"Papa, I want to knock!!" Princess Aurelia Elaine Dragna squirmed in her father's arms.
"Alright go on, love. Careful not to hurt your knuckles." King Aiden Dragna told her. He loosened his grip so his daughter can lean over and knock on the huge wooden double doors.
"Too late!"
Came another voice from somewhere below them, followed by a series of hard taps on the door. Crown Prince Reagan James Dragna blew a raspberry at his sister. She stared emotionlessly at him for a few seconds.
"Reagan, that's not very nice." Aiden scolded.
"Papa, put me down please." She said not taking her eyes off her twin brother.
"Go easy on your brother, Lia." Aiden sighed. But there was a hint of a smile in his tone.
The door opened just as a watermelon sized ball of ice crashed on the wall beside it. The female guard on standby jumped, startled.
"Mama! Lia is being mean to me again." Reagan wailed, running into his mother's arms.
Queen Elina Dragna glanced at her bonded. Aiden shrugged and instead scooped his daughter, who charged at her brother, back into his arms.
"Not around your mother. You know the rules." He said. Aiden then leaned down to kiss Elina's forehead. "Are you sure we should be making this trip right now?"
Elina rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. She glanced down at her rounded belly, stroking it affectionately.
"I'm fine! Besides I need some fresh air. I haven't had the chance to properly stretch my legs in such a long time." She replied.
Elina ruffled Reagan's hair. "You look smart, my beautiful baby boy." She said, tapping his nose. The three year old beamed at her. "And look at you, gorgeous! Is the bow in your hair the same one you made with Sophia yesterday?"
Aurelia bobbed her head excited. "Isn't it pretty?"
"Of course it is, love." Aiden smiled. He put her down and motioned for his son. "Come here champ, let's tie your shoelaces."
"Lia! Reagan!" An animated shout, loud enough to catch all of their attention at once, boomed from a distance. Sophia Bronte Dawson waved her hand as high as she could.
"Sophie!!" Aurelia gasped, taking off to meet her best friend halfway. "Look, I'm wearing the bow too."
"Aren't you going to greet her too?" Elina asked stroking Reagan's hair. The toddler stared at the two girls uneasily.
"Sophie keeps wanting to braid my hair. And Lia always takes her side." Reagan mumbled. He hid his face into his mother's flowy dress.
Elina laughed. Aiden squat down to meet his son's eye level. He fixed Reagan's hair bangs and began to fasten his shoelaces.
"They do it because you're their big brother and they love playing with you." Aiden said kindly. "But here's what, the next time the girls do it, why don't you tell them that you don't like it. Maybe even show them some of the games you like to play."
The toddler looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then nod his head. "Okay, Papa."
The Dawsons arrived just as Reagan ran off to meet the girls. Kyle hugged his sister carefully. Hailey settled for a tight squeeze of her hands and a bright smile. She was in her eighth month of pregnancy while Elina, in her ninth. Both women had been ecstatic when they found that they were going to be mothers once again, at the same time.
"How do you look so well?" Kyle whispered to Aiden as the two women chatted away by themselves. "Hailey has made me her personal slave." He emphasized the last by widening his eyes. "Last night she started crying out of the blue and the reason was because she wanted syrup with her waffles and there wasn't any left at home."
Aiden glanced sideways at Elina and then turned to her brother. "Your sister wanted turkey roasted in oyster sauce at three in the morning." He deadpanned in a hushed whisper.
Kyle barked out a laugh before he could help himself. That caught some attention.
"What are you boys talking about?" Elina asked. When her question was followed by a wide eyed and shuffling feet silence, Hailey narrowed her eyes.
"You were complaining about the lack of syrup, weren't you?" Hailey narrowed her eyes at her husband.
Elina raised a mildly curious eyebrow. "Syrup? Whatever for?" She cast a subtle look toward the kids.
Aiden laughed quietly, knowing exactly where Elina's thought process was leading her to. Hailey seemed oblivious but Kyle caught on quickly.
"No." He answered, cheeks reddening. Kyle cleared his throat and smiled brightly. "Let's get going. We are already late."
"What about Hera and Derek?" Hailey said.
"They'll meet us there." Aiden answered.
A loud roar reverberated from a different portion of the palace. Elina rolled her eyes, gaze unfocusing for a couple of seconds.
"So impatient." She grumbled. "The kids are not riding in the carriage right?"
"Will it be safe? I'm still not sure about this." Kyle said. His expression looked unsure.
"They'll be fine. They will have guards around to keep an eye." Hailey said. She slipped her arm through his and tugged him forward.
