Promised to the Dragon King

Chapter 3

“Interested in what was said in the outside world, the Queen took the young girl by her shoulders and walked to her chambers, on the way requesting that the kitchen send sweet tea to her chambers.

They talked right through the night. The Queen filled in where Elizabeth wasn’t told the truth, or a part of the story was missing.”

“For years now my husband has been hiding away fighting wars, when he was the one who killed our daughter. He left me child and husbandless. Alone to rule the kingdom.”

“I’m sure that wasn’t his meaning your Majesty.”

“No, my child, but that is what happened. If he didn’t promise her to a monster, she wouldn’t have been cursed, and she would still have been here with me.”

Elizabeth sympathized with the Queen, and said something that would change their history forever.

“I wish I could make him pay. I wish I could make all men pay for the hurt they cause women.”

She helped the Queen to bed that night, and the next morning she was summoned to the Queen's chambers as soon as she arrived at the castle.

“I would like you to consider becoming my official companion, Elizabeth. You will, of course, be staying in the castle. And you must travel with me a few times a year, I need to. I just enjoyed our talk so much. I enjoyed having someone who sees the world as I do. Will you please think about it?”

Elizabeth jumped at the chance, who wouldn’t? The Queen arranged for dresses to be made for her. She had been settled in a smaller room, but it was on the same floor as the Queen's. She was suddenly treated as if she was royalty. Servants were bringing her food and making her bed.

In the beginning, she would get up early in the morning and make her bed, clean her room before going to see the Queen, and when the Queen caught wind of this, she told Elizabeth that it was no longer proper for her to do such things. Giving up the fight after a few weeks, Elizabeth grew used to being a lady of leisure, being woken up by a servant girl. Baths were being prepared for her; dinner was served while having a chat with the Queen; tea on the terrace in the late afternoon.

Their friendship grew to the point where the Queen saw Elizabeth as a daughter, and said as much. Elizabeth grew angrier as time went by at how the King treated the Queen, and before long asked the Queen if it would be possible for her to be trained in self-defence.

The Queen felt it to be a good idea that a woman could defend herself, and would spend hours watching while one of the best warriors in the guard trained Elizabeth in all parts of war and self-defence.

“See, the girl’s name is Elizabeth… Not Vanora or Kaida. Besides, I’m feeling sleepy… Go away now.”

She yawned.

“All this talk of bonding and love is giving me a headache.”

“But it’s a story about two people finding friendship? Like us.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, and closed her eyes, pretending to snore, but he just ignored her and carried on reading.

“Sitting in front of the fireplace, with a warm, roaring fire, the Queen put her book in her lap and looked over at Elizabeth.

“Did you mean what you said that first day we met?”

“That I wish I could kill the King and all men for the pain they caused women? Yes, I meant it. I’ve seen so many women in town that have suffered because of men. I will never marry. I think they are the worst species ever born in this here place we live.”

“What if I gave you the chance to do it, Elizabeth? If I sent you to kill the King for what he did to Vanora?”

“It would be my honour to get you your revenge, my Queen.”

The order of the black rose was established that night. A secret society of women wanting revenge. The Queen sent for the blacksmith, and he was given instructions to make Elizabeth’s armour; her crest a single black rose.

He was killed soon after the armour was finished. Someone had poisoned him.

Elizabeth set off with the seal of the Queen as her protection, should she encounter any guard patrols. She arrived at the camp a week later, and hid her horse a couple of miles away so he wouldn’t be spotted.

The black rose in hand, she sneaked into the camp when the night fell, sneaked into the King's tent when he was alone and asleep. She slit his throat with the dagger the Queen had specially made. Leaving the black rose on his chest, she sneaked out of the camp and returned to the kingdom.

When Elizabeth arrived back at the castle, she ran straight to the Queen's chambers who welcomed her with open arms. Her tears of relief brought peace to both of them.”

“It makes the Queen just as guilty if she had the King killed.”

She chirped in, just to say something.

"But we aren't trying to find out about the Queen here… Besides, I thought you were bored and going to sleep."

"Yes, I am, and you still haven't proven I'm a princess."

She laughed at him.

“What if the legend is true and there is a female assassin out there, leaving black roses and taking revenge on men who hurt a woman?”

He was taking a pose as if he had a sword in his hand, and was fighting a duel.

“There won’t be, or we would have heard about it.”

He stood up straight, looking at her as if she just burst his entire life’s bubble.

“And why not? What if we just haven’t heard about it yet?”

“Wow, the drink has really killed off most of your brain cells.”

He got angry and put his hands on his hips. She could see the wheels turning in his brain.

“What if I can prove to you, the legend is true. Will you believe me then?”

“Believe what?”

“That there is an order of the black rose, and they are assassins taking revenge on men who hurt women.”

She rolled her eyes at him and turned on her back… Was he ever going to give up on trying to get her off her mountain!!?

