by R A Lewis
The town of Windpost was nestled between two foothills, a stream cutting it off on its south side, mountains to the north and hills to the east and west. It was well protected from discovery. The Valdir there raised large herds of cattle which they drove across the plains and into the surrounding foothills with their dragons. Leif and Kalina circled overhead and he pointed out the moving brown swaths of what she thought was land below them, showing the vastness of their herds.
Their dragons landed in a cloud of dust, the few soldiers they’d brought with them from the first village landing beside them. When Kalina slid from Arikara’s back she saw familiar faces. Halvor and Jormungand, the unhappy Valdir from her coronation, the men suspected of orchestrating her assassination, were striding towards them. Her aunt’s cousin stared at her, his blue eyes hard and angry. She clenched her fists, restraining herself. He had tried to have her killed but she knew that in order to win her people she’d have to play nice and show some self-control.
“Halvor, Jormungand, we have news,” Leif said, holding out his hand for them to clasp.
Halvor clasped his forearm in a tight grip. Jormungand stood off to the side and gave Leif a tight nod, not taking the proffered hand.
“Have you met our Queen, Kalina yet?” Leif gestured.
Both men turned but unsurprisingly neither one bowed.
“We don’t recognize her as our Queen,” Jormungand said.
Kalina stiffened at those words, her blood running cold as she looked at the two men, taking in their straight backs, their hands on their swords, and the hostile look in their eyes.
“She is a stranger to us, and an outsider. She didn’t grow up here, she doesn’t know these people.” Jormungand gestured to the gathered villagers around him, not a single friendly face among them, but Kalina recognized a few of them. They had previously been at the mountain, before her father died.
“She is Hakon’s daughter. She is your cousin. She is our Queen,” Leif pronounced. He stared the man down- a clear challenge. Halvor put his hands out placatingly and stepped forward, putting himself between the two men.
“I don’t doubt that she is. I mean, just look at her. We aren’t contesting her parenthood. We are contesting her right to lead us. It should be someone who knows the people, who knows our history, our struggles. It should be Jormungand.”
Leif’s eyebrows rose as whispering erupted all around them. Kalina’s gut clenched. He wasn’t wrong. She was a stranger here. She stepped forward, going against her better judgement.
“I understand your hesitation to trust me, Jormungand. I know I wasn’t born here. I don’t know everything there is to know about the Valdir. But I didn’t choose to be raised as an orphan. And now that I have found my way home, I am willing to learn. If you feel I am lacking, then teach me.”
It felt like the right thing to say, and a few people in the crowd shifted uncomfortably. But Jormungand and Halvor and many others began to shake their heads.
“That’s very nice of you, girl.”
Kalina bristled at the informal address.
“But we aren’t interested in some upstart who knows nothing leading us. Perhaps in a few years, once you’ve learned the ways of the world.”
Jormungand’s tone was mocking and Kalina’s face began to redden as he spoke.
“Perhaps I’ll name you my heir!” he said jokingly, getting a few laughs from the crowd.
Kalina clenched her fists and tried not to punch him square in the face. A queen wouldn’t punch her subject, but she really wished she could.
“For now, we will answer to Jormungand. We don’t answer to you.” Halvor said.
“You will answer to your Queen,” Leif said, keeping his voice level, his tone cold as he stepped forward until he was face to face with Jormungand.
The two of them stared at each other, the tension rising. Kalina’s heart began to race. Finally Halvor stepped between them again, a firm hand on each man’s chest, forcing them to step apart.
“We are all Valdir,” Halvor said. “With that being said, this village and its people will not answer to her.”
He nodded at Kalina. Kalina had a feeling that if it was just Halvor involved that they could convince the man to recognize her as queen. He seemed a reasonable man, but Jormungand was young and headstrong, and he was ambitious.
“This isn’t over, but in the interest of time and safety, we have come to warn you that the village of Harrowing, west of here, has been burned to the ground, destroyed. Everyone dead. Ethea may push east and attempt an attack on your village as well.”
“Thank you for the warning, General,” Halvor said respectfully to Leif who nodded curtly.
“They won’t attack us,” Jormungand said with confidence.
“Any why’s that? What makes you so special?” Kalina said, a challenge in her voice.
Jormungand eyed her for a moment before answering.
“Because we have patrols out daily. Ingvarold up in Harrowing was lazy, more interested in farming than keeping his people safe. I won’t be that stupid.”
His lip curled as he watched her. Guilt flooded her at his words. She hadn’t been able to keep Harrowing safe. She had barely known they existed. Was this her fault?
“No. Of course not.” Leif’s tone was sarcastic as he turned away from them.
Kalina clenched her jaw to keep everything in her head from spilling out of her mouth.
“After you, your Majesty.”
He motioned to their waiting mounts. Maska was clearly agitated, pacing from foot to foot behind them. Dragons have infinitely more patience than most humans but it seemed like the events of the day had been too much for both dragon and rider. Kalina nodded and walked to Maska as Leif turned back to Jormungand and Halvor.
“You will regret turning against the crown. Mark my words.”
