The Dragons Blood Key: Legend of the Dragon's Blood Key - Book 1

by Linda L Barton

  “Then again, Alona does not understand the true power of the Dragon. You see, when Queen Privlana cast the spell on the Blood Stone and Alona forced the droplet of the King’s blood into the stone with the Dagger of Destiny, she unleashed an ancient forgotten magic.”

  Roupert leaned in closer, not wanting to miss a word of this grand tale.

  “It was the magic of love and self-sacrifice. There is no stronger magic in any realm.”

  While Roupert knew that love and self-sacrifice were important, he did not understand what they meant as far as magic.

  Seeing the confusion on his face, Syrea continued. “You see, when Queen Privlana cast her spell to prevent Alona from gaining the power of the Blood Stone, she called forth a Champion. One who would come to our realm, and through love and self-sacrifice break the spell cast by Alona over the Kingdom. By not understanding the Queen’s words, Alona believes that as long as Queen Privlana remains trapped in her human form, she is safe to rule over the kingdom forever. You see, our Queen was too smart for the evil Alona.”

  “May I tell this part of the story? I love this part,” one of the other Lillients exclaimed excitedly.

  “Of course you may, Brianna,” Syrea replied with amusement clearly in her voice.

  Brianna cleared her throat then began. “Queen Privlana is truly brilliant for before Alona forced her to transform into her human form she tore one of the scales covering her chest over her heart and cast a spell over it. This making it vanish to the same realm that she had sent the Blood Stone, thus linking her power to the Blood Stone. Isn’t that wonderful?” Brianna smiled.

  Roupert was unsure of what that meant, but he nodded his head letting her know that he heard her words.

  “So, now that I am aware what has happened to our King and Queen, what do you want of me?” Roupert asked nervously.

  “The Queen wishes that you protect her son. Then once he hatches, you will protect him until the day the Champion comes to break the curse set upon the kingdom,” Syrea said in a serious tone.

  Seeing the golden egg nestled in the grass, Roupert felt a warm feeling of affection fill his soul. “I will do as requested. I will protect Prince Frier until the day he may be united with his mother and the rest of his Dragon family.”

  “Excellent, Sir Roupert, but I have one more thing that you must know. Queen Privlana has commanded that you not let Prince Frier know of her or of his heritage until the curse over the kingdom is broken.”

  “I don’t understand why he can’t know of his family? Would it not be cruel to keep the knowledge of his birthright from him?” Roupert slowly shook his head.

  Syrea seeing the sadness in his eyes reached out and touched him on the cheek. “The Prince must not know of his family, for fear he may try to avenge them. The heart of a Dragon is full of great passion, so to learn of the death of his father and the enslavement of his mother and his other family members would only drive him to seek revenge. He would be no match for the power of Alona, so he must believe that he is alone, and there are no other dragons in our realm.”

  Chapter 10

  Cassy sat in silence as Roupert finished sharing the tale of the day he came to be with Frier.

  “How long was it before he hatched from the egg?” Cassy asked.

  Roupert looked at her with amusement in his eyes. “A Dragon does not hatch like a bird. When it is time for a Dragon to come forth in this life, the shell protecting it is burnt away with its first breath.”

  Cassy tipped her head to the side, not understanding what Roupert meant.

  “You see, when it is time for a Dragon to come forth, it cracks a small hole in the shell with one of its talons. Then as air fills the egg, the Dragon takes its first breath and blows forth fire, which burns the shell and releases it. Do you understand now?”

  Cassy nodded her head with sorrow showing on her face. “So, you lived alone waiting for him to come forth from the egg? That’s so sad.”

  “I was not always alone as I waited for the day of Frier’s birth. I had our friends the Lillients and other woodland creatures for company. Then I had the joy of getting to know your great-grandmother, Abigail.” His eyes revealed the sadness in his heart.

  Roupert jumped to his feet, not wanting to continue with this conversation. “Come, it grows late and Frier will worry if we do not join him soon.”

