Quest to The Throne

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. But as conflicts continued to arise between neighboring villages, a means of protection became a necessity. Strength in numbers became a myth and the only way to ensure an equal fight was by relying on a creature far more powerful than any other beast around. Every village was gifted a dragon by the king of the land, King Tovar of Garland, as a way to bring an end to the fighting amongst people and instead let problems be resolved by the creatures of the villages.

The villages were allowed to choose the dragon of their liking, except they were only given the option of male dragons. King Tovar believed very strongly in equality, and in order to prevent a future tragedy, he reserved all of the female dragons for his army. If the villages had been given a female dragon, there was a possibility of them breeding more dragons. This would be a threat not only to the King himself, but to all of the villages, because an angry village or villages could certainly wage war if they had the proper weapons.

Each village would be in charge of their own dragon- of feeding, training, and controlling him. If there was an in incident of terror in which a dragon was involved, the dragon would be recruited into the Garland’s Army of Dragons, and the village whom he belonged to would be left defenseless until they proved they could control their beast. Of course, each dragon was named by its village, and no two dragons could have the same name. This would make the identification process easier in the case of a match or identifying a rogue dragon. In Hillside there was Arno, a green and frightening beast of destruction. Wenhthor was home to Idris, a patient, but deadly majestic white dragon. In Breckenridge you could find Muzzart, a mostly yellow, but red tailed dragon who would fight without mercy. Dormeadow was protected by Egan, a purple beast who fought with rage and strategy. Azoul, a blue, dangerous kill machine lived in Fairwick, the furthermost town from the castle.

Aside from the village dragons, the wealthiest families could also purchase their own dragon from the King. No one had managed to reach such a prestigious economic position in any of the villages, except the Sinclair’s. The Sinclair’s lived in Fairwick, and they had an entire hill to themselves to train their beast, and also to live. Their home was by far the biggest estate in all five villages, yet their riches didn’t defy their character. Carlos and Leonor were parents to Francisco and Rafael, and the family never let their village go through anything alone. Whenever chaos invaded their village, they made sure to be there for those who resided in Fairwick. Francisco and Rafael, though, were especially keen on keeping a certain someone very safe.

Her name was Sienna, and she had been friends with the boys since they were all small children. The three were the very definition of mischief, but there was never any malicious intention behind what they did- they simply wanted to have some fun. As they grew older, their mischief turned into dedication, and it became their priority to take care of their town. Everyone who knew them loved them, although they could be quite irritating at times. The three still went on adventures together, but as responsibilities began to fill their plates, they weren’t always together.

It was a sunny day when Francisco was tasked with feeding Drogo, a purple and black ferocious creature that was the Sinclair family dragon. Rafael and Sienna headed to the lake that day, and Francisco would meet them there after he was finished. Francisco closed the gate to Drogo’s lair, and made his way through the woods towards the lake. As he got closer, he could hear Sienna’s laughter, and it was inevitable for a smile to form on his face. It was as if she had cast some sort of spell on him because he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind lately.

Her eyes, her smile, her long, silky hair- everything about her was mesmerizing. Although he could feel himself falling for her, more and more every day, he couldn’t make a move without speaking to his brother first. They had all been friends for so long, and he wouldn’t want to hurt Rafael if he too, was feeling the same way about Sienna. As he approached the lake, he searched for them in the water. Was it possible that they had left already? He turned to leave and he caught a glimpse of Rafael standing near a tree. Francisco made his way to him, but shortly after halted in his tracks. As he got closer, Francisco could see Sienna standing very close to Rafael. Rafael moved closer to her, and in an instant he took hold of Sienna’s hand and they kissed.

Francisco couldn’t help being surprised and he let out a gasp, which caught Sienna’s attention. She looked over at him and horror filled her eyes. She stepped away from Rafael and began making her way to Francisco.

“Francisco, this isn’t what you think. We can explain.”

He couldn’t bear to hear anything she had to say. How could he be so stupid? Of course she would be with Rafael. Francisco had always been so shy, but Rafael wasn’t afraid to go for it. And to think he wanted to speak with Rafael before declaring his feelings, yet they hadn’t had any consideration for him. He continued to walk away, and he wouldn’t stop until he was as far away from them as possible. He would have to see Rafael at home, but he never wanted to see Sienna again. Maybe if he moved to a different village, he wouldn’t have to see either of them and Sienna and Rafael could live happily together without Francisco in the way.

