing in.

  "Tell me, Astrid of the bow, how do the Tellurian people fair?"

  Confused, she tried to understand why he would say such a thing. "Your majesty. The Tellurians are only as evil as the man who leads them. Since we dealt with the dark force behind him, they have rescinded their desire to kill Caelestans and Aequorans alike. Even though there was a battle, and each kingdom fought for itself, the Aequorans joined us. They stood side by side with us as we battled the Tellurians. If not for them, we would have lost many more of our people. For that, I could not find the heart to kill the Aequorans."

  "Stupid girl, you think I care about anyone but myself? I lost those cares the night my son died."

  "But your majesty..." Astrid asked, baffled by his words.

  What was he saying? That he didn't even care about his people? How could a king not care for its people?

  "All I care about is making sure that both kings meet their end, so that I can have what's rightfully mine."

  There was no hint of sarcasm in his voice, and Astrid realized that he wasn't going to call off his men. She knew he had his problems, but she hadn’t imagined his heart had grown so cold.

  "Take them," he muttered quietly.

  With that, the guards closed in, and in the next moment, Astrid had her bow out, and was loosing arrows as fast as her hands could form the motion. Thankfully, Aronus was able to keep up, and his magic aided her as the guards sliced at them with swords and arrows of their own. Cayden had his sword out and the metal clangs of blade against blade echoed throughout the throne room.

  She stole a quick glance at him, and saw his blade slice through the air, deflecting an impending attack. The king sat, smiling, as if entertained by the whole mess, which infuriated Astrid more than she could have thought possible.

  "Your majesty, please!" she yelled loudly, begging him to stop. He didn't say a word, and one by one, she and Cayden dropped the guards who attacked them. It was child’s play at this point. She had battled stronger, angrier men. It just hurt her heart that the very people she had vowed to protect, she had to kill due to the king unjustly sending them after her and Cayden, despite her pleas.

  When the last guard had dropped to the ground, and no more entered the room, Astrid dropped to her knees.

  "What kind of man are you, that you couldn't call off your men long enough to let me explain exactly what happened!? We stopped the Tellurian king. My sisters and I stopped the king. Our men fought, and they banded together with the Aequorans. That should count for something! Our kingdoms have a chance of restoration, if we can overcome the past."

  "No! You had one task, and that was to kill the king, kill the Aequorans and Tellurians, and come back. There was no middle ground. I gave you very clear orders, and you disobeyed them." The look in his eyes was one of pure, unadulterated hatred.

  "That was Caelestis of the past. We can move forward together and put that all behind us," she urged him.

  "You're one to talk," he said, surveying the littering of bodies strewn about the floor.

  "I did not want this!" She shouted. “You did this to me, to them, because you refused to listen to reason. If I had it my way from the very beginning no one would have had to die--ever.

  "That is where you and I differ. I only care to save those who will serve me, and my purpose. I can see that you have no place in that, at this moment."

  Astrid couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had they entered an alternate universe where every king was poisoned by selfishness, and greed? Or was there some hidden reason like with the Tellurian king? It just seemed too strange that both kings would suffer from the same affliction. Astrid wondered how he could have been poisoned. His eyes were not black, a telltale sign of mind control, but they were empty. Empty like the soul that he contained within had vanished. He wanted nothing more than self-gain. She shook her head in dismay, looking back at Cayden.

  "Your majesty, surely you do not just want riches, and lands for your own selfish gain?" Cayden, sensing her growing frustration and despair, finally spoke.

  "Well, I suppose, I'd want them for my people. They are the only ones who truly deserve to live. We are superior, do you not see it? Of course you don't, because you are one of them. She... Astrid of the Bow, is no better them. I don't trust either of you. You both deserve death."

  "No, I will not let you do that, your majesty." Cayden seemed unmoved by the growing anger of the king, and Astrid found herself feeling very tired of it all.

  "Your majesty, if you choose to battle them, I will take their side, and I do not wish to fight the Caelestans. I consider them my people, and you my king. I pledged my loyalty to you, but if you are bent on killing all who do not dwell here, then I cannot continue to pledge loyalty to only you."

  "Then, I will have you killed, like I should have done from the beginning."

  There was no reasoning with him. Astrid could see that now. She would have to talk to the Caelestans and tell them of their king's stand. Surely, they would not all take his side, they had seen what could happen when the people joined together to fight for each other. Peace was possible, not only possible, it was needed.

  "Take the armies, take whoever you need, and the next time you return, do not enter this room until you have killed the Tellurian king. His people will be easier to deal with after."

  “Your majesty, I..." she began, only she had no words to say.

  When she looked up, the king was gone. She did a double-take, searching every inch of the room. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced over to Cayden who shrugged back at her. Had he not seen where the king went either? He couldn’t have disappeared into thin air. Yet, he was nowhere to be seen.