"They're not normal human children, brother dearest. Plus all of us are right here. No harm will come to them on our watch." Elina assured Kyle.
"Are you really leaving without us?" Jason's voice boomed across the hallway. Elina jumped, clutching her heart.
"Skies..." She muttered.
"You're still here? I thought you and Julian were already at the entrance." Hailey said.
Julian greet them kindly as Jason squeezed in between Hailey and Elina, throwing an arm around each of their shoulders. He was gentle enough to not cause them harm.
"Can you not do that every single time?" Aiden grumbled. Though he didn't make a move to retrieve Jason from his position.
"Whatever, pretty boy. Let me give my children some attention!" Jason called, catching the attention of the toddlers.
It had been three years since his legs started functioning again. It took him almost an entire year and a half but Jason could now comfortably walk, though anything more than that took a great deal of effort. And a small amount of pain.
"Uncle Jase!"
They rushed into his open arms. Jason took turns to plant a fat kiss on each of their cheeks and raised his hands for a high five.
"I got something for my favorite trio of mages." He told them and pat his pockets. "Aha! Here it is!" Jason produced two bars of chocolate and one lollipop.
"Jase, don't give them sugar in the morning." Elina reprimanded. "You know how energetic they are even without it."
Jason simply rolled his eyes at her. "You are one to talk, missy. You husband probably has a whole stash of chocolate hidden somewhere on him. He's always giving them to you!"
Lia gasped. "Mama, you said chocolate will make the goblins follow me around." She shuddered. Sophie nod her head, equally appalled. She quietly lowered the hand that held the chocolate from her lips.
"Papa you said my teeth would never stop growing if I ate candy!" Reagan added. The poor kid looked almost heartbroken.
Four pairs of eyes glowered at Jason. Julian laughed clearly enjoying the scene unfold. "Don't forget the spiders in your bed." He said.
Jason shot him a betrayed look. Julian shrugged, smirking. Jason huffed and ushered the children forward.
"Let's go lovelies, don't pay heed to the oldies."
Glace shuffled her feet and glanced toward the entrance of the palace. Beside her Kyro snapped his teeth at one of the fledglings. She growled and came hurtling into his side again. Glace's chest rumbled in warning and the younger one disappeared beneath her father's belly. Her shimmering iridescent scales were the only thing that made her stand apart in the mass of identical rouge skin.
"Kaya!"
The fledgling peeked out from under Kyro's belly. Her amethyst purple eyes brightened. Her feathery tail swished behind her as Kaya dived forward toward Princess Aurelia. On hearing their sister, two other fledglings carefully snuck out from somewhere behind Glace.
Unlike Kaya, her brothers had the same glistening pearl white skin as their mother but traded her iridescent scales for the liquid gold of their father along with his wild sunflower yellow eyes. One of them - the oldest fledgling, Zion, inherited Kyro's lethal gold spikes on his long tail while the youngest, Nico, retained Glace's feathery tail like his sister.
Nico flew to Prince Reagan in such hurry that both of them ended up on the pavement. The fledgling proceeded to lick his face clean and rumbled happily when the little Prince pet his head. Zion patiently stood by his mother until Elina came along to pet his head. He sniffed at her stomach and nuzzled his snout into her side.
"Hey there, precious. Good morning to you too!" Elina greet the fledgling all the while patting his back. "How is my grumpy impatient dragon today?" She asked eyeing Kyro and reached over to kiss Glace on her snout.
Aiden came up behind her. He wrapped one arm around Elina and reached out the other for Glace to nuzzle her snout into. It took about five minutes for everyone to board the carriage and their respective dragons.
Aurelia settled comfortably on Kaya while Reagan took Nico. Sophie stared at Zion but the young dragon refused to let her ride him. He growled and snapped his teeth when one of the guards tried to hold him.
"He won't allow anybody to get on. Not just Sophie." Aiden spoke. He had been waiting for the children to climb up the dragons. "Not until he finds his Gemina."
"Sophie, sweetheart why don't you sit with Mama and-" Kyle began, coming out of the carriage.
"Sophie can sit with me, Papa." Reagan offered, cutting his Uncle mid sentence. When all the attention snapped to him, the young Prince's cheeks flushed pink. "I-I mean there's enough space here for both of us and I'm a better rider than Lia."
"You are not!" Lia interjected at once.
Aiden glanced at Kyle and both men shared a nod. The King placed a hand on Sophie's back and bent to meet her eye. "Do you want to ride Nico with Reagan? If you don't want to, you are welcome to sit with us in the carriage."
