“Thanks, but I think I’ll just sit here and enjoy my root tea while I wake up,” Cassy groaned.
“Do not take too long to wake up, we have a long way yet to go,” Roupert winked. “Maybe you should have gone to sleep sooner.”
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to do that tonight.” Cassy wondered if Roupert knew of her talk with Arianna, but she did not want to bring it up in case he did not know. “Maybe I’ll have one of those purple ones. I’d hate to have to eat that dried stuff again.”
Once everyone had finished their breakfast, they doused the fire, and then put their blankets and cups back in their packs.
“Okay, let us continue on our journey,” Roupert announced.
Everyone gathered their gear and followed Roupert along the water’s edge.
Cassy found the breathtaking beauty of Walandra amazing. From the crystal blue waters of the Falls of Clamore to the tall green trees of the dense forest. This Kingdom truly was a wondrous place. Occasionally, as they walked along the trail, she would see a curious woodland creature, peering from behind a tree or from under a toadstool. She wondered if they knew who she was and if they expected her to defeat the Evil Queen Alona, as well.
“Roupert, I’m tired, can we take a short break?” Cassy said as she sat on a rock next to a tall tree and pulled her water pouch from her pack.
“Are you tired already?” Frier teased.
“Yeah, we haven’t been walking that long,” Aaron added.
Cassy shot Frier and Aaron an annoyed look then stuck her tongue out at them.
“I guess you have your answer,” Roupert laughed. “Let us take some time to relax. I’m thirsty as well.”
After taking a drink of water, Cassy leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes. It felt good to relax and have time to clear her mind when suddenly…
“What the heck?” she cried out.
The rock beneath her began to move, rolling from side to side until it finally tossed her to the ground.
“My goodness, didn’t anyone teach you that it’s not polite to sit on someone?”
Cassy rolled over and looked into the eyes of an upset creature.
“Yes, no, I mean…” her words caught in her throat.
The creature stood on his four short legs and shook. “Well, which is it?”
Cassy crawled toward Roupert. “I thought you were a rock. I didn’t know…”
“Pomram, stop picking on her,” Roupert laughed as he helped Cassy to her feet.
“Cool, he looks likes an armadillo, just like the ones we have back home,” Aaron pointed toward Pomram.
“Armadillo, what is this armadillo?” Pomram asked.
“An armadillo is an animal that has armor on its back for protection. They are really neat.” Aaron stepped closer to Pomram for a better look.
“These armadillo’s sound interesting. Do you go around sitting on them also?” Pomram asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Cassy had heard enough. “No, we don’t, but they don’t look like a rock either. I’m sorry that I sat on you, I never meant any disrespect. I was just tired and wanted to rest for a few moments.”
Pomram looked up at Cassy. “Okay, no harm was done.” He then glanced at Roupert and they both began to laugh.
“What? What’s so funny,” Cassy groaned.
“You should have seen your face once you realized that I was not a rock. I have to admit that I thought your eyes were going to pop out of your face,” Pomram laughed so hard he could barely stand.
“I know, it took everything I had not to laugh,” Roupert chuckled.
“Her face was rather amusing,” Frier teased.
“Fine, go ahead and laugh at my expense, but I’ll get even.”
“Oh man, you guys are in big trouble. The last thing you want is Cassy upset with you,” Aaron grinned.
The three of them looked at Cassy with nervous expressions on their faces.
“I think we need to get going,” Roupert said when he saw Aaron and Frier nod their agreement.
“It was nice to meet you, Cassy and Aaron. I hope that we will get to visit again.” Pomram hoped she was not still upset with him.
“It was nice to meet you,” Aaron waved his hand as he walked toward Roupert.
Cassy walked toward Pomram then leaned down and gently stroked the top of his head. “I’m glad we met too, and I promise not to sit on you the next time we meet.”
Pomram peered up at Cassy, with his cheeks flushed a bright red. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, now that we are friends.”
Cassy laughed softly, and then bent down and kissed Pomram on the forehead. “Goodbye.”
