Dragon Princess

Chapter 9: The King

Aralia

The ride to the castle was short and as the castle grew in size as we neared it I had to say that it looked no different as when I left it for battle. I never thought I would see it again.

The stone was grey with ivy growing on the sides. There were four towers overall in the structure and to any visiter the castle would look like something out of a dream.

Three walls surrounded the structure, originally there was only one, but after I was born two more were placed. As a child I was never allowed past the second wall, but through old passages my brother found we would go past the second wall and to the city.

We loved playing with the city kids it was the most fun I had. That was until my father lost all heart and I started my training to be a sorcerous.

Not one of the soldiers said a word. As we entered the first wall and started trotting through the cities cobble stone roads I noticed some people peaking over at us and muttering amongst themselves.

But it was too quiet for this city, normally there is roaring laughter and smiles. Not today it seems. And it seemed emptier and more dirty, the roads were stained and smelled of waste. No fresh flowers were growing and I could see that there was rotten food in the carts for sale.

As the last wooden hut pasted by us the second gate opened. It was the same as I left it. The second wall was just a small courtyard that circles the highest wall that surrounded the castle. Archers and swordsman walked along the top of the wall and looked down at the city bellow. When I wasn't practicing magic I would be on those battlements looking down at the city wishing I could be a part of it.

It was too soon by the time we passed though the third wall and the horses came to a stop. I let go of the soldier and dropped off the black steed. I turned in a circle and looked up at the castle and all it's glory.

Then I looked to the ebony double doors that two soldiers dressed in everyday steel armour stood beside. And I new through that door and down the set of white marble stairs my father would be waiting for me on his throne of black granite.

I felt the presence of the two kings guard on either side of me, "You may take me to my father." I said with out looking at them.

Then we walked towards the doors, towards my fate, towards my prison.

**********

I stood in front if the final door before I was in the presence of my father, the soldiers that walked me here opened the door for me to enter, "We were asked to stay here, for your father the king would like a private meeting with you."

I nodded and walked through the doors. The carpet bellow my feet was purple, the colour of power. There were solid pillars of white granite that held large candelabras that lit up the vast hall with its flames.

At the end of the carpet were stairs of black and at the top of them was the throne of which my father sat.

He didn't look a day older then when I had left him. The hair upon his head was grey and neatly trimmed, he pot belly was purposely hidden under his dark ivory robes and black belt. A gold and jewel encrusted crown sat upon his head.

I stood at the bottom of the steps not saying a word to him as he sneered down on me as he always has.

"So," he started with his raspy voice. "You lived, and my son died."

"I tried to save him father." I felt like a young girl again.

"You did nothing to save him!" He roared at me.

"Eldon may have died, but you still have a daughter, you still have me." I didn't know why I felt so vulnerable around him. All I have secretly wanted was to please him and have him accept me.

"You," he pointed at me, "are no daughter from my loins."

I stepped back, but somehow I had known this was the truth all along, but it didn't hurt any less.

Seeing my reaction the king smiled, "You knew didn't you? But yet, you come back anyway, why?"

"You need a heir. My brother is gone. And I have nowhere else to go." I said this because it was the truth and I have nothing to hide.

He chuckled darkly, "Well no bastard child of an Elvish slave will sit upon my throne!"

My eyes widened, "I can't be, I'm not a half breed." But I knew in my heart that it was true, I looked into this kings crule eyes and saw that there was no lie, only hatered.

"You are as beastly as your father, where did you think your magic came from? Not from I or your mother. You share the same magic as they do, you're a half breed."

I felt my eyes cloud as he coninued, "Your mother, my wife," he spat to the floor, "She didnt think that I would notice how much time she spent with that creature. How I would see how she looked at him. From the moment she told me she was pregnant I knew it was his child. After you came around I got yours and my blood checked with magic from my personal sorcerer, you were not my child. You are nothing to me!"

I began to tremble, "All those years you treated me like shit, like I did something wrong. But really it was because you were to big of a bastard to face that my mother didn't want you so you take it out on her child."

His face turned bright red: I had never said anything like that to his face in all my years. "I am your king, you show me respect."

I sneered, "You call yourself king, but you are nothing more then a pig that wears a crown."

"Speaking to your king like that is the penalty of death, Aralia. You want to die like your father?"His voice was deadly quiet.

I held my head high, after all these years I was no longer afraid of him, "You are no king of mine coward."

I closed my eyes and reached for the magic and tried to make a fall of fire in my hand to scare him with my power, but I could find any magic, it was like I never had it.

Cronus stood from his throne and laughed, "I've neutralized this room so no magic can be used in it, so you are helpless here."

He slowly walked down the steps with a wide and cruel grin on his face. He pulled a small knife from the insides of his robes. I reached to my side, but I remembered that my sword wasn't there. I reached for the dagger but it was missing from it's sheath.

I was utterly defenceless...

Almost.

He swiped at my face and I dodged to the right of him. He swiped again, but he was still too slow and I spun around bringing my foot up and kicked his hand. The knife soared into the air and I caught it.

I held the knife to his throat but he just continued to smile, "My sweet daughter, please don't kill me, I'll do anything!" He spoke loudly and looked at me in the eyes with a smile.

I looked at him confused until I saw guards beginning to rush into the room. I dropped the knife and stepped back from Cronus, "You evil son of a bitch."

His smile left his face and was replaced with fear as he looked to the guards, "My daughter, my own flesh and blood tried to kill me! I-I have no choice, take her away, she dies at dawn."

I watched as a tear ran down his wrinkled face. "No!" I yelled at them, "He's lying! He tricked me." No one listened to me.

One of the guards grabbed my arm and snapped a shackle around my wrist, he placed my hands behind my back and locked them together. I didn't resist, there was no point too.

As I was being dragged out of the hall I turned to see an evil sneer on the kings face, a smile that said he won.