The Dragon and the Singer

by Renee Carr

  Anyone who had a title in the Dragon Kingdom was in the hall, as well as the more high ranking shifters. She saw Devon, Ben, and Connor at the front and smiled at them briefly as they walked towards the two thrones that were sitting at the front of the room.

  Ivy was aware that she would be the first person who sat on that throne since Sarah, and her heart thudded a little bit as she approached it. She hoped that wherever Sarah was right now, she was happy and approved of their marriage.

  Nathan sat first and then Ivy sat as well, looking out on the sea of unfamiliar faces. It felt like a second wedding ceremony, only this time she was marrying the universe rather than a person.

  The archbishop was standing beside them, and when Nathan gave him the nod, he moved forward. There were so many different props and movements that she had to remember that Ivy found herself a bit lost in his words, trying to remember the order of what she was supposed to do.

  “Sirs and Ladies, I hereby present unto you, Queen Ivy and King Nathan your undoubted Queen and King of Knorpp and the universe wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service. Are you willing to do the same?”

  He was speaking to the crowd, who nodded. Ivy resisted the urge to reach out to take Nathan’s hand. One of the things they had talked about was the fact that a successful rule would mean they had to be strong alone before they could be together.

  “We will do the same,” the crowd said. Ivy sat up a little straighter, watching as this crowd went from bowing to Nathan to bowing to her. She couldn’t believe she was in this position, and yet it seemed completely perfect. She felt more at home on the throne than she ever did on the stage.

  “Creator save Queen Ivy and King Nathan!”

  She knew she would hear them say that several times throughout the ceremony, and it sounded odd to hear them refer to her like that. She would have to get used to it and learn to turn her head when they referred to her just by her title.

  “Madam and Sir, is your Majesties willing to take the Oath?” the archbishop asked and both of them nodded.

  “I am willing,” both of them said, in unison.

  “Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of Knorpp and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?” the archbishop turned to Nathan first. Ivy had asked that Nathan go first in all of the vows so he could guide her.

  “I solemnly promise to do so,” Nathan said, and then the archbishop turned to Ivy.

  “Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the Knorpp and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?”

  “I solemnly promise to do so,” she said, her voice carrying through the entire hall.

  “Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?” the archbishop asked, and Nathan nodded.

  “I will,” he said. “As I have done in my last rule and as I will now do under this new partnership.”

  “Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?” Ivy answered. She didn’t have any training, and she didn’t know if her judgment would be strong enough for the harshest cases. But she had a feeling with Nathan by her side, they would be able to figure it out together.

  The archbishop than began a longer spiel “Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of Creator? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain peace in Knorpp, established by law? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of Knorpp, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?”

  “All of this we promise to do,” they said in unison. The religion of the Dragons was based in fire, and they believed that they were born of fire. Ivy thought it was fascinating, and she was as respectful of it as Nathan had been of her small church on Earth.

  “Creator save the King and Queen. Long live the King and Queen. Be thy Hands anointed with Holy Oil. Be thy Breast anointed with Holy Oil. Be thy Head anointed with Holy Oil: as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed: Hear our prayers, O Creator we beseech thee, and so direct and support thy servant, Queen Ivy and King Nathan, that they may not bear the Sword in vain; for the terror and punishment of evildoers, and for the protection and encouragement of those that do well.”

  Ivy ducked her head, as one of the clergymen came forward, and anointed her head and chest with oil. Nathan received the oil as well, as they wiped his chest and head clean with holy oil, so they could symbolize the fact that he was clean of the old rule and was now about to enter the new rule.

  Next, the clergymen stepped forward with two ceremonial swords. Each of them were encrusted with rubies and golden metal. They weren’t meant to be used in battle, but they still looked threatening. Nathan had told her the story of the swords; that they had been brought from the very first King and Queen, and were forged in their original birth fire.

  “Receive this kingly Sword, brought now from original Kingdom, and delivered to you by the hands of us the Bishops and servants of the Creator, though unworthy. With this sword do justice, stop the growth of iniquity, protect the holy Church, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay, maintain the things that are restored, punish and reform what is amiss, and confirm what is in good order: that doing these things you may be glorious in all virtue; and so faithfully serve our planet, that you may reign forever in the life which is to come.”

  They handed each of them the swords, and they took them in one hand, knowing that there was still more to come.

  “Receive the Bracelets of sincerity and wisdom, both for tokens of the Creator’s protection embracing you on every side; and also for symbols and pledges of that bond which unites you with your Peoples: to the end that you may be strengthened in all your works and defended against your enemies both bodily and ghost.”

  They clipped the firestones to both their wrists, sparkling in the sunlight that was coming in the window. It was surprisingly heavy and Ivy rested her wrist on the throne arm as she waited for the next item.

