Remnants - The Dragons of Dragonvale - Book One

Chapter 12

The Queen sat in her room, staring out the window to the city below. She had never once questioned her position or the role of it her entire life. However, things were changing for the City of Remnants and it had all began once it was discovered that her own daughter had been born a dragon hatcher.

Celessa had never wondered much about who the father of her daughter had been. Nameless men that lived on the seas, used for one purpose only. It was a few moments of her life she did not even care to remember.

Until now.

Now she found herself wondering just who the person was that might have fathered her daughter and given her the gift of being a hatcher. It was a gift passed down through the lines of a family tree, not one that was acquired or practiced till perfect. That meant that someone in Jaessa's biological father's ancestors had been a hatcher themselves.

It was a mystery that would never be solved, seeing as Jaessa's father had suffered a slit throat and his body thrown over the cliffs near the beach. Celessa never even got his name.

"Mama, is something wrong?" Jaessa had skipped into the Queen's room, smiling brightly, having just returned from her daily visit with Kotai and his sons.

Celessa quickly wiped away the thoughts she had been thinking and turned an equally bright smile to her daughter. "No, my dear, mama is fine. How was your visit today?"

Jaessa sat down on a small ottoman next to her mother's chair and began to recount every moment of her visit to the dragons' cave. Her arms waved about excitedly as she imitated little Jin getting into a scuffle with Hoseok and the two babies rolling about the cave floor with their wings flapping.

Celessa laughed. It made her heart feel at ease to see her daughter happy and relaxed. Since the babies had been hatched, Jaessa had matured some and also began to smile more. It was truly a gift given to her and it was infecting her with happiness.

"Oh, Mama, you should have seen Taehyung! He napped in my lap again today. Between me and you, he snores a little." Jaessa giggled, covering her mouth with her small hands. "But he clung to my finger again, as he usually does. He's such a beautiful color of blue. Kotai said it's been a long time since he has seen such a blue dragon. Isn't it amazing they are all different colors? I think it's very peculiar."

Celessa leaned back in her chair and let her daughter continue with her account, laughing when she did, gasping at tales of the young ones' daring and mischievousness.

"Kotai said we will take them for a short walk tomorrow. He wants them to spread their wings more." Jaessa sighed happily as her tale came to an end. "Mama, I know something is bothering you," said Jaessa softly. "I can see it in your eyes. Let me help you, hm?"

Celessa reached down a hand and smoothed her daughter's windblown hair. Jaessa was too good for this world, so precious and sweet. "No, it's nothing for you to be concerned with. Just the memories of the past. Now, go clean up for supper. I will meet you in the dining hall."

Jaessa smiled and jumped to her feet, landing a loud kiss on her mother's cheek and then skipping out the same way she came in.

Celessa's smile immediately disappeared and she looked over at the painting of the first queen, her very own ancestor, and for the first time she felt a twinge of bitterness at how the woman had chosen to set up her rule on the island of Dragonvale.

* * *

"Kotai!" Jaessa called out as she entered the cave. Azir was close behind her, gasping for his breath as he struggled to keep up with the excited princess.