Dragons were once again welcomed in the kingdoms of Ravenwood and Carillon. No more than a dozen dragon were shared between the two kingdoms, but Firestorm, the red dragon who had first spoken to Ariyona, assured her more would come when the time was right. The dragons only spoke to her, which made her husband, King Jareth, envious. She had a gift he did not possess, though he greatly admired the wondrous beasts and fervently wished he could hear their voices.
Firestorm had once explained to Ariyona that he’d tried many times to contact Ariyona in her dreams, but she’d been resistant to the contact, resulting in the nightmares that had plagued her. He apologized for those nightmares, but said she’d been chosen at birth to be their emissary. It had taken all these years for her to accept her gift, but he was glad she finally had. There had been no nightmares since their arrival.
The sun was out, it was a warm summer day and Ariyona didn’t want to be confined by the castle walls. Just as when she was a princess in Carillon, the now queen sought to escape her duties. She much preferred being out of doors. This morning she rode her mare to the meadow, hoping that Firestorm would sense her presence and come flying down to join her. She didn’t have long to wait. Her mare was long used to the dragons and didn’t flinch as the great red dragon alit nearby. Firestorm was accompanied this day by his offspring, the green dragon, Iceheart.
Ariyona dismounted, leaving her mare free, knowing the horse wouldn’t stray far, but would wait for the queen’s return. Ariyona approached Firestorm, who lowered his neck, allowing Ariyona to get astride him. Then he took to the skies, giving the queen the freedom she desired, soaring high above the kingdom. Ariyona loved flying, though in the beginning she had been afraid. Firestorm had been patient, flying low and slow until Ariyona had become accustomed to the flight. Now, she loved nothing more than to fly through the clouds astride the red beast.
Upon their return to the meadow, Firestorm didn’t leave right away. Ariyona could sense him waiting, wanting to tell her something and yet hesitating. This was very unlike Firestorm, who never hesitated to speak his mind to her. Finally, he turned his head so one big eye stared right at Ariyona.
‘The twins are in danger,’ the voice of Firestorm said in her head. ‘You must give them to us so we may take them to our Keep, where they will be safe.’
“Oh, no,” Ariyona exclaimed, thinking of her babies.
The twins were now approaching their first birthday. Jasson and Arianda were boisterous, active babes who kept their nurses hopping. Jasson had already begun to walk, but Arianda was content to be carried, or to crawl where she needed to go. Crawling gave her the advantage of getting under the furniture, where her nurse was hard pressed to find her. Ariyona smiled just thinking of this.
Firestorm could hear her thoughts. He knew how she loved her babes and knew this would not be easy for her. ‘My lady, it is the only way. The nurses can come to care for the babes, but we must hide them away.’
“I must discuss this with my lord husband. I cannot make this decision alone,” Ariyona finally said aloud.
Firestorm nodded his massive head. ‘Understood, majesty, but do not wait overly long as there is danger on the horizon.’ With those words, the two dragons took to the sky nearly knocking Ariyona down with the wind from their wings. She stood watching until they were little more than dots in the sky. Then she mounted her mare and rode back to the castle, wondering how to approach this news with the king.
Entering the bailey, Ariyona was greeted by the guards there. Her personal guard waited there as well, with stern looks upon their faces, as Ariyona had once again ridden out without an escort. She knew this would have been reported to the king, and she was sure to hear his wrath later, but Ariyona no longer felt the need for an escort. She knew if any danger came near her, Firestorm would sense it, or hear it in her mind, and fly to her rescue. Still and all, Jareth insisted on the guards, and Ariyona still sought to elude them as much as possible. Handing her mare to the hostler, Ariyona brushed the dust off herself and headed to the throne room to face whatever might come. The news she carried within burdened her and she was unsure how to tell her husband.
She entered the throne room as Jareth was meting out what she felt was a harsh judgment. She didn’t know the matter at hand, but she couldn’t believe there was anything so bad the man had to give up his eldest son. Whatever it was, Ariyona was determined the child would be imprisoned or made to work at the castle and not be put to death. Ariyona hated it whenever Jareth sentenced someone to death. After watching the deaths of Komar and Vicker a year and a half before, Ariyona could not stomach that type of punishment.
Jareth noticed her entrance and motioned for her to join him upon their thrones. She complied. The man left the hall, trying to remain strong, but Ariyona could see the judgment was crushing him. When he was gone, Jareth turned to his wife.
