The Cruel Prince's Wrath

Chapter 14

Senni held her baby and Tolanda was near as she pulled down her dress to hold her baby daughter to the breast. Her wrists ached and stung where she had tried to cut them, but she refused to be beaten by this. She had lost her bond mate and these past months had been hard, but she still had their beautiful baby daughter. Senni gently held the tiny head of the baby to her breast and watched as her small mouth sought the breast for sustenance.

“She is quite small, isn’t she?” Senni asked Tolanda.

“Yes, for her age but she seems healthy enough, just hungry,” Tolanda replied smiling. “I am no expert on babies, but I have helped mothers twice now, it felt quite… natural for me to help babies into the world,”

“Have you ever considered being a midwife instead of a battlefield healer?” Senni asked.

“It would be nicer, for the most part, not all births are as successful as yours was,” Tolanda reached out and offered her assistance. She helped Senni to angle the babes head so that she could reach her food source. “There,” she said gently as the little one began to suckle. Senni looked up with bright eyes pleased that her daughter was taking her milk properly at last.

“I was so worried for her; we have substitutes but the best thing for babies is the milk from their mothers. She fed from me fine when Tirrad was here… it is almost as though she… knows… that her father is no longer with us,” Senni said solemnly.

“Perhaps she could feel your grief,” Tolanda offered. “As I said earlier, before Iefyr had to rush off, I will stay here with you tonight,”

“I thank you so much, you are so kind, Tolanda, I do not feel I deserve it,”

“Everyone deserves kindness, you have been through an ordeal, a trauma… I suppose… we all have in some ways but… I feel it is important we are there for one another,” Tolanda’s words came uncertain for she did not really know Senni all that well. “Have you named the baby yet?” Tolanda asked.

“No, Tirrad and I could not decide, and I still have no name for her,” Senni replied regretful.

“Do you have any ideas? Would you like to put them to me?” she asked.

“I was thinking… Hinura, that has been the one I swayed towards the most. It means by the grace of our ancestors. What do you think?”

“I think it’s beautiful,” Tolanda smiled broadly and then she wondered what her and Iefyr’s children might be called, would they choose a human name, an elven one or a dragon, she was excited to find out and then it occurred to her that she was wondering of their children and she had not even lain with him yet. It made her chuckle inwardly; she was clearly getting ahead of herself but even though it was Iefyr she still had a nervous apprehension about the act of s*x. She had come close with Ievos and everything had been so perfect up until he was about to enter her. She had a sudden fear strike her and something had not felt quite right. Child of destiny, your path is set. Those words suddenly rang through her mind. Did that mean her path was always set had she been simply walking down a road specifically designed for her? She was feeling the goddess Sorasa had her sights on her perhaps even from the beginning, but this made her uneasy.

                                                                                       ~~

Iefyr arrived at his brother’s chambers where he had been summoned after being found in the clinic by one of the palace servants. He had gone with this servant to meet Velkin as requested, and he knocked on his brother’s door firmly and was granted entrance. He walked inside and the servant left. Velkin’s room was quite large and was also quite elaborately decorated as were the guest chambers. He had a large four post bed with voile drapes as did their own rooms. Velkin poured some wine into goblets and handed one to Iefyr as he got to him.

“This is not the drink I had planned for us, brother, but I think you must sit down for this,” Velkin said and they both took a seat at a near table.

“I am getting quite… nervous, Velkin, please get to the point quickly,” Iefyr admitted, “what is this regarding?”

“Ievos and Cauladra,” Velkin said holding eye contact, “I had some scouts meet with King Lyall, he had been keeping a look out for any signs of the elves and he found a whole horde of elves hiding up in this abandoned human castle. Enough of them to be an army,” he informed and Iefyr’s bright green eyes widened. He had no words for a moment then suddenly he stood from his chair.

“We must go, immediately, if I have any chance of getting through to-“ Velkin cut him off swiftly.

“What do you expect to do? Take the dragon army just to speak to your brother? To send a small party would be suicide, to send our army would be wasteful when we are not yet prepared for another battle,” Velkin said.

“I will go, I will not risk any lives, I will go on my own,” he decided.

“I forbid it,” Velkin replied sharply.

