“What if he’s not under his own control? What if the dragon’s power is too much for him to fight?” Hekla asked. “What if all of those words, and all of his actions, were because of the dragon—and not himself.”
Isabella shook her head. “If mother wasn’t good enough to bring him out of the darkness… why would I be good enough?”
“You sell yourself short, Isabella. I’ve only recently met you, but I can already see how kind and loving you are. I know you have it in you to do anything you want to.”
Isabella’s face relaxed slightly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her eyes opened back again, they were calm, relaxed. Her emotion that had just shown through was now diminished. Hekla could tell she had grown up with a hard life and learned to be strong. It was great that she let her emotions out, and Hekla wanted to encourage that more, but for now, she needed Isabella to be strong, to be brave, and to come with her to see the king. Then she could let her emotions out. No matter how strong magic was, emotions were stronger.
“All right,” Isabella said.
“You will come with me?” Hekla asked.
Isabella nodded.
Hekla smiled at her. “Let’s go.”
“Now?” Isabella asked, her face instantly paling.
“We do not have time to dally. We need to try and talk sense into him right now… before it’s too late.”
Isabella took a deep breath. “Fine.”
“You two don’t need to go alone,” Jetevius said.
“We will,” Hekla said.
“No, it’s not safe,” Jetevius argued.
“We need no distractions. This needs to be between King Renault, Isabella, and me. If there is anyone else in that room—it will be too much. He will not listen.”
“But—”
“No,” Hekla stated mater-of-fact.
“At least let me and a few guards come with you into Aequoris. We’ll let you two see the king alone… but I want to be nearby in case you run into trouble.”
Hekla tilted her head down. “Agreed.”
Jetevius looked visibly relieved.
“Ecthelion, I want you to stay here and prepare everyone while we’re gone,” Hekla said.
“Prepare for what, milady?”
Hekla’s eyebrows raised. “War.”
With that, she turned and left. Isabella and Jetevius had to run to catch up to her. Hekla didn’t want to wait around. The heart of Aequoris was normally a day’s swim away. But they didn’t have a day. Hekla needed to see the king now.
Even though she was in a hurry, she still greeted everyone they passed as they left the camp. Everyone smiled at her, and she smiled back at them. Even though she wasn’t an Aequoran, Hekla felt like she was one of them.
“You would make a great queen,” Isabella said once they were out of earshot of the camp.
Hekla spun to look at her. “You’re the princess. If something were to happen to your father—it should be you who inherits the kingdom.”
Isabella shook her head. “No. It does not work like that here in Aequoris. It can, if the kin accept it, and the people want it. But we are more of a democracy here. The people decide who gets to rule. If they make a bad choice… well—you can see… they must live with the consequences. But they do have a choice.”
“You don’t want to rule?” Hekla asked.
Isabella shook her head. “No. I never have. I saw what happened to my mother and my father. I don’t want to go through that—ever.”
“It isn’t always like that. Verdil had hundreds of years of peace.”
“I know… but I still don’t want it. I see how you are with the people. You’re kind to them. And you speak to them all. You don’t look down upon anyone. Instead, you treat all as equals, and value each person’s opinion. You are well-loved. And you’re going out of your way to save Aequoris. In the people’s eyes, you’re already their queen.”
“And you’re all right with that?” Jetevius asked, his eyes looking sideways at her.
Isabella pressed her lips tight together for a moment before answering. “I am.”
“If it is requested of me—I will be your queen,” Hekla said. “But no matter what the outcome—all I want is what is best for all Aequorans and all of Verdil.”
“And that is why you deserve it more than anyone else.” Isabella smiled.
They all stood in a moment of silence for a few minutes. Thoughts rolling inside of all of their heads. Finally, Jetevius stepped closer to Hekla.
“How are we going to reach the castle? If we swim, it will take us all day, and another day to return to the camp.”
Hekla grinned. “I have an idea.”
Her scepter glowed blue as she sent energy into it. “Aquum Callium Ottum. Aquum Callium Dolphiums.”
Very good, Hekla. You’re learning, Speltus said.
Hekla’s grin grew wider.
Jetevius and Isabella frowned at Hekla as they watched her.
“What did you do?” Isabella asked.
Before Hekla could respond, dozens of dolphins appeared, chirping (do they chirp? What’s that noise?). Isabella’s jaw dropped. Hekla didn’t stop looking at all the approaching animals. Finally, she saw who she was looking for. An otter approached her, and when it reached her, it circled her twice, then rubbed its face all over hers.
“It’s good to see you too,” Hekla laughed.
Isabella looked over at her curiously.
Hekla held onto the otter’s neck and spun her head around to face the others. “It looks like our rides have arrived.”
Isabella hesitantly put her arms around a dolphin after seeing Jetevius and a few of the guards do so. Once they were all secure, the dolphins and otter began swimming to the city. At this pace, they would reach the city in less than an hour.
The next hour was quiet. Nobody spoke, though it wouldn’t have made a difference if they had. They wouldn’t have heard each other. Once arriving to the heart of the city, everyone dismounted the dolphins. Hekla gave her otter a hug, whispering into its ear.
