“You come from a strange realm. Once we complete this quest, you will have to tell me more of it. Come; let us leave. Do not forget your packs.”
Roupert handed Cassy and Aaron each a leather pack with a blanket, cup, bowl, and a spoon tucked inside of it. They put their arms through the leather straps and let the pack hang on their backs like the backpacks they had at home.
Roupert grabbed the sheath holding his sword and his pack then he slung them over his shoulder. After looking around the hut one last time, then he walked to the door with Cassy and Aaron following. As he opened the door, they heard a loud growl coming from outside. Cassy and Aaron jumped back, but Roupert merely laughed.
“Good morning, Frier, I see you are feeling well this morning,” Roupert chuckled as he walked up to the dragon who was now laughing so hard that he could barely stand.
“Yes, I am. I slept well and my stomach is full. I see our new friends are fed and rested, as well.” Frier said with enthusiasm as he watched Cassy and Aaron step outside.
“Yes, they are. Our young man, Aaron has a healthy appetite for one so small,” Roupert laughed.
“Well, my mom always says that a growing boy needs to eat, so I’m just doing as told,” Aaron said playfully.
Cassy glared at Aaron then rolled her eyes. “No, the reason you eat so much is because you’re a pig. I’ve never seen anyone who can eat as much as he does.”
Frier looked at Aaron with a look of confusion on his face. “I don’t understand. You say your brother is a pig, but he does not look like the creatures we eat here. Do you let him eat a lot so he will fatten for the slaughter?”
Cassy burst out laughing at the terrified look now on Aaron’s face. “No, I didn’t mean that he was a real pig. Only that he eats like one.”
“Yeah, I’m not a real pig. I’m a boy.” Aaron looked at Cassy, “Dang Sis, are trying to get me eaten?” He then looked nervously at Frier.
“Do not worry, my friend. I do not eat pigs. I much prefer fresh fanish,” Frier laughed.
Cassy and Roupert both laughed at the relieved look on Aaron’s face.
“Come, we have far to travel today,” Roupert announced as he walked into the woods.
The group had walked for nearly two hours when they came to a broad river.
“What now? How do we get to the other side?” Cassy groaned as she sat on a fallen tree to rest her feet.
“Yeah, I don’t see a boat,” Aaron moaned as he sat on the fallen tree next to Cassy.
Frier looked at Cassy and Aaron with a broad grin on his face. “Who needs a boat? Cassy can get us to the other side.”
Cassy jumped up, “What? How am I supposed to get us to the other side?”
Frier glanced over at Roupert then back to Cassy. “She does not know, does she?”
“Know what?” Cassy groaned.
“That you have magical powers. You are the one chosen by the Blood Key, which gives the bearer magical powers. All you need to do is make the commandment at it is so.”
Cassy’s eyes met Frier’s and in that instant realized his words were true. “Okay, here goes nothing. I command that we cross the river,” she closed her eyes and waited.
Laughter filled her ears as she opened her eyes and realized that nothing had happened.
“I don’t get it, I did as you said,” she groaned as she stomped her foot on the ground.
Frier and Aaron were laughing so hard that neither of them could respond. Roupert walked over next to her. “You need to be a little clearer than that. Magic has rules and one of them is you must clearly state your command. You need to say how we are to cross the river.”
Cassy rolled her eyes. “Fine, let me think a moment.”
Silence fell over the group as they waited for Cassy to cast her spell.
She reached up and placed her hand on the Blood Key, gently caressing the surface with her fingertips. “I command the fallen tree to transform into a canoe with paddles.”
Everyone held their breath and waited.
Suddenly the fallen tree beneath her and Aaron began to shake, causing them to jump to their feet. They watched in amazement as it slowly lifted into the air and spun three times. Then in a puff of smoke, it transformed into a sleek canoe with two paddles.
“Wow, she did it!” Aaron shouted.
“Now she needs to tell it to go to the water,” Roupert said in a hushed tone.
