Dragon Heart

Journey to Westolden

"Are you ready, Queen Iris?"
"Yes, all ready. I must say goodbye to the others before I leave."
Iris ran, hugging each of her siblings. After a few months of ruling she had decided to visit Westolden to see King Laton, during her absence she hoped that Kodan would behave. He had suppressed his jealous outbursts however Iris did not trust him, leaving certain guards with the job of keeping an eye on him. Rollo had been hidden away this whole time, only flying in the cover of darkness . Iris wanted to avoid any other kingdoms from seeing her prized reptile, she knew how valuable he would be as a beast of war.
"Goodbye Iris." each sibling said while hugging their older sister. 
Iris clambered onto Fenrir's back and nudging him forward into a run, her soldiers on horseback following close behind.

"Welcome, Queen Iris! Welcome to Westolden!"
"Thank you, King Laton! What a beautiful castle you have!"
"Thank you, thank you. Your soldiers are welcome to rest their horses in the palace stables, and rest themselves in the chambers nearby. We must get you and Fenrir, here, fed. You are our guests!"
A vast meal had been prepared. Many meats and vegetables, an array of desserts and pastries too. A young maid took Iris' cloak while Iris approached the table. She sat next to a familiar young man who was greedily wolfing down turkey.
"Hello Prince Alfred."
The young man jumped out his chair and bowed.
"I am so sorry, Queen Iris, I had no idea it was you."
"Do not apologise!" she laughed, "Sit and enjoy your meal."
Iris grabbed the turkey's carcass and whistled, Alfred frowned slightly, confused. Fenrir bolted into the room and screeched to a halt in front of Iris, who turned round a fed him the carcass. The wolf cracked the bones and flesh from the dead bird. King Laton had no appeared in his throne, he raised a goblet and stood.
"To our friendship between kingdoms!" he announced before glugging.
Iris raised her goblet and took a small sip.

Once the meal was finished, the guests began to dance, drunk, as the orchestra played a jolly folk song. Iris lent against a wooden beam, stroking Fenrir's soft ears, the fur like silk on her fingertips. A voice startled her.
"Queen Iris, may I- may I have this dance?"
Alfred extended his hand. Iris looked at the young man and delicately took his hand.
"You may, Prince Alfred."
The young prince lead her to a space in the room, placing his hand on her waist as she placed her hand on his shoulder. They swung and moved as the music travelled round the room, many nobles watching on at the young pairing. Eventually the song finished, Alfred bowed as Iris curtsied. They were met with applause, especially from King Laton, who was very drunk by now.
A few hours later, Alfred lead Iris to her chambers in the castle.
"If you want anything, just call. I hope you are comfortable here. Tomorrow we shall go to some of our beauty spots here in Westolden-"
"Alfred."
"Yes? What is wrong?"
"I am extremely tired, so, I will be going."
"Oh yes! Sorry! Goodnight, your Majesty."
"Goodnight, Prince Alfred."
Iris shut the door and collapsed onto her bed, rolling over and blowing out the candle on her bedside table.

Breakfast was peaceful, until shouting sounded from outside. A soldier burst in, sweating, flustered, and shouting for Iris. Iris looked up, her mouth full of berries.
"Queen Iris! Thank the gods I have found you!"
"What on earth is wrong?" said Iris, swallowing all the berries.
"Kodan! He's got an army and the Derians-"
"Slow down. Please. What about Kodan?"
"When you left, he opened the gates and lead an army into the city! An army from the North! The Derians! Kodan said he was taking the throne and the Derians were prepared to fight for him if you return to fight for your crown! Do not worry, your other siblings are safe."
"Traitor!" Iris screamed.
King Laton stood up, worry on his face. He looked between the soldier and Iris, who was cursing wildly.
"Iris of Kovaria, we promised that we would fight for you. If we declare war on your brother and the Derians, we will be outnumbered, but we will fight like no army has ever fought."
"I will visit Kodan, try and reason, if not... we declare war."
"Queen! You should know... the Kovarian army refuse to fight for your brother. They refuse to fight for a false king." the soldier exclaimed.
"Thank the gods! I must leave at once! King Laton, bring your army too, I highly doubt my brother will back down without a fight."

