Chapter Fifteen: Death of a Legend

Saber burst into the family’s private suite, “Ryoch!  They are here!  The hatchlings are in the Castle!”  It was just past dawn, and the Royal family was still eating breakfast.

            “What, slow down, what’s going on?”  Ryoch questioned his father.

            “Paolo and Marta have been here all along, from the very beginning, right under our noses.”  Saber replied gasping for breath, as if he had ran all the way there.  “Everyone is coming, oh and your grandmother is home.”  Saber said, just remembering Dana.  “Leona found them just a little while ago.”

            Suddenly a commotion in the hallway drew their attention, and in a crash Cherna holding Link, Dana holding Leona and Darna a few paces behind.

            “They are really here brother” Leona spoke into Ryoch's mind.  It was such a strange sensation when she did that, he thought, “sorry” Leona said again.

            “Stop that,” Ryoch spoke to her, hiding a grin.  “All right let’s organize a search party, this is a really big Castle, and it could take us days to search everywhere, we will need help.  I will send a servant to get Ryan, the head of the Castle Guard to lend a hand.  There are six out buildings; they can search those, while we concentrate on the main Castle.”  Ryoch rattled it all to Saber.

            “Why don’t we just ask Mena?”  Glenna wondered.

            “What sweetie?”  Ryoch paused for breath.

            “Ask Mena, nothing happens here without her say so, guaranteed.  She has had them shut away through the entire Castle Seasons and.....” Glenna trailed off.  “It’s almost Birth Day.  She had them hidden for almost a year.  They won’t remember us, we are not family to them anymore.  Whoever has had them.....that's the only parents Paolo and Marta has had.  Can we just take them away?”  She finished.

            “Darn straight we can, I will, you watch me!  Those are MY babies!”  Darna spoke up furiously.

            “O.K. slow down, let’s think this through,” spoke Saber.  “Why can’t whoever has taken care of them come back to the lair with us?  Darna you could use the help, right?  There will be four one year olds soon, right?”  Saber asked her.

            Darna stood silently considering, finally she answered, “I will do just fine on my own, for one year olds at one time is just my speed.  But..... the hatchlings would settle easier if their current caretaker come along.”

            “Can we go too?”  Leona spoke to Saber.  “I can follow their thoughts, and lead the way.”  She said.  “That’s perfect!  We do not need a search party.  Leona will lead the way.”  Saber said excitedly.

            “Oh good, I was not looking forward to a Castle wide search for Red Dragons, the least amount of dragons involved the better.  I do think Glenna is right.  We are going to have to speak to Mena, but we can do that after we have the babies back.  Wow, they are not really babies anymore are they?”  Ryoch spoke to the group.

            “I will speak to Mena, while you go get those hatchlings.”  Glenna told Ryoch.

            “Leona are you ready?”  Saber asked as he took her from Dana’s arms.

            “I’ll  stay with Glenna, and Link can stay with me,” Cherna spoke up.  “I would be interested in this Mina’s answers, and reasons for keeping two hatchlings from their family for so long.  Eight months they have been gone.”

            “Go, go, go!”  Glenna encouraged.

            Saber and Leona led the remaining group onward.  “We have to go to the Castle kitchen, Daddy.”  Leona told him.  Saber told the family and continued to relay until Leona said, “I can talk to everyone at the same time Daddy, its o.k. you don’t have to repeat everything.”

            “You are an amazing daughter, Leona.”  Saber told her.

            “Go left here, and through those doors.”  Leona told the group.  “O.K., now straight ahead to the kitchens.”  She directed.  As the whole gang of Dragons entered the kitchens, the staff stopped what they were doing and stared.  “What's going on here?” Spoke the head cook.  “Gentry don’t belong here-------,” she come to a stop as Ryoch spoke,

            “We don’t mean to intrude, we are just passing through.  Have you seen Mena this morning?  Glenna needs her in our private suits as soon as possible.” 

            “She’s already headed that way, your Highness.”  Piped up a young pot washer.

            “Thank you,” Ryoch replied, with a small bowl.  The young female beamed, his Highness bowing to her!

            “It’s through that doorway, and into the servants quarters,” Leona concentrated harder.

