Arriana's Return

Arriana's Return - Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Arriana read over her great grandfather's battle plans from the first war when Drake arrived at the village.

"Arriana. Hey, Arriana, Drake is here and he brought guests," Zoe shouted into the hut to her.

Arriana walked out of the house and saw Drake standing in the field with three other dragons. She walked out and across the village, smiling all the way excited to see him.

"Drake! I didn't think I'd see you so soon! And you brought friends," she said laughing.

"Arriana, dear! I am glad to see you are well. I would like you to meet a few others from my clan who will be joining your army for the battle. This is Ampithamitri, my brother. He is my second in command. Baryon is one of my mightiest warriors and finally my daughter, Mardia. She may look small but she is fierce."

"I wouldn't say Mardia is small. It's terrific meeting you all. Thanks so much for helping save Coresova." Arriana looked at the new dragons.

Laughing, Drake looked at his daughter for a few moments. "I suppose she isn't that little anymore."

Mardia flashed her father a toothy grin. Drake returned his attention to Arriana, looking at her with a serious look on his scaly face.

"Majesty, have you started thinking about the battle plan yet?" Drake asked.

"That's what I was trying to do before you got here actually. Why? Do you have an idea on what we can do?" She looked at him curiously.

"I do and who better to help you with the plans than the one who helped Frederick come up with them? Let us find Barwick, Marc, Aroman and the rest."

"Sounds good to me. What do you mean you helped Frederick? You were in the first war?"

"I am over two thousand years old. Your family has been dear friends with the dragon clan since the beginning. We pledged our alliance with the Bawors when Osmand developed a taste for dragon eggs. He killed many of our potential children. When we heard of your great grandfather and his plans we met with him and set about the downfall of Osmand. When the news of your parents death reached us we had feared the worst, he had murdered you as well. Barwick travelled to our rocky lands shortly after you went missing to let us know he had gotten you to safety and that all we could do was wait for you to grow into adulthood. We knew that it would be a matter of time before Lucas made his way to us again. We all regret what happened to everyone here and wish there was something we could have done. That's why when we learned of your return we came to help."

"Barwick was the one who saved me?" Arriana looked at Drake puzzled.

"He never told you?"

"No. I don't know anything from that night besides my parents being killed."

"Earlier that morning your mother went into labor with you. You were born a short time before Lucas was supposed to be at the castle. Queen Anne's hand maiden, Sarah, was to be the one who took you to the other side. Unfortunately the iron gate at the end of your parents' secret passage was locked. Barwick was waiting for Sarah on the other side. The holes in the gate were big enough to fit you through. SO you were saved. Sarah though, was not. She was taken back to your parents' room where Lucas killed her. She gave her life for you."

Arriana sat down. She wasn't sure what to say or what to think. This woman, a servant, was so devoted to her parents that she gave up her life.

"Why didn't my parents just escape? Why didn't they leave?" Arriana cried.

"They couldn't, Arriana. There was no time for them, not to mention your mother had just given birth to you. They did the only thing they could, save you. Save the future of Coresova."

"How is Barwick tied into all of this? Why wouldn't he have told me that he was the one who took me to Smithtown?" she inquired.

"I don't know why he wouldn't tell you. Perhaps you should ask him."

"I think I will. Um, I have another question. Since you were alive when my great grandfather was alive, maybe you know. Who is Emily Bowers?"

"How do you know about her?" Drake's golden eyes grew wide as he stared at her.

"When I was reading about my family, there was a small passage about her."

"Which book?"

"It was written like a journal. Actually, it could have been somebody's journal."

"That was probably Frederick's. I forgot about that old thing." Drake looked past Arriana, lost in thought.

"So, Emily Bowers...who is she?"

"Emily Bowers was your great grandfather's little sister."

"Why were you surprised that I read about her?"

"Emily disappeared when she was eight years old. It devastated Frederick."

"What happened to her?" Arriana asked.

"He never found out. He blamed himself everyday for it though," Drake sighed remembering the story that was told to him.

"Why did he blame himself?"

"They were working the fields together. Frederick wasn't paying attention and Emily wandered too far away. By time he realized it, she was gone." Drake looked at her, wondering how long it would be before she heard the rest of the story.

If she ever would hear the rest of it. He knew though, she would eventually know. There was no getting around it. She will find out.