Sophie shook her head. "I want to go with Reagan, if that's okay Uncle Aiden."
"Of course, princess." Aiden smiled kindly. "Here, I'll help you up."
Once the kids were saddled in and secure, the party was ready for departure. Julian and Jase stood on their respective dragons at the lead.
"Onward." He called. "Keep the children secured from all sides at all times."
As the dragons took off one by one, Aurelia leaned down to whisper to Kaya. "We got this. Just like we practiced, okay?"
Kaya rumbled and let out a high pitched roar. She jogged forward and flapped her large powerful wings. Aurelia held on tightly as Kaya ascended. The rush of wind brushed her braided plaits behind her. She laughed and whooped.
Reagan tapped Nico on his neck. "Let's show them how it's really done, Nico." The fledgling bristled and growled. "Hold on tight, Soph."
And then with one blast of wind, Nico shot into the sky, rotating three sixty degrees, surprising Sophie. Zion joined them not far behind, though he kept closer to his parents or more precisely - the carriage.
"You are so slow, I can barely see you from here!" Lia yelled at her brother. Reagan smiled and tightened his grip on the reins.
"Nico, what do you say we perform a little trick for my dear sister?" He said.
"What are you going to do?" Sophie edged on.
"Something exciting. Try to stay on board." Reagan grinned.
His eyes glowed a bright shade of honey gold and runes of silver appeared at either sides of his eyes and enclosed his wrists. He brushed away a lock of silver hair from his eyes.
"Ready when you are, Nico."
The young dragon growled. His sharp yellow eyes glowed, as did his horns and the feathery end of his tail. The liquid gold scales on his underbelly and sides shone like the sun, reflecting light.
At the front, Aurelia glanced back at her brother. She grinned when she spot the changes. "So he wants to play. Kaya, do you fancy a game?"
Kaya rumbled, horns and eyes glowing. The feathery end of her tail however, sparked to life with flames. Her iridescent scales shimmered like prism glass. Aurelia's own eyes glowed a vivid gold. Silver runes framed her forehead and curled at the sides of her eyes. Two more curled at the shoulder blades and interwined at the back of her neck. It created an intricately beautiful pattern.
Without warning, before the soldiers could grasp on to the situation, two dragons and their riders zipped past in a blur, leaving only a trail of clouds in their wake. When the news reached the carriage, the adults only laughed.
Aiden's eyes glowed as he glanced at his Queen with a mischievous spark in his eyes. "We should go after them, right?"
"Some speed will do us more good." Elina agreed, eyes sparkling to life.
"Please don't." Kyle sighed, looking slightly green already.
"Hell yeah!" Hailey whooped. "I want to help."
"Guys not funny- oh skies I hate the whole lot of you!"
The carriage maneuvered by the two older dragons flashed across the sky, much to the dismay of the Royal guard.
"Not again." Julian groaned. "Jase-"
"On it. One portal coming right up."
Queen Elina stayed behind as the others weaved through the grassy path in between the tombstones. It was a yearly tradition to come visit the graves with the entire family. They had just finished paying their respects and arranging the flowers beside the tombstones.
The names of the people Elina held dear to her heart stood before her in a single file. Names and the years of their life inscribed neatly on pristine marble slabs.
The person who's tombstone, Elina now sat before was somebody she wished, she could have truly saved. Somebody who had lifelessly strived to protect her since the beginning.
Agatha Marlowe - Loving daughter and a spectacular Guardian
(Year 20xx- Year 20xz)
"Hello Nana, I'm back. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Elina said softly as she placed two flower stems on the grass. "Everyone is doing well. Hailey and I are expecting our second childbirth soon." She paused and fiddled with the grass.
"The kids are growing up so quickly. I still wish you could see them." Elina smiled. "I miss you. So much. And I know I say this every time but, Nana, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry I didn't get to you on time."
Two droplets of water fell on her hand. Elina sniffled and wiped away the tears. "I've tried so hard to put it in the past. It worked with everything else except when it came to you. And it hurts more because I know you were there for me. To bring a solution to my problems."
"You know she wouldn't hold you accountable for what happened, right?" A quiet voice came from behind her. Aiden knelt down beside her and brushed away a stray tear. "It wasn't your fault, Rora. You have to stop holding yourself in the wrong for what happened to Guardian Agatha."
"I know. It's just I feel responsible for her death." Elina said. She looked sadly at the words inscribed on the tombstone below the name and the year.
