A Tale of Two Princesses (28 page)

     "No! Sienna, I'll be right back!"

     He sprinted through the cave, the sounds growing louder. When he reached the great mouth of the cavern, he saw the dragon. It was leaping from tree to tree like a monkey, swiping at the knights with its paws. Three were already down on the ground, torn to pieces, only four remaining. Two of them swung their swords in futility while the other two tried to aim their bows in the dark, their drunkenness handicapping them beyond hope.

     Court quickly set down his sword and drew his bow from his back, loading an arrow and letting it fly. It struck the dragon right in the mouth. The beast roared in fury, spinning to him, but then its yellow eyes glinted, a low growl in its throat. It recognized him.

     "Yes, monster," Court whispered. "You want me, don't you?"

     The dragon leapt into the cave. Court dropped his bow and readied his sword, swiping at the beast as it crashed into him. But it did not bite him. It wrapped its tail around his waist, yanking him off the ground, his sword falling from his hands. His men were shouting as it carried him off. The dragon's tail was tight, crushing his stomach. He could not help but cry out.

     "Court!" Sienna shouted. "Are you okay?"

     The beast scrambled to the mouth of the pit, and then its long neck disappeared inside. Sienna began screaming.

     "Court!"

     "No, you monster! Don't!" Court shouted, punching the tail in futility.

     The dragon's head lifted and Sienna dangled from its mouth upside-down, her leg between its teeth, her dress falling over her head, blood running down her thigh. The dragon flung her on the ground and then it leapt forward, its two paws slamming down. Its tail flicked, throwing Court beside her. As Court tried to stand, the dragon's paw crushed into his breastplate, pinning him in place. The dragon's other paw came down on Sienna, pinning her. It snarled at them both, its tongue flicking, its nose snorting.

     Sienna's head was turned, her cheek on the dirt as she stared at him, her tears running into the earth. Court was staring back, struggling against the incredible weight of the dragon. Then the dragon moved its mouth closer to Sienna, its jaw opening, its fangs born. Its throat began to glow in fire. It was going to burn her alive right there in front of him. He knew then, somehow, that this was its purpose, to make him watch her die.

     "Sienna...I'm sorry," Court said, his breath heaving from the pressure on his lungs.

     "It's okay," she whispered, gasping, her arm stretching out, her fingertips touching his hand. "I...I love you, Court."

     Just as the fire burst, the dragon roared and its neck turned, the flame singing all around Sienna as she screamed. Court turned his head enough to see his knights, their battle cries loud. And then Crank leapt onto the dragon's back, stabbing. The dragon roared in pain and leapt straight up into the air, smashing into the ceiling.

     Court immediately climbed up, seeing Crank falling in a heap, his body crushed by stalactites. The dragon landed on Sven as it came down, grabbing his torso in one paw, his legs in the other, ripping him apart in an instant. Court gasped. He snatched up Crank's fallen sword, shouting as he charged. He swung at the dragon's side, slicing into its back leg.

     Finn and Grotto were using arrows, trying to keep the monster's attention. The arrows seemed to enrage the beast. It leapt to the ceiling above the archers, its claws clinging to the rock, and then it let off a explosion of fire. Grotto immediately shoved Finn away, taking the brunt of the blast, falling as he burned.

     Court backed away, standing over Sienna as she whimpered on the ground, her leg a bloody mess. Finn joined his side, dropping his bow and taking up his sword. They stood shoulder to shoulder as the dragon roared at them from above.

     "Court," Sienna said, "it's okay. You did your best. Run away before it hurts you."

     "What?" Court said.

     "Sir," Finn said, "she's right. You must flee."

     "I will not leave you, either of you!"

     "Then take her with you," Finn said. "Pick her up and run. I'll hold off the monster."

     "I am a knight, Finn. A knight never leaves a fellow knight behind."

     "Court," Sienna spoke up, "you can leave me behind. It's only after me. You don't have to die to save me."

     "We do not leave maidens behind either!" Court snapped.

     "Sir," Finn said, "we can't defeat this thing. We were lucky in the rain. Here, in its cave, it has the advantage."

