The Spires of Dasny: 2: Queen of Dragons

by Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait

  “I want to know everything about her. What else?”

  “I will tell you more but later, my Sparrow. It is time for us to return. But this I will tell you. It is because of Reyanah that I knew we could repeat what had worked for a few dragon mothers long ago. We only needed someone who could understand dragons as much as Reyanah and be accepted as she had been. Elky is the one this time that no dragon is worried with. Special gifts are given to special souls. Like Elky, like you.”

  Entering the Spires, we enter a total cacophony of roars, laughing and loud talking echoing through the chambers. Elky sees us first and bobs up from her seat, waving.

  With so much going on Dreyth has no choice but to land near the throne area, the only place not filled to the walls with people and dragons milling about. I slide down Dreyth and a warrior is at my heels immediately, ready to remove the saddle. It’s a bit unnerving but I smirk... a girl could get used to this. Dreyth spins his head to give me a dazzling smile.

  I’m pleased to see Elky is her rambunctious self. She weaves around the benches and chairs and lunges to grab my arm.

  “I wondered when you would return. You have to try this!” A slightly limp pastry dangles from her hand. “Don’t even let Dreyth smell it, he will eat the whole platter of them.” Her eyes twinkle with laughter.

  Scooping it from her hand, I take a bite. Moon and Stars, it is so good! My mouth waters as I hold the sweet essence in my mouth before swallowing. The pastry is flakey and tastes like each layer has a slathering of butter with the center full of a sweet mixture of cherries in a thick syrup. I moan in ecstasy.

  “I knew you would love them as much as I do. The head cook has been working on reducing the cherries into a thick broth and decided to try them into small hand pies.”

  I chuckle. “That isn’t the only thing you have eaten, is it?”

  “No, of course not.” She’s trying to look indignant with hands pushed against her hips, then cracks a smile. “I eat the meat and vegetables in between pies.”

  I can’t help but laugh and hug her close to me. I scan the table where I’d sat previously and notice who’s missing. “Where is Grifton? Did Hu’gan come and snatch him away?”

  Elky shakes her head no and looks at the ground. “He left with Belinda.” She glances up through her lashes to see my response.

  “Is everything okay?” I shift from foot to foot. I want to go to him to see but—I think I’d only make things worse.

  She shrugs. “You know Grifton. He doesn’t handle sudden changes well. Sometimes, he can be quick to temper. I tried to talk to him but I’m just a little sister. He didn’t want to listen to me.”

  “Is it—because I’m the Queen of Dragons, now?” I bite my lip, nervously.

  “Oh, it’s something like that. Seyra?”

  “What is it?”

  “I want to be honest with you, but don’t get mad at me, promise? I don’t think I could stand that.”

  “Of course, I won’t. You’re my dearest friend and almost like a sister to me. You never have to worry with what you want to say to me. Ever.”

  She wraps an arm through mine and pulls me closer to the throne area, out of the earshot of so many people, not that I think they could have heard what she had to say over all the commotion.

  “Grifton is upset that Dreyth named you his Queen. He thinks it is—an abomination. No wait, I see your face turning red, hear me out. You see, he’s had feelings for you for the longest time. I think that is why he got so mad. Belinda had to take him out of the main room before he caused some trouble.”

  I fidget with my hands, not knowing what to say. I never expected to hear he was—infatuated with me. I mean, I had a schoolgirl crush on him at one time, but I hadn’t expected it would be returned.

  “Is there anything I can do or say to him?”

  She shakes her head vigorously. “No. I think it will take some time. He isn’t the only one that thinks, well, that this was so sudden and no one had a chance to give their opinions.”

  “But surely you know, Elky, Dreyth is the Brula’r. He doesn’t need everyone’s opinion on what he should or shouldn’t do. But even so, he did converse with Hu’gan and the Council of Dragons before he asked me to be his Queen.”

  “I suppose it will just take some time for people to get used to the idea. Not me, though. I think it’s fine. You make a great Queen but I think I’m one of the few that isn’t shocked by the idea. I have—I don’t rightly know how to say it, but I think more like the dragons for some reason.”