“Come on, Cassy; we’re burning daylight,” Aaron shouted as he disappeared into the trees with Roupert and Frier.
The group had walked for nearly an hour when they came to an old wooden bridge suspended over a deep ravine.
“Stop, who goes there?” a croaky voice came from the bushes next to the bridge.
“It is I, Roupert. I wish access to cross your bridge.”
“What is your purpose? Why do you need to cross my bridge?”
“I travel with the one who has come to do battle with Queen Alona,” Roupert announced in a firm voice.
“You are with the one who is to remove the curse and restore the Kingdom of Walandra to its once glory?” The voice now spoke with enthusiasm.
Roupert glanced at Cassy then smiled. “Yes, she wears the sacred Breast Plate with the Blood Key.”
“Step forward, so that I may see you,” the voice now grew soft and welcoming.
Cassy hesitated, giving Roupert a concerned look then she took two steps forward.
“It is you, praise be. We have waited for many years.” The bushes began to rustle then a small man appeared, holding his cap in his hands. “What is your name?”
Cassy looked at the man and smiled. “My name is Cassandra.”
“That is a beautiful name for a lovely young lady. I am honored to meet you, Cassandra.” The man bowed his head.
Roupert stepped forward and held out his hand. “It is good to see you again, Othan.”
Othan took the offered hand and returned the handshake. “As it is to see you again, my friend.” He then turned to Frier.
“Hello, my Dragon friend. You haven’t set any fires lately, have you?” Othan teased.
“No, but Roupert doesn’t let me sleep inside the hut anymore,” Frier winked playfully.
“That is wise of him,” Othan winked at Roupert.
Othan walked over to Cassy then reached out and took her hand in his. “I feel great courage in this one, even though she questions herself. The Blood Key has chosen well.”
Cassy was unsure of what to say.
Aaron stepped forward and faced Othan. “Can you see if I’m brave too?”
Othan turned toward Aaron. “Ah, give me your hand.”
Aaron held out his hand to Othan, who grasped it with his. “Let me see, you, my blue-eyed friend are quite intelligent, but you do not seem to apply yourself. I see a great future ahead of you, but only if you take the time to fully understand what is going on around you before you act.”
Aaron pulled his hand away, wondering what Othan had meant. He knew he was smart, but the other part made no sense to him. “Thanks,” he replied with less than an enthusiastic tone in his voice.
Othan turned back to Roupert with a serious expression on his face. “There has been much talk among the woodland creatures of the arrival of the Champion to battle the Evil Queen Alona. You must take heed, as word has without doubt reached the Queen and she is preparing. We must not allow her to best our Champion again.”
As Cassy listened to Othan, she wondered if she would be able to win against the Evil Queen. She reached up and rubbed her fingertips along the Blood Key, feeling the warmth radiating from it.
“It talks to you, does it not?” Othan’s voice took on a serious tone.
“Huh? Ah, I’m not sure,” Cassy quic
kly pulled her hand away from the Blood Key and put it down to her side.
Othan reached up and touched the Blood Key. “You must trust the power living inside of the Blood Key. The King’s blood is very powerful, and if you believe in it and yourself, there is no force in this realm, or any other that can stop you in your quest. The spell cast by our Queen Privlana will protect you, but you must believe. I see greatness in you, Cassandra. I only pray that you are able to accept your destiny.”
“Do you really think that I can do it? I’m so scared that I will fail,” she turned her head not wanting to meet his gaze.
“Come close, child,” Othan motioned that she kneel down in front of him. “I believe in the wisdom of the Blood Key and the King’s blood hidden within. I believe it chose you because you have a rare gift, the gift of courage and self-sacrifice. You may not believe in your destiny yet, but soon you will learn why you were chosen as our Champion.”
Cassy did not know what to say. Intense emotions surged through her body, and she struggled not to cry.
“Thank you, Othan. Thank you for believing in me.” She reached out and hugged Othan so tightly that she lifted him from the ground.
