The Dragon Bond: Heirs of Lyra

Chapter 52

King Alan looked less than pleased with the answer. Ralf looked ready to fall over with exhaustion. Queen Ariana looked worried, per usual, and Shade's face gave nothing away. Elysia wasn't sure what the big deal was. 

"So we go to Bacciballum and state our case. Gain their favor and earn their alliance. No big deal." It seemed as though Elysia was the only optimistic one in the room.

King Alan shook his head. "How are your geography lessons with Maria going? Or have you forgotten where Bacciballum is located?"

Elysia shrunk back. That seemed a little harsh. She thought about it, trying to remember where it was located on a map. She hated geography; almost as much as she hated her etiquette lessons. Then she remembered. The only way to get to Bacciballum from Lyra was to travel through the heart of Niebla. 

"Oh," she said, voicing her realization. "What if we go around to the back, traveling by ship? We could go through the kingdom behind it."

"Not only would that take a month of sailing, but you forget the kingdoms surrounding Bacciballum are allied with Niebla. Traveling through any of them would be a death sentence." King Alan was growing more pessimistic with every passing minute.

"Then what do you propose we do?" she asked.

Queen Ariana looked to her husband, searching his face. When she saw he was struggling for a solution, she offered, "I could take Fuego. We could ride fast and high through Niebla."

King Alan shook his head. "Out of the question. Niebla's weaponry is advanced. They've spent years creating devices that could take Fuego out of the sky. Not to mention they have dragons of their own, constantly patrolling the skies."

"Are you sure?" The Queen asked. Clearly this was news to her.

"My spies confirmed it. Traveling the skies through or around Niebla is a death sentence."

"Then send someone on foot," Elysia suggested.

King Alan raised his eyebrows. "You mean send someone to be captured and tortured for the rest of their lives? Absolutely not."

"What else can we do?" Ariana's eyes were welling up. If the only way to win the war was to ally with Bacciballum, their odds were not looking good.

"We send a letter by bird. It will be fast and inconspicuous." The King's voice was set.

Elysia shook her head. "Would you agree to a risky alliance with a kingdom you had no connection to because someone sent you a letter by bird? They'll never agree to it."

"This is our only option."

Elysia was ready to argue but her guardian cleared his throat, urging her to stop. Instead, she remembered Ralf. He was so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open. He kept nodding off every few seconds. She stood up and helped her brother to his feet, Shade falling in on the other side and offering his assistance. Together they got Ralf up to his room and into bed. 

While Elysia got Ralf settled in, she couldn't help her racing thoughts. No kingdom would agree to provide aid in a war they had no connection with. Why risk the lives? There was no way Bacciballum would send a letter back confirming their support. Instead it would be wasted time. She knew there was only one way Bacciballum would agree to help--they had to send someone to persuade them. And not just anyone. It needed to be someone from the royal family. King Alan obviously wasn't going to do it, and Ariana would never go against her husband's will. Ralf was too much of a goody-two-shoes to go against their father, and Henry was out of the picture. 

That left only one person: Elysia. She knew what she needed to do. She would have to go to Bacciballum and travel through Niebla unseen. She began strategizing as she walked back to her room with Shade.

It was well past midnight but Elysia was wide awake, planning. Once outside her bedroom, Shade surprised Elysia by walking in with her. 

Elysia stared at her guardian. "Shade, what are you doing in my bedchambers?"

He shut the door and turned back to face her. "I'm warning you right now, whatever your schemes may be, you will not get past me. Your attempts will all be futile, so please, do us both the favor of forgoing the plans you're devising."

"Whatever do you mean?" she mocked sincerity.

"You will not get the best of me. You never have and you never will. I know you well enough to know you already have at least five ideas of how to slip past me so you can go on your little hero's journey to try and save your kingdom. Don't try any of it."

Elysia narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think I'm planning anything?"

Shade scoffed. "I know you, Princess. You and I both know Bacciballum isn't going to agree to an alliance with Lyra over a bird's five-inch paper message."

"So you agree we need to go ourselves?" Elysia asked hopefully.

Shade took a step closer. "Do I agree we should go ourselves and travel on foot through an entire kingdom of people who want to kill us and hold us hostage? To carry out a task your father forbids and we would most likely die from?"

Elysia stared at him "This is why you don't have any friends."

He ignored her. "I'm warning you right now, Princess. Try anything funny and you will regret it. I have permission from King Alan to do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I will tie you to this bed if I think it's the only way to prevent you from trying to escape and go on a fool's errand to save your kingdom."

Elysia blinked. "You'll tie me to the bed?" 

Shade nodded, taking a step closer. "If I have to."

She struggled to hold back laughter. "Now you're just looking for excuses."

Shade rolled his eyes and turned, leaving the room. "Save us both the energy, and don't try anything."

Someone smarter would have listened to his warning. But Elysia was stubborn. So instead of getting back in bed and going to sleep, she stayed awake, plotting all the ways she could get past Shade.