  “Thank you, Elky, for sharing this with me. I can have tunnel vision at times where I don’t see things right in front of my face. I hope you’ll feel free to share with me all the things I should know. It will help me understand better how to be a Queen all can rely on.”

  She wraps her arms around me with the biggest hug. “You can count on me. We’re a bit different from the others, even more than Grifton. Hu’gan sees it and knows it to be so. Don’t worry, all will smooth out in a few days. I’m sure of it.”

  I wish I could be as sure as Elky seems to be. This conversation has thrown me off balance. I look around for Dreyth but he’s vanished. I wonder if he heard the things Elky just told me. I head towards Dreyth’s lair. I’m surprised as I enter to find Ustice and Athan are there also.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were speaking to Ustice and Athan. I’ll find you later.” I turn to leave but Dreyth stops me.

  “No, Seyra. Stay. You might as well hear what they have been telling me.” His eyes are rolling embers and I can easily guess the topic.

  “If it is about choosing me to be your Queen, I have already heard that some are not taking to the idea—no, to the fact, that I am the Queen.” I glare at Athan and then lock eyes with Ustice. “How dare anyone, dragon or person, question the Brula’r! Is this an age-old habit to question the one who looks over all the Spires? If so, this is inexcusable.”

  Belly rumbles greet my ears. I turn to look at Dreyth and catch a half-smile. The fire has gone from his eyes and they are filled with merriment.

  It’s Ustice that speaks first. “Spoken like the Queen you are. Forgive us, Queen Seyra, but we felt it our duty to bring the concerns that we have heard to Dreyth. You need not worry, we support both him and you.”

  I raise an eyebrow to Athan. “Does this include you? I hear it is your rider that made a fuss about Dreyth taking me as his Queen.”

  “I won’t deny that Grifton is taking this decision harder than most. Hu’gan has already talked to him and he is—better. Hu’gan wants him to think of himself as the first knight. He will be important to us as we move forward.”

  “First knight?’ I bellow an unseemly laugh. “This kingdom needs no knights, we have dragons! I’ll tell you one thing. I have wanted to remain the same Seyra all have come to know, and not to separate myself or lift myself above others. But know this, I will not abide with those who spread the seeds of division towards Dreyth or myself. He chose me to be his Queen and he has me, soul to bone. Make no mistake, I am no token Queen.” I feel a surge of heat flaming my face and I only now become aware my face is mere inches from Athan’s snout.

  Their heads bow. “Yes, my Queen,” rolls off both of their tongues.

  “Take your leave, now. I want to be alone with our Brula’r.”

  They quickly leave the lair and silence enfolds us.

  A deep rumble stirs me. “My Queen. I have indeed chosen well.”

  I go to him and crumble, tears raining down my face.

  “Shh. All is well my Sparrow, my Queen. We can’t expect hundreds of years of history to not be met with the fear of something new. It is to be expected.” He releases a held chuckle. “They’ll change their minds quickly after speaking to you.”

  I look up in surprise. “Even Ustice and Athan are against me being Queen?”

  “No, not really. Grifton has rubbed his feeling off onto Athan. That is to be expected, after all, Grifton is his rider. As we k
now, sympathies are great between dragons and riders. You have met this—unfortunate situation head on. There will be no time to let seeds fester. Put this out of your mind.”

  I cling to him as my life support and hope he is right.

  Chapter 13

  I wonder, was this the time to make so dramatic a change to the Spires? We need everyone concentrating on what to do if the Xi come back, not to concentrate on me being your chosen Queen.”

  Smoke billows from Dreyth’s snout before he answers. “This was not about some calculated move to steal the heart of my rider and thus put an end to any male human seeking her hand in marriage. Grifton needs to shift his thoughts away from what he may have perceived as his role with you. The rest will soon follow. I don’t feel I should be questioned whatsoever in my choice.” He sends a flame barreling across the rock ceiling overhead before grumbling his next response. “After all this time—all this time and they can’t see all that I do is with the heart of the Spires in my thoughts.”