  “Receive this Imperial Robe, and the Lord your Creator endue you with knowledge and wisdom, with majesty and with power from on high; the Universe clothe you with the robe of righteousness, and with the garments of salvation.”

  Both of them stood up, as the robes were wrapped around their shoulders. They were heavy, trimmed with fur and meant the symbolize their rule over the rest of the shifters, all of who came with fur when they transformed. Ivy had wondered if it was cruel, but Nathan told her that the other shifters regularly donate fur to keep the robes fresh. It used to be out of fear, but now it seemed to be out of respect. They had determined that their rule would be one of unity; fair and just and hearing all voices within the Kingdom.

  “Receive this Orb, and remember that the whole world is subject to the Power and Empire of the Universe,” the archbishop said, and both of them were handed orbs meant to symbolize Knorpp. Ivy thought it was beautiful, with golden etchings. And in the center, there was the main city, with two crowns etched on it. There was always meant to be two rulers of Knorpp, meant to equalize each other.

  “O Creator, the Crown of the faithful: Bless we beseech thee this Crown, and so sanctify thy servant Ivy and Nathan, upon whose head this day thou dost place it for a sign of royal majesty, that they may be filled by thine abundant grace with all princely virtues.”

  This had been the part that she had thought about the most. The moment they put that crown on her head, she knew that there was no going back. She would be Queen of the Dragon Kingdom with Nathan by her side from that moment onwards.

  “We beseech thee also to save and defend all Kings, Princes and Governors; and specially thy servant, Ivy our Queen and thy servant Nathan, our Prince; that under them, we may be godly and quietly gov
erned; and grant unto their whole Council, and to all that are put in authority under them, that they may truly and indifferently minister justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true religion, and virtue.”

  Both of them stood standing, as all the items were placed on them. And then, the Bishop made one more cry out to the crowd.

  “Creator Save King Nathan and Queen Ivy!”

  “Creator Save King Nathan and Queen Ivy!”

  Ivy and Nathan sat, as one by one, the Lords, Ladies, and nobles of all types approached, crouching down and swearing their loyalty to the new couple.

  She was proud of herself for recognizing some of the faces and addressing them by name as they approached.

  There was a long line of them, and it made her realize just how many beings she ruled over.

  At long last, when the last one was done, she reached for Nathan’s hand and the Kingdom took up the cry one last time.

  “Creator Save King Nathan and Queen Ivy!”

  “And so begins the 849th rule of the Dragon Kingdom, King Nathan, and Queen Ivy. Long may they rule.”

  “Well,” Nathan said to her, quietly. “Now you are forever by my side. You have your place in history.”

  “We’re in each other’s history’s books,” she said, as they descended down from the throne and through the aisle that was left for them. Their robes dragged behind them, and they managed to make it to the back of the room without being stopped. “My King.”

  “My Queen,” he said to her, as the doors closed behind them.

  Whatever happened from here on out, Ivy was excited for this new adventure, with her husband by her side. She didn’t care that he was Dragon, or that they were on a different planet. Fate had brought them together and she intended to never be apart from him again.

  Epilogue

  Ivy awoke feeling more horrible than she ever had in her entire life. She had thought that it was just life on Knorpp wreaking havoc on her system, but now she was sure there was something more going on. For the past few months, she had felt unsettled. Her energy was low, and her stomach was often upset. She had nearly stopped eating for a bit, causing a lot of consternation given that as Queen, she often had to eat at banquets in feet of what felt like the whole Kingdom.

  She sat up in a cold sweat, her long hair falling over her face as she felt the bile rise in her throat.

  She didn’t know whether it was Knorpp food or the schedule, but something had to change. She really couldn’t continue to feel this way.

  Before she could make it to the bathroom, she leaned over to the side of the bed, throwing up.

  Nathan awoke at the noise, sitting up and putting his hand on her back as she heaved.

  “Again?” he asked, quietly. “You poor dear.”

  “I just...” she growled in frustration. “This keeps happening.”

  “Maybe you should see the doctor,” he suggested. “I don’t think that we can say it’s just strange food. We’ve eaten different things every night.”

  “I honestly think that it’s just weird food,” she said. “Even on Earth, I was super picky. God-damn.”

  “You look ill,” he said. “I’m not saying that to hurt you. I’m concerned.”

  “I....” she pushed her hair out of her face. “Alright, fine. God-damn,” she leaned forward, throwing up again. “Now.”

  “What?” he asked. He realized that she must have been feeling absolutely terrible to say that she wanted to leave their warm bed and see the doctor, that he knew that she hated. “Now?”

  “I just can’t take this anymore,” she said. “Something has to change.”

  He didn’t normally panic, but he threw off the covers, picking up the tablet to call the doctor. He didn’t say it, but all he could think about was the last Queen who was in the room they shared. He knew that John must have seen some awful things as Sarah got sicker.