And then he turned and vaulted up into Arikara’s saddle, offering a hand up to Kalina who reluctantly broke away from Maska to join him. He motioned to their small group of riders and with the village watching, they launched into the skies.
Kalina’s main concern just then was keeping everyone safe, and Jormungand posed a serious threat. They controlled all of the Valdir’s beef supply, as well as their milk and butter supply. And with Harrowing gone, so was the majority of their fresh produce. She was suddenly overwhelmingly grateful that she had noticed the Emberweed seedling. Without that plant, then they had no hope of ever defeating the king of Ethea, let alone sooth the growing dissent within the Valdir ranks. Perhaps if she could find a way to bring Jormungand back into the fold, she could prove to her doubters that she was a good queen, worthy of ruling. Although her own self-doubt was rising, and she was struggling to manage it.
The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, shooting the blue sky with ribbons of orange and pink. The mountain rose before them in the gathering dusk and Kalina was grateful to be home. She was so tired. But she was a queen now, and being queen left little time for rest.
Chapter 12
The council table was silent as Kalina and Leif entered. She was nervous, her stomach squirming with anxiety as she searched the gathered faces. Eira gave her an encouraging smile, as did Rangvald, but Kari was looking at her hands, and the rest had determined looks on their faces. Leif sat but Kalina remained standing for a moment before sitting- it took a moment to gather her courage to speak but finally she took a deep breath.
“What we found today was nothing short of a tragedy, not only for the Valdir but for the dragons.” She searched their faces. Many nodded around the table. “But we can’t use this as a reason, an excuse to go to war. We must play this more carefully, think through our options.”
At that talking erupted around the table. She knew it had been a gamble. She knew the attack would make people angrier, and would only incite Kari. What small peace the two of them had earlier was once again shattered.
“What?” Arvid said, almost standing from her seat.
“We can’t j
ust sit here and let them do this.” That was Kari, Rangvald placed a hand on his sister’s arm.
“We can’t run in without a plan either, Kari.” He looked at her with his eyebrows raised.
Kari scowled at her brother but sat back for a moment.
“Our crops are destroyed, how can we just let that lie without retaliation?” Ingvar said, his face red with rage. “Women, children, our farmers, all dead. They deserve to burn for this.”
Arvid nodded in agreement. Eira remained quiet.
“At the very least we must send more of our warriors to the villages, for protection.” Asta put in.
“Look,” Rangvald chimed in again, his voice causing the others to go quiet. “I agree that we need to do something. But I think Kalina is right, we need to exercise caution. Perhaps this was meant to draw us out, bring down our resources, weaken us. Spreading ourselves even thinner won’t help.”
He looked to Asta as he said the last part. Leif nodded and spoke up.
“I agree. We shouldn’t send more of our forces north. We need to keep them here, protecting the majority of our people.”
Ingvar looked angrier than ever.
“What about Harrowing and its people? What about those still vulnerable in the mountains or in Windpost?” he said, naming Halvor and Jormungand’s village. “They deserve our protection.”
“Windpost doesn’t recognize me as Queen,” Kalina said, standing to place her hands on the table. She cleared her throat. “And those in the mountains are better protected than we are. I agree with Leif and Rangvald. We will not be sending our troops elsewhere.”
“What if they attack again?” Arvid spoke up.
“Then we will respond, provide support to our people.”
“That is not enough!” Kari finally said, slamming her fist on the table top. “That is not enough. Our people were already suffering before, during the long war. And now you expect them to just lay down and take it? Suffer once again? How long, your Majesty do you think they will follow you if all you do is bandage their hurts and tell them you are sorry?”
Kari’s anger was an almost physical thing, raging so hot Kalina took a step back from the table. Her words stung. Already, people were leaving the mountain for Jormungand. Her cousin wasn’t wrong.
“What do you expect me to do?” she whispered. She felt helpless, trapped, pushed into a corner where her only two options were to lie down and die or plunge into the fray with no hope of escape.
“We take the fight to them, to the capitol. We take the throne from them and put you on it. We unite our two kingdoms.”
Her face was filled with such conviction, such passion. Kalina wished with all her heart that it was a viable option, but storming the capitol was a suicide mission and it felt like she was the only one who knew it.
“I will not attack the crown and forcibly take it from my mother. Nor will I declare myself heir. It is her crown. I don’t want it.”
That declaration was followed by silence. Finally, Arvid spoke up.
“Well, we’ve discussed it before, but this is a perfect opportunity to do so again-” Arvid began.
Kalina sat back down, blocking out the conversation around her as panic began to build inside her. She had done so much better at managing it lately. Having Maska and flying with Nash had helped but right now she couldn’t very well go see Maska or go flying. Leif reached out and snagged her hand, squeezing, but she barely felt it. She felt like she’d gone deaf, the world around her a dull buzz, the only thing she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. She squeezed her eyes shut, taking deep, measured breaths, trying to calm her heart.
Sound came rushing back as she was able to calm her nerves, but it wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Rangvald and Kari were standing, face to face, arguing. Rangvald was trying to reign his sister in, but Kari was hot-tempered and wasn’t having it. The rest of the council was angrily weighing in on their argument.