Soldiers on horseback raced through the woods, horses snorting wildly. They bolted through the city gates and Iris and Fenrir lead them, lead them all the way to the entrance of the Hall. Laton and his troops were waiting in the woodland while Iris spoke to her brother.
"Sister!" Kodan laughed, as he sat on the throne.
"Brother. Give me back my throne."
"Oh! You know I can't do that!"
"You are asking for war!"
"I have the Derians on my side, they are fine warriors who want to fight for me."
"And I have the gods, stronger than any warrior!"
"You will never take this thrown from me, you either legally give it to me... or I kill you on the battlefield!"
Gasps escaped from the mouths of the nobles.
"Then I will see you on the battlefield! Tomorrow! At dawn! Be ready, little brother."
Iris clambered back onto Fenrir's back and escaped out the door, it was time to prepare for battle.

King Laton sat on his chair, twiddling his thumbs, anxious.
"They have catapults, weapons greater than ours, and many more soldiers."
"You are forgetting something." Iris said casually.
"What?"
"We have Rollo."
"Who is Rollo?"
"Many years ago, I was gifted a dragon egg by a wanderer who claimed it was from the gods. My father told everyone that it did not hatch. But it had."
Fear spread across King Laton's face.
"Are you tricking me?"
"I am not. He is large and powerful and hidden in a cave very close by, and he will destroy whatever I want." Iris' voice had dropped to a whisper.
"It will fight?" 
"He will engulf them in hellfire, make them scream as their skin burns off. He is ruthless. Do not worry King Laton, we will not lose this battle."

At dusk, both armies gathered on the battlefield. Prince Alfred and King Laton were on horses while Iris sat comfortably on Fenrir, the wolf was hungry for blood. The Derians had weapons of new technology. Wooden structures that hurled balls off stone, and crossbows. Two horses galloped towards the middle of the battlefield, Kodan and Hector, Leader of the Derians. King Laton and Iris met them, their breathe smoky in the cool air.
"It is not to late to stop this, Kadon." Iris said.
"I will win! You will never win! You will never take the throne back!"
"You are a fool, Kadon." Laton muttered.
"A fool? I am not! I am hungry for war and hungry for victory!"
"If it is a war you want, brother, it is a war you shall get."
Iris turned and urged Fenrir into a run, heading back towards the troops.
"Did he back down?" Alfred asked.
"Of course not, we will fight."

The soldiers readied themselves, tension hung in the air. The sound of armour moving on bodies was loud, but Iris focused her mind.
"Archers!" she shouted.
Each archer readying themselves for the release of arrows.
"Loose!" Iris screamed.
The arrows hurled through the air, they looked like a flock of birds. At the sight of threat, Kodan made his soldiers use their shields, commanding them to move forward. As arrows hit down men, the Derian soldiers began to run forward.
"We must charge!" Alfred shouted.
"No!" his father yelled," Not yet."
Laton looked at Iris who pulled a small animal horn from her cloak and moved it to her lips. She inhaled before blowing hard into the small instrument. Confusion spread across Alfred's face. Then. The battlefield darkened. The sun had disappeared behind a plague of darkness that soared through the sky. Screams of Derian men pierced through the air. Iris smiled, lifting the horn once again. The Derian men had stopped moving forward, instead screaming at the creature in the sky. Another blow of the horn and the beast descended, revealing that it was a dragon, deep red, and immense. It opened its jaws and a storm of fire escaped, burning the catapults. The screaming continued, blood curdling, and full of fear. Alfred turned to Iris, his eyes wide.
"A dragon? Why is it doing that?"
"That is no wild dragon, son. That is Rollo. Iris' dragon."
Iris tucked the horn back into her cloak and met Alfred's eyes. 
"Do not look so fearful, Rollo will bring your troops no harm."

