Day 17

  T?ra Trazzie was walking down the passage towards the hall of the round table. She realized she was alone. No one was around. She could see blood on the floor. She listened but couldn’t hear anything. No servants or slaves, no noise at all. T?ra walked slowly towards the hall. She looked for a weapon but there was nothing but blood on the walls. She looked behind her, the dead lay there, their blood ran like a river.

  “Zazo?” she called.

  “General Nathan? Joe?”

  No one answered. The blood ran down the passage. She was standing in it.

  T?ra heart pounded. She decided to go to Joe’s room and as she turned the corner the man that had attacked her, the one that she had killed stood there.

  “I don’t die so easily.” He said holding the knife Zazo had given her. The knife she had stabbed him with.

  “Only unconscious. But I am better now.” He walked towards her.

  T?ra turned to run and tripped over a dead body.

  As she looked up, he was there.

  She screamed.

  T?ra’s screams woke her and Joe and Rosaleighm.

  “Are you ok?” Joe asked.

  T?ra’s heart pounded. She looked around the room.

  “I am alright. Sorry I woke you.” T?ra apologized.

  They went back to sleep.

  T?ra woke up, she was the only one in the room. She heard a thump it came from under the bed.

  “Otchulissa?” T?ra said confused.

  She looked under the bed and there was the man she had killed.

  T?ra screamed.

  Everyone woke up.

  “T?ra, what are you dreaming about?” Joe asked.

  “Sorry I woke you. I’m alright.” T?ra answered.

  They went back to sleep.

  Joe didn’t sleep with the wooden doors over the window. She liked to wake up at first light.

  She got up and went to have a bath. The floors were cold and everything was dead quiet. Joe soaked in the hot pools beneath the castle. She wondered if she should tell T?ra about it, but she decided not to. T?ra was too nice, she would tell the others.

  Rosaleighm joined her. She was getting better with the water.

  “Let me teach you to float.” Joe said.

  Rosaleighm still didn’t like her face and hair getting wet. But every day she was getting braver. Now that she had killed someone and knew she could, her bravery doubled every day.

  T?ra work up alone in the room. The sun was shining on her face.

  “Nooo.” She groaned turning over.

  Then she heard something. T?ra’s heart sank. She sat up and looked for a sword or knife. Grabbing a knife, she carefully looked under the bed. Nothing was there. She breathed a sigh of relief. As she looked back up Otchulissa was in her face.

  T?ra screamed not recognizing it was Otchulissa but just something in her face.

  The cub became fluffy and its eyes were big.

  “Oh, it’s just you.” T?ra said picking her up.

  “Come here girl, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  T?ra stroked her. The cub settled and purred.

  T?ra decided she would start carrying the knife Zazo had given her. She went to her room and opened the door slowly.

  “Hello.” She called.

  “My queen.” A new girl was standing in her room.

  “Who are you?” T?ra asked.

  “Gem your handmaiden.” The girl curtsied.

  “Where is the other girl?” T?ra asked.

  “Sick my queen.”

  “I hope she recovers soon.” T?ra said being nice.

  “I will try my best.” The girl said.

  “Do you have any experience in being a handmaid?” T?ra asked.

  “No. However, I learn quickly.” Gem said trying.

  “I have a bath ready for you and I have chosen clothes for you.” She added.

  “Thank you, Gem. I like to bath alone.”

  Gem pulled the cloth around the bath.

  T?ra got into the bath. It was the perfect temperature.

  “Thank you.” T?ra said.

  She had a quick bath. She didn’t like her room anymore. It was too cold and unwelcoming.

  “Eeeee!” Gem squealed.

  T?ra jumped out of the bath.

  She wrapped herself and looked prepared for danger.

  Gem was standing on a chair and Otchulissa was chasing bugs on the floor.

  ‘I would like a room without bugs.’ T?ra thought.

  “She won’t hurt you.” T?ra reassured “She is only a baby, about ten weeks old.”

  Gem looked at her.

  “Sorry my queen. It’s not your pet that scared me but the bug. It ran over my foot.”

  T?ra smiled.

  She got dressed and had the new handmaid help her with the corset.

  “Why doesn’t the other girl go to the mystic healers?” T?ra asked.

  “She doesn’t want to slow them down in healing the soldiers. Tired Mystic Healers can’t fully heal someone.” she said.

  T?ra was confused. She didn’t know how things worked but it didn’t make sense to her that her handmaid would choose to stay sick.

  “Gem, tell me the truth, is the other girl making excuses so she doesn’t have to be my handmaid?” T?ra asked.

  Gem’s countenance fell.

  “My queen please don’t be angry. She was afraid and begged for someone to take her place.”

  T?ra’s heart sank.

  “Thank you for telling me the truth.” T?ra looked at her “Do you want to be here?”

  “My queen?” she asked confused.

  “If you don’t want to be my handmaid you can go. I will not be angry.” T?ra reassured.

