Autumnal Equinox

The nurse maid screamed and Logan hurried to the window. His pale face told me exactly what was happening. I panicked. Pendragon flew to my closet and came out with two small blankets.

Cover them, Mother. We must get you safe.

“You are going nowhere!” I yelled at him as Logan wrapped Vincent gently, not wanting to wake him.

I will stay with you this time if that is what you wish.

“We have to get you out of here,” my mother gasped, rushing in as the castle shook again.

My hair was all tangles and my nightgown still had blood on it. I held Guinevere close to my chest as we rushed down to our safe room. I was shaking in fear, constantly making sure my whole family was with me. When we got in there, Logan gently passed Vincent to my mother.

“No!” I screamed and grabbed his arm before he could leave. Tears were already falling. “No! You aren’t going anywhere, either!”

“I have to help them,” he said but I shook my head frantically.

“You can’t leave me,” I sobbed. “I can’t bear it.”

“She’s right, Logan,” my father said quietly.

“But how will we know what’s going on?” he asked in frustration.

“No time,” a guard said and pushed Logan in rather roughly.

The door slammed shut and I retreated to the back wall with Logan. I held my daughter to me as close as I could. Logan took Vincent back and the two of us sat together. I was more concerned with the safety of my children and husband more than anything else.

Pendragon lit the tip of his tail on fire to provide light.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” I whispered.

Neither could I before Deidre.

I knew he was talking about the other dragon; the one Logan had introduced him to. I vaguely wondered where she was but the answer came as a loud roar followed by smaller ones ripped through the air. I shared surprised looks with my family.

You are not the only one preparing allies for war.

Logan and I looked at Pendragon in shock. Logan passed along the message just as the battle spilled into the dining room. Guinevere started to cry and I pulled her toward my chest to muffle the sound. I swallowed thickly, shaking in fear. Logan was pale but the hand not holding Vincent was on the hilt of his sword. My father, too, was getting ready for battle. My mother, to my intense surprise, also had a sword.

“Find them!” I heard Queen Harriet shriek. “I must have that child!”

“But the dragons-”

I heard flesh strike flesh and I was sure Harriet struck whoever she was speaking with.

“I gave you an order, coward!”

Vincent then began to cry and Logan did the same thing I did.

“Wait,” the guard said. “I heard something.”

“Where?” she demanded and I closed my eyes, praying to whoever was listening to keep my family safe.

“Somewhere over here.”

His voice was getting closer and I bit my lip to stop from making any noise. Pendragon extinguished his tail.

“They must have a safe room,” Harriet said in excitement. “Quick! Find a way to get in.”

I was shaking uncontrollably. My father was standing slowly and drew his sword as quietly as he could. My mother followed but Logan still sat beside me, Vincent crying into his chest.

“I can’t figure it out!” the man said in frustration.

“You’re hopeless! You all are!”

I heard the man grunt and suddenly there were crashing noises as Harriet desperately looked for the lever to open the door in front of us. In the distance, we could still hear the battle raging.

My heart stopped when the click resonated in the air. Harriet gave a cry of victory when the door sprang open. Her face turned to horror, though, as my mother ran out and thrust the sword into Harriet’s stomach without thought. I had never seen my mother in such a rage. My father ran past her to the man that was with Harriet.

The queen fell to her knees, staring at the wound in her stomach, as my mother ripped the sword out. Her mouth was dropped open. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth and Logan pressed Vincent into my other arm. He ran to his mother’s side.

“You look like your father,” Harriet gasped, collapsing into Logan’s arms.

“Oh, Mother,” he whispered. “Why? Why did you do all of this?”

“I didn’t want to die like your father,” she said, breathing heavily.

“It was a dragon, Mother.”

A tear leaked down her cheek. “No. I killed him, Logan. It was then I knew I, too, would die by the sword.”

Logan’s face was confused as if he didn’t know how to feel.

“Good bye, Mother,” he said finally and lay her down on the floor.

“Wait,” Harriet gasped, reaching for him but Logan turned his back.

