The Dragon Prince - 2. Chapter 1: Détente

I paced my rooms, irritated and frustrated by the events on the beach. I knew that somewhere, lurking in the depths of my memory, the answer was ripe and ready to be picked. However, trying to evoke it was fraying my already short temper. The familiarity was what I found particularly maddening. I wondered if it was something I experienced before I was brought to this place, or, more probable, if it came from one of the lessons that were forced into my psyche. One thing I knew for certain; the sands of time were dissolving with every given moment, and with it, my execution drew ever nearer.

I squared my shoulders in determination, and for what seemed like the one-hundredth time, I made my way purposefully to the window. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I relaxed to calm my worn nerves, before sending out tendrils of magic into the unforgiving vista beyond my prison. Feather light touches caressed my senses as the magic weaved its way over the landscape, searching, probing and infiltrating places I could never hope to go. Heartbeats of small animals increased as the magic passed over them; the earth upon which they stood welcomed me with a whispered kiss. The treacherous sea allied itself tentatively with the power that skimmed its surface, allowing me to descend deep within its waters. Visions of the ocean floor played in my mind, its dark exquisiteness masking the menace that surely prowled there. Long forgotten caverns deep in the mountains glistened with majestic splendour; the arcs of colour ingrained into the rock, a masterpiece by Gaia herself.

Still there was no sign of the presence I had felt earlier, but I was unyielding in my resolve, and I pushed further, increasing the power that flowed from within me.

Through shrubbery and sea I searched, no cave went untouched or unnoticed. Cavern after cavern in the small but deadly mountains were searched high and low. Still naught, and frustration was starting to creep in.

I progressed into another cavern, this time with a waterfall, which was seemingly untainted by man’s evils. I watched as the water pounded the rocks at its foot mercilessly, and revelled in its orchestra. Fish of infinite colours gracefully swam in the waters below, flitting quickly away when they got too close to the fall itself. Cascading sunlight from an aperture above created a myriad of rainbows so wondrous that I stopped for a moment to bask in this heavenly tranquillity. Zipping flies were the only disturbance in this stunning oasis.

As I prepared to move on, there was a gentle nudge to the flow of magic and I froze. Subtlety I withdrew from the sea and land with gratitude, and concentrated my labours in this place. With precision, I combed every rock and surface and still found nothing. There was something here, of that I was confident, and my attention turned to the waterfall and the secrets I was convinced it held. Sweat was pouring from my brow; I could feel the trickles quickly moving down my face and neck. My power was starting to wane, but there was no way I was abandoning the search now, not when I was this close to achieving my objective. Realising time was running out, I moved with haste to penetrate the blanket of water. I felt a surge of power rebuff my attempt, and before I fully realised what had happened, I was flung across the room and onto a small table, which collapsed from the pressure.

Dazed, I slowly picked myself up and fell into a nearby chair, grimacing at the pain which throbbed at the small of my back. My head was pounding with the exertion, and I silently berated myself for being so foolish. I broke the cardinal rule, never rush into the unknown, and I had done just that. In my eagerness I had shown impatience. If Master Grepic were here now, he would be laughing at my stupidity.

However, I had at least found something; although, what that something was, still remained a mystery. The same presence that I felt at the beach was also evident behind that waterfall; I just had to wait until nightfall before I could attempt another look. My power was too weak and needed some time to replenish itself, but now, at least I had hope. With that thought, I made my way to the bed chamber for some much needed rest.

~~**~~
Dreams came swiftly but did nothing to ease my already anxious mind. They were identical every time I closed my eyes and entered the dreamscape. The dead motionless eyes of my parents and brother were prominent, haunting, sneering and goading me from the afterlife. Guilt crawled on my skin and clawed at my subconscious like a parasite. I was the Lord Protector, and I had failed my family and friends. They were dead because of my inaction and childishness. If I had been there, then perhaps they would still have been alive today, but no, I had escaped because of my gluttony and foolishness. I had failed the ultimate test and would forever carry that guilt; a guilt that I deserved, and which fuelled my burning need for vengeance.

