Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 02 - Meladrom Page 2

“Yes my Lady, they came back a while ago, obviously being rider less sent a panic through the castle.” Arweyn looked relieved for a moment that her horse had returned safely, but was a little worried about how much trouble they were in, she looked across at Kainan.

  “Sorry we did not mean to cause a panic. Is the Queen very mad?” the young prince asked, knowing perfectly well that she was going to be. Drew shifted on his horse.

  “Well she is none too pleased my Lord, let’s just say that. What happened? Blackstorm, calm,” he ordered to his horse as it quivered again. Kainan shrugged, holding Blackstorm’s bridle and patting him calmingly with his other hand, he could not possibly tell him the truth.

  “We tethered the horses and went for a stroll, when we got back they had both gone; it looked like something had spooked them both.” Drew jumped down off Blackstorm, and glanced at the young prince. He held onto his smile privately, Kainan was no good at lying, he knew they had been up to a lot more than that.

  “Any idea what spooked them?” he asked, patting his horse. It was not like his horse to be fidgety, but something was obviously bothering him.

  They shook their heads before replying together.

  “No.”

  “Jackson keep a watch about, Blackstorm is skittish, there might be outlanders lurking,” Drew ordered to one of his men. Jackson nodded, immediately waving a hand to the other six riders, who promptly fanned facing outwards, hands on their swords ready.

  “Although,” Kainan added, as he watched the men act on Drew’s order, “there is a dead bull right out in the forest, and it is been ripped to pieces by something.”

  “A bull, what all the way out here?” Kainan gave a nod. The King’s bodyguard thought for a moment, and glanced into the forest.

  “Some of the villagers have reported livestock disappearing over the last few months. I will get some men to look into it. We may have a problem with some outlanders.” The young prince nodded.

  “We should head back, darkness is coming. Take my horse my Lord, my Lady. I will ride double with Aaron,” Drew offered.

  Kainan mounted Blackstorm, offering out his hand to Arweyn, she took hold and he pulled her up behind him. Blackstorm skittered and Kainan reared him back sharply.

  “He is in a funny mood,” Kainan remarked, glancing back at Drew. The burly man nodded agreeing, he did not know what was wrong with his horse, but he was certainly acting out of character.

  The party set off back to the castle and once they left the forest Blackstorm finally seemed to settle back down. Just as darkness fell, their horses thundered across the wooden bridge entering the courtyard to the Castle of Malgar.

  “Oh hell,” Kainan muttered as he saw his mother, the Queen, standing waiting for them, her arms folded tight to her chest. Alongside her was Arweyn’s mother, Lady Elanor, and they both had a look of displeasure on their faces. “Oh we are in trouble,” he said, drawing the words out slowly. Arweyn poked him in the ribs. Spinning around he grinned at her.

  “Kainan, thank the stars,” his mother cried, as he dismounted. Lifting his arms up Arweyn slipped down into them and taking her hand, they approached them.

  “I am sorry to have worried you mother, Elanor,” he said, dipping his head to them both, as he approached.

  “We thought the worst when your rides returned without you!” Arweyn’s mother scolded, giving him a grim shake of her head. Reaching for her daughter, Lady Elanor embraced her.

  “I am fine mother really, the horses bolted that is all,” she explained at her mother’s disconcerting frown.

  “You two should not have been so far out in the forest alone,” the Queen admonished, as they began walking back into the castle. “Thank you Drew,” the Queen called after him, as he led his men and the horses away, and giving him a little wave of her hand. He gave her a quick bow, before continuing.

  “Arweyn you are wanted in the kitchen,” her mother informed her as they walked. She looked at her questioningly.

  “The bonding cake Arweyn,” her mother implored, lifting her arms in exasperation. Her daughter’s eyes went wide, and her hand rose to her mouth.

  “The cake, I had forgotten.” Her mother frowned at her.

  “Obviously, now you will have to put in some work tomorrow, otherwise you will never get it finished in time.” Arweyn nodded, turning to Kainan.

