"I've forgotten how beautiful the journey from the capital to Roland is" Freya said simply as she stared out the window. "Oh yes you came to Roland with your father when you were young did you not?" Layla asked, "Indeed I did," Freya replied.
"You mentioned having 2 other dragons," Christian said, suddenly changing the topic. "Where are they?" He asked. "Yes," Freya nodded. "Before I was picked up so to speak I was traveling with a group of villagers that had decided their lives would be better somewhere else" Freya said. "I entrusted Thalor and Valkyra to a dear friend" she told him. "We will no doubt meet them once we cross into Roland considering they will need your majesty's approval to enter" Freya added.
"What exactly is your plan?" Christian asked. "Atwell is a powerful country," Freya said. "They have more dragon riders than any other which is why no one has gone to war with Atwell" she explained. "If I wish to fight my brother then the only way to do so is to gather allies among his enemies who have dragons" she continued.
"But you have 3 dragons, do you truly need more than that?" Christian asked. "2 out of 3 dragons are far too small to fight and though Vernon is strong she cannot fight off every dragon not alone, my brother however has over 15 dragons that are of fighting size, the largest and most ruthless being magnaroth" she told him.
"If you wish for your kingdom to come out of a war unscathed, my suggestion is that we use this time to give Atwell what it wants while I work to get more dragons," she added.
"Your majesty's we are crossing the border of Roland" someone yelled from outside. "It is about time," Layla said as the carriage came to a stop. "Why have we stopped?" Asked Christian as the door suddenly opened. "There are many that wish to be approved to enter your majesty" said a knight, with a stack of paperwork.
"You work on that Christian, Layla and I will stretch our Legs" Freya said standing up and Christian gave her a nod. As Freya stepped out of the carriage Layla followed behind her.
"Dragons" people suddenly yelled and Layla and Freya looked up. "Oh my" Freya said as 2 dragons the size of horses, one a silver gold and the other an emerald blue, flew down and landed in front of them.
"My how you two have grown" Freya said approaching Thalor and Valkyra. Thalor and Valkyra purred as Freya held up their heads to look at her. "I see they have found you" a familiar voice said from behind her. Freya turned to see Luana. "You are dressed quite well," Freya said, slightly making fun of Luana's old dresses. "As soon as I said the dragons were yours they began to treat all of the villagers well until you came with his majesty the king and her majesty the queen dowager" Luana said.
"Speaking of," Luana said with a curtsy. "I Luana Clearwater greet your majesty's the queen and queen dowager of Roland" she said. "Please rise," said Layla. "It appears you've taken great care of the dragons in Freya's absence" Layla said. "They did not make it easy," Layla said sarcastically.
"They've grown so fast they're about the size of 5 year Olds now" Freya said looking back at them. "I can not say as to why they've grown so much in the month you were gone but they have" Luana said.
Suddenly Vernon appeared and landed in front of them. "You've tamed another dragon?" Luana questioned. "So to speak," Freya said. "Sebastian was Vernon's rider and tamer. I believe she has come to avenge him, truth be told," she replied. "You've remarried awfully quick," said Luana. "Offense to your majesty of course" she added.
"I'll leave you two to talk in privately" Layla said before walking away. "It is a marriage of convenience not love" Freya told her. Sebastian was and always will be my only love" she added. "It is not that I believe you have remarried so quickly because of that" Luana said. "There... there is another reason" Luana said. "What is it?" Freya asked, grabbing Luana's hands with a concerned look on her face.
Luana opened her mouth as if to speak but quickly closed it, before she gave Freya a smile. "It is nothing" Luana said "I just wish for you to be happy is all" Luana told her. "You need worry not about that Luana" Freya said before hugging her.
Layla walked back to the carriage and entered it before sitting across from Christian who was finishing up the papers he was handed. "I presume you met her other 2 dragons" Christian said. "I did," said Layla. "They are truly beautiful," she added.
"You seem upset has something crossed your mind?" Asked Layla. "Yes, in fact" Christian said, looking up at his mother. "I don't mind being an ally to her but was it truly so necessary to marry her?" He asked. "A marriage that is not formed with love seems useless" he continued. "Even you and father loved each other," he added.
"And I don't believe I can ever love her," he told his mother. "Love is not something one is able to do or not do based on some magic" Layla told him. "Love is a choice one makes," she said. "You take someone in marriage and you choose to love them. you give yourself no other option" she continued. "because marriage is not easy... it is full of pains and heartache and sacrifice in order to live a life of happiness" she explained. "and life of a royal... is lonely... so you grab someone and you hold on tight because the fear of losing the one person who may understand you is overwhelming" she told him." you love and you love hard because if you do not you will be lost" she told him.
"That is how your father and I loved each other," Layla said. "You are now wed to the only person that may understand how you feel," Layla added. "Excuse me" Christian said, getting up from his seat and leaving the carriage.
Christian walked to Freya who was still talking with Luana. "Freya," Christian said. Freya turned to him. Her long silver hair blowing in the light breeze. "Yes, your majesty?" Freya questioned. He hesitated for a moment. "I am your husband, you need not use honorifics with me," he told her. "My apologies," Freya said. As suddenly Valkyra and Thalor stepped in front of her protectively.
TO BE CONTINUED