“Oh, my, please put me down, Cassandra,” Othan gasped with surprised by this unexpected show of affection.
Cassy quickly set Othan back down on the ground. “I’m sorry, I never meant…”
Othan straightened his ruffled clothes then gazed up into her eyes. “There is no need to apologize. I must say that I rather enjoyed it.”
“I enjoyed it too,” Cassy saw compassion shining in Othan’s eyes. She had to admit that in spite of his ruff-n-gruff exterior, Othan was, in fact, a gentle soul.
Roupert stepped forward and patted Othan on the shoulder. “My old friend, you need to be careful. One might begin to think that you are a pushover for such a lovely young lady.”
Othan turned toward Roupert. “That is no surprise, Roupert. I have always had a soft place in my heart for pretty young ladies; especially when they are those such as our Cassandra here,” he glanced over at Cassy and wink playfully.
“Well, my old friend, we have far to travel today, so we must continue on our way. It is always good to see you,” Roupert said.
“Wait, before you go I have something for Cassandra.” Othan turned and quickly walked over to the bridge then he disappeared behind the bush where he appeared when they had arrived. After a couple of minutes, he returned holding a small glass vial. He held out his hand and offered it to Cassy.
Cassy took the offered object and held it up examining it carefully. “What is it?”
“It is the nectar from the blossom of the Samen plant. It is a very particular plant, as it only blooms once every twenty years, and then you must capture the nectar from the heart of the blossom in the light of the full moon.”
Cassy’s eyes grew wide with amazement, as she watched the fluid inside of the vial slowly swirl and change its color from blue to purple then back to blue. “What’s it supposed to do?”
“It will provide you your greatest need,” Othan replied flatly.
“I don’t understand. When will I know?” Cassy shook her head, not convinced if she understood him.
“You will know when you need it, and when you do, open the vial and drink it all.” Othan reached up and touched her hand. “But be warned. Do not use it for personal gain, for if you do, what happens next will be very grave. The nectar of the bloom is sacred, so you must only use it in a time of extreme need. Do you understand?” Othan looked Cassy deeply in the eyes, letting her know the importance of his words.
Cassy nodded her understanding then she reached for her pack on her back.
“No, do not put the vial in your pack. It must be kept in a safe place where you can get it without delay.” Othan raised his hand and with one finger, he touched the Breast Plate. Suddenly the Plate began to vibrate and in an instant, a small opening appeared near the Blood Key.
“Hand me the vial, please.” Othan held out his hand.
Cassy placed the vial in Othan’s outstretched hand, and then she watched as he put the vial into the opening then he tapped twice on the Blood Key. Once he pulled his hand away, the small opening holding the vial had vanished.
“Where did it go?” Cassy cried out.
“It is hidden safely within the Breast Plate where no one can take it from you,” Othan smiled.
“But how do I get it out when I need it?” Cassy looked down at the place where it had vanished and ran her finger along the smooth surface.
Othan shook his head and laughed. “Were you not paying attention? Here,” Othan reached up and tapped the center of the Blood Key twice, and when he pulled his hand away, the opening appeared with the vial safely secured inside.
“Oh, I get it now. I tap the center of the Blood Key twice to open and close it; cool,” she grinned.
Othan looked at Cassy, confused by her response. “I do not understand. It is not cold. Why do you say it is cold?”
Cassy could not hold back her laughter. “No, I didn’t mean it was cold. That’s just a figure of speech. In my realm, when you say something is cool, it means that it’s good.”
Othan shook his head, unsure of the strange customs of this realm she came from. “I see, well I guess it is cool to have met you today, Cassandra.”
“It is cool to have met you too,” Cassy teased while the rest of the group broke out in laughter.
Roupert reached out and rested his hand on Othan’s shoulder. “It is time for us to leave, my old friend.”
Othan’s eyes gazed into Cassy’s with sadness clearly showing in them. “Please remember to use the nectar should you find yourself facing a difficult and dangerous time against the Evil Queen. If you drink it with purity of heart, you will receive that which you need to be triumphant over her dark magic.”