“Francisco, wait!” Sienna called out as she caught up with Francisco. She stood in his way and prevented him from moving any further. “Let me explain, please.”

“What I saw was as good an explanation as any. You two have feelings for one another, and I won’t get in the way. Although I would have appreciated it if you two had talked to me about it first. It would have been much easier finding out through a conversation than how I just did.”

“All three of us have always been good friends, but we’re getting older now and I can’t ignore my feelings. I just-”

“So you do have feelings for him? Why? He’s immature and arrogant and-”

“ I have feelings for both of you!” she yelled, as tears ran down her face. “And I hate to be in this position because I don’t want to hurt either of you! And I’ve tried to push these feelings away, but I can’t ignore them because I’m always with you two! What am I supposed to do Francisco? He kissed me and I didn’t stop him, and now I hate myself for hurting you!”

He was shocked to hear that it wasn’t over for him, that there was still a possibility of being with her. He looked at her with understanding eyes and took her hand. She stepped closer to him and looked into his forgiving eyes. She pressed her head on his chest as his arms wrapped around her body. She could feel their heart beats blending into one slow, and soothing melody. He took a step back and placed his hand on her face and looked into her longing eyes. They both knew the tension was rising between them, but as much as she wanted to, she was afraid to make the first move.

“Is this an apology for kissing him or for choosing him?” he whispered.

“I-” she stammered, as words failed to come to mind. She could only think of his hand on her face and his lips, so close to hers. “I haven’t chosen either of you. I don’t want to choose- so that I don’t hurt you. But I -”

“Pain is a part of love. Rafael and I are both adults and we’ll accept whatever choice you make. There’s nothing you could ever do that I wouldn’t forgive Sienna- because I love you. I’ve always cared for you and I never knew it was love until I realized there was a possibility that you wouldn’t choose me. Don’t choose Rafael- I’m begging you.”

“This is exactly why I don’t want to choose. You’ll both say you’re fine with my decision, but at the same time you’ll ask that I don’t choose the other. I simply can’t- I won’t do this. I have to go. I’m sorry.” She stepped away from him and broke their passionate glance. As she turned to leave, she felt him take a hold of her hand.

“I don’t accept that.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in, close to his body. He desperately pressed his lips to hers and she eagerly returned his kiss. He ran his hands through her back, as he pulled away and stared into her eyes.

“I can’t ask you to choose me, but I don’t want you to choose him either. I understand this must be a hard decision for you, but you must make a choice.”

She was taken aback by his words, as the heat of the moment had led her to believe he would say something much different, or nothing at all. She wanted nothing more than to kiss him over and over until their bodies inevitably begged for more.

“Yes, I understand. I should probably get-”

“Is this some kind of joke!?” Rafael approached them and glared at them as if the fire he felt in his stomach could shoot through his eyes. “Is this a game to you? Are we some puppets you can fool and manipulate to your liking? Why the hell would you kiss me AND my brother?”

“Look, that’s not-” she tried to say, but was cut off by Francisco.

“We both knew this day would come Rafael. There’s no need to shame her. We need to be mature and accept that she can only be with one of us.”

“You think that because I kissed her I’ll be willing to be in some sort of love battle with you for her? I want no part in this sick love triangle. How could you Sienna? Doesn’t it repulse you to go after two brothers like this? I thought your mother had raised you better. Let’s just hope this doesn’t turn into a habit, right? Although I’m sure the town’s whorehouse is always looking for new-”

Rafael took a blow to his nose and fell back as blood ran down his face. Rafael stood over him and looked at him with disgust. Sienna stood in shock as she realized the damage she had done. How could she possibly let things come this far? She should have never kissed either of them in the first place. Now, their brotherly bond would be lost and their friendship would surely end too. She couldn’t stand there a second longer to see how things would unfold. She glanced at both of them and turned away. She began to run and didn’t look back.

“How could you say that to her? We’ve known her our whole life and she clearly cares for us both. Maybe if you hadn’t kissed her in the first place she wouldn’t have been forced to choose.”

Rafael stood slowly and looked Francisco dead in the eye. “So this is my fault now? She let me kiss her, I never forced her. Just how no one forced her to kiss you. She’s grown enough to know what she’s doing, and she could have easily apologized without kissing you, too. I’m not stupid. I did know this day would come, but-”

“So you thought you would get a headstart and kiss her first? Maybe that way she would choose you? Maybe if she kissed you first, she wouldn’t be able to choose me, right? Well your tragic plan failed and now I’m sure you’ve lost her for good. She’s kind and forgiving, but she’s not dumb enough to be with someone who let’s his anger get the best of him.”

