The Clash Of Drakkon: Book Four Of The Drakkon Series

Chapter Seventeen

Kiara Solveig

Former Queen of the Solveig Empire

I was so happy never did I think that my efforts would truly work in bringing my Aldrich back to me again. I had been prepared to kill him, to end the life of the man I loved in order to protect my daughter. But now I didn't have to, my Aldrich was back with me again and my daughter could finally come back home.

She could stop hiding in the Morgase Empire, the people would stop mourning over her and instead rejoice over her return. I was grateful to King Kalo for protecting her, for saving her life, even if Numa had done most of the work, he had helped, if he his ship had not been there, I knew that Numa would not have been able to keep Alessandra alive indefinitely, he may be a god, but that did not mean his power was limitless, I more than most knew that.

Every time the pod failed on Solveig, Numa would be there, keeping me alive while my people fixed it, draining his strength every time, then the pod would be fixed and Numa would try to recharge the power he had lost so that he had enough to save me the next time the pod failed. We had both known that one day, my people would not be able to fix the pod, that one day I would die for real, I had resigned myself to that fate, but in the end my daughter had saved me, not just me, but she had also liberated my people as well.

Now that her father was back to being his true self, we could be a family again, I smile up at Aldrich as he leads me inside the castle, both of us exhausted from the fight we had which was more emotional than physical but it was still mentally taxing. But the joy of our reunion kept us going, it made us strong, because we needed to start making plans to get our daughter back, in my head I would say our daughter because that is what she was, but out loud, she was still only my daughter.

Even if Aldrich had been affected by something beyond his control, he was still ultimately responsible for his actions, so in the end the only one who could forgive him and grant him his title of father was our daughter, the one he had caused so much harm to.

"King Aldrich! Lady Kiara! I am surprised that the two of you are so close." Titus looked so confused, but also hopeful as he stared at our linked arms, the smiles on our faces, though Aldrich's was not as wide as it should have been given all the guilt waying him down because of his past actions. "I trust this means you were successful in your task, Lady Kiara?" I understood Titus' reluctance to spell it out plainly, if the cold Aldrich of before had heard what he truly meant to ask, he might have very well put him to death. But this was not the cold Aldrich who used to be here, but my Aldrich returned, Titus had nothing to fear from this man.

"Yes, Titus. He is once again the man you once knew." Titus smiles broadly, looking incredibly relieved, Aldrich lets go of my arm and slowly steps forward, Titus takes a small hesitant step back, looking still unsure of how this Aldrich will act towards him.

"I am truly sorry for my past actions towards you, my friend." Aldrich bows deeply before him in penitence. Pleasing me to no end that the mighty king was willing to bow before someone who was below him and someone he had wronged. Though Titus took it differently then me, staring at Aldrich in both shock and horror, it was an amusing expression.

"My king, I am pleased you have returned to your old self, but please stand up, I do not deserve to have you bowing before me, I am not worthy of such an honor." Aldrich stands up from his bow and smiles gently at Titus, reaching forward he grasps his hand firmly.

"You are mistaken my friend, no one is more worthy of my respect than you. You have ruled safely in my stead while I was lost, and you were a wonderful teacher to my daughter, you protected her long enough for her to blossom into rightful position as Queen of this Empire." Titus looks so confused as Aldrich praises him on something the old Aldrich had recently scolded him on.