“Forbid? You forbid me?” Iefyr raised his voice. “You might be my brother too and acting king, but nobody governs me, and nobody stops me from going to my brother if there is a chance of getting through to him and bringing him back here and away from that evil witch of a mother he has!” Iefyr hissed.

“And what do you intend to do? Ride a gerdai all the way to their castle gate and demand to speak with Ievos? Your brother who would probably be the first to kill you? Or have you forgotten his rage?”

“I do not… I do not believe he would kill me,” Iefyr said but his words did not sound as sincere as his belief perhaps there was doubt. He sat back down and rubbed a hand over his face before he reached for the wine previously poured for him glugging it back. “Now we know where they are, we have to try something,” he said and then paused as a thought occurred to him. “What if… what if somebody could seek him out in a spiritual sense like in meditation to try and commune with him?” Iefyr asked.

“There is still risk,”

“But very minimal, would you not say? Compared to riding to their gate, I could even do it, I would have to be closer but now we know where they are, where my brother is, perhaps I could try and get through to him that way?” Iefyr asked and he judged the expression in Velkin’s eyes that he was about to decline. “I have to do something!” Iefyr snapped slamming his fist on the table, “gods help me,” he said shaking his head whilst looking into Velkin’s eyes. Prince Velkin sighed.

“All right, if it is just you then you will not draw so much attention as one rider,” Velkin permitted and Iefyr breathed a sigh of relief.

                                                                                    ~~

Keltrin the spirit dragon rode his stolen Gerdai beast through the human kingdom, his head was held high, and he had a slight smile upon his lips as he slowly rode foreign lands. A bird landed on his shoulder and he knew who it was. A golden dove gently nuzzled her head against his neck.

“How are you my love?” he asked, and the voice responded in his head. I am fine, what are you planning to do?

“I get bored easily, you know, I have my own ideas I do not need to share them,” he said. But your actions have been somewhat reckless before, I am concerned.

“Concerned? For me? Please do not waste your energy, you know what I can do,” he replied. You have left Tolanda, I charged you to protect her.

“And I told you I get bored easily, she had Agoras protecting her and Iefyr and… well just about everyone within that kingdom where I am not welcome,” he said. You travel West, Keltrin, I can see that much, are you joining the Shadow Dragons like so many of your spirit dragon brethren? At this his lips curled even more into a smile. Keltrin, you do not want to do this.

“My intentions, my plans are my own,” he said, “you do not need to concern yourself,” he said and the golden dove of Sorasa suddenly flew from his shoulder and ahead of him landing in his path. Suddenly the dove was surrounded by a shimmering golden light and transformed into the shape of a woman, standing boldly and regally before him as he halted his Gerdai mount. Her form was almost as though it was not on this same plain of existence, like some kind of spirit although not transparent. Her skin seemed to shimmer and ripple like water and although he had seen her in this form before he was still struck by her beauty. “Are you strong enough to reveal yourself in this form, my love?” he asked although not sounding as concerned as he could. Her eyes looked directly at him and held such fierceness he almost felt as though they could strike him like a blade and he involuntarily flinched from the intensity in her eyes that were the same colour as the rest of her. Gold. Her skin was gold and although her features were clear it was like varying shades of gold defined them, but she was simply gold. Her eyes had no iris and no pupil the entirety of her eye was a shining golden colour.

“I am as strong as I need to be,” the voice came from her form and not in his head, but her lips barely moved. She stood before him shimmering like a gentle golden stream as the sun’s rays hit it. “Do not take things into your own hands again, Keltrin, you cannot meddle with fate,” she said.

“I know what futures we have ahead of us, and I know which I would prefer,” he replied.

“To meddle directly with these paths… Keltrin, you are changing them, different paths are opening as a result of your interference to an extent it is no longer certain what direction they are headed in,”

“Tolanda, Iefyr and Ievos. She might be your Child of Destiny, but the two princes are equally important, aren’t they?” he asked, and her silence answered his question so he smiled. “Do you have the strength to stop me?” he asked her and again her silence was his answer. She was struggling to maintain her true form, so he smiled again and redirected his Gerdai around her and she transformed once more into the golden dove and flew away having failed in her talks with Keltrin.