Dragon Queen

Decisions

    Hopes for a fire came crashing down as the group pushed open the cabin door.  The placement of the cabin in the clearing was well planned, with plenty of open space around to ensure no-one could sneak up unnoticed on the inhabitants.  However, the cabin was so far removed from ordinary travel paths and trade routes that it was rarely checked on or cleaned out.  This was soon discovered as the group gazed sadly at the debris and cobwebs spread across the interior of the cabin.  A nest of some kind was visible hanging down out of the fireplace opening, dashing all thoughts of toasty warm fingers and toes.  

    One of the guards pushed the door shut, managing to latch it closed before the wind could blow it open again.  The nannies set about to see what resources were available, as the guards surveyed the clearing from the windows of the cabin.  It was well build, and therefore draft free; that would have to do.  The nannies returned with some blankets and a few pillows.  One of them swept the open area of the floor clean, while the other attempted to clean up the children.  It was getting dark, but none of them dared to look for candles or another light source, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to themselves.  

    The young princess began to fuss, as she was hungry and unused to missing any meals.  Emptying their pockets, the nannies were able to put together a small meal for each of the children consisting of dried fruit, a packet of crackers, and a few carrots that earlier had been intended for a favorite mare in a stable that most likely no longer existed.

    As the children ate, the adults gathered around a rickety table in the kitchen alcove.  

    "I have a feeling that we are going to be together for some time," one of the guards began. "and as such, we should get to know each other.  I'll start, my name is Gerard and I've been at the palace for five years now.  I started in the stables, got promoted to guard when I saved a visiting royal from a runaway stallion.  She nearly got trampled, but I was in the right place at the right time."  He shrugged his shoulders.  "Guess sometimes that's all it takes."  

    He turned to look at the next guard.  He was taller than Gerard, but still muscular and sturdy.  "Hey all, I'm Brady,  been with the guard for seven years now.  Got my start from my uncle.  He was a guard, and someone high up owed him a favor for something.  I ended up being that favor.  He got me in the door, but I proved myself on my own, promoted after two years, been with the royal family detail for about 18 months now.  Sure am glad for that now."

    "Well, I'm Natalia." blurted out the princess' nanny.  "Been at the palace near my whole life.  Started in the kitchen and worked my way up.  My family has been serving at the palace for so many generations that noone remembers who it was first.  When the princess was born, I had been in such close contact with the queen throughout her pregnancy, bringing her sweets and whatnot, that I guess I was the logical choice for her nanny."

    The last of the group, the nanny for the duke and duchess, took a shaky breath in before beginning, "I am Rema," she said with a soft accent, "I have only been with the duke and duchess for just under a year now, but I was nanny to another aristocratic family before this.  Their children became too old for a nanny and so I moved on.  The duke and duchess had been having some trouble with finding a permanent nanny for the children so it worked out for me.  They have been such a joy!"  The look on her face went from happiness quickly to one of despair as she continued, "But now, I don't know just what to think with all this madness!  I mean, who would have believed....dragons!!"  Her voice tapered off slowly until shether o practically whispered the last word.  It brought them all back to the reality of their situation.

    "Ok then!"  Gerard cleared his throat as he began to speak again.  " The question is what do we do next.  Does anyone know how many people know about this cabin or  how many we might expect to show up."  Everyone looked around at each other.  All eyes settled on Natalia.

    "All I know for sure is that the royal family had directives in place for all immediate members to flee to this location in the event that the castle came under attack.  If I was unable to get to the king or queen or in the event they, heaven forbid, were killed, I was to bring the princess here and await further orders.  Who else knows about this place is unknown to me." 

    Brady spoke up, "It must be a fairly well kept secret,  I haven't heard of this place before we came here with you ladies."  He looked to Gerard who shook his head.  "So, since neither of us knew, I imagine its been a fairly well kept secret.  We will stay on the look out for others from the palace but we must be careful about letting anyone join us.  This is a volatile time now, and we must keep the children safe at all costs."

     The others nodded their heads in agreement.  They all sat for a few minutes just taking in the magnitude of what had occurred in the short span of the past day.   As if to highlight the days' events, a load roar was heard overhead as the darkening sky became even darker with the flight of one of the great dragons.  The adults rushed to look out the windows, alert to the danger above them as the children dropped their food in fright.  Sure that the danger had passed them by, the nannies gathered the children to get them ready for bed as best they could.

    The guards set up a rotation to keep watch throughout the night, while the nannies and children made beds out of the blankets and pillows available.  Stories were told until all the children were sound asleep, and then the adults wearily turned in. Not knowing what lay in store for them in the upcoming days and weeks, they tossed restlessly in their makeshift beds, each of them spinning their own tale of worry within their nighttime dreamscapes.