The smirking face of Hector d'Remoud flaunted itself before me, and rage coursed through my veins. Ten years had done nothing to douse the flames of fury which still burned as bright today as they did all those years ago. One way or another, that monster and his brethren would pay the ultimate price, so I did swear. I am Prince Taral Lassast, Lord Protector, holder of The Heart of the Dragon, my honour decrees satisfaction, and what satisfaction I would gain with his head on a spike for all to see. What satisfaction I would have by bringing his army to its knees, and what satisfaction I would achieve by destroying the Makriam priesthood which he so covets, and occupying the lands which he cherishes so much.

Ultimately, what satisfaction I would obtain from freeing my homeland from the chains of bondage, to make it great once more, to wage war on those that would disregard and enslave us, to crush Makria underneath our boots. Yes, those were worthy goals, and only they would satisfy my honour.

There was something different about these dreams, a presence I had felt only once before, but not in this place. It seemed to calm me with whispers I cannot recollect, a touch on my subconscious eased my pain. I resisted this presence, fought tooth and nail against it, the pain was my elixir; it was what drove me forward and gave me a reason for my being. But the presence was remorseless and would not be dissuaded. Gradually, my mind calmed and blackness replaced despair, and I dreamed no more.

~~**~~
I awoke to someone shaking my weary body, and as I opened my eyes, my fatigue was quickly forgotten. A guard stood over me, but that wasn’t what surprised me, it was the Makriam mage that stood behind him. However, this was not just any mage they had dispatched; from the insignia on his collar, he was a Vedé. They were the most skilful and prominent of all mages, but this one was so very youthful, not much older than I was, and dare I say it, handsome. I baulked at my own admission, this was the enemy, and I shouldn’t think such things. Perhaps this was a new ruse by the Makriam; if they had done their research, they would know that whoever held the Heart of the Dragon would never lay with another woman. But did they think that I would be influenced so easily by a pretty face? I could feel the abhorrence swell inside my gut, but I hid it well...for now at least.

The mage spoke up, “Your Highness, if it would please you, your presence is required downstairs. We will give you a moment to change.” Not giving me a chance to respond, he gave a slight bow and left the bed chamber with the guard.

Well, that was very peculiar. No, that wasn’t just peculiar, that was entirely out of character. Something wasn’t right here, Makriam mages are, as a rule, quite boorish, at least the ones I have met; and none has addressed me in that manner for quite some time. I began to wonder if they had sensed the magic I had used earlier, but dismissed that thought immediately. They were strong and powerful, but they wouldn’t be able to detect the casting I did this afternoon. It was hidden well by Gaia herself. Makriam mages have no empathy with the Goddess Gaia; they err more on darkness which deters her from accepting them. Besides, in ten years, and after the numerous spells I had cast, not once had the alarms sounded. No, this was something else altogether, maybe another ruse to get me to open up - a striking, courteous mage no less. But why now, I wondered? It was surely a last attempt to squeeze the information out of me, but did I have an aura of a fool? I think not. I would have to be vigilant with these people to be sure, but whatever happened, and whatever promises they made, I would never tell them the secret of The Heart of the Dragon. Since that, I was convinced, was exactly what they were after.

I slowly got dressed and preened myself, hoping to aggravate them by taking a while to get ready, at least that’s what I told myself, but no one made an appearance to hasten me along. I appeared in the lounge with caution, to find the guard and the mage waiting patiently.

“Did you have an accident, Your Highness?” the mage asked looking at the flattened table I had fallen on earlier. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, and his voice was as smooth as the finest silk. I internally chastised myself; I would not be dazzled with this young man’s charms.

Our eyes locked, my heart fluttered. “They don’t seem to make things like they used to.” I smiled, playing this game of cat and mouse.

He simply nodded and returned the smile. “No, indeed they do not, Your Highness. Well, if you would follow me, Sire, I promise you this will not take up too much of your time.” Giving my agreement, I followed them out.

I was sorely tempted to put some feelers out to get a grasp of the situation, but then, perhaps that was precisely what they wanted me to do. Curious, but with my guard still up, I followed them through the twisting corridors, and down a couple of flights of stairs.

Srowl Castle was many hundreds of years old. What they didn’t find, and what I neglected to mention to them, were all the secret passages and rooms which were located here. These people were idiotic; so caught up were they in the ‘Victory’ over our people, they neglected to search the castle properly, simply taking it at face value. For that I was grateful. Some of the reading matter I had found filled the breach in my education, which the schooling I had as a child hadn’t covered as yet. It had crossed my mind before now to secrete myself in one of these rooms, to buy time until my sixteenth year. I knew however, that they would simply raze the castle to the ground with me still in it. That was not an option I cared too much for.

