Ileus: The Dark Prince

Dawn's mouth fell open as she watched Quetz bowing to Anastasia. She touched her parted lips as a shaky breath left her. She gave an incredulous, dazed look to the scene in front of her. Her arrogant, mighty and rare dragon bowed to Anastasia? 

Ileus and Daryn… gasped. Ileus jerked his head back for a moment when Quetz rose and then gently touched Anastasia's raised hand. 

'Please tell her that 'Oh, ancient one, Quetz is honored to meet you',' said Quetz. 'Thank you Dawn for being my rider. Because of you, I have met the deity, the goddess.' He closed his eyes and let Anastasia feel him for as long as she wanted. 'Also tell her that her violet eyes with silvery sparks are the most wonderful I have ever witnessed. She should hide them from Loreans, else they will know who she is and capture her.' 

Dawn was shaken to the core. She never expected that Quetz was seeing her violet eyes whilst everyone else only saw her blue irises. She conveyed it all to Anastasia. 

Her lips tugged up and a pale blush crept on her cheeks. "I am not a goddess, Quetz. And I am honored to meet you too." 

'Your wish is my command, ancient one. I would have laid my life at your feet had my rider not been pregnant.' Quetz said. 

Dawn laughed. A sting of jealousy touched her heart. 'I thought you would never leave me.' 

'I wouldn't dare to Dawn. We are connected at a level no one can comprehend.' He looked at her and nuzzled into her face and neck. When she was pacified he said, 'However she is a goddess and every Lorean will promise his fealty, his life to her.' Then he said, 'Where is the Evindal sword?'

Dawn pursed her lips. Her face glowed and she turned to look at Anastasia. "Show us your sword." 

Anastasia pulled it out of her sheath and held it high in the air for Quetz to see it. 

'Ah! Such a marvelous thing,' Quetz remarked. 'There are only two in the Lore. The first one belongs to Haldir. I think Theodir gave it to her as a parting gift. He wouldn't have given it to anyone else.' 

'That's true,' Dawn said while looking at the sword that shone brilliantly in the sky. The ancient inscriptions on it appeared like a caress and drifted away. 'But how do you know that Theodir gave it to her?' 

'Only the elf king will allow something like that to pass through his kingdom. You can't steal it.' 

'I see…' Dawn couldn't help agreeing that her dragon was too knowledgeable. She was proud of him. 'We have come here to request you to forge it. Can you?'

'With pleasure,' said Quetz. 

'Ask the goddess to leave the hilt of the sword and let it fall to the ground. All of you should walk away from it when I breathe fire on it.' 

When Anastasia left the hilt, she expected it to fall, but was stunned to see that the sword stayed in the air, dangling on its own, under the fixed stare of Quetz. 

All of them walked away to a safe distance. 

"There is something I am worried about," Daryn said as they were walking. "I don't want to attract undue attention."

Ileus looked at him with alarm. The two of them raised their hands up in the air and chanted spells to create a thick invisibility layer around them. 

Quetz looked at the sword as it dangled in the air. His chest rumbled and a roar emanated when he opened his mouth to breathe air. The sword burned and became red hot in the fire as it swirled inside it. When Quetz closed his mouth, the sword fell on the ground, it's blade still glowing.

They walked up to him. When Anastasia picked up the sword, it had already cooled down. 

'Tell the deity that no one other than her can wield this sword now, for if anyone else does, it will reveal evil powers so immense that the Lore will get affected.' 

Dawn conveyed the message to Anastasia. 

Anastasia inserted the sword back in its sheath and said, "Thank you Quetz. I assure you that no one else will use this sword other than me." 

Quetz bowed once again to her and Anastasia patted him on his head. 

When they walked out of the portal that Daryn had created for all of them, Anastasia could feel Quetz gaze on her all the time. "You are very lucky Dawn," she murmured. 

Their group was waiting for them in the courtyard. 

They were loaded, saddled and were on their way to step into yet another portal that would take them nearest to the path that led to the Tides of Bromval. The sun had ascended in the sky. Usually Ileus used to travel much behind his contingent, but this time it was different. With the wagon along, they had to travel through the path that was raided by bandits frequently. Since the wagon was loaded with supplies, gold coins and clothes and he had to protect his wife, he decided to ride in the center surrounded by all others. Ileus was well armored and just before they entered the portal, he helped Anastasia buckle up one of the breastplates that Daryn and Dawn had given. 

"Won't you be surrounding us with an invisibility spell?" she asked. 

"I can't," he replied with a scowl. "It is a very busy trade path with a lot of traffic. There are laws against using any kind of magic." 

She looked at her breastplate. "Is the route so dangerous?" 

Ileus buckled her up tightly and said, "Yes, it is. There are many traders who are returning home with a large amount of wealth. They are ripe for robbery." He made her wear a cloak over the breastplate and buttoned it. 

He helped her to mount Lovac. Then he looked at her and said, "Don't worry, sweetheart. The bandits wouldn't attack us so fast and they would think two times before even touching us. It's not easy to mess with us and we are heavily armed." He looked behind at his group who was actually heavily armed. While most had swords, Darla also had arrows in her quiver. Her bow slung across her chest. "They will recognize us as vokudlaks and Mozias." 

"In that case don't you think Aed Ruad's men may attack us?" she asked. "They might recognize me…" 

"That is why I have made you wear the cloak. Besides, I highly doubt that they would have brains to believe that we are going towards Tides of Bromval. I mean why would they?" When she chewed her lips, his brows drew together. He said, "Did you mention this plan to Nyles?" 

"I did," she replied, feeling miserable and awkward. 

They stepped into the portal and when they stepped out, they were on a wide road. "This is where we start the journey to Tides of Bromval," said Ileus as he nudged Lovac to move forward. Creaks of the wagon wheels and horse hooves clopping on the dirt road could be heard. She could hear the rustle and occasional noise of the animals from the forest that lined both sides of the road.