4: Darken War

8: Alana

i flew the entire way back to my home, the palace still being restored from our last war. 

i landed on the training grounds. 

"My queen." the men and women around me said in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.

there were about fifty warriors now gathering around us. 

"We need to prepare for war." i told them. "our allies need our assistance and the Great Dragon requires our help against the dwarves."

The captain, the man who had trained, Argon me stepped forward. "We can take flight at once."

"good, gather every able body possible." I looked at the warriors around us. 

"That wont be needed." a voice sounded behind me. i turned to see Alexandria land on the ground behind me, i hadnt sensed her power as i normally do. 

"What do you mean?" i asked as i bowed to her, my warriors followed suit and bowed.

"i worked everything out with the dwarves." she smiled at me, she felt almost wicked. 

"when did you learn to fly?" i asked, motioning for my men to ready themselves for war.

"Recently." She took a step towards me. "i have already notified...Thorne to stand down." 

her pause at Thornes name is what caught my attention. 

"Alexandria." i spoke calmly. "Do tell me something, do you remember when we met? when my bother said he hoped we could be great friends after you fell in love with him?"

"indeed." she smiled. "to have found love a second time was truly a blessing, i am glad i have a child to remind me of him, and a dear friend in you."

i smiled. "Nice try. you had me going at first, but i am not stupid. who are you?"

"oh, did i get those facts wrong?" Alexandria looked confused. "A shame, i had hoped to avoid a war."

i pulled my sword from my belt and held it in front of me. "who are you?"

her body morphed into the advisor from the dwarven kingdom. "Maybe i was wrong about her friends, maybe it was just her that was stupid."

"What did you do to her?" i started to circle the imposter.

"don't worry." he smiled. "she is alive, but very stupid to have stayed behind."

"begone, beast." i stepped closer and swung. my sword going through him. i turned and glared at him. "your not really here?"

"nope." he smiled. 

"only dragons and fairies can use powers like this." I said, confused. 

"or a Darken." He smiled. "too bad you'll never know which i am. do not send your troops, or you will regret it."

"like hell i wont." i spat at him. "return the Great Dragon to us, unharmed."

"don't worry, you will get her back in one piece." he started to disappear, "weather you fight in your pointless war or not." with that he was gone.

my captain approached me. "we are ready to take flight."

"we will go to Drakaria first." i told him as i sheathed my sword. "i need to warn Alexander."

"you are fond of that man." Argon stated plainly. 

"i dont know what you are talking about." i blushed a bit and turned away. "i just need to warn him of this. Thorne and James can handle themselves, but Alexander only has his chosen power. he is helpless otherwise."

"Sure, that is why you chose to go to him first." Argon rolled his eyes.

"oh shut up." i extended my wings. "i am going ahead, bring all troops to Drakaria palace."

"as you wish." he nodded respectfully. 

i took off into the air once more. it should not take very long to get there in the sky. i looked down at my kingdom below, i could see the former battle field from just months ago. The bodies were gone, but the ash remained. 

i flew over many villages that stood strong, beacons of hope of recovery. i hated that i had to ask my people to fight once again. 

---------

after a few hours i arrived at the palace of Drakaria, it was an uneventful trip.

Alexander met me in the courtyard. "My men told me they had spotted you in the distance. i know of the war to come, but i thought we were to meet in the border."

"so he didnt get to you yet?" i asked panting, the flight took alot out of me. 

"who?" He looked confused. 

"The dwarven advisor came to me." i told him as we walking into the palace. "he was disguised as your sister. i could tell right away that he wasn't her."

"how is that possible?" he asked me in a concerned voice as he led me up the grand staircase and down the hall to his audience room. we both sat next to each other. 

"i dont know." i sighed. "but when i said he had to either be a dragon or a fairy he said something concerning."

"concerning?" he raised an eye brow. "would it have anything to do with possibly being my fathers child?"

"wait." i looked at him, poking him to make sure he was real. "how did you?"

he chucked a bit at the poke. "James and i looked through all of my fathers documents in his hidden office." 

"hidden office?" i asked, not hiding my confusion.

"indeed." Alexander leaned back. "it appears that my father had many children during his rule, not just with our mother the queen. i fear that he may be one."

"that would make sense." i nodded. "he said "or a darken" when i said he could only be one of who races of people. that's why i came here quickly."

"that would make sense if he was one then." his face looked worried. "the part that bothers me is that even if he is a sibling of mine, he should still not be able to use that gem."

"unless that one has a different set of rules." i said without thinking. 

"thats what i thought too." he stood and walked over to the window on the far side of the room. "did something happen to my sister?"

i nodded even though he was not looking at me, "i think so, he acted like something happened, he did say that she is still alive though."

"that's good." he remained facing away from me. "my army is ready. i assume yours is joining us?"

"they are." i answered. "we will then leave from here to meet with the fairy and elven armies."

"good." Alexander turned to face me, "if he comes to me as her, at least i will know not to believe its really her."

I nodded. "thats good." 

he walked over to me. "but how am i to know that you are really you?" he sounded like he was joking.

"oh shut up Xander." i said, using the nickname only i called him in secret. "would a fake me know that we have been in a relationship for four months and hiding it from even your sister?"

he smiled at me. "no, i suppose a fake would not know that."