“I could have her wrapped around my finger if I wanted to, but go ahead and keep her. I’m sure I can find someone with better morals.” Rafael walked away and headed for his room as he left Francisco speechless.

How could Rafael be so hot headed? Sienna hadn’t kissed them both on purpose. She had simply accepted both the kisses that they initiated. Sooner or later the day would come in which her feelings for both of them would develop, and the situation had simply taken a turn for the worst. Her relationship with Rafael was surely ruined now, but Francisco would be there without a doubt to comfort her and prove to her what real love looked like.

She couldn’t stop replaying everything in her head. From kissing Rafael to him ending up bleeding on the ground. And it was all her fault. She knew she would eventually forgive him for what he said, but would she still be willing to be with him? Romantically? Or was he serious about not wanting to be with her? If that was the case, the only thing left to do would be to figure out if she loved Francisco enough to be with him, despite hurting Rafael. She silently made her way to her room and she buried her face in her pillow. In less than an hour she had destroyed a friendship that had taken a lifetime to build. She had hurt the two people she cared about the most, and had probably lost both of them by now. There was no way they would choose her over each other. They were brother’s for heaven’s sake.

She couldn’t control her feelings anymore. She had tried to hide the way she felt about both of them and she had gone through so much in doing so. But today was the last straw. She had so much anger, and guilt, but sadness, there was so much sadness. It all raced down her face in the form of tears and to think about what her life would be like without them simply destroyed her. She tried to stand and get ahold of herself, sooner or later her mother would come in to say goodnight, and she couldn’t be seen like this. She took a deep breath in, and exhaled. She tried again, but it wasn’t working. She felt a heavy weight in her heart, but a weird surge of energy was rushing through her body. She began to feel frightened of what was happening to her.

She had never felt this way before, so strangely powerful yet defeated at the same time. She continued to cry and seeing both Rafael and Francisco smiling in her mind only reminded her of what she had ruined. She could hear her mother getting closer, and not being able to control herself made her feel so anxious and embarrassed. She let herself fall to the ground, and as she rested on her knees, she could hear her mother opening the door. She was out of time to compose herself and she couldn’t possibly say aloud what she had done.

“Sienna, darling-”

“NO!” she yelled, with so much pain and anger.

As she said this, a wave of energy so strong erupted from her body. Her mother was thrown into the air and far away from Sienna’s room as Sienna’s body began to rise from the floor. She couldn’t control it, and she didn’t know what was happening to her. It felt as if something was consuming her from the inside, and at the same time giving her so much strength. Her arms were extended at her sides as she levitated in the air, and with nothing else left to do, she screamed as high as her lungs permitted. A wave of power coursed through her veins and ignited a powerful source of energy within her. It blasted from her chest and she fell to the ground as she entered a state of deep sleep, which she wouldn’t wake from until a week later…

It had been a week of coming in and out of Sienna’s room, seeing her so peacefully resting in her bed, that Rafael felt hopeless. How sick could she possibly be that she hadn’t woken up in a week? Charlotte, Sienna’s mother, had told Francisco and Rafael that she had been awake, only when they weren’t there. But Francisco overheard Charlotte speaking to Sienna’s father, David, saying that it had been a week since they had seen Sienna awake. Rafael felt so guilty. He couldn’t help but feel like it had been his fault that Sienna fell ill. He believed that maybe she wasn’t physically ill. Maybe his words had wounded her heart so deeply that she fell emotionally ill.

Rafael had been to her house the day after that awful fight to apologize. He would tell her that he was so sorry and that he loved her with all of his heart. He would mention that he was so upset to think that she had used him, that the words simply left his mouth without him thinking. He was sure she would understand, and he would beg her for a second chance. As soon as he had arrived at her house, he found out the terrible news, and he would come to feel completely devastated. In that moment, his anger towards Francisco had faded, and he ran to give him the heartbreaking news. They both had been to see her at least twice every day, in hopes that she would wake up and give them that beautiful smile, and all the problems in the world would disappear. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. It had been a week and there was no improvement in her condition, so the boys felt nothing but despair.

