Blood Oath (The Crimson Chronicles: Book One)

Prologue

Princess Mirianna Aimar walked through the hallways of the castle, her deep navy blue dress sweeping behind her. She pushed a pair of large double doors open into the throne room, passing the guards. 

"What's going on, dad? You and Kenric have been in here all day, and didn’t even come down for breakfast." She said. 

Her father, King Renatus Aimar, lifted his head and looked at her. "Mirianna, what are you doing here? I thought I ordered the guards to make sure that nobody could see us." 

Mirianna rolled her eyes. "I'm your daughter, even if they tried to stop me I would've come in." 

"Well, leave us now. I'll explain later." 

Miri sighed frustratedly. "Oh I see. You don't want me around, but you share all your secrets with Kenric." 

Kenric, her brother, ignored this comment. She knew though that if their father wasn’t gonna tell her what was happening, Kenric would. The two of them shared an interesting, but close, bond. 

“Kenric is older than you, and is the future King, so he has authority to know more than you.” King Renatus said. 

“He’s only two years older than me, and he’s still got quite a few years before he’s king, given the fact he is only twelve.” Mirianna said. 

“Yes, and you’re only ten.” 

Mirianna groaned, then turned on her heel and left the room. She’d just get the details from Kenric later.

~ ~ ~ 

"Kenric!" Mirianna whisper yelled, her head poking out of her bedroom door. 

Kenric stopped and turned around to look at his sister. "What is it, Miri?" He whispered back. 

"Come on! Tell me what dad was up to!" She opened the door further so he could enter. Kenric hesitated, which was surprising, and only made Mirianna want to know more. What could be so important that Kenric wouldn't tell Mirianna what it was?

"I don't know if I should tell you…" Kenric said. 

"Come on! I pinkie-swear I won't speak of it ever. Even to you." She said persuasively.

Kenric hesitated a moment more, then stepped inside his sister's room.

"What is it, what is it?" Mirianna said after the door was shut tightly. Kenric lay down on her bed, and she sat down next to him, waiting for an answer. He took a deep breath, then began to speak. 

"King Cedrik Rolfe has a dragon."  

Mirianna froze. "He has a WHAT?!" 

"A dragon. Y'know, the big lizard things with wings, and-" 

Miri cut him off. "I know what a dragon is, but King Rolfe has one?" 

Kenric nodded. 

Mirianna ran her hands through her hair. “So what was dad doing? The fact that King Rolfe has a dragon doesn’t really answer the question of what father was doing.” 

“He and King Cedrik are planning to make a promise. An oath, regarding the dragon and all the other little things they have bickered about the past years, in order to make peace.” Kenric responded.

“So what are all the conditions of the oath?” Mirianna questioned. 

“Well first of all, Cedrik promises to never use the dragon against dad, and then they also are promising to never try to take control of each others borders, and if dad finds another dragon, he will be able to keep it, but he will let it breed with King Cedrik’s dragon. And all of this will be sealed in blood.” 

“So, it’s a blood oath?”

Kenric nodded. 

Mirianna thought everything over. “Wow.” was all she said. 

Kenric chuckled. “Wow indeed.” 

“So… do you know when dad and King Cedrik are going to make this blood oath?” 

“They are keeping the dragon part a secret, and will make the blood oath in secret, but they will have a big party, and tell their kingdoms that they are making a promise, but won’t reveal anything about the dragon.” 

Mirianna nodded. “Okay, so I can’t say anything about a dragon to anybody at all, right?” 

Kenric nodded vigorously. “If you do, we will both be in massive trouble.” 

“Okay, my lips are sealed.” Mirianna said, drawing her fingers across her lips in imitation of closing them shut. 

Kenric got up, and then walked over to the door. “Remember it's our secret.” He said with a smile. Mirianna giggled at him and he left the room.