Dartan closed his eyes, and reached out for Alain’s spell. Nothing. He squeezed his eyes tighter, holding Alain’s image in his mind.
“Help me,” he whispered to himself. “I need your help, Father. Please, show me your spell. I know it’s here, it’s-”
Everywhere. That was the problem. He lived inside Alain’s spell. He always had. Just like everyone and everything else in this world.
Dartan opened his eyes and looked, really looked, at everything around him for the first time. How could he have not seen it before? His father’s spell was wrapped and woven into everything. Even Aliet, who stood silently beside him waiting, was not untouched. He reached towards her, caressing her face.
“You can see it, can’t you?” she asked haltingly. “The spell, I mean.” He nodded slowly without taking his eyes off her. “And what about me?” she asked. “Am I real?”
Real? What was real? He gazed around the room and saw stone touched by magic. A small window revealed blue sky painted with hues of magic. Beyond what he could see with his eyes was what he could feel. All of it was bound together, and from every single thing Dartan could feel one thing – the desire to live. To exist. How could that be any less real than the dead and silent void that lay beneath the spell?
“Dartan?” Aliet brought him back. “I asked you a question,” she pressed. “Am I real?” A light sheen covered her eyes as she did her best not to look scared. He knew what he had to do.
Dartan stepped forward, took her into his arms, and lowered his forehead until it rested gently against her own. “The only thing I am sure is real in this world is my love for you.” She smiled up at him, put her arms around his neck, and pulled him down to meet her waiting lips. As they kissed, Dartan finished the spell Alain had begun, binding it to the will of everything that existed. As long as there remained something in this world with the desire to exist, the spell would endure.
Chapter Thirty-seven
One year later
“It’s not my fault,” Dartan began.
“Not your fault?” Aliet repeated with disbelief. “Are you not King?”
“Well, yes.”
“Are you not in control of your own actions?”
“Um, no?” He was trying to follow the question, not entirely sure there was actually a correct answer.
“Then how can it be ‘not your fault’?”
“Well, there was a bet.”
“Stop,” she commanded. “I’ve heard enough.” She sighed as she took another look at his disheveled appearance. “The Northern Kingdom emissary has been waiting for almost half an hour.” Dartan opened his mouth, but she wasn’t done. “And our daughter, the future Queen of Pavlora, is to be presented to her subjects for the first time in her life, less than one hour from now. Meanwhile, you come in here, covered in mud from head to toe, and dare claim no responsibility because of a bet?”
“When you say it like that-”. She held up a hand to stop him again.
“You get cleaned up, and I will deal with the emissary. He’s here to discuss our trade agreements, and I’m tempted to offer to pay them more for their spellstones.”
“Whatever you think is best, dear,” he said with a grin.
Nearly an hour later, a cleaned and freshly dressed Dartan headed swiftly to the courtyard balcony. Halfway there he was joined by an also recently washed and out of breath Logan.
“How much trouble did you have?” Dartan asked.
“Trouble?” Logan said with a laugh. “Please. My women know their place.” Dartan grabbed Logan’s arm, stopping them both. He looked Logan in the eye with raised eyebrows. Logan lowered his head.
“Kari isn’t talking to me, and Nagiel made me walk here,” he admitted. Dartan nodded with a knowing grin and started them on their way again.
“So, the head of my dragon guard had to walk?” Dartan teased. “What kind of impression will that give our Northern Kingdom guests?”
“I doubt they’ll even notice. They’re probably still in shock over the twenty percent increase in price your wife insisted on paying them.”
“Touché.”
Both men grew silent as they walked onto the balcony, joining the small group of dignitaries waiting on them. Mother was holding the new princess, and Dartan gave them both a kiss on the cheek before taking his seat next to Aliet. The crowd of citizens in the courtyard below cheered.
“You certainly do clean up nicely,” Aliet said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“And you are looking radiant as ever,” he countered. “But I hear we need to work on your negotiating skills,” he added.
“Nonsense. They only wanted a five percent increase, but I insisted on ten. When they protested, I went to twenty. Worked like a charm.”
“My apologies, dear. I was obviously misinformed about your skill.”
“Obviously.”
“May we begin now, sire?” asked the Royal Announcer.
“By all means,” Dartan said.
The announcer then turned to address the crowd. “Citizens of Pavlora, and honored guests, we are gathered today for a very special occasion – the announcement of our newest addition to the Royal family. Today we add her name to a long list of Pavlora’s finest. Tracing her lineage-”
“You know you lost the bet, right?” Logan leaned forward and whispered as the announcer droned on.
“I most certainly did not,” Dartan insisted. “I lifted that lake.”
“The terms were that it be high enough to walk under.”
“We did walk under it!”
“Sure, until we had to crawl. Oh yeah, and then the part where you dropped it on us.”
“Well who was the one that yelled ‘lake monster’ while I was trying to concentrate?”
“Now, now, boys,” Aliet intervened. “Dartan, did you lose the bet?”
Dartan looked at Logan, who nodded, then back at Aliet. “Well, technically, I guess.”
“Very well, then. You will fulfill your end of the wager as any honorable man should.”
“But-”
“No buts. A King, and a Father, must lead by example. The better example would be to not make silly bets, but that will have to be a future lesson. For now, it will be fulfilling your obligations.” Dartan lowered his head and nodded. “Very good. Now, what were the terms?”
A huge grin spread across Logan’s face while Dartan began to look sick. He leaned over, whispered into Aliet’s ear, and grew even more uneasy as he watched her face turn pale.
“You didn’t,” was all she could manage to say.
“He did,” Logan answered for a speechless Dartan. “On the bright side though, this will be a lesson we’ll be reminded of for the rest of our lives.”
“It’s time, sire.” The Royal speaker had reached the point in the Royal lineage where the Princess would have her name added.
Dartan nodded, retrieved his daughter from Mother’s arms, then stood with Aliet at his side. They moved forward to the balcony railing where they could be seen by all below.
“Good people of Pavlora,” Dartan called out to the crowd. “It is with great pleasure that I present to you the future Queen of this land.” He paused to look at Aliet. She was still pale, but gave him a small ‘go ahead’ nod. Dartan took a deep breath and finished, “Princess Logana.”
THE END
About the Author
When he isn’t spending time with his wife and kids, or writing, Daniel works in IT for a small technology consulting firm. Born and raised in Alabama, he currently resides less than fifteen minutes from his childhood home – and yes, distance is measured by time in the south. You can find him online at www.jdaniellayfield.com, or email him at [email protected].
Thank you to my beta readers, without whom the version of this story you just read would not exist. Thank you also to the members of the Support Indie Authors group for their advice and support.
A big THANK YOU to you, the reader. Without you, I’m basically just talking to my
self.
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