Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 02 - Meladrom Read online

  “So this is your last night of freedom,” Porlock said, grinning across at him. The young Prince raised his eyebrow.

  “Freedom?” he questioned. “I would hardly say that I was losing my freedom by bonding with Arweyn.” Porlock laughed and shook his head.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “No I do not Porlock, pray tell me what do you mean?” Gareion nudged him.

  “Brother he is drunk, do not tease him.”

  “I know he is Gareion, but still I would like him to explain.” Porlock stood up, moving around behind him, he threw his arms loosely around Kainan’s neck.

  “You see my boy I have never bonded with one woman.” Kainan grinned at his brother, who was shaking his head despondently.

  “Yes Porlock we know that, you have quite a reputation with the ladies.”

  “I do?” Porlock’s eyebrow rose and he smiled smugly. “By freedom my boy I mean....”

  “Yes I know what you mean Porlock.” Kainan interrupted, patting his hand, as it rested on his shoulder.

  “Take her for instance,” Porlock whispered, nodding to a young woman serving the wine. Kainan glanced over. She was about thirty, tall and slim with very long blonde hair.

  “I am sure you will Porlock,” the young Prince replied, with a chuckle. Porlock stood up swaggering and pointing a finger at him.

  “Exactly that’s my entire point. If I want to I can, I do not have no woman to tell me otherwise.” Then he smirked, patting Kainan’s face with the palm of his hand. “Ah but one day you will be King so if you wanted…”

  “Porlock I will not. Arweyn is the only woman I wish to share my bed with.” Porlock huffed, shrugging his shoulders. A smile crossed his lips as the woman came over to their table. Her deep green eyes gazed at Kainan, as she caught his eye he frowned.

  “Would you like some more beer my Lord?” she asked, lowering her eyes from him.

  “Yes thank you,” he replied, nodding and staring at her as she re-filled his tankard.

  “Do I know you?” he then asked. She lifted her eyes to his briefly and shook her head.

  “No my Lord, I am new here. Do you wish anything else?” she asked he shook his head.

  “No, thank you.” She moved on. Porlock slapped his back.

  “You see you cannot help yourself.” Kainan looked up at him and frowned.

  “What are you talking about Porlock?” He nodded towards the girl.

  “Her, that girl, do I know you? Ha what chat-up line?” Kainan sighed, looking across at his brother, but he was too busy sniggering.

  “I was not ‘chatting’ her up Porlock; I really thought I knew her from somewhere.” Porlock huffed back at him. “Please, if you wish go chase her, do whatever it is you do,” Kainan insisted with a wave of his hand. Porlock thought, glancing over towards her. He frowned for a moment as she left the room. Without warning, he slapped Kainan’s back, and the young prince winced at the sharpness.

  “As you wish my Lord,” he replied, moving off as the woman re-emerged back through the door.

  “Porlock it was not an order,” Kainan yelled after him exasperated. Gareion looked at him.

  “What?” he whispered to his twin.

  “Nothing, did you really think you knew her?”

  “Of course Gareion, you know Arweyn is the only one I want.” Gareion nodded.

  “I know brother I did not mean it like that. You have not been back long and I was just wondering where you thought you would have known her from.”

  “I do not know, she just seemed familiar,” he replied.

  “Familiar in a good way or a bad way?” his brother asked.

  Kainan looked over at her, she was laughing as Porlock put on his charm. He frowned, a little puzzled. Looking at her now, he was not so sure that he knew her at all.

  “Bad,” he finally replied.

  “What are you two boys whispering about?” Her breath tickled his ear. Spinning around towards her, he nearly fell off his chair. She wore her long dark hair piled high on top with just a few wispy strands falling down the sides. Her white gown was strapless and it sparkled with crystals.

  “Nothing,” Gareion replied. “Kainan just thought he…” Kainan frowned at him. He did not want her thinking he was looking at other women, because he was not. She smiled.

  “Thought what?” she asked, curiously. Kainan shook his head.