            “Well that makes sense.”  Said Ryoch.

            There was a long hallway, with ten sleeping quarters on each side, shared by permanent Castle servants, three to four dragons to each room.

            “There is a staircase at the end of the hallway, a twisty kind,” Leona urged them on.  “We are almost there!”

            “This turret has been closed for repairs,” Ryoch added.  “Of course it’s only been reported by servants, and the babies have been hidden by servants, so those ‘repairs’ could have been a false report.”  Ryoch said to himself, making a mental note to speak to his steward in control of Castle maintenance, after this escapade.

            “That's it Daddy, right up those stairs!”  Leona almost wiggled out of Sabers arms, she was so excited!

            The stairs only allowed one at a time, but they opened into a very large room.  As the group entered quietly, they notice the drapes were still closed, and the room was cloaked in darkness.  A soft snort told the group the occupants were still sleeping.

            Darna stepped up to the drapes and jerked them open.  “Wake up!”  Darna spoke loudly.  The early morning sun shown directly into the room, chasing lingering shadows away.  A large young female dragon sat up swiftly.  “Now see here, what’s this all about?  You will wake the youngsters!”  She started.

            “You!  Silent!”  Darna spoke sharply.  It seemed Saber’s group had a new leader, and she was wasting no time.  One of the hatchlings sat up rubbing his eyes, it was Paolo!  They had found them.  He started fussing as he realized so many dragons were invading his space.  His whimpers had the females hustling to pick him up.

            Paolo was not a baby anymore, but not quite a half-pint either.  His belly was large and his muscles soft.  Not unusual if he had been shut away in this room, no matter how large, for eight months.  He was grumpy, but no longer scared in the female’s arms.  Darna looked like she might try and snatch him away. So Saber intervened.

            “What’s your name miss?”  He asked.

            “Tana, your Highness.”  She replied looking from face to face, and landing on Queen Dana.

            “You’re back!”  She exclaimed.  “You are going to take them away, aren’t you, your Highness?”

            “They are all I have left your Highness,” she continued speaking to Darna.  “My family moved after this last Season to join another household in service, and Mena, she said------”, she trailed off looking at everyone for the first time.  “Lord Ryoch!  I tried to tell someone after two weeks, but Mena said to keep my trap shut, or she would kick me out. That only Queen Dana deserved our loyalty, and I had to keep them here until Queen Dana returned or Torch came for them.  She said she would kick me out!  But it’s been so long now,  we’re a family.  You can’t just take them away.....please.”  In a strained voice she spoke.

            “It's alright Tana, have you cared for them well?  This one hasn’t missed any meals, it looks like.”  Ryoch claimed her down.

            “He has a sweet tooth, he sneaks food to stuff his belly with, almost every day.  When I take it away, he’s been threatening to tell his father when he returns.  I haven’t known what to do about it.  I’ve told them all about their father, how nice he is, and tall, and well that’s about it.  I never knew Torch until the day they were dropped off.”  Tana was nervous, and could not seem to stop talking.  The group, eager to learn about how she cared for them let her ramble on.

             A small noise came from the bedding area, they were out of cribs already.  A deep red head poked out of the covers and large eyes took in the group.  “Who’s here Paolo?”  She asked her brother, speaking clearly.  The group looked at her, speechless.  Marta was amazingly beautiful, in an exotic foreign sort of way.  All sharp angles, high cheek bones, long lean muscles topped off by bright green eyes, with long sweeping lashes, and that deep red color from the tip of her ears to tip of her graceful tail.

            “Hello Marta, I am your grandmother.  Torch, your father is my son.  Would you come to me?”  Darna spoke up again.

            Marta looked at the group, weighing her curiosity with her uneasiness, and curiosity won out.  She lifted long slender arms to Darna, and snuggled in.  Darna was finally soothed as well, she had her grand-babies.

            Paolo looked jealous, and pulled on Marta’s arm trying to make her get down.  Marta just clung tighter.  Well two can play that, he seemed to think and leaned over towards Dana. Tana wasn’t going to let go until, “It’s o.k. dear.”  Dana spoke up.