  “I have to go, got things to do.” He smiled at her, leaning forward and giving her a kiss.

  “Okay, I will see you later. Great picnic,” he called after her, as she walked away. Glancing over her shoulder at him, she blushed as he winked at her. Shaking her head with a chuckle, she waved, her fingers, twinkling them in the air at him, before hurrying off with her mother into the castle. Kainan walked alongside the Queen.

  “Mother, where is father?” he asked, as they were just about to enter the castle. She glanced at him.

  “He should be in the library,” she replied. Kainan nodded.

  “Will you excuse me, I just want to quickly check on Tyress, and then go and speak with father,” he informed her.

  “Is everything okay?” she questioned, stopping. He kissed her cheek.

  “Yes mother, everything is fine,” he assured, before turning around and jogging across the courtyard. As he entered the stables, the strong odour of horses wafted into his nose and he inhaled it deeply, it was a fine comforting smell. Grabbing a handful of horse-nuts and a large carrot from a bucket, he walked in. He came across Arweyn’s mare first. Stroking her gently, he gave her a few horse-nuts, before continuing. Tyress’ head reached over the stall looking for him, he had heard him as soon as he had entered the stable.

  “So there you are you deserter,” Kainan said accusingly, approaching his horse. Tyress neighed, shaking his mane. The young prince stopped in front of him, the horse lifted his head sniffing at the horse-nuts.

  “Well I do not know that you really deserve this Tyress,” he said, frowning at him. “What the hell spooked you enough to abandon me?” The horse whinnied, stamping his hoof. Kainan sighed, giving a grim shake of his head. “Really was it that bad?” he asked and the horse neighed, stamping his foot again. Rubbing his horse’s nose, he gave him the nuts. “Okay I forgive you this once, but do not do it again, or believe me I will swap you for…” He glanced around and then pointed to another horse. “Stormchaser, do you understand?” The horse lifted its head and nodded. Kainan laughed. “I actually believe you do,” he said with a chuckle, brushing his now empty, but slobbered hand down his trousers.

  Rubbing his horse’s nose affectionately, he smiled; he could not stay cross with Tyress. “Right, behave yourself and I will see you later.” The horse nudged him. “It is okay, I know you are sorry. Here.” He offered him the carrot. Tyress took it gently. “I have got to go,” he insisted walking away. As he walked through the stable, Tyress neighed loudly after him.

  “You are welcome,” Kainan shouted back with a grin.

  Making his way across the courtyard, he re-entered the castle and made his way up the crystal staircase. Wandering along the corridor, he was heavy in thought, that bull was worrying him. He had conceded that it was probably teeth marks from various animals, only so as not to cause Arweyn, any concern. He, however, was not convinced. It had definitely looked like one set of very big teeth. He knocked on the door of the library.

  “Enter,” his father called. Turning the handle and pushing the heavy oak door open, Kainan entered the library. His father sat reading through a scroll, looking up he smiled.

  “Ah, my son you are back. You know you have had your mother in fits of worry.” Kainan approached him.

  “Yes father, I am sorry, I have apologised.” He grinned back at his son.

  “I told her you would be fine, but you know what she is like. Enjoyed yourself did you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. Kainan immediately felt himself blush.

  “Father we went for a picnic,” he replied, lowering his eyes and running a hand across the desk. Nodding, his father t
urned back to the scroll.

  “Of course you did son.” He smiled knowingly.

  “Something spooked the horses and they fled,” the young prince added. The King’s eyes returned to him.

  “Something spooked Tyress?” he asked, surprised.

  “I know and that is what is worrying me. Arweyn and I found a dead bull right out in the forest. It had been half eaten and the teeth marks were huge, they looked like they came from some kind of a beast.” His father blinked in disbelief, and then frowned at him.

  “There are no beasts within our forest son.”

  “I know father but even so, that is what it looked like.”

  “Get Drew to investigate,” he suggested.

  “I have.” Hesitating for a moment, Kainan began tapping two fingers on the desk. In the last four months, his father had not spoken about the attack by the black dragon. Every time he had tried to confront him with it, he was either too busy or they were interrupted. Now he really needed to know.