  “Nothing, really,” he replied, standing up. She lifted an eyebrow at him and then glanced down at Gareion. He looked up at his brother with an apologetic smile.

  “Kainan thought he knew her, that servant girl over there.” Arweyn lifted her eyes to where he was pointing.

  “What the blonde with Porlock?” Kainan nodded.

  “It is nothing really,” he insisted.

  “Where do you know her from?” she asked.

  “He cannot remember.”

  “Kainan?” she pushed.

  “I do not know. She just seemed familiar when she came around that is all. Porlock has his eye on her now, so let’s not worry about it.” She smiled at him.

  “Okay.” Lifting a hand to her face, he breathed deep.

  “You look beautiful,” he complemented, kissing her before pulling out a chair beside him. As she sat down, he scowled at his brother. Gareion shrugged, gritting teeth at him. Arweyn leaned forward toward Gareion.

  “Alys is on her way,” she said. He nodded, rising to his feet.

  “Excuse me I think I will go and meet her.” He grinned at his twin before hastily disappearing. Kainan shook his head with a smile as he watched him leave. Pouring her a goblet of wine, he passed it to her.

  “Thank you,” she said gratefully, taking a sip.

  “That dress,” he remarked, shaking his head at her. She looked down at herself.

  “What do not you like it?” she asked, disappointed, she had spent ages getting ready. He shook his head at her.

  “No, quite the opposite actually, you look stunning. Now I wish we were already bonded, because to be quite honest I think we would be skipping dinner.” She laughed relieved, and began rubbing his leg.

  “Do not do that,” he urged, gazing into her hazel eyes and grinning at her. “Or we will definitely be skipping dinner!” She gave a little chuckle, her eyes sparkling at him as she sipped some more of her wine.

  A short while later his brother returned along with his wife and they sat down, Gareion immediately began helping himself to the food. Kainan nudged him.

  “You are supposed to wait,” he said. His twin shrugged.

  “I am hungry.”

  His father rose from the table and began to address everyone.

  Kainan’s hand found hers under the table he began stroking it gently. She glanced at him.

  “It is tomorrow, can you believe it. I am never going to be able to sleep tonight,” she whispered softly, taking a breath. His hand moved further down and he began rubbing her leg. Gazing at each other, the King’s voice mellowed into the background. Slowly he pulled the length of her dress up until he found her soft skin, his eyebrows rose as he tickled her leg. She smiled, trying to hold in a giggle.

  “Kainan!” his father called loudly. The young Prince jumped, pulling his hand out from under the table.

  “Father?” he said surprised, not having heard a single word that he had said.

  “Ah now I have your attention.” He felt himself blush as their guests stared at him. “Perhaps my boy we could leave that until your bonding night?” Arweyn sunk down in her seat dying of embarrassment. She looked across to her mother who was shaking her head at her. Kainan sideways glanced at his brother who ceased eating and laughed abruptly.

  “Sorry,” Kainan apologised sheepishly to everyone staring at him.

  “I was saying my son, how pleased we are to see so many of our allies from Zyon here to celebrate with us.”

  “Em, yes.” He stood up, threw his hands in front of him, and abruptly sat back down. Gareion’s head dropped to the table un
able to contain himself.

  His father sniggered, and the Queen nudged him hard with her elbow.

  “I think perhaps we should eat,” the King said to their guests waving his arms out towards the feast on the tables. Raising his hand to the band, they immediately began to play some gentle background music.

  Kainan kicked Gareion under the table.

  “Shut up,” he said.

  “I cannot,” Gareion, laughed wiping the tears from his eyes. Even Alys was sniggering trying to keep her laughter contained. Kainan looked at Arweyn, and she was biting on her lower lip, trying not to laugh. He looked across at his father. The King winked at him and then took a swig of his beer, Kainan smiled back and glanced at Arweyn. As her eyes lifted to his, she gave a chuckle, reaching her hand under the table to him. Grasping it, he squeezed it tight.