“My lady, I understand you rode out without your escort again.” Ariyona could see anger in Jareth’s eyes. “I don’t understand why you do this. Are you looking for trouble? Haven’t you been attacked enough times that you understand the need for this? I cannot again go through what I did when Komar captured you. This is unacceptable. How can I get this through to you?”
“Husband, I have Firestorm for protection. I do not need a guard.”
Jareth would not be placated. “That is not good enough. You could be killed before he could fly down. I will not allow you to leave the keep without a guard. Am I making myself clear to you?”
Ariyona thought about what Firestorm had said. Danger was coming. If the danger was great enough the dragon wanted to hide away the twins in his domain, then Ariyona reasoned there could be danger to herself as well. She looked at her husband who was furious, but she knew it was his love and concern for her well-being that made him so. She relented.
“Yes, my lord. It will not happen again. I will keep to my escort.” Jareth relaxed a little and Ariyona poured him some mead. She walked to his throne and knelt before him, offering the goblet.
“You know I cannot be long mad at you, my love. I would lose my wits if something were to happen to you.” He stroked Ariyona’s head. Ariyona didn’t care if the court saw her kneeling at her husband’s feet. It felt good to be there, to have him stroke her head. She was comforted by this and decided to wait until they were alone in their chambers this night before she told him of Firestorm’s words.
Presently, there was a commotion at the entrance to the throne room. Ariyona heard a woman’s voice yelling, “Come back over here.” Jasson came toddling into the throne room, just ahead of his nurse, whose voice had issued the command. Ariyona smiled when she saw her son.
“Mama,” Jasson called out. Ariyona opened her arms and her son leapt into them, his nurse just a few steps behind.
“Majesties, forgive me. The boy escaped the nursery again. I have been chasing him about the castle. I did not mean for him to disturb you.”
Ariyona nuzzled her son’s head, inhaling his baby scent. Her heart filled with joy having her son in her arms. Jareth looked down with pride at his wife upon the floor hugging their son.
“My love, it seems as if our son has inherited your desire to escape watch, huh?” Jareth laughed. He looked at the nurse. “Have no fears, lady. We do not mind the interruption by our son. In fact, send for our daughter as well.” The nurse went into the corridor, returning almost immediately with Arianda and her nurse. Jareth took his daughter into his arms. Then he joined his wife on the floor so the twins were together.
They played with the children for a little while until Jasson began to yawn. Kissing them, Jareth handed both babes back to their nurses, and told them they must behave and go take their nap. They went with little protest. Jareth held his hand out to Ariyona, who still sat upon the floor and helped her to stand. They took to their thrones and listened to a few more petitioners, who had waited patiently during playtime. Afterwards, Ariyona and Jareth walked the hedge maze until it was time to go into sup.
Ariyona looked to the empty spots at the table where Ygraine and Cormack should be. They were once again at the army training camp, and this time they had brought their daughter, Yonina. Nina was nearly two years old, but Ariyona could easily remember the day she was born. It had been a day of great joy but also great heartbreak. She quickly buried those bad feelings. Now she looked upon that day and only thought of the happiness and how she had saved Ygraine’s life as well as the life of her babe. She looked at the empty seats and missed her friends, but she knew they would be back in a few more weeks.
They feasted well now. Food was once again in abundance, the two-year drought long over. For the first time since her early days in the castle, Ariyona once again dreaded going above stairs to their chambers. She knew she had to speak to Jareth about Firestorm’s request. Jareth could sense her hesitation, but did not question her until they were alone in their chambers.
“Was I overly harsh with you earlier, my love? Are you angry with me?” he asked.
“No, my lord husband. It is not that. I can never be angry with you.” She proceeded to tell Jareth what Firestorm had told her in the meadow.
“Impossible!” Jareth exclaimed. “I cannot allow that. I will not have my children taken from me.”
Ariyona laid a hand upon Jareth’s arm and looked into his eyes. Even now, their gazes locked, and they were lost for a time within each other. Jareth was the one to break the connection this time, but he was calmer.
“Is it that necessary?” he asked.
Ariyona nodded. “If Firestorm has said it, I do believe this to be true. You know I trust him completely. We have a connection.”
Sitting in a chair by the fire, Jareth said, “Oh aye, I know this. I wish I had a connection with him as you do, but if you say you believe him and that this must be, then what can I do?” Suddenly Jareth smiled, “I should love to see the look upon the nurses’ faces when they hear they must leave on dragon back.”