  “My queen I chose to be your handmaid. It’s much better than scrubbing floors.” Gem said.

  “How many cycles are you?” T?ra asked.

  “Twenty-one during the next moon. My queen.”

  “So, you want to be here?” T?ra asked again.

  “Yes, my queen. I have jump station from a floor scrubber to one of the highest-ranking servants in the castle.” She beamed.

  T?ra smiled.

  “Can you read and write?” she asked.

  “Yes. Almost all of the tribal languages.”

  “Then why are you scrubbing floors?”

  “When you are new in a place people put you in the job no one else wants to do.”

  “Were you born a slave?”

  “I don’t know. I have had twelve masters in my life. I cannot remember not being a slave.”

  “What did you do for your other masters?” T?ra asked.

  “I wrote for them and read to the children. I made food and did washing, I made clothes and bathed horses. I planted and harvested vegetables. I helped dig wells. Many things my queen.”

  “Can you ride a horse?” T?ra asked.

  “I can and I can operate a carriage.”

  “I am impressed.” T?ra said.

  There was a knock on the door.

  T?ra stood up. “Enter.” she said cautiously.

  A man entered.

  “My queen” he bowed, “The dragon eggs are hatching. Would you like to come and witness?” he asked.

  “Yes.” T?ra said “Take me there.”

  “Come with Gem.” T?ra invited.

  She went to an enclosure that was well hidden. Three dragon eggs were cracking. One had already hatched. The little black creature sneezed and a ball of fire flew across the enclosure. The next hatched and the first and second one nudged each other and made little noises.

  T?ra grinned as she watched them. They were so cute. The smell was a bit offensive but the experience was well worth it.

  “They are so cute!” T?ra said.

  “Does prince Drake know they are hatching?”

  “Of cause not, my queen. The Dragon Riders have no idea.”

  “Why are we not telling them?” T?ra asked.

  “Because we stole them. Your spy was very cunning in attaining them.”

  T?ra watched until they had hatched. She saw how their fire burned everything it touched and she realized they were not equipped for dragons.

  “What else did we steal from the Dragon Riders?” T?ra asked.

  “Gogo beasts and eggs, and dragon eggs.” He answered.

  “Thank you for calling me.” T?ra said.

  She left her handmaid and went to find Drake.

  T?ra found Drake eating in the hall with all the other important people that had come for the peace talks.

  “My queen.” They all said standing up.

  “Good morning.” T?ra greeted.

  “May I speak with you?” she asked Drake.

  He followed her out into the hall.

  “I have learnt that we have dragons and gogo beasts. I am giving them to you as a gift. A good will gesture.” T?ra said.

  “Is this meant to make up for sending my mother on a dangerous mission that could get her killed?” Drake asked.

  T?ra felt overwhelmed. If it wasn’t Tiffany’s mess it was hers. She was always responsible for something.

  “The lost heir has been found. Your mother is fetching her. In your mother’s care no one can harm her. Or accuse me of killing her. I don’t mean to upset you. But my options were limited.”

  “Sending my mother just before we bond is that alright?” Drake asked “Do you want out of this arrangement? You asked for it!”

  T?ra looked at him. He was upset and rightful so. She had sent him mother away knowing she might die, but hoping she wouldn’t because she was from the Skiopia tribe and she hated the queen as much as the warrior women.

  “And you have stolen dragons and gogo beasts! Where are you even keeping them?” Drake continued “How can I trust you? Are you just playing me as a fool?”

  “No!” T?ra interrupted “I am telling you. I don’t know when they came or how long they have been here. But I am giving them to you. Also, your mother wants me dead. She also has the best chance of finding the lost heir.”

  “What will you do with the heir?” Drake asked “Kill it?”

  “Do you really think I want to kill her?” T?ra asked.

  When Drake hesitated, she asked again.

  “Do you?”

  “I don’t know.” He replied.

  T?ra felt like she was being crushed. Nothing she did was good enough. No one trusted her. The whole kingdom hung in the balance and she was the broken center piece no one wanted to put their faith in.

  T?ra called a guard.

  “Please take prince Drake to the dragons. I have given him all that was taken from them. Everything is to be returned.”

  T?ra went to the sick rooms.

  Spice was checking on people and Mystic Healers healed people. The sick rooms were almost empty. Her men were doing better. Soon she wouldn’t need the Dragon Rider men to secure her castle.

  “You look terrible.” Spice said to T?ra.

  “I feel terrible. Everyone thinks I am the queen. She did such terrible things and they hate me for it. Nothing I do is enough.”

  “The queen Tiffany ruled for cycles. You have been the queen for such a short time. How can you undo all the bad in a matter of days? People are coming around. They want to believe in you.”

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  “Drake is angry with me for telling him about the dragons.” T?ra informed “And sending his mother to fetch the lost heir.”