“I command you to go set on the river’s edge.” Cassy felt a new sense of power as she continued to caress the Blood Key unknowingly with her fingertips as it shimmered a bright red.
They all watched as the canoe slowly floated over to the water’s edge and came to rest on the sandy shore.
“That was so cool,” Cassy said excitedly. “So, you’re saying that as long as I’m wearing this plate, I can do magic?”
Roupert’s face suddenly took on a serious expression. “Yes, the Blood Key gives you the Gift of Magic, but only to perform that which is good. Should you try to use it for selfish reasons; the power of the Blood Key will be taken from you.”
Cassy nodded her understanding. She would have to be careful not to abuse the Blood Key, or she and Aaron would find themselves trapped in the Kingdom of Walandra forever.
“Good, let us continue on our quest. Frier, I would like you to fly ahead and scout the trail. We will meet up at the Falls of Clamore for the night.”
Frier nodded his understanding then spread his wings, and flew off across the river toward the mountains in the east.
“Dang, he really can fly,” Aaron shook his head as he walked toward the canoe.
Chapter 9
Once they arrived at the other side of the river and stood on the shore, the canoe transformed back into a fallen tree.
“Why did it do that?” Cassy asked.
“Your spells only last for as long as they are needed. Once we were safely on the other side of the river and had no further use of the boat, it changed back into the log.” Roupert laughed at the look of disappointment on Cassy’s face. “Why the sad look?”
“I guess conjuring up a Jeep 4x4 is out of the question?” she grinned.
Roupert was confused by her statement. “What is a Jeep 4x4?”
“It’s the coolest car ever built,” Aaron interrupted.
“Car; what is a car, and why would you want one? Is it some sort of wagon?” Roupert asked.
“Yeah, sort of; I guess you can think of it as a wagon that moves by itself. You get inside of it and it takes you to where you want to go.” Cassy hoped that he understood her explanation. “I just thought it would be nice not to have to walk the entire way.”
“I do not know what this Jeep 4x4 is you speak of, but we do not have them in Walandra. Therefore, you cannot use your magic to make one. The magic of the Blood Key only works for things of this realm.” Roupert pointed to the path leading into the woods. “Come, we have far to travel before night.”
As the four of them walked through the woods, Cassy could not help but notice the beauty of everything around her. There were unusual looking flowers with blooms that looked like little faces surrounded by petals lining the path, and rich, green-colored mossy grass covering the forest floor.
“What’s that?” Cassy pointed to the small creature sitting atop a stump.
“That’s a Lillient. They are woodland creatures who once served the King and Queen,” Roupert answered as he waved his hand toward the creature.
Suddenly, the creature rose into the air with a burst of light, spread its delicate wings, and flew toward Roupert, stopping in front of him.
“Good day, Sir Roupert, it is a pleasure to see you again,” the Lillient said in a warm and friendly voice.
“Good day, Arianna, it is a pleasure to see you as well,” Roupert bowed his head. “What brings you here today?”
Arianna briefly glanced over at Cassy and Aaron then back to Roupert. “We heard murmurings from the woodland creatures that Abigail had returned.”
> She turned and looked at Cassy again. “Nonetheless, this is not Abigail. What is your name child?”
“My name is Cassy.”
Arianna looked closer at Cassy then shook her head. “I ask again, what is your name child?”
“Cassandra, my name is Cassandra.”
“Excellent, one with such a lovely name should always use it,” Arianna smiled.
Aaron began to laugh at the stunned looked on Cassy’s face, but stopped when he saw the look of displeasure appear on Arianna’s face.
Arianna turned and looked directly at Aaron. “Why do you laugh, Aaron? It is not polite to find joy in one’s embarrassment.”
Cassy looked at Arianna and saw the playful wink letting her know that she was not angry.
“I gather that you are headed to face the Evil Queen Alona, am I correct?” Arianna said to Roupert.
“Yes, I believe it is time for the curse to end and free the subjects of Walandra, as well as our Queen.”
“This is the wish of the Lillients as well. For far too long we have lived under the cruel hand of Queen Alona. We have all longed for the day our Champion would appear and free us from her control.”
