Descendants: Evil Awakens

Chapter 12 - Wake Him Up

Reaching the royal chambers of history, with a torch in hand, Queen Erlen set out to consult the ancient scrolls. Reading through the kingdoms entire history, she could not find what she was looking for. No scrolls made mention of the crest on her back, there was nothing  about dragons, and very few details concerning what was hidden and trapped within the dark forest. 

“That can’t be. I remember father showing me them. They exist, I just know they do.” said Erlen frustrating that it’s taking this long. Running across the room, she decides to consult every shelves. Looking through records of trade, of war, of territory. Still, she couldn’t find what it is she wanted. “Don’t tell me, that fool had them destroyed?” asked Erlen out loud, in reference to her husband the king. Having  spend hours in the library, a lifetime of emotions were streaming down her cheeks. Emotions of disappointment and misunderstanding, fused with constantly being call crazy by her husband, all piled up into tears as she wished for someone to be by her side. To be there with her in her search for answers and truth. 

Feeling hopeless and abandon, queen Erlen sat down in hopelessness; contemplating and old tapestry hanged on the far side of the room. It was secluded all by itself. With no light, other than the torch in her hand, to show her great grandfathers painting, it was partly engulf in shadows. And that’s exactly how she felt in that moment. She remembered her father’s story concerning it. 

“What do you think it is?” she recalled her dad once ask her. 

“I don’t know. It looks like a giant rock.” her eight year old self replied. 

“What you are looking at is a dragon. I know it doesn’t look like one, but it is.” had said her father. 

“That’s a dragon?” laughed young Erlen. 

“Yes dear! That is a dragon. A dragon in slumber. There’s no way for you to tell by the painting, I know. But my great grandfather painted this after his encounter with the beast. And ever since, he wouldn’t stop saying that there was a dragon living inside the castle walls. The good thing is, back then he was no longer king. My dad was. So everybody assumed he was starting to loose  his mind due to old age.” said her dad. 

“Did you and grandpa believe him, dad?” asked Erlen. 

Looking down at her daughter, the previous king smiled, “of course we did. Just as I know you believe me. You now bear the mark of such truth and many more. And later in life, you shall pass it on to your first born. Just as I have with you.” said her faher. 

“Then where’s the dragon?” had asked Erlen. 

“That I cannot tell you sweetheart. Many a mystery there are in this world. Some can be told. Others must be discovered. Just like this one. You must find it. You must find him. But don’t look for him, when you don’t need him. When the time comes, and I feared it will come in your reign, seek him out. Wake him up. Wake him up and command him. A day will come when this tapestry shall crumpled of age. Then, only then, shall you find what must be found.”

Growing up, that is not what she had imagined her future would be. That is not what she had hoped for her kingdom. It was falling apart, and her foolish husband, did nothing if little to change this. In anger of her current predicament and at her father doing little to prepare her for this, she picked up her torch and threw it at the family painting. Successfully setting it ablaze. She watched as the flames consumed the image of the so call dragon. “A dragon you once told me. Do be honest, it still looks like a giant rock.” queen Erlen said out loud. 

An as that rock burned, the flames spread outwards, toward the edges of the tapestry. Thus leaving a giant dark hole in the middle. A hole, thanks to the light provided by the flames, should have been square shape rocks. As more of the tapestry burned, the more it revealed. As if to say behind that tapestry was a secret passage not lit for years. Surprised and cautious, her father’s words now made sense to her, “A day will come when this tapestry shall crumpled of age. Then, only then, shall you find what must be found.” As well as that of her great grandfather, “a dragon lives inside the castle walls.”