When she finally awoke, the first person she saw was her mother. Sienna tried to stand, but her body felt weak and she was so terribly dizzy. Her mother ran to her side and her tears began to cover Sienna’s nightgown.

“Mother, what happened?”

“Well, let’s start off with what you remember.” she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

“I remember that I came home after a terrible fight with Rafael and Francisco. And I felt so sad but also angry. Then I heard you approaching, and I was so embarrassed and then…” Sienna looked up at her mother in realization. Was it possible that what she remembered was true? Or had it all been a dream?

“Yes, I know darling. It’s time I tell you the truth, honey.”

“The truth? What are you talking about? This doesn’t make any sense.”

“When your father and I were younger, before you came into our lives, I was having so much trouble conceiving. There was nothing we wanted more in the world than a child. We sought help from one of the caregivers in a neighboring village, in Dormeadow. She told us of a miracle-working herb that would magically increase my fertility, and it worked. We had paid quite a price for it, but none of that mattered if there was a chance we could have a child. What she hadn’t told us is that that herb contained magical properties, so powerful that such wonders could come simply by inhaling it. We found the herb and tried bringing it back to the caregiver, but we hadn’t been able to find her anywhere. It turned out that she had been taken by the guards of the kingdom while we retrieved the herb because she was accused of witchcraft.” Charlotte held her daughter's hand tightly in reassurance because she could tell by Sienna’s expression that she was having such a hard time indulging the truth.

“She left us with no instructions on how to actually use the plant and I did what I thought was logical. I began to drink tea with the herb in it- daily- for months. And surely enough, I became pregnant. But as the pregnancy progressed, I began to have dreams and…visions. I could see a young girl with extraordinary powers who became the savior of our village. She was beautiful and strong, and eventually the dreams felt like they would one day come true… when I gave birth to you. I can’t remember much about the day you were born, except that as you were born, a wave of energy had exploded from my body. I can’t remember anything after that, but your father tells me that I went into a deep sleep afterwards… just like you. He and the village thought I wouldn’t make it, but I eventually woke up. And as soon I did, I knew exactly what had happened. I gave birth to a miracle, Sienna.”

“You are a creation of your father and I, but also of nature. That plant I had taken for so long somehow merged into you, and I believe that you possess the same properties that it carried. You are all of the magic of that herb times ten and come to life, but you are also a beautiful person who I believe is perfect for having such capabilities. I never knew if my visions would ever come true, but the events of the other night simply confirmed all of my suspicions. Now, I know that you’re frightened and overwhelmed by everything I just told you, but you need to know one thing. If there is anyone capable of controlling such power, it’s you. You are strong, dedicated, and so extraordinarily patient.” Charlotte let out a chuckle and looked at her daughter with loving and admiring eyes.

“I know that you’re confused and that you’re not sure what to do with this gift you were given, but I know in my heart that you will learn to master it and that you will do something so great with it. I love you, Sienna, always remember that. And never forget that you are capable of anything and everything.”

Sienna stared at her mother in total disbelief with a blank expression on her face. She couldn’t think of anything to say, or do. She sat there and continued to look at her mother, searching for any hint that this might all be a carefully planned joke of sorts. After realizing that her daughter felt completely lost, Charlotte held her in her arms and brushed her fingers through Sienna’s hair.

“It’s all going to be okay, my darling. Don’t worry. Mama’s here with you.”

Rafael and Francisco were heading back to their home after visiting Sienna for the hundredth time that week. Every moment that passed felt so painfully long, and they felt so angry that there was nothing they could do.

“If she doesn’t wake up, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ll never be able to forgive myself.” Rafael’s voice broke as tears began to fill his eyes. “It’s all my fault. I was so harsh on her. If I wasn’t so insensitive, this would have never happened.”

“Give yourself a break, brother. It’s not your fault. You surely crossed a line with what you said, but I don’t believe that was the cause of Sienna’s sickness. I’m sure there’s another explanation that we’ll find out soon enough. She’s going to be okay. She’ll wake up sooner than you know.”

“You really think she’ll be alright?”

“Yes, I’m sure of it. She’s a fighter, and I know she won’t let whatever’s sickening her get the best of her. Now, let’s hurry back home. I’m sure Drogo’s feeling quite famished by now.”