I was being led to one of the more isolated areas of the castle, a place I hadn’t been allowed until now. I was trembling internally, but kept up a neutral facade; perhaps they had put the execution forward to today. No, the Makriams are fastidious; they would never do something like this at the spur of the moment. Moreover, I imagine they would want to revel in the moment.

We arrived at a door which was opened in invitation for me to go through; upon entering, I was surprised to find the room devoid of people. Interesting, they normally come in twos, certainly not on their own. I was beginning to think that my first assumption had been accurate; I cannot believe that they had thought I would be seduced by this boy mage! What was more intriguing, however, was the magic that flowed around this confined space. My restricted abilities would not allow me to discern what the the spell was, but it didn’t seem to pose any immediate threat.

“Please wait outside.” The guard looked surprised by the mage’s request, as was I, but acquiesced. This was certainly a break from protocol, but that seemed to be the median for this young man.

“Your Highness, if it pleases you, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable, we have much to go through.” I looked him right in the eye to see if there was any malicious intent, but as far as I could discern, there was not. Taking the proffered chair, I sat and waited for him to begin. I came to learn a long time ago, never to open up to these people in any manner. I certainly wasn’t about to break that, especially now.

“I imagine you are more than a little curious as to why I have brought you here, Your Highness, and are no doubt speculating about the spell that has been cast around this room. As you have already deduced, it is nothing dangerous, more to keep prying ears deaf to the conversation we are about to have.” I raised my eyebrow in question, but did not offer a verbal response. He had not, after all, asked me a question.

“I am Vedé Aavin, and I have been sent here this twilight to put forward a proposition to Your Highness.” Vedé mages always used the title before their real names, pompous asses that they are! “I know that you have no reason to trust us, nor me for that matter, but I hope that at least you will hear me out, and consider what I’m about to tell you.” Still I remained stoic, only nodding to encourage him to continue.

“Foremost, let me inform you that I am not here at the behest of the King, quite the contrary in fact. There are a great number of us who are outraged and appalled by His Majesty’s conduct over the last ten years, and it has come to the fore with him ordering your execution, Highness. We know of the prophecy, and deem it to be true, and we cannot stand idly and let this continued madness go unchallenged. We want it to be absolutely clear that the Vedé were never consulted, nor gave their consent to the invasion of Voceania. As you know, Sire, that is required by our laws.”

I did indeed know of these laws, and was surprised at this revelation. As I cast my mind back, I could not recollect seeing any Vedé in attendance at the palace; however, that didn’t mean that they weren’t there! Fascinating, but all this seemed far too good to be true, and very convenient. I was willing to hear the rest before I made any comment; one should never jump the gun before having all the pieces on the table.

“It seems His Majesty was more under the influence of the priesthood than my predecessors could ever have imagined. When the Vedé voiced their concerns, the gallows quickly silenced them, and any others who would voice opposition. Either that or they simply disappeared, never to be seen again. Now, we do our best to work silently in the background, to try and sabotage the priests in their work, but we have to be very careful. They take it out on the people by rationing food and water; sometimes they even resort to executions to make an example. I’m sorry to say, Highness, but Voceania has burdened the brunt of their evil.

“The young gifted are drafted into the ranks of the Priesthood, and brainwashed into serving the dark. Our agents tell us of unspeakable torture on the children who are more resilient to their methods and those that fail the final test are dispensed with accordingly, Sire. Their ranks are swelling disproportionately and if something isn’t done soon, Highness, there will be no hope for any of us.

“Slavery has also become commonplace, with Voceanians making up over ninety percent of the workforce. The conditions they work and sleep in, I believe, even a dog would object to. They are put to work in the mines mostly, with the natural ores of your Kingdom being stripped and sent to Makria to fund the Priesthood’s expansion, and that of our army.

“Dark forces are at work, Sire, and if we don’t act now, then more innocent people in Makria, Voceania, and eventually the Kingdom of Kerikum, will pay the price.”

Dark magic requires human sacrifice, and I seethed at the thought of my people suffering at the hands of these barbarians. I never realised the situation was as bad as this mage made it out to be. What incensed me the most was that our children were being brainwashed and executed. I could feel the blood boiling in my veins as my hatred for these priests grew exponentially.