The soldiers of Westolden watched as men burnt, crawling while on fire, ripping at the clothes on their skin. Iris could see her brother from here, his fear, his lack of hope. Rollo had destroyed the catapults now and was burning rows of men. Some archers tried to shoot at him, but their arrows were like feathers, tickling his thick hide. Iris revealed the horn again and blew it, Rollo ascended. 
"Forward!" yelled King Laton. 
The soldiers ran towards what was left of the enemy, killing them easily. King Laton stayed behind while Iris and Alfred rushed into battle. Fenrir's gaping jaws picked up men and tore them apart as they screeched. Iris shot arrows into the eyes of the Derian's, rejoicing at the sound of metal piercing flesh. The sound of Kodan and Hector yelling was so close.
"Retreat! Retreat now!"
Soldiers rushed back into the safety of the woods.
"Your brother!" Alfred yelled, pointing to a figure who was running frantically.
Iris dismounted and stood next to Fenrir's giant skull, she pointed at Kodan, and whispered in Fenrir's ear.
"Fetch."
An explosion of speed, Fenrir raced towards his target. Kodan did not hear the wolf approaching but felt the force of a great paw knocking him off the ground. Kodan lay looking at the sky as the beast towered over him, drooling, the stench of death on it's breath. Iris laughed and walked up to Alfred who gave her a hand to climb behind him on his steed. They galloped towards Fenrir who had rested a mighty paw on Kodan's chest to stop the scoundrel from escaping.

"You asked for war, and you got war. Now look," Iris gestured to the fire and corpses all around them, "you are defeated. For you are a traitor and the gods do not favour those who betray their Queen."
"Will you kill me?"
"I would, but Father would not want that. Instead I will make you rot in a cell, all alone."
"I am sorry, Iris!"
"Sorry? You take my throne, threaten to kill me, and then you are too stubborn and stupid to back down. Now all these men are dead! All these men bled out or burned. And those deaths, are on you."
"Please! Mercy!"
"Mercy. What a strange request. I thought letting you live was mercy enough, maybe you want to return to Court? Be a good prince?"
"Yes! Please!"
"No!" 
Iris cackled, extending her hand to Alfred who passed her his sword.
"Women are weak like you said, so letting it all go back to normal would make me seem weak."
Iris pointed the end of the sword at Kodan's throat, watching as he gasped, fearful.
"You are lucky I do not kill you in the streets, hang you from the gallows or butcher you to feed Fenrir. You are lucky! And... you are not a prince! Your title will be taken, instead of your life."
Iris removed the sword from Kodan's throat and stepped back.
"If you ever, ever, threaten me again... I will kill you. I will torture you, suffocate you, drown you, and burn you. And you will have a shallow grave by the roadside, far from Mother and Father."
Iris spat on her treacherous sibling.
"Traitor." she whispered

Back at the castle, celebrations were underway as Queen Iris returned. She embraced Laila and Ares, holding them tight, afraid to let them go. 
"We are safe! Do not worry!"
"I will never leave you again."
"Kodan did not hurt us, he only wanted to hurt you." Laila insisted.
The soldiers swung to folk music and the lords of the land raised their goblets to the success of the army. King Laton and Prince Alfred sat with nobles as Laton told them how fire rained down from the sky and scorched the enemy, a sign that surely the gods sided with them. Alfred decided to leave his father's side to approach Iris who was sat comfortably on her throne once again.
"Congratulations Queen Iris, on reclaiming your throne. I'm sure with that dragon, you could win any battle!"
"He is not for war, not a weapon; he is a living breathing creature."
"My apologies-"
"But yes, I can use him for war if it is necessary."
"You are not drinking?"
"No. It does not appeal to me."
"What does appeal to you?"
"The safety of my kingdom."
"Ah, ruling alone does make maintaining and protecting such a vast kingdom even more difficult."
"What is that meant to mean, Alfred?"
Alfred cleared his throat and laughed nervously.
"You are at the age to marry, but marriage does not seem like it is a priority of yours. It can secure your kingdom, protect it-"
"And give away some of my power to my husband."
"Well, yes, but surely there are many benefits to marriage."
Iris leaned forward, turning to make eye contact with Alfred.
"Why do you ask me such things?"
"Well, ugh, father- King Laton suggested that I seek your uh hand in marriage."
Iris scoffed and stroked Fenrir's ears, Alfred looked concerned.
"Marriage?"
"Yes. I told him that you would not want me."
"It is not that. Marriage just does not appeal to me at this time, I have lost my father, gained my crown, lost it, then regained it in the space of less than a year: I have other concerns."
"That is understandable, Queen Iris."
Silence pursued as Iris watched over the nobles who ate before her, Alfred shuffled in his spot, making his armour clink.
"You are a fine man, Alfred, but for now, I am married to Kovaria."