  With her head hung down, she left the throne room, Cayden following her. Silenced by what they had witnessed, neither spoke until they reached the outside.

  "Cayden, I can't kill the Tellurian king. It's not my place, my kingdom is Caelestis."

  "So, what are you saying, Astrid? Do you wish to Kill the Caelestan King?" He stopped walking, turning to face her.

  "I honestly don't know. Didn't that whole thing feel off to you? Like there was something else going on?" She struggled to understand what she had just witnessed, even more so, she struggled with having taken so many innocent lives. It was too much for her. "I just wish there was an end to this in sight, there has been so much death, so many lives lost. All in the name of a truce, or peace, or protecting the Caelestans or fighting the Tellurian King, is there no end to this?"

&
nbsp; Cayden nonchalantly grabbed her hand, gently pulling her away from the castle.

  "One day, there will be peace, and all of this will stop. I can feel it in my core, it's just a matter of time. We've already come so far, you clearing out the Tellurian soldiers? That was brilliant. Pure brilliance. Just keep pressing forward and fighting for the right cause. We are going to get there. I know we will. As for the king, he did seem off. Like there was something darker at work, but I can't imagine what it could be. It seems for now, that perhaps it is his own darkness and greed." Astrid saw Quimby walking not too far off, but she didn't have the heart to call out to him. So much had changed between them. there was no longer the comforting friendship she found solace in. In the moment, she only felt safe with Cayden, an odd feeling considering her whole journey she had to fight alone and had been taught to trust no one. Her walls were slowing coming down.

  "What do you wish to do?" Cayden asked her.

  "Shall we return to Telluris? I no longer feel welcome here."

  "If that is what you wish."

  The truth was, she didn't know what she wanted to do. She didn't know if she wanted to keep fighting the king. Or if she wanted to tell the Tellurians what the Caelestan King had planned. Her mind was spinning with the fate of her people, of all people, and for once, she had no answers.

  18

  Svana

  Sometimes the lives of many have to be sacrificed for the life of one. Not because any one life is more valuable, but because the good that can be accomplished is greater. It is not for us to decide the value of a life, only to look out for the greater benefit of all. That is the first great creed of a warrior of the realms.

  Palladin, The Great, Ninth Dragon Elder, Tenth Age of Verdil

  Svana’s eyes opened wide. Everything around her was a blur and she struggled to focus her eyesight on her surroundings. Her strength was gone, and she reached for her sword at her hip—except—her hand wouldn’t move. Where was she? And why was she so weak?

  Lingaria? she asked inside of her head.

  There was no response. Only silence surrounded her.

  Her eyes began to focus, and she saw something she didn’t expect. A man, a handsome man at that, knelt over her. His features were familiar. A chiseled jaw, scruffy face, large brown eyes of chestnut filled with worry. Her head tilted.

  “Jakobe?” she managed to croak, fighting against the dryness in her mouth and throat.

  The first thing Svana expected to see when she opened her eyes, was not Jakobe’s worried expression. In that moment, she felt as if she were dreaming. Her eyes fluttered as she struggled to adjust to the light. Where was she? Against her back, the cold dirt of the cave seeped through her clothing. Her leather armor had been removed, and without it, she felt naked. The damp smell of dirt, and brisk smell of nature permeated her senses. The smells were familiar, comforting. Like somewhere she’d been long ago.

  “Svana, come back to me,” Jakobe said softly, and his voice was like the essence of a rose. Comforting, and sweet. In her deathless sleep, she’d been lost in her mind, reliving past moments over and over again, wondering how she could have done things differently. She’d seen flashes of the men she’d killed, mixed with flashes of the faces of her sisters, Jakobe, Eloise, Percival. In her subconscious, she’d wondered if she would ever see them again, and now that she was back, she questioned if she were truly alive.

  “Am I…” she couldn’t bring herself to ask the question, but a familiar voice answered her thoughts.

  “Clearly, you are not dead, my girl, but you are certainly not where you should be.” Svana’s eyes opened a little wider, and she could see movement not far off. She brought herself to sit up, worried about the fact that she remained without armor.

  That voice. It was familiar… but who did it belong to? Her thoughts were clouded, but a memory brushed itself to the surface before it was lost again. Where had the voice come from? And why did her blasted head throb so badly?

  “Easy,” Jakobe said, placing his hand on her back to help her into a sitting position. “Don’t try to do too much, too quickly,” he said.

  Svana turned her head and blinked at him, not believing that he was there with her. Or that she was alive. For a moment, she’d thought it’d all been a dream. Or, well, a nightmare. Her travels to Telluris, her quest that she was given along with her sisters. The Tellurian king, the darkness… the wizard.