     "Listen," Court said, "it doesn't want to kill me. I don't know why, but it wants to kill the girl and it wants me to see it. Better if I hold it off and you flee."

     "Are you certain it won't kill you?"

     "Not certain, no."

     "Chance?"

     "Fifty-fifty."

     "Those odds are not good enough for me, sir. Please, flee."

     "And let you die alone?"

     "Yes, let me die alone, and then return with an army to slay this thing and build for me a memorial of my deeds and remember that I died protecting my prince."

     "No! Why do you all wish to rush to your deaths for me?"

     "It is the knights' way, sir."

     "You forget I am a knight too."

     "And you forget you are a prince. You may be a knight when in armor, but you shall always be a prince in blood. Take the girl with you. At least let not our reason for coming fail."

     Court took a heavy breath, his voice trembling as he looked at his friend. "I will live to see this dragon die. My word."

     "Then go, sir."

     "Curse you, Finn."

     "Go, sir! It's coming! Go!"

     Court sheathed his sword and scooped up Sienna, sprinting away. The dragon roared and leapt down, charging, but Finn stood in the way, slashing. The dragon jumped back and prepared a blast of fire. Finn dove to the nearest cover he could find. That was the last Court saw of him before the fire exploded and the heat was warm on his back.

     "Court, I'm sorry," Sienna said. "I'm so sorry, all of your men..."

     Court reached the mouth of the cave, stumbling with Sienna, falling into the pond of muck, the waterfall crashing over him as he scrambled to get up. She tried to crawl as best she could with her injured leg. Once Court was out of the water, he picked her up again, carrying her as he ran, the lightning flashing all around him, the rain beating down.

     A roar sounded from the cave and Court knew the dragon had finished with his friend. He hurried on, stumbling in the dark, having no bearing on his direction, the trees turning into a maze as he maneuvered around them.

     "Court?" Sienna whispered.

     "Stay brave, Sienna," he said. "We're not safe yet, but I won't let that monster have you."

     "Thank you for saving me."

     "It is a knight's duty."

* * *

     Celeste sat quietly with her mother, helping her drink her tea. Vrine had left for the moment, but then a knock sounded and she returned through the door.

     "I have news," Vrine said. "The prince has once again managed to forestall the dragon and save the peasant girl."

     "What?" Celeste shouted.

     "Oh, thank goodness," the queen said, coughing. "Truly, he is a man of stature. But, Vrine, how did you learn this so quickly? We only just sent the guard."

     Celeste stood up, her teeth tight, her breath crashing against them. "Vrine, how could the dragon have failed twice?"

     "The prince is resourceful, and his men throw themselves upon death to save him."

     "I want that girl arrested the moment she steps out of the forest!" Celeste shouted. "If the dragon cannot do the job, I will do it myself!"

     "Arrest her?" the queen said. "Whatever for?"

     Celeste spun on her mother. "What for? Mother, she impersonated me!"

     "Celeste, we cannot admit to that. What purpose is there in subjecting a young girl to prison when she has committed no crime?"

     "She is going to tell the prince she impersonated me!"

     "She won't. You will be married within the week and the girl will be naught but a memory. Do not despair, my daughter. You have the prince's heart."

     "Mother, I'm going to call for the steward, and you are going to order him to send a messenger out, and then the soldiers will arrest her."

     "I will do no such thing, Celeste," the queen said, sitting up. "What has come over you?"

     Celeste's fists were shaking. "You see, Mother, this is why you're dying! Because you are a fool and you have no spine to do what must be done!"

     The queen was stunned. "Celeste, I do not believe I heard you correctly."

     "Then hear this! Father is dead because of you!"

     "How dare you?" the queen said, her eyes blazing, her anger broken by her cough. "No matter what rumors you have heard, no matter his infidelity, I loved your father and I would never kill him!"

     "I know you wouldn't!" she shouted. "No, you left that to me! And I did it for you! And look how ungrateful you are!"

     "What? What are you saying, Celeste?" the queen said, but then a coughing fit overtook her, blood splattering out of her mouth.

