~Narrative Scene – The Queen and the Dragon

 

In the shadow of the great war that preoccupied King William, Queen Vensia sat quietly in her royal tent, pitched just behind the advancing army. Her thoughts wandered from the battlefield to the skies above, where freedom once beckoned her through the wings of her mighty companion.

She longed for the wind in her hair again, for the wild flight across the kingdom’s skies. Her fingers reached instinctively for the small flute that always hung from the silver chain around her neck — a relic from long ago, found beside the wounded hatchling she had once rescued as a child. That hatchling had become Darcon, the great dragon whose bond with her defied the laws of man and beast.

With a soft breath, she blew into the flute. Moments later, the clouds stirred and the heavens answered — a thunderous roar tore through the sky as Darcon descended, wings spread wide, scales shimmering like burning coals, and eyes locked on his queen. The earth trembled as he landed gracefully beside her tent.

Climbing onto his back, Vensia set off, soaring above forests and rivers, her heart filled with both nostalgia and unease. Something felt… wrong.

As she neared the coast, a salty wind hit her face. In the distance, the sea boiled with motion. Below her, the royal fleet stood in formation — but beyond them, on the horizon, she saw sails. Not just one or two, but hundreds.

Enemy ships. Tatar banners. War was coming from the sea.

Unknown to the king, the traitor Nero had sent a secret invitation to King Abraha of the Tatar realms, promising him half the kingdom in exchange for his alliance. And now, that alliance had arrived — on burning tides.

Vensia’s eyes narrowed.

The fleet commander below had already spotted the threat and sent a message pigeon toward the king’s camp, requesting reinforcements to hold the shoreline should the fleet fall. But Vensia knew time was a luxury they could not afford.

She leaned forward and whispered to Darcon.
The dragon growled low in response, his wings ready.
She had never once used him for war.

But today, she might.

🔥 "Stay tuned for Part Two... Coming soon!"
📖 "Haven’t read Part One yet? Discover it now:

Echoes of The Astral War: Book One Vatika