            “Well its apparent, for what limited resources you’ve had, that you have done a fine job, these many months.  Ahem....,” Ryoch looked to his father.

            “Uhh, yes, yes a good enough, if unnecessary job.”  Saber still disgruntled allowed.

            “Paolo doesn’t like us Daddy, and Marta wants something...I’m not sure yet, but she thinks we’ve got something she wants.”  Leona whispered in Saber’s head.  “Its o.k. sweetie, there’s gonna be a big change for them.  I am sure they will both like us just fine in a short while.

            “So, Father?”  Ryoch tried to get Saber to include Tana in the move to the lair.

            “Yes, Ryoch, Tana, I would be willing to have you come along as a nursemaid only, to these two.  Darna here is in charge of the nursery, and has agreed to take you on for a probationary time frame, and then later we will see if it becomes permanent.”  Saber said, all business like.

            “Really?  You mean it?”  She looked from Darna to Saber, then back again.

            “Darna is your supervisor, and you will do as she says.  No more of this misplaced loyalty in my Clan.  One misstep, and right back here to the Castle, you will come.  Understood?

            “Oh Yes, your Highness, “ She repeated.

            “Uh, yeah, don’t call me that, I am Saber, and that is Dana.”  He said, pointing to her.   “Now let’s go home.”  And that’s what they did.

           

            “Thank you for seeing me this early in the day, but this really could not wait till this afternoon, at our regular time.”  Glenna said sweetly, a lemon would taste sweet in her mouth.

            “Yes mum” as always, not your Highness, as was proper, or even a “lady so and so”.  Hum, Glenna thought, realizing it for the first time.  It was an obvious, in your face disrespect, and Glenna had not even noticed, never being Royalty before.

            “Please sit Mena,” Glenna spoke a little harder, causing Mean’s eyes to flash.

            “I’ve heard Queen Dana has returned.  Do you need assistance packing or.......” Mena launched in.

            “Queen Dana is no longer Queen, and hasn’t been for eight months.  She will not be returning to the Castle to live.  She no longer rules here, I do.”  Glenna spoke loud and clear, “I have had about enough of this...” She paused.  “I am going to send a messenger to Lord Ryan, of the Palace Guard.  You are under arrest, I will not lower myself to deal with you another minute.  Cherna call the guards please,” Glenna had had enough.

            “On what grounds?”  Mena looked like she was out raged.  “You’ve got no call to arrest me, for what, waiting on my true Queen to return?  That’s a crime?”  She demanded, getting up on a chair to look Glenna in the eyes.  Mena was of the Chicken Dragon Clan, and was smaller than any other clan in the Realm.  They made up for it in their swagger and attitudes.  “You are just a common Forest Dragon!”  She spit out.  “ Oh yes, I remember you when you first changed as a yearling.”  She revealed.  “Turning into a human!  How disgusting to call you ‘Highness’, that still isn’t grounds for arrest.”

            “How about kidnapping, conspiracy and blackmail.  How do those sound to you?”  Glenna charged right back at her, not feeling sorry for Mina’s size at all.

            “Yes, Ryan come in, come in,” Glenna noticed him in the doorway.

            “Please take Mena into custody, bind her over for trial.  The charges are kidnapping Lord Torch’s hatchlings, conspiracy to keep them, and blackmail and strong arming Tana into doing her bidding by not allowing Tana to report the hatchlings to us. And finally for disrespect of my family, myself, and the Crown, she can spend her time until trial in the dungeon.”  Glenna concluded with a smile.

            Captain Ryan picked up Mena like a sack of flour, “Yes you Highness, with pleasure,” he said.

            “Wow, remind me never to piss you off!”  Cherna said.  “That was the best show of female power, I have ever had the pleasure to watch.”  Cherna told her, smiling.  “What are you gonna do about her knowing about the whole human thing?  You can trust, she has gossiped about it to whoever would listen.  I’d say you’re busted, and might as well come clean. “

            “ You are in the safest place in the Realm, you might as well relax for once in your life, and be accepted as you are, not what you are.  I mean, you know, if the Castle and the Realm eventually know your secret, you won’t have to hide behind locked doors anymore, right?  Also what if,  Bella is a Forest Dragon too?  Doesn’t she inherit the human side from you?”