  “I hope this isn’t some curse,” Ivy said, thinking the same thing Nathan was.

  The doctor came within minutes, which was a perk of being the royal couple. Nathan watched as he took her vitals, and then asked her a few simple questions.

  “I think we should admit you,” he said to her, in Dragon tongue. Ivy was getting more fluent by the day, but in her sickly state, she looked to Nathan for translation.

  “He thinks we should go to the med bay,” Nathan said, trying to remain calm.

  “We have throne duty first thing in the morning,” Ivy protested and Nathan tried to calm her down.

  “It’s alright,” he said. “We’ll handle it.”

  “But...”

  “Ivy,” Nathan said, quietly. “I need you. I need you to be alright.”

  She met his eyes and nodded.

  “Alright,” she said. “Let’s go.”

  Transporting the Queen from their royal bedchambers to the med bay was not something that could be done on a low profile. Nathan knew that their whole palace would know by the time he got there. And sure enough, hearing that the Queen was dangerously ill and remembering the last Queen, Cory and Joshua turned up in the med bay shortly after dawn, looking worried.

  “What’s happening?” Joshua said, his face tense. “Do I need to make sure there’s a protection detail? Will she be here long?”

  “I don’t know,” Nathan said. “They won’t tell me anything. They’ve taken her back and are running a bunch of tests.”

  “Just demand,” Cory said but Nathan shook his head.

  “I can’t,” he said. “I can handle almost anything that happens in the Kingdom, but if something happens to her...”

  “Don’t you have throne duty?” Cory asked and Nathan nodded. “I’ll handle it. You just stay here, then, and wait for news. Should I put out a news release?” he asked. “I’m sure everyone will know soon.”

  “Just...wait for a diagnosis,” Nathan said. “I’m hoping that she just ate something that didn’t agree with her.”

  Joshua raised an eyebrow.

  “She’s been sick for a few weeks now,” he said.

  “Months,” Nathan said. “I’ve sat there and watched and listened to her because she’s stubborn. I should have brought her in sooner. I should have just... This is how John felt.”

  “This will not end like John and Sarah,” Joshua tried to assure him as the doctor came out.

  “My King,” said the doctor. “My Princes.”

  “What is happening?” Nathan demanded. “Do you know what is causing her illness?”

  “I do,” the doctor said. “And I think that we should discuss things in private.”

  Nathan’s heart sank.

  “Anything you have to say, you can say in front of my brothers,” Nathan said.

  “Well, My King,” he said. “I think that you should make plans for about six months...”

  Nathan stared at him in shock.

  “Are you telling me that she has six months to live? No. That is unacceptable. That is...”

  “What?” the doctor asked in shock. “No, no that’s not what I am saying at all.”

  “What?” Nathan asked.

  “Your wife is pregnant,” he said. “She is due in six months.”

  Nathan stared at him in shock.

  “She’s..pregnant?”

  “Yes,” the doctor said. “Congratulations!”

  “Oh my...Creator,” Nathan’s face broke out into a smile, and he turned to his brothers, who both gave him an excited hug. “How could we have not figured this out?”

  “Congratulations,” the doctor said again. “I’ve hooked her up to some IVs. She’s just been dehydrated, which has probably added to her feeling quite ill.”

  “Is there any issues with a dragon and human hybrid?” Nathan asked. He was pretty sure that there wasn’t, but he needed to make sure that Ivy was completely safe.

  “No,” the doctor said. “As you mated with her in human form, all is well. The baby will be bigger than a normal human child, so she will need a bit m
ore monitoring. But as far as I can see, there will no danger.”

  “Can I see her?” Nathan asked and the doctor nodded.

  “She’s in the suite,” he said, and Nathan took off down the hallway before the doctor could even finish talking.

  Ivy was sitting up in the bed, with an IV in her arm. Her face had more color and when she saw Nathan, she grinned.

  “I take it he told you?” she asked.

  “He told me,” Nathan said, moving forward and kissing her fully on the lips.

  “And I take it you are happy,” she said when they finally broke apart.

  “My darling, I tell you how happy I am,” he said. “I have wanted this for so long. Are you happy?”

  “I am,” she said, as he sat on the bed beside her. “It feels like the perfect end to a perfect story.”

  “It’s not the end,” he assured her. “It’s just the beginning. I love you.”

  “I love you too,” she said. He adjusted to sit behind her so that she could lean against him. She snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes. She thought that she had perfection before, but now she realized that this was absolute perfection. Her song was just getting started and she couldn’t wait to sing the rest of it with him.

  Author’s Note

  I hope you enjoyed Nathan and Ivy’s story! If you did, would you leave a review on Amazon? I would really appreciate it!

  Don’t miss the next book in the series! Please be on the lookout for it!

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  Love ya!

  Renee