brother is very
clumsy. He’d only taken a few steps when he tripped on something, I
don’t know what, and went tumbling along. The next thing I know,
he’s standing at the edge of a drop, people are screaming and
rushing to him, and he turns to them and loses his
footing.”
Dray swallowed while the other two
gasped. “I didn’t think. I threw myself up and over the ledge and
hurtled down after him. I managed to catch him and get us up in the
air so we didn’t hit the ground and then carried him back up to the
others. Once I got a good look at them, I recognized the king and
realized I was holding his son, the prince. I gave him back, but
they insisted I come with them to the village for a feast. The king
never took Del on the hunting trips again, but Del would always
somehow sneak a ride with the men and then go looking for me. In
the end, they asked me to move in with them to look after the
prince, and while I liked them as people, I didn’t want to get too
attached.”
“ I can see how well that
turned out,” Pib teased, and Dray laughed in response.
“ Yeah, well, Del was determined. Up until that point, he
hadn’t spoken. His parents were worried so they had called someone
to come and check on him. When the man arrived, he was introduced
to Del and then he asked who I was. Del just clung to my hand and
said, Dray, brother. We were all at a loss for words, but
it did make us realize that we had actually become a family of
sorts. So from that day forth, I became Del’s older brother and the
king and queen became my parents. However, since I wasn’t their
child by birth, I could never claim the throne, which is fine by me
since I don’t want to be a prince or a king.”
Dray waited as they absorbed what he’d
said. When Pib relaxed again, Dray leaned forward and gave him a
quick kiss.
“ So we just need to get
your brother to deny Geraint access to the lands and we can keep
him away from Pib?” Wil asked, bringing their attention back to the
matter at hand.
“ Yes and no. If Geraint
makes a request, Del will deny it. While he is still technically
just a prince, it’s only because our parents haven’t given up the
thrones yet. Once Del tells them he’s ready, they’ll step down and
he’ll take his place as king, but when he becomes king, he can’t
leave Dragon’s Keep.”
“ Why not?” Pib
asked.
“ Magic. When he accepts his
role as king, he’ll be tied to the land. He’ll live as long as he
wants to,” Dray replied.
“ Wait, won’t he die like
everyone else?” Wil asked, confusion evident on his face and in his
tone.
“ Not really. Shifters have
a longer lifespan than the average human. Magic users also live
longer, but not nearly as long as shifters. The monarchs here are
tied to the land when they take the throne, which basically means
that they decide when they’re ready to die. Our parents have been
on the throne for one hundred and four years.”
Dray restrained a chuckle at the
brothers’ gasps and shocked features. So many people forgot the
history of the village, of Dragon’s Keep, and of Dragon’s
Tail.
“ Okay, so back to Del
denying the request?” Pib asked after a few minutes.
“ Right. As the next in line
for the throne, Father has handed over certain duties to Del.
Approving which monarch is allowed entry is one of them.” Dray
laughed as a memory of Del after he’d been given the duty came to
mind.
“ What?” Pib asked, an
indulgent look on his face.
“ I was just remembering
when Del was first given the duty. He was shown to the office with
all of the pending requests. There were dozens. So Del wrote to
each and every one of them and said to them that they were welcome
to come to the land. However, should any be arriving for the
purpose of forging an alliance by way of marriage to Del, they
would be driven out by dragon and forever be banned from the land.
Mother and Father couldn’t understand why all of the monarchs who
attended the dinners
clumsy. He’d only taken a few steps when he tripped on something, I
don’t know what, and went tumbling along. The next thing I know,
he’s standing at the edge of a drop, people are screaming and
rushing to him, and he turns to them and loses his
footing.”
Dray swallowed while the other two
gasped. “I didn’t think. I threw myself up and over the ledge and
hurtled down after him. I managed to catch him and get us up in the
air so we didn’t hit the ground and then carried him back up to the
others. Once I got a good look at them, I recognized the king and
realized I was holding his son, the prince. I gave him back, but
they insisted I come with them to the village for a feast. The king
never took Del on the hunting trips again, but Del would always
somehow sneak a ride with the men and then go looking for me. In
the end, they asked me to move in with them to look after the
prince, and while I liked them as people, I didn’t want to get too
attached.”
“ I can see how well that
turned out,” Pib teased, and Dray laughed in response.
“ Yeah, well, Del was determined. Up until that point, he
hadn’t spoken. His parents were worried so they had called someone
to come and check on him. When the man arrived, he was introduced
to Del and then he asked who I was. Del just clung to my hand and
said, Dray, brother. We were all at a loss for words, but
it did make us realize that we had actually become a family of
sorts. So from that day forth, I became Del’s older brother and the
king and queen became my parents. However, since I wasn’t their
child by birth, I could never claim the throne, which is fine by me
since I don’t want to be a prince or a king.”
Dray waited as they absorbed what he’d
said. When Pib relaxed again, Dray leaned forward and gave him a
quick kiss.
“ So we just need to get
your brother to deny Geraint access to the lands and we can keep
him away from Pib?” Wil asked, bringing their attention back to the
matter at hand.
“ Yes and no. If Geraint
makes a request, Del will deny it. While he is still technically
just a prince, it’s only because our parents haven’t given up the
thrones yet. Once Del tells them he’s ready, they’ll step down and
he’ll take his place as king, but when he becomes king, he can’t
leave Dragon’s Keep.”
“ Why not?” Pib
asked.
“ Magic. When he accepts his
role as king, he’ll be tied to the land. He’ll live as long as he
wants to,” Dray replied.
“ Wait, won’t he die like
everyone else?” Wil asked, confusion evident on his face and in his
tone.
“ Not really. Shifters have
a longer lifespan than the average human. Magic users also live
longer, but not nearly as long as shifters. The monarchs here are
tied to the land when they take the throne, which basically means
that they decide when they’re ready to die. Our parents have been
on the throne for one hundred and four years.”
Dray restrained a chuckle at the
brothers’ gasps and shocked features. So many people forgot the
history of the village, of Dragon’s Keep, and of Dragon’s
Tail.
“ Okay, so back to Del
denying the request?” Pib asked after a few minutes.
“ Right. As the next in line
for the throne, Father has handed over certain duties to Del.
Approving which monarch is allowed entry is one of them.” Dray
laughed as a memory of Del after he’d been given the duty came to
mind.
“ What?” Pib asked, an
indulgent look on his face.
“ I was just remembering
when Del was first given the duty. He was shown to the office with
all of the pending requests. There were dozens. So Del wrote to
each and every one of them and said to them that they were welcome
to come to the land. However, should any be arriving for the
purpose of forging an alliance by way of marriage to Del, they
would be driven out by dragon and forever be banned from the land.
Mother and Father couldn’t understand why all of the monarchs who
attended the dinners
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