Kristen Ashley - Wildest Dreams

Save one.

The one he gave me at our wedding.

That would always be at the top of the list.

Even if, with this one, cool-as-shit dragons were watching.

The Aftermath

One and a half weeks later…

Mother and I stood, both of us wearing black suede cloaks, black leather gloves, our hair free around our shoulders, our crowns in place, our booted feet on the rocky shore and we watched the boat with its square sail patterned in red and gold diamonds catching the wind, making it drift into the Winter Sea.

It was lined in red and gold silk and in its middle, on a platform, my father’s remains were shrouded in dark red and surrounded by flickering candles protected from the wind by red tinted glass.

Just behind me to my left Frey stood so close I felt his chest brush my shoulder even through the cloak.

A vast gathering of silent Lunwynians stood behind the three of us, along the sweeping hill that met the icy sea, its glaciers drifting in the distance.

I stared at the boat and kept my shoulders straight, my head high and endured the burn in my chest as the boat and its precious cargo floated out to sea.

Then Frey raised his fisted hand and lowered it.

Thirty seconds later we heard the flap of powerful, huge, leathery wings.

Ten seconds after that we saw the approach of two dragons, one on each side.

Ten seconds after that, they bent their necks and, in unison, they spewed a stream of fire that struck the boat, incinerating it in the blink of an eye as they soared past each other so close their wings brushed.

Mother’s hand reached out, her fingers curling around mine and they clenched tight but other than that, she didn’t move.

Neither did I, except to curl mine around hers.

Then the dragons flew off into the distance as my mother, my husband, myself and my father’s subjects stared at the tranquil waves and peacefully drifting glaciers of the Winter Sea.

Many moments later, I heard my mother whisper to the wind in a voice filled with sorrow, “Good-bye, my beloved.”

I pressed my lips together, locked my body and when the tear came, there was only one.

And it was silent.

Even so, my husband shifted closer.

* * * * *

Four days later…

We moved through the forest slowly, the snow gone with the thaw, wet, green turf in its place, the trees blossoming all around and we stopped at the small, ice marble pyre behind which were two seated dragons, their spiked tails swaying lazily, their wings tucked in, their long, slender, forked tongues drifting.

And on the pyre, swathed in brilliant, glimmering, ice blue silk, only her pretty face exposed to the brilliant sun, was Alyssa.

Frey held my hand and stood by me, Aurora moving in at my other side, Bess next to her and Esther next to her. Skylar gently pushed between Mother and I then leaned heavily against my side so I slid my arm around his shoulders. Jocelyn moved in at Frey’s other side and at her side, his gait slow, his hand that was not curled in Jocelyn’s curled around a cane, was Thad. Frey’s men and Alyssa’s family and friends moved to their places and stopped.

When they did, Frey did not hesitate to touch the twirly tip of the long, glittering branch he held to the earth. At its end, a miniature elf sprung from the turf, she touched the branch and instantly grew to my height. Without delay she gave Frey his salute then her glowing ice blue eyes touched on me then slid over the crowd.

Then she walked to the pyre and around it, standing on the dragons’ side. We watched as she looked down at Alyssa, her head tilted, her mouth went soft then she lifted her hands in prayer position to her lips for only a moment before she opened them so her pinkies were pressed together and then she dropped both slightly forward.

And when she dropped them, a flash of ice blue covered Alyssa’s body and at once a shock of bright, white sparks rose clear to the sky and Alyssa’s body disappeared.

Frey raised his fist and lowered it, the dragons straightened their long necks, aiming their mouths to the heavens and there they sent a stream of fire.

I turned and pressed my face in my husband’s chest as my fingers curled into his wool.

His arms moved around me and went tight.

* * * * *

Two days later…

In the State Dining Room, Rimée Keep, Snowdon.

“Are you mad?” Eirik Drakkar spat at his son from his seat mid-table flanked by his two other sons, the ones who were not married to me.

Before Frey could reply, Olwen Lazarus did. “I see the wisdom of this.”

Eirik’s furious gaze shot to the man and he hissed, “You would, she’s your bloody sister.”

“This is highly unusual,” Walter Sinclair muttered.

“It isn’t unusual,” Eirik snapped. “It’s absurd!”

“I find nothing absurd about it,” Apollo Ulfr drawled. He was leaned casually back in his chair and his green eyes were leveled on Eirik Drakkar. “Frey’s suggestion is clearly sound.”

“Clearly… clear… clear…” Eirik spluttered then pounded a fist on the table. “Clearly sound?” he shouted. “A woman has never ruled Lunwyn!”

“If any woman could, it would be Aurora,” Norfolk Ravenscroft pointed out.

“And you would say that,” Eirik returned hotly. “She’s your cousin, you are close. You’d have her ear.”

“You’d have her ear too, Eirik, if you weren’t a horse’s ass,” Apollo put in smoothly and, seated to Frey’s right where he sat at the head of the table, Mother to his left, I pressed my lips together to stifle my laugh.

Eirik glared at Apollo then stated sharply, “May I remind you that Lunwyn is just reunited, we have just been at war, half the heads of half the Houses from both sides of Lunwyn were gods damned incinerated by my son,” he jerked a finger at Frey, “the other half are imprisoned waiting trial for treason and, if you lot have anything to say about it, which you unfortunately do, they will hang. Now is not the time to audition womanly rule.”

“It’s hardly an audition considering I asked you all here in hopes of receiving your assent but I will state at this point that I don’t actually require it,” Frey put in. “Until my princess births a son and he is of age to accept his responsibilities to his crown, Aurora of the House of Wilde will rule this land and she does it with my backing which I’m certain I don’t need to remind you includes my dragons and the elves. If, in the meantime, she were to be unable to command her throne, we will reconvene.”

“Then, my son, I’m afraid you court further action like we saw while you slept with the elves,” Eirik threatened with narrowed, flashing eyes and I lost my humor and glared at the odious man who saw no action at all but had no problem hanging around in his tent while he ordered men to battle, some of them meeting their deaths while his grievously injured son was healed by the elves.

Jerk.

“Then, my sire, I’m afraid, if you threaten treason, I will be forced to remove you as the head of the House of Drakkar, transfer that privilege to my brother Calder, your second born, and wish you well with your retirement,” Frey returned.

And just like that, my flare of temper disintegrated and I was pressing my lips together again as I watched Eirik actually bounce in fury in his seat then he crashed both his fists on the table and stammered an incensed, “I… you… you cannot… you can’t do that!”

“I’m afraid I can. I am the true head of the House of Drakkar and, as is well known, if I do not wish to assume this role then it is my due to transfer it to who I see fit. As I didn’t give a gods damn who ran our House, I didn’t take my due. Now, I give a damn so I’ll take my due.” Eirik opened and closed his mouth like a fish as Frey’s eyes moved to Calder. “Do you wish this responsibility, brother?”