Mated to the Dragon

Chapter 6

“The texts are unanimous on one point: the dead do not like being summoned back.”

Fiona remembered this. She knew this by heart. Of all the magical studies that she had done this was one of the first lessons they had been given. Necromancy was something that had been always frowned upon and was forbidden. And the witches who practiced this kind of spells for calling back the dead and raising them, they were not even allowed to set foot in the Kingdom. The witches with dark magic had been always ostracized, Fiona personally did not think that it was correct but she was not in a position to say so.

As she was deciding her course of action, just a few miles away from her in the neighbouring kingdom something else was taking place. Not that Fiona was aware of what was happening and what was being done but she would soon need to know because she had no idea that she was connected with the Princess in the next kingdom who would soon be at her aide.

Just miles away from the Vale of the Blessed, there was Kingdom whose King had been dead and the Queen was now reigning over the people. She was not very good at doing things her way either but the taste of power is so addictive that once you get attached to it then you would do anything to control that power.

However, the Princess of the Kingdom, Selene was the daughter of a sorceress who was the previous queen and she hailed from a line of pure blood sorceresses who knew and used magic to help themselves and others. And Selene knew that this was the last resort she had to use in order to protect her people from her Queen Stepmother.

“Equestis Dominus!”

As Selene finished the incantation, she stepped back to observe her work. The pentacle glowed a brilliant purple and seemed to rise up in a dome. The inscriptions drawn in a circle around the pentacle exuded a strange light blue that complemented the dome. She had been working on this for weeks and now that it was finally complete she felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

"I hope that's how it’s supposed to look..." She murmured to herself.

Glancing around the chamber, she was surprised to find her personal guard lying dead.

Selene jumped as a silky voice from behind her spoke. "Greetings, my dear princess."

Selene whirled to find her stepmother, Queen Nativa, standing there. "Hello, Mother." She spat.

The queen gave her a slight grin as she looked over the circle.

"It seems that you have indeed summoned something. Why do you resist me, girl? As my heir you will inherit the Kingdom when I die.."

"That," spoke Selene, "would never happen and you know it. If you didn't try to switch bodies with me, lay a hand on me, or just outright have me killed, one of your retainers would. You killed my father and he would have given you anything."

"I'm sorry, honey, but that's just not true and you know it. Your father died the way a King should... driving invaders from our lands. It was just fate that he took an arrow in the eye and died. As for the rest, you know the rule of karma just the same as I. If I did something that mean it would come back to visit me times three."

Selene gave her stepmother a very dirty look. "You only say that in front of your hired help. I know how you really are. Do you really think that I don’t know all the kinds of black magic that you are collecting from the hedge witches so as to gain control over the power that is in my blood??"

The queen tossed up her hands in irritation. "I've had it! I can't even talk to you. Guards, seize her! We'll continue this back at the castle."

As the guards reached out Selene sank back almost against the wall. One guard, bigger than the rest, shouldered his way through the others and reached out to grab her. Just as he made contact, a hand reached out of the purple light and seized his wrist. He jumped in surprise as a long rapier blade extruded from the light and came to rest under his chin. None present were sure why the tip was so big and red but it stopped the guard cold. His eyes got real big as a man stepped from the light. He was dressed in a purple tunic and black breeches. The part of him that really stood out was his eyes. Selene took a long look into them and she shivered at the outright anger glowing there.

He was a little over six feet tall, not nearly as tall as the guard but it was obvious he wasn't intimidated. As he backed the guard up, she got to appreciate his true size. He was big around and looked fairly muscled. His shoulders dwarfed her and were as big as the guard's.

"Slick, you should be a little more respectful of women." The man said in a quiet voice.

"That's a practice tip on his blade." Came a voice. "It can't hurt you."

The guard looked over at a small, compact man. "Thanks, Captain."

He looked back at the man summoned from the light, and smiled. As quick as a cat, the man punched with his right hand, smashing the hilt into the guard's temple and dropping him like a rock. The purple man looked over at the Captain of the guard and smiled.

"A weapon is only as good as the man using it." The purple man again spoke in the same quiet voice. But it seemed to carry to everyone in the cavern.

"Okay, men, there is now an obstacle in our way. Kindly remove it." The Captain stated in an equally quiet voice that carried just as well.

