The path to Maluth's cabin was a long one, but it was well worn. We'd not encountered any wildlife, the three little dragons behind me were making enough noise to warn any animal to run away.
Maluth stopped at a little wood shack, it looked no bigger than the room in the tower.
"It's an enchantment, pay no attention to the view."
Jangling keys on a large ring, Maluth turned them until he found the right one. I waited patiently, grateful that we weren't being chased by anything.
With a click of the lock, Maluth pushed the door open and walked in. Beyond the door was a view of a warm and inviting room that was grand and filled with a lot of things.
"Told you so."
"Okay, but I did believe you."
I ushered the babies into the cabin, waiting as Maluth pulled the key out of the lock and shut the door.
"It is important to hide, especially if you've got something to hide."
"What do you have to hide Maluth?"
He hobbled over the stone floor, leaning on the long cane as he dumped the keys onto a small table.
"I hide from other wizards mostly. They don't like it when someone becomes more powerful."
Maluth gestured to the long wood table that sat beside a hearty fireplace. I was already warm, and the little darlings were inspecting it, finding a good place to settle down.
"Sit, I'll brew some tea, and we can discuss the future."
He pottered around the room, collecting things and then returning to the fireplace. Stepping over the dragons was probably something that he'd never done before, but Maluth did it without complaint.
Putting the water into a small urn, Maluth added the tea leaves and set it onto the wire racks above the fire. With a heavy sigh, the wizard stretched up and turned to me.
"Your father isn't well."
"Oh," I said softly.
"If they've been sending knights regularly then it means that it isn't good. With this one actually killing the dragon, it means they've sent the best, knowing he'd get through."
Which means that he could be on death's door. That proved troublesome, I was the heir to the throne. I couldn't kill a knight if I were queen, could I? Duh, of course I could.
"I know you've suffered a lot today Caliphe, but you should be prepared to return to your home and say goodbye to your father. And of course, that other thing."
I nodded, glumly looking down at the dragons. They were blissfully unaware of the dangers of my future. Queen of Thistlewood, a regency that has always been fraught with issues. Thistlewood sat in a prime position that consumed the land from one seaport to another on the other side of the land. The land between was lush and prosperous.
Thistlewood allowed travellers to pass through from one territory to another. We even allowed the merchants to use our roads as a trade route. Of course, there were taxes to be paid, but it was more cost effective than going by sea. And naturally, there were no seafaring rats to plunder the riches of the merchants.
Because of its prime placement and quality land, Thistlewood has always been looked at with keen interest by her neighbours. The kings of the territories either side have stated quite clearly that Thistlewood would make a great addition to their landholdings. My father has been a firm and valiant tactician, he has held them back, and it worries me that his death will have them knocking at the castle gate.
My mother was not a warlord like my father, she was delicate and chaste. If a king turned up and said that Thistlewood was his for the taking, she would cower and let him take it. This meant that I had to return. But what about the babies at my feet? Could I walk into the castle with them surrounding me and not have the guards pointing their swords at them?
I knew that I needed Maluth's help.
"I have been prepared for this future. From the moment I could talk, I learned to speak in a way that was fitting of a queen. When I could read I was given books to learn how to be a good queen. I prayed that my parents would have a son that would usurp my position, but that has not happened. I am an only child, and for that, I think this world will suffer."
"I'm sure you will make a great queen Caliphe."
"A queen with dragons?" I said, trying not to sound like I was mocking him.
"Why not?"
He stood from the seat and grabbed a cloth, pulling the urn from the rack. With a strainer in place, Maluth poured the sweet-smelling liquid into the waiting cups.
"Do you honestly think that the kingdom will accept the dragons?"
"They will if you tell them they have no choice."
Intrigue filled me, I became curious about the possibilities.
"He was singing."
Maluth looked up at me with a confused frown, quickly lost when the urn became too hot for his hands. With a few hisses, the urn was set to the stone surround.
"Who was singing?"
"The knight, as he burst into the tower."
I could see the disbelief on his face, I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't heard it for myself.
"I can't get over the arrogance. Even if he hadn't killed Mama Red, I'd still be put off by him."
"And you obviously refused any offers he may have suggested?"
"Too right. As if I'm going to marry that freak."
Maluth's hand was shaking as he reached for his tea, still wobbling as he took a sip.
"Everything okay?"
Because the fear in his eyes said differently. The tea rattled against the metal edge as Maluth put the cup back on the table.
