Dragon Prince, page 15
With a trumpet, Kieran came back to himself and then ducked his head for Archana. She would have to go with him. Otherwise, the Witch might well be too much for him. It was only through those things that he saw himself surviving. Saw his father surviving. Only by the two of them together taking on the darkness which threatened to spread.
The Raven Witch, now a dragon once more, flew in the direction of the flight she had lost so many years before. She would see it destroyed. They had not made her queen; therefore, the entire thing was flawed and needed to be taken apart.
Kieran followed, speeding through the air with Archana on his neck just back from his head. She slid down to his shoulders as it became apparent sitting so far up did not protect her from the wind well.
“We have to be ready to fight,” she said. She didn’t know why she knew that, but she was prepared to fight on behalf of Silence who had been so good to her.
“My name is Kieran,” the dragon told her. “And you may call me that.”
“Oh,” she said. He banked sharply to avoid a bolt thrown at them by the Witch.
“What are we up against?”
“The Raven Witch, she told me that in order for me to get my name and thus my magic back, I needed to teach the music of my name to you so that you could prove yourself able to learn it. She lied to me.”
“She used your name as bait.”
“I suppose so.”
The roaring of the wind made it hard for Archana to form words, but she did the best she could. Another bolt came roaring through the sky at them. Then she was above them, diving like a hawk at Kieran’s back. He turned over in the skin quickly spinning both to avoid the attack and dropping Archana who held on with everything she had.
“How do we bring her down?”
“I don’t know, but she’s headed for the flight. I cannot let her harm anyone else.”
“Then we must take her in the air.”
“Yes.”
Archana weaved a spell, her hands flying as they moved through the air. Of course, she would have to get closer, but they would be ready when they did. Throwing it forward as they came close to the edge of the landing rocks, the Witch just ahead of them, it locked up her wings with ice. The Witch plummeted onto the landing rocks with a snarl and then smashed the ice off her wings as she turned to face those who stood against her.
“Little witchling,” she hissed. “What makes you think you can fight me?”
Archana did not hesitate before throwing a fireball at the Witch’s snout. Kieran let her down and paced off to the side, forcing the Witch to keep up with both of them at the same time.
Suddenly, the Witch charged Kieran choosing to ignore Archana for a moment. Or so it seemed. She hit Archana with her tail even as she began to weave a new spell and knocked her toward the edge of the landing rocks.
Desperation colored every one of Archana’s thoughts as she tried not to fall from the rocks into the chasm below. It would be one thing if she could fly, but quite another as she had no wings.
Kieran and the Witch fought tooth and fire, claw to claw. Kieran saw Archana tumble and broke off to dive for her. She was nearly to the edge and over it, when he wrapped a claw around her and hoisted her back onto the stones. Of course, the Witch took his lapse to gather her bulk into the cavern, she was going inside for something.
Airy was there a moment later, his wings flared to cover the way further inside.
“Stop and declare,” he commanded. The Witch took a breath and blew fire all over him. As Airy trumpeted for help, Kieran put Archana back on the stones and then charged the Witch from behind. He jumped on her broad back and latched onto her neck despite the armor of her scales. His claws scraped ineffectually down the seemingly indestructible scales. Yet he continued the fight. Kieran refused to simply give up and die.
Archana wove another spell, a glue foot spell to hold the Witch in place so she couldn’t go any further. If she tried to, it would be as if her feet were glued to the ground. Thankfully, with the Witch fully occupied, she didn’t notice the spell until it had been cast around her feet. The Witch stumbled forward trying to move allowing Kieran a chance to go for her face.
Airy, his scales blistered in places, returned to the fray as well, going for the Witch’s eyes.
The Witch screamed and trumpeted as her eyes were clawed through, her scales may well have held up to such abuse, but her eyes did not. Kieran grabbed her by her neck armor and dragged her back out on the landing stones. With her feet glued, she couldn’t even cast another spell.
