The Dragonriders

Chapter 11

A Royal Invitation

Shirley

As I sit in my room on the bed I hear a knock. I don't answer, as I am looking at the bow in front of me. The finely detailed snake head, no longer holding a string. The handle snapped in the middle, splinters sticking out everywhere. The eyes seem lifeless now. The knocking happens again, now more continuous. Still I can't find myself responding to it. Eventually I hear the door open. The footsteps move to my side and then I feel someone sit down next to me. 'I'm sorry for what my mother did. She should not have taken away your bow.'

It is Sha'iva. As she sits next to me looking at the remains I close my eyes. 'It wasn't just a bow to me. To me it was my way of showing the world I had returned. That I wasn't beaten by my past but on my way to a new future. This bow... it showed my training without ever being drawn. That is taken away from me. Now I'm back to having nothing.'

Sha'iva puts an arm around me. 'I told my mother why you have an Elven bow. I asked her to at least consider supporting you in return for saving her life. She never said anything about it.'

I get up slowly. 'Until I get paid I can't buy a replacement. So that means I'm useless until after a month of being deployed for the first time.'

She puts a hand on my back. 'I can lend you my sword until then? You seem to be able to use it now.'

I sigh. 'I cannot do that, Sha'iva. That sword is your heritage. I don't know if your mother had it made for you or if it is older than that, but I cannot be seen parading around with your sword on my hip. Especially not now that your mother is in the city. Just think about the questions that will be asked. Your mother could hurt you or me for it. Not to mention the fact that you are twice as deadly with that blade so it would be wasted on me.'

She grabs my hand and puts it on the handle of her sword. 'Shirley, you are one of few humans who can use Elven weaponry effectively. You are better using it than you are with human weapons. Use it.'

Then I hear a knock and see one of the Elven guards at the door. 'I hope I'm not disturbing anything here, child of forest and child of the stars, but the queen wishes to see you in the embassy.'

We both get up and follow the Elven guard.

In the embassy we are lead to a throne room where the queen sits. In front of her I do the usual greeting though everyone can hear my enthusiasm is lacking. 'Greetings to you, child of the forest.'

She gets up. 'Lets drop the formalities. I understood from my daughter that you were a bit... shocked with the loss of your bow. Now I want to know why.'

I look her straight in the eyes to the shock of everyone around me. 'I have been practicing with the bow for years. When a dragon attacked my village I stood between him and it alone with a bow. When I was brought here, all I had was my bow. I made the Elven kids in this city respect me with my bow and as long as I live a bow is the way I will fight if I have the chance. That bow was my way to show the world I'm an archer you don't mess with.'

The queen studies me. 'Those are bold claims to make. To stand between a dragon and what he wishes to attack is either sheer stupidity or bravery.'

Sha'iva speaks softly. 'My queen, she is speaking the truth. The dragon she rides on is the one that attacked her village. The news made it through the entire city before the dragon was even shown. He is massive.'

The queen looks at me once more. 'I'm conflicted with you. You seem fearless and almost reckless in your actions. Yet even in the city you showed skill and the willingness to do what it takes to get your goals done. You are entrusted by the Riders with my daughter who seems to respect you, yet when I look at you, you seem so... human.'