Dragon Princess

Chapter 22: Racton King

Shade

The black and white marble of the courtyard cracks as Goliath and I crash on to it. It was intentional and rather satisfying that the ground would have to be mended back to "perfection".

I leaped off of the great white beast and landed on the ground with my sword drawn waiting for the ractons to swarm us. Instead the white doors of the entrance opened and I heard my fathers voice in my head.

Come to me son, we have much to discuss

Reluctantly I sheathed my sword and moved towards the doors into the prison I had most recently escaped.

***

In the bowels of the castle I reached out to the red doors of the throne room, but they opened automatically. I stepped down the marble stairs into the white hall looking straight ahead.

My father sat upon the blood red throne wearing black robs. My mother stood beside him in a red silk dress that shaped her young body.

My steps almost faltered, I wanted to run back, I never should have come here. But deep in my soul I knew this was meant to be.

I lowered my hood and strode up to them until they were ten feet away then I stopped not wanting to get any closer.

"Why do you look at us with such venom in your eyes my son?" My mother asked.

I didn't reply, it made me sick that she could look into my eyes and not burn, she had no soul to destroy.

Morvious spoke, "It appears our ungrateful little shit has his tongue tide."

My hands started to tremble, I closed them into fists so they wouldn't see my anger. "He's holding a secret from us dear, a very dangerous one I see." The woman, Belladonna, said with a sneer on her face.

"I believe you are right, but you know son, you can't hid thing from your parents." He spoke again.

I felt the fire in my hands and I flung the little white balls at them. "You are not my parents!"

The white balls were snuffed out quickly and the couple just chuckled. "It is a woman, Morvious, I do believe our son is in love with the wench he was supposed to bring to us."

"I believe you are right, this just will not do at all, we thought we had gotten rid of your capability to love at all...I guess it doesn't matter, she'll be dead by morning."

I drew my sword and ran at them, Belladonna moved in front of her husband and with a flick of her wrist the sword was out of my hand and I was sailing across the room.

I hit the floor and my head cracked against the floor. Pain shuddered through my body and I felt the tether between me and Goliath shake and tighten. The roar or my dragon could be heard in both my corrupted soul and with my ears, it was painful to feel.

Blood dripped from the back of my head down my neck as I shakily stood up forming more fire in the palms of my hands.

"Our most successful and wondrous creation appears to be broken." Belladonna commented so blandly as if it was an inconvenience.

"What a shame, well, I guess all things do come to an end." Morvious stands up from the throne and tears off his cloak facing me.

I shut my eyes and drop on my knees. I feel the fire inside of me burning so strongly. I heard his foot steps growing closer and I feel the fire inside rising to the surface of my skin. The fire in my hands I held onto tightly until I could no longer contain it.

I threw my hands up in front of me and made my last stand against the man who called himself my father.

Aralia

The beat of Xerasis' wings were quick and we flew at a high speed. But it wasn't quick enough for me.

Grea patted her dragons side encouraging him to go faster. The howl of a dying dragon split the sky and ripped into my heart. I felt Xerasis tense and start to dive lower to the ground as the view of the obsidian castle grew closer.

As we neared I saw that the place looked deserted except for Goliath in the courtyard before the open doors. Xerasis lowered until we hovered above Goliath.

The white dragon looked up at us weakly and made a soft moan like sound and nodded it's head towards the open doors. My heart was beating fast as I jumped down.

I landed in my feet and crouched low to the ground and approached Goliath. He paced his head down I front of me.

"Shade, he's inside isn't he?"

All he did was look at me in the eyes as a white fiery tear slid down his face. Grea jumped down and landed beside me, "I'll look after Goliath, Shades dying Aralia, get in there and get him out!"

I was shaking, but I stood up and ran into the castle. I had lost my brother, my friends, I had lost everything. I cannot lose Shade.

Whether this was real love or not it didn't matter to me: he had saved apart of me that I thought had died a long time ago. He dies, I lose that part of me again.

I ran but stopped when I heard a scream, his scream. It sliced through my heart and I bolted toward the doors I heard it come from. I slammed them open just in time to see Morvious pulling Shades sword out of his sons chest and seeing Shade collapse to the ground.