  “It is difficult for others to have the same mindset as their Brula’r.”

  “But should they be filled with such doubt?”

  I grimace. “Well, you remember, even I had a momentary doubt. It’s the newness; that’s all. Perhaps if we show them we are the same as before except I simply have a new title…”

  The room echoes with his laughter, although I catch on that he isn’t amused.

  “Originally, I thought that would be the best way to keep things until necessary. It was only after you spoke to Athan and Ustice as you did, I find my mind has changed.”

  “About that—I didn’t mean to dress them down in that manner. I was so angry.”

  “And behaved as a Queen in support of her King.” He turns to offer a softer smile. “You did as Queens have long done throughout our history. You did more than I could have anticipated. You did all of this without prompting and without reservation. Trust me when I say you were born to this role you now fill.”

  I chew nervously on my bottom lip as I pace inside his lair. “I only wanted them to understand better, to not second-guess you or your reasoning.”

  “I believe part of your human reasoning has seeped into my bones. I find I wish I had waited until after the welcome home celebration to make the announcement. Perhaps if I had done this in a more official way, it could have made a difference, but another sensation comes on that heel of thought that tells me not to worry at what has been done, there is no changing it now.”

  Nodding, I join him and lean into his outstretched wing. “Should we return to the celebration?”

  “Instead, I would prefer to take you to the Chamber of Scrolls. There are things I wish to share with you, away from the noise of celebration. The celebration was designed to help everyone release pent-up worries. Once it all sets in, all of what was mentioned, they will understand we are in a precarious situation, one where we don’t know how soon we will face a war. One that could change everything for our dragons and the people we protect.”

  “What if they don’t come?”

  “Then we will be prepared and have longer to enjoy our peace.” His half-smile helps relieve some of the fluttering in my heart. All the talk of a pending war feels harder than being in battle itself.

  “Come, we will take the back way to the Chamber of Scrolls.”

  “You mean, we can get there from your lair?”

  He chuckles. “Of course. I’m the Brula’r. Actually, when the Spires were carved out this was where Beokrull had his lair. He made sure he had a way into the chambers whenever he felt he needed to consult the scrolls. It was difficult, those beginning days. Two very different dragon types from two different parts of the world. We had to learn so many things and blend together.”

  “You make it sound very much like what we are doing now.”

  “There are similarities. I think most of us, dragon or human, resists change until we learn the benefits. I’ll wait for you up top. Follow the stairs and hug to the wall, this stairway has no hand-railing to keep you from falling.”

  I follow him through the back end of the lair to a small cavern. This area I thought was where he fed and threw the leaving down the mountainside, but there’s more around the bend of the chamber. Now I see the staircase winding along the interior of the Spires. I’m fortunate light still penetrates through the overhead crystal domes. Shivers race up my back as I can’t see the end of the stairs. They seem to wind on forever. My boots slip from one rocky tread to another, leaving hollow echoes as I ascend. I make it through several turns of stairs when a burst of flame catches my attention. Dreyth is perched upon a long narrow ledge overhead. I’m already not looking forward to coming back down these stairs.

  “When we are done, we will take the proper way down.” Dreyth assures me mentally.

  Finally, I reach the top and cling to the wall to edge my way to Dreyth. When I’m almost there, he moves into a large recess and I follow. As I reach the opening, it is bright with the flames of many torches attached to the stone walls. Towering in the center of this space are hewn stone cubicles, all fitted with stone boxes that seem to never end.

  “I can see now why this is called the Chamber of Scrolls. Are all of these boxes filled with scrolls?”

  “They are. Our whole history is stored in this chamber. Some carry the oldest tales of our first dragons, some are ancestry lineages, others have the retelling of battles, but what we seek are the scrolls from the east, the ones Beokrull brought. I have them laid out in the reading alcove.”

