Sweet Waters Throne

82 Chapter 8Aurora assured Artemis that they won’t fail, and nor was Artemis’s decision done by anger. She assured him that even the good folks of Old City would accept a new lord since their own abandoned them to seek greener pastures. “Lord Angun was perfect for the post but since he turned it down I’m positive we’ll find a suitable replacement, it’s time the Squires step aside and allow Maldonia to thrive. Sooner than later I shall have a dragon of my own, my grandmother has assured me that”

“Has she?” There was an excitement tone in Artemis’s voice.

“She told me there’s an egg in a cave in Dark Town with my name engraved on it, I am to claim the egg and make sure it hatches, it only take a year for the dragon to fully grow”

Artemis cleared his throat and paid more attention “I have never seen a dragon, but I’ve heard stories. Huge wild creatures they say, they feed on goats and man alike. Where can we house such creatures and what if they... feed on our people”

“You are concerned, it’s cute”

Aurora turned to the other side of the bed, she motioned for Artemis to lie beside her and he did. The whole day was occupied with just them talking about dragons, House Morrow which Aurora is said to come from and the Low Moor language. Visenya told Aurora a great deal of the former witches and she intended to tell Artemis all about them, she didn’t hide a thing.

First of all she referred to them as “Dark Crawlers” and had Artemis call them the same name. The Dark Crawlers ruled Maldonia and Prophis, and all kingdoms beyond the Frozen Sea and the cities across the Dead Sea. “It’s like they had the whole world in the palm of their hands” said Aurora.

“Were they humans?”

“Yes, they were. They had brown hairs like me when they are born, but when one gains a dragon and activates their powers, the hair changes to gold. A pale yellow gold color, and my grandmother says the palace of Maldonia was full of golden haired boys and girls. The youngest dragon rider was nine years old”

.....

The tales about the dragons and flying were so much of interest to Artemis, it’s as if he couldn’t wait to fly himself or maybe watch his wife fly on a dragon or perhaps she could take him on dragon back as they fly across kingdoms. The tales were accompanied with illustrated books which Aurora hid them inside her cupboards, no servant was allowed to open them.

Then when they went to have lunch, they still talked about the dragons and this tale continued the next day when the journey to Old City was due. As usual Lord Balrus was the one who organized the caravan route, there were usually one hundred rides on the way to clear the path for the king. This time Artemis had two thousand knights, one thousand on the front and another one thousand at the back of his carriages.

Ten carriages including the golden royal carriage started the tour to Old City, Lord Balon was left in charge of the kingdom when the king was away and he promised to take care of it until he returns. This was a moment Princess Sansa anxiously awaited, to sit on the Sweet Waters throne beside her husband and for just a moment she wanted to feel what it was like to actually be in control.

They had to move from the Hand’s castle and stay at the palace, but they were to be so careful since Master of Spies still lingered in the palace. To which Princess Sansa said “I’m not afraid of him, why are people so scared of him” she asked Lord Balon. Their marriage remained strong after their daughters joined them in the capital, and perhaps Princess thought she might make amends with her husband after all.

“Where is Rhaeny?” asked Lord Balon sitting comfortably on the throne.

“She could be anywhere, she’s seven”

“You haven’t looked at her?”

Princess Sansa wasn’t in the mood to talk about her daughter, not in the throne room when they had matters to discuss.

“Do you know what’s happening in Aurora’s Hill?” The princess asked.

“No and it’s none of my concern”

“Argh, lord husband you are really not interesting. You haven’t heard the rumors?”

“What rumors?”

Princess Sansa whispered “The queen... they say she’s a witch. But I believe there’s more to it, she’s more than that”

“This sort of act will get you killed, I just hope you don’t take our daughters with you” Lord Balon stood up and walked away. Princess Sansa called out his name but he never turned back, nor did he want to see her for the rest of the day.

The walls do talk or is it wise to say the rodents on walls are the ones who talk, they listen to silent whispers and convey messages to the ones who aren’t supposed to hear. Visenya had once treated Princess Sansa in her shop, and she usually serves the princess with portions and sleeping herbs. The last time the princess went to Visenya was to ask for a pregnancy eliminating herb, maybe she knew it belonged to her dead paramour.

Now she was whispering treasonous words against her granddaughter, Visenya knew she had to act quick or the rumor will spread like fire and being fanned by the princess herself. Hence she waited for her when she came to the market square one particular afternoon.

The market square is usually crowded and so was it that day, Princess Sansa wore a silk cream long dress and she was accompanied by two black male slaves who held an umbrella for her. Although winter was upon Blackmount, still the sun produced enormous amount of heat during the day but laid low down during the night and froze the good people of Maldonia to their beds.

Everyone knew Princess Sansa was a high-born. It was from the way she walked, talked, her expensive dress and the two male slaves guarding her and the good folks did look. They whispered in the market “That’s the wife of the hand, the outlanders” and pointed fingers at her.

While others knew more than they should have “She fucked a common servant they say, a whore she is” and this wasn’t spoken discreetly. A man came close to her and blurted it out, well let’s say he didn’t live long to find out because a slave drove his sword to his throat and he was left dead in the streets, no one cared for a dead poor folk and they passed right through him as if nothing happened.

This wouldn’t be the first time a dead body would lie down in the streets of Blackmount, when Princess Sansa arrived at Visenya’s shop she entered inside without looking at the queue. This was her usual treatment, she never waited because she was special and she let anyone around know that she was indeed special.

Visenya was inside ready to aid her “What is it this time?” she asked playfully.

“It’s not for me, it’s for my daughter”

“How old is she?”

“Seven, she can’t sleep and she...” Princess Sansa paused for a moment. Her eyes had been all over the shop and when they landed on the small table filled with portions and herbs, she came across Queen Aurora’s favorite book which she has seen her reading it every time.

Suddenly she forgot what she wanted to say and asked “Where did you get that?” pointing at the book.

Visenya picked up the book full of drawings of dragons and their riders, and also spells in ancient language. “This? It’s just a book”

“No, no, no, it isn’t just a book. I saw her reading this, I saw her with my own eyes”

“Who did you see my lady?” Visenya pretended not to know what she was talking about.

“The Queen, she read it. Is it true, is she a witch?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about”

Princess Sansa panicked, she started to scream and aimed to leave the shop at once. However, Visenya had other plans of her and she tucked her inside a dark room right there in the shop and locked her in. “My husband will come for me, do you know who I am” she screamed while inside the dungeon.

Visenya waited until it was dark to leave the shop, when the market squire had few people as many of them retired to the pleasure houses during that time. The good folks of Blackmount liked to please themselves and the form of pleasing came in numerous ways, either music or cunts either way each one to its own.

Since no one paid attention to the shop, Visenya used her portions to set it on fire with the princess inside. The fire was huge and it destroyed everything, all the portions inside and the books which could be found by anyone and cause great damage to her granddaughter. But most importantly it turned Princess Sansa to ashes, unrecognizable by anyone not even her husband.