Page 8 of The Forgotten Throne

Her whole countenance changed when she spotted me, standing straighter and bobbing a curtsy. “Straight away, anything else I can get you, ma’am, milady, Majesty, miss...”

“No thank you. What was requested will be wonderful,” I answered, trying to ease her nervousness.

After bobbing a few more hasty curtsies, she left the room in a flurry.

“Forgive her. Once people found out that Zan was leaving us to become a guardian of the Dragon Queen, it spread like wildfire,” Lawrence said as he folded his hands in his lap. “It has been a prophecy that we have waited generations to be fulfilled.”

Little did these men know that they were drawing me in with every word, making me want desperately to know everything about this prophecy. “I absolutely want to know more about that, but I have come for a specific purpose. Having already met some of your soldiers, I understand you know about the Lost King and what happened in the Royal City?”

“Yes, since Zan’s departure, we felt it was wise to keep ourselves more informed of things happening outside of our valley,” Eleazar concurred.

“Unbeknownst to me, one of my guardians was an impostor and was a spy for the Lost King, reporting back everything we were doing. This leads me to believe he’s also given the location of our hidden mountain fortress that the mercenary clans have been hiding in. I’ve come to request your help in the form of giving refuge to my people,” I stated, searching each of the men’s faces.

They shifted in their seats and looked at one another confused until Lawrence spoke. “Your Majesty, why would you feel the need to make such a request to us? This is your home. These are your people, and we are your subjects who have humbly kept your throne ready for your return.”

“What?” I blurted, my brain having trouble processing all of this. “You are willing to hand me over your entire kingdom, just like that?”

“Perhaps we need to start at the beginning,” Mathew suggested. “I assume you aren’t heading back tonight?”

“Actually, I do need to be back by first light to accompany my people as we leave our hideout,” I answered. “But we have a few hours before we need to return since I wasn’t expecting this to be so... simple.”

Eleazar muttered something under his breath as he got up from his chair and headed to a cupboard. He produced a key from somewhere in his robes and unlocked the door, revealing a collection of old books and scrolls. Carefully, he removed two scrolls that were wrapped in what looked like bright red velvet and returned to set them on the low table between us.

“These are the first scrolls ever written by the first king, King Yash, just after he established the mercenaries here in Sheca. As you know, he was the first man to build a bond with a dragon. He said that when the venom entered him that he saw a vision. This vision was of our future and what our people would one day become. King Yash foresaw a time where our people would need a champion, but he didn’t see who that champion would be. Of course, we never got a timeline of when that would happen, but we did get events and other signs to look out for. This second scroll is that of our third king, King Cardon, and his vision that predicted the name of the champion—the Dragon Queen,” Eleazar said as he opened one of the scrolls.

Peering at the scrolls in the light of the fire, I could tell they were written in the old tongue. They had a slightly different way of being written that made it a little more challenging to read.

“Vasin, is this version of our language in your memory?”

“It is old to be sure, but we do not forget something once it is pulled into our memory bank. This dialect dates back to the beginning of our memory.”

“So, you can help me if I get stuck?”

“Yes, Cass, you will not miss out on any secret those scrolls possess.”

I couldn’t help but grin at the fact that he knew me so well. When I processed what I was reading, my smile faded into a frown as I read the signs of the champion. My gaze flicked up to Eleazar who was studying me as I was reading. “This can’t be—how could this be true?”

“Now do you see why we do not doubt the fact you are the Dragon Queen? Your arrival has been foretold hundreds of years before it could ever be possible,” Mathew interjected, his voice filled with excitement.

The guys shifted behind me as they tried to get a better look at the scroll, but I didn’t think Abbott or Izel could read it. Shifting, I turned so I could see them as I explained what I’d just read. “The scroll starts with predicting the hour of need that would bring forth the champion. Our countries will be hunting the mercenaries, forcing us back into hiding. A great evil will arrive out of the east, but we won’t know until it’s too late because of the fighting going on within our own borders. It goes on to explain the signs that the champion has arrived. A black dragon will reappear after a century without one, on the verge of dragons abandoning us as a lost cause. The champion will be found among people who’d lost the knowledge of their heritage. Upon their coronation, they will unite the mercenaries and end the reign of evil to create a time of prosperity, the likes we’ve never seen before...”

“So, the Queen is a scholar,” Lawrence commented with a kind smile on his face. “Not many besides us can read these ancient words. Many believe them to be the ramblings of a madman, but we know the truth the others chose to turn a blind eye to. The time of darkness is coming, and the hour of the Dragon Queen is upon us.”

“Why don’t they believe?” Izel asked as he came to sit beside me.

“Because they are fools,” Eleazar snapped. “They let resentment cloud their judgment even though it’s been four hundred years since we were left here. Many want to release us from our history and blaze a new trail as a new people independent from the mercenaries who forgot us. Our wise king knew we would be needed. It’s written clearly here in these scrolls. We weren’t abandoned. We were being protected for the time when we would be needed. If we had all left together, then who would be here? Who would you have to turn to in your hour of need when hope seems to be fading away? They choose to be blind and that will be their downfall,” he finished, slamming his fist on his armchair.

Ann entered the room with a tray of cups but when she saw the scroll on the table, she paused. “I’ll just set these on the side table for you. Do you still want me to bring out some food or just wait for dinner to be ready?”

“Might be safer just to wait,” Abbott offered. “None of us will waste away before then.”

Having been on the receiving end of Abbott’s full attention combined with a smile, I couldn’t blame her for the blush that colored her cheeks. It was rather overwhelming. What I didn’t appreciate was her flirtatious look in return and how her walk had a little more sashay to it.

“Would you like us to continue, or should we change topics to another subject less historical?” Mathew asked, drawing my attention back to him. He had a knowing twinkle in his eye that told me I hadn’t been as subtle in my disapproval of Ann’s actions as I thought.

“I would greatly love to learn all the history here in Sheca, but I think right now, we need to focus on the future before the rest of my people arrive,” I suggested.

“Very well then,” Lawrence said as he stood from his chair to grab another book out of the cabinet. This one was bound in leather and had gold writing on it, announcing it as the concordance of royal decrees. “Tell me what steps you have taken as queen so far.”