Hail the Dragon Enchantress

Chapter 10: I Do’s

~Queen Regina’s P. O. V. ~

I stood next to my betrothed. My body was shaking. Finally, I kept thinking. The priest was going on and on about how the kingdom would prosper and our marriage would produce greatness for the kingdom. The veil made it a little harder to see. He motioned for us to face each other. My lady-in-waiting took my bouquet for our hands to join. I looked at Clint and a flood of happiness washed over me.

“My king and queen. The people of Shora and their allies. We are here to celebrate the matrimony of King Clint, the first in his name of the Kingdom Einhelm and Queen Regina, the first in her name of the Kingdom Shora.” He paused and lit 2 candles. “These are to represent you both. Yet not united as one.” He took a long golden rope and tied it over our hands. “The rope of unity now binds these two together. You may state your vows.” He motioned for me to start.

I sniffled. “King Clint. When I first saw you, I thought please not another one. I avoided you for thinking that you wanted only my dragons, my kingdom and all it holds. Now, I realize what a fool I was for thinking that.” I couldn’t wipe away the tears that were falling. “I stand before you now as not only a queen, but your wife and a future mother. Clint.” I looked into his eyes. “I promise to love you. I promise to be your rook. Your safety. Your shoulder. I promise to give you everything that I am. Even if it’s not always good.” Some of the crowd laughed. “I love you, Clint. And I am happy that I have gotten that chance to love you.” My lady-in-waiting dried my tears.

He cleared his throat. “Regina. The moment I laid eyes on you, I knew that you had my heart. I got lost in your gaze and I never wanted to be found. I had heard tales of your beauty, but they did not do you justice. You are a beautiful woman on the inside and out. Your kindness, your generosity, your caring nature to your people and your dragons and your undying will to protect them made me love you even more. I stand before you not as a king, but as a husband and a future father. My queen. My Regina. I promise to lighten your burdens. To keep your council. To look after you. To protect you. And most importantly, to love you.” He had to wipe away his own tears. It was making me cry all over again. “Regina of Shora, I love you with all that I am. And I will give you the world if you ask for it. I am enthralled by you and I am glad that we are here together.”

I heard Queen Imelda and my mother crying. The priest cleared his throat. “Then, I shall proceed. Queen Regina, do you take King Clint of the Kingdom of Einhelm to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? To cherish and soothe?”

I sniffled again. “I do.” Again, my lady-in-waiting had to wipe off the tears.

He smiled at me then turned to Clint. “King Clint of the Kingdom of Einhelm, do you take Queen Regina of the Kingdom of Shora to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? To cherish and soothe?”

He tried to recompose himself, failing to do so. “Of course, I do.” His voice became hoarse for a moment. He had to clear his throat. “I do.” Saying it more strongly.

The priest took the two candles and lit the one in the middle. Then he poured dragon water over our hands. Yes, dragons do not just have fire. They do many things. “It is with great pleasure that I, Priest Wyndell of the Kingdom of Shora’s conglomerate, now pronounce you husband and wife!” He turned around and rang the bell behind him. “You may kiss your bride.” Clint lifted my veil and pulled me into a kiss. I returned it and wrapped my arms around his neck.

The kingdom cheered, the dragons roared, the people celebrated. We walked hand in hand down the aisle of the carpet and into the town’s center. There, my mother pulled off sheets of cloth off the great meal that had been hidden. Clint and I took our seats at the front and began eating. Music was playing, Tanwen and Nithe came to us. I threw Tanwen a large piece of elk meat and I had a whole elk brought out for Nithe.

“Are you happy, my queen?” Clint kissed my cheek.

Was I happy? Of course, I was. “I am very happy, my king.” I leaned against him and watched our jesters make fools of themselves. It was quite entertaining. One stood on a barrel of mead and played out his own death with a wooden sword, falling into the mead. We laughed and joyed.

Our laughter died when a dark figure entered the streets. Everyone’s attention turned to him. I looked to see if it was Klaus, but he was sitting with his family. Hand on his sword. “Well, well, well. I came to find a queen of true beauty and not only do I find her, I see that she is married.” This was not a voice I recognized. I stood from my seat. “No need to get hostile, my queen.” He took his hood off. I do not know this man. He was thin, held no royal garb and felt dark.