  Realizing there was no need to pursue the subject of her great-grandmother, Cassy stood. “Come on, Aaron, wake up; he’s going to leave us behind if we don’t hurry.”

  “What took you so long? I was beginning to worry,” Frier huffed as he stacked the last of the wood next to the fire.

  “I am sorry, but we stopped to eat and time got away from us,” Roupert grinned as he saw the disappointed look on Frier’s face.

  “I hope you are still hungry, for I have fanish roasting over the fire, and I found some sweet berries,” Frier retorted with a hint of irritation in his voice.

  “I’m hungry, Frier,” Aaron licked his lips. “Those look great. I’ve never had fish cooked that way. Fish and berries for dinner sound delicious.”

  “So, in your realm they are called fish,” Frier grinned. “What a strange word.”

  Frier walked over to the fire and pulled the fish away from the direct flames. “They ready to eat.”

  Aaron reached for one of the sticks with a cooked fish, and then took a few steps away from the fire before he sat in the sand to eat.

  Frier grabbed one of the sticks and handed it to Cassy. “Here you go; you need to keep up your strength.”

  “Thank you, Frier. As a matter of fact, I am hungry,” she smiled. She took the stick with the fish and walked over next to Aaron then sat next to him.

  “This is really good,” Aaron moaned with delight, as he shoved another bite of the fish in his mouth.

  “Frier, you may need to cook some more fish. It looks like our young friend is hungry this evening,” Roupert chuckled, as he watched Aaron take another bite.

  Frier looked at Aaron and shook his head. “Well, at least I know that all my work will not go to waste. Here, try the berries with the fish. It is quite tasty.”

  Frier set a large bowl-shaped leaf filled with berries in front of Aaron and Cassy. Aaron looked at the berries then scooped up a handful and shoved them in his mouth.

  “They’re really good. They taste like strawberries,” Aaron grinned as he chewed the sweet berries.

  Roupert and Frier each took a stick with a cooked fish and sat across from Cassy and Aaron. As they enjoyed their feast, they all laughed and shared funny stories of their lives. In spite of this, there was an unspoken apprehension hovering over the group at the thought of facing the Evil Queen Alona.

  The moon shone down brightly on the water as it flowed over the rocks into the deep pool below.

  The Falls of Clamore are quite beautiful, Cassy thought.

  As she lay by the fire, she could not help but wonder what lie ahead for her.

  How am I supposed to win a battle against the powerful evil Queen? I’m just a kid. Why do they think that I can break the curse and free the kingdom? The words burned in Cassy’s mind. She wanted to believe that she was the Champion, but a voice inside of her mind kept reminding her that she was just a silly teenager.

  Cassy turned on her side, trying to get comfortable. “I sure do miss my bed,” she chuckled silently.

  Not able to fall asleep, she decided to get up and add more wood to the fire. She walked over to the stack of wood when suddenly she noticed a small light floating along the water’s edge.

  “What’s that?” she whispered to herself.

  The light flickered as it began to float up and down then it stopped and started to move slowly along the shoreline again.

  Cassy tossed a piece of wood on the fire then she walked toward the strange light, wondering what it could be. She glanced over her shoulder at the three sleeping forms by the fire then she continued toward the light.

  “Stop, wa
it, who are you?” Cassy whispered as she rushed after the light.

  Once she was a distance from the campsite, the light stopped and then transformed into its true form as it waited for her to approach.

  “Arianna, is that you?” Cassy asked as she closed the distance between them.

  “Yes, it is I, Cassandra. I wanted to speak to you in private. Please sit so we may talk.” Arianna waved her hand and a small wooden bench appeared.

  Cassy sat on the bench then Arianna sat beside her. A few tense moments passed between them before Arianna finally spoke. “I sensed your fear as you lie by the fire trying to sleep.”

  “Yeah, I’m a bit worried, Arianna. How am I supposed to conquer the Evil Queen? I don’t know anything about magic, let alone how to properly use it. What if I mess up? What if I can’t do what I’m supposed to do?” Cassy hung her head and softly cried.