  “Dragons here? Like baby dragons?” Spice said eyes big.

  “Yes, they hatched his morning. It was amazing to watch.”

  “Please take me there. I would love to see them.” Spice was all excited.

  So, T?ra took her. On the way they talked.

  “Do you think the attacks on my life will end now?” T?ra asked Spice.

  “No, I hope it’s over but I don’t believe it is. People don’t want to fight for you anymore. The fear is lessening but there is no love or loyalty in them towards you, but don’t give up. We are here for you and what you have done is very brave. You have proved to us that you are a queen, a true leader of people.”

  “Only those that know I am not Tiffany have hope in me. Everyone else wishes I was dead.” T?ra replied.

  “Maybe but you have still chosen to lead these people and right the wrongs you know about.” Spice encouraged.

  They arrived at the dragons. Drake was in the enclosure with the babies. Spice awed that them.

  The dragon sneezed and fire lit up Drake’s clothes.

  “Help him!” T?ra said.

  No one moved. T?ra grabbed a rug and ran into the enclosure. She wrapped the rug around Drake and began patting it, to put the fire out. Dragon fire was hot and not like normal fire.

  “Spice! Come help me!” T?ra called.

  She put the fire was out. T?ra had burnt her hand putting the fire out.

  “Why did you do that?” Drake asked.

  “Because you were on fire!” T?ra said rhetorically.

  Drake dropped the rug. Only his clothes were burnt. Not even his hair was singed.

  T?ra stepped away from him.

  “You’re not burnt.” T?ra was confused.

  Spice took her hand.

  “They are immune to dragon’s, fire and poison.”

  T?ra pulled her burnt hand away.

  “Is that why no one helped?” T?ra asked.

  All her men had watched and now they were just watching her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me he was fine?” T?ra asked Spice.

  “You ran off before I could. I thought you knew.” Spice answered.

  T?ra looked at all the people watching her. She felt so silly.

  She held her head high and walked quickly away. Not wanting anyone to follow her and anyone who tried to approach her she waved them away.

  She found a room to hide in.

  ‘You’re ok’ she told herself.

  “I’m ok.” she breathed deeply.

  There was a scratching sound on the stone behind her. She spun around and reached for the knife Zazo had given her.

  “My queen.” Zazo said raising his hands.

  “Zazo.” The flustered girl said.

  “Are you alright?” he asked.

  “No.” T?ra said “I am having dreams about the man I killed. He is alive and coming for me. Maybe I am having these dreams because everyone wants me dead.”

  “Not everyone.” Zazo reassured.

  “I can’t get them to work together, well work with me. Drake is angry with me. It seems like, I can do nothing right. Not even sleep. I don’t know why I am telling you this.” She shook her head.

  Zazo walked over to her. He lifted her burnt hand.

  “What happened my queen?” he asked.

  “Drake was on fire and I tried to help. Pointlessly I found out.”

  “Let me wrap it.” He responded.

  Zazo opened a leather pouch on his belt. He took out a bandage of cloth and some herb paste.

  “Why are you carrying such things?” she asked.

  “I am a soldier. I need to carry such things.” He answered.

  Zazo wrapped her hand.

  “Thank you.” She said.

  T?ra sat on a dusty barrel.

  “I wish I could hide in here all day.”

  “You are the queen. You can do as you like.” Zazo answered.

  “No, I cannot. I have responsibilities, being queen isn’t about how I feel. It’s about fulfilling my duties.” She replied.

  “My queen is back. Shall we?” he said holding the door handle.

  “You did that on purpose?”

  Zazo just smiled. Holding opened the door.

  T?ra hugged him.

  “Thank you for everything. You make things easier. I wish you could always be by my side. Reminding me that I can, and not everyone wants my head.”

  Zazo stood like a plank while she hugged him.

  “You can hug me back. It’s polite.” She nudged.

  “It’s not appropriate.” He replied.

  T?ra let go. No, it wasn’t. She was betrothed and he was just a soldier.

  “Forgive me. Somethings I forget my place.” T?ra said.

  She solemnly walked to the hall. She smiled and pretended. But her heart was heavy. She was sad and tired. Also traumatized. Every bash made her jump. Every shadow caused her to hesitate.

  ‘I have to pull it together.’

  “What happened to your hand, my queen?” General Pan asked.

  “Nothing you need to be concerned about.” T?ra replied.

  Nix the Tskhali prince from the Village Fish spoke “We have sent a message to our regions that you intend to honor your word. We have invited some to join the celebration of your union with Prince Drake. I don’t want to stir your anger, however, when will ruling Prince Ryu be joining the peace talks?”

  “He will not be. He sent his son and trusted his son to make the right choice for their people. Therefore, Drake will represent his people and if your father comes, he will be an honored guest. But you will represent your people.” T?ra responded.

  Nix was surprised.

  “My queen it is a dishonor to my father.” Nix informed.

