Dragon’s Moon
Ever since I was a little girl, I was told stories about dragons carrying off princesses. There are few stories of them ever returning, and because of this I never believed them. Thinking my nursemaids were trying to frighten me into being a good little princess. Until the day I saw a dragon fly over my castle, I didn’t think dragons came near populated areas. To say I was fascinated would be an understatement. I became obsessed with dragons, their wing size, their scale coloring, anything I could learn, I did, much to the disappointment of my mother. My father and brothers were happy I finally took an interest in something.
However, Mother was not happy that I wanted to study dragons, she wanted me to study other things. Father agreed and made a condition that I could study dragons, if I studied other things, along with training to be a warrior, or at least defend myself. That took some convincing on everyone’s part to get Mother to agree. So, I learned how to sew and do needlepoint in the mornings and learned how to shoot a bow and use a sword in the afternoons. All the time I was under strict watch by knights and, unfortunately, my mother. As if she has no duties as Queen to oversee.
I just want one day without a trail of people following me. Days go by quickly when you do the same thing everyday. First was the stop by the Quartermaster.
“Hello, Quartermaster. How are you this fine day?”
“Ah, hello young Princess Aoife.” It is quite easy to predict what he was going to say “Sir Alexander is waiting for you on the field, make sure you grab the right weapon for today!”
“I will, thank you, Quartermaster. Have a good afternoon.”
Making a quick stop inside to grab my weapon, I look out the window to see Sir Alexander arguing with a Counselor on the training field; who turns, sees me looking at them and turns and walks away.
“Everything alright, Sir Alexander?” my mother asks.
“I do not know, my queen, I think I need to go report to the king quickly, tell him about this, I want you to get ready, but wait for me to get back before you start.”
“I will go with you, Sir Alexander,” why does Mother look worried? “Gentlemen, make sure to keep a close eye on my daughter, and watch out for anything suspicious.”
I left to get my armor on and wait for the knight in the field, listening to my guard talk amongst themselves, mostly about what the Counselor could have possibly wanted with Sir Alexander. I was also wondering, so listening to them helps me think. A figure was quickly growing bigger behind the group, and seeing who it is makes me worried.
“Princess!”he pants, “Quickly, we need to get you out of the city and to a druid encampment, I fear they will come for you next.”
“Who? What do you mean, Henry? What’s going on?”
“The King has been arrested, the guards inside with your mother have taken her to the square and tied her to the pole. I know not what has happened to your brothers, but we must hurry.”
“Too late, Henry.”
Turning around I see fifteen men surrounding my own.
“We are to accompany the princess into the Royal Hall, and you lot to the prison, until you see the errors of your ways.” I did not recognize the man who said this, but I knew the symbol on his chest, it was of Lord Cathaoir, one of the Counselors to the King.
“What is the meaning of this? What did your master do to my father? What are you planning for my mother? She is too old to be a dragon sacrifice! Surely you know this?” I demanded, not willing to go quietly to my doom.
“I was told to not answer anything you ask, so off we go, now princess. If I have to order my men to knock you out and carry you, I will, your choice.”
Looking at the men surrounding me, I weighed my options. I’d rather not have my men hurt, and I need to figure out what is going on, so: “Fine. I will go with you, just know that I am not happy about it. I just want to know that my guards will not be harmed, before I tell them to go quietly.”
“They are just going to the dungeons, until the Lords decide what to do. I promise they will not be harmed, for now. The future will depend on them.”
“Fine,” I turn to address my knights, “please do what they want, I don’t wish any of you harm right now.”
They look apprehensive, but with a firm look do as I ask. Our group heads toward the castle, and as much as I wish to move as slowly as possible, I keep pace, dreading what might happen. Getting to the castle courtyard I see my mother tied to the pole, and I stop, quite terrified that they had some trick planned and would use the pole to burn her alive; instead of leaving her out for a dragon to take.
The men push me forward, leading me inside, away from my mother’s fate. Entering the castle, most of the group breaks off toward the dungeons, I hope I wasn’t mistaken in giving up so soon.
Upon entering the Great Hall I see the newest Counselor sitting on my father’s throne, I seethe, but say nothing, yet.
“Ah, young Princess Aoife. I see you decided to come to me quietly, good choice. The counsel and I have decided that your parents were not doing right by the people, they could be doing more to keep our people safe, so we decided to take over for now.”
“Take over? What makes you think that the people will follow you? You are not of royal blood, nor have you married someone of royal blood! The people will never follow you.”
“Unless, I marry someone of royal blood,” My eyes widen, he’s not saying what I think he’s saying, is he? “If you agree to marry me then the people will follow us.”
I have to stop my jaw from dropping, this is not happening. No, I will not marry, just to overthrow my parents. Letting these men lead us into war, not when we have had peace with our neighbors. There has been no indication of a want to break the peace. Father has told all of his children what goes on in the meetings that we are not allowed in, I know that the counsel has been arguing to go to war with our neighbors; citing that they may be leading us into a false security, that they may be planning an attack behind our backs, and the only way to prevent this to strike first.
“No, I will not marry you. I will not allow you to take over my kingdom, and subject my people to war, and suffering. I will not stand by and watch you tear down the time of peace. Father has told us what goes on in the meetings you have not allowed my brothers or I in. I know you are arguing for war. We have peace treaties with the neighboring kingdoms; to strike would throw us all back into the dark ages, where no kingdom was safe. No man, woman, or child was safe. I will not allow this,” I shout.
I feel lightheaded with anger, not really myself. If I still had my weapon, I would draw it.
“Then suffer the same fate as your mother! Watch the mighty dragon swoop down and grab her, and wait for your doom!” My legs feel like jelly as I spy a shadow from the window and a hollow scream reaches my ears.
“No,” I whisper, shaking with tears. Hands grip my arms, my feet drag on the ground as I am pulled from the hall and into the courtyard. I wish I was strong enough to fight back, but my sudden anger has weakened me. The confusing chaos around me is like being back in training, being tackled to the ground, or having your feet swept from beneath you, shaking your balance. Something hard hits my back and my head follows as it slams to the ground. Shouting reaches my ears, but I have no clue what they are saying. All I hear are screams, but over it all, I hear my mother’s scream repeating in my head. I remembered one day when my brother and I were young, playing in our rooms with dull knives. We were trying to be like the knights outside, fighting for honor and justice. Mother walked in and screamed, seeing us with the knives. When we told her what we were doing she laughed, remarking about the innocence of childhood, but still grounded us. The scream repeated. It sounded a lot like her loud laugh, the one that echoed through my rooms in childhood. The one that reverberated through my body as a toddler, when I would say something foolish. Her laugh sounded in my ears.
The hands are back, and tighter than before, lifting me off the stone.
“Get this crowd under control!” I hear someone shout. “Get out of our way, or we will slaughter everyone in this courtyard.”
Nothing makes sense. What’s going on? Something hits my back again - this time accompanied by something around my wrists and waist. The pole! Oh, no! Not my mother’s fate. I wonder if my death will be swift?
Fear permeates the air. This time the screams are different and the wind, as it picks up, casts a slight musty smell. A faint sound of flapping reaches my ears. I am petrified to look up, but I gather my courage to do so. This impressive dragon - black with hints of gold - was bigger than I ever imagined. Golden eyes as big as my head look down upon me with mercy. In the blink of an eye, I’m watching my feet dangle, wind whistling past my ears. I am weightless, and everything goes dark.
