by HK Masara
EIGHT
‘I think it’s time,’ Queen Demetris said as she clutched her belly.
‘But it is not yet time, you still have a few more days,’ Tabetha said starting to panic.
‘That is not helping.’
She let out a scream, it was time. The confrontation had triggered her early labor pains. She breathed heavily and tried hard not to scream. The last thing she wanted was to grab attention with her screams. Tabetha did what first came to her head and tried to make her stand. Ellawy helped and they got her to her feet. They were fortunate the tent overlooked the forest and no one would see them.
‘Let me get a carriage ready. We need to take you away from here,’ Ellawy said and rushed outside.
The timing could never have been better. Everyone had gone to the arena so there was no one to see them sneak Queen Demetris into onr of the carriages. Ellawy took the reins and they went into the forest following a path that looked like it had not been used in quite some time. Where they went, only the Queen knew. Tabetha tried to make her mother as comfortable as possible, whispering reassuring words. Her mother wriggled in pain and she was sweating profoundly. It would not be long until she was to give birth.
Meanwhile back at his fortress Ardoh halted suddenly and listened. He could hear her calling out to him for help. He could feel the pleading and desperation she felt. He rushed to his medicine box and took out some clean cloth. Ardoh jumped onto his horse and sped through the trees following her cry for help. It would not be difficult tracing her, he always had a strong bond with her. One were they could communicate even if they were millions of miles away from each other.
Ellawy saw a rider approach and she slowed down. She recognized him from afar and he motioned for her to follow him. They followed a path that led deeper into the forest. It did not take long before they reached his fortress and Ellawy jumped from her seat and opened the carriage door. Tabetha peaked out and asked, ‘where are we?’
Ardoh ordered for them to bring Demetris inside whilst he rushed to clear the room. It took a while but they finally managed to get her into her quarters.
‘You heard me father,’ she said weakly.
‘I always do child,’ he said, ‘I could never abandon my own.’
It took longer than he had expected for she was no longer young. Finally when they thought it would go on she gave birth. The boy cried and this put a smile on her face. She held her child closely as tears of joy filled her eyes. With Tabetha she had not had the chance to hold her. The baby opened its eyes and she gasped at the resemblance her son had with his father. The shiny dark eyes his father also possessed looked around. Although at this stage he could not be able to see she knew he could hear her.
‘My son,’ she whispered, ‘I shall call you Raiden after your grandfather. ‘
At least she owed Dramon that much. She was naming her son after King Dramon’s father who had been the King of Damius before him. She slept afterwards because she was so tired. A smile crossed her face as she slept. Ardoh took the child and held him. This was the child the Prophesy spoke of who would one day rule the land with cruelty and ruthlessness.
‘Can I Granpapa?’ Tabetha asked Ardoh for permission to hold the child.
Tabetha was really excited as she hugged the child close to her. Ellawy came and they started talking about how beautiful he was. She had a little brother, she had always longed for a sibling. Ardoh sat looking at his sleeping daughter; he only hoped she knew what she was doing. The child was still young and innocent and deserved the love of both its parents. He remembered raising Demetris on his own after her mother had left them. She had grown up thinking her mother was dead for he wanted to spare his child the pain of feeling rejected and abandoned. Her mother had remarried a blacksmith and up to now did not know if she was still alive or not.
*******
It was already midnight and Queen Demetris had not returned yet. King Dramon was starting to worry for she had not been in a good state earlier. She was very upset and was still was, what else would explain her late return? He knew after such a scenario she would want to be alone but he wanted to there for her. at least she had gone with her pregnant maid Ellawy, she was not alone. He sensed movement at the entrance of his tent and Queen Deidre walked in.
‘What do you want?’ he asked indifferently.
‘I am here to call a truce.’
‘Leave, I do not wish to be making amends with you.’
She went to him and put a hand on his arm. He had such thew, she thought as she traced his arms with the tips of her fingers. King Dramon threw her hand away because he knew what she was trying to do. Her seductions did not work on him and she was wasting her time.
‘Your filthy hand is as cold as your heart,’ he said with a frown.
‘You are one to speak Dramon, you and I are exactly the same. We deserve each other…’
‘You never give up do you?’
‘It is your entire fault you know. If you had won that match and picked me as your bride and not rejected me even when I made it perfectly clear I was willing, Demetris would not have found herself in such a situation.’
