Chapter 10: Chapter 9

King Richard and Brock arrived as expected on the second day after Aubrey returned. Brock and Aubrey instantly flew off together.

“Don’t worry big brother, they did that the whole two days she was in Burka, its ok we want their race to go one don’t we?” said Richard as Edmund watched them fly off, with a worried look.

“Yes, we do but we have a problem and I don’t think they should be flying off alone” replied Edmund.

“What kind of problem?” asked Richard so Edmund explained what he had learned from their father about Sir Lucius and the rest of Maddox’s army?

“I see, but what he doesn’t know is you now have armies in Burka and soon Bree and Sir Charles and his armies, plus now that we have formed a friendship with the elves again, we have them too. So we have an even bigger army then the last time, plus two dragons, to help protect the realm” exclaimed Richard.

“Your right” acknowledged Edmund

“So where is my nephew and niece?” asked Richard

“They are due to arrive, any second” replied Edmund.

Just then Selena and Vincent ran into the throne room closely followed by Elizabeth and Matty.

“Where is Aubrey and Uncle Richard’s dragon?” asked an impatient Vincent.

“They went hunting” replied Edmund

“Is this Uncle Richard?” asked Selena

“Yes, my little lady” replied Richard bending over and giving her a hug.

“Have we ever met before?” asked Vincent

“Yes, my little prince” replied Richard

“When?” asked Vincent

“When you were a baby, I went away when your father did” replied Richard as he looked at Elizabeth

“My, Lady” exclaimed Richard as he saw his beautiful sister in law.

“Don’t start that, we are family” replied Elizabeth as she hugged him and adding “we have missed you.”

“We will see each other soon, well as soon as I finish my training, you will be at my wedding this spring, when I marry the Lady Mary” replied Richard

“I know congraudulations” replied Elizabeth happily.

“My Lord” exclaimed Matty giving him a hug

“Matty, how are you” asked Richard

“Just splendid, just happy to see you” replied Matty.

Then Richard looked at his father who had just walked slowly into the room, Fredrick looked to Richard to be older and more fertile looking then he had looked the day they reunited, only three and a half years ago.

“Father” shouted Richard as he ran up to the old man and gently hugged him and added “I have missed you so much.”

“And I you, how is the Lady Mary and your kingdom of Burka?” asked Fredrick.

“The Lady Mary is just wonderful and strong, my kingdom is growing stronger everyday” replied Richard.

“That’s excellent to hear” exclaimed Fredrick.

“You look exhausted” said Edmund. “I am” replied Richard

“Your old apartments are ready for you” said Edmund.

“Thank you, I think I shall retire for the evening good night” replied Richard excusing himself before retreating to his bed in his apartment.

The next morning Richard awoke early and ate bathed and dressed beforethe sun rose in the sky. He walked to the throne room and found his brother Edmund in conversation with Aubrey and Brock.

“So where did you two disappear to?” chuckled Edmund

“Burka” replied Brock.

“Burka, but why?” asked Richard approaching.

“Aubrey needed to go to our cave” replied Brock. “Why did she?” asked Edmund

“You’ll see when the time is right” replied Aubrey angrily.

“Ok calm down, I was just wondering” said Edmund.

“Ed come for a walk with me so we can talk ok?” asked Richard

“Fine!!” snapped Edmund.

A little ways down the hall Richard spoke

“Do you remember what we found in their cave in Burka?” asked Richard. “Yes, so what?” replied Edmund.

“So why do you think they went back there?” asked Richard.

“Eggs?” asked Edmund.

“Yes before she came back here with my message Brock told me that she had two eggs inside her. So they returned to lay the eggs, my brother.” replied Richard.

“Well I’ll be damned” exclaimed Edmund surprised.

“Sir Vincent’s dream of dragons making a comeback is really going to happen!!!” exclaimed Richard

“I know it’s wonderful” replied Edmund.

“By the way any word from Rohan?” asked Richard.

“No it’s only been a few weeks” replied Edmund.

“Would you care if I took Selena and Vincent down to the lake today?” asked Richard.

“Not at all my dear brother” replied Edmund.

“With your permission I’d like to train Selena?” asked Richard.

“Train her? Why?” asked Edmund.

“Are you draft man, she has the same mark as me!” exclaimed Richard.

“I know that” replied Edmund.

“So?” asked Richard.

