THE CROWN AND THE FLAME by ROCHELLE PIETERSE (the little red hen read aloud .txt) 📖

must be strong. The best way to honor the man who taught you to fight is to use what he taught you to defeat King Jameel,” Sir Luke offered.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Skyelars voice rang true. “With Jameel taking the bulk of forces west, there won’t be a better time to take back Dragonstead.”

“That’s true. But what about Prince Andrews army?” his eyes narrowing.

“We have roughly 50 Lindisfarne monks.”

“And now they have even more reason to help you against Andrew.”

“We also have Prince Anlon’s soldiers!” Skyelar sighed gratefully, “he’s bringing us 200 of his best fighters.”

“That’s a start, but we’ll need more. Much more.”

“What about my people?” she frowned.

“Your people will rally against the Northumbria family. But they are village folk. Blacksmiths and merchants. Farmers and milkmaids,” Sir Luke added.

Skyelar could not contain her amazement at how easy it was for Sir Luke to put people in different classes and judge them all the same. “Then we’ll find some soldiers. Surely there are others who will stand against Prince Andrew.”

Sir Luke nodded his agreement, “and once we find enough soldiers to build an army, we’ll need food, weapons, armor…”

“I know. We’ll need enough coin to pay for all that,” she said folding her arms across her chest.

“And siege weaponry. Dragonstead’s castle walls are impregnable. That’s why your mother made it the heart of her kingdom.” He stammered.

When she turned her face to him, the light of the full moon danced on her pale cheeks, “Andrew will be looking for us.” She paused in thought. “We don’t have much time. Where should we go first?”

“I’ve heard rumors that the captain of your mothers’ royal guard made it out of Dragonstead with many of his men,” Sir Luke smiled hopeful.

“I remember him! He’s name was… is Justin. Captain Justin, right?” a bemused expression touched her lips.

“Yes, that’s correct.” Sir Luke’s dimples twinkled with mischief, “last I heard, he was spotted roaming the grasslands, trying to avoid Jameel’s men.”

“Then we’ve got to find him and convince him to join us. Dragon will relay our plan to Zayden,” Skyelar gave him a dubious grin. “I know Zayden. He’ll figure out a way to help us bring down Dragonstead.”

“Knowing Zayden,” he soothed. “He won’t rest until he hands you back your crown himself.”

 

At the Dragonstead castle, Zayden and Avery were hauling kitchen supplies when a familiar cry sounded from above. Zayden looked up to see Dragon.

“Dragon!” he whistled two short blasts and Dragon circled, dives and lands on his arms.

“There’s something tied to Dragon’s leg,” Avery proclaimed. “Is it from Skyelar? Did your warning reach her in time?”

Pulling off the message, he released Dragon... but before he could read what Skyelar wrote, a soldier spotted them.

“What’s this? A couple of lazy servants wasting time?” the soldier cocked his brow.

“We were just hauling these supplies to the kitchen,” Zayden answered in ragged breaths.

“Looked like you were just standing around waiting for them to haul themselves, he snapped. The soldier kicks over a basket of fruit. “Best pick that up boy!”

Zayden left out a breath to control his anger. Now is not the time to fight…I don’t want him to see the message. I have to control my anger. He bends down to pick up the fruit. “Yes sir. Of course.”

He looked at his hand, he sees fire flickering along his palm… but he clenched his fists and took a deep breath. The fire disappears, as though pulled back into his hand.

“Sorry for taking your time, sir,” Zayden added as he picks up the fruit. I was able to control it!

“You’d better. Now get out of here.” The soldier snapped.

In the kitchen Avery hauled the last basket into place, looking very curious, “that was close. Did you manage to hold onto the message?”

“Right here.” Zayden replied with a widened smile and held his hand in midair. “Let’s see what it says…” Zayden slowly unfolded the paper and read.

“Now is the time to act. Before the winter thaw, I will return to attack Dragonstead…and take back our home once and for all”

Avery sat very still trying to acknowledge her words, “It’s really going to happen, isn’t it?”

Zayden looked up from the parchment of paper directly at Avery, “It’s too early to get cocky, Avery.”

“Of course. But we’ll do everything we can to make it happen,” he looked hopeful.

“Marco will fall,” Zayden replied.

“We’ve got to, and we’ll be helping Skyelar every step of the way. You and Skyelar…” he hesitated knowing he ventured on dangerous terrain. “You were close, weren’t you?”

Zayden tensed, fighting with his emotions, “as close as an abandoned orphan and a princess were allowed to be.”

“Doesn’t sound very close to me,” Avery said.

“It wasn’t, usually,” Zayden admitted. “We never got to spend more than a few minutes alone together… Sir Luke was always looming over us like an angry guard dog, but there was this one time…” Zayden closed his eyes as memories flooded him. “I’d gone to the Beltane festival by myself, and there she was. She’s disguised herself as a peasant girl,” Zayden chuckled. “But I’d recognize Skyelar anywhere.”

Avery sat wide eyed, “you went to the Beltane festival… with the princess?”

Zayden felt his face grow hot, and looked away quickly. “It wasn’t like that… I mean, we didn’t go together, but…”

Avery could see his discomfort, “but you were there. At the Beltane festival! They say a girl as likely to kiss you as look at you at Beltane.”

Zayden closed his eyes as he relived one of his most precious memories… was that the night there friendship blossomed into something more?

“We did go to the festival together I can remember every detail. It was the festival of Beltane four years ago…” he thinks back staring out in front of him as if he was in another dimension.

He was walking past the festival booths and bonfires outside the castle walls when he spotted a familiar figure in a cloak… he started towards her.

