Celestia's Tales: The Lybiria Scales
Page 27
Orlson wandered around his father’s castle as the news of his parentage sank in. He now knew he was not only half alchemist, but an angel too, if it had not fitted so well then he would never have believed it. The only news that pleased him more was that he was supposed to be the rightful heir to Zolar's throne, making him a prince and giving him the right to marry the princess of his heart.
Dryad had told him that all he wanted from Xander was to recognise this and stand down, and he would be quite happy to give back the Scales. He also told him that once Dryad was crowned High King, he would give his blessing for Orlson to marry whoever he chose and if that was Bri then so be it. The kingship and power was the last thing on his mind. All he wanted was Bri.
Looking around the castle, he understood a little of why Dryad was desperate for Zolar. The stone walls imposed on every piece of space and there was a moist heat that hung in the air. Foul smells from the sea and volcano polluted everything and even though there were some small home comforts, the desolate darkness of the place would have been enough for anyone to want to flee.
‘They have arrived,’ Tatiana said.
‘The salamanders are ready,’ Dryad reassured her.
‘And Orlson?’
‘I have offered him the princess and the throne, and he seems happy.’
Tatiana looked as though she had calmed down since their last meeting, and she even looked less haggard. Dryad noticed and commented, and she responded by pulling out what looked like a vial of blood.
‘This here is the secret of our success. The price of true love,’ she said cryptically.
‘Is it only blood?’ Dryad said.
‘Not just any blood. The blood of a royal, and its insurance is keeping a princess under our control.’
Dryad could not help but smile. Things were going so well and with the added bonus of finding out he had a son to his own true love.
He wished with all his heart Clara had come to him when she had found out she was with child. He would have looked after her and made her happy. It pained him that she would have gone through it all by herself. She was such a gentle heart and he was certain that giving up a new born babe would have been torture. But it was a price she needed to pay and to send him to Zilva would have guaranteed his safety.
Tatiana watched her son leave the cave, with a small smile on her face. At last she would gain everything back that had been cruelly taken away from her.
‘It is all working out beautifully,’ she said, ‘and all because you fell in love.’
Queen Magda shuffled from her dark hiding place. Her royal clothes were gone. She simply wore a shapeless green shift. Her once golden hair hung limply and dull around her shoulders.
‘Don’t you think I know this?’ she whispered.
‘When you came to me that day I knew that you would do anything for King Marlon. I also knew that I had to secure my payment.’
‘You tricked me. I had no idea my blood was so important.’
Tatiana looked at her High Queen and shook her head in mock dismay.
‘I didn’t trick you. You were the one that came to me remember, and I gave you exactly what you wanted. It’s just that what you wanted came with a price. So there is no point placing the guilt on me.’
Magda sat down heavily on to seaweed covered rock, her eyes spilling over with salty tears.
‘Look,’ Tatiana continued. ‘I knew that any child of yours and Marlon’s would eventually be the fly in the ointment for me and I had to have insurance.’
‘Why have you done this?’ Magda sobbed.
Tatiana sighed deeply as old memories came flooding back. Back to when she was a young psyren with hopes and dreams of finding her one true love, then finding, and losing him.
‘I was in love with your father and he with me. But because I was a psyren we were not allowed to be together. And instead of fighting for us, Aquim didn’t, he just married his pretty cousin, Aenor.’
Magda looked at Tatiana with fresh eyes and saw beneath the sludge and slime a woman in pain.
‘But that is not my fault. I was not even born,’ Magda tried to reason.
Tatiana rose from her seat and slid across the floor, leaving a trail of slime behind her.
‘We always pay for our elders’ mistakes,’ she sneered.
Orlson gazed out at the burnt craggy rocks that surrounded the castle walls. Salamanders were running around and being gathered below. He was in no doubt it was because Bri had managed to land on the island. He had been promised it was only for protection and all Dryad wanted was Xander’s abdication from his throne. Turning away, he started, as he spied Dryad’s shadow in the doorway.
‘You scared me,’ Orlson said.
‘My apologies,’ Dryad answered coming further into the light.
‘I see the salamanders are all out ready. You do realize there are only six of them, not exactly worthy of an army,’ Orlson said looking back out of the window.
He could not shake the growing feeling of dread that kept tugging in the pit of his stomach, but the need to be with Bri was greater and he inwardly worked at silencing the voices inside.
‘I want to ask whether you have wings like your mother,’ Dryad asked suddenly, breaking his thoughts.
‘Why?’ Orlson answered.
Dryad came and stood beside him and shivered internally at the power he felt from him. How could this boy not know how strong he really was?
‘Because angels are much stronger with wings.’
‘Well I never got them,’ Orlson replied flatly.
Dryad turned and looked at the profile of his son’s face. ‘It’s a shame,’ he muttered, ‘a real shame.’
Orlson watched as his father left the room. It seemed he was a disappointment to someone else. Dryad had obviously expected him to be more than he was. Even he had hoped that having angel blood inside him would miraculously change him into something special, but he was still the same.
The same old Orlson. Guardian to the Princess Briganti and servant to Zilva’s kingdom. The poor little orphan that was adopted by a king and queen. Realising he was full of self-pity, he got to his feet and began to shake it off. Magda and Marlon had been so good to him and he had a life only other orphans could dream of. He was much more and he would prove them all wrong. He was special. He was now a prince.
Chapter Twenty-Four