“Yes you’ll have to but what about her training while you’re gone?” asked Edmund.

“Why Matty will help of course” stated Richard.

“True, true” replied Edmund. Within the hour Richard was leading the children down to the lake while Brock Aubrey flew overheadguarding the children their prince and princess.

“Uncle Richard, why are we walking?” asked Selena.

“Because we need exercise” replied Richard.

“When we get to the lake can I play with Aubrey?” asked Vincent.

“That would be up to her of course” replied Richard.

“I would love to. Have him meet me on the shore” replied Aubrey through Richard’s thoughts.

“I will tell him” said Richard. As they reached the lake Richard turned to Vincent “Aubrey would like you to go down to the shore and meet her” said Richard, as Brock landed near them

“Alright!” yelled Vincent running down to the water to where Aubrey was waiting.

“Now dear we must talk” said Richard gently.

“About what Uncle Richard?” asked Selena.

“Well you have a gift a gift like me and I will to help you with it, train you and Matty will help you when I am not here.” Said Richard

“A gift, what kind of gift?” asked Selena.

“The gift of Magic” replied Richard.

“Magic, Uncle?” asked Selena in surprise.

Then Richard said a weird word thatSelena did not recognize “anazaka” and she started floating in mid-air.

“Let me down please Uncle” screamed Selena.

“Concentrate really hard then you can get yourself down” replied Richard gently.

Selena strained her little mind trying to figure out what to do. “Be nice Richard, she is just a youngling” stated Brock.

“She’ll be fine, I’d never hurt my family” replied Richard. When suddenly there was a bang and Richard flew through the air and Selena dropped to the ground, impressed with herself. When Richard finally got up he asked astonished “How did you manage that?

“I don’t know, I just got angry when I couldn’t think of a way to get down, I am sorry if I hurt you uncle” replied Selena sadly.

“Its fine little one, it’s perfect, but you must learn to control your anger” said Richard

“I will uncle” replied Selena.

“Now try what I did to you on me” said Richard.

“Ok” replied Selena

“Just say anazaka” said Richard.

“Anazaka” shouted Selena but nothing happened.

“Concentrate harder” demanded Richard

“anazaka” yelled Selena while concentrating harder then she had ever concentrated on anything before. Instantly Richard flew up into the air and without realizing it Selena made her Uncle spin around in midair, after a few minutes of being shocked Richard yelled

“Una anazaka” and he floated gently back down to the ground. “How did you do that?” asked Richard still in shock.

“Do what?” asked Selena “spinning me around and then trying to stop me from casting a counter spell against you” replied Richard.

“I don’t know uncle, I was really concentrating” answered Selena.

“Very good you are very powerful for a little girl” announced Richard

“Really” asked a very happy little girl.

“Nowsay this” Richard paused before saying the words “Acucus Vine” continued Richard. Instantly as bundle of sticks flew out of the trees and landed in a pile on the ground.

“Acucus Vine” yelled Selena barley concentrating, instantly more sticks flew out of the trees and landed on the ground near her feet.

“Very good, now try this” said Richard pausing then saying

“Firga” while pointing at his pile of sticks, instantly he had a fire blazing from his pile.

“Wow” exclaimed an astonished Selena

“Try it” ordered Richard.

“Firga” said Selena pointing without even trying, and instantly had a fire blazing too.

“Very, very good, where you still concentrating?” asked Richard

“No, uncle” replied Selena

“Good that means you are already powerful, now try Extinquest” said Richard instantly his firewent out.

“Extinquest” muttered Selena with little effort, instantly hers went out too.

“That is enough for today, because it is getting dark little one” stated Richard “Alright, uncle” replied Selena.

“Aubrey, please send Vincent to me, it is getting late” said Richard in his mind, instantly Vincent ran up to his uncle and exclaimed

“Do we have to uncle?”

“Yes, Vincent we do it is getting dark” replied Richard as they walked back to the palace and Aubrey and Brock flew off to find something to eat.

“Uncle does Vincent have magic in him?” asked Selena

“No, sweetie” replied Richard.

“How do you know?” asked Vincent

“Look at your left hands both of you” replied Richard.

“I have a battle axe” replied Vincent

“And I have a star” replied Selena at the same time.

“Your birthmarks, like your father and myself” stated Richard.

