The Dragon Princess

Chapter 18

Queen Marina Andry

Iron City, Sarkin

The tension in the room builds as the rebel refuses to answer questions and cooperate. To the side, the boys are discussing strategies in order to get him to talk; however, they are just that: boys. My own first born son, Karic, stands tall for his age, as his father once had. For being thirteen years of age, he is at the stage where his body is changing and he is self-conscious in the way his voice cracks. Clumsy due to his height, Karic stands still beside his restless twin cousins, and silently listens. Alfred and Ederick, no longer Alfie and Eddie, are nearly grown in their age of twenty and old enough to marry, much to their mother's dismay. For much of their childhood, the twins were completely identical, and only were able to be told apart if you knew which had the left eye blue, or the right eye blue, for they share blue and brown eyes. Alfred's is left and Ederick's is right. Now, however, they are easy to tell apart. Ederick, being a bit taller, is on the leaner side with stronger, sharper features. Alfred is a bit more muscular but with more boyish, soft features.

I listen to them for a half hour, all the while keeping close watch on the rebel, as well as my son. Of course, I have my own plan of action, but I want to see what the boys will come up with. Karic catches my glance, and I can practically read my son's mind, as most mothers can. I am in motion a second later, and the rebel has barely enough time to flinch as the blade meets the side of his cheek in a swift cut that draws a thick stream of blood. "Mother!" I only realize then that Karic has jumped to my side, with a hand on my arm, surprised and slightly horrified by my action. "Violence is never the answer." I wish I can tell him that he can go through life without ever having to cause anyone pain, but that is a lie.

"Sometimes, it is." I try to soften my tone to my son, but I know he can hear the fierceness within. His hand slowly lets go and he takes a few steps back, waiting, as does his cousins. Alfred and Ederick have yet to recover from my action. "Prepare yourself, for this is a side to me that you have never seen." I turn my attention to the rebel, a supposed high up in the chain of command.

"You think I am supposed to be afraid of you, little queen." He taunts, refusing to struggle against his restraints in the iron chair that imprisons him. "You are weak."

I can't help it. I laugh. "You have been entirely misinformed, rebel." I sheath my sword and draw out a sharp dagger. "There was a time, when I would do anything to get what I want. That never went away, not really." He doesn't believe me. He doesn't remember. He tries to smile and my fist collides with his mouth. "I have tortured people before and I have killed, all for information. What is to stop me from doing that now?"

He spits blood onto the stone floor. "Your little boy." A small glint of triumph comes to his eyes but fades quickly when he doesn't get a reaction out of me. A part of me wants to stop and look at my son, and tell him that this is wrong, but the other part of me knows that I have to do this. I can't protect him forever, not from everything, and not from me.

I shake my head at the rebel. "I am the Queen of Sarkin, but there was a time when I apprenticed under many tradesmen, each with their own particularly grueling set of skills. For instance..." I drive the dagger's tip swiftly into the thigh of the rebel, all the way to the hilt. He lets out a scream, but tries to collect himself by clamping his mouth shut. "Now, tell me the location of Topaz Castian." No reaction. I grab the hilt and give it a small wiggle. He wants to scream but doesn't. "If you don't, I can assure you, you will be begging for death in a matter of five minutes. Unfortunately, until I get what I want, you will be begging for a while. If I remove this dagger, you will bleed out, right here in this room in a matter of minutes, but I don't feel that generous." He is trembling, though he tries to hide it. "Do I need to say please?" He shoots off a few curse words, so I stand up and return to the table I had been leaning against before.