He grabbed her by the throat as his long fingers circled around it choking her. She tried to fight but his hold was too strong. She was choking as he tightened his grip around her neck. Her eyes opened widely as he looked into them with a burning desire to kill.
‘Never, ever dare,’ he said and let go of her.
She coughed and breathed heavily. Her neck burned as if it were on fire. For many years she had loved him but he had chosen to love another. In spite of all her attempts to make him notice her, he had not cared. She hated Demetris for this. She left the tent and went back to her own. What had she hoped to achieve by visiting him? Did she think he would change his mind and accept her? She felt more hate for Demetris than she ever had. King Ballant stood waiting for her. H had woken up to see her gone. His suspicions had been quickly aroused.
She came in at that moment muttering something under her breath. Queen Deidre did not seem to notice him standing behind her. She massaged her neck and almost jumped when he asked, ‘where have you been?’
‘I had…had gone out,’ she paused, concocting a lie in her mind, ‘to get some air.’
‘And your neck, it looks swollen?
‘It is a collar I wore too tightly.’
He eyed her knowing well she was not being honest with him. He wondered how many more secrets she kept from him. If it were not for King Dramon he would have never known the real truth behind Demetris’s disappearance those many years back. Queen Deidre was so unloving. For the first time he saw her for who she really was, a deceiver. He regretted ever marrying her. He knew she had loved another but had not known it was King Dramon she had wanted. Now he knew the other man she had loved was none other than the King of Damius.
King Ballant had hoped that someday she would start loving him just as he loved her. His love for her had died when he realized that she would never allow herself to be capable of such towards him. He need not say a word more as he shook his head at her. She just stared at him for there was nothing more left to say between them. The woman he had chosen to be his wife and Queen had brought him nothing but hurt and misery through the years of their marriage and he wondered if it was his curse for the rest of his life. Was this his punishment for what he had done to Demetris?
*******
Tabetha came back with a letter for King Dramon from her mother a few days later. He read it and thanked her for it. Queen Demetris had informed him that she was with Ardoh and would not be attending the tournament. She was too upset to face King Ballant and Queen Deidre again. The letter also told him that Ellawy had given birth to a son thus they would be staying with Ardoh for the duration of the tournament. He could however wait for her, she would join them upon return to Damius but he decided he would pass through Ardoh’s fortress i
nstead.
King Dramon was relieved to learn that she was in safe hands. Her maid would probably be too weak to travel back so soon. It was then he longed to have a son of his own; one that would take after him and follow in his stead. Maybe Queen Demetris could not conceive any more children. She was no longer young and her body might be failing her. He sighed and hoped the future was blissful and full of promise.
*********
Queen Demetris had regained her strength and had never been any happier. She spent most of the time with Raiden, singing to him. She felt invincible and complete at the sight of her son. Ardoh was beginning to worry for her. the more time she spent with the boy would make their parting a lot more difficult.
‘Demetris, you are growing too close,’ he said one morning, ‘it is time you two separated before it becomes too hard.’
‘I know but I just love him so much,’ she said.
‘Where are you going to take him?’
‘I thought you might have changed your mind and decide to raise him. He could learn so much from…’
‘No,’ he cut her off immediately, ‘I told you not to involve me. I have already compromised myself enough.’
When a person had made up their mind it was usually useless trying to persuade them otherwise. If he agreed it meant she could be close to her son and be able to visit him any time. He would grow up at least not deprived off both parents. Apart from Ardoh there was only one person she trusted would raise the boy as if it were their own. She wrapped him up in a warm quilt and put her coat on. It would be a long journey and if she was to make it back in time to return to Damius with King Dramon she had to make haste. He gave her some food for the journey and his own horse.
‘Take care,’ he told her.
Ellawy wanted to go with her but she told her to stay incase King Dramon came looking for them. She tied Raiden onto her using a long piece of cloth and rode into the day. Along the way she made sure she took quick breaks to feed her son. It was three days until she reached her destination. She looked around at the small town she had called home for twenty years. Queen Demetris smiled at those who recognized her but dared not make conversation. She saw the cottage she was looking for and knocked gently. Irene opened the door and expressed joy in seeing her friend again.
They went inside into the small living room that had a fire burning to keep it warm. Queen Demetris begged her friend to take her son and raise him as soon as they settled down.
‘Martina, you know I already have three mouths to feed,’ Irene said.
