called traitor and prosecuted for a crime I never committed. The only crime I ever committed was caring too much for the king, obeying him when he told me to leave his side. I will not let my son’s fate lie with someone that can’t control him. He has a rider and a dent for that matter. Giving him to Arianna Kingsley would be breaking the law.”
“Robert!” Constance hissed.
“My daughter is of royal blood, traitor.”
“Royal blood. Elena’s grandfather gave your father Areeth, you are nothing but a commoner just like the rest of us.”
“Enough!” The hammer hit the board a couple of times.
“Robert Leaf by the power vested in us, you are sentenced to death. Taking guards lifes and disrespecting royalty in public is against the law and you will die for the crimes you committed here tonight.”
“No! Please, your honor. You cannot do this. He is my father’s rider,” I yelled out and ran to Sir Robert’s side.
“He is not your father,” King Caleb said.
“With all due respect, King Caleb. I know what I saw, who I saw when I ascended.”
“You didn’t ascend, you are a dragon,” he roared.
I looked at the Ancients again. “Please have mercy. He’s given an oath to protect me and that oath means killing everyone standing in his way when he feels that person is in danger. I promise you I will find solid proof of who I am, and then you are going to ask me for mercy. I’ll give Arianna my dragon if that is what it takes, and I’ll give up the right to call myself a princess, but I’m asking you to let this dragon come home with me tonight. And I promise you when the time comes, this will be forgotten.”
The entire court heard my plea and the Ancients all looked at me with frowns and eyes filled with questions.
Sir Robert started to laugh again.
“Shush,” I whispered at him.
“You have to change your minds. She is who she says she is.”
“Robert without proof, we can’t. Our decision is final.”
“Your minds are clouded,” King Helmut said. “A couple of months ago you swore that a Wyvern could change and look where it’s gotten me. I have no heir. He killed my son.”
The hammer went down hard again.
“Elena is no child of Albert and Catherine Malone, unless she has a way to prove it, this matter is closed.” One of the Ancients looked King Helmut straight in the eyes and gave me the same verdict as before.
“As for the Rubicon, the only way your daughter can claim him is in the Coliseum, he must yield. If it was any other dragon there wouldn’t be a problem, but it’s not.”
“No! This is breaking the law.”
“Our decision is final.”
King Caleb growled at them, turned on his heel and walked with huge strides out of the hall.
“They aren’t all fools after all,” I whispered softly to myself.
I bowed my head to them and grabbed Sir Robert by the arm; it was trembling softly. I guessed he’d just realized that his anger had gotten the better of him again and that he’d almost gotten sentenced to death.
We exited the building and the ones who were protesting rejoiced. How could people be so cruel?
I ignored it and walked with my head held up high. When we reached the carriage a young boy, a bit younger than me, stopped us. “A word, my lady.”
I looked at Sir Robert and we followed the boy after Sir Robert told the one dragon to wait for us.
It was funny how I never understood Latin and now I was speaking it fluently.
We ran to keep up with this boy through a long passage and into another dark alley.
I gasped as the Ancient that was missing from the verdict waited for me. The one who made me feel so uncomfortable
Sir Robert grunted.
“Sir Robert, I need a minute with Elena,” he said softly.
We were both taken aback by the man addressing him as Sir Robert. He nodded and went to stand guard at the entrance.
“I’m sorry for the dark alley, my child, but if the others knew I was here…”
“Your dragon can read your mind?”
“My dragon died a long time ago.”
“Sorry to hear that,” I spoke softly.
“My vote doesn’t count much, but I could see them both inside of you before I even knew why you were there.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t understand child. Catherine Squire was my great, great granddaughter. Did they tell you how we came to be the Ancients?”
I shook my head.
“The