As the guards started forward the man in purple held up a hand. "Halt!"

The command had the intended effect...every one of the guards stopped still in their tracks. They all looked at the Captain uncertainly.

The summoned man turned to the Captain. "I'm a little new to this world. Might I have a minute to get a few things straightened out?"

The Captain looked the man in purple over and nodded. "You seem to be a man of honor and you have no weapon. Ask the princess what she will have of you."

The man in purple bowed to the captain and turned to Selene with his eyebrows raised. "Princess, eh?"

She colored at this. "Yes, I am, good knight. And I beseech you to aid me in my time of need."

The man bowed again. "Princess, I am Calico, Knight of Avalon, taken from my home without my leave. I find myself in a strange world where people are about to kill me to get to you. Might I ask you a question?"

"Yes, good knight, you may indeed ask your question."

"What is your name?" This was said with an exaggerated tone and a big smile.

She grinned, despite herself. "I am Selene, Daughter of Queen Mariah and King Brion. And heir to the realm of Sulleigh."

Calico bowed to her and turned to face the captain. "I thank you, good sir, and I know I really don't stand a chance. But how often does an opportunity like this come to pass?"

The Captain tilted his head quizzically. "What opportunity, my friend?"

"Why, Captain," Calico laughed. "Here I am, summoned by a spell to save a damsel in distress, a princess no less, from a pack of ruffians. I ask you, sir, what more could a knight ask for? Well, possibly a dragon, but I'll make do."

Selene looked around the room as he spoke and saw most of the guards nodding, even the Captain.

"Aye, laddie, 'twill make a fine tale in the telling..." The captain agreed. "...if you make it out of here alive..."

Calico bowed and the Captain waved in his men.

Selene's stepmother had brought twenty guards with her. Calico had already vanquished one. That left nineteen plus the Captain. Her spell had been designed to summon a great warrior but few are quite that good. Selene was already resigning herself to another year in her stepmother's less than tender clutches.

Calico launched his sword into the oncoming rush, it skidded sideways tripping three guards toppled like dominoes. With the same motion he reached down and pulled the sword from the scabbard of the first guard he'd felled. Selene really expected to see him go down in a blaze of glory. But as he came up he closed the distance. What was left of the front rank stabbed at his heart. He swept their blades away in one fluid motion and was in among them, his elbows and the pommel guard of his rapier striking with abandon. Before they could recover he was out and sweeping through the second rank. They blooded him but he made it through, leaving three more guards unconscious on the ground.

The guards whirled and began to chase after him. He had stopped behind the last two felled, making the oncoming guards step over or onto their comrades. His hands flew and he looked very graceful as his sword pricked thigh after thigh, dropping another four.

"Stop!" The captain’s raised voice echoed through the room.

Calico backed off and lowered his blade. The remaining guards started to surge forward but the captain's voice cracked again like a whip, calling them off. The guards retreated, muttering under their breath. As Calico turned toward the Captain, the Captain bowed.

"I did you a disservice, good sir." He said, as Calico returned the bow.

"I must admit, I'm curious, Captain. The gentle lady by the door must be the queen." He said, bowing in her direction.

"How is it that you guard the queen with mere trainees? I would have thought to be fighting the best." Calico made it sound like a question, even though it wasn't.

The Captain actually appeared abashed at this comment. Selene wasn't quite sure how Calico had known they were trainees. They looked fierce enough to her.

"I was actually in the middle of a training session," the captain explained, "when the king rode out, taking everyone with him. Selene escaped with the remaining trained guard, and the Queen dispatched us to find her. I was quite surprised when the queen caught up to us. I think her personal guard just might be apoplectic by now."

"How did he know we were trainees?" One of the guards asked.

"Simple." Calico explained with an indulgent smile. "I'm still alive."

There was a gruff bark of laughter from the Captain. There's more to it than that, recruit. He knows you're trainees because there is no variation in your fighting style. You all lunge, recover and swing the same. And a true expert is not hampered by infighting."

"By the same token, kid, I fear you more than I do your Captain." Calico commented.

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "How do you figure that?"

"Simple, Captain. The best swordsman in the world doesn't fear the second best swordsman. He fears the worst swordsman in the world, for who knows what the i***t will do."