Where were the Kerikum when all this was going on? No doubt, their obese Queen was counting the gold from our demise. This Kingdom lay directly north of Makria, but shared a small border on the western coast with Voceania. They were an agricultural nation, who relied heavily on us for natural ores. No doubt the Makriam were only too happy to supply these at reduced cost. They have an enormous army which, without doubt, had persuaded Hector to stay within his borders, at least for now.

The silence was deafening as Aavin and I sat staring at each other for some time.

“Let us just assume that you are being truthful with me, mage, what exactly do you expect me to do about it? If you hadn’t noticed, I am incarcerated here, and due to be executed in just one moon.”

“Why, escape of course, Highness!” How Aavin managed to say that with a straight face, I’ll never know. He must have taken note of the look of surprise on my face because he continued, “There are ways and means, Sire, especially if you have a little help.”

I gave him a hard look. It was times like these I wished I had the full range of my potential power at hand; I would be able to tell truth from lie. As things stood, I had to go on my instincts. This was perhaps the biggest conflict I could imagine. I had festered hate for these people since that day over ten years past, and dreams of revenge had haunted me nightly. Now, here was this Makriam mage, a Vedé no less, implying that he would help me escape! I felt a huge range of emotions going through me, anger, loathing, guilt and conflict; it was confusing mix, when what I really required was clarity. If what he said was true, then everything I had believed was not as black and white as I once thought it was. Could I put everything that I once assumed to one side so easily, to trust a people that had murdered my family and friends? That was asking an awful lot. Then again, could I pass up the opportunity to free my people from the servitude of the last ten years? To extract revenge against the Priesthood that had committed so many atrocities. Indeed, this was a dilemma that had no easy solution.

“So, you come to me when your people are on the brink of extinction, and if that hadn’t been the case, would you have made this journey?” The bitterness in my voice was evident, and he flinched at the question.

“Your Highness, if there was no prophecy then King Hector would have murdered you ten years ago and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. As it stands, millions of innocent people will die because a madman refuses to listen to reason.” There was tension building in his voice now.

“Makriam people, not mine. Why should I care what happens to them? If I die at the hands of a Makriam, then my people are free, with only my blood spilt. And, if you remember, mage, it was your King that murdered my family, who betrayed us. Why should I trust you now?” I spat.

“So you would rather die as a martyr and let millions follow you for revenge?” he asked incredulously. “Our people never asked for this conflict any more than yours. It is hardly fair, Sire, to blame the many for the actions of the few, and in this case, one.”

“It was hardly fair of your King to secrete mages into the palace and murder my family. It was hardly fair for your armies to run riot in my Kingdom and murder and rape thousands of innocents.” I stood up and leaned over the table, staring him in the eye. “It was hardly fair of your King to hold out the hand of friendship whilst holding a dagger in the other. Is that what you are doing...MAGE.” I was positively sneering at him now.

His facade was broken; anger replaced the calm that the Vedé are renowned for.

He stood abruptly, knocking the chair over behind him. “I can see that this was a mistake,” his voice was now raised, a rare occurrence indeed. “You’re....”

“Why did they choose you to come here?” I interrupted calmly.

“What? I....”

“Did they choose you because you are young and good looking, that perhaps I would be influenced by that? That I would be so desperate for someone pretty to look at, I would agree to almost anything?” He flushed a deep red, and I smiled at his reaction.

“Your Highness, I...I volunteered to come here,” he stammered

“Really...can I ask why?”

“You are almost right,” he sighed. “I thought it would be easier for you to talk to someone of your own age, rather than some grizzled old mage and the others agreed. Though, I didn’t put it quite like that. But I was also curious about you as well, about well, you know...”

I let out a chuckle at his obvious discomfort. “Yes, I think I do. But why would you be curious about that, I wonder, it is common knowledge after all?” I really didn’t think it was possible for anyone to go as red as he was at present, and it looked as though he was ready to bolt from the room. “It’s alright, Aavin, I understand, I’m only teasing you. But I feel we have other more pressing issues to deal with first, don’t you?”

Clearly relieved at the change of topic, he nodded.

“Now, how do you propose that I escape from this place?”

His head jerked up in surprise. “You mean you’ll do it? But I thought you didn’t trust us?”