  “Is it not a dishonor to me that the progress I have made with you be undone because someone else wants to take your place? If it was so important to him then why did he send you?” T?ra asked.

  The table was quiet. No one knew what to say. They all knew that the rulers of the tribes did not come because they were afraid. Now they wanted to come and be welcomed once they received news it was safe.

  T?ra avoided eye contact with Drake. She behaved as thought everything was fine. But it wasn’t. No one noticed except Drake and then he wasn’t sure either.

  When the first session ended. T?ra called it a day.

  “We are done discussing this today. I need to assign people to fulfil our agreements so far and make the necessary preparations.”

  T?ra went and had her dress fitted. It was a lovely red dress. A rich wine red with long open sleeves that were closed on the shoulders and then open all the way to the ground. It was simple without beadwork or bling.

  “It’s lovely.” T?ra said.

  Then she went to Hodge.

  “I need you to assign trusted men to fulfil the tasks agree upon in sessions. Like silver to the Mystic Healers and records of everyone who received, things like that.”

  “It will be done, my queen.”

  She then went to the stables. Spending time with her horse Sherralee. She decided to take a ride. She put all of Sherralee’s things on her. She wanted to feel like herself again.

  Her horse looked and felt beautiful. They took a leisure ride out into the fields behind the castle.

  T?ra had left Otchulissa at the castle. She wanted too just be free for a little. Clear her head and get over her feelings so she could be a good queen.

  T?ra rode hard. Sherralee galloped through the field. Wild flowers were trodden as the two left the castle behind.

  T?ra lay under a tree admiring the flowers and counting the birds in the sky. The wind began to pick up. Getting stronger and stronger.

  “Sherralee we need go. I think a storm is coming.”

  T?ra galloped for the castle. She could see the storm coming over the castle towards her. They ran into a wall of water falling from the sky. It wasn’t even thirty seconds before they were soaked to the bone. It was dark and hail began to fall. Hail stones the size of marbles beat them as they galloped.

  It was dark and T?ra couldn’t see the castle anymore. She didn’t even know if they were going in the right direction. But she kept going as standing still in the hail was not an option.

  T?ra could make out a barn and she rode for it.

  T?ra went into the barn, cold and wet. Hoping the storm would pass soon. She wrung the water out of her hair. She unsaddled Sherralee. Lightning struck giving her a fright, they both jumped.

  The hail beat the barn and the wind came in through all the gaps. As the storm worsened the roof began to shake.

  T?ra shivered as she looked for a less windy place to stand.

  The barn was empty. No seed, no animals. Only rotten floors and missing planks on the walls.

  The roof was shaking and lifting.

  The roof lifted again and then came crashing down on top of them. It was still mostly connected to the one wall but it had broken free from the other three. Part of it landed on T?ra.

  She freed herself and was grateful Sherralee was not hurt, only frightened.

  The horse objected to the new state of affairs.

  T?ra hid herself and Sherralee in the cave the broken roof made. It stopped the hail but not the wind, and some of the rain still hit them.

  T?ra heard voices.

  “I am here!” She shouted above the storm.

  Then a pillar of fire lit up the sky. Drake and a few men dressed for a rescue arrived on dragons.

  T?ra called to them.

  “I am here!”

  Drake came over.

  “My queen I am happy you are alright.”

  “My men will take care of the horse. Come with me.”

  Drake put her on the dragon. The giant beast twitched as the rain struck it. Drake held her.

  “Don’t worry, I have got you.” He said then he instructed his dragon to fly.

  As it lifted T?ra felt so unsafe like she was going to fall.

  “Your safe.” Drake reassured.

  The flight back to the castle was quick on a dragon.

  “Why did you come?” T?ra asked.

  “You are my betrothed and the queen.”

  “Did you come looking for me?” T?ra asked.

  “Yes. When the stable boy came and told us you had gone out but hadn’t come back.”

  “As queen I will have to make choices and you might not always agree.” T?ra said bring up sending his mother to fetch the lost heir.

  “If it involves my family, I want to know about it before you do it. I know you are not going to kill the lost heir. I was just upset.” Drake explained.

  T?ra held on as they landed.

  “Thank you, for coming to get me.”

  Drake took her off the dragon.

  “We will bond in a few days. How could I not?”

  He kissed T?ra’s hand and she went inside.

  The storm had made it dark so lanterns were lit inside the castle, but it was only early afternoon.

  T?ra went to her chambers. She carefully opened the door and looked in.

  “What are you doing?” Joe asked behind her.

  “Joe!” T?ra was all excited “I am happy to see you. I have been afraid to go into my room. Will you please check it for it me. Make sure it is safe.”

  Joe walked into the room.

  “Why are you so wet?” she asked.

  “I was out riding when the storm caught me. But Drake came with his dragons. I was surprised.” T?ra smiled.

  “He kissed me hand.” She added.

  “No one here.” Joe said “It’s safe.”

