Lovers End

Chapter Five: Part Three

The strange voice became a distant memory as the crackling from the large blaze made her skin crawl. He might have been someone she was angry with, but he was still human. Her eyes moved from the fire to Emeric. She knew how broken he was; watching him pretend to be strong was killing her.

Aurora wasn't the only one watching Emeric. Theodore held a grave look on his face, watching his friend act brave. Theodore was crushed by the king's death. He had been a second father, a kinder one than his own. Now, he was watching him burn, the air filling with a sickening smell of burnt flesh.

"Take me inside, my boy. I... I can't take the smell," Agatha begged quietly, her arm tightly around her sons.

Emeric nodded obediently to his mother, patting her hand. He straightened out his posture and called out an order for the guards to begin returning to the castle. Emeric didn't linger much longer. Seeing how pale his mother was, he returned her to the castle, guiding her back to her room.

The knights gave their final respects to their late king before marching in formation, one half staying behind to protect the king's final resting place.

People mostly lingered, but one by one, they all started to leave while Aurora stayed, watching the black plume of smoke streak across the sky, moving up into the mountains.

The dragons watched from their high perches as their master was laid to rest. No one could hear them, but they whimpered like dogs into the mountain air.

Emeric stayed with his mother for a little while, holding her hand as she cried. He stayed strong for her, but as soon as she fell asleep from exhaustion, he exhaled in relief. Quietly, he left, desperate to let some of the emotions escape now that he was alone.

He grabbed onto the wall beside him, trying to get control of his breathing before he could do anything else. There was still so much to do; his coronation was a week from now, and he felt vulnerable. Straightening his posture, he knew he needed to clear his mind somehow.

With that realization, he made his way to the highest towers of the castle where the dragons still watched over their master. He climbed up to his father's dragon, and with one order, he was flying high in the sky, the two other dragons following close behind.

The blowing wind stung his face as tears wet his cheeks. Gripping the reins, he let out a yell of grief that caused the dragons to roar a breath of fire into the sky, burning brighter than the sun. He felt so free up here, and being with the dragons, he felt closer to his father than ever.