The Cruel Prince's Wrath

Chapter 24

Inar visited Vas and Dresna for simple reasons of mending bridges between him and his young friend. He was welcomed inside and given a seat whilst Vas went to open some ale but Inar declined to everyone’s surprise. Dresna was sat in her own comfortable chair carrying the twins of the traitor Prince Ievos inside her belly. He looked at her saddened by the sight and remembering the troubled prince. Inar accepted some tea from Dresna as she had a brewed pot beside her.

“Ah, refreshing saplan tea, good for pregnant women,” he noted, pleased Vas was taking care of her, “and delicious,” he added as he sat back with his cup. Dresna smiled. “How is your pregnancy so far?” he asked her as Vas joined them at his own seat.

“Difficult, I am carrying two and it has only been a few months but… I think they are going to be strong,” she replied, and he smiled. Vas reached a hand placing it on her belly. They might not be his children, but he would love them as if they were and he would take care of Dresna, that much was clear by the warm smile on his face.

“They will be mostly elven; do you imagine they will have any dragon powers?” Vas asked Inar.

“Anything is possible,” he replied, “I mean their father is Ievos half dragon and Kai’Suli as well as Dregan Sorka Reqi,” Inar added.

“I do not mind if they are full elf or part dragon but the only traits Ievos really took from his dragon side was obviously his abilities but as for physical ones he was just larger built than other elves, he could easily just pass for elven.” Dresna said. “I… think I might find it difficult if they… looked like him though… I always cared for Ievos as a friend but now he… is our enemy, I would find it hard to look into eyes that were the same as his.”

“Once you have had these babies, I will put some more into you and we will have some dragon babies too!” Vas said with a grin.

“Steady there, not right after!” Dresna slapped him playfully on the arm and Inar smiled at their teasing.

“Have you seen Agoras lately?” Inar asked Vas.

“I went to see him a couple of days ago… his injury will likely bother him for the rest of his life. He will no longer be a warrior,” Vas replied regretfully.

“I must visit him, is he coping alright?” Inar asked.

“Yes, you know Agoras,” Vas smiled but he was saddened that his friend would not be a warrior.

“And have either of you seen much of Senni and her little one? How is she coping? I know she was devastated after the battle of course… losing Tirrad… that was such a tragedy for one so young just starting his life with his beloved bond mate,” Inar muttered, and his eyes shined with tears.

“She has struggled, of course, but I saw her yesterday, she came round with her baby, she seems to be coping a little better, but I think we all need to be there for her and support her,” Dresna said.

“Yes,” Vas agreed and Inar nodded. “She is welcome here anytime, I am sure you like the company too,” he smiled at Dresna.

~~

Ievos and his party had made tracks and moved on from the abandoned castle, he was pleased to get further away from his mother. Healers had worked wonders on his slight injuries, but he had also injured his spirit likely by tapping into whatever power it was that had enabled him to escape the rack. The look on his mother’s face alone was priceless but he had been spared the sight of seeing another innocent person pulled apart. Zia obediently rode on a broken unicorn beside him and Urro was also close by. Tyrria and Reinys were riding behind him. Zia had barely spoken a word since their escape but had obeyed any of his orders, she was used to being a servant after all.

“My lord,” Urro stammered. “Are you… are we really going to the Shadow Dragons?” he asked.

“Yes,”

“What do you expect they will do?” he asked.

“They might kill us, or their king might be intelligent enough to listen to my proposition,”

“And what might that be?” he heard behind him and the voice had come from Reinys, she sounded entirely unimpressed and unenthusiastic about this idea which made the prince’s lips curl at the side. He knew nobody here was really on board with his quest.

“In good time,” he said.

“Wait, if we are all here risking our lives because you demanded we come with you, we each have a right to know what you are planning!” Reinys called and some murmuring agreement came from the soldiers he had rallied. Ievos sighed and halted the group trotting his unicorn ahead of them and turning to face them.

“Why can you not just trust me? Am I not your prince? Have I not done my best to protect you from the insanity that is my mother?” he asked.

“You abandoned us before, my prince, we are all here and fighting this war against the dragons because you left to go to them and your mother saw that as an opportunity to attack, even though she had been hiding all these years.” One of the soldiers spoke up.

“That is true but if I had stayed in Laseron’Dir, I would surely have died. I was sick and only the dragons could have possibly helped me. I did not want to die, and I still do not want to die even if it relieves me of the pain in my soul from my… bond mate choosing my brother over me… at first I wanted to die… but then revenge took place of that.”

“So, this journey is about revenge? You think the Shadow Dragon’s will help you enact that revenge?” Tyrria now asked.

“Yes, I do. I want to attack the East Dragon Kingdom; I want to fight my brother and destroy him. I want to burn him up in flames of blue and then right before he dies from it and is in utter agony, I will tear his heart from his chest right in front of Tolanda. And then… after I have enjoyed her tears and her despair… I will tear her heart out just as she did to me,” he hissed and watched as the expressions of those close to him turned to a mixture of disgust and horror. He was satisfied.  

“You really want that?” Zia was the one who spoke.

“Yes, more than anything, I will have my revenge on them both.” He replied with certainty and then turned the unicorn once more leading onwards.