She walked over to Isabella. “Are you ready?”
Hekla touched the side of Isabella’s face. “That same emotion you showed us back there, you need to show to your father. Reason isn’t going to break the spell. Emotion has to.”
Isabella nodded. “I understand.”
They walked together to the throne room. When they passed the room, Hekla had noticed earlier with all the gems and gold, she stopped, and peeked her head inside. It wasn’t as full as before. There were very few crates remaining. She wondered if that was why King Renault had become antsy lately. Was he running out of gold and gems to give as offering to the dragon?
“Father’s jewel room,” Isabella whispered when she saw what Hekla was looking at.
“It’s almost empty.”
Isabella frowned. “It shouldn’t be.”
“Come on, let’s continue to the throne room.”
After another few minutes of walking, they arrived at the doors of the throne room. Two guards stood guard on the outside, each gripped their weapons and crossed them with the others as they saw Hekla and Isabella approach.
“The king is not to be disturbed,” one of the guard’s said.
“We must speak with him,” Hekla said.
“You will need to make an appointment.”
“His daughter needs no appointment,” Isabella said.
“Daughter?” the guard scoffed. “The king has no daughter.”
“Let them in,” the other guard said, moving his weapon to the side.
“Sir?” the first guard asked.
“The king does have a daughter. And this is her.”
“He does?”
“He does not talk about her, but yes—he does.”
The guard looked perplexed as he moved his weapon away from the door. “As you wish.”
Hekla stepped forward and opened the door. She stepped inside with Isabella and looked at the ominous room. There
were no lanterns or eels around, making the room dark.
King Renault sat on his throne, his legs crossed as he looked down at Hekla and Isabella who warily approached him.
“What brings you here?” King Renault asked. “And why do my guards keep letting you in?”
“I have come to speak with you, my king.”
“Are the Tellurian and Caelestan king dead?”
“No,” Hekla answered.
“Then you have failed me for the last time,” King Renault snarled.
“Father,” Isabella said.
His gaze turned from Hekla to Isabella. “And what are you doing here, my daughter?”
“I want you to listen to us,” Isabella pleaded.
“Listen? Has this woman corrupted you as well, my dear Isabella?”
“The only one corrupted is you,” Hekla said.
“Excuse me?” King Renault snapped.
“The dragon has taken over your mind. You need to take control back.”
“Dragon?” the king asked.
“We know about the dragon, father,” Isabella said.
His eyes widened, not from shock, but surprise that they had learned of his secret.
“We know you’ve been giving him gold and gems,” Isabella continued.
“You know nothing,” the king snapped.
“We know of the dragon’s army,” Hekla said. “Tell me, what is his army for? Is it to keep you in line, or to slaughter all the people in Aequoris?”
“Army?” King Renault asked.
“Hundreds… or perhaps even thousands of creatures,” Hekla said.
“He has no army.”
“Yes, he does, father,” Isabella spoke up.
Isabella walked up the steps to the throne, stopping in front of her father, looking at him in the eyes.
“Impossible.”
“They are the dead. He’s brought them back, father. We must stop him. If we don’t… he will kill us all.”
The king’s face faltered, as if he considered her words. His eyes went from black to blue for several moments. He looked up to his daughter, who stood above him, looking down to him in his chair. His hand slowly went up to her face, touching her cheek.
“You look so much like your mother,” he said.
Isabella’s hand touched his as tears came down her face, an incredible sight to see underwater.
“I miss her,” Isabella said.
“As do I,” he said. “I wish… I wish things were different.”
“Then change them,” Isabella said.
“I—” King Renault jerked back; his eyes clenching shut before a loud scream came from his mouth.
“No!” he shouted.
“Father?” Isabella asked.
He held onto his head, screaming for several minutes as Isabella tried to get closer to him to check on him.
“Isabella, be careful,” Hekla said, as she approached herself with her scepter glowing.
Careful, Hekla. I can feel dark magic going into him, Speltus said.
Duliogial, Hekla cursed.
Yes.
King Renault opened his eyes. They were no longer blue but transformed back to black.
“Father?” Isabella asked.
He smacked her across her face, knocking her off the stairs to the throne. Hekla turned to look at Isabella as she fell, then back to the king, her scepter growing hot with magic. King Renault pointed at her with a long, green finger. Black smoke came out of his, slamming into Hekla, and knocking her off the steps to fall next to Isabella.
Hekla stood, readying herself to fight the king, but at that moment, more than a dozen guards came into the room. Isabella crawled over to Hekla, and they helped each other to their feet.
“Kill them…” the king said.
“Father!” Isabella screamed.
“Kill them both,” he said.
The guards, who looked conflicted at first, were loyal to the king, and approached them with weapons raised.
Hekla grabbed Isabella’s hand and tugged. “Come on, we have to go.”
Isabella was hesitant, obviously conflicted with the small moment where she seemed to have broken through to her father, but it wasn’t enough. Ecthelion was right. The dragon was too strong. If it had been a wizard like with the Tellurian king, it may have worked. But this dragon was too strong.