  Three ~ Bonding

  She wore an elegant red strapless silk gown corseted at her waist emphasising her curves, a long train trailed behind her. The dress itself covered in tiny crystals, which sparkled in the brilliant midday sun. In her hair, she wore a small crystal tiara with a dragonfly at the front, her long dark hair loose and curled into gentle waves. In her hand, she held a large bunch of red starflowers and around her neck, her father’s dragonfly necklace.

  Kainan felt his knees go weak as she approached him. There was nothing to compare to her beauty. In fact, he thought, the very word itself created especially for her. He grinned longingly at her, his heart beating furiously as she stopped and stood alongside him, her hazel eyes shining with happiness back at him. Her mother, Lady Elanor held her hand and she smiled at Kainan, both giving a slight dip of their heads in greeting to each other. The bonding ceremony had begun.

  “Kainan, son of King John I give to you in bonding the hand of my only daughter and Princess of the Faerlings, Arweyn Glanber, daughter of the late Lord Glanber.” Kainan held out his right hand and her mother placed Arweyn’s hand upon his. Arweyn gazed at him. He was dressed in black trousers, a white shirt, and a black and red waistcoat, which had the Dermock coat of arms emblazoned across his chest. Instead of his usual cloak, he wore a richly embroidered dark red coat, which reached down, to the ground. It had full-length sleeves encrusted with tiny crystals on the cuffs, the Deragan sword hidden within his coat and his mother’s amulet around his neck. She trembled, as she looked at him, her heart, too, pounding uncontrollably. Her mother stepped back and as they intertwined their fingers together, he gave her a gentle reassuring squeeze. Her eyelids fluttered as she smiled back at him.

  The King stepped forward. Beaming at his son proudly he then smiled gently at Arweyn. His eyes looking beyond them he addressed their guests.

  “Today it gives me great honour to join my son, Kainan, the First Prince of Malgar to the Lady Arweyn, Princess of the Faerlings.” Reaching forward he began wrapping a golden ribbon around their hands. Arweyn’s eyes shone at Kainan, and he gazed adoringly into hers.

  “Today you give your vows to each other, a binding contract between you both. Do you both consent freely and willingly to this bonding?” the King asked.

  “We do,” they both replied, with a gentle nod of their heads and a quick stolen glance at each other. The King nodded for them to proceed.

  Kainan turned to Arweyn. “Arweyn to me you are everything, you are life itself. I give to you my eternal love, my life, my soul, my entire being, for now and eternity, this is my bond to you.”

  “Kainan, you have been and always will be my only true love. I give to you my eternal love, my life, my soul, my entire being for now and eternity, this is my bond to you.” Glancing down at their hands, the golden ribbon began to glow. Swirling it began separating in half, a piece of each began winding around their individual hands, until finally it had transformed into a golden ring upon each of their fingers. The King cheered, the magic had spoken, and it was a true bonding.

  “By the power vested in me as King of Malgar I hereby declare that they be joined as man and wife, for life, eternity and beyond. Let no man or woman come between them.” The guest cheered wildly. Leaning forward he whispered to his son.

  “Well go on what are you waiting for?” Kainan grinned back with a nod of his head, and then swept Arweyn into his arms and kissed her. The crowds roared, cheering wildly.

  “Now we celebrate!” the King announced, raising his hand towards the banqueting marquees. The guests began to mingle, congratulating the couple before taking their seats. The tables beautifully decorated with flowers and freshly starched white linen tablecloths. Silver goblets, with red gems specially commissioned for the ceremony sat ready for the wine.

  “Congratulations brother,” Gareion said, pulling his brother into a rough hug.

  “Thank you Gareion,” Kainan replied affectionately, patting his back.

  “You are a lucky man to have won the heart of Arweyn,” he added. “I am glad she is now your wife, she has always been like a sister to me, and now she truly is.” Kainan looked across at her as she chatted with Alys. He smiled as her eyes lifted towards him.

  “I know brother I am the luckiest man alive.” He knew he was. Over the past four months, his life had changed dramatically. He could never have imagined, as he had sat pondering that fateful morning in the Oakhurst woods, how much his life would change. He still missed his first family and his heart often ached for them, but Arweyn had been his rock. In a strange unknowing way when he was with her it did not hurt as much. She took away his pain and made his life worth living again.