For the first time in her life, Kalina felt like she was the only adult in the room. She stood and slammed her hands on the table, the loud smack reverberating through the chamber. The arguing stopped abruptly and all eyes turned to their queen. She was barely holding herself together now.
“Everyone out.”
Her voice was quiet and low, but it carried. Kari looked at her in disbelief and began to speak but Leif held out a hand.
“We will make plans later. Let’s take a break,” Leif said.
Everyone filed from her room, but Kalina still stood at the table, her hands splayed out on the rough wood, focusing on her breathing and the feeling of the grain beneath her fingers. Eira was the last to leave. While Leif was speaking quietly with Rangvald by the door, Eira came around the table and put a gentle hand on the back of Kalina’s neck.
“Don’t let their passion and fear sway you. You are Queen. Do what you think is best for your people.” She kissed Kalina’s cheek gently and then left the room. But Kalina didn’t respond. She didn’t know how she felt. Leif came towards Kalina once they were alone.
“You too,” she said. “Out.”
He paused mid-step.
“Are you sure? I’d be happy to stay-”
“Yes. Out.”
He turned and walked out the door, leaving her standing alone in her room.
She collapsed into her chair, her legs shaking and weak from the rush of adrenaline that had caused her to tell them to leave. Suddenly, she didn’t feel like she knew who she was anymore. Where was the girl from before her father died? The one who wanted to belong, to lead her people, to be a part of something bigger than herself? Everyone wanted something different from her. Talon had wanted her to come back to Ravenhelm with him to take her place as princess of Ethea. Leif wanted her to be a good leader and queen. Kari wanted her to be more decisive, bolder, more vengeful. Each council member wanted her to be something she was not, and wasn’t sure she could ever be. Jormungand wanted her off the throne and the king of Ethea wanted her dead. Did anyone want her just for herself?
Nash.
Nash didn’t want anything from her besides spending time with her. Nash had wanted to run away with her, to start a life where no one was trying to pull her left and right, where she could do whatever she wanted. Hadn’t her father told her it was her choice? Her future?
The dragon’s chamber was dark and warm when she entered an hour later, a bag slung over one shoulder. Most of the dragons were asleep for the night. She carried a torch to light her way but she abandoned it at the cave entrance. For the first time all her night time wandering had come in handy and she’d managed to make it to the kitchens and then the dragon chamber without being seen. Maska wasn’t quite old enough to fly her, a few more weeks of growing and he would be the size of a small wyvern and could begin carrying her, so her only hope was to find Nash and his dragon Sitala.
She found him asleep atop the rock outcropping with Sitala curled at its base. She gently tapped Sitala, pointing to the top of the rock. The full-grown dragon sleepily helped the young queen to the top. Nash sat up groggily from his sleep, his braids lightly mussed. He grinned when he saw her.
“To what do I owe this late-night visit, your Majesty?”
“Please, call me Kalina.”
She hesitated before going on, still nervous and unsure.
“Were you serious about running away?”
His green eyes went wide at the mention, but he nodded.
“Of course.”
“Then let’s go. Right now.”
Her skin was itching with the need to be free, to feel the responsibility fall from her shoulders. He chuckled.
“Right now? I haven’t gotten any food-”
She held up the bag she’d packed.
“I brought plenty. Now let’s go.”
His face fell, suddenly aware of how serious she was.
“Give me five minutes.” He leapt from the rock and ran back up to the passage. All the while he was gone, Kalina’s heart threatened to pound out
of her chest. What if he was going to wake Leif? Or tell Eira? What if he was just going to leave her there? Soon he was back, and she climbed from the rock, sliding onto Sitala’s back. Maska was nearby, and she hurried to his side.
“We’re going away,” she said as she stroked his smooth green scales. “I need to get out of here.”
He could sense her anxiety and stress so he simply snorted a breath of warm air over her and rubbed his head against her side.
“Let’s go then.”
He followed them as they left the dragon’s cave, treading carefully, trying not to disturb any other dragons. She didn’t want anyone being alerted to their departure until long after they’d left. Together, she and Nash loaded a small saddle they put on Maska, before climbing into Sitala’s saddle. Then they launched into the air, climbing into the night sky, the moon reflecting off Maska’s green scales. Jormungand could have the damn throne if he wanted it so badly, she thought as they left the mountain behind.
She had left a note on her bedside table, along with her Valdiran crown. The note contained an apology. She wasn’t quite sure who she was apologizing to, she was letting so many people down. But as she’d written it, she’d imagined Leif reading it. She was glad she wouldn’t be there to see the sadness on his face.
As they traveled south, the direction she pointed them in, she felt the anger and fear, stress and anxiety, the responsibility of being queen to the Valdir slip from her shoulders, and for the first time in months, she felt like she could finally breathe.
Chapter 13
The coastal town of Amberharbor was set into the sides of cliffs, the houses clinging precariously all the way down to a slim quay, a sandy beach, and a small harbor. It was known for the way the lights of the buildings up the cliffs reflected off the bay at night, bathing the beach in an amber light. It was primarily a trading post, where ships came to unload and load cargo, sending trundling caravans up the steep switchback road to the top of the cliffs and then out across the southern plains of Ablen and south, to unknown parts of the world.