Cassy reached up and rested her hand over the glass vial hidden inside of the Breast Plate, feeling a warm sensation under her fingertips. “Thank you, Othan, I will remember.
Frier walked over to Cassy and took her hand in his. “You will not go against Queen Alona alone. I will stay by your side; no matter what the future holds.”
Cassy could see the compassion burning in Frier’s bright green eyes. “Thank you, that means a lot to me.”
“Hey, I’ll be there with you too,” Aaron chimed in. “There is no way I’m gonna let some wicked Queen do anything to my sister.”
The determined expression on Aaron's face made Othan chuckle, “It sounds like your brother is a brave warrior as well. Queen Alona will inevitably be defeated by two such fierce warriors standing by your side.”
Frier and Aaron felt pride as they held their heads up high.
“The Evil Queen will soon face her demise,” Frier growled, with Aaron nodding in agreement.
Cassy was glad to have Frier and Aaron with her. She glanced up at Roupert and noticed the pride in his eyes. “Thank you all. I’m so pleased that you are here with me.”
Roupert reached out and gently touched her on the cheek. As their eyes locked, he could see Abigail’s face gazing back at him with the memories of the time they spent together, flooding back into his mind.
“Are you okay?” Cassy asked, seeing the emotions escaping from the safe place in his mind where Roupert had kept them safely hidden.
“Ah, yes, I am fine. Come, we must go.” Roupert cleared his throat then walked toward the bridge with the others following closely behind.
“Goodbye, my friends,” Othan called out, as they crossed the bridge.
“Goodbye,” they all waved back to him, and then they disappeared into the woods on the other side.
Chapter 12
The woods seemed to grow exceptionally dense and dark, as the group got further away from the bridge and Othan.
“Dang, it’s creepy here,” Aaron groaned as he looked around at the tall trees that seemed to be closing in on them.
Frier looked at Aaron, confused by this statemen
t. “What is creepy?”
“It means scary. Somewhere that you don’t want to be,” Aaron grinned nervously.
Frier looked around at the trees. “Yes, it is creepy here, but if you stay close to me, I’ll protect you.”
Cassy watched the conversation between her little brother and the young dragon and realized that this was something that no one at home would ever believe. She was glad that they had met Frier and Roupert, for she knew that she did not want to face the Evil Queen alone.
“Well, I hope you two are going to protect me,” Cassy teased.
Frier and Aaron exchanged glances, feeling confident in their ability to protect Cassy.
“We will be by your side, but you are the Champion. The Blood Key has chosen you, which gives you the power to conquer the Queen,” Frier said with reverence.
Taken aback by the statement, Cassy was at a loss for what to say. She knew that she was supposed to be the chosen Champion, but she had never completely understood what it meant. At seeing the look of innocence and trust on their faces, she suddenly felt the enormity of what she was facing, this causing fear and doubt to consume her entire being.
“Cassy, are you alright?” Roupert asked, seeing the emotions surging through her.
Cassy wanted to scream, NO and run away, but where would she go? She finally steadied her nerves and answered him. “I’m fine. I was just thinking of what’s ahead for us, that’s all.”
Roupert understood her concern, for he was experiencing the same fear. Would she finally bring about the fall of Queen Alona and restore the Dragon rule over the Kingdom of Walandra? As he gazed at Cassy, he again saw Abigail looking back at him. Stop, you must not let your heart go to that place, he silently scolded himself.
They all walked without speaking until the sound of Aaron’s stomach grumbling broke the silence. “Dang, I’m hungry,” he laughed as he patted his stomach.
“I can see you are,” Roupert teased. “Why don’t we stop here and eat before our young friend here fades away from starvation.”
“I smell some berries nearby. I will go and get some for us,” Frier offered.
“May I come with you?” Cassy asked.
The Dragons Blood Key: Legend of the Dragon's Blood Key - Book 1 Page 7