“Well, if it isn’t Princess Skyelar. Why such a somber expression?”

Startled she turned around to face him, “oh, Zayden! Shhhh! Can’t you see that I’m in disguise?” she looked down at herself feeling totally embarrassed, “I suppose it must be a poor one if you recognized me so quickly…”

“And why would Princess Skyelar not want to be Princess Skyelar tight now?” he sounded amused.”

“It’s the festival of Beltane. I wanted to spend some time away from the castle and…and…well, it’s silly…” she spoke softly.

“Go on, try me,” Zayden encouraged smiling widely.

“I wanted to pretend to be a normal girl. Just for a few hours,” she was looking at her feet, embarrassed.

“Let me help.” Zayden said as he slipped his arm through hers

“Really?” Skyelar asked confused.

“Are you kidding?” he asked on a laugh, “I’m dying to see your ‘normal girl’ impression!”

She punched his arm but he barely took note, so instead she asked, “What shall we do first?”

“The first thing you need is something cheap and tasty.” He said as they walked up to the stall of a merchant. “Merchant, I’ll take two tankards of ale.”

She looked at him surprised, “ale?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never had ale?” he said out of disbelief, knowing full well they royals drink nothing but the best.

“I’ve had wine…”

“I’m sure. The finest wine in the five kingdoms, sweet as honey in the summer. This is just like that, except not at all,” he said as he handed her a tankard.

She took it willingly and with the first sip started to cough, “That’s…”

“Strong?” he asked rising his eyebrows.

“Yes. That’s the word for it,” she smiled.

“You said you wanted a taste of being a normal girl,” Zayden said

“That I did.” She said on a laugh, “oh!”

Right in front of them, a village maiden pulled a young man into a deep kiss. He lifts her up onto a barrel and began kissing her neck.

“That’s Beltane for you. I guess you might be seeing more than you bargained for…” he said trying to make her feel comfortable.

“It’s not that,” she sighed. “I envy them, sometimes.”

“Who?” now he was confused.

“The maidens in the castle, the village, the farms. The ones who can kiss every man at this festival, if they feel like it.”

“Not like you?”

“Heavens forbid,” she smiled.

Clarity dawning Zayden replied, “Oh, I see now. You’re looking to get kissed at the Beltane festival.

“No… that’s not…” she sputtered.

“Everyone knows that every girl gets as many kisses as she wants around the bonfires on the night of Beltane.”

“I… I only wanted to go to the festival. I wasn’t planning to…” she stammered, her face flushed.

“No, I see it all now.” He was laughing, “You want a hundred kisses tonight, and you’ll stop at nothing to get them.”

“That’s not it!” she was angry now but her face fell again, “I’ve… I’ve never even kissed anyone.”

“You haven’t?” surprise clear on his face.

“Is it so surprising?” she raised her eyebrows frowning. “I’m the princess of Dragonstead. My mother has made it very clear that I’ll be the most sought after prize once the alliance is finalized. My first kiss will probably be to seal some grand trade agreement. I know it must seem silly to you. Pathetic even.”

“It seems tough.”

“It does?” now she was the one surprised.

“Sure. You have a different kind of life Skyelar. You get caught with a boy, and wars get started,” he confirmed smiling

That put her at ease, smiling she said, “Probably not that bad…”

“What I’m saying is that the stakes have always been so high in everything you do… It’s not surprising you want to escape… and, you know, kiss someone without any geo-political ramifications.”

“Big words for you…and reassuring ones as well…” she smiled. Then she looked in his and smiled, “The serving girls in the castle all gossip about you, you know. By all reports, you’re quite… experienced.”

“I might have heard rumor or two,” Zayden joked.

“And how about tonight? I’ve seen at least half a dozen girls giving you the ‘Oh, please, kiss me’ look.”

“Maybe the girl I want to kiss isn’t as easy to get,” his face turned plain.

“Zayden…” she whispered.

“Perhaps I’m overstepping, but don’t you think your first kiss should be with someone you want?”

“I… I do. But princesses aren’t allowed that luxury.”

“At least, not officially.”

“No. not … officially.”

“Come with me,” Zayden already had his hand in his and was pulling her away in an opposite direction. He took her were a blanket was sprayed out on the grass away from glancing eyes and the fires. She sat down next to him about to speak.

“Shhh,” he cautioned, pushing her down so she lay on her back. “Look.” He was pointing a finger to the heavens and she gasped. Millions of stars outlined the sky, never has she seen so many stars.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. With that, he rolled over onto his side and an arm across her chest.

But what he accomplished, instead, was a soul-searing blow to his senses. The nipple of her breast budded, begging for his touch. She felt so damn good in his arms that the very breath seemed to stop in his lungs, and his heart skipped a beat.

She gasped, as if equally affected, and laid very still.

With a groan, he nuzzled her hair. It smelled of roses. He whispered, “You should not use rose-scented ointments for your hair.”

“Why?” she whispered back.

He felt her breath against his cheek as she turned to speak to him. It was warm and fresh and dangerously enticing. “Because I like it too much,” he answered.

That gave her pause. Does he realize what affect he has on her? She wondered. Just his touch his making her mind lose control and her body tingling all over, her nipples grew hard.

“Loosen your hold on me. I’m suffocating,” she said.

“I’m not on top of you. You do not bear my weight. And my arm and leg are only resting lightly on you. How can you be suffocating?”

“Your nearness suffocates me,” she said just as their gazes locked. Pure desire flaming from one pair to the other. She was well aware of the strange connection between