“Who are you?” Clint stood and put me behind him.

The man sneered. “Let’s just say that I have come for you. The little brat we stole all those years ago did fetch a pretty penny for us.” Jack?! “I see in your eyes that you knew the pesky rat. And his dragon.”

“Enough!” Clint yelled. “Leave my kingdom!” Klaus, King Cyril and my father came to me.

“My sister by marriage isn’t going anywhere!” Klaus yelled. Pulling out his sword. “Leave or we’ll behead you.”

The man nearly laughed maniacally. “Kill me? That would be hard to do.” He snapped his finger and was gone in a cloud of smoke. “You may have stopped me this time, Queen Regina. But I promise, I’ll be back.” The cloud was above us. It was thundering and had lightning spewing from it. The purple lightning lashed out and stuck Clint.

“No!” I screamed. Clint’s chest was burnt on his right shoulder. “Nithe!” Nithe came forward and used her golden flame. But it wasn’t working. I opened his jacket and saw that it wasn’t a burn mark. This was poison. “Clint! No, no! Do not! You are not allowed to die on me!” I cried. He coughed some. “Take him to our bed! I need a poison expert! Now!”

They carried Clint back to our bed chambers. I was told to wait outside of the room. Pacing the floor and crying. Praying to every deity out there. Please don’t take Clint from me. Klaus was sitting in a chair. He looked angry and frightened. Cyril and Imelda were there along with my parents. Please, please do not take another from me. I fell to my knees and just let it all out. Klaus came to me and held me. Trying to tell me that Clint will live. Even going as far as telling me that if he didn’t, Klaus would never forgive him for leaving me.

The healer came out and asked for Klaus first. I saw his body go rigid. When he entered, I put my ear on the door. I wanted to know what Clint was going to say? I held my breath and placed my hand over my chest. Hearing Clint coughing again.

“Klaus. My younger brother. Take care of Einhelm.” He coughed again. “The healer said I am dying. This is not poison they knew of.” No. Please, no. “I want the truth. Did you seek that man out?”

“Of course, not, brother. Despite my previous actions, I was happy for you and Regina.” Klaus was crying. “I never wanted to hurt you. I do love you, Clint. You’re my elder brother.”

Clint coughed again. “My final plea to you is this, then. Hunt him down. Protect my wife.” Hearing him with his weak voice. “It is slowly killing me. By this time in 2 days, however, I will be gone.”

Klaus cried. “No. Brother. You are going to live! You are going to have many children! Regina is not mine to protect, she is yours.”

“Klaus. Please.” They went silent for a few moments. “Send mother and father in here. Regina is the one person I want to see last. I want to remember her before I die.” I heard footsteps coming towards the door. I backed away.

“Mother. Father.” Klus looked like a mess. They went in and I was left standing there. It felt like hours went by. When they came out, my parents went in next. The wait was killing me. I wanted to see my husband.

Mother came out with father. “Regina.” She had tears streaming down her face. “Go say your goodbye.”

I did not wish to, but I wanted to see him. I opened the door and saw my husband lying there, looking pale and sweating. I went over to our bed and sat next to him. “My queen.” His hand reached up and cupped my face. “I am sorry. I am sorry that this happened on our wedding day.”

I cried into his hand. “You’ll live, Clint. I’ll make sure of it.” I whispered. I wasn't even so sure.

He smiled sadly at me. “Would my queen acquiesce to her king's last day's request?” I nodded. “I am dying, Regina. In 2 days, that is what the healers told me.” I couldn’t smile at him. This cannot happen again. “Would my queen please bear my child?” I nodded. It was the only way to protect his legacy.

I spent the last of his days with me trying to conceive his heir. I was almost 25 years of age. I am not a young woman anymore. The morning of his death came and I laid on top of him crying and cursing that man who did this to my husband. It should have been me. I held my stomach in hopes that we had succeeded in him and I producing an heir. It took Klaus, Cyril and my general to get me off his corpse. After that, my mind became blank.