As Roupert and Arianna spoke, Cassy found herself transfixed by the beauty of the Lillient. She was roughly twelve inches tall, and her delicate wings shimmered like polished gold and fluttered gently, keeping her in place. Cassy noticed that her clothing simmered with a warm glow that seemed to surround her, and she found it to be quite mesmerizing. Arianna also wore a crown made of small flowers, which sat atop her thick red hair. She was quite beautiful, and Cassy wondered if she would get to meet more of her kind.
“Hey, it’s time to go,” Aaron elbowed Cassy, bringing her out of her trance.
“Okay, sorry,” she said, turning away from Arianna.
“I will let the others know that you have the Champion and are headed to the castle. Be safe, my friend.” Arianna smiled then bowed toward Roupert.
“Thank you and I look forward to our next meeting,” Roupert bowed as well.
Arianna turned and faced Cassy. “Cassandra, I want you to know that I have a good feeling about you. I believe that you will be the one to end the Evil Queen’s reign over our Kingdom, but heed my warning. Always remember that evil will do everything it can to trick you. You will need to remain strong and have faith in those around you, but above all; remember to have confidence in yourself. If you remember these things, you will be triumphant.”
“Thank you, Arianna, I will remember.” Cassy bowed her head and then gazed at Arianna with tears forming in her eyes. She had never had anyone have so much faith in her, and she hoped that she could live up to the trust put in her now.
Arianna turned to Roupert. “I must take my leave. The Lillients will keep watch over you during your quest against Queen Alona. Should you need our assistance, you know how to summon us.”
Arianna quickly glanced at Aaron and Cassy, and then in a flash of light, she was gone.
“Wow, that was so cool,” Aaron said excitedly.
Cassy stood transfixed, unsure of what to say. After a few moments, she turned to Roupert. “Do you believe that I can really beat the Evil Queen? I’m just a kid. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
Roupert knew that she was frightened, and honestly, he understood her fear. Since the Evil Queen took control of Walandra, he had lived in constant fear that she would discover the secret he had kept hidden deep in the woods.
“I believe in the power of the Blood Key, Cassy. If it has faith in you then so do I,” he reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder.
“Cassandra, please call me Cassandra,” she said with her cheeks flushing the softest shade of red.
Roupert bowed before her. “As you wish, Cassandra; come, I would like to make the Falls of Clamore before nightfall,” Roupert said as he continued along the path.
They had walked for nearly an hour in complete silence when Cassy finally spoke.
“Roupert, why did Arianna call you, Sir, and then bow to you?”
Roupert had hoped the children had not noticed the formality of the greeting between him and Arianna. It had been many years since anyone had referred to him in such a manner, and honestly, he did not want to have to explain it to Frier either.
“I’m not sure this is the proper time to share that information with you.” He kept his head forward, unwilling to meet her questioning glance.
“Come on, I thought we were in this thing together. How are we supposed to beat the Evil Queen if we have secrets between us?” Cassy reached out and took a hold of Roupert’s arm.
“Yeah, I thought we were a team,” Aaron said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
Realizing they would not let the subject go unanswered, Roupert stopped and looked around for a place for them to rest. “Fine, why don’t we stop for a rest and have something to eat. I’m sure Aaron is ready for some food.”
“I thought we’d never stop to eat; I’m starving,” Aaron grinned as he rubbed his stomach.
“That is no surprise,” Roupert laughed. “Come let us sit and enjoy a meal then I will tell you of how I came to know the Lillients.”
Once they had finished their meal, Roupert returned the pouches of food to his leather pack. Cassy sat across from Roupert anxiously waiting for him to share the story of the Lillients, and of the secret when she noticed Aaron lean back against the tree behind him.
“I’m tired; I think I’ll relax for a while,” Aaron yawned. No sooner had he closed his eyes than he was soundly asleep.
Cassy shook her head, giggling softly. “I guess he was tired. Well, I’m not, please continue with your story.”