  “Father, can you please tell me about the dragons.” His father looked up, surprised at his question and for a moment, he wavered, seeming reluctant to talk about it. He then nodded to the chair opposite him. Pulling the chair out, Kainan sat down. The King took a deep breath.

  “Dragons feature heavily within our past. From the banners you see everywhere to the stonework in the castle and your royal birthmarks. From what information I have been able to gather over the last forty years, I have found we, as an Empire, for that is what the Groundlings used to be, lived alongside dragons. There are old stories handed down that speaks of the black dragons, like the one that attacked us. Nothing substantial you understand, nothing that convinced us that was true. Apart from….” He stopped.

  “Apart from what…?” Kainan urged.

  “In the throne room, the great tapestry that hangs on the wall behind the throne. It depicts a battle between a dragon with green wings, our family emblem, and a black dragon. The tapestry was created, it is believed, by the first evacuees of old Malgar.”

  “Perhaps there is more to tell in this tapestry?” Kainan suggested.

  “Perhaps, although I have not been able to see it, and believe me son I have looked.”

  “So it could be possible there may be more of these black dragons beyond the boundary, which is why the people fled?” The King nodded.

  “Yes Kainan. Now do you understand why I cannot allow anyone through? The protection of the Ardor Crystal was down for only ten days and the dragon found us. It is clear that whatever drove the people to leave in the first place is still out there. I only hope that the creature did not, in some way, communicate our existence to anymore of them.”

  “Do you think they were our dragons and they turned against us?” Kainan questioned. The King shook his head.

  “No. If you go by the image pictured in the tapestry and our birthmarks, our dragons had green wings, and they fought against the black dragons. There is still no proof that this is what happened, it is only speculation.”

  “But the dragons are real father, as we have all witnessed. What of the old castle and the city, even after five hundred years there must still be ruins?” His father shrugged.

  “I expect so, but where it is I have no idea.” Kainan thought to himself for a moment. The Chamber of Knowledge was here before the people returned to Malgar. Therefore, he concluded surely the castle must be nearby.

  “When you came back to Malgar, what did you see?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, when your father returned to Malgar and first began building the city, what was here? How was it done?”

  “Kainan, I was only a young boy then.”

  “I realise that father, but what was here? Was it barren, dark, what?”

  “The Faerlings brought my father through under their protection, under a cloak of invisibility, so if there were still anything around, they would not have been seen. My father said the land was fertile, but he did not feel it would be safe enough to live without the protection of the Crystal. The dome the Crystal sits within was created magically.” He shook his head and lifted a hand. “Do not ask me how it was created, it was done in great secrecy by the Faerlings, and was all in place including the spell which enclosed us in our bubble, before any of the work forces were sent in to start building.”

  “What about the dragon in the fountain, where did they find him?” Kainan asked.

  “It was in a cave which now lies just outside of the protection of the Crystal,” his father replied, placing his hands onto the table.

  “Why did they bring it into the city?” His father shrugged his shoulders.

  “I believe it was because of something written in a scroll.”

  “Written in a scroll?” Kainan interrupted, leaning his hands onto the desk. His father nodded.

  “Within the scroll it spoke of a great dragon. It was said, that if ever the Groundlings returned to Malgar, the dragon hidden within this cave must be brought within the castle walls.” Kainan frowned pushing himself back into his chair.

  “Can I see this scroll?” he asked, curiously. His father took a deep breath and nodded. Kainan watched as he rose to his feet, and walked to the back of the library. Opening up a small door in the wall, he rummaged through a pile of scrolls, before bringing one back to the desk. He passed it to Kainan. Eagerly he unrolled it, and using a couple of inkwells he held it down. His eyes scanned the words, but they written in the old language.

  “I do not understand what it says,” he said, looking towards him. His father walked around and stood beside him. With a finger, he pointed at the words.

