Legend Of Dragoon Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Dragoon II ❯ The Queen of Deningrad ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
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Chapter 9) The Queen of Deningrad

When Orrin had finally been allowed to see Rashe'm, after the majority of bandaging and the vitals checking, doctors came in asking about the patient's ear. Orrin had calmly explained that Rashe'm's ear had been like that for awhile. He waited in the seat next to the bed in which lay Rashe'm, heavily bandaged. His pants remained on, but the doctors had taken his shirt off to do their checks and to bandage him up. It had seemed hours since Al had left for the weaponry, but that's the way that most hospitals made it feel, time slowing and dragging. Orrin sat filled with anticipation. He wanted to talk to someone, preferably Al or Rashe'm, but with the current condition Rashe'm was in, all he could do was just wait for Al.

During the waiting, Orrin had fallen asleep in the chair. No one could really tell how long he had slept, since the doctors hadn't been in since asking about Rashe'm's ear. What did wake Orrin was Al, shaking his shoulder abruptly. When he was fully awake, Al, wearing a heavy coat, handed a coat to Orrin and told him, "I've got something outside to show ya. We're gonna leave for the castle too, the hospital said they'd bring Rashe'm when he's suitable for traveling." Then, after giving Rashe'm a worry-filled glance, he led Orrin out of the room, and out to the front of the hospital.

The first thing Orrin saw outside in the bitter cold was Shel's cart. He walked around to see inside the flat, empty part, and his eyes immediately filled with amazement. On the cart were the weapons that Al had gone for. Among the weapons, what had caught Orrin's attention, was a brand new lance with a carrying holster. The rest of the pile consisted of a new sword for Rashe'm and a full sized axe for Al. He was about to grab it, but then he thought it was better not to wield a weapon in a mass of people. Instead, he looked to Al, ready to thank him. Al said first, "I got that for ya since ya fought well against that beast. Plus, yer stick broke when ya delivered the final blow to its head, I just really thought ya proved yerself." Orrin barely managed to reply, "Thanks!" Shel finally came around from the front of the cart, tending to the horses, and said, "Ready to go to the castle?" Al questioningly looked to Orrin for confirmation. Orrin looked back at the hospital once more, thinking of Rashe'm. Slowly, he nodded. He walked back to the cart, and got into the back, just so that he could hold his new lance for the first time.

Within minutes, the cart finally pulled up to the castle. It had undergone some reconstruction since the adventures of the heroes of the Second Dragon Campaign. The ground floor had been expanded to include the kitchen, guest rooms, the lavatory (with indoor plumbing, which was new at the time of remodeling), and a ceremonial chamber. The stairs that went up the crystal structure only went up one flight, the rest of the way had been deemed unsafe because of the Divine Dragon's attack, and had been removed. The second floor contained the royal bedroom and a living quarter, which had many sets of displays out. The remodel had been very extensive and ended up forcing some buildings destroyed, but all worked out in the end. The cart came to a stop outside the front doors, which had been opened revealing the entrance foyer. Al and Orrin stepped out of the cart, soon followed by Shel. As Al and Orrin walked to the entrance, Shel picked up the weapons one by one, handing them to knights who had come out to take things to the guest bedrooms.

Shel caught back up with Al and Orrin and the three of them walked into the foyer together. Another knight had gone out to take Shel's steer to the stables. After the knight left, the doors were shut, and the three walked further. The main lobby of the entrance foyer had five statues in a circular formation. The middle statue had an opening under it, in the pedestal, that led to the upstairs. Orrin looked up, down, everywhere he could, but Al remained looking forward. When in the center of the circular formation of the statues, they stopped walking, and Shel stooped to his knee. Moments later. a woman in very heavy-set robes and coats came out from underneath the middle statue, the coats varying in different shades of blue and gray. The first thing she said was, "Rise, Sir Arian." When Shel stood back up, she continued, "I recieved your message that a group of three travelers had accomplished a great feat, destroying the basilisk. These here are two of them, and I suppose the other is still in the hospital." Shel replied, "Yes, Ma'am. The wounded one, Rashe'm, shall be here as soon as he is able." Orrin realized that the woman must have been the Queen. The Queen continued, "Welcome, friends. Thank you so much for vanquishing the beast that plagued the forest. Our country is indebted to you, and your friend as well. My name is Isani, Queen of Deningrad. If you please, would you tell us your names so that we may know how to address our heroes?" Al spoke first, "I am Aljandro Merdou, but you may call me Al, everyone does. I reside from Heidra, as does Rashe'm." Following suit, Orrin spoke, "I am Orrin Harstent. I come from Dranc."

The Queen's reaction to hearing that the travelers were from the Death Frontier was slight. She replied, "Thank you, Al Merdou and Orrin Harstent. You are welcome to stay in the castle for as long as you please. But, I do believe there is some other purpose to your visit." The Queen looked to Al, supposing that he was the one who led the group, but she was surprised when it was Orrin. "Yes. There is something I have to show to you in direst secrecy. It is something of great value, and I was advised that it would be best to come to you." The Queen took some time to consider, and said, "If you were brave enough to cross the desert and come all the way to Mille Seseau, it must be urgent." Gesturing to the middle statue, she said, "Follow me. Sir Arian, you may resume your duties. And thank you for escorting these travelers." With a courteous, "Yes, Ma'am." Shel walked off to the right.

At the top of the steps behind the statue, there was a door, which led to the living quarters outside of the Queen's bedroom. The Queen opened the door for Al and Orrin, ushering them in. After they came in, the Queen locked the door behind her. She walked across the room, setting herself into a chair, taking off her hood and revealing her dark blonde hair, and then took off a few of her coats. When she had made herself fully comfortable, she said, "Please show me what is of so much impotance that you risk your lives to bring it here." Orrin walked towards her, fumbling in his pockets for the stones. He pulled out both of them, and held them out to her in cupped hands. As soon as she saw them, the Queen gasped sharply. Holding a hand to her chest, she stood up and walked towards Orrin. She picked up the red stone from Orrin's hands, saying, "I never thought I'd live to see this day. The legendary Dragoon spirit lay here in my hand! It's amazing, living history right in front of me!" As soon as she finished, a knock came on the door. The Queen gestured to Al to undo the lock. A knight stood at the door, erect and tall. Without delay, he delivered a message. "Ma'am, the other traveler has just arrived. He's barely conscious, but we went ahead and took him to the guest rooms." When the Queen dismissed him, quickly, he turned and took his leave, taking no notice of the stones.

Al relocked the door after the knight left. Orrin asked the Queen, "How did you know that it wasn't someone who was going to attack you?" The Queen rolled the red stone in her hands, and replied, "The knights are given a secret knock, so that they may talk to me if I am in here." She then set the red stone back in Orrin's hand and took the purple one. After examining the purple stone, she said, "So, the spirits of Fire and Darkness have revealed themselves to you. You are possibly the luckiest people in the whole of Endiness right now. I'm only hoping that their appearence isn't an ill omen." She paused after that statement. She continued, "I should ask that the stones remain here, for now. They would be safest here. And I'm sure you're famished, after your long journey. I'll order the kitchen to make you some dinner, extra large helpings, and deliver it to your rooms. Go see to your friend now. He might be awake." She led the two to the door, unlocked it, and ushered them out after recieving the stones from Orrin, who unwillfully gave them to her. The last thing the Queen said to them before she shut the door was, "Oh, yes, enjoy the new year! Tomorrow, It'll be the tenth celebration of the defeat of the Moon Child." Orrin hadn't even realized it, that the new year had come so fast, that tomorrow would be the year 1080.