As the boy’s reached the familiar path that would lead them back to their home, they heard a rumble in the distance, approaching them faster and faster. They searched for where the sound was coming from, and were shocked to see the King’s carriage and his guards approaching them at full speed. They had to step off of the path to avoid being trampled by the strong, and swift horses who seemed to have somewhere very important to be. Even more shocking was when the King turned down the same path the boys were taking. They looked at each other in disbelief and ran behind the horses.

As they approached their home, they could see their parents at the door, speaking to the King. What was going on? Had he come to claim Drogo? Had Drogo escaped or caused some sort of trouble? They watched as the King entered their home and as his parents looked sad rather than flattered to have King Tovar in their home. If it was rare for anyone in the villages to even see the King’s carriage on the road, it was one hundred times more unlikely to have him in your home. The boys’ hearts were racing as they approached the front door.

“Do you have any idea what the King wants with us Francisco? I’m utterly confused.”

“I don’t know, but let’s find out.”

They entered and bowed as soon as they made eye contact with the King.

“Boys! Well how mighty big you’ve gotten, no? You were just little rascals last time I saw you!” King Tovar smiled as his hands rested on his belly.

“What a pleasure to have you here, King Tovar.” Francisco said appreciatively.

“I’m sorry, but what do you mean ‘last time you saw us?’ Have we met before?” Rafael looked at the King in confusion.

“Is this him Charlotte? He looks awfully a lot like his father, I have to say.” The King stepped closer towards Rafael, eyeing him up and down, as if inspecting him.

“Yes, Tovy, that’s Rafael. The other is Francisco.” Charlotte stood still, but couldn’t stop fidgeting with her hands.

“Tovy? I’m sure he’d prefer it if you referred to him as King Tovar, mother.” Rafael gulped, afraid his mother’s manner’s might offend the King.

“No need to worry, Franky. Your parents and I are good friends. Now, I’ll get on with why I’m here. I must return to the castle quite soon, Queen Irina will wonder where I’ve run off to. Charlotte, Carlos, I sincerely appreciate how well you’ve kept my secret all these years. And you’ve done a wonderful job raising these boys. But the time has come when the truth must shine, and I’ll have to claim my son once and for all. Rafael, I’ll need you to come with me back to the castle.” The King looked around the room as he spoke, but landed on Rafael once he finished.

“Your son? I think there might be a misunderstanding, King Tovar. Tell him mother. Rafael is my brother, he’s your son. We grew up together and I-” Francisco shook his head and searched for the truth in his mother’s eyes.

“We’re so sorry, boys. We would’ve told you, but that would have violated our agreement with the King. Many years ago, when you two were just babies, King Tovar came to us and asked us to take his son in. The King had… an affair, and of this affair came a son- Rafael. He had to keep it a secret, but he also wanted to keep him fairly close if the day ever came when Rafael was needed to step up to the throne. We agreed to care for Rafael, and raise you two as brothers, and in exchange, King Tovar would make sure we were never in need of any… goods. But now, it seems that the throne is calling your name, Rafael, and you must obey your… father.” Tears began to fill Carlos’s eyes, but he tried his hardest to hold them back.

Rafael looked back between his parents and Francisco. How was it possible that he had been lied to all these years? If the people he knew and grew up weren’t his real family, then nothing in his life was genuine anymore. His entire existence was a lie, and he was merely a puppet to the King, only coming for him when it was most convenient to him. How could he be so selfish? Did he not think it would ruin Rafael’s entire life if he decided to show up on a random day unannounced, claiming that he was Rafael’s biological father? It was too much to process, and the King was practically rushing him out of the door.

“You’ll have time to visit, Rafael, but we must go. There’s so much to discuss. Until next time everyone. And thank you again Charlotte and Carlos, for doing such a wonderful job.”

Rafael ran to who, in his heart, were still his parents. He hugged them so tightly and looked up at them with tears running down his face. “I’ll visit you guys, I promise.”

Francisco embraced Rafael so tightly, as if hugging him could make their reality disappear and make Rafael stay with him. “I’ll miss you, brother. Don’t ever forget that we love you.”

“I love you, too. But this isn’t goodbye, alright? Until we meet again.” They boys hugged each other one last time, and Rafael followed after the King into his carriage. He waved one last time, and the guards shut the door.

They began to move away at full speed, and Francisco, Carlos, and Charlotte could do nothing more than watch the carriage disappear into the distance. Rafael sat in the carriage looking down at his feet. So many thoughts were racing through his mind. He looked out of the window, and suddenly, his heart felt heavy. He never got the chance to apologize to Sienna...