The Cruel Prince's Wrath

Chapter 8

Vas made his way home after he had composed himself and he opened the door to see Dresna; she looked to him and smiled warmly causing all his troubles to melt away. Or at least it was soothing to his soul, she sat and rubbed her forming bump as he moved to sit beside her.

“You found Inar then?” she asked.

“Yes… Dresna… there is something I wish to tell you… it is about me… what kind of man I really am…” he began and his serious tone along with his expression had her sit forward in her chair a little.

“What’s wrong Vas?” she asked her own expression mirroring his serious one.

“I… in the battle years ago… the one where Ahten, Inar’s boy was killed… I was right there… right… beside him when he… my older brother Khorva was also…”

“Take your time, my love, I’m here, I’m listening,” she said and placed her hand on top of his for encouragement. He drew a deep breath.

“I chose to save my brother Khorva instead of Inar’s son. Inar had turned his back also caught in the midst of battle, it takes just… one moment for a wrong move or simply an opponent more powerful and you fall in battle. I could see both my brother and Ahten falling so I chose to help Khorva and I turned to make my move to help the young Ahten… it was too late,”

“And what sort of man do you think that makes you?” she asked.

“A cowardly man… I could not face losing my brother… but perhaps if I had saved Ahten first then I may have been able to save them both…” tears slowly fell from his eyes.

“Vas, my love, that does not make you a coward… you had but a moment to make a decision as you said, and your heart led you. It is sad about Inar’s son, but it is not your fault he died,”

“He still believes it is, he just said so,”

“Let me guess, he was drunk?” she asked, and he nodded. “Then he did not mean it,”

“He blames me for letting Ievos walk away too,” he said and noted the pain in her eyes. “You blame me also, I can see it,” he muttered.

“I do not blame you… I am sad that he left and that he returned to that woman, but… I am also angry with him, not with you, with him. None of this was your fault, Vas. Inar will see that when he wakes with a sore head tomorrow,” she said offering a slight smile. He returned this smile.

“So, you… don’t see me as a coward?” he asked, and she shook her head.

“You are a man, Vas, and like any other man you can be led by the heart and it does not make you a coward.” He looked deep into her eyes before he leaned in and kissed her softly caressing the side of her face gently.

                                                                                    ~~

Tolanda had taken to spending a day with Liv and they walked leisurely through the dragon kingdom’s streets, the palace loomed above but it did not shadow the streets below, the sun beat down heavy as ever but today also offered a refreshing light breeze. Liv had her arm linked in Tolanda’s as they strolled.

“I am pleased you and my brother have found some comfort in one another’s company,” Tolanda said.

“I very much enjoy spending time with him but… I think he is a bit intimidated by me I am not sure why,” Liv replied and Tolanda smiled.

“You are both beautiful and strong… also he had not the chance to spend time meeting women all the while he took care of my father, I would have helped with half our father’s care, had I been there,”

“Yes, and whose fault was that? Ievos and his mother,” Liv replied and Tolanda shook her head.

“No, I started to feel he was also a prisoner there in that palace, the way his mother treated him… the way he went rigid at her presence,”

“Still, I have to say I am pleased that you finally found your way to Iefyr, he loves you so much, Tolanda and he suffered watching you with Ievos,”

“Yes, I know, and I am still filled with regret at how everything went… Ievos… was beginning to warm though, his smile was kind, and he began to show more… affection and then I… betrayed him and sent him right back into the depths of cold. He took me to the gardens here… at night, there are these wonderful flowers that bloom for the stars and the moon, he showed me them, they were glowing Liv!” she said with excited enthusiasm.

“And who do you think told him of these flowers? Do you think he found them on his own? Do you think he had the romantic heart and mind to think to show you them?” Liv asked.

“I don’t understand,”

“Iefyr told him of those flowers, Iefyr wanted you to see them and since you were not his to treat, he made sure his brother knew of them and suggested he take you, so that you saw them.”

“I… how do you know this?” Tolanda asked.

“Because I heard him telling Ievos of them, you and Tolan were speaking and I listened to their conversation, I could hear it just about and my heart… ached for Iefyr… I could see the pain in his eyes-“

“Stop!” Tolanda said. “It is all too much to bear thinking about those times again…” she sighed. “Ievos and I… we were growing close and… you know… he and I… almost had s*x the night before the battle but something did not feel right…”

“And you and Iefyr?” she asked but Tolanda shook her head. “Do you think your draw to Ievos was perhaps… more of a s****l one than one of true love and bonding?”

“You do not understand the dragon bonds, Liv, I only just understand them myself…”

“I know what I have been told and that your bond with Ievos was almost as though… he had your soul trapped with his in a bond… like a forced bond. Like a raping of your soul,” Liv said and Tolanda pulled away from her friend her eyes showing disgust at her words.

“How dare you put it so… vulgarly!” Tolanda snapped.

“I apologise but that is how I saw it when I heard of it like that,” Liv said and then Tolan came hurrying over to them.

“I finally found you both!” he said, “I have secured a job working with the Gerdai at the stables and… I get to care for those unicorns of Gerenil’s! Of course, she comes by almost every day to see to them herself but isn’t it amazing?” he gave the news but then felt the tension between the two women. “Is this a bad time?” he asked.

“We just had a… difference of opinion is all,” Liv said and Tolanda accepted that fact.

                                                                                       ~~

Night descended upon the castle ruins and Ievos saw that his mother had made no movements in regard to organising a party to travel to the Shadow Dragon’s, but he also did not have the strength to confront her about it tonight instead he simply began heading to his rooms but suddenly his vision blurred, and he steadied himself with one hand resting against the stone wall. He could not see, and his ears began to ring with a terrifying low sound. It was all he could hear; he did not hear the elf that asked him if he were alright and he could no longer feel the cold castle stone and he did not feel the impact as he crashed to the ground. When he came to, he knew he was no longer in that castle ruin. He was surrounded by glass, it looked just like the glassy substance that sometimes resulted from his flames and he felt as though it was an entire cave formed of this beautiful dark blue substance. That low sound echoed once more, and he realised it was breath. Something big was breathing and then he heard footsteps. His heartbeat pounded harder and faster as the sounds drew nearer, and he readied his flame; though he feared he stood no chance of defeating this beast whatever the beast may be. He heard cracking like the glassy substance around him began to split and separate but he knew if it were the same as the glass from his fire it was indestructible. He felt like he was in a dream, but it was such a real dream if that was the case. Suddenly from a dark part of this cave he saw them. He saw blazing eyes of blue… they were glowing with such a brightness and fury that he certainly feared for his life. Those eyes were huge and reptilian glaring right at him and then he felt it; a heat rose all around him right before he was surrounded by blue fire not his own. It was warm. It did not burn him but those eyes… those glowing blue eyes stared right into him… into the very depths of his soul as though their owner knew his soul. It was in that moment Ievos understood at least that what he was looking at was a dragon a real dragon.