A Queen's Calling

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. For the last century, they’ve kept to themselves in the mountains. So much so, the commoners thought they were extinct. Only my father, King Harold Tamer, and the rest of the Tamer Royal bloodline knew they were alive. Our power connected us to the magnificent beasts through the bonds that were made by the original Tamer during the Great War, when the humans needed warriors stronger than the rest to fend off the against the demons crawling out from the very Gates of Hell.

Once the War ended, the Tamers made a deal with the dragons to ease the tension among the humans. Given the destruction already caused by the supernatural, their suspicions of giant scaly beasts being peaceful divided the kingdom. The dragons decided that a long-distance relationship would be more beneficial. Only the original Tamer kept the dragon he was bonded to. The link was then passed to the following generations. We all felt the bond, but there could only be one King.

Or so I was told.

With my father’s declining health and no sons to take the throne, tensions were brewing among the castle and the Kingdom. The appearance of the dragons only added to it. My mother was insisting that I be married off to produce a son immediately, but my father disagreed with the idea. Every day, he summoned his eight daughters one by one. Rarely did he ask for my mother.

“If I see one more tear on your mother’s cheek, I will ask the healer to make a poison and sneak it into my tea,” he muttered when I asked him why.

“This is difficult for all of us,” I reminded him as I eased him out of bed for our daily teatime. I made it a point to give Father as much fresh air as possible and made sure the servants set up our table on the balcony with all sorts of treats forbidden by the royal healers. Today, the wind gently greeted us with soft caresses laced with the faint scent of blooming flowers, the sun was not harsh, joining also in a gentle greeting as if it was awakening from a long slumber. There were more birds singing today than the entirety of last week. All this life around us, and yet Father’s death lingered.

My father knew how to read me easily, “Now Cresseida,” he chastened, “do not be mad at the world for how it works. My death will be the rebirth of the Tamer line.”

“You do agree with Mother’s plan, then?” I rose an eyebrow at his direction.

He let out as hearty a chuckle as he could muster. Oh, how I missed the days when he could make the entire castle shake with his laughter. It was easy to get him to that point as well. Father was a loved King. A man of the people. The front messengers were overworked with all of the pastries and barrels of beer sent his way from the commoners. A pang of sorrow nestled in my chest as I recalled the joy he brought to any celebration.

“No, no. Never will I agree with that desperate plan at the expense of my firstborn. You’ll be leaving the palace before she gets a chance to send you off.”

It was my turn to laugh, but it quickly died off when he didn’t join. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I am as serious as can be. You leave tonight with Evander.”

“Evander? Father, I can't leave you—”

“You can and you will. Evander is the only one that I trust to look after you. No one has a stronger sense of duty than that young man. The Dragons have not returned just for my failing health. Just as we asked them for their help a century ago, it is their turn to ask for ours.”

“And what, exactly, is such a problem that the dragons need a human at their side?”

“They’re being hunted.” Father’s voice turned grim, his eyes sad as he met mine. “I do not have the strength to do what they need. But you, my little warrior, radiate power they recognize. They are calling for you. Your Dragon has been captured.”

My eyes widened at words spoken by my father, more so at the feeling of having a secret uncovered. “I thought they were just nightmares,” I whispered.

“Did you see who did it?”

I shook my head, “The dreams started with already being chained up. It wasn’t the dragon, it was… me. My neck felt as if it was on fire.”

“There are those that seek our power, Cresseida. They’ve been seeking it since the first Bond was created. Whenever a Tamer is born, a dragon egg hatches, and the initial Bond is established. Of course, for the full Bond to take effect, the Dragon and the Heir must meet and finish the ceremony. Just like there are enemy kingdoms who don’t necessarily agree with our family history and the power we possess, there are differing dragon clans who do not like the idea of having their abilities depend on a human.”

“Why did they go after the one that is bonded to me?”

Father watched my eyes carefully as he said, “For the last century, Cresseida, there has always been a male heir bonded to the first male hatchling. My health is failing so abruptly because my dragon was slain.”

“Then the female dragon in my childhood dreams,” I put two and two together, “she’s the Queen.”

Father nodded. “You are destined to be the Queen of this realm. There are forces working together to wipe out all the bonds and take the power of the dragons for themselves. You must complete the ceremony with her, and ensure this madness stops. You’re going to war, Cresseida.”

The world stopped in that instant. I heard the words. I knew they were spoken. I could not process them. My vision blurred with the furious tears that followed. “You’re sending me to death. When the first son is born, he begins training the second he can stand on his own. I was taught how to embroider sheets!”

Father cupped my face tenderly, “Your mother refused for you to pick up the toy swords I tried to sneak to you. I tried to tell her again and again what you had to do one day. Why do you think she’s sent word for your hand in marriage so soon? She’s trying to keep you from your destiny because she loves you and can’t bear the thought of losing you. We cannot change what the fates have written for you. Evander will accompany you. He is the best mercenary we have and will protect you while he trains you.”