  “Where am I?” she said roughly, to which Jakobe offered her a drink from his leather decanter.

  “Here, have some water. Much has happened. Get your strength back first.”

  She nodded, her bright red hair, falling over her shoulders, her body feeling lighter than it had in a long time. Had she lost weight? Was her muscle gone? All the muscle she’d built up for being a warrior? Or was it simply the lack of leather armor? Could it be both? She took long gulps of the water, closing her eyes as the liquid rushed down her parched throat.

  “My dear, I need you to face me. We’ve much to discuss.”

  The familiar voice spoke again. Svana spun around and to her great surprise, Palladin the Great stood before her, his large white head resting calmly on his large, scaly feet. Svana scrambled to her knees, her head bent down in reverence.

  “Palladin, it has been so long,” she offered.

  “Indeed, it has. There is no need to bow before me. On your feet, please.”

  She nodded, and though slightly off balance, she managed to stand, with Jakobe’s help.

  “Your body has been through an excessive amount, even to the precipice of death. You have friends who care a great deal about you. It is because of this, that you have been rescued.”

  Svana nodded her head, and as she did, it was then she saw the lifeless body of someone else she recognized. A familiar face. A familiar body. Svana’s blood ran cold as everything around her seemed to slow to nothingness. Her hand trembled as she stared in utter disbelief. Her mentor, Melifera, was dead.

  The realization cut through her, stabbing deep into her heart, and she cried out, releasing the pain that had sunk deep inside of her. Melifera had spoken of being ready to part this world on several occasions, but now that she lay dead on the ground before Svana, she just couldn’t believe it. What was she going to tell her sisters?

  “Who!? Who did this to her?” Svana shouted, glancing around for her sword. She would kill whoever had killed the woman she loved like a mother.

  Palladin’s great sad eyes looked on, but his mouth remained silent.

  “Palladin! Who did this to her?”

  “Oh Svana, when I said you had friends who were willing to do a great deal for you, I dare say that Melifera was the one willing to do the most of all.”

  “What… what are you saying?”

  Jakobe gripped her shoulders, turning her to face him. “Svana, Melifera gave the last of her life for you. She wanted you to live and finish out your purpose here,” he spoke as kindly as possible, knowing that the fiery-haired female would not understand. It was not something she would have chosen.

  “Palladin, you let her give her life for me? Why would you do such a thing? Is her life not worth as much as mine? Did she not deserve to live? I would never have asked her to do this for me!” Svana could feel the familiar lump rising in her throat, which was almost painful in the moment.

  “I didn’t ask her.” He sighed. “It was without a doubt; I would never have had to ask her for such a thing. She did so of her own free will. Svana, Melifera loved you like a daughter—”

  Jakobe’s face twitched slightly. Svana barely caught it out of the corner of her eye, but she did see it, and she wondered what it meant.

  “And this was what she wanted,” Palladin continued. “Be grateful, and in that gratitude, don’t allow her death to be in vain, do you understand?”

  Svana didn’t move for a long time, fighting against feelings of anger and frustration. Not understanding how the woman could have so quickly given up her life for Svana. It was un
fair, Melifera had given her so much, and now she would never be able to repay her.

  “Lingaria, come. We have many rights to wrong!” she said angrily, wanting out of the presence of Palladin, as quickly as possible, but there was no response from him. She stared hard at Jakobe, and he shook his head. “Are you kidding me? My dragon is dead as well?”

  She stomped her foot childishly, acting a fool. But she didn’t care. She’d gone through too much to care.

  “How could you allow this, Palladin!”

  “You will calm your voice with me, child! Lingaria gave his essence for you, and now you must help to heal him. He is not gone completely. Do you think I would leave you to your own devices, without a guide?” Palladin retorted, smoke rising out of his nostrils.

  “You allowed Melifera and Lingaria to give themselves for me, so yes. Tell me, how am I to help restore his essence. I am not magic, that is what he was for. That is what you are for!” Svana could feel her heart ripping in two. The most important people in her life had been taken, and she’d not been even given a chance to help them or tell them she wanted them to stay. Svana felt as if she had not been worthy to live, and now there was no way to fix the wrongs that had occurred.

  Jakobe stepped forward, grabbing her hand. “Svana, I promise that as long as I am alive, I will do whatever I can to help you and your dragon.” She pulled away, crossing her arms across her chest.

  “I can’t do this right now. What else don’t I know?” She glared from Palladin to Jakobe, waiting for them to speak, but neither seemed willing to do so. Svana didn’t even notice Eloise’s presence with them, so clouded was her vision, from the anger she felt in her inner being.

  In the next moment, a colored smoke whirled around them, and from the smoke, the caring, but stern voice of Melifera filled the tavern.