Destiny: Book 1 of the Draki Series (COMPLETED)

Chapter 3: Mara

As the strange men and their dogs came upon Eva's group Henry pushed himself and his large war horse in front of the two women shielding them from the strangers, "Halt! In the name of King Thomas of Esos."

Eva could hear the men's footsteps halting at Henry's words and even their hounds quieted somewhat.

One man, perhaps their leader approached, "My apologies my Lord, we were trying to capture our Lord's runaway slave you see."

Eva pushed past Henry and his horse at those words, "Slave? There are no slaves in Esos it is banned and has been for centuries!"

The men all stared at her, the leader of the group, "Begging your apologies Miss but we are of Estoria and this slave is the property of King Karon, she is of Draki heritage you see, very evil a killer my lady."

The woman at Eva's feet cried out in broken words obviously unaccustomed to speaking our language, "No! He is liar he take us." The woman grasped Eva's leg and hid behind her as if to shield herself from King Karon's men.

Frowning Eva straightened her shoulders and looked the leader in the eye, "My name is Princess Evangeline of Esos, sister of King Thomas of Esos and betrothed to King Karon of Estonia. I will ask for an audience with his Majesty and see if what you say is true. Until then my guards and I will take control of the girl."

Nodding to one of her guards closest to her she had the man help the weak woman up onto his horse and Henry got down to help Eva onto Tilly even though she had done it herself many times it was best to keep up with appearances of being a proper lady.

The leader cleared his throat, "If it's all the same your Highness we will accompany you to the King so that he may have all the facts."

Henry put a hand on his sword glaring at the man, "Are you saying the word of a Princess is untrustworthy?"

The man went pale at the sight of her large guard and his sword as he stuttered out apologies, "No my lord it's just that we were under orders of the King to keep the Draki slaves together and I will wish to inform him of her escape."

Eva pushed her horse forward trotting along with the guard who held the woman in front of him. She smiled shyly at the woman who appeared as normal as Eva was, she did not think this woman was a Draki, they had all be extinct for thousands of years.

"Everything will be all right, do you have a name?"

The woman appraised Eva quietly before speaking up, "Mara."

"That is a beautiful name Mara."

As the group entered the palace walls and the courtyard there was much excitement going on. She spied her brother in his royal garb with the crown on his head speaking to King Karon who also wore his over the top royal garb, standing next to King Karon her brother appeared as that of a pauper king.

Slipping off Tilly and passing her over to a stable hand, Eva strode forward to the men, they both noticed her approaching and stood a little straighter. Eva could still remember the portrait that she had refused to look at for two years. King Karon's eyes were as cold in real life as they were in still frame.

Eva bowed low to King Karon and gave him a well practiced smile she used many times in Court.

Her brother, Thomas, took Eva's hand, "Your Majesty may I introduce my lovely sister and your bride to be, Princess Evangeline of Esos." As he said this Eva held out her left hand for the King to take and bowed slightly before him.

The King took Eva's outstretched hand and bowed over it placing a soft kiss on the knuckle, my lady, for the past two years I have done not but gaze upon your portrait counting the minutes until we would meet and be wed.