“Let me see, where shall I begin. Prior to the rule of Queen Alona, I was the King’s most trusted guard. Even though I was younger than many of the King’s guards, I had proven myself and gained the King’s confidence.”
Roupert glanced away, not wanting to meet Cassy’s gaze. “I will never forgive myself for not protecting him from Alona. If I had only known; maybe I could have saved him.” His mind flowed back to that terrible day.
~~~
“Roupert, the King, she has killed the King!” Dalmen cried out as he rushed to Roupert’s side.
“What are you saying? The King is not dead; I was just with him. He said that he wanted to rest, so he went to his bedchamber.” Roupert studied the young guard's expression, trying to understand why he would say such a thing.
“I swear to you, the King is dead, and our Queen has been taken hostage. She is taken to the dungeon as we speak,” Dalmen said breathlessly with tears filling his eyes.
“Quick, we must save the Queen,” Roupert pulled his sword from its sheath and ran toward the stairway, which led to the underground dungeon.
Both men ran as quickly as their feet would carry them, each saying a silent prayer that Queen Privlana was unharmed. As they reached the opening to the stairway, three small, winged creatures appeared, blocking their entrance to the stairs.
“Move out of our way,” Roupert demanded.
“No, Sir Roupert. You are not to save the Queen this day,” one of the creatures held out her hand.
“What are you saying? Why would I not save the Queen?”
The little creature flew up closer to Roupert, close to his ear. “My name is Syrea, of the Lillients. I have orders from Queen Privlana. I shall confound this other guard so we may talk.”
Syrea waved her hand at Delman, causing him to fall into a trance. “You will return to your quarters and not remember seeing Sir Roupert, nor us.”
Delman nodded his head then blindly turned and walked toward the guard’s quarters.
Syrea and the other Lillients took off down the corridor. Their wings seemed to glow brighter the faster they flew.
“Quick, follow us; we have no time to waste,” Syrea shouted back over her shoulder.
Roupert followed the three Lillients down the corridor and into a hidden passage, which led o
ut of the back of the castle.
“Where are you taking me?” Roupert asked as they went through the dark passageway with only the glow from the Lillients lighting their way.
“Wait, we will be there soon,” Syrea said as she exited the passageway out into the forest.
After several minutes, they came to a clearing and sitting in the center of the clearing was a large golden egg.
“Is that what I think it is?” Roupert gasped as he walked toward the egg and kneeled down in front of it.
The three Lillients flew over to the egg and landed on the soft grass next to it.
“Yes, Sir Roupert, this is the child of King Ashlym and Queen Privlana. This is Prince Frier.”
Roupert looked at the egg and suddenly realized what the Lillients expected of him.
“You wish that I protect the young Prince, don’t you?”
Syrea nodded her head. “Yes, he must be kept from the Evil Queen. She must not know of his existence. For if she were to learn of him, she would surely kill him.”
“I don’t understand. How did this all come to pass?” Roupert asked, feeling as though his entire world was collapsing around him.
Syrea told Roupert of how Alona had tricked King Ashlym and had killed him with the Dagger of Destiny. She then told him how Queen Privlana had come into the bedchamber and caught Alona about to force a drop of the King’s blood into the Blood Stone.
“But what of our Queen, should I not try to save her?” Roupert’s eyes burned with rage.
“No, before Alona was able to cast her spell, Queen Privlana transformed into her Dragon form and cast a spell herself. She cast a spell protecting the members of the Dragon family from death by turning them to stone. Then she put a protective spell on the Blood Stone so that Alona could never use its power, and the power of the King’s blood as her own.”
Syrea looked at Roupert with sadness in her eyes. “Queen Privlana is now under the power of Alona. She has our Queen locked away in the great dungeon, trapped in her human form. Alona has cast a spell over her so that she may not transform into her Dragon form, thus stripping her of her powers.” Syrea shook her head, clearly showing the sadness she felt.
The Dragons Blood Key: Legend of the Dragon's Blood Key - Book 1 Page 5