Archana knelt at the edge of the stones, face in her hands. She ached all over from being hit with that tail. It had smashed through what little armor she wore and made her feel as if she had been hit with a boulder.
Moments from the edge, the Witch protested.
“Your father will die if you don’t let me go,” she said. “He has lost his name, he will die.”
“And I will become King,” Kieran said fearlessly. Aelerian dying did not scare him anymore. He had faced that fear. He knew his father would not want him to make a decision based on the fact that he would die. Such was the life Aelerian would lead.
Archana leaned over, one arm catching her as she went, and then she laid there on the stones. It seemed so calm and cool there, she could rest.
The Witch continued to try to wheel and deal for her life. It was when Kieran leapt up on her back and shredded her wings, the thin membrane giving way to sharp claws, that she truly began to blubber.
He took her all the way to the edge.
“My father has always told me he would die one day,” Kieran said. “And my mother also. One day. If it is today, then so be it.” He rolled her off the side with shredded wings and bound feet.
She would land at the bottom, far below, and even if she survived, her injuries would be the end of her soon enough. It didn’t matter to Kieran one way or another. Without her magic, she was nothing.
Even with her magic, she had not been strong enough to take on those who loved one another.
Kieran turned to find Archana lying on the stones, her armor dented and a pool of blood starting to grow underneath her. He gasped in shock and hurried over to her.
“Archana,” he called her name. “Wake up.”
She opened her eyes and then shook her head. “I think I took a stronger hit than I thought.” Her eyes slowly closed then opened again. “The edges are dark,” she whispered as her breath wheezed in and out of her body.
Airy joined Kieran.
“Help me, brother,” Kieran cried. “She has to live.”
“She’s human.”
“And she stood with us against an enemy,” Kieran said. “I need her alive.”
Airy nodded. Dragon scale and hide were strong enough to take a great deal of physical punishment, but dragon claws were able to rend both from the body if the user was strong enough. Being clutchmates, Kieran and Airy had hurt each other with their claws before. And now, Airy took his claws and opened a wound on Kieran easily. The blood dripped from his open wound onto Archana’s face.
“Blood from a dragon heart,” she murmured. “Capable of healing wounds and saving lives. A heart even grants immortality.”
A keening wail came up from below and Ualira landed on the landing stones. She carried with her the heart of the Dragon King. Archana slowly rose from where she had been lying, peeling herself from the tacky blood which ran from her armor.
“Kieran,” she said. “I—“ Then she realized she was surrounded by dragons. Dragons who might not take too well to what she would have asked the dragon prince. She wanted the heart of the Dragon King for herself. To appease her father with a dragon heart of his own so that he could become immortal.
Except did she really want her father to become immortal? Thinking on it as she wiped her face with dirty hands, she realized the truth: she did not want her father to become immortal nor did she wish to remain with him forever. If the truth were told, and she was being truthful with herself, she wanted him to face judgment for the way he treated her. Archana began to pull herself together a little more, all too aware of how much she owed to the Prince and his people as well as how far from home she had come. She was in the mountains which belonged to the dragons and they could very well throw her from the cliff if they did not care for the things she wanted to say.
Kieran approached her and nudged her with his nose, a fat tear weeping from his eye.
Archana knew she couldn't ask him for the heart of his kin to do what she needed to do; therefore, she would return without it to her Father who would perhaps send her away. However, if he did, then it would be good enough. She had known love and friendship and that was more than she had seen in her years before.
"Kieran," she said. "I have to return." She stroked his snout with one bloody hand
. Her armor looked as though she should have been killed in it; however, there she stood.
Kieran looked at Archana and then looked away. He couldn't keep her from her throne. He had to release her from her bond to him.
"Please take me back," Archana asked. "I have to return." They locked eyes for a moment and then she looked away.