They ran toward the door, Hekla using her scepter to blast waves of energy across guards in their path. Without stopping, they ran over the guards who Hekla had knocked to the ground. Once outside, one of the door guard’s attempted to ram his sword into Hekla’s gut, but someone knocked him in the back of the head. It was the other guard, the one who convinced the younger guard to let them in.
“Thank you,” Hekla said.
“Anytime,” the older guard said, leaning in to kiss Hekla on the cheek.
Hekla blushed.
“Run,” he said.
Hekla nodded, and tugged Isabella along with her.
Once they got outside of the castle, they found Jetevius and a slew of soldiers. There appeared to be more than they had previously. Hekla and Isabella ran over to them, with several soldiers in tow behind them, swords raised.
“Hekla? What’s happened?” Jetevius asked.
“There’s no time. We need to go.”
Jetevius nodded.
Everywhere around them, weapons clanged together. A battle started. Aequorans against Aequorans. This wasn’t what Hekla wanted. She wanted to unite them, not create a conflict. Jetevius led Hekla and Isabella away from Aequoris. Her allies followed, defending against the Aequoran guards of the city.
“I thought I broke through to him,” Isabella said, wiping her eyes.
“You did,” Hekla said, reaching to give her a sideways hug as they continued to swim out of the city.
“I wasn’t strong enough,” Isabella said.
Hekla shook her head. “It’s not that. The dragon is too strong. We need to defeat him. Then perhaps there is a chance to save your father.”
“Thank you,” Isabella said.
“For what?” Hekla asked.
“For making me try. At first, I didn’t want to, but I’m glad I did. I’m glad I saw that there is goodness still inside of him. It makes me feel better that all of the evil things he’s done may have not been of his own volition.”
Hekla squeezed Isabella’s hand. “Anytime.”
Chirping startled them in the distance. The dolphins came back, and Hekla smiled as she saw her otter as well. There were even more than before. Enough for all her allies to hitch a ride back to camp. She turned to look at the battle happening behind her. Her allies saw the dolphins, and instead of continuing to fight, they turned around and ran to the dolphins.
“It’s time to go,” Hekla said.
Isabella nodded, and everyone mounted a dolphin. Everyone except for Hekla, who got onto the back of her otter. She stroked the animal on the back of the head behind its ears.
Hekla dreaded what would come next. Talking to the king had failed. Now, it was time to bring the dragon and his army out of hiding. But she would need help. Even if she convinced all the Aequorans to fight together, it wouldn’t be enough to defeat them.
38
Astrid
It is not brave to rush headfirst into battle, making assumptions about the enemy. What is brave, is to assess the situation. Always assume the best of those you may come against, until their sword is drawn. In this, less will lose their lives without reason, and many innocents can be saved.
King Nicklaus the Brave, First King of Caelestis, 247 A.V.
Astrid wondered if she had made the right decision journeying to the volcano of shadows to see the Great Palladin. What would she even ask him when she arrived? The wind rushing over and around them, was liberating, but terrifying at the same time. There was nothing securing them to the bird beast, and if it decided to dip, or take a sudden turn, she and Cayden could very well fall to their deaths, and no one would be the wiser.
/>
Oh, but to fly. It was the most magical and liberating thing she had ever experienced. She wanted to throw her hands into the air and scream from the sheer joy of it, but letting go of the beast was terrifying.
“Is that where Palladin lives?” Cayden yelled loudly over the wind; his words carried away as soon as he spoke them.
“I can’t hear you!” she screamed back, as the volcano came into view.
Home, she thought.
They had gotten there so quickly! Astrid could only hope that the king wouldn’t be angry that she had taken the sky ethereal, but the lives of Caelestans were at stake.
“To the ground,” she yelled to the creature, and almost as if it sensed her fear, it gradually slowed, drifting into the top of the volcano as they descended downwards. From the distance, she could see their Island of Volican, and their home. Their wonderful home that still stood, waiting for the sisters to come back and take residence once again. Astrid had to blink back a tear. She pulled on the feathered back of the beast gently, causing it to fly toward the north wall, where the cave of Palladin existed. She would not risk the life of the Sky Ethereal, and patting its back, she slid down.
“Come on, Cayden,” she urged him.
His eyes bulged as he looked around the volcano.
“I had no idea,” he said, stuttering as he tried to find words for what he saw.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Astrid asked.
“Like nothing I’ve ever seen,” he breathed.
The lack of a breeze went unnoticed by either of them. Inside of the volcano was rich foliage, in the deepest shades of green that any of the kingdoms could hope to see. Animals of all sorts walked around, grazing on the fresh vegetation. Birds flew from tree to tree to eat the fresh produced fruit.
“Please stay here, we’ll be back as soon as we can,” Astrid kissed the head of the sky beast, and grabbing Cayden’s hand in a kindly manner, she pulled him toward the wall where the stone steps jutted out. They climbed as swiftly as they dared, treading carefully. Broken rocks made the steps too treacherous to take quickly. At the top, the damp ground of the cave made their steps more solid.
Dragon Scepter Page 28