     "Mother," Celeste said, shaking her head, "do you have any idea who that stable girl is? Have you not put it together in your simple head? She is the illegitimate bastard child of your husband! Where do you think her golden locks come from?"

     "No, your father had no other child."

     "Mother, how shielded you are. Father knew all about her! He was sending money to raise her! Why do you think the dragon killed her mother? It was sent to kill them both! But the stupid beast left the job half finished, and if I had known that girl was still alive, I would have sent it out again!"

     "The dragon was sent?"

     "Yes! You do not even see what is under your nose!"

     "Celeste, what have you done?"

     "Oh, Mother," Celeste said, sighing. "I was content to let you live until after my wedding, but I simply have no more time to let you linger."

     "Vrine," the queen whispered, "call the guard."

     "I am sorry, my queen," Vrine said. "I serve the princess. I have since she came to me and asked for the poison needed to slay the king. I saw she had the strength to lead from that moment. She is not weak, like you. And when she asked for a less conspicuous death for you, I did oblige in your morning tea."

     The queen was coughing again, barely able to catch her breath. "Vrine, how could you?"

     Celeste folded her hands together. "Mother, why did you not let me be? I would have been happy to let you live until I was ready to take the throne. But then this business with the prince. You truly have ruined so many of my plans."

     "I cannot believe this is my daughter speaking."

     "You'll be happy to know, Mother, I have decided marrying Prince Cross is an excellent idea. I didn't think so at first, but you've won me over. All that talk of an heir made me think, and you were right. I do need one. And what better heir than a Cross? But you just weren't listening when I told you I did not want to share the throne. So, I won't."

     "You can't do this," the queen said, coughing louder, hacking.

     Celeste tilted her head. "Mother, what a state you've come to. It depresses me so to see you like this. Vrine, put her out of her misery."

     "How do you wish it done, your highness?" Vrine asked.

     "I am a queen now. And a queen does not worry herself about how the wetworks are done, only that they are completed. Just hurry and finish her. I have orders to give, and I shall not wish my dear prince dead before I have his child in my belly."

     Vrine moved in closer, picking up a pillow. The queen was crying out.

     "Celeste, wait! Dear daughter, come back to me! It is not too—"

     The queen's voice was muffled as Vrine pressed the pillow over her face. Celeste was watching, her smile broad on her thin lips.

     "The queen is dead. Long live the queen."

Chapter Eighteen

High Treason

     "We must find my horse," Court said. "It is surely somewhere in the forest."

     A roar came, bouncing off the trees, pulling Court to a stop as he looked behind him.

     "He's coming again," Court said. "He doesn't quit."

     "Court, it's okay," Sienna whispered. "You can put me down. You can go."

     "Sienna, if I let you die now, everything those men sacrificed themselves for was in vain. Do not try to throw their lives away by throwing away your own."

     She fell silent thereafter, her arms wrapping around his neck as he cradled her, holding him tight. Court ran on, looking over his shoulder. Then they came to a wide lake, pausing there. There was debris all around, fallen trees and leaves littering the surface. The roar sounded behind them.

     "We must hide," he said.

     "Where?" she said.

     "It won't come into the water. We'll swim out to that fallen tree and use it for cover."

     "But, but I can't swim, and I can't hold my breath for long."

     "I will keep you afloat. Just don't let go of my hand."

     He waded into the water, releasing her. She held onto his arm, her bad leg unable to keep her upright, but as the lake deepened, the floor dropped out from under them. Court began struggling, kicking his legs. He was sinking fast, his armor weighing him down.

     "Sienna," he said, spitting up water. "I have to take off my armor. I can't swim with it on. Can you reach the clasps?"

     She reached out, touching his chest, feeling her way around the metal breastplate.

     "They're on the side."

     Her hand ran over one and she pulled on it, and then the next. It was enough for him to free himself. Next, he pulled off his chainmail, slipping out of it, momentarily releasing Sienna's hand. She started to struggle, but his arm wrapped around her waist, and she clung to him.