Chapter 25 - Reunited at last

It was war. The Dragon had reached Praaven City with its capture, Florian. They would storm against the army of the South, that had arrived on this god forsaken day.

The Dragon spit fire so all the men wearing silver armor would feel the equipment melt on their skin. A fire breath from a Dragon was stronger than anything they knew about.

Songs would be written about this event, where the long lost King had returned to his Kingdom with a dragon by his side. They would fight for hours.

It was done. No southern man was left to see and those lucky enough had fled the fight. They would surely spread the rumor about Praaven's Great King and his Dragon of Fire.

"I will name you Alduin." The young King said. "Wait here. I must find my family." Florian hoped they were all all right after the years he had been searching for the dragon.

They are not here..! He thought and searched the castle. Had his family been killed? No. It could not be true. He thought for some time, and he suddenly remembered the Royal Summer Residence far from the Capital. If he flew by Alduin's wings he would be there in no time.

"Here it is, Alduin. The old Summer residence." He looked pale for a second, remembering all of his enjoyable childhood memories just to be replaced by the thought of his family might being dead and carved into pieces just inside these bare stone walls.

"Watch guard." He said to his new friend, the two-winged dragon.

He heard someone singing in the backyard, and he went in that direction. It was his sister, Princess Beatrice! All grown up to be a teen and she was more than happy to see him. "So the rumors were true! Our King, my beloved older brother, have returned!" She was full of joy and gave him a long hug. Beatrice was almost just a girl back when he had left.

  
"Let me go get Father!" She said loudly and left her older brother by the entrance.

"Father! What happened? Have you been there for long?!" She was worried and helped her old father get back on his feet.

"I am just old, My Child. You are just as caring as your mother." He smiled and thought of Elmegaard for a while. He still had a lot he wished, that he could have done differently, and Evelyn was starting to get on his throat. "Florian is here, Father. He is really here!" She spoke out loud again, while she was letting her father lean on her shoulders for the short walk home.

"He is? What delightful news. Is the war over?" The Old King had not gotten any better at taking car of his royal duties, and the royal family had fled here while the South was slowly taking over Praaven.

Some hours later..

Florian quietly entered his father's room. He was not well, but he was old. It was only natural.

"My son. Where have you been all this time? Is the war really over? Did you really find a dragon?" His father asked Florian with sorrow and guilt in his eyes. He had not been able to do anything in his time as King.

"Yes, father. It is. And the dragon will protect us for the next centuries to come." Florian held his ill father's hand.

"I am so proud of you, my son. You are a much better King that I could have ever been." Tyrion said his goodbyes that night. It was time for him to let go. If he would ever find rest within his soul now wondering around between mortality and the world of the dead, would be a question I cannot answer.

Florian had always thought of his mom ever since she was murdered. He had also always been troubled by Evelyn and the fact that it all seemed to suspicious. He told her to grab her sleeping son at dawn, and meet him outside the residence. Time had not been kind to her aging face. She was no longer a true beauty as was the only thing his father ever saw.

"Evelyn. I know what happened with my mother. I will be kind to you, and not get your head cut off as you are the mother of my half brother. Leave this castle and give us peace. I will arrange a house for you in the countries. If you dare to say a word against this, I suggest you might speak a word with my dragon outside your home." Florian looked stiffed at her.

She finally agreed to his suggestion, knowing that this was the best she could get out of the situation. And Evelyn always wanted the best.

When that poor boy would wake up again, it would not be in his mothers arms but in a strange home long far from Praaven's boarders.