“But what do they mean, uncle?” asked Vincent

“Well, the battle axe means you will be a great warrior like your father and the star is the mark of the sorcerer or sorcerous like me and only the Draco bloodline have them” replied Richard

“What about my training?” asked Vincent

“That is your father’s job” replied Richard.

“What about my training while you are gone?” asked Selena

“While I am away, Matty will have the honor of training you in my place” answered Richard.

“Matty’s one too?” asked Selena

“Yes, sweetie, she is” replied Richard as they reached the palace where Edmund was waiting to speak to his brother.

“Rich, can we talk?” asked Edmund

“Of course, Ed” replied Richard as the children ran through the gates of the outer walls.

“How did it go?” asked Edmund.

“Well, a lot better than I could have predicted” replied Richard

“Howso?” askedEdmund

“You have a powerful sorcerous on your hands” replied Richard

“Morepowerful then you?” asked Edmund.

“Not yet but she will be soon” replied Richard.

“I must train Vincent soon” said Edmund

“It will be wise to do so” replied Richard.

“One more thing” said Edmund.

“What’s that my brother?” asked Richard.

“The name Pendragon mean anything to you?” asked Edmund

“It was Sir Vincent’s last name, why?” replied Richard.

“What about Arthur Pendragon?” asked Edmund?

“The brave King Arthur, the King of Camelot, friend of Merlin” exclaimed Richard?

“Yes it seems that Sir Vincent, and Sir Charles and the Lady Mary are King Arthur’s last decedents” exclaimed Edmund.

“But how do you know this?” asked Richard.

I found Sir Vincent’s family tree” replied Edmund.

“So the great family Pendragon and the great family of the Draco’s will be united this spring” exclaimed Richard in shock

“It will be a great union” replied Edmund as they walked into the palace and went their own way, Edmund towards his chambers and Richard walked towards Sir Vincent’s old Chambers. He wanted to see if Sir Vincent Pendragon had any history on the Pendragon. Richard walked into chambers of the late Sir Vincent with a lite torch. Everything was covered in dust and webs, from twenty-three years of neglect. He found many old journals by different Pendragon’s, but one caught his eye that was entitled the journal of Marcus Pendragon, the son of Arthur and Lady Guinevere Pendragon, the true Prince of England. After reading though the night he discovered that Marcus never met his father, he was born six months after Arthur died and that his motherhad him trained as a warrior. On his sixteenth birthday his mother died and he sailed away from England to Endor the land of Merlin’s birth. He only carried his father’s sword “Excalibur” and his mother’s necklace. After month’s he found Westsire, the land of the elves. There he learned of the Kingdom of Endor in which was a month’s travel to the west. He then traveled the long journey to Endor on foot, because the elves didn’t have horses. The elves gave him a bow and arrows so that he could hunt for food and told him to follow the great river which flows from a great lake. It took him a month and a half to reach the great lake, when he arrived at the lake, he saw a great palace but it was still about five miles away, he was exhausted and night was a pouching fast. But he moved on, He had to see his father’s old friend. When Marcus finally arrived at the outer gates of the palace it was late, and he heard a voice say

“Who goes there and what is your business at the palace at this hour of the night.”

“I am Marcus Pendragon, son of the late Arthur Pendragon King of England and I seek Merlin, friend and advisor of my father and the greatest sorcerer in the world” exclaimed Marcus in reply

“Just a moment” said the guard. Ten minutes later the guard returned and the gates opened and Marcus entered the gates when he saw a very old looking man

“So Marcus, son of Arthur, you have found me” exclaimed Merlin with a grin.

“Yes, sir I am lost in life and I have nowhere else to turn” replied Marcus.

“Well, since you have no land, and no family, you should become a knight of Endor” replied Merlin.

“But I don’t think I am worthy enough to be a knight, sir” exclaimed Marcus

“Well then you are” replied Merlin

“But how do you know?” asked Marcus.

“Because, if you were sure of yourself, then you wouldn’t be worthy of being a knight” replied Merlin.

“What do I have to do to become a Knight?” asked Marcus. Noticing Marcus’s sword strapped to his hip, Merlin exclaimed

“Excalibur”

“Yes” replied Marcus.

“First you must go to the west to the land of fire and dragons and ask the dragons to hide it for your great, great, great grandson, and secondly you must prove yourself to the King of Endor…….