His face was set as he helped me stand and took Vincent. He held my hand as he dragged me out. My family followed and I tried to close my ears to Harriet’s screams for her son. The door to the dining room slammed shut and Logan fell to his knees.

-

I left Mother and Father to themselves. King Zeke and Queen Hope took the two newborns. When I was sure they were all safe, I flew out to the battle. I perched on the top of a parapet and took it all in.

When Mother had become bedridden, I was restless. I wanted to do something and I knew the time was coming for the battle so I found Deidre. We were meeting in secret at her request.

Apparently, she was an outcast with her family. Her parents were full dragons and she had five siblings. When she was still in her egg, a sorceress had cast a spell, cursing her to be smaller.

I rallied her parents and their clan. After telling them how I had been found and cared for, their opinions on humans were changed and they agreed to come and fight for us.

Having Deidre’s family really tipped the scales to our favor. I watched carefully just as another dragon perched beside me.

“They are retreating,” Deidre said. “They have lost more than half their number.”

“Their queen is dead,” I told her. “Soon they will have no choice but to leave.”

“How is your family?”

I shook my head sadly. “Mother and the two babies are okay. I do not know how Father will recover. He had to make a very difficult decision.”

I told her about Queen Harriet’s confession just as the men below screamed to retreat.

“Why would she blame our kind?” Deidre snarled.

“We are easy targets,” I sighed.

“I suppose that is true.”

When the battle was over, I flew to her parents and hovered in front of them. I bowed my neck.

“You will be forever welcome in this kingdom,” I told them. “All attempts at hunting you are ceased. If any should try to kill you, know that they themselves will see the headman’s axe.”

They bowed their necks as well. They flew off and I turned to Deidre. She looked conflicted.

“I want to stay,” she whispered.

“With me?” I asked, surprised and she nodded. “Are you certain?”

She flew right in front of me and wrapped her neck around mine. “I am certain.”

-Five Years Later-

“Guinevere, I swear if you do not get to bed now I will feed your doll to Pendragon,” I said through clenched teeth.

Guinevere pouted but jumped into her bed. “Yes, Mommy.”

“The same goes for you,” Logan said to Vincent, watching him until he was nestled under the blankets.

“Can we have a bedtime story?” Vincent asked just as we were about to leave.

Logan shook his head in exasperation.

“It’s your turn,” I said with a sweet smile and left but not before he pinched my thigh.

I giggled and returned to our room. I poked my head in on the small room we had built for Pen and Deidre. Pendragon and Deidre were asleep over their eggs, their heads tucked under each other’s wings. I smiled at the sight and closed the door quietly.

I changed and washed my face of the makeup I wore to the ball that night. It was Vincent and Guinevere’s birthday celebration and everyone had been there.

After the battle for my parent’s kingdom, Logan and I had returned to rule his. It took a lot of work to get the people back on our side. We didn’t know it, but Harriet had done a lot of harm to the kingdom. She had raised taxes to pay for her indulgences and enforced ridiculous laws. I made sure to have plenty events hosted for the people to pay them back for the cruelty that was Harriet.

I was still in constant contact with my parents. My aunt Kelli was pregnant with her third child and it was decided that, when it was time for my father to step down, Kelli’s first born would take up the throne. I felt a little sad at the idea but I had my own kingdom to rule now.

The bedroom door opened an hour later. I was by the fireplace, lighting some candles, when Logan walked in.

“So, how did it go?” I asked innocently and he narrowed his eyes at me.

“If I have to read The Faithful Fairy one more time I’m going to go insane,” he groaned.

I giggled. “It’s their favorite.”

“Yeah,” he said, “and it was your turn tonight.”

I put on a fake surprised expression. “Was it? I get everything so confused.”

He glared then ran for me, tossing me over his shoulder. I squealed as he carried me to the bed. He let me fall with a few bounces then climbed on top of me. He kissed me and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

It took us five years to find happiness again and, now that we had it, I wasn’t going to let anyone take it from us.