The Stone

Her new council

"I need rest, I have a lot to do before we leave for the rebel camp, I will see you all this evening in the Queens Corridor."  I step down from my throne and make my way to the door.

"The rebel camp? Bri, we need to go to Ashura!" Vance protests.

I stop, halfway to the door, clenching my fists. The last thing I need right now is an argument. Summoning a dragon has taken its toll one me and I'm finding myself short of patience.

"Vance, I am in no mood to be arguing with you right now, the rebels have an entire army of trained soldiers, one thousand strong. I will not let an army that large pass us by. When I show up on your father's step it will be with a dragon and an army behind me!" I stare back at them with an unchallenged expression.
"Revish, can you please see to the matters at hand while I sleep?." I snap.

Revish transforms into his human appearance with a concerned written expression.
"Yes my queen." He replies and bows.

"Thank you." I say and storm out of the room. I make sure to slam the iron door behind me, as a warning not to follow. But low and behold who comes down the hallway after me.

"What do you need, Vance?" I ask keeping my pace.

"What do I need?" He asks in disbelief and then silence. I walk further down the hall before noticing he is no longer beside me. I turn back to see him leaned over a windowsill looking out over the ocean.

"Vance?"

No response. Not even a glance at me.

I walk over to him.
"Vance?." I am right beside him now, trying to catch his eyes. But nothing. My heart begins to race, as I feel I have hurt him more than I should have. I place a hand on his arm.

"I wish I didn't bring you here." He says quietly.

My heart is beating painfully out of my chest now. Those words hurt me more than being burned alive by King Galen.
"What? Why would you say that?" I ask as tears form in my eyes.

"I wish that I just left you on that black horse... in the middle of that field, you... would have been better off... without me." His hands begin to shake as I watch him struggle over his words.

"Vance, don't say that!"

"It's true! I watched you die!. It's a goddamn miracle you're even standing in front of me!"

I pull his arm and make him face me.
"Don't ever say that! How could you?"

He looks at me with heartache and distance in his eyes.
"You deserve better than this. You deserve a life of freedom, of simplicity, a life worth living...all of this is changing you and it kills me to watch your light fade away."

What is he going on about? This is what I was meant for, I am the only one who can save our realms from the hands of evil. This is my place now, my life before this ended when I got on that horse with Roan, I knew it, I have accepted it. It has nothing to do with him. I lean against his chest thinking of my small farm that me and my father had worked so hard on. The valley it was situated in always held the most beautiful sunsets that glistened off the river and golden fields. I miss my home. But I do admit, it was the most lonely time of my life and now I have exactly what I need standing in front of me.

A handsome man, who is madly in love with me, who I love just as much. I take my hands and run them along his chest feeling his warmth, I bring them up to his neck and look into his eyes.

"If it weren't for you, who knows where I would have ended up. I was alone, and on the run when I met you. If anything Vance, you saved me and you've brought more happiness into my life than anyone else ever has."