  “Cassandra, the Blood Key chose you for a reason. It saw strength in you; otherwise, it never would have brought you here. Then again, you will need to force your fears aside, and believe in yourself. For you see, Queen Alona will use any doubts or fears you have against you.”

  “I just don’t feel brave enough to do what’s asked of me. May I ask you a question?” Cassy looked at Arianna through tear filled eyes.

  “Of course you may,” Arianna assured her.

  “When we first got here Frier thought that I was my great-grandmother returning. When was she here?”

  Arianna sat for a moment, remembering those troubled days.

  “The spirits were low among the subjects of the kingdom when Abigail came to us. She appeared to myself and the other Lillients, confused and afraid. We knew immediately why she had come, as she wore the sacred Dragon’s Breast Plate with the Blood Key; the very one you wear now.” Arianna pointed at the plate on Cassy’s chest.

  “I don’t understand why it would choose me though. I’ve never done anything brave my entire life,” Cassy moaned, as she rubbed her hand along the edge of the plate.

  “Silly child, the Blood Key did not choose you for your past deeds. It chose you for your inner strength. I have looked into your soul and I see greatness there. You may not know it yet, but you possess much strength and a willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. That is what drew the Blood Key to you. Those are also the very things that drew the Blood Key to your great-grandmother.”

  Cassy shook her head, still not willing to accept her fate.

  “Arianna, I have another question. What is it that I have to do to defeat the Evil Queen and restore the kingdom?”

  Arianna could see the doubt and fear in Cassy’s eyes, but she also knew that she must know what they expected of her to prepare for the task ahead. The Lillients had made that mistake with Abigail, so she did not want to repeat it.

  “As you know on that fateful day when Alona cursed the kingdom, our Queen Privlana also cast a spell. Yet, Alona in her blind quest for power did not understand what our Queen had done. When she cast her spell on the Blood Stone, she transformed it into a special key.”

  Cassy nodded her understanding as Arianna continued.

  “And through that spell the Blood Key would only come to one who was worthy; one who would only use its power for the benefit of the Kingdom. That is why the stone burned the hand of Alona before it vanished. The spell cast on it by Queen Privlana sent the Blood Key to a realm where Alona could not find it.”

  Arianna shook her head as the painful memories of that day consumed her. “This, of course, angered Alona significantly, so she cast our Queen into the Great Dungeon, where she stays trapped in her human form today. Still, our Queen was much too smart for Alona. Before changing into her weaker human form, Queen Privlana cast a spell that the Dragon scale over her heart. The spell joined the scale with the Blood Key to be worn by the champion when they came to Walandra to battle the evil Alona.”

  “You mean to say this very plate I wear is from the Queen? Roupert had said it, but I didn’t honestly believe him.” Cassy’s eyes were wide with surprise.

  “Yes, my child. That is why you must have faith in yourself. The scale that covers a Dragon’s heart has magical qualities, and it would never come to someone not worthy. You have two powerful articles that have chosen you for an important task.”

  “Okay, but what is that task. What am I supposed to do?”

  “You need to return the Breast Plate to Queen Privlana with the Blood Key. Once the Breast Plate is returned, the curse will be broken and Alona will be destroyed.”

  Cassy suddenly felt a knot tighten in her stomach. “Okay, so let me see if I understand this completely. I need to go to the castle and somehow make my way to the dungeon. Then once I’m there, I must return the Breast Plate with the Blood Key to Queen Privlana without the Evil Queen stopping me. Sure, that doesn’t sound like a problem at all.”

  “Do not question your abilities, Cassandra. I have faith that you will fulfill your destiny.”

  “I don’t understand something. When Aaron and I first appeared to Frier, he mentioned that he believed that I was Abigail, returning to complete her quest. What happened? Why didn’t she beat Alona when she was here?”

  Arianna closed her eyes, remembering that dreadful day.

  “Abigail was actually brave and she fought well against the Evil Queen Alona, only she made the mistake of trusting someone who was not pure of heart.”

  “I don’t understand. Who did she put her trust in?”

