Queen Thorn (complete)

Chapter 14

"Mr. Zeklos, are you related to Ivan Zeklos?"

"Yes ma'am, he would have been my uncle."

"Come join me, please."

I went and sat on my throne. When the little boy got to me he kneeled.

"Don't worry about that right now David, come here." 

He walked over, and I picked him up and sat him in my lap? 

"Now, tell me what do you know of your Uncle Ivan?"

"I heard that he was attacked by strigoi and killed a long time ago, before I was even born." 

The way that he said that, as if he were an old man, made most everyone smile and laugh.

"Well, part of that is true." I looked at Dimitri before I explained further.

"He was attacked, and his guardian was killed. But Ivan wasn't killed, he was turned." I heard Dimitri's swift and sharp intake of breath at my shocking revelation.

"How do you know that?" David asked in such a childlike voice that it made me smile.

"My team and I found the strigoi that attacked and turned him."

"What happened?"

"Well, let me just say that he won't be hurting anyone else ever again."

"What about my Uncle Ivan?"

"I have people looking for him as we speak. If he is still strigoi and alive, he will be found, and I promise not only you..." 

I looked up at Dimitri, "but you as well." 

I returned to looking at David. "That he will be restored and returned to us. After that, it is up to his friends and family to help him cope with the last almost six years of his life. Can you help him with that David?"

"I will try your majesty."

"You may call me Thorn, David."

"Thank you, Thorn." 

Again, I felt Dimitri's inner smile.

"Would you like to go back to your family or stay here with me?"

"Can I really stay with you?" Asked a shy and stunned David Zeklos.

"Of course, you are one of my people too."

He gave a huge grin and hugged me, and I hugged him right back. Causing the audience to 'awww'.

"Now, just in case my words about my teams didn't register, I am indeed Queen Thorn. Are there any more questions?"

"Will you tell us how you became shadow kissed your majesty?"

"I will, but I warn you it is kind of a long story. Do you still wish to hear it?"

"Yes." Was said by most of the people in the room.

"Very well. When Princess Vasilissa Dragomir and I were fifteen we were in a car accident with the rest of her family. Everyone, except for the princess, died, myself included." 

More and louder gasps were heard throughout the room.

"The princess had not specialized at that time, or so we all thought. As it turns out, however, she specialized in what was once thought rare element called Spirit. And it is rarer than the others but it is not as rare as we had once thought that it was, most of those who have thought to not have specialized. Have, only they specialized in spirit. So if any of you or someone that you know, knows someone who seems to not have specialized but should have by now please let my office know. Because spirit magic is a very difficult element to not only control but to live with. And in order to protect the spirit users we need to know who and where they are so that we can protect them and those around them."