Mated to the Dragon

Chapter 1

It had been three nights since the Princess of the Kingdom had last closed forth her beautiful doe like eyes. It was most imperative that the bell which rung across the valley, the huge ones making the sound of the thunder rolling out in the land would keep the residents of the Kingdom and her beloved people awake and wary against the attack of the foe which had taken her little brother from inside the very heart of the palace and had wiped away their frontier line of defense without even breaking a sweat. It was not the sound of glee which would made all of them dance as in ballet shoes, neither were the peals melodic. It was the middle of the night and the clanging was chaotic, warning them of the invisible enemy which was amidst them.

Her feet which had paused for a moment from the incessant pacing in her own chambers and her delicate ears perked up like a lynx. She could hear the footsteps of someone outside her door, they were hurried unlike her maid Philippa. Her hand directly went under the skirt she was wearing to bring out her favourite knives from their sheath.

“Mistress tis me, Pippa,” said her maid as she knocked on the door thrice softly.

Fiona sheathed back her knives immediately and softly called her to come inside.

“What news do you bring Pippa?” asked Fiona looking at the forlorn glance that her maid bore on her face.

“My apologies Mistress to be the bearer of misfortune. Tis confirmed, Roberto, the footman hath confirmed this that we do have a traitor in our midst,” said Philippa as her eyes were cast down at the floor.

“Tell me, is it what he hath heard from my Father, the King? He thyself has spoken so?” asked Fiona, her dark eyes growing colder and darker with each passing moment and glinting like two black diamonds shining in the light of the moon.

“It is so, Princess Fiona. Tis confirmed by the King, our Lord thyself,” said Philippa as she looked up at her ward whose fair face had grown red with indignation and anger.

“Pippa, if it is so, then it is decided that I must travel forth to the Dark Swamps meself and found out the creature who can be helpful to fight for our sake and assist me in rescuing thy little brother,” said Fiona as she strode forward towards her armoire and opened the hidden compartment to reveal the treasure that her mother, the late Queen had bequeathed her on her death bed.

“Mistress, the King shall have our heads if he comes to know that we have let you go without any kind of help or without the knights following you in your pursuit of the monster. Moreover I urge you to ponder upon your decision more than once, for all we know, the creature that you seek might not exist. These are all but a fable which we have been hearing over a century from our mothers and their mothers before their time!!!” said Philippa, as her heart shuddered at the thought of the Princess alone in the middle of the woods and the Lands of the Dead and then finally coming to an end of her journey at the Dark Swamps.

“Look at me carefully Pippa. You have been bringing me up since I was a babe swaddled in wrapping clothes while my Mother, the Queen whom everyone loved and feared fought against the Giants to finally bring peace to this Kingdom after a decade. Do you think that she would not have done something else if she so had the choice in order to save the lives of all the men that we lost in the decade long war with those brutes?” asked Fiona as she pulled out the chest on the floor.

“I am aware of the facts Mistress but is it prudent to chase a story? For all we are aware, dragons are nothing but a myth which came out in order to scare everyone. You are well-read Princess, you of all should know that fire-breathing and speaking creatures do not exist in any known world,” said Philippa as Fiona laid out all the weapons of her mother on her bed and then finally pulled out the garments made of pure leather and the armour which was made in order to fit a warrior Queen.

“I cannot let my little brother suffer any more than he already hath Pippa. I would lay down my life in order to keep the promise that I made to Mother, if need be then I am willing to chase a myth for all we know just with the hope that I might get help from unexpected quarters. I am sure that you will inform my Father of my ill-health which hath restricted me in my bed-chambers for the grief inflicted in the absence of Ferdinand. That ought to buy me enough time to find my way to the lair of Jabberwocky. Now assist me in dressing in these garments like you have done with my Mother in countless occasions. And ask Roberto, to prepare Roscher for my travel and give him an apple from my platter,” said Fiona as she undressed from the garments of the Princess that she was wearing.

“Are you entirely sure My Lady? I would never be able to forgive thyself if something happens to you, Roscher is the most temperamental beasts in the entire royal stable. All our hopes lie on you now Princess Fiona so…” but she could say anything any longer for her voice broke down and she started sobbing while she helped Fiona with the corset.

“Although my Father might not be willing to accept it Pippa, you do know that tis me who is the First Knight of the Kingdom of Abaentis who was trained by the finest warrior of the Land, just tell me this if you have mentioned all the details of the path of the journey in the legend correctly. That is the only thing which will lead me to the lair of Jabberwocky along with Roscher. Pippa, no one might have been able to put reigns of Roscher but there’s a reason why so hath happened. For he is born to fly. Make sure he is ready for I shall ride at sunset,” said Fiona with a wink as her nanny gasped out in mock outrage.

“Sheath your weapons My Lady. I shall prepare a basket of edibles for you to carry for your journey and Roscher shall be saddled, as you requested. May the Mother grant you with might, will and wings to reach your destination to lead you to the one who will help us in our quest against the invisible villainous contrivers and bring back our young Prince Ferdinand back in my arms,” said Philippa with tears in her eyes which she hastily wiped off with the sleeve of her gown.

“May the Gods hear your prayers Pippa. Remember to keep thyself out of the sight of thy Father, the King and pray for my swift return with assistance,” said Fiona as she sheathed all the weapons in her dress and scabbard while Philippa hastily departed from her chambers. Fiona recalled that her Mother had always told her that weapons were not the only important articles which needed to be carried while embarking upon a quest along with your wits about and your courage. Fiona smiled sadly at the memories of her Mother teaching her the ways to fight rather than womanly arts. Probably that was reason that even after being shy of shy of two years from a score of age, she was still a spinster and the Princes rejected her suit like hot potatoes dressed in a burlap sack.

But now was not the time to dwell on useless matters at all.

Her brothr had been taken and she knew that had her mother the Queen been still alive she would have herself ridden the swiftest steed in order to bring her son back to safety. But since there was no Queen in the Kingdom anymore, the responsibility of the safety of her brother was now upon her.

She could still hear her mother’s last words ringing in her ears.

The fever was high and it had not lessened since the last ten days. It was sunset and Fiona sat beside her mother as Pippa went to bring another bucket of ice cold water for her so that the fever might come down.

“Fiona, my darling,” her mother had said slowly. Her voice came out in soft rasps and she was now the shell of the person that she actually was.

“Mother, tis not necessary to speak at all. You do know that I am going to take care of you always, don’t you? Nothing is going to happen to you,” said Fiona, who was just eleven years old then but the ferocity and the zeal of her mother she had received completely, rather inherited.

“No my darling…I know that you are going to do everything in your power to save me but I need you to promise that you are going to do everything in your power to save your brother if anything happens to me. It is not every day that I might get a chance to speak to you like this my child. But you are more valuable to me than any sword I have held in my life. All my weapons and my knives and everything that is mine which your father wants to burn is yours. It is hidden, and it is hidden well. Learn how to protect yourself and the kingdom, my babe. Your brother is only a week old and I am not going to be there for him. So take care of Ferdinand for me. You are going to be the best knight that the kingdom has ever seen and remember Fiona, people mistake the meaning of sacrifice but you m child, will do everything in your power to protect everything you love. Even if it means sacrificing yourself,” said the Queen as she closed her eyes.

That was the last thing that her mother said.

Fiona had promised her mother on her deathbed and now she was not going to go against that.

She was going to find the dragon and make him help for rescuing her brother.

After all, it was only after a true quest that a knight became a true knight in all forms.