129 Chapter 12Princess Aeryn neither wrote back to her brother nor did she ask for forgiveness, she remained in Storm Town until Leoric came to pick her up and they rode together to the Mines. A month after Petrus’s funeral, Leoric and Aeryn wed in the mass of all the slaves, servants, innkeepers, highborns, washerwomen and folks of all sort who were eager to attend the ceremony.
Leoric did this because he wanted Artemis to know that he was in control of his sister’s life from then, this was what Lord Balrus called “A spat in the face” because from then Aeryn belonged to him per Maldonian tradition, and not even a King would separate them. The High Septon forbade the Kings from interfering into what they called matters of the gods, and marriage was sacred in Maldonia.
Aurora used her charms and words to calm Artemis down during that day when he received the news, he wanted to invade the Mines and take his sister by force. “It’s done, there’s nothing you can do” Aurora told Artemis. But Artemis didn’t seem to want to accept the marriage, he rode to the Mines with his knights – some say he took two thousand strong men while some said he took a whooping of ten thousand Maldonian knights ready to fight a war.
That would have been stupid of him considering Lord Leoric commanded two hundred slaves trained and fit for battle. These slaves were loyal to Leoric and not the King, it has been like that for centuries. The slaves are always loyal to their masters and not Kings, unless the Kings are their masters which at this point Artemis wasn’t their master.
But those were just rumors, Lord Balrus said Artemis only took five hundred knights on horsebacks and wearing their red cloaks to the Mines. The journey from Blackmount to the Mines took three days and the King told his men to go first and he will join the host later, no one understood why the King would suggest that.
Except Aurora of course who was so stunned when Artemis told her that he was ready to ride his dragon to the sky – the black male fierce dragon who just at six months grew at almost eight feet tall and had huge wings. Artemis named his dragon Artodo, after his family name Arteides.
“Are you ready? A dragon is not a horse my love” Aurora expressed her concerns. Visenya was also there that day, and five dragon keepers. They were outside of the dragon caves conversing whether it was time or they should wait.
Torgo, the lead dragon keeper seemed to agree with Artemis “The dragons are ready to be claimed Your Grace, I think it’s the perfect time for Artodo to take the skies and be claimed. He and the King have great relationship, he just needs to understand the words that’s all” he said looking at both Aurora and Artemis.
“I understand the words” said Artemis. “Incendio for fire and Valar for him to fly. I know some Low Moor too”
.....
It seemed Aurora wasn’t easily convinced and she was worried for Artemis’s life “Knowing the language of our ancestors doesn’t mean you can hang on to the dragon and take the skies, especially since you are not just practicing. You are taking the dragon to the Mines, in clear daylight”
“Exactly, that is the only way we can silence Lord Leoric and his accusations once and for all. If my people see me on a dragon it will symbolize power, and we are powerful. I cannot let him take advantage of my sister, our mother will never forgive me. I have to try...”
Visenya interrupted “He’s ready, I can see it in his eyes” she said with a smirk. Aurora turned to look at her grandmother, she didn’t expect her to be in Artemis’s side, but even she knew the sight of dragons in the skies of Maldonia will forever be enchanted on books for the generations to come.
It seemed the dragon keepers, Artemis and Visenya were all waiting for Aurora to decide, they respected her decisions and that’s because they were her dragons. These dragons were engraved with her name and they were bound to serve her, and whoever she will direct the dragons to serve, so it was really up to her.
After sometime, Aurora told Torgo “Bring him outside” in Low Moor. Torgo nodded and walked inside the darkened cave with a torch. All five dragons were inside the cave perfectly chained so they may not wander around rider less and cause havoc. He went after Artodo, the biggest of them all at eight feet tall. He untied the chains on his feet and forced it to bow, Artodo bowed respectfully and Torgo led it outside.
Artemis took two deep breaths as he looked at the magnificent creature he was about to board, there was of course anxiety and fear inside him. “The youngest dragon rider to ever took the skies was ten years old, you’ll be fine” Aurora teased Artemis, they both chuckled softly while looking at Artodo making his way towards them.
The dragon keepers placed a saddle on Artodo’s back and two handles for Artemis to hang on to when Artodo takes the skies. Torgo explained to Artemis how to hang on to the handles and sit comfortably on the dragon back as soon as it takes off, unlike what Artemis thought there were a lot of instructions on what to do, what not to say to the dragon and how to ride it.
Then finally Aurora walked to Artodo, the dragon seemed so delighted to her touch it bowed softly to her. Then she pulled in Artemis and they both touched the dragon’s right eye, soothing him before the take off. “This is your rider now Artodo, you are to obey him from this day forward to the last as your mother commands” Aurora said this is Low Moor.
The dragon hissed and Aurora took it a sign that Artodo understood him, hence she took a step back and let Artemis take over. Aurora went on to join Visenya and Torgo from where they stood and they all watched as Artemis talked to Artodo. These two weren’t strangers to one another, Artemis had played with Artodo since the time Artodo was two weeks old. Artemis’s touch wasn’t strange to Artodo and he silently lowered his left wing for Artemis to climb up.
This was a sign of a successful connection and it made Aurora smile, Artemis took the left wing and used it as a stair to climb up. When he was on top, Artemis smiled looking down and he suddenly exclaimed “You all look like tiny bees from up here” he said. Aurora, Visenya, Torgo and the dragon keepers laughed. The cloak that Artemis wore seemed to be in trouble hanging on to the strong winds, hence he took it off and placed it on his saddle.
As Artemis was getting accustomed to what will be his new normal, Aurora walked to him and they looked at each other. Their dream finally came true, for both of them and it was the indeed the perfect time for Artemis to show the world what he truly possesses and that was power beyond any human control.
“Promise me you’ll come back alive” said Aurora.
“I promise”
“And that you will not burn the Mines to the ground. If she disagrees with you, perhaps it’s time to let her go” This was what Artemis truly needed to hear so he may stop his obsession with saving his sister, and Aurora blew him two kisses and wished him luck.
Then everything was set for Artemis to take his first flight, Artodo was also ready. Aurora asked if he knew the way to the Mines, and Artemis just smirked, he loved it how much Aurora seemed to be so worried about him. When he was ready he shouted to Artodo “Valar Artodo” and right there the dragon’s feet pounded the ground heavy as it prepared for takeoff.
In seconds Artodo was flying above the clear skies of Blackmount, he started slowly and let Artemis get used to the new experience. Artemis was screaming the whole time as the dragon flew high above the sky, he had to hold on tight and that’s when he lost his cloak but it didn’t matter that much during that time.
That was the day the good folks of Blackmount saw something they have never seen in their whole lives – a flying dragon. Most of them wounded themselves in crowds and screamed at the dragon, some pointed fingers at it with fear in their eyes although none of them saw the rider.
Isabella was inside her brothel and she had to come out because of the screams and noises, she saw the dragon flying high above the sky for the very first time. Lord Balrus had told her about it but she never knew they will be a day when she will actually see one taking the skies. Those who decided to hide in their cabins did so, they thought the city was invaded by dragon riders. However, they calmed down when the sight of the dragon disappeared and no one knew where it was going to.
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