  He guides me into what must be the upper room in all of the Spires. Above us glistens a smooth crystal with veins of gold running through it. The room shimmers and feels cozy. Many pelts are laid across the floor and in thick heaps as if to give a place to rest when one tires of reading. A large slab sits in the center of the room with three carved stone boxes. I note the strange carvings on the lids, not carvings as we see our artisans make, these are deep gashes with embedded stone chips from various gems, almost illuminating the lines.

  “That is what makes these boxes so easy to find. They are far different from our standard scrolls. The gouges you see are the markings, the lettering of the eastern dragons. Because these are their governing scrolls, the lids have been adorned with the chips of jewels to represent their preciousness. Go sit on the pile of furs; I will bring what I want to refer to as I tell you my thoughts.”

  I make myself comfortable as Dreyth brings a long scroll and anchors it with smooth stones to hold it open to a section he’s interested in.

  “Seyra, I have told you of the rarity of a human Queen. You understand that in a time the Brula’r is without an acceptable dragon choice, a human was chosen instead. This scroll explains the ceremony which was very close to what we shared in front of all those in the Spire, except it was performed only in front of their Council of Dragons and the human response was never considered. Where Beokrull came from, dragons were greatly feared for when there were dragons in the air, fire rained down. I don’t want to use this time to review the history of the eastern dragons, only to bring to light what occurred when their Queen was a chosen female.”

  I’m held spellbound to his words. It’s as if his heat has caused the room to float and sway before my eyes. His words drift off as if he has flown into a great chasm and I am falling, falling…

  I hear a roaring sound, like the room has filled with dragons. Heated debates are exchanged and I hear it all. I understand it all. It was the dragons that thought this linking to a human was an abomination! They thought the human an unworthy~ a lance into their side. I’m now connecting the ritual and wonder if that is why the human has to stab the dragon, because of these old beliefs? There is a battle between a Brula’r and two dragons…it is horrific! Blood washes blue across my eyes. The female human is crying and speaking in dragon-tongue, trying to explain she brings no harm. She will not alter the dragon lines. She screams at them to understand, this love, this servitude is not as they think. She will bear ne
ither children nor dragons, for there are no conjugal rights. For this she is covered in flames until the Brula’r recovers enough to kill the attacking dragons. She—is unharmed. Not burned! Her skin has reflected their flames. The Brula’r enfolds her, tears ripping wide his heart. Then, he licks her face with his tongue.

  I hear his moanings… “My Queen, forever shall you be. I will take you to a remote area of future promise. You will find peace there. Take a husband, as I release you of all obligations to your King. I soon shall pass but my connection to you will never fade.” She climbs upon blood-smeared scales, and they fly out into the darkness.

  “Seyra! What’s wrong?” Dreyth lifts my head, willing me to wake. I do.

  “Dreyth? What has happened?” I sit up and still feel disoriented. The room wavers in and out of my vision. My periphery vision is laced with a deep green halo and my heart is hammering like it will break through my skin.

  He stares at me with wild, wide eyes. “Seyra?”

  “I had the most disturbing dream, Dreyth. I saw—so much. Some Brula’r and his chosen human Queen. They were attacked! She was bathed in fire but didn’t burn. He had to take her away.”

  “You saw this?”

  I nod covering my face with my hands, remembering it all. My hands touch something odd. Hard yet slick. I slowly remove my hands and stare at Dreyth. He takes a talon and traces the edges of my hairline where scales have appeared. I hear the sound of talon sliding down scale. “Dreyth!” Frantic, I raise my hands again to find what follows my hairline down to my shoulders. “What is happening to me?”

  “I don’t know Seyra. I can only think of the mixing of our blood has created small scales around your face. An unexpected mark of our bond as King and Queen. This is why I brought you here, to discuss what changes we might expect. Visions and sight were the most common.”

  “Dreyth, I heard and understood everything in this vision. It was like I stood in the room and watched it all unfold. That poor woman and her King!”

  “Tell me of this Brula’r, please. Whatever you can remember.”