Copyright Ⓒ 2019 by B. R. Bailey All Rights Reserved
"I can push for another House to take over," Galadriel admitted, her green eyes narrowed. "The Dragons will have pause knowing that we have weapons to use against them from the old wars as well as the aid of Curse Breakers, trained by myself."
"And then there's the idea of fighting you," Gustav added, his blue eyes shining. "You've taken out a few of the sentries who were taking off with human sacrifices."
"That I have," she admitted, holding their youngest son on her hip.
"I bet you could take one out to Briar Rose."
Briar Rose wasn't so sure. She had only fought one Dragon and had passed out before being able to incapacitate it, much less kill it.
"It's good to know that my top three students ended up teaching you properly. I suppose that I should thank them for that."
Briar Rose bit her lip, wondering how that reunion would go. She was glad that her Godmothers had spared her life and raised her with love. Galadriel understood that and accepted the kindness the mortals had shown after having rescued her when she was a baby.
They could have killed her and instead spared her life, coming to love her enough to risk their lives defying the High King and High Queen themselves.
"What a lovely country. Lots of open lands. Easy to see invaders," Galadriel admitted, pointing to a far off river. "Look at that water. You can see it miles away!"
Grinning, Briar Rose turned her head, knowing that Whitewater was an honest country in every way.
"Hey! Give it back!" two boys ran past, one holding two packs over his shoulders as the other chased after.
"I don't know if we should stay in the Castle," Gustav admitted, rubbing his neck. "We're as wild as a pack of wolves."
Briar Rose smiled at her parents and her siblings. "Merlins Keep is used to that. Believe me, they know how to handle wild animals."
"Maybe he's right," Galadriel sighed. "We've raised them traveling from place to place. They're not like the people in Castles. They know magic, yes, but that might not be enough for them to be accepted...being who they are."
"I think that they'll be alright," she admitted after they stopped by the river a while later, resting on the shoreline. Reaching into her own pack, she pulled out a book.
"They won't be the first of their kind in Merlins Keep."
"You trust this place?" Gustav asked as he prepared sandwiches. "It isn't safe for Dragons to be about in the Mortal world outside of those they know they can trust. Some Wizards and Witches will trick you and try to cut out your heart for power or enslave you."
"I trust the Knights of the Round Table. My comrades would never harm any of you. King Arthur has also made it clear that you are welcome to live in the Castle and will be protected by the Castle and the Knights jointly."
"That is very kind of him to offer," Gustav admitted, handing them all lunch. "I had feared that our family might never find a home after the Dragons started attacking."
The two older boys nodded their heads. "Yeah," Gerrault, the oldest, stated. "We thought people would think that we were like them. We got by breaking Curses, but we had to move really fast afterward. I wonder if we'll be able to fly one day."
"Fly?" Briar Rose asked, surprised by that statement. "Why would you think that you can fly?"
"Well, we're half Dragon!" Melchior, the younger of the two, cried. "Why wouldn't we be able to?"
"You're Mortal," Galadriel chided, ruffling his hair. "Flying is for Dragons. Without wings, you're stuck to the ground."
King Arthur and Sir Leonard met their party as they entered Merlins Keep, guiding them up to their suite.
"Thank you so much, Arthur," Briar Rose cried, overjoyed to have them all staying in the Castle. "We all get to be so close! Did I tell you that I have siblings?"
"I did see that mentioned in your letters," he admitted with a grin.
They talked for the rest of the night, going over what to say to the Dragons the next day.
Galadriel was the main speaker, as she had once been the Princess of the Court of Royal Wings. With her brokering a deal, mentioning that Rumpelstiltskin was dead and gone and that the treasures of Merlin and the original Knights of the Round Table were recovered, the Dragons decided that they didn't want to attack the Mortal world anymore.
The rogues who had joined up years ago were okay with following rules as long as they got to live in peace, deciding that they didn't want to strike out on their own again.
They signed a treaty with United Magic Defense Force agreeing to leave the Kingdoms around the Great Peaks alone.
Once that was done the Kingdoms signed a treaty with King Arthur, asking for his continued assistance in manning their borders with the Knights of the Round table. Having discussed the matter at length with them, they agreed to help protect the people of all of the lands.
Alagils newest Royals, a merchant couple that had survived the Curse because they took their money and position to help the poor villagers who were homeless, we glad to become official allied with Whitewater.
A huge ball was thrown to celebrate the union of all of the Kingdoms.
Briar Rose did admit that she was apprehensive of going to a Ball. Her first one hadn't turned out so well.
"Don't worry," Julia assured her as she fretted outside of her suite. "This is Whitewater. We won't try to sacrifice you."
"Thank you," Briar Rose sincerely meant it. After learning who she truly was, she hadn't felt comfortable staying in Alagil. Her Godmothers knew the ever-present danger to her life and urged her to go to Whitewater, as she had genuine allies there.
They were at the Royal Court in Alagil, helping train new Curse Breakers and managing the protective spells around the Kingdom, a full-time job that made them all very happy.
Briar Rose patted the sides of her blue dress, wondering if she should change into another color as she looked at herself in the mirror.
"You look wonderful," her mother assured her, stepping around the corner of the closet. "I thought the pink one would be lovely but that blue makes your eyes stand out."
"Okay," she relented, hoping to stand out. "Thank you."
"I like how you did your hair. Wearing it down is becoming of you. It makes you look older."
"Really?" Briar Rose patted her hair, blushing.
"Try to give it bigger curls, so highlight your cheekbones."
As they were getting ready to meet old and new friends, Briar Rose finally felt like she belonged in Merlins Keep. It was hard telling people she was the lead Curse Breaker in Whitewater and Alagil when they saw how young she was.
"I didn't really earn the title," Briar Rose admitted as she sat before the vanity, her mother helping curl her hair for her. "My spell didn't work properly. I passed out and then I woke up later that night."
Galadriel frowned, perplexed. "And you sealed the spell with your blood?"
"I did. I took the Curse into myself so anyone who was good in their hearts could live."
"Someone removed the Curse from your heart," Galadriel realized. "A Dragons Curse doesn't simply fade away."
"But...does that mean someone else is Cursed in my place?" Briar Rose cried, horrified. "Oh no! I hardly knew anyone at the Ball! Oh, I do hope the Princess can become good one day and cared for enough to have someone free her. Then that nice person will wake up to live again."
"If you set that rule, it shall be."
Galadriel tucked a curl being Briar Roses ear, smiling down at her. "You showed more compassion than I did. Over the years I felt guilty but I never did go back to alter the Curse."
"I think that everyone deserves a second, or third, chance."
Sir Leonard knocked at the door, guiding them all down to the ballroom.
King Arthur was greeting guests, smiling at each person who arrived.
He waved as soon as he spotted them in the crowd.