            “Yes, first-born daughters always have and always will.  Mara won’t become human, she will have her own magic and will pass it on to her first-born daughter.  But the human thing, as you call it, I don’t think the Realm is ready for it.  But you are right, they could get used to me. Then when Bella attains her majority it would not shock the Realm so much.”

            Just then butterflies flooded the room, much to Mare and Missy's delight.  “Yeah, that’s his new thing, Alred has him trying out.  We have butterflies EVERYWHERE at the lair.  Yesterday he flew!  Not with his wings, with his magic!”  Cherna shared.

            “Your children are amazing!  I know you are so proud, but also anxious about their whole ‘Destiny thing’”  Glenna used Cherna’s wording, and they both laughed.

                       

            Three hours later, with Mena in the dungeon, and the Red Dragons back home where they belong, with Tana in tow, the whole Clan trooped back over the bridge and up the mountain. With Tana along, the Reds relaxed in various arms, they kept switching, to look around.  This was their very first outside experience, and there was so much to see.

            Marta spoke almost perfectly, for a toddler.  She was able to communicate her needs, fears, wants, and was quickly learning the words for everything, she could see outside.  Paolo pouted in Tana’s arms, because he could not get down to run on the bridge.  It just wasn’t safe, and he wanted to run freely.  Paolo seemed to pout a lot.  Maybe a little too spoiled, but nothing that could not be fixed with a trip to the woodshed, Saber thought.  Hatchlings don’t whine or pout in his home.  There isn’t a need to, for one thing, and he would not have a brat, he would make sure to emphasize the positive in deeds and attitude, so that bad deeds and attitudes soon go away.  That’s how you deal with a sourpuss.

            The family entered the Lair, and realized no one had breakfast yet, so they all trooped into the Great Hall to find breakfast all laid out for them.  Filling their plates everyone enjoyed the homecoming, even Paolo who was busy stuffing sweet breads into his tummy.  He will go thru a serious growth spurt soon, Darna thought.  Young ones always eat like their starved just before a growth spurt, and she should know. 

            Darna made a plate up to take to Ragnor, just like she always did.  Some days he would eat and some not.  He had not eaten in a week, and everyone has been waiting and worrying.  Ragnor had lasted a year and a half longer than anyone, even he, thought he would.

            A crash came from Ragnor’s room, Saber leapt up, and was there in a flash.  Darna sat holding Ragnor’s hand.  His eyes were closed and his wispy, wheezing had stopped.  His chest didn’t rise and fall. Saber put his hand on Darna’s shoulder in comfort.  Darna didn’t weep, it had been time.  Ragnor was in Hal’lu’ah  now, and no longer suffers.

            “Old fool, had to go alone, could not wait for me to say ‘good-bye’ or ‘I love you’, no he had to go while we were gone.”  Darna huffed.

            “He did everything his way Darna, what makes you think he wouldn’t die his way as well?”  Saber asked in the same teasing, huffy tone, Darna used.  She smiled at Saber, and said, “He did do everything his way, huh?  Well we will carry out his wishes, and cremate him in a pyre on the mountaintop.  I am not going back to the Castle though.  That’s one thing that is my choice now, not his.  I will be staying if you will have me.”  She finished.

            “Have you?  How could we do without you?”  Saber answered her.

            “Good then let’s see to his remains as he wanted, then my final duty to him will be done.”  Darna said.  She did not seem to be too upset, but it had been a year and a half coming, and you always had to factor in Leona’s supportive emotional blocker.

            “It’s o.k. Saber.  Ragnor and I, we had a few precious days before he fell into this long coma.  Link surrounded us with butterflies and flowers.  Leona seemed to know not to interfere with our moods.  He told me he had loved me best of all, his mates over his lifetime.  We laughed, and remembered old stories, memories, joys and tears.  We were both ready after those days.”  Darna explained.  It seemed that was a good thing to go by, so Saber let it drop.

            That night you could see a funeral pyre high atop a mountain.  An Ancient Cave Dwelling Dragon had passed on.  A LEGEND in his own time.