Richard put down the journal in shock, “my future son will weld the great Excalibur” he exclaimed out loud to himself. Richard set in a daze of disbelief for hours. It was the early hours of morning and the first rays of sunlight shimmered their way through the windows. A sparkling light caught his eye. The sparkling was coming from a portrait behind an archway into another chamber. Richard stood up and walked slowly towards the archway because he was stiff from sitting all night in one position. As he entered the archway he found it not to be a chamber for living but a private chapel for Sir Vincent’s private prayer. But the portrait was not a religious one, but a painting of a beautiful young woman with brown hair, wearing a white dress.

The portrait had a name plate on the bottom edge in which read: The lady Guinevere. As he examined the portrait he noticed what the sparkling light was, as like on a real person, around the ladies neck was a beautiful necklace, that Richard knew at once as the necklace that Marcus had brought all the way from his home in England, all of those years ago. Richard reached up and removed the necklace from the painting. He then wrapped it in a cloth from his pocketand walked backover to the journal. He then picked up the journal and flipped back to a part that he had skipped over because it had only talked about the necklace and he begun to read. The necklace was made out of twenty different jewels, diamonds, and rubies with a gold sea shell hanging from the center. Made and given to King Arthur as a wedding gift for the Lady Guinevere by the Lady of the Lake. The same Lady of the Lake, who had fixed Excalibur and made it unbreakable. The Lady Guinevere treasured this gift above all others, because it was said to have special powers. That only a young girl of the purest heart could unlock. Richard closed the journal and walked out of the Chamber and headed towards Princess Selena’s Chamber. As he apouched the door, he slowed his pace and stopped in front of the door, and knocked twice. Matty answered the door bowed and said

“My, Lord how may I help you?”

“I wish to speak to my niece” answered Richard. She immediately moved aside so he could enter the chamber. As he entered he saw his beautiful young niece the Princess of Endor sitting at her desk attending to her studies. As he approached her desk, she looked up and exclaimed “good morning uncle.”

“Good morning, Selena I have a gift for you” replied Richard.

As he removed a bundle wrapped in cloth.

“This is very old, and magical. One day it will allow you to use the power that’s locked inside” said Richard as he unwrapped the necklace and handed it to her. “Wow, it is beautiful” exclaimed Selena.

“Where did it come from?” asked Selena in excitement.

“It belonged to the lady Guinevere the wife of King Arthur Pendragon of England” replied Richard.

“Wow, King Arthur” exclaimed Selena

“Yes, Selena the King Arthur” replied Richard as he started walking out of the chamber. Richard immediately went to his chambers and went to bed. When he woke up several hours later, He got up immediately and bathed and dressed. He put on a pair of black traveling pants and a gray traveling tunic and a green hooded cape a pair of tall black leather boots and he picked up his staff “Sir Vincent” and walked out of his Chamber’s. As he approached the throne room and the “dragons loft” beyond, he heard voices coming from the throne room. Cautiously waited in and no one noticed he was there and he listened.

“What do you mean, Sir Lucius is on his way to Bree?” asked Edmund.

“My spies have conformed it and he is due to leave his hide away in three days to march to Bree” replied Fredrick and at that Richard spoke

“I believe it is a lie, arouse to get you, my brother to leave your with armies to help Rohan and our people, So Lucius can come here and invade your palace and make himself King of Endor.”

“I do believe your right, my brother” said Edmund.

“So it is settled we will sit back and wait?” asked Fredrick

“That is right, father” replied Edmund.

As Edmund looked at Richard and noticed that he was dressed for travel. “So, it is time my brother?” said Edmund

“It is my brother” replied Richard as he walked over and hugged his brother. When they released each other Richard turned to his father and hugged him and said

“I love you father, and when I return we will have a wedding and a celebration to attend to” said Richard.

“It will be a great day when you join hands with a Pendragon” replied Fredrick, as if he knew something important but didn’t want to reveal it. Richard slowly backed away and walked into the “dragon’s loft” and exclaimed “Brock, my brother lets fly”

“All right, my brother” replied Brock. Aubrey whispered something in Brock’s ear, which no one could hear unless you were close to them.

Richard climbed onto Brocks back and they flew out of the “dragon’s loft” towards the land of Westsire, the land of the elves.

“Well, he is starting to full fill his destiny” mumbled Fredrick as he walked away from the throne room. Knowing that one day he needed to tell his sons and their dragons the truth about their destinies. The King stood for the longest time staring out of the “dragon’s loft” with his hand on Aubrey’s front leg.