Ariyona could picture the horror on their faces as well, and smiled. Jareth came up behind her and began to unlace her gown. When he had disrobed her and himself, he carried his wife to bed.
*****
The following day, Jareth and Ariyona spent the whole day with their children. They wanted to get in as much time with them as possible before they sent them away. The twins loved the extra attention from their parents, who were usually so busy with kingdom activities they could not spend much time together. Cormack, Ygraine, and Yonina came the next morning, at the king’s command, to say goodbye to the twins. Jareth also knew Ariyona would need the support of Ygraine once the twins were spirited away.
Sure enough, when Ariyona and Jareth told the nurses they would be travelling by dragon back to the lair of the dragons, they were aghast. Arianda’s nurse fainted and had to be revived. They balked a bit, but at the king’s order, they knew they had to go. Provisions were packed into baskets, and a large basket was made in which the twins would ride. In a few days, all was ready, and a procession rode out to the meadow.
Firestorm landed in the meadow with Iceheart and one other dragon. Baskets were tied over the backs of all three dragons, and the nurses mounted upon Iceheart and the other dragon, who had been introduced as Sunshade, a female dragon. Ropes were used to secure the nurses to the dragons’ backs. Firestorm himself would carry the basket with the twins. He trusted no other dragon with such precious cargo. The nurses were shaking with fright being on the backs of the great beasts, but they did not have long for their fright to take hold before the dragons were flying from the meadow, the screams from the nurses fading as they sped away.
Ariyona tried to be strong, but her sobs began as soon as the dragons had lifted from the ground and by the time they were but specks on the horizon, she was crying aloud. Jareth gathered his wife in his arms, but nothing could comfort her as neither knew when they would see their babes again. When Ariyona had gained enough control, they mounted and rode back to the castle. Ariyona rushed to the empty nursery, looking around at the empty room. She picked up a few discarded items—a toy left behind, a sheet from one of the cribs—and held these things to herself as she rocked back and forth.
Ygraine entered and sat beside her friend. She said not a word, but gave her silent support. Ariyona leaned over and laid her head upon Ygraine, who stroked her hair. “You will see them again, dear sister. I know this is hard. I cannot even imagine what I would do if I had to give up Nina, but you know it must be. You must be strong. If there is to be war, they will be safe. Come, let us go get some tea.”
Ariyona allowed herself to be led to the solar where Jareth, Cormack, and Nina waited. Nina ran to the arms of her Auntie Yoni and Ariyona hugged the girl tightly. They had a light meal and Ariyona was soothed by the tea. They spent the afternoon sequestered in the solar, and when it was time for bed, Jareth held her close all night.
*****
Kaya Greenvale had been one of Ariyona’s best friends in Carillon. She was as yet unwed, much to her parents’ consternation, and turned down every suitor that came to woo her. Kaya wanted her one true love, like Ariyona had. She was waiting for the spark, for the locking of eyes that her friend had spoken of. She knew there had to be someone out there for her.
“What was wrong with this one?” Lord Greenvale asked his daughter.
Kaya sighed and looked at her father. “Did you not see his teeth? He obviously does not care for them. I could never kiss nor be kissed by someone with such foul teeth and horrid breath. No, I will not wed until I meet the man of my dreams. He will come one day soon. I am sure of it.”
“Well, he had better, daughter. I will not put up with this much longer. I will not have you waste your youth and childbearing years waiting for the perfect man to fall into your lap. If you will not choose soon, I will choose for you. You must wed anon and you will wed whomever I pick. Are you clear on that, Kaya?”
“Yes, Father,” Kaya responded weakly. She hoped it would not come to that. She had not yet met anyone she wanted to be stuck with for the rest of her life. This last one was only one of many who had come, but she felt an instant attraction for none. It just wasn’t fair. Kaya wanted to be happy and be in a marriage with love. With each passing day, it seemed less and less likely. If it was left to her father, he would choose a husband who would add prestige—and money—to their family. Love would not matter one whit. The thought made Kaya flee to her room.
She stared at the crystal castle sculpture that Ariyona had given her as a parting gift. She stared into its depths and imagined her dream husband—someone handsome and dashing who rode in on a magnificent steed to sweep her off her feet. Ariyona had found her dream, even if it took her quite a while to admit it, and Kaya was going to hold out as long as she could for hers. She only hoped he would get there soon.