  “I blame myself for not warning her, but he was cunning and convinced her that she must battle the Queen alone.” The look of sadness in Arianna’s eyes told Cassy it was a painful memory and one she wanted to prevent happening again.

  “What happened?”

  “He led her into a trap. Abigail had no way of knowing that several of Alona guards lay in wait to attack when she entered the dungeon holding our Queen. She fought bravely, but she was no match for the guards.”

  “Oh no,” Cassy cried out.

  Arianna saw the fear in Cassy’s eyes as she continued. “They had her trapped against a wall and were about to strike her down when the Blood Key began to glow a fiery red. Queen Privlana had fought against her chains trying to help Abigail, but she was helpless to save her. Then just as one of the guards moved in to strike Abigail down, she vanished.”

  Cassy sat up straight, her eyes wild with fear. “Oh my, what happened to her? Is that when she was returned home?”

  “Yes, the Blood Key returned her to her realm. You see, the spell that Queen Privlana had originally cast protected Abigail from death, as the Blood Key and sacred Breast Plate will do for you. This is why you must return it to our Queen. If Abigail were to have died at the hands of Alona’s guards, Alona would have gotten the power of the Blood Key as her own.”

  Cassy ran her finger across the Blood Key, feeling its warmth.

  “Is it the drop of the King’s blood that gives it its power?” Cassy asked.

  “Yes, King Ashlym was very powerful. There was no stronger magic in all of our realm. That is why Alona wanted to possess its power by forcing it inside of the Blood Stone.”

  “I still don’t know if I can beat the Evil Queen, but I will do my best,” Cassy said, trying to muster the courage she knew she would need to face this quest.

  Arianna whispered softly. “That is all we can ask of you. Come, you need your rest for tomorrow will be a strenuous day.”

  Arianna spread her wings then flew up and gently touched Cassy on the forehead. “This will help you rest.”

  “Thank you. Goodnight,” Cassy stood, wondering if she would be able to do everything expected of her.

  “Summon me should you need to talk or have any more questions, and I will come. I have enjoyed our time together, Cassandra.”

  In a flash of light, Arianna and the wooden bench disappeared.

  Cassy returned to the fire where the others were still sleeping soundly. She walked back over to her blanket and lay down. As she pulled the blanket up ar
ound her shoulders, she noticed that she was suddenly exhausted. “That was a neat trick, Arianna,” she yawned as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 11

  “Good morning, sleepyhead,” Aaron laughed as he watched Cassy stand and rub the sleep from her eyes.

  “Good morning,” Cassy groaned. “I sure hope some of that root tea ready.”

  “As a matter of fact, it is. I even brought some Valen sap to go in it,” Roupert said as he reached for the kettle hanging over the fire.

  Cassy reached into her pack and pulled out her cup as he filled it with the warm liquid then poured some of the sap into it.

  “Thank you, I need this,” Cassy grinned then she took a sip of the tea. “I could get used to this stuff.”

  “Not me, I’d rather have a glass of chocolate milk,” Aaron made a sour face.

  Frier shot Aaron a confused look. “What is chocolate milk? Is it a liquid from a beast? What do the beasts look like?”

  Aaron and Cassy exchanged glances and began to laugh.

  “I do not understand what is so funny,” Frier said.

  “Chocolate is a sweet substance. It’s a candy that is melted and added to milk from cows,” Cassy snickered, trying to control her laughter.

  “I do not understand why you must add something sweet to your milk. Do your cows, as you call them not make good tasting milk?” Frier still did not understand why someone would add anything to milk.

  “It just makes the milk taste better,” Aaron said playfully.

  “Well, if you do not like the root tea, there is plenty of water to drink,” Roupert pointed toward the waterfalls. “We do need to remember to fill our water pouches before we leave.”

  “Cassy, there’s some fruit here for breakfast. Roupert and I went out and picked it while you were sleeping. It’s pretty good. Those purple ones taste like peaches, and the pink ones taste like pears,” Aaron grinned as he took another bite of one of the purple fruits.