"So share it." Aiden said. Elina glanced at him with a puzzled expression. "Share the responsibility. Guardian Agatha was there to talk about us right? To convince her fellow Guardians that our bond was much more significant than a betrothal signed in secret."
"How do you know-" Elina started, drawing back to look at him more clearly. Aiden stared at her and then at the tombstone.
"The night before she left, Guardian Agatha paid me a visit." He declared finally.
Quick, light footsteps filled the corridor as a shadow crept past the windows. Dark ebony eyes looked around cautiously - as if waiting for somebody to attack. Guardian Agatha Marlowe shifted the rucksack higher up her shoulder as she reached the double doors that led to the miserable world outside.
Her fingertips touched the cool metal of the handle when a gasp left her lips. Her gaze unfocused and she stumbled, reaching blindly to hold onto the wall. Her clairvoyance always left her dizzy and often came at difficult timings.
Agatha blinked as her gaze refocused. Beads of sweat coated the sides of her face and neck. She wiped them with the sleeve of her tunic. If what she had seen were true then would have to tell him.
Agatha was in her true form. Not many would believe but she wasn't all that older than the Princess herself. She was approximately about a decade older than Elina. The Guardians never talked about their age.
Agatha didn't exactly know why but she guessed it was because all of them were, at the very least, a century older than she was. Another reason that she was despised for. How it had anything to do with her being at fault, Agatha didn't know. She just brushed them off as cranky old men and women who thought too highly of themselves.
Her very young age was of the many reasons, her colleagues spared her any to no respect. They would ignore her if not for her extremely special powers of clairvoyance. Nobody in the eight kingdoms matched her skills. That and she was instated as the head of a very valuable department in the Rune tower - Portals.
The Rune tower was her workplace and sometimes, her home. The towers specialized in discovering new runes and magical spells. And refining existing ones. It was divided into departments - of which three of them were highest in popularity and ranking.
Bond runes, Healing runes, Portal runes.
There were countless others but these three departments lorded over the rest. And only the best of the best Mages were accepted in. Each of the three departments barely had ten mages working in it. They were each headed by a Guardian.
Agatha had been on a delivery trip to the tower when she first met the Late Queen Genevieve and Crown Princess Elina. The Queen was doing one of her random trips to the Rune tower. But this time, she was accompanied by her daughter.
All it had taken was one handshake from the Princess and Agatha was hit with her clairvoyance. The Queen had requested an audience with her and asked about her insight.
"She's a descendant, Your Majesty." Agatha had blurted out without a second thought. Queen Genevieve's eyes widened in surprise and her hand immediately reached for the amulet on her neck. "And you must give the amulet to her soon if you don't want others finding about her powers yet. I've heard of the rumours around Her Highness. She's really strong for her age."
"And so are you. I've never come across a Guardian so young." The Queen smiled kindly at her. "What is your name?"
"Agatha Marlowe, Your Majesty. And you're too kind with your words. My powers are modest before the Crown Princess. I'm also not a Guardian yet. Still in training." Agatha bowed her head lightly.
She glanced at the Princess seated on the other end of the room, reading a random book she found in the library. Agatha hesitated. Queen Genevieve noticed.
"What is it, child? You can tell me if you want to." Queen Genevieve urged her.
"The Princess...she is bonded to somebody. They haven't met yet so the face isn't very clear. But I believe it is one of the Princes of Avrael." Agatha said.
Queen Genevieve had a lot of emotions cross her face at once. Surprise, joy, worry. "That's wonderful. I'm glad she had somebody who will treat her right and give her all the love on the world."
Agatha smiled cheerfully. "As am I, Your Majesty."
Queen Genevieve placed a gentle hand on Agatha's palm. "Thank you for telling me." And then she laughed. "I wish her father were here too. I would have loved to see the disbelief on his face. Elina means the world to him. The news of a boy, her bonded at that." Queen Genevieve's melodious laughter filled the room, gaining the attention of the little Princess.
But Agatha couldn't hear it. She gasped for a breath as her eyes refocused again. Her face was deathly pain and tears dribbled down her face. Queen Genevieve looked alarmed.
"Are you hurting? What's wrong? Let me call for he-"
"Fire. Death." Agatha gasped, clutching her head.
"Elina, sweetheart, ask the guards to call for a healer. Quickly please." Queen Genevieve said. "There, it's okay. Breathe. In. Out. Yes, that's it." Her eyes glowed as her fingertips rained a shower of white light on Agatha's skin.
"Your Majesty, please." Agatha clasped the Queen's hands into her own. "I-I saw something and I'm not sure if it can be prevented but we have to try."