‘I need your help dear friend. I will pay for whatever expense taking care of him will accrue,’ she begged.
‘It has been years since you left and you return with a child. Tell me the truth Martina, what is going on?’
She sighed and stared into the fire. Her story was one she did not find pleasure in discussing. It was a long story to tell and she started from the very beginning not leaving out any detail about who she really was and the Prophesy about her son. Irene was shocked to hear it all. As a child she hada heard tales of people who possessed the power of magic. She had lived so close to and befriended one who was one and the thought scared her. it scared her how little she knew the person she so trusted with her life and who was like a sister to her.
‘So you see my friend, I really need your help.’
‘I will…I will raise him as if he were my own for you.’
‘I am most grateful.’
Queen Demetris embraced her friend in gratitude. They sat catching up on all the time she had been away.
‘One day when he is old enough should I tell him about you?’ Irene asked before they retired to bed for the night.
‘No, if he knows he will be tempted to trace his roots. I shall not be able to visit because he can never know who I truly am,’ she warned.
‘I understand. So you are a Queen now?’
‘Yes, Queen Demetris. That is my true name.’
‘I shall take good care of him.’
‘And Irene, do not tell a soul about what I just told you. The truth can be dangerous if told to the wrong people.’
‘If there is one thing I can do is keep a secret and yours is safe, locked away in my heart,’ Irene promised.
‘Good night Irene,’ she said with a smile.
‘Good night Queen Demetris.’
They retired for the night. Queen Demetris slept holding her child for the last time ever. When Irene woke up the following morning she was gone. The baby lay soundlessly where Demetris had lain. Next to the baby was a pouch of gold coins. Irene picked up the child and whispered, ‘do not worry young Prince, with me you are safe.’
Queen Demetris could not stop weeping; even Ellawy and Ardoh could not comfort her. An empty space filled her heart.
‘You should compose yourself,’ Ardoh advised her, ‘any day from now Dramon will be arriving.’
She tried to but to no avail. Although she knew Irene would take care Raiden in the best way she could it was no consolation for the emptiness she felt inside. Already she missed her son; his bright black eyes that brought joy to her every time she looked into them. It was going to be difficult but this was the path she had chosen to walk in. Most of her life was spent keeping secrets, was it ever going to end? King Dramon was going to come get her and she was going to be a good wife to him. At least it might make up for the son she had taken from him.
His arrival was earlier than anticipated. King Dramon’s carriage with the royal crest of a black dragon drawn in front of it drew up next to Ardoh’s fortress. She kissed her father goodbye and went into the carriage. King Dramon walked up to Ardoh for he wished to have a word with him. Even though he was a King he still had to show Ardoh his respect since he was his in-law. They went inside and took seats at the table. He cleared his throat and expressed, ‘I wish to ask for forgiveness for marrying your daughter without asking for her hand and gaining your approval.’
‘All is forgotten,’ Ardoh replied as he placed a hand on King Dramon’s shoulder, ‘you have my approval.’
The King smiled and gave a nod. Nothing more was needed to be said, actions spoke louder than any words. King Dramon stood up and left to go outside so that they could embark on their journey back to his home. The carriage left for Damius and Queen Demetris sat next to her husband holding his hand. It was going to be a long travel ahead o them.
‘Who won?’ she asked in an effort to make conversation.
‘Jazu, from one of the Northern tribes and he was pretty good, I have to say. I hear they train well up there,’ he replied calmly.
‘Better than you?’
‘I have to admit, maybe. I think it is time I improved my training techniques.’
‘Did he pick a maiden?’
‘The people of the Northern tribes prefer to marry their own. My guess is he will pick amongst his own upon arrival home.’
She looked up at him in wonder and asked, ‘why have you never made an attempt to seize their land? From what I hear their land is very fertile.’
He gave a small laugh and replied, ‘my father drew up a peace treaty between the two kingdoms. I cannot go against that because it was his last wish on his death bed that I try to keep peace with them.’
‘As if he knew that once you became king you would try and take the Northern lands. That was clever of him, don’t you think?’ she said with a hint of humor in her voice.
King Dramon laughed and leaned back comfortably. Despite what people said about him he had a good side to him, a more virtuous side. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He kissed her head warmly and whispered softly, ‘rest, we have a long ride ahead of us. Soon we will be home. I love you Demetris.’
‘Likewise my King, I love you.’
END
Book Two:
The Heir