Heir to the Throne

Chapter Two

Immediately, Ryan fastened a sword to his belt and mounted his horse. He did not want to be the Heir to the Throne; he wanted his uncle to be. And his uncle should have been, would have been if he was a man and not a dragon. Ryan knew from his love of fairy tales that every spell could be broken and he was determined to break the spell that lay on Lord Richard or die trying.
He took the same path that the party had taken six months before. However, no crowd threw flowers in front of him, nor were any banners flying beside him. Nobody, not even King William knew that he set out. He rode over the Great Mountains, and had not been for a mile when he saw an ogre standing in his path. Ryan drew his sword. But instead of fighting, the ogre spoke to him in a gruff voice.
"Hail, Heir to the Throne of Shìane," said the ogre.
"I am not the Heir to the Throne," responded Ryan. He was afraid at first but he gained his courage. "There is a nobleman named Lord Richard. He is the true Heir to the Throne."
"Boy, your uncle is dead, at least as you knew him. He is now helping me."
"But how could you?" Ryan shouted at the dragon which appeared in the sky.
"Men serve Shìane. Your uncle is no longer a man. He a dragon, and dragons serve me," responded the ogre, even thought the question was directed to Lord Richard.
"Do you know nothing, Uncle Rick?" said Ryan, "Everyone knows that dragons are their own masters."
"He still has a small trace of men left in his heart. Because of that, he needs me to gain power. Once his heart is completely dragon, he can be independent and survive."
"I believe he has more than one small trace of men in his heart. I do not know exactly how much he has, but I do know that whatever he has is enough to become a man once more."
"That is where you are mistaken, little master. Nothing can break this spell."
"Every spell can be broken one way or another."
"Every spell cast by a Witch or another being. This spell has not been cast by a Which or anything else."
"What has cast it then?"
"His greed. His lust for wealth, fame, and power."
"Who are you?" asked Ryan.
"Ìthluun, King of the Ogres," said the ogre.
"Come Uncle," said Ryan directing his attention from Ìthluum and onto Richard, "do not follow him."
"I must," said Richard. Although Ryan had heard Richard speak many times, he recognized not this voice. This was not Richard's real voice; it was the voice of a dragon. "I am a dragon, and a dragon follows the ogre chieftain."
Ryan got on his horse and rode away. "Until we meet again, Heir to the Throne." Ryan ignored Ìthluun, for he did not want to meet the King of the Ogres again. As soon as he crossed the Great Mountains, he sat down and cried. He wanted to believe that Richard could be saved, but he had a feeling deep down inside that Ìthluum was right. That Richard would be a dragon forever.
Ryan rode to Wiasè, where he told William what had happened.
"I have heard of Ìthluum and I know his ways. He wants the dragon so he has the strength to attack Shìane. That also explains why he was so close to the mountains. I have a mission for you. Cross the mountains once more, and find the ogre camp, but keep your presence unknown. Find out where and when he will strike, if at all."
"I will do as you bid," said Ryan. Ryan did not go just to find out what the ogres were up to, he wanted to make Richard human again.