"Alright..." Queen Genevieve answered. Her expression pricked with worry and slight apprehension.
"Forgive me for saying this but you cannot trust His Majesty's brother." Agatha said.
Queen Genevieve's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "Eric? Why?"
And Agatha had told her. Everything she had seen in detail. Details that took place exactly as she had told them without a hitch. No matter everything they had done to prevent it.
Agatha remembered praying with all her heart as she had stood in the forest that day in her glamored self, that it wouldn't come to a point where Elina would be forced to disappear with her. She had never thought she would appear before her the way she did. In the arms of her bonded and barely conscious.
It had taken Agatha everything to not breakdown right then because she knew that if the Princess was sent to her, then the kingdom had truly fallen. Agatha remembered using the new rune she had discovered not too long ago to make a portal that lead to an entirely different dimension.
Nobody had done it before but Agatha didn't have many choices. It was either hide in different kingdoms or leave their world altogether. Her heart ached to leave everything behind in the way it was.
But as she had looked at the young Prince Aiden Lockhart, she knew he would come for her. Her clairvoyance never failed her. Agatha clearly remembered the words she had spoken to him just before she left.
'One day, Corona will look upto you and bow their heads down in respect.'
"And they will." Agatha affirmed to herself. "This time, I refuse to let my clairvoyance come true. Even if it means sacrificing my blood to do it."
Prince Aiden opened the door of his study. He looked surprised to see her. "Yes? How can I help you...?"
Agatha glanced around them. "We need to talk. I have something important to tell you. It cannot wait. I'm in a hurry."
Prince Aiden now looked puzzled and slightly annoyed. "Do I know you?"
Agatha looked him for a long second before it clicked. Her glamor was off. Not many people had seen her in her own face for a long time. "Guardian Agatha Marlowe." She answered curtly. "Can we talk now?"
Aiden's eyes widened as he looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. "Y-Yes, of course. Come in. Sorry, I didn't recognize you in your..." He motioned to her face.
"Okay, listen to me very carefully. Exactly ten hours from now, there will be an attack and Elina will be taken." She said. "I want you to keep her in your sight every breathing second. Do not leave her alone. If it is absolutely urgent, then leave one of your friends - Hailey or Jason - with her. But do not leave her alone. That is the only way you can turn around the events."
Aiden's eyes widened. And then his expression turned grim, clenching his jaw. "I will alert security at once."
"I'm not finished. If somehow, Elina does get taken, it will be that bastard. I'm sure of it. Then, do not go after them. He will come to you. Trust me."
"I can't just sit here while he hurts Rora if that happens." Aiden interjected. "That is out of the question."
"You have something very valuable that Eric needs. He will never let Elina die before he attains it. But whatever he asks for, do not give it to him even if your life depends on it. There's nothing we can do if he gets both the amulets in his possession." Agatha said firmly. "Do you understand?"
"I will protect Rora with my life." Aiden promised.
Agatha nod her head. She turned around to leave and then hesitantly paused.
"I know that silly child will blame herself so tell her it was never her fault. I know what my decision will cause and I'm ready to embrace it. All I ask of you, just as Elina's parents asked of me, is that you never allow her to feel alone and lonely in this world." Agatha smiled ruefully.
"She loves you with everything she has, up to a point where the mere thought of being separated from you because of a betrothal that never should exist, caused her to go against everything and everybody that will take you away from her."
"You knew about the betrothal." Aiden said surprised. "And what do you mean? Nothing will harm you as long as you stay inside the palace."
"I'm going to speak with the other Guardians. I hope to be back but..." Agatha faltered. "Just promise me that all of you make it out of this alive. I know it's not right of me to ask you to carry the burden alone but I believe in you. And in Elina. Two against one is a chance I'm willing to take."
Aiden's head snapped up. Agatha rolled her eyes at his widened eyes. "I'm a Guardian for a reason, boy. But it's an honor to finally meet the second descendant. I never thought I'd see two Descendants in the same lifetime."
"I- thank you." Aiden said. He looked flustered all of a sudden. "Please come back safely. And thank you for supporting us when all the other Guardians let us down. It truly means so much to both of us."
"I'm only paying back my gratitude for all the good things that were sent my way when I needed them the most." Agatha said. "Make sure Elina does not know about this conversation. I will take my leave." She paused once again and tilt her head to the side.
"Elina has to be the one to kill him. You may aid her but Elina has to deal the final blow. He will never die unless the Princess does it. He was her family once upon a time after all."