by GARY DARBY
She leans down and smiles. “That’s exactly what it means.”
Phigby nudges me with an elbow and says with a little twinkle in his eyes, “Didn’t you always want a couple of sisters, Hooper?”
“Well, yes,” I let out in a whoosh of breath. “But, I never realized they would be so—so—BIG.”
Everyone laughs, even Cara manages a smile.
I hold the talisman in my hand, marveling at the exquisite carving of twin swords in the middle against a silver shield and surrounded by miniature warriors holding aloft bows aimed skywards.
Around the edges, etched in gold are the words DUTY — HONOR — COURAGE.
Phigby leans over to murmur, “From the dung heap to the top of the heap, eh, Hooper?”
I nod and give him a tiny smile of acknowledgment. Then he looks me in the eye with an intensity that holds me in place.
“You realize, Hooper, by agreeing to take that amulet, you also accept the values that bind the House of Escher and are imprinted on the amulet. Powerful words, Hooper, for a people who will accept nothing less than your fidelity to those principles.”
I glance up at Alonya, who gazes at me expectantly. “I understand, Your Majesty, and I would consider it a great honor to be a part of your family.”
She gives me a little head bow and a pleased look crosses her face. A warm feeling seems to spread from my heart to the very end of my fingers and toes.
Queen Alonya then says, “It is our custom that when we are raised to be Amazos that we name the sword that we shall carry henceforth.”
She gestures at the emerald sword. “As you are now a warrior of Golian, what would you call yours?”
I hold the sword out, and I can’t help but stare at its soft luminance as if an emerald-like fire burns within the blade.
My mouth works as if to find a suitable name, one that would truly describe the wondrous and great sword but none comes to mind.
“May I suggest a name?” Phigby softly asks.
“Please, Phigby, I seem to be at a loss.”
“Galondraig,” he answers.
“Galondraig?” Amil murmurs. “Sounds Gaelian.”
“It is,” Phigby answers. “In the Old Tongue, it means, From Fire and Tears.”
“Galondraig,” I murmur. “Yes,” I answer, “that’s what it shall be called.”
I sheathe Galondraig, exchange a tiny smile with Cara and together with Phigby walk over to the knoll’s edge where the golden sits.
Together, we gaze into the distance where Dronopolis burns. After a bit, Phigby turns to me. “So, Hooper Menvoran of the House of Escher, tell me, do you still hate all dragons?”
I glance up at the golden who returns my gaze with questioning eyes. From out of nowhere, the four sprogs and Scamper come running.
The sprogs cluster around my legs, butting their heads against my knees. I kneel down and scratch each under the chin.
I straighten and lay a gentle hand on Golden Wind’s neck scales. “Hate?” I return while meeting her eyes. “How do you hate a friend?”
Cara steps close and murmurs, “Is that how you honestly feel, Hooper?”
I nod and softly answer, “It is.”
Golden Wind lowers her head, and I run a gentle hand over her muzzle. She doesn’t speak, but I can see in her misty eyes the words, “Thank you, Hooper.”
I know that though I can’t ever forget the awful night that my family died, but from this point forward, I truly, truly hope the pain won’t be so deep, nor the anguish so long.
Moreover, the cooling breezes of understanding and acceptance are extinguishing the flames of unjust hatred. From Pengillstorr’s gift of the heart, my own heart is beginning to heal.
After all, don’t all hearts go on a journey through life, some to break, some to pine and mourn, some to wither from pride, and some to swell with happiness and joy?
More so, for me, don’t some eventually heal from heartbreak?
Queen Alonya, Princess Desma, Amil, and Helmar join us to gaze into the distance. Wind Song and Wind Glory come to stand beside Golden Wind, all of us knowing the comradeship of tested warriors in combat and all of us tasting the bitter sorrow of lost comrades.
The fires of Dronopolis still rage, the Wilders will most likely return and Vay’s evil desire to possess the golden and establish her evil reign over our world is still with us.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Nevertheless, for now, I’m surrounded by my comrades, my . . . Friends.
And that is good enough for me.
The End
The Legend of Hooper’s Dragons continues in Book Three, A Thunder of Wings, published soon.
Other books by Gary J. Darby
Science Fiction:
The Star Scout Saga
Book One: Star Rising
Book Two: Fallen Stars: Darkest Days
Book Three: Star’s Honor
Book Four: When Stars Fall
Book Five: How Far the Stars
Fantasy:
The Legend of Hooper’s Dragons
Book One: If a Dragon Cries
Book Two: The Queen’s Vow
Book Three: On Wings of Thunder
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading The Queen’s Vow, book two of my Legend of Hooper’s Dragons series and no, the story doesn’t end there. The story continues in book three, A Thunder of Wings which is on the way!
I can’t wait to see how Hooper fares on his journey. He keeps surprising me with all the things he and I are learning together.
The good things and the not so good things.
Thanks to all who’ve mentored me in this grand journey of being a literary storyteller, it’s been a great ride.
If you’d like to share your thoughts about this novel, or the upcoming books in the series, feel free to email me at [email protected]. I’m also on Facebook. I’d love to hear from you either way.
And if you can find it in your heart to do so, a review on Amazon or Goodreads, or a shout out on your social media platforms would be most appreciative. Free advertising is a blessing to starving writers, you know.
Like to know what’s upcoming in my writing? Visit my website and check out the “Member Only” page. To access the page use the password: Hooper
Again, thanks so much for reading my novel and I truly hope that whatever you read will bring you wonder, awe, and uplifting thoughts.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Professional copy editing services provided by Marthy Johnson of Copy Editing Services (CES). You may contact her at 907.720.2032 or e-mail: [email protected] if you’re an established or a budding author who needs a little help, well, maybe a lot of help with those clunky commas, or pesky pronouns, or strangled sentences.
She’s also the author of Write or Wrong, a nifty reference manual that all authors should have in their personal library as well as Breakpoint Down, an excellent mystery novel.
You might want to check out her newsletter, Word for Word, just for writers that will help you avoid the pitfalls and potholes of writing in this convoluted language we call English, or as I sometimes refer to it, Anguish. You can subscribe to her newsletter by contacting her via email.
As always, dedicated to the girl of my dreams and fantasies, my eternal sweetheart, Pamela and to our children and grandchildren who fill our days with wonder and awe.
Copyright © 2016 by Gary J. Darby
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form whatsoever without the author’s express permission. Scanning, uploading, or distribution of any portion of this book is theft of the author’s intellectual property.
This book is a work of fiction in its entirety. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, description of characters, fantastical creatures, places, and incidents are wholly the product of the author’s imagination.
Any resemblance to actual events or locales or pe
rsons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. I think.