  Joe shook her head.

  “T?ra have you ever kissed a guy? Like a proper kiss on the lips?”

  “No.” T?ra answered.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for marriage?” Joe asked.

  “I better be. I am getting married in a few days.”

  “T?ra once you are warm and dressed come to my room. We need to train. You haven’t been training. Zazo trains every morning with me. He is good, I have learnt a few things from him.”

  As Joe left, General Nathan found her.

  “My queen. I came with disturbing news. I see you are in no condition to have this conversation.” He looked at her soaked clothes “But I am afraid leaving it till after might be too late.”

  “General speak quickly and make yourself understood. I am freezing.”

  “The wounded soldiers are rebelling. Well, the ones that have been healed which is all of the former wounded. The Mystic Healers have healed them all.” He refocused, “The men are saying why do we fight for a queen who no longer protects us? Before your… bash on the head, the men could do as they liked to whoever they liked. The slaves were… well now they are free with rights and paid and the men feel… it was their job to keep the slaves in line. Now the slaves are untouchable.”

  T?ra interrupted “What are you trying to say?”

  “The men feel fighting for you no longer has rewards, it only puts a target on them.” General Nathan looked at her with concern “I fear you are in danger from your own men.”

  “What about Zazo and his trusted men?” T?ra asked.

  “Zazo is loyal to you and his men are loyal to him. But his men are not your men. Our castle guard is divided and your head is the idea a lot of them are thinking about.”

  “Let me bath and dress. Then call for the men. I wish to speak with them.”

  “My queen, I advise against it.”

  “Please just do as I have asked.” T?ra said.

  She bathed and dressed. It was much harder dressing on her own. Lady’s clothes were not made for dressing alone.

  T?ra then went to address her men.

  General Nathan had done as T?ra asked and called all the men together.

  She stood at the door. A room filled with men. She was the only woman there.

  She cleared her throat.

  General Nathan called them to silence. They lined up in perfect formation. Everyone stood straight. The young, the old and everyone in between.

  “My men. I want to thank you for your loyal service in person. You fought and some died protecting me and the residence of this castle. Many of you were injured. I am increasing your pay because of your bravery and loyal service.” T?ra thought for a second,

  “I am aware the changes have not all been received well. I know that since I hit my head, I am different. I hear stories and I cannot believe it. I want to tell you that if I am successful in creating peace no more will die in senseless fights. We will not be attacked in our beds by an army. But I don’t want to make promises I cannot keep. So, stand with me. Fight for me. Be the best army this world has ever seen. The best because of loyalty, the best in conduct and best in sword skills and loved by the people we protect. We will have respect not fear. Nobel men will say a soldier of the queen’s is good enough for my daughter. We will be the greatest. But only if we can make it through the changes ahead of us. We need to learn peace after fighting for so long.” T?ra finished.

  A voice from the crowd spoke up.

  “You let fifty of our men die, unavenged at the hands of the women you now want us to learn from.”

  “Rather they are with us than against us, and if they teach you how to be the one who can kill fifty and still live. Would that be so bad?” T?ra answered.

  “Long live the queen.” The men said.

  T?ra hoped that would be all that was needed. Money, recondition and encouragement.

  “Very good speech my queen. I hope it is enough.” General Nathan said.

  “So do I.” T?ra answered.

  The storm lessened to a light rain. Rays of sun shone through the dark clouds.

  “Would you like to walk with me. I am going to see Drake and thank him for helping us.”

  T?ra was on her way to Drake’s room. She wanted to thank him for coming to get her. She bumped into Zazo.

  “My queen.” He bowed.

  “Zazo. Thank you for this morning. Bandaging my hand. I appreciate it.”

  “It was my pleasure. I hear you were caught in the storm. Are you alright?”

  “Yes. I am. I am on my way to thank Prince Drake. Would you like to come with me?” she asked.

  “You are too polite, my queen.”

  “Is that a yes?” T?ra ventured.

  Zazo looked at her hopeful expression.

  “I will go with you.”

  They walked to Drake’s room.

  T?ra knocked on Drake’s door.

  Knock, knock. Knock, knock.

  Yair answered the door.

  “My queen.” He bowed.

  “Is Drake available?” T?ra asked.

  Drake appeared. He was still putting on his shirt.

  ‘Nice’ T?ra thought.

  “I am sorry to disturb you. I wanted to thank you again for saving us from the storm.” T?ra said.

  “It’s my pleasure.” He replied.

  “Let’s eat together in the garden.” T?ra suggested.

  “That will be lovely.” Drake accepted.

  “Thank you Zazo. You may go.” T?ra said.

  She walked with Drake.

  “My queen,” Drake began.

  “T?ra” T?ra corrected, “You may call me T?ra.”

  He was surprised but continued.

  “I want to say I am pleasantly surprised by you. I think we could make a great match.” Drake said.

  T?ra blushed a little.

