The Shamer's Daughter - A Fanfiction

Chapter 20 - Flames

Dina barely remembered how she got back to the castle. She didn't remember if anyone stopped her at the gates, but if they did, she must have seemed even more crazy than little Matty. She didn't really gather her thoughts until she was sat in front of the fireplace in Magnus's house with a blanket tightly wrapped around her. She could hear Nico and Magnus fighting again and Nico yelled so loudly that Mr Magnus had to shush him and remind him of the guards that were spying just outside his front door. After that, they continued in weird hushed voices, but with just as much anger behind them. Dina couldn't focus on what they were saying. She was concentrating on the dancing flames, trying to not think of anything. If she let herself think, she knew all that would come to her mind would be images of her mother being torn apart by sharp claws and poisonous teeth.

"If you as much as think I would run away just to save my own life, then you are very mistaken!" Nico was trying to whisper, but it was hard if he wanted to come across. "Not while he feeds Melussina to his disgusting worms!"

"Are you insane, boy? Can't you see it's a trap?" Magnus hissed back.

"What do you want us to do? Sure, if we just tell Drakan we already know it's a trap, he will just let her go freely, don't you think?" Though his voice was low, it was dripping with sarcasm and it seemed to trigger Magnus even more.

"Oh, would you stop it! That attitude isn't going to help us!"

"Yes, well neither is running!" Nico's nostrils were flaring and the two were staring at each other like they both expected the other to give up if they just stood there long enough.

"If you would only use that brain of yours!" Magnus finally spoke after the only sound in the room had been the crackling fire and Dina's sniffling. "So, what if you gave yourself up and threw yourself in the arms of Drakan - do you really think he would then give up the Shamer? Or her daughter? Or me and the widow for that matter!"

"I would never tell him about you..." Nico began, but was interrupted.

"Maybe not at first, but what happens when he starts to threaten others? Clearly he has already found your weakness." Magnus had grabbed his wrist and wouldn't let go. "Being king takes sacrifices - you can't save everyone, that is what we have always prepared you for!"

"No!" Nico was yelling again, but Dina didn't as much as flinch. "That is what you prepared my brother for. I was never meant to be king. I never wanted to be king!" Magnus didn't answer this time. Maybe he just knew that the guards would hear them if they kept shouting, or maybe he realised that Nico was right. Prince Elezar had always been prepared for the throne - Nico was new to all of this. It took a while before anyone said anything and not until Magnus had closed the shutters of the kitchen widow.

"If you don't take the throne, The House of the Raven has truly fallen." Nico was standing very still but his chest was heaving for air, because the anger made him out of breath. If Dina had turned around, she would have been able to see tears in his eyes, but all she could see were the bright flames right in front of her. "There won't be anyone to tell the truth that he is trying to hide; that Drakan is the murderer, that he is the true monster. Think, boy. Think very hard about this decision and what it means, not just to you, not just to Dunark but to all of Skay-Sagi."

"You always tell me to think. But sometimes, only cowards are the ones thinking. We need to do something - now!" He wasn't yelling anymore, but his voice had more power than ever before. Then Magnus joined Dina at the fireplace and looked into the flames as though he would find the answer in there.

"Fine. You do as you please." He said with a dry and dead voice. "I'm not your teacher anymore, but at least let Dina go to The Widow's house once more, so you won't endanger more lives than necessary." She actually listened at the sound of her name, but since she never read the letter, she didn't understand much of what was at risk.

"Again?" Nico sighed, now worried about Dina instead of her mother. "Isn't it too dangerous?"

"Perhaps you think she's safer here?" Magnus snorted. "Once you're done playing the hero, nowhere in the castle, or the city for that matter, will be safe for her. It's better if she just stays with The Widow until... Until it's all over." He clearly stopped mid sentence and changed his mind. But Dina knew what he meant, though he hadn't wanted to say it. Until her mother was dead and Nico was captured. She didn't blame him. It was hard to imagine any other way this would end right now. Nico gave in to this idea.

"You might be right. Dina, it's probably best if you stay with The Widow." He said to her as if she hadn't just heard the entire thing. But she nodded nonetheless without ever taking her eyes off the flames. Nico seemed surprised that she didn't argue with him, but she felt it was easier to just let them believe that she would do as they said.

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