A DRAGON TALE

Raisel had planned to have a normal uneventful day when she stepped out that morning. However, she highly doubted that being strapped to a pillory while some certain deranged Prince alongside his arrogant friends threw spoilt fruits and vegetables at you was normal. Even if normal was very subjective and to each his distinctive definition. This was very far from normal, She sighed audibly, it had started like every normal day would.

She had eaten a quiet breakfast with her mother as it was their habit these days and she had set out headed for the castle. She was a welcome visitor as a result of her father’s affinity with the Royal family. She chatted a little with the maids in the courtyard, and on her way out, the Queen mother of Avalon, Queen Solandis had sent for her.

She needed help with getting ready and Raisel was happy to help.

“Thank you very much Raisel”, Queen Solandis said, “It’s so kind of you to help”

“It was my pleasure, your majesty”, Raisel replied with a small bow.

There was a tap at the door and then, Prince Allerick strolled in casually, his dumb servant hot on his tail. His head hung low, and he quickly acknowledged the Queen, with rushed greetings, “Your majesty”, his bow was a little over the top.

“Mother”, he called out softly, his accent was rich, portraying his high standing. He reached for the Queen’s face and placed a delicate kiss on her left cheek.

Queen Solandis cupped his cheek, “My son”, she called affectionately.

Raisel rolled her eyes, if only she knew what a callous and vile man he was. Maybe vile was too much…but he was despicable. She had come by the castle since she was four and had known the prince since then. As the years went by he had grown even more worse, if that was possible.

“Father has sent for you, I believe it is a matter of urgency, do go to him at once”, he said to Queen Solandis.

Solandis smiled at him and proceeded to leave the room. Raisel took that as her cue to leave but Allerick shot out his hand to stop her, “Raisel…”

“Prince Allerick”, she said curtly.

“I believe we have an unfinished discussion…”

“Last I remember, we did finish talking because I do remember telling you nothing can ever happen between us…”

“I find that hard to believe”, he replied vainly, “My charm is quite hard to resist Raisel"

She rolled her eyes. He reached and grabbed her waist. She pushed his hand off her in anger, “Get your filthy hands off me!”

And just like that she was dragged off out into the Prince’s private court, strapped to a pillory and had become a humour relief for Prince Allerick and his sleazy friends.

She hung her head low as the rotten fruits hit her, she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her in pain or discomfort, she stayed still. Her facial expression is undiscernible.

“You’re a very tough one aren’t you?”, one of them asked.

“Allerick, this one is no fun. So boring…”, Another added.

Allerick walked towards her, his features hardened, “This is not over yet Raisel. I won’t rest until you beg for me and I would enjoy every moment of breaking you apart till all that’s left of you is a shadow of your past self”, he said through clenched teeth.

He waved his hands off and stormed off, his friends trailing behind. Raisel was released from the wooden cage later on. She stared at the silk blue dress she had worn this morning. It looked nothing like it did earlier, she loved it because her father had gifted it to her.

“Miscreants!”, she mouthed to the retreating backs of Allerick and his friends.

The guard who released her from her bounds glared at her.

“What?”

***

Raisel navigated through the castle, she knew it like the back of her palm. A large well was located at the back of the castle. When she approached she heard hushed whispers between two men.

“Vangelis surely you have called me here for a good reason…”

“I have important news for you my king. Rumours have it that Votigern has resumed the search for the heart of magic”, Vangelis whispered.

“What are you saying?”, King Aldrich asked in panic.

“His current whereabouts are unknown but rumours have it that he has been inquiring, asking questions about its possible location. Of course, it is currently unknown…”, Vangelis trailed off.

“The heart of magic is better off lost, it has been the reason for many deaths and the war that cost us much. We can’t go down that lane again”, King Aldrich lamented.

“What do you suggest my king?”, Vangelis smiled mischievously, “If you’ll let me your majesty, I think we should go in search of the heart of magic, imagine the power and respect you’ll command if such a trinket of inestimable value is in your possession…”

“You will not mention this to anyone Vangelis! We will not go in search of the heart of magic. It bodes eviler for us than good”, King Aldrich retorted, “What’s more important is that the dragons are powerless without it and humans prosper”

Vangelis bowed, “As you wish my King, No one will know a word of the conversation we had”

“Good”, The King looked around before he walked out in the opposite direction, Vangelis scurrying behind him.

Raisel came out from where she hid and washed herself with the water from the well.

***

Raisel walked into her house, with the hopes of evading her mother but she was at the entrance when she walked in.

Marcella’s eyes darted towards Raisel taking in her appearance.

“Are you hurt my child?”, concern etched on her features.

“I’m just fine Mother, it’s nothing for you to worry about”, Raisel didn’t want her to worry.

“What else can a mother do but worry? You look somewhat dishevelled…”

“I did encounter some difficulties on my way back…”

“Does it hurt anywhere child? Do you need my help? What happened?”, Marcella pressed.

“Not at all Mother, I’ll be just fine. So what are you doing?”, Raisel steered the conversation away from her.

“I’m making lunch, a cobbler. I know how you love them”

Raisel smiled at her mother, something was different with her today. She dared not ask, she was thankful for whatever it was.