  “You will make me shy if you talk like this. But while we are talking about it, I have come to like you.” she said.

  He held out his arm for her to take. She did and they walked to the gardens. T?ra ask the servants to bring them dinner there and they did.

  While they ate, they talked about things, some small things and some not so small things.

  “If my mother returns with this lost heir, what will happen to us?” he asked.

  “You will be free. I will step down and you will be free to marr, bond” T?ra corrected herself, “With someone else.”

  “What if my mother is late and we have already bonded?” he asked.

  “Then we teach the girl how to rule and I become your wife and princess of the Dragon Riders.” T?ra said unsure of herself.

  If she married Drake and afterwards stepped down, would they be alright with it?

  “You are a good leader. The Dragon Riders would be honored to have you as their Princess.” Drake said.

  T?ra smiled.

  Drake’s whole face lit up, his eyes sparkled and joy was in every smile line.

  T?ra realized Drake was not looking at her when he stood up.

  “Jessica.” He ran over to her.

  Jessica wrapped her arms around him.

  “Drake!” she hugged him.

  T?ra stood up and walked towards them.

  “I am glad you are safe.” T?ra said to her.

  She looked at Drake.

  “If I had known you loved someone, I never would have made you be mine. I free you. We will no longer bond.”

  “T?ra?” Drake said letting go of Jessica.

  “It really is alright. I am not angry. I hope an alliance between us can still stand. But I will not bond with a man that already loves someone else.”

  “T?ra?” Drake said.

  “Please don’t. It’s alright. Take care of her.” T?ra persisted.

  “Your cat woman brought me back.” Jessica told T?ra

  She had no idea Drake was to marry T?ra and that there was a lost heir, nor anything that had happened.

  Drake picked Jessica up. She was pale from loss of blood. He was going to take her to see a physician and a Mystic Healer.

  “Thank you, Autumn. It is done as we agreed. I knew you would succeed.” T?ra praised her.

  Autumn smiled it felt good to be believed in.

  “She is injured, and needs a Mystic Healer not just a physician. She was attacked by a bear and more. I want to take some of my men to hunt down the beasts that attacked us.” Autumn informed.

  Chase watched. He couldn’t believe how friendly Autumn was with the butcher queen.

  “Would you consider staying and helping me make a better world?” T?ra asked.

  “How could I do that?” Autumn asked.

  “By helping me, keeping me safe. Advising me sometimes. You are a one-woman army, fierce and formidable.”

  “My place is with my people. But if you need me, I will come.” Autumn offered.

  Autumn turned to leave. “Chase let’s go.” She said.

  Chase walked past Autumn to T?ra, who was now sitting down thinking about her break-up speech.

  He grabbed T?ra’s hair and pulled her to her feet.

  “What are you doing?” Autumn shouted.

  Zazo had escorted Autumn, Chase and Jessica to T?ra.

  He drew his sword.

  “Let her go!” Autumn said approaching.

  “She needs to suffer as she made us suffer.” Chase said.

  “How can you stomach talking with this…” he spat on T?ra.

  His claws came out.

  “I am sorry about what happened to you. I am trying to right wrongs.” T?ra said.

  Chase dug a claw into her face scratching with one nail.

  T?ra winced, it felt more like a knife being slowly dragged through her skin, than a cat scratch.

  From her temple, over her cheek and down to her chin he cut slowly.

  Autumn looked at T?ra’s red blood.

  Chase hadn’t yet noticed. He dug his claws into her neck drawing more blood.

  The look on Zazo’s face made Chase stop. He looked at the flinching girl who refused to scream despite the pain and at her red blood.

  Autumn took his arm.

  “She is not queen Tiffany.”

  “You knew?” Chase asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

  “You would tell everyone. You believe they have a right to know. But I believed this girl whoever she really is can keep her own secrets.” Autumn replied.

  “You should have told me.” Chase said.

  “You should have trusted me. Your angry is consuming you like it was me. But your angry has won and you’ve lost.” Autumn stated.

  “So, the queen never freed us?” Chase asked.

  “The queen promised she would. But this girl freed us.” Autumn told him.

  While Autumn and Chase were talking,

  Zazo ran to T?ra

  “My queen?” he said.

  “I want him locked in a dungeon. I know he is Autumn’s friend. But he just cut up my face for fun.” T?ra said.

  “My queen?” Zazo was stunned.

  “Zazo? Are you hurt?” T?ra asked holding her face.

  “Your blood is red.” He pointed out.

  “Yes, it is”

  T?ra raked her brain, why was her red blood so confusing for him? Then she remembered Hodge once mentioned a blood test for the new rulers. There was just too much stuff for her to keep up with everything.

  “We must hide this.” Zazo said.

  “Why?” T?ra asked.

  Zazo took her hand and led her into the castle avoiding everyone, not letting even a servant see her. He took her to his chambers.

  “Stay here.” He told her.