  His brother slung his arm around him. “We are both very lucky.” Kainan glanced at him and caught his eye and they both turned staring at their wives. Porlock slapped him on his back, and he spun around startled.

  “So you did it then?” he said grinning.

  “Yes Porlock,” Kainan replied, grinning back. Porlock shook his head at him.

  “I suppose I should congratulate you,” he said, before giving him a hug.

  “Thanks Porlock,” the young Prince replied, patting him back. The King’s cousin stood back, shaking his head.

  “That blonde, phew!” he said, raising his eyebrows at him, before wandering off. Gareion turned to his brother.

  “Talking of that blonde, did you remember where you have seen her before?” Kainan scrunched his nose and shook his head.

  “No, I probably made a mistake. Do not worry about it.” They returned to their tables.

  Wine poured and goblets passed about to everyone, Gareion came to his feet and toasted the couple, goblets were raised in answer and cheers sung up and down the tables. The great feast had begun. Arweyn’s celebration cake took pride of place in the centre of their table along with great platters of fine meat, vegetables, and fruits. Wine flowed freely and quickly consumed by the revelling guests as great merriment began. The King raised his hand for the musicians to play. The musicians stepped forward and people began cheering and clapping along to the music.

  Kainan stood up and turned to Arweyn, taking her hand he bowed.

  “Would my wife care to dance?” he asked, smiling. She laughed, glancing around at their guests who cheered her on with shouts of encouragement. Accepting his hand, he led her out onto the open floor where the music began to play faster. Scooping her train over her arm, she twirled away from him, her dark hair flying wildly across her joyful face. Stepping up to her he bowed, her smile was dazzling as she curtsied back to him. Holding out his hands, she reached for him and he pulled her in close until he felt her body press tightly against him and they began to dance, twirling, and spinning around in delight.

  The guests clapped loudly and soon others rose to join them. Interlocking their arms, they encircled the newly bonded couple, cheering as they watched them dance. Then they broke apart into couples, spinning and laughing as they danced. Gareion looked towards his wife but she laughed, shaking her head at him and rubbing her baby bump.

  “Why do you not ask your mother, she looks desperate for a dance and I do not think your father has
any intention of asking her?” He glanced towards his mother who was tapping her feet and nodding her head to the music, and then to his father who was deep in conversation with the Ambassador from the North of Zyon. He smiled at his wife, giving her bump a gentle pat before leaning to her, and giving her kiss.

  “Will you be okay?” he asked, concerned about leaving her. She laughed, giving a shake of her head.

  “Gareion I am fine, you are only going for a dance.” He smiled at her and then walked over to his mother. The Queen glanced up at him as he held out his hand towards her.

  “Mother would you care to dance with your son?” She nodded, accepting his hand, and allowing him to lead her into the dance.

  Four ~ Black dragon

  The creature came from nowhere; its claws outstretched and its black scaly body a dark shadow against the blazing sun. The crowd screamed in terror as it came towards them, fleeing in all directions the people scattered. Kainan and Arweyn separated in the chaos, he called desperately for her, and she screamed for him as she searched the maddening crowd. Swooping overhead the black dragon grasped at the fleeing people, before flying back up high into the sky and flinging their broken, torn bodies through the air.

  Alys screamed as the dragon swooped down towards her. The man standing next to her, she did not know who he was, pushed her violently out of the way, just as the beast’s talons reached out to her. Instead, the dragon grasped hold of the man and soared off into the sky above with him, before throwing his lifeless body back into the screaming crowd. Alys hit the ground hard. As she did, she screamed in agony, grabbing at the bump of her unborn child. The pain ripped through her, tearing at her insides, she felt wet beneath her gown and her eyes widened in panic. The baby was coming! Gareion had witnessed the entire event, but he had been too far away to protect her. Charging across the ransacked tables, he climbed over the chairs and dead bodies to get to her.