Dragon Heart

A Loss

Years had passed since Rollo had hatched, Iris had developed into a young woman, seventeen, and Rollo and Fenrir had grown into beasts instead of the small animals that she tended for. Rollo was truly a sight, he was bigger than a house, and constantly growing. His wings could hide the sun and moon and his teeth were as sharp as daggers. He had lost his bright red colour and was now a much darker, deeper red. Fenrir was bigger than anyone had anticipated, taller than any horse and covered in muscle. He bared his white teeth when with Rollo, a playful behaviour, as the two animals would growl and screech at each other. Brothers.

Iris had become extremely independent, and stubborn. She trained for war each day, trained to shoot and trained Rollo and Fenrir. Rollo had been hard for her family to accept, he ate so much and would often shriek in the night to wake Iris from her slumber, but Iris had trained him well, she could hold onto him and fly now. Fenrir had always been comfortable with carrying Iris, he raced through woodlands with her as she shot at targets with her bow; the perfect team. Rollo had to be kept hidden away in a cave most the time, her father feared that people would try and take him or kill him as he was such a rare and dangerous beast. King Reagan stopped forcing Rollo away as much after the untimely death of the Queen. She had died suddenly, fallen ill, and it had been difficult for each of them to accept her death. Kodan was sixteen and a fierce fighter who was often reckless. Laila was fourteen and keen on romance, despite her age, she was also a keen archer who rarely missed. Ares, the little one, was not so little. He was ten and eager to please his father like all his other siblings. King Reagan had encouraged his children to learn to fight, to protect themselves and the kingdom that he would leave behind.

They all sat at the dinner table.
"Kodan! Look at you! What happened?" King Reagan shouted.
Kodan was covered from head to toe in mud.
"I fell in training."
"You must clean yourself up before supper!"
Kodan huffed and left the room, heading to his chamber. Iris strolled in after, sweating and breathing heavily.
"Iris, you are late!"
"Sorry, Father. It took me a while to get back from seeing Rollo, I didn't realise how dark it was getting."
"Apology accepted."
"When can I ride Rollo?" Ares asked, he was keen to be just like Iris, the tamer of beasts.
"Ares, you will have to grow more, and spend more time bonding with Rollo. He needs to trust you deeply to allow you to fly with him."
The door swung open and Kodan re-entered.
"Trust? He is a beast, he needs discipline, not trust."
"Kodan, you really do know nothing about the deep connections between a dragon and it's mother."
"You are not it's mother..."
"I am the only mother he knows, and I raised him, so I would be his mother. Your jealousy is uncontrollable, dear brother."
"Jealous? I am not-"
"Enough!" their father shouted.
Laila glanced up from her book and looked between the king and his tow eldest children.
"You are all so chaotic, where is your kindness and calmness? Your dreams of love?"
Iris cackled as she tore about the roasted turkey on the table.
"Laila, you talk of kindness but you are an archer! Is it kind to shoot people?"
Ares laughed in unison with Iris, he looked up to Iris so much.

Iris tucked herself into bed, Fenrir curled up by the fire. She jumped awake, grabbing the dagger under her pillow when Fenrir growled at the door. Light was creeping under her door, it grew and grew until there was a flustered knock.
"Princess! Princess!" 
Fenrir barked loudly, baring his teeth as the door opened to reveal a servant.
"Fenrir! Back!"
The great wolf obeyed, laying back down by the fire.
"Princess! The King is ill!"

Iris ran out her chamber and down the long halls to the chamber of her father, her feet flew, hitting the cold stone floor with a loud thud. She barged into the room to find all the doctors of the castle surrounding her father, pressing cold towels onto his forehead. 
"Iris." he whispered.
Iris ran to his side, not recognising the figure that lay in his bed. He was pale, sweating, his hands were clammy as he grasped at her wrists. Iris turned to see Kodan and Laila in the doorframe, terror in their eyes.
"Iris, I do not know if I will make it, my dear. But please look after your siblings. And the kingdom."
Iris blinked hard and began sobbing, kneeling at her father's bedside.
"You will be queen, Iris. I have signed the documents, written my will, and you darling, will be queen."
"Do not say that! Do not say you are dying!"
"Calm, my sweetheart. You are ready."
Kodan and Laila were by his side now. Kodan stood over their father, stroking his hair; while Laila took his other hand and wept.
"Where is Ares?" Iris cried at one of the servants.
"Asleep in his chambers."
"Fetch him! Now! Please hurry..."