  He was back with alcohol and yarrow and lots of cloth.

  “Zazo, look at me.” T?ra said stopping him.

  “Why am I here, why can no one see me?” she asked.

  “Royals have blue blood.” He informed.

  “You’re joking.” T?ra stated.

  “No, my queen. All royals have blue blood. You will be killed as in imposter.”

  “Well, I guess you’re not going to kill me so I might as well tell you.” She took a deep breath

  “I am not queen Tiffany. I am Duchess T?ra Trazzie from Tanzania, on earth.” T?ra gave an embarrassed toothy grin.

  Zazo wiped her blood with a cloth and alcohol.

  “Ouch!” T?ra moaned pulling away.

  “I need to stop the bleeding and wipe all signs of red blood off you.” He said.

  “Are you going to say anything about me not being the real queen?” T?ra asked.

  “You are my queen.” He replied.

  “I broke off the bonding with Drake. Guess if the truth about me comes out he won’t feel tricked now.”

  “It will not come out! Wait, do others know your secret.”

  Zazo put the yarrow on.

  “Hold this” he said.

  “Where is earth?” Zazo asked.

  “Far, far away. Kerri has found a way to open the sugs so we can go home. But I don’t know if she will succeed.”

  “How do you speak the language when your friends do not?” Zazo asked.

  “It’s close to the monk’s language in Tanzania. All royals have to learn it.”

  T?ra removed the yarrow and checked if she was still bleeding.

  “Take me to Spice, she can stich me up.” T?ra said.

  “Spice knows?” Zazo exclaimed.

  “Yes, I arrived with her. Sort of.” T?ra informed.

  “Does General Nathan also know?” he asked.

  “No. Only Spice, Ranger, Viola, Fiona, Joe, Rosaleighm the child and Lakisha, James, Kerri, Keimoni, Rachael, Shane, Jessica, Nikki who I would not have survived without.” ‘Natrica also knew.’ T?ra thought.

  “Sugar and Chris also know, Autumn as well. I think that’s everyone and now you.”

  “That’s a lot of people that know.” Zazo said.

  T?ra looked at Zazo. He was kind to her, well build in a natural way. He had good strong arms and shoulders.

  “How many people have you killed?” T?ra asked.

  “What? That’s an unexpected question.”

  Zazo breathed deeply

  “I have killed so many I can’t remember them all.”

  “Do they haunt you?” T?ra asked.

  “No.”

  “So, you sleep at night and you don’t see them?” T?ra asked.

  “I see many things when I sleep at night but not the dead.” He answered.

  “Come let’s take you to Spice.”

  On the way to Spice’s work space T?ra spoke up.

  “I liked how you stood up to me in the hall the day we met. You were unafraid to tell the truth. It’s the way I wanted you to stay, to help me understand how to start making things right. You were brave and I admired it. But lately I feel like you are pushing me away. Not saying what you want to. Afraid almost, but I don’t understand why? I offered to let you return to your betrothed but you chose to stay but ever since it’s like you’re not here. Do you want to leave, do you want to go to your betrothed?” T?ra asked.

  “I want to be here. I just don’t know what to say.”

  T?ra stopped walking.

  “You are the person I trust most in this world. More than my earth friends who are using me to get home and live comfortable. It’s you and then Nikki. You have saved my life many times and thank you isn’t big enough to express my gratitude. But I need you to be willing to say, ‘I think you are making a mistake’ like bonding with Drake. You said I shouldn’t everyone else said I should. Now I am not and I feel scared and happy. Even if I don’t listen, please don’t stop talking with me.” T?ra requested.

  “My queen, find the lost heir and don’t bond. If someone bonds with you believing you are the real queen and they find out, it will be a betrayal.”

  “So, what if we can’t go home and we are stuck here forever?” she asked him.

  “If that happens bond with a man from your own tribe, from the Terra tribe. Tell him your secret and when your child has no blue blood people will say she has her father’s blood. They will not care if the child has blue blood if they are good like you.”

  T?ra smiled happy again.

  She snuck in to see Spice.

  “Chase the Lovac cut me. Zazo kindly hid my red blood. Please help.” T?ra said.

  “My queen, if Chase cut you, he needs to be killed.” Spice said.

  “No, just locked up. I am not killing everyone who Tiffany hurt. There will be no one left.”

  “He hurt you!”

  “Only because he believed I was Tiffany the one who did terrible things to him and his people. Hurting people, hurt people.” T?ra replied.

  “I already instructed men to lock Chase up and keep him locked up. He should already be in the dungeon.” Zazo said.

  “So, you now know that our queen is not queen Tiffany?” Spice said to Zazo.

  “Yes. I am surprised how many people know and have kept it a secret. But I suspected my queen was not the queen.” He confessed

  “Really? Why?” T?ra asked.

  Spice numbed her face and neck.