"Uh, how did things go? I know he wasn't impressed that you declined his marriage proposal and the nasty business about the dragon but everything else was alright, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, aside from the fact that I said I'd decapitate him and drag his body around. I need a horse."
"Oh dear me." Maluth groaned.
"Yes, you are right. I need an axe first. I also said that I'd put his head on a pike, so we need to deal with that as well."
His hands propped his head on the table, the wizard was groaning.
"Was that too much?"
The withered hands moved away from his head as Maluth looked up at me.
"Too much?" He said, shocked. "My dear, you are definitely your father's daughter. War mongering without the fear of who you upset."
Yes, that was true. My mother had said that I was my own worst enemy.
Maluth stood from the table, shuffling to a hall stand that was stacked high with papers. Finding what he wanted, Maluth returned and slapped the newspaper to the table. As he gestured, I opened the newspaper and found the reason for his groaning.
I'd insulted a prince.
True to my form, it wasn't just any old prince. It was one of the neighbours, one that would not be happy that they'd been refused. I didn't care, after all, I was angry and hurt. I wouldn't take it back, I would still say those things now if I were faced with the situation again.
The Ruwena Kingdom was to the north of us and possibly the worst out of the two. It was no surprise that they'd sent the son of the king to create an alliance with my family by forcing us into a situation that we could not back out of.
He was right when he said that payment for rescuing me was marriage. The biggest problem was, he'd broken down the door, and I'd used it to leave the tower. I didn't use the dragon, he knew that because he'd killed her. If he wanted to play dirty, he could say that even though he didn't leave with me on his arm, he still freed me.
"Damn it!" I hissed, thumping my hands on the newspaper.
Prince Drewyn Ruwena, only son of our king and queen, will set off on an arduous journey into the wilds of the Thistlewood Kingdom to save Princess Caliphe Thistlewood from the dragon-guarded castle. The Prince will embark on this treacherous journey in the early hours of the day and should make the Misty Woods by sunup. There, our gallant prince will slay the fiend that keeps the princess locked in the lonely tower, returning her to her morose family. Many knights have tried to eliminate the beast and have failed, we know that Prince Drewyn will not fail.
I wish I'd known that he was coming, I would have called Mamma Red and taken all of us to safety.
"How did you know who I was talking about?"
"You said he was singing. There is only one knight that is so self-absorbed that he believes that everyone needs to hear him. Drewyn likes to sing and regularly has adoring and swooning fans."
I was not surprised about the fans, as for the singing part, that was a little odd.
"Do you mean like on the streets singing, looking like a lunatic or for guests at a party?"
Maluth chuckled at my screwed-up face, I really didn't know how to deal with someone that was a show-off.
"From what I've heard, for guests. Though if he was singing for you, perhaps he's changing. Maybe it was to impress you."
"Well, it did the opposite. I nearly vomited in my mouth."
His laughter filled the small room, the dragons looked up at him with a sleepiness in their eyes. I sank back the tea now that it had cooled sufficiently.
"The dragons will need to be fed, I doubt that their mother had time this morning considering that she was ambushed at feeding time."
Maluth nodded, picking up the cups.
"Follow me."
Setting the cups onto a counter that had a tub of water, Maluth moved to a small archway. In the next room was a set of stairs and two closed doors.
"There are two bedrooms up there, you can take them into the spare room if you think that they won't burn the place down. If not then we need a better solution."
"Maybe we could see how we go? They've been alright so far."
Sneezy was behaving himself. The wizard nodded and turned his hand to the door next to the stairs.
"That's the washroom. Out here is the protected yard."
Pushing against the wood door, Maluth opened it slowly and waited for the dragons to pass. I stood at the door with wonder in my eyes. It was a bright area, like a grassy woodland that was picture perfect.
It seemed magical, I firmly believed that fairies would start flying around us. That wasn't possible of course, but this area had that feeling to it.
"Is this a part of the forest?" I asked, stepping onto the grass.
"Not really. This is a spell that has cast us into another area. No one can get in or out, aside from the door. That window up there is the spare room, you'll be right to leave it open for them."
"So why can't they stay out here?"
Ruby flew up into the trees and answered my question, banging into the wall. It was an illusion, an incredibly perfect illusion.
"They can, once they've learned that the area is small and that they can't just fly up into the sky. Teach them Caliphe, make them understand you and your commands. If you intend on staying here for a while then there will come a time when the dragons will have to be outside, their size will be too large for the cabin."
Yes, it was getting close to that now. For a few nights though, these little babies needed love and comfort and I was all that they had. They would stay with me and perhaps in a few days, they would find sleeping outside easy again.