“Must it be tonight?” I wept. “Must you send me off before I can bury you?”

“It is for your protection. I have no idea what your mother’s plans are and if she locks you up in this tower, we are all doomed.” Father’s voice become rough. One of his hands cupped the back of my head as he pulled me to his shoulder.

A knock following the opening of his chamber startled me out of the embrace. Evander walked in hesitantly at first, but his pace quickened to the balcony once he realized the King was out of bed.

“If I wanted to be chastised, Evander, I would have called for my wife. You are here to go over the details for tonight and nothing else.”

Evander bowed slightly before clearing his throat. His royal uniform and his face were coated in sweat and dirt. “I just finished clearing the last of the tunnel we need. When the moon is at its highest point, I will meet you at the entrance and guide you through until we’re at the garden. I have altered the rotation pattern for tonight. There are very few soldiers that know of the plan to get you out the castle. Only those who are loyal to the crown understand what must happen.” He began to shift uneasily from foot to foot. “There are rumors of corruption among some of the troops, my King. I fear for the safety of your wife and your daughters after your passing.”

Father sighed, “Already the number of those we can trust is dwindling. Before you part, make sure there is a concrete plan to get them out of the castle, should worse come to worse.”

Evander nodded towards my father and then turned to face me fully. “There is a black hooded cloak in your wardrobe along with a set of training trousers and a tunic. Wear your best boots, but make sure they are comfortable. We’re not stopping until we reach the first village outside of the kingdom. No one is to know that you are the princess. No one is to know our actual names, especially the fact that you are a Tamer. From now on, everyone is your enemy until proven otherwise. Do you understand?”

I nodded. The lump of sorrow stuck in my throat robbed my ability to speak.

Father clasped my hand tightly, “It won’t be long before Ellie comes through those doors. Our time is up. Evander,” he choked on the following words, “take care of my little girl.”

“Father, please,” I begged.

“Do not,” the authority radiated from his voice, “make this harder than it has to be. You are leaving tonight. End of discussion. Now help me back into bed before your sister arrives.”

Evander helped me walk my father back to the bed. With each step, I squeezed my father’s hand tighter. I ignored the scent of death lingering around him and remembered the days when he smelled of violets. I eased him into bed with great care, hoping to make up for the days I wouldn’t get to do this. Who was going to take him outside now?

“I do not have many days left, Cresseida. It is better that you remember me as I am today, than the corpse I will become,” he said softly.

I could no longer hold back my sobs, and carefully curled up beside him. He rubbed my back as he did when I scraped my knee or had an argument with my sisters. I felt Evander gently pull me away and realized my sister was here, ready for her turn. I kissed my father’s cheek and engraved the final feeling of his kiss on mine into my memory.

Ellie looked at me in shock before understanding flooded her eyes. Her face twisted into sorrow before she hugged me and went to be beside Father.

If only she knew how fortunate she was for the extra days.

Evander guided me out of the chamber, his hand on my back tying me back to reality. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He handed me a handkerchief, his own face solemn. Duke Evander was brought to the castle at a very young age, but he quickly proved himself worthy of his title. Father saw the potential in him immediately and treated him like family from the start.

When we arrived in front of my room, Evander leaned towards me and murmured in a tone low enough for no one to hear, “Everything is going to be alright. Your servants have been called off for the rest of the night, play out the grief that you feel. Leave the door to the emergency tunnel open. You’ll hear me come up.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to say a word.

With that he opened the door for me, urging me to go inside and act as normal as possible for the rest of the day. My legs were numb, but somehow, I forced them to move one in front of the other. The door clicked closed gently behind me.

And that was my undoing. With my back against the door, I slid to the ground. Rage, fear, and grief flooded through me, ravaging my body like an earthquake, leaving cracks in its wake, breaking me in ways I didn’t know would ever be the same again. That was the last time I would see my father. This would be the last time in this room. I couldn’t say goodbye to the rest of my sisters or my mother. Not that she deserved a goodbye. By protecting me to the extent of neglect, she doomed me. My dragon was in danger, and I didn’t know if I could save her. But if I didn’t, the world would fall apart just as I had.

Once the sobs subsided, I managed to get up, get dressed, and move my dresser to uncover the hidden passageway. By this point, the full moon was slowly making its climb to the top of the sky, illuminating my room with its light. I sat at my vanity for the final time to braid my long hair. I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me. Her face was swollen from crying so much, her eyes were small, also drained from the constant strain of producing tears.

It didn’t take long for me to hear Evander’s footsteps coming my way. The reality of what was happening threatened to hit me again. I suppressed a sob that was trying to come out. There was no room for tears right now. I had to play my part at making sure that we got out of here safely.

And I had a dragon to save.