Zenora, The Dragon's Fury
33. Reluctancy

The sun was setting high in the sky, when we arrived at the castle.

Horns from the guards on the outer walls of the castle echoed, the grand bell at the courtyard chimed and people were cheering at the sight of our arrival.

I smiled, completely happy that we were home again and that my people enjoyed having me home as well.

Miles ran out of the front gate, followed by all my loved ones, guards and people from the army and city. The gate and the main square was crowded by all the people and I felt overwhelmed with this welcome.

Ayinthur landed on the training fields behind the castle, and all the people ran towards us. They gasped and awed when they saw me and Cirilya getting off Ayinthur with an egg. They don’t know that the egg contained my daughter and congratulated Ayinthur with his child. They asked him millions of questions about how he got the egg, and where the mother-dragon was and such.

I was glad that Ayinthur got all the attention. The people didn’t seem to notice that I was without a baby bump, and if they did, they were courteous enough to not ask about it.

I could hear Ayinthur growl and he released some smoke out of his nostrils, notifying that all the people should stop with these questions. But the people were relentless, they kept asking and cheering and making a ruckus. Ayinthur was getting furious, and was about to breath fire, as he was taking in deep breaths of air.

“QUIET!” He suddenly roared, and all the people were suddenly as still as a mouse, looking slightly afraid of the dragon and his flaring nostrils.

I was proud that he didn’t release his fire power though. He knows that they are my people and they are just happy to see him too. He wanted to tell everyone that the egg wasn’t his, but for now we were not going to answer any questions. Let them think for a while that the egg is his, that the egg is ‘only’ a dragon and doesn’t contain their new princess.

We don’t want anyone to attack us here again, only for her to be kidnapped and used for dark magic.

“Thank you all, for granting me this warm welcome. I guess that the castle is ours again?” I asked the guards, that were trying to create a zone around us, by pushing all the people from the city back a bit.

“Yes Milady. Our King has taken back control.” One of the guards said to me.

“And my children and the others?” I asked.

“Uhhm… Yes, the young boys are safe and sound.” He replied with almost a stutter.

What was that about? Why did he only say that my boys were safe? What isn’t he telling me? I wanted to ask about it, but the way to the castle was suddenly being freed, revealing a path to my most precious persons.

“Mommy!” My sons both yelled as they jumped up into my arms.

We all cried, hugging each other tightly, not wanting to let go any time soon.

When I was finally ready to open my eyes, I lowered my sons to the ground, to see my strong, yet saddened husband stand in front of me. I was looking really good at his features though, not wanting to experience the same thing when I hadn’t realised that Hayden, instead of Brock, was with me in the showers.

“Are you really here? You aren’t just a mirage?” He asked me.

“Yes love, I’m really here, safe and sound.” I cried to him, after I knew it was definitely him.

He came close, to touch my cheek, checking to see if I wasn’t lying. When he realised that I wasn’t, his weary eyes grew wide and he picked me up, hugged me tightly and swirled me around in the air.

I was so extremely happy that I didn’t have to rule my kingdom with Hayden. That he didn’t succeed in taking over the castle. I was curious as to how everything had turned out, and how everything was eventually back to normal once more.

“Ayinthur, why don’t you take the egg to the back of the training fields and rest under the big tree that stands there? We will build a shelter around you two later. Alright?” I said to him, and he nodded.

He gently picked up the egg with his mouth and walked into that direction, followed by Cirilya.

The guards made sure that all the citizens made their way back home, and Brock, our boys and me were walking up the ramp at the back of the castle, up towards the stone terrace. Finally a moment alone with my family.

I hugged all of them once more.

“I thought we lost you Mommy!” Tyler said.

“Yes, where were you?” Kaden asked.

I explained to them, that I was indeed almost gone, but that Cirilya’s father had rescued me. Brock frowned, but I told him that we would talk about it in details later.

“It doesn’t matter what happened, all that matters is that we are complete again.” I said with a smile.

Brock looked at me in shock, he was devastated about something, he fell on his knees, with heartbreak filling his eyes. I was confused for a moment, but we had to talk about things, now. Clearly something had happened but he was reluctant to tell me about it.

I tried reading his mind, but it was blocked. Why the hell was he blocked?

“Kaden, Tyler, could you go inside please? Your dad and I have to talk about things.” I spoke to them.

Tyler didn’t want to, but Kaden had already read my mind. He smiled, and pulled his brother along with him, knowing that he would have time enough to spend with the ‘complete’ family later.

I pulled Brock’s body up again. He stood up, but kept his eyes looking down.

“Brock, why is your mind blocked?”

He looked up, he didn’t know what I was talking about at first, but then he remembered something.

“Oh, yes, I guess that Nicolai has done that. He said it would help me talking to you.” He replied.

I was confused as to what he meant by that, but Brock interrupted me.

“A lot has happened, and I guess that he wanted me to explain to you, instead of you reading my mind. That way you wouldn’t be overwhelmed with all the information at once.”

“Why would you keep things from me then? Just tell me!” I yelled at him.

“I have failed you love. Nicolai has been able to give me back loads of memories, but the way I have failed you now, is even worse than breaking up with you.”

I kept looking at him, waiting for what he is withholding inside of him. I told him to talk from the moment he got knocked out, to start from the beginning.

He nodded and talked about how he found out that he lost his memory, and how they finally got to break out of the dungeons. I had to smile about how he talked about Anna’s character and that he couldn’t believe that she is my best friend. Then he talked about how he felt, when he had to leave me behind, only to be ‘attacked’ by a massive bear.

I could only imagine how that must have gone, not knowing Ursai and then being embraced by his cuteness. But Brock wouldn’t tell me about that, he said that I should ask Archeops about it later.

His story started rather positive, with a hint of humour, but the further his story went, the worser his sadness became.

He continued his story, talking about how the three of them found the portal in the tower and getting to the battle field in the forests. He also showed me the bite mark from a serpent. and the slight black bruise around it, explaining to me that he got poisoned. Brock paused a long time after finishing each detail. Leaving me anxiously waiting for the moment where he had felt that he failed me. But the moment took him quite some time to get there.

“When we finally were able to knock out the Dark Mages, I noticed that Hayden had awoken again.” Brock sighed and didn’t want to tell me further.

“You better continue talking, before I force Nicolai to break the blockage! Tell me!” I yelled furiously at him.

He widened his eyes, asking me for forgiveness up front.

“How can I forgive you, if I don’t even know what you did?” I asked him confused.

“I don’t know how to tell you what Hayden did.” Brock said.

“But if it is something that Hayden did, then why are you the one that feels failed?”

“I failed you, for preventing what he did!”

“TELL ME!” I screamed in his face.