  “This was the greatest find of my father’s as it tells us of the Chamber of Knowledge. Using this scroll my father discovered the whereabouts of the chamber, and deciphered how to use the power of the crystal crown. It also speaks of a dragon, hidden in a cave just beyond our boundary. My father believed that there was something significant about that dragon, and he brought it into the city as the scroll requested. I believe once again the Faerlings helped with this task.” He moved back around the desk and sat down. “Although as of yet, we do not know what the importance of this dragon is, as nothing of any consequence has come to light for it being there.” Kainan looked down at the scroll and then back at his father.

  “Has Gareion looked at this?” His father nodded.

  “Yes, he was unable to read anything else from it either.” Kainan sighed, rolling the scroll back up.

  “I think I will go and take a look at the tapestry.”

  “What is this all about Kainan?” his father asked.

  “I am not sure yet father. It was just something about that bull, and those bite marks,” he sighed as he stood up and moved towards the door. “And that dragon in the fountain,” he whispered to himself.

  “Do not worry too much about it now Kainan, Drew will be thorough in his investigation, you can be sure of that. You have your ceremony to be concentrating on, and dinner shortly with the Ambassador of the North of Zyon. You should go and get ready.” Kainan turned, giving a small nod of his head to his father.

  “Yes father of course.”

  Leaving the room, he began heading back to his chamber to get ready for dinner, mulling the scroll over in his mind as he walked. It was no good it still bothered him. So instead, he changed direction and headed down to the throne room. Opening the double doors, he walked into the dark, empty room. Strolling over to the wall sconces he illuminated the flame on the end of his finger and lit them in turn, until the room glowed in their light. He marched over to the tapestry that hung behind the two thrones.

  “Now what is hidden within you,” he muttered, studying the black dragon first, checking it in its entirety. Finding nothing, he sighed disappointed, before beginning to study the green dragon. For some reason the green dragon stood out to him much more than the black dragon did. There was something in the vibrancy of its green wings. He looked at the surrounding scenery, at the
forest in the rear. Then he stood back, disillusioned that he could not find anything to suggest a connection to the dragon in the fountain. Hearing footsteps approaching from behind him, and recognizing them, he spun around smiling.

  “Finally,” she said, raising her hands to her hips exasperated. “I have been looking everywhere for you.” He walked over to her.

  “Hi,” he said, giving Arweyn a kiss.

  “Kainan, you are so late for dinner that they have started without you.”

  “Oh no, I completely lost track of time,” he groaned, smacking his head with the palm of his hand. Now twice in one day he was going to be in trouble with his mother.

  “The Ambassador from the North of Zyon is not going to be very impressed with you. Your poor mother had to apologise for you, saying you had to attend to some urgent business.”

  “Damn it, I am so sorry.” She smiled, hooking her arm through his.

  “Come on, if we hurry you may be able to salvage something of the evening. After all they are here as our guests.” He smiled back at her.

  “Do not worry I will use my charm on her.” She nudged him playfully, and raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Not too much I hope.” He blew her an air kiss, as they hurried to the banqueting chamber.

  Two~ Beyond The Boundary

  Early the next morning, Kainan and Arweyn made their way along the corridor towards the throne room. Having told her the night before of his conversation with his father, he hoped that maybe she would see something within the tapestry that he had missed. On the way, Gareion joined them.

  “Where are you two going?” he asked, curiously.

  “The throne room,” his brother replied, marching on ahead.

  “Why?” Gareion questioned.

  “Kainan thinks that there may be something hidden within the tapestry, some kind of clue as to what is beyond the Boundary.”

  “Can I tag along? Alys is with her mother sorting stuff out for the baby.” Kainan grinned at him.

  “Of course you can, the more eyes the better….” Kainan stopped abruptly, a vision swam sickeningly through his mind, and he felt his legs wobbling beneath him. As the vision became clearer, he became more stable. His eyes, as always when in a state of vision, glowed red as he stared off into the distance. Holding his hand outwards in front of him, he began walking forward. Stopping abruptly he turned to his right, his index finger held forward pointing through the air as if he was feeling for something.