The Dragon Queen

Chapter 4

There is something different about Leo from the last time she saw him. Last time, he was filled with guilt and defeat. Perhaps regaining his fleet and status renewed his faith in life, though he is not a pirate anymore. Maybe just being out on the sea again helped. Regardless, Alexa tries to ignore it. "We did not stay in Zistus long. My sister and her husband travelled to Rupsire to take up residency as the Baron and Baroness, thanks to Jemma, and I travelled around the kingdom for a while with my children."

At the mention of them, he glances to the two kids beaming up at him like a beacon of a lighthouse. She remembers their last trip on the boat, and how much fun they had. "Children." Leo smiles and it unsettles Alexa with a suspicious glance.

"You got a new ship." Morgan politely motions to it. "It is beautiful."

"Thank you, Morgan. She was a gift from Derrick and Serena. She is on her maiden voyage." Leo answers and the two children share a collective look of awe.

"Dare I ask who this one is named after?" Alexa questions with fake interest, knowing that at some point her children are going to ask anyway. "That is if you are still naming your ships after people."

"Indeed." Leo gazes at her in a way she had forgotten; a way that would have made her eighteen-year-old self blush. "I suppose I just never wanted to forget."

"Who is it?" Luca is bouncing on his toes. Morgan, however, shoots her mother a quick glance telling her she already suspects.

"For now, I will say it was someone from my past, long ago." Leo grins at him before looking back to Alexa. "She changed my life forever."

"Well, I hope you are not expecting to ever see her again." Alexa returns while keeping herself calm and collected. "I am quite sure that girl you knew is gone forever."

"I am not so sure about that." Leo returns with his blue eyes catching the light of the setting sun, giving the illusion of fire on water. Maybe he is right. Maybe that girl from years ago is still in there, but she cannot take the chance of him seeing her.

***

King Rory Fairmore of Vrinian

Imperial City, Vrinian

The grounds of the castle seem to be Rory's only escape from duties, but it is also where his mind runs without end. His escape from his escape is down in the crypt, where he talks to his grandfather, and the father he never knew. He had a bench placed in the middle of the walkway, so he can chat with them. Sometimes, when he travels down here, he finds his mother sitting alone of the bench. He usually walks away, but this time he stays to listen for a while. It is the only moment where he can witness a rawness in his mother. Even though she is different, she is more quiet than open. She still holds in her feelings, as if letting them out will start a flood, but down here she feels protected. After a few minutes, Rory moves to leave but is surprised by his mother's voice calling out to him. "I know you are there."

Rory decides to go to her, rather than run. "I am sorry, Mother. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Nor, I you." She returns, though she remains seated on the bench. Rory notices how young his mother looks, something he had never noticed before. He knew she was a young widow when he was born, but she had always just been an adult to him. Now that he is an adult himself, he can see it. He walks over and sits down next to her, carefully, as though thinking she might get up and leave like she had done many times when he was a child. She watched him sit and then returned to looking at the crypt. "I know you come down here and talk to him. That is good of you."

Rory shrugs his shoulders slightly. "I don't know why. I guess it helps me feel closer to him. I never met him. I wish I had."

"I wish you had as well." She replies with a somber tone, but then she makes a noise that causes Rory to jump. He realizes after a moment that she is laughing. "He would have been a great dad and so proud of you. He would have done anything if he had only been given the chance."