  “I heard you speaking to a woman in the dungeon who claimed to be the queen. She was crazy, the kind of crazy I was told the queen was.” Zazo told them.

  “Why didn’t you say something?” T?ra asked.

  “It’s not my place.”

  “Yes! It is!” T?ra objected.

  Zazo smiled.

  “You are not like most rulers.” He responded.

  T?ra thought about it.

  “Don’t pull your face.” Spice told her “I am about to stitch.”

  “Why not just get a Mystic healer to heal me?” T?ra asked

  “Because your blood is red.”

  “Alright, stitch and then get me healed and remove it.”

  So, they did.

  T?ra went to bed in Joe’s room. A second bed had been brought in.

  Her handmaid Gem was also brought to Joe’s room.

  “T?ra, when are you going to move to your own room?” Joe asked.

  “I don’t know.” T?ra replied.

  She got into bed, she was so tired she felt like she could sleep for days.

  Joe watched as T?ra fell asleep.

  “Rosaleighm, not everyone can do what we do. It doesn’t make sense that they can’t but for some reason they can’t. It’s important that we protect those that can’t protect themselves.”

  “Are you talking about our queen?” Rosaleighm asked.

  “Yes, her and others like her. We are all different like food. But you need a bit of everything to be strong and healthy. Just like the world need a bit of every type of person to be healthy. We must never look down on a carrot because it came from the ground and not a tree.” Joe said.

  Rosaleighm looked at Joe. “Is T?ra someone we should follow and listen to?”

  “Yes, she is.” Joe replied.

  * * *

  Jessica was taken by Drake to the Mystic Healers, they healed her.

  “Your woman was very weak, death was coming for her.” Irania told him “She was saved many times by Autumn. The queen picked the right person to retrieve her.”

  “Thank you.” Drake said.

  Irania left and Yair came into the room.

  “The woman Jessica is here.” He observed.

  “Yair!” Jessica was happy to see him

  “I am happy to see your old grumpy face.” She exclaimed

  “I was happy.” Yair replied.

  “That cat woman helped me and her guy friend. I need to thank them. Also, Drake’s parents knew I was with Black Beard and they left me with him.” Jessica informed.

  Jessica waited for Yair to tell Drake but he wasn’t speaking.

  “Tell Drake his parents came with dragons, found me and then left me with that terrible man. They knew it was me and they flew away.” Jessica stated.

  Yair looked at Drake.

  “The woman Jessica says many things I cannot repeat.”

  “Why?” Drake asked “What is she saying?”

  “Yair tell him.” Jessica insisted.

  “She says your parents knew where she was. But they left her with Black Beard and his men. She says they come on their dragons and spoke with Black Beard. But then left her there with him.”

  “My parents helped me look for you. We spend almost a whole day searching. Our whole army was searching. There was even an attack on the queen while we were looking because we were all trying to find you.” Drake defended.

  “Shall I take you to the tower I was in? Or speak with the cat woman and her friend that brought me back.” Jessica replied.

  He had been grieved by how injured she had been. He was so happy to see her, that the queen broke their bonding. He didn’t know what to believe.

  “Yair, are you helping Drake’s parents get rid of me?” Jessica asked.

  Yair didn’t answer.

  “I know you don’t like me. I am not good enough for your prince. But wanting me dead? Surely helping me get home would be a better way of getting me out of the way? Where is Shane?” She asked.

  “He is on a mission, with the hopes of getting you home. He was worried about you and Pragya’s death was hard on him.” Yair answered.

  “So, he is alive and not dead?” Jessica was relieved “Last I saw, he was getting beaten while they dragged me off.”

  “Yair, what is she saying?” Drake asked.

  “My prince shall I kiss her and find the truth?” Yair asked.

  “Yes.” Drake answered.

  Yair went to kiss Jessica but as he came to kiss her, she slapped him across the face.

  “Keep your dirty lips to yourself! You tried to kiss me once already, never again!”

  Drake was surprised.

  Yair was stunned.

  “If you are not even going to translate, then why are you here?” Jessica asked him.

  Yair told Drake that Jessica didn’t want him kissing her and she wanted him to leave. Drake let Yair leave.

  Drake sat next to Jessica on the bed.

  When he had seen her, her legs were torn open. Her hair was dull, her body was bruised and broken. Something had happened to her and only she knew what.

  It troubled him that his parents would hurt her. He knew they disapproved but he never thought they were do something like give her to bad men.

  He worried about what they did to her. Clearly, she was not willing to share her pain. She didn’t want them to know.

  Drake didn’t consider that kissing was a big deal to Jessica. After all it was a just Viden.

  He took her hand.

  “I wish you could understand me.” Jessica said.

  Drake took Jessica back to her room. Where she insisted, he sit with her.

  She rested her head on Drake’s shoulder. Shortly after she push Drake over so he was laying on the bed. She put his arm around her and her head on his chest, pulling her legs up onto the bed.