“I’ll go change out of these clothes Mother”.

“Sure”

Raisel returned much later in a new dress and helped her mother with the preparation.

“I heard something very important”, she whispered after a while.

Her mother turned to her curiously.

“I unintentionally listened to the king’s conversation”.

“How many times do I have to tell you it’s wrong to eavesdrop on someone, that was the king? He could have your head served on a platter”, Marcella scolded.

“Mother, I did say it was unintentional and the king is not so evil by the way ”, Raisel replied, “It was about the heart of magic…”

Her mother stopped chopping the beef for a while and stared off into space before resuming.

“It could fall into the wrong hands they think…”

Marcella chopped faster and noisier.

“It wields so much magic, don’t you think? A jewel that can control and determine the fate of humans and dragons. If it falls into the wrong hands it will be devastating for us all ”, Raisel continued. “Why don’t you ever talk about it mother?”, Raisel asked after a while of absolute silence between them. “About Father and the Heart of Magic”

“I do not want to hear a word of it again Raisel, these matters do not concern you. I believe the king is even more concerned about the heart and will ensure its safety. Whatever way he can”, Her mother replied, “It is of no importance to us…”

“It was important to Dad however and…”

“And it cost him his life!”, Marcella retorted. She dropped the knife with a clang, “Your father is dead because he went in search of the heart of magic. I will not risk this again. I won’t have you talking about the heart of magic. This has become recurrent and I fear it will soon get out of hand”

“But mother…”

“Raisel you’ll listen to me attentively Your father died because of this. He was a good man, and his loyalty to the royal family cost him his life. He would have taken a sword to the heart in place of the king”, Marcella heaved, “No one should have to deal with this twice”

“Mother it is important to humans, our future lies with…”

“I can not lose you too! It’s not your place to help humanity. It was like this with your father. At first, it was a sudden growing interest and soon it was all he could talk about”, she paused, tears flowing freely down her face, “They brought back his rotting carcass and…he was…he…” she was hysterical.

Raisel pulled her into an embrace, “Let it all out Mother. Father’s demise affects me as much as it does affect you. I love him mother just like you do but you have to heal from all this pain. You have to let it all out, mother”

Marcella clung tightly to her daughter, she couldn’t imagine not having her daughter beside her, it had caused her, her husband. She didn’t want to go down that road again.

“Father was a good man”, Raisel mumbled.

“Yes he was”, Marcella cupped the side of Raisel's face, “You’ll promise me you will not talk about it again. I don’t want to hear a word about the heart of magic. You’ll drop it Raisel. It will make me happy…”

“Of course Mother”, Raisel nodded, her hand reached for the gemstone in her neck and twirled it in her hands.

Marcella looked at her daughter with tears in her eyes. She knew it. Raisel didn’t have to say the word. She would not heed her advice.

***

Raisel tossed about in bed, her mind preoccupied. She played with the gem her father had given her, she cherished it more than anything. He had given it to her before he left in search of the heart of magic. Of course, he hadn’t come back afterwards. It was his parting gift to her. Her father was a blacksmith he was the best Avalon had. He had carved weapons for Avalon’s army, even the king’s finest of swords. So did his father before him.

The art had stayed in the family over the years, each head making sure to pass it to the next one. When it was her father’s turn he had only Raisel, but that didn’t stop him from teaching her. He had taught her all she needed to know about making weapons

Together they had made and sold a lot of weapons to all of Avalon and its environs. She had been the most affected when the news of his death was delivered.

She had suddenly become numb and withdrawn and all those times her mother had been the strong one then, consoling her and comforting her. It was only after she had worn the gem her father gave her did her grief end. It was almost sudden, but it was an overwhelming sense of love and peace. Tears escaped her eyes, she gingerly wiped at them…

Her thoughts strayed to a time when she was much younger, her father had been in the forest, picking wood…

“Raisel my child don’t stray into the woods, there are a lot of dangerous animals in it”, her father advised.

She stopped in her tracks and stared wide-eyed at her father, “Seriously??”

He chuckled, “The expression on your face is priceless”

“Then why do we have to go there?”, she queried in her high-pitched child-like voice.

Her father crouched beside her, “It’s important, the woods provide us with a lot of things that we need”, his hands cupped her face, “And you’re daddy’s brave girl aren’t you?”

She hesitated, “I’m not so sure”, she shook her head, “I don’t even know how to use a weapon”, she added, her small hands outstretched and open.

“You make a good point my dear, I will teach you then”.

And since then he had taught her everything about weapons and how to use them. He had taught her how to wield a sword and how to defend herself.

Her thoughts strayed to the heart of magic, her father had told her all the stories about it, the wars that happened and of course of the mighty dragons that walked the earth. There was always a thrilling feeling when the heart of magic was mentioned around her.

Her curiosity was piqued any time he told her those stories, she had never seen dragons in her life. They were almost extinct, the few alive were hiding away.

Then there was the heart of magic, her mother had hammered on her forgetting about it. It was impossible to, every day it got worse. It was almost like it called out to her. Like it wanted to be found.

She made up her mind on the spot even though she knew it would greatly anger her mother, she was going in search of the Heart of Magic.