They had left the knights at the Raven Witch's lair. There they would have remained without someone to order them to leave. There they would rot if she didn't return to them soon. If she returned without them and no dragon heart, she would certainly be sent away; however, that no longer frightened her. Let her be sent from her father into an unknown land to face a new destiny. She would welcome it. Archana would find her own way in the world.
Kieran looked from Archana to his mother, who seemed to have deflated and wept on the stones. He could feel her pain at the loss of his father, but as he had told the Witch, he would take his father's place and see his mother through to the Light if she was prepared to pass. He doubted she was, but a broken heart could destroy the resolve.
“Mother,” Kieran called. When she did not respond, he walked over and nudged her gently with his nose. She sobbed with her chin on the stones, her husband’s heart beside her face. “Mother,” he whispered.
“My son,” Ualira said. “He is gone.”
“He is,” Kieran agreed. “But his spirit lives on.”
Her face said though she knew that to be true, she didn’t dare sink her claws into it yet.
“I,” Kieran said stealing a glance at Archana. “I have to return Archana to her people.”
“Be careful,” was all his mother said before closing her eyes and allowing herself to continue to weep.
“Airy,” Kieran called to his clutchmate. “Take care of my mother. I will return soon.”
Then Kieran went to Archana and lowered his head. “Come with me. I will return you home.”
Archana nodded and then grabbed a head horn to mount up. She sat near his head as she would sit a horse. Then the two took off to return to the land of the humans on the other side of the forest.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THEY RETURNED FIRST to the lair of the Raven Witch, now dead and gone. The knights, both those she had made and the ones of her father, awaited her return as nothing more than puppets. When she dismounted from Kieran’s head, they did nothing because they had not been commanded to. Yet Kieran watched them with suspicion, his eyes narrowed.
Archana did not try to go to her own horse, not yet. All the animals scented the dragon and were more than willing to run away. It was only their training which kept them from doing so. Instead, she stood there with Kieran as if waiting for something, one hand stroking the scales near his head horn.
"I have to go," she said but made no attempt to move. One of the horses stamped their feet as their eyes rolled with fear. "I have to go."
Kieran let out a sigh at the sensation of being caressed. He wanted badly to show her the sky again, to help her fly, but she had to go back. He couldn't hold her from her throne and he didn't dare take her all the way back to the castle himself because of her father. The sorcerer would try to cut him down where he flew and then who would see to the kingdom of dragons? Well, one of his clutchmates certainly, but he didn't want to drop it to one of them to take over because he had made a foolish mistake.
"I know," he said with an air of finality.
Archana finally stopped, walked over to her horse which shied and stepped when she tried to mount, mounted up, and turned to ride away.
Kieran stopped the words in his throat. She couldn't stay. She had made the choice to leave and there was nothing further he could do. He had to let her go. That didn't make it any easier. Her motion to ride away showed her slumped shoulders. Yet he didn't call her back. He didn't stop her. He watched her ride away into the forest with her contingent of bastardized knights, and then took off for his own home, leaving behind the lair of the Witch.
Archana heard the leathery snap of Kieran's wings as he took off from a distance and that was the moment the first tear fell. She had to go back didn't mean she wanted to. If she could have taken the mantle of Dragon Queen, then she would have, but she was a mere human, one who had no abilities she hadn't been taught by her father, a king who lived in darkness. Certainly she could hope to be something else, but she was his daughter. And soon, he would marry her off and then she would be someone else's problem. That brought a touch of smile to her face despite her tears, she wouldn't have to deal with him much longer. Soon she would be removed from his household and she would have no more to worry about.
Returning through the forest took time, time she had to ruminate and wonder. What had drawn the dragon prince to her? Certainly she had helped him, but there had to be something more than that. The majestic creature could not have chosen her for such a little kindness. The question occupied her all the way back to the village proper.