"Kodan, my eldest son, you must protect the kingdom. You are a fine warrior and are capable of leading our great army as I once did, I love you son."
Kodan choked on his words.
"I- I won't let you down Father. I- promise."
"Laila, as sweet as your mother. You have much to learn still but I know that one day you will be the queen that you dream of. Never stop dreaming, promise me?"
"I promise!" she cried out.
The servant rushed back into the room with Ares at his side. Iris gestured for Ares to come to her and he obeyed, standing with his sister's arm round him.
"Ares, you are so young still, and I am so sorry that I have to leave so soon. Your siblings will care for you and help you learn, and you are very smart. Smarter than me! You will do great things, I tell you now, the gods have many great plans for the mind of Ares of Kovaria."
Ares hugged their father tightly, sobbing into his silk shirt. Each sibling sat, mourning, as their father's breathing began to falter. Each breath became more of a struggle, he gripped his daughter's hands tightly before his hands lost their grip. His body became limp and his breathing stopped. Silence perused. 

"Ares, Laila? You two should go to bed." Iris whispered.
"I don't want to leave Father's side!" Laila cried out.
"You will be very tired, and many things will happen tomorrow. I am not asking, I am begging. Please try and rest."
Laila finally nodded and took Ares' hand, guiding him out the room.

"What are we to do, Iris?" Kodan asked, his normally cocky demeanour replaced by a sensitive, scared boy.
"We are to carry on, and protect Kovaria, as Father wanted."
"And-"
"Can we please discuss this at breakfast? Please?"
"Yes, yes."
"You don't have to speak nor think ahead. You can just mourn, Kodan, you can just appreciate these last moments."
 
At breakfast, the children were mainly silent. A knock on the door made them alert, Fenrir's ears pricked up from where he laid at Iris' feet. A noble walked in, papers in hand. He bowed his head and told the siblings about how sorry they were for their loss.
"Now, you all know that your father had prepared a will after your mother's death to prepare for the possibility of his untimely death. It is the document that I hold before you."
Iris gulped.
"The late King Reagan declared that the throne would pass down to the oldest child, Iris of Kovaria. This was decided in the will and was confirmed last night on his deathbed. The ceremony will be after your father's funeral."
"Iris? Queen?" Ares asked.
"Yes," the noble sighed," Under very sad circumstances, she will take the throne."
Iris ran her hands through her hair, breathing deeply.
"As the next monarch, and his eldest child, it will be expected for you to make the announcement of his death today."
"That is fine."
The noble bowed before leaving the room slowly.
"Queen Iris..." Laila whispered, "I like it."
Iris looked at Kodan who was picking at his food.
"Eat, Kodan, eat."
"I am not hungry."
"Neither am I, but we need to be able to handle today, and starving ourselves will achieve nothing."
Kodan grabbed his fork and began to eat, slowly.

Iris dressed in a black dress, pacing round her room. Fenrir was laying outstretched on her bed, not a care in the world.
"The hall is ready for your announcement, they already know that your father isn't well, but do not know of his passing."
"Thank you."
Iris walked out her room with Fenrir at her heel, she could hear her own heartbeat thumping in her chest. She walked out into the hall under the watchful eye of lords, fishers, bakers and traders. Iris stood in front of the throne, not daring to sit in it yet.
"People of Kovaria, I, as King Reagan's eldest child, wish to make an announcement to you all."
The crowd waited, eager for the news.
"In the late hours of last night, King Reagan became critically ill. And sadly... died, surrounded by family."
Gasps waved over the crowd, shock and grief.
"I can not explain how much of an honourable king and father he was, and I miss him so much already. His funeral will be tomorrow. After the death of my mother, my father made a will to secure the future of this kingdom if he died suddenly. That document declared me, Iris of Kovaria, first of her name, as ruler of Kovaria. I intend to be crowned in two days, in this very hall. I only wish I can be as good a ruler as my father was. Thank you."
Iris was surprised by the cheers that followed, cheers of acceptance. She nodded at the people around her and walked back towards her siblings who stood together in the doorway. Ares bowed as she went to hug him.
"Your Majesty." he whispered.

Dinner that night was quiet again. Their father's chair sat empty, a constant reminder of their loss.
"Are you ready to be queen?" Kodan asked, stabbing at his potatoes.
"Yes, I am. As the eldest, I was prepared for this."
"Do you not think a king would be better on the throne?"
"Excuse me?"
"I am the eldest son, I can rule."
"You are the eldest son, not the eldest. And you are reckless."
"Surely, a man would be better-"
"Stop!" Laila yelled, "Father chose Iris! Stop this petty nonsense!"
Kodan fell silent, as did Iris. Kodan's jealousy was beginning to grow and Iris feared how it's angry hands could suffocate Kovaria, with Iris inside.