I retook my seat and stared at him intently. “I don’t trust the Makriam at all, Aavin, and make no apologies for it. It’s impossible to dispense ten years of hate in just a moment. That, I feel, will take an awful lot more than one conversation. However, I do trust you, and that’s a good start. It’s very rare a Vedé will show emotion, but that told me all I needed to know. You’re passionate, you believe in what you say, and that’s good enough for me.”

“You were testing me?” He sounded almost insulted. “You, Sire, are more devious than they give you credit for, but I cannot blame you, if the situation were reversed...”

“Taral.”

“Your Highness?”

“My name is Taral. I really prefer that in private. I never liked the use of titles and ‘Sire’ makes me sound as though I’m ancient.” He smiled at me, and what a smile it was, it lit up his entire face. I hastily pushed those emotions to the back of my head; I cannot be thinking such things now.

“What I am curious at, though, is what the Vedé expect one sixteen year old boy to do against an entire army? Even if I am united with the Heart, and as powerful as that would make me, there are limitations on what I can do. Going against entire Makriam legions, mages and the dark forces of the Priesthood is asking a lot. Although, admittedly, I could create an awful lot of chaos.”

“Hope, Taral...It would give the people something to believe in, to hold on to when times are bad. You would stand as a beacon against the dark forces, and that is what His Majesty and the priests are most afraid of. They would rather risk a plague than have you roaming the Kingdoms. That, in itself, should tell you something. They are terrified of what will be let loose; I suppose, it’s the fear of the unknown, as they know very little of this Heart.”

“Well, it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. They have questioned me on numerous occasions, used magic to try and prize the information from my mind. They really should brush up their tactics; dark will never work against the Goddess Gaia,” I mused.

“Yes, and they plan on trying again before your execution, but I feel you’ll be out of reach before that happens.” I looked at him in question. “We have a boat hidden on the far side of this Island; so I will need to create some kind of diversion at an opportune moment so you can slip away. Now, I’m assuming you know where the Heart of the Dragon is located.” I gave a cautious nod in conformation. “Then I don’t need to tell you that you must get to it with due haste.”

“And what of you, Aavin? They will surely know that you aided me in my escape?” Although I had just met this young man, there was something about him that I liked, aside from his good looks. He was passionate and seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve, something that I admired. To say I was more than a little concerned about his welfare would be grossly understating matters.

His face fell when I asked the question. “I must stay behind, Taral, to buy you some time in your escape.”

I was taken aback by his response. One could only imagine what the priests would do to him when they got here; I made a quick and surprisingly easy decision. “You will do no such thing; I would not be able to live with myself if you were to die at their hands. No, you shall come with me or our bargain is off.” He spluttered for a moment before I continued. “Moreover, what good is a boat if the sailor cannot swim or sail? I shall flounder on the sea before I even sight Voceania.”

His eyes widened. “You mean...”

“Unfortunately, they forgot to put it in the curriculum at this fine establishment, so no, I can do neither.” I sat back in my chair looking very smug with myself.

He shook his head. “I can’t believe we overlooked that, so it doesn’t seem that I have much choice, does it?”

“Live or die Aavin, it seems like an easy decision to make. Besides, am I so repulsive or such bad company that you would rather stay here and deal with the priests?” The blush that lit up his face was simply adorable.

“No, of course not, you’re very handsome Taral....I mean...” His shoulders slumped. “I was under strict orders to stay here and give you as much time as possible, it does not sit well that I have to disobey.” I was shocked that they had effectively ordered him to stay and die; if I ever had the pleasure of meeting these people then I would certainly be making my feelings clear on the matter.

“You are your own person, Aavin; they have no right to make such demands. Further, if they dare to question you later, you can blame my stubbornness. I shall like to meet these people who will send a young man to his death, but for now let us deal with the situation at hand.”

We sat and discussed various options for some time before coming to an amicable solution. It was a risky strategy where anything could go wrong but, hopefully, his attendance when we put this plan into operation would throw the guards off somewhat....hopefully!

So it was to bed I went that night with optimism in my heart, and a sense of purpose I had not felt in a long time. Dreams did come, but the torment was replaced with something quite different. Visions of a time long past came to the forefront of my mind, though these were not my memories, nor my eyes that I was looking through. I had never seen such things in my lifetime, however they gave me the clarity that I so desired. Now I knew exactly what I had to do.

To Be Continued..............

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