Something was wrong in the village. The children, who always ran out to greet her, did not. Archana's eyes skimmed over the world she and her father had created together. The village hadn't always thrived, but Archana had seen to it in her years as its steward. Now the place appeared deserted. The only one left was an old wizened man Archana knew as a village elder. Yet he appeared as if he had aged years since she went into the forest with Kieran. He opened his eyes when she approached and cowered with such violence Archana thought her presence had struck him dead on the ground.
"Princess," he addressed her in a wavering voice. "Have you come to take me to the castle as well?"
"What's happened?" Archana asked. The knights ranged out around her in a prescribed pattern for protection despite the lack of a threat.
"The knights came and rounded everyone up," he whispered. Archana strained to hear him. "They were taken to the castle and no one has returned."
Archana tilted her head to one side uneasily, her eyes streaming tears. She didn't know what had happened to everyone, but she could guess. Her father had done something and it was drastic and horrible. She needed to see what she could do to stop the slaughter. For a moment, just one, she wished Kieran had returned with her. Then she kicked her horse into a gallop and headed for the castle on the hill where her father held sway.
The castle gates were down, barring entry, and no one appeared when she hailed the gate for entrance. Dismounting, she considered what she could do to enter the castle without her father's permission. He was likely not to grant it in his current state, if she was right. If she wasn't and he was worse than she imagined, he would allow her entrance only to try and eat her.
With the front gate locked, there were two other ways into the castle, and both involved going through the domain of the kitchen. Katina wouldn't like for Archana to come in that way with the knights in tow, but she would have to allow it without a fuss. Archana was not going to stand back and let her father slaughter everyone as if they were little more than cattle for his grazing.
Leaving the knights near the front gate, she rode hard for the servants gate which would allow her entry into the kitchen garden. It wasn’t often locked. When it was, Katina had the key, but it was also an old lock. One which would not withstand a truly interested robber. No one would dare try to rob King Arachnid, however. Archana reached the gate and dismounted again. It was locked and barred. Archana strode up to it and put her hands on it, before scratching in a rune to destroy it. It would be replaced at some point. There was nothing else to be done. She didn’t have time for less violent tactics. She needed to find out where everyone was and get them away before things were made worse by time.
The kitchen was not itself as it normally was under Katina. The head cook would never have allowed a pile of flour to remain on her floor to be tracked to and thro. Nor would she have left a leg of meat out on the table. It smelled soured as Archana past it. No, Katina wouldn’t have allowed it. She would have seen someone flogged with a wooden spoon for daring.
A consistent drip and buzz dragged Archana out of her thoughts of how odd the kitchen looked. “What is that?” she asked herself as she moved toward the sound. It came from behind the pantry door. Heavy as it was, the pantry door wasn’t impossible to open, if one was determined enough. Archana yanked and pulled and strained to open it, wishing as she always did, for Katina’s strong arms to assist. Inside the pantry was death.
Two servants, ones Archana recognized, were huddled together, dead. The buzzing, flies, the dripping, water from a broken jug near them. The smell hit her like a gut punch. The pantry smelled of staples like flour and sugar and oil, now it smelled of those things and excrement and blood.
“Father, what have you done?” she murmured as she stepped back out of the pantry and covered her mouth to prevent herself from throwing up.
Searching the castle for him would be fruitless, she knew where she needed to go, directly to her father’s laboratory beneath the castle. He would be there, doing what he saw fit. Archana needed to stop him from hurting anyone else. Her fate, already sealed by his will, meant little when compared against those of the ones she would leave behind. Though she no longer feared going out into the world, she knew better than to believe that if her father had gone this mad there would be anything left should she someday return. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and imagined the world as it would be with her father allowed to push his will on everyone around him. He may have been King, but a King was also a keeper of his people. Now he had become the butcher to slaughter all those around him. Tears squeezed from Archana's eyes as she saw the village deserted but for the old man's skeleton left behind by his untimely death. Shadows and ghosts, nothing more. Her mind conjured up the awareness of herself, returning to her father's castle to find him cackling and crazed. She couldn't allow that to happen.
