Princess of the Pire

page 11

had a brother and a twin nonetheless we were expected to rise as dual rulers, him as the king until I found a mate and me as the queen until I produced an heir and she came of age.

About a year before our coronation Fira fell ill to an unknown disease to which we had no cure which was unbelievable. It was some sort of bad miracle, an awful one. I wept every time a doctor told us that he was getting worse, deep down I knew he would not make it to the coronation and I would have to rule alone but that was not my biggest concern.

I was about to lose my brother. The only person I had left after my mother, there was no one else. Father only saw me as a tool. The staff were terrified of me. Well yes my people loved me, they hated the idea that I could go out into the day we had often had bad experiences with Dhampires and daywalkers so half of the population was convinced I was one or the other despite my heritage.

I begged and pleaded with father to let me visit him but he never did. So I had no choice but to confide in Girahal who too was getting older and was not going to last much longer for dragons aren't immortal like vampires. Girahal comforted me and told me that father would eventually come around and that regardless of whether or not I would rule with my brother he would be happy to sign the new alliance.

About a month before my coronation, my father finally let me visit my brother. I ran to his room and almost broke open the door. My usually vibrant brother was now deathly pale. He was nothing but skin and bones for the disease would not let him eat. His usually long black silky hair was now dry yet stringy.

He looked nothing like the Fira I knew, he noticed my presence and beckoned to me with a bony finger to come closer. I was scared he looked like a zombie. But nonetheless I went to my brother's side, and the words he uttered I will never forget.

"Firanna, you know I'm not long for this world. I am glad father let you see me over what I have to tell you is very important you have to promise me you will relay this to the people."I nodded my head in silent response. I couldn't dare speak.

"I investigated the true death of our mother. Father was only half telling the truth when he said the villagers had killed her. I went amongst the people and asked around why the cattle had killed our mother as it so happens father made a deal he wanted to hurry your pace to the throne so he could hopefully manipulate you from there.

Our Father made the deal that our people would no longer feast upon their young in exchange for their murder of the queen the humans were only two happy to oblige. And so the very next night as mother was traversing the town the humans stuck a stake through her heart, cut her limbs off and placed her head in that box and laid it upon our steps.