When we arrived in Hayden I unstructured the driver to go to my old home. It was a little run down around it but still usable. I picked up Serphina and got out of the carriage. "You may leave" I told the driver "but your majesty..." the driver protested "you may come back once a day, I doubt anyone here will recognize me as their queen and I prefer to keep it that way" I told him. "Yes your majesty" he said before leaving.
"Marianna?" I heard a familiar voice call me. "Miss Helon" I said turning to her. "My how much you've changed" he said running to me. "Yes a lot has happened" I told her. "Did you marry that duke?" She asked in a whisper "you disappeared around the same time he left" she said. "No" I told her "I married a man of another country" I told her "what a shame" she said. "So who's this little cutie" she said bending to look at seraphina more closely.
"My daughter, Seraphina" I told her "if you don't mind me asking marianna... why have you returned?" She asked bluntly. "Why don't we talk inside" I told her. She followed me inside and I just looked around for a moment. Nothing had changed other then some dust almost as if it was frozen in time.
"I have returned because myself and my Daughter are in danger" I told her. "Uou must be talking about that prince from toin" she said. "How did you..." "I may be old but I have my ways" she said as she waved her hand and some magic came out of it. "You use magic?" I questioned. "Yes and when you vanished so suddenly I grew worried" she told me. "I don't have much but the little I do have I use to check on you from time to time Your majesty" she said.
"I am using my self and my daughter as bait to lore him out, if he believes we are hiding from him he will no doubt come after us" I told her. "I may need your help miss Helon" I told her "of course your majesty" she said. "You can just call Me mari" I told her. "Why don't we go shopping and get some supplies to clean this place up. There's no telling how long you and the princess will have to stay" she said. And I nodded.
"I doubt I'll be here long miss Helon" I said as we slowly walked through town. "Oh I doubt it as well but we should still take the time to prepare" she said. "So how is your husband does he treat you well?" She asked. "Yes" I told her "but it hurts my heart to know that I don't love him" I said "it's not as if I don't care for him I do, very deeply but I feel I lust for him more where as with Cedric I do believe I love him" I said, then paused. Did I just say I loved Cedric. I thought to myself" I see" helon, replied. "That is common" she said "especially in contract marriages" she told me. "I wouldn't worry to much" she said with a smile.
"Now who is this Cedric, you mentioned?" She asked. "The duke" I replied. He will actually be arriving in a few days as a sort of backup to protect the village" I told her. "Well that's good then" she said.
Our conversation continued even after we finished shopping. A few days passed, helon, came over every day to help me take care of seraphina as we waited for tonious to find me. I didn't care how long it took, I would stay here until he came.
Soon Cedric arrived, helon fawned over him, asking him questions, like how he felt about me? Would he try to steal me away? What did he think about my having a child? He answered the questions as best he could but still tried to keep a distance from her.
2 more days passed after that, the 3 of us walked through the village looking for food and that was when it happened.
"Mariannaaaaa" tonious's voice echoed throughout the village. He was here. But no warning? Even Cedric was shocked. The barrier never went off so how. Was he not actually in the village. Was he using his apparent new found power to taunt me. "Up there" Cedric said as he pulled helon, and I behind a cart with a roof in order to find us.
"Mariannaaaaa wherever areeeee youuuuu" he said again. He was a dragon flying above us, but how there was no way. "I'm sure you have already seen my new form flying above you" he said. "I'm sure your wondering how in the world I have become part dragon" he continued. "Would you believe it was all part of my plan" he said. "Poison you with an uncurable poison, then have your dragon save you, in result basically giving me its body" he said.
"Nyx" I said quietly as tears filled my eyes. I looked at cedric "he merged with her body" I said to him. "It was pure luck I found out how to merge with a dragon. Pure black magic" he said. "And the perfect revenge" he added. "What are we to do?" Miss Helon asked. I looked back and forth between her and Cedric. Suddenly Tonious let out a large breath of fire, Hitting the barrier. "Smart queen. It seems you expected me" he said. "Meet me in the forest outside the village, If you wish to finish this once and for all" he said before flying away.
We quickly got out from behind the cart. The village was in chaos. I handed seraphina to Helon. "I need you to take her to your home. You both should be safe there" I told her and she nodded. I kissed seraphina on the forehead. He small hand reached up for me. "I'll be back my sweet girl" I told her, then have helon a nod, and she ran to her house.
"Stay behind don't let him see you" I told Cedric. drazyn, blizzard and Storm appeared flying above the village "let's go" I said as I walked towards the forest.
TO BE CONTINUED