“I’ll make you a deal. You prove that there is a living black rose, still trained in the art, living the code, and able to take a rose from here and deliver it… Let’s say to your lady in the tavern, in exchange for a rum… And I might just believe you.”

There was no way he was going to find a girl linked to the roses… Unless he faked it, and he knew she would know if he faked it. She laughed in an almost giggle.

“But then you have to agree that you will help me, go with me to see that I’m telling the truth.”

“When did this become a we thing?” She turned around, shaking the ground underneath his feet.

“When you asked for living proof.” He stood with his hands on his hips again.

“Okay, fine. Agreed.”

He was still not going to get any proof in the first place, so why not agree. He disappeared into a passage, and she could see him through some of the broken-down walls, making his way to the old library. One of the few rooms she had tried her best not to destroy… Which she was now regretting.

He seemed determined. At least it would keep him out of her nose for a while. She stretched her wings, flapped them twice, and took off to go find something to eat. She felt like mutton, but then she would have to find a couple of them. Maybe just a cow or two.

She was flying high above the ground, looking at how beautiful and green everything was. She could feel the warmth of the sun baking her skin… How awful!

“I better get my din-dins and get back home before I puke.”

Saying it out loud in a princess's voice. Nope! Definitely not a princess. She landed next to her castle; she grabbed one of the old bones and started picking at a piece stuck between her teeth, and she lied down in her usual spot. Phillipe had made a little fire, found a couch that he dragged there with some bedding, and was reading a book.

“Kaida, stop doing that! Princesses don’t pick food from their teeth like that!”

“You can be glad it’s not your leg I’m trying to take out. What’s all this nonsense.”

She blew a gust of wind through her nose, making snow fall all over him, and he got up, killing his fire. He looked at her as if wanting to ask if that was necessary. She gave him her best smile, with the piece of whatever still stuck between her teeth.

“Ugh!! Whatever that is, please just get it out of your mouth!”

“Told ya. So, what’s all this?”

“It was supposed to be my new bed and reading area before you killed it. Now I have to make the fire all over again.”

“No, you don’t, you can go down to the town and read your books in your own house, where you have your own warm bed.”

“I’m not taking these down there. They might get lost along the way. Besides, I have more than enough rum here, and it’s free.”

“The way you carry on, one would think you don’t have a house! Am I ever going to get rid of you! Get!”

He was stuck to this place like glue all of a sudden. She couldn’t understand what his problem was.

“I can’t go back.”

He shouted, making her think he was too drunk to make his legs work.

“What, are you too drunk to walk or what?”

She laughed at him.

“No Kaida! I don’t have a house anymore! They took it. It belongs to the sheriff now.”

He looked sad, sober, and ashamed. He had to think fast to make sure she didn’t chase him away again, and that he was there first thing the next morning to remind her that they had to go in search of this black rose.

“I couldn’t pay the taxes, so they took my house.”

“What taxes?”

“The new sheriff. He wants the people to pay taxes to fix up the town. Only we have been paying, and nothing has been fixed in the town. The baker lost the bakery. He only bakes bread because the sheriff wants him to, but the bakery isn’t his anymore, and he doesn’t get the money he makes. The same with the blacksmith. Things have changed in the town.”

“Why are you only telling me this now? I would have gone down there and taken care of that so-called sheriff! In fact,…”

“Kaida! No! He has sent for dragon hunters. You can’t go down there. He wants you dead.”

She was determined to ruin his entire plan!! What was it with her and wanting to eat everyone!

“That is why you have been trying to get me to go on this black rose hunt of yours?”

“Yes, no, yes. Both. I found a grave in the royal graveyard while you were away.”

He changed the subject quickly, trying to get her to forget about making the sheriff desert.

“Boy, you were busy!”

“I was bored and sober.”

“Where’s your rum?”

“I had to carry all this stuff. I didn’t want to break my neck falling down the stairs!”

She shook her head. He made even less sense when he was sober. They went from losing his house to carrying the stuff. No wait, they started with the stuff. Oh hell, now she was confused.

“Phillipe. Just show me what you found in the graveyard.”

“This way.”

He pointed in the direction and started walking. She turned in that direction, but it took him forever to get to where her front foot was.

“Oh, for goddess sakes, just get on my back and tell me where to go.”

“Uhm, you mean, up there?”

He pointed to her back and she lied down, so he could climb up.

“Yes.”

He looked terrified. Tired of waiting, she grabbed him with her front foot and dropped him on her head, just behind her ears.

“This should do. Now tell me which way”

It was different when you were a puny human sitting on top of a dragon’s head, and not the huge dragon! King Brenton thought to himself.

“Wow, this is high.” He sounded short of breath.

“Which way, Phillipe!?”

“To the royal graveyard…” Still, sounding out of breath.