Heir to the Throne

Chapter Four

Ryan was on a basketball court in Wiasè with his uncle, Lord Richard. He was ten years old.
"Remember," said Richard, "keep the top of your arm parallel to the ground and have your forearm straight up. Now you're going to have your left hand holding the ball here, but you only push the ball with your right hand. The left is only a guide. No, keep the ball on your fingertips, not on your palm. Now shoot it."
Ryan did shoot, and it was a great shot. He followed through perfectly, and his left hand did not move at all. Swish! But then, he noticed someone watching him play. It was an ogre. The ogre lifted a bow strung with an arrow. Ryan wanted to run, but he was frozen the ogre fired and it hit Ryan on the arm.
Ryan screamed in pain. He was awake now. He was not on a basketball court, he was in a clearing in the woods of the Wild. It was all a dream, but Ryan wished it had not been. He wished the ogre had shot him that day that Richard had taught him how to shoot a basketball. He also wished that it had killed him, and then went through him and killed Richard. Then, they would be in the Land of Eternal Happiness. He would not be in pain and in fear of an attack, and Richard would be a man.
"Quiet," whispered Gertrude. "Something looms over head. Something foul. I do not want this secret place to be noticed by any evil creature."
"Stay here," said Ryan.
"Where are you going?" asked the girl.
Ryan did not answer. Instead he walked for a minute and then called, "Uncle Richard!"
The dragon heard this call. He flew down.
"My boy," he said.
"Do you know how to get out of your present state?" asked Ryan, who wanted nothing more in the entire world more than to see his uncle's real self again.
"It is impossible. Even if it was possible, I would not want it. I have a new master now, with more wealth than the King of Shìane," said Richard
"I do not believe you."
"My dear boy, my master has not permitted me to speak to you as friends after this. This is our last conversation."
"It will not be," said Ryan, who was growing angry. Tears were forming in his eyes. "How could you do this?"
"I am sorry. If I see you again, I will kill you."
"What?"
"Goodbye. Oh, Ryan."
"Yes."
"Kiss that girl for me."
With that the dragon flew away. Ryan was angry. He picked up a rock and threw it. It was almost dawn, so he walked back to the clearing to speak with Gertrude.
"How do you know him?" asked Gertrude.
"Who?" responded Ryan.
"The thing you were talking to. The dragon." Ryan said nothing. "How?" demanded Gertrude.
"Uncle."
"How is he your uncle?"
"He's not really my uncle. He is under a spell."
"Who cast it?"
"His greed. I want to turn him back but-"
"I know. It is impossible."
"Yes, that's what everyone is saying. I do not believe it, though. I think there is a way."
"You should believe. It's true."
"Every spell can be broken." That would have been the end of the conversation, but Ryan had a question. "Gertrude."
"Yes.
"What did you mean when you said you were the Queen of Ilnër?"
"Just what I said."
"But Ilnër was destroyed and everyone slaughtered."
"Not really. King Joshua's wife, the Queen of Ilnër, escaped with her baby. That child had a child, who had a child, who had a child, and so on and so forth. Down to me. That's how I know the of the clearing we are in. That's how I know where King Joshua's treasure is."
"Let's find it."
"Yes, agreed. You and me."
They both mounted the horse and rode off into the distance. As they rode Ryan wondered how this girl could possibly be the Queen of Ilnër. He wondered why his own uncle deserted him and threatened to kill him. He wondered if his eyes would ever see the treasure of Ilnër.