❤️ The Beginning And Zelina (1) ❤️
Princess Zelina hides herself away from the guards searching for her. She was hiding at the back of the most dangerous garden they have in the Dragon kingdom. She knew the guards won’t dare step into the garden because unlike for the Royals, they will get affected and get infested by maggots and will die a painful death dragon or not. So this was the safest place to hide as the flowers covered her very well even though she was sitting in a wheelchair made of wood.
Today was the day of her coronation. She didn’t want to be Queen of dragon’s, she just wanted to be Zelina.
A girl who is free to do whatever she wants. A girl who has the right to choose for herself. As a child, she had once told her mother she wanted to be a warrior, a strong dragon Warrior but her mother had rebuked her.
“You don’t say a thing like that Zelina. You’re a woman and women are raised to cook, clean and bore strong sons and meek daughters for their husbands.” her mother chided her. “Besides you can’t walk, you are the eldest and you ought to lead by example for your younger sisters. When you’re fully mature, your Prince will be waiting for you and you will ascend the throne.” she added.
Well, it wasn’t her fault that she was born with weak legs. Her father and mother had tried all they could do but to no avail. In fact this was the first time a dragon could be born with weak legs. Their mother had prayed to their gods but nothing happened. When her two younger sisters were born and they didn’t have weak legs like her, she was glad.
“Don’t allow your father to hear you speak that way. He will punish you.”
“Why don’t you give father a strong son? Why did you give birth to me and my sisters and no son’s? If my father wants a strong son, you should bear him more children.” Zelina told her.
Sighing sadly, Erica looked at her daughter, though not angrily.
“I have done everything that I could, I have prayed, offered sacrifices to the goddess of children and to our dragon gods to make me bear a son, just one son but none worked. You and your sisters are the only ones we have Zelina.” She told her.
“I don’t want to be a girl who cooks and mobs and bears children for their selfish husband. I want to be someone who is strong and mighty. Someone with powers,” Zelina said. “I want to be able to find a cure for my weak legs, I want to be able to walk, run and do other things with my legs and maybe then, I will consider marriage.” She added.
“Zelina…”
Her mother began but got Interrupted by Zelina.
“No, you all have given up on me. You and father only want me to grow up so that I can marry whoever you choose but I don’t want that. I want to be a warrior, a strong one when I grow up.”
“You know it’s not possible Zelina, for one you can’t walk like your two sisters making it very difficult for you to achieve your dreams.” The dragon Queen told her.
“But you wouldn’t say that to Adalinda. She wanted to practice archery and you and father supported her. What about Hydra, you both supported her when she wanted to join the court dancers; she’s even the lead dancer, but for me, Zelina, I’m too weak and not fit to join anything, just to grow up and get married and have children, no plans for me.”
“Don’t say that, Zelina. You know we have your interest at heart and we will not do anything to hurt you, trust us, we already have your future planned.” She told her daughter.
“I want to plan my future for myself, mother. I don’t need you or father’s help in doing that,” Zelina said in anger, breathing in and out. “Look at me, a dragon that is powerless, I have no power mother unlike my two sisters who are blessed with their own gifts. It’s unfair mother they get to choose who they want to be and I get to sit and obey you and father.”
“But look at it on the other hand, you are more prettier than your two sisters. You can’t walk nor do you have your dragon gift but you’re beautiful. And believe me you will grow up being the most beautiful woman ever to walk on earth. Zelina, don’t over think this much.” Her mother had patted her head gently and left her alone.
Thinking about that now, years later, Zelina sighs sadly. Apart from today being her coronation, she was to marry one of the elders in council son, as her father had arranged for her. True to her late mother’s words, she grew up to be the most beautiful woman. In fact, different people from various kingdoms had troop into her kingdom just to get a glimpse of her. And due to this she hides her face and only her eyes could be seen, she doesn’t want to be seen as only a beautiful woman but a strong one too.
“Oh, there you are,” Hydra’s voice sounded behind her, startling Zelina a bit who placed her hands on both sides of her wheels and turned it around to face her last sister. Her younger sister was beautiful. Red hair, dark eyes, curvy and tall, 5’8.
Rolling her eyes at Hydra. “I was doing a perfect job at hiding until you came. How do you know I will be here?” Zelina asked as Hydra covered the distance between them.
“Come on Sis, there is no where you can hide except here and you can’t run fast to be out of the palace, plus, you can’t sneak your way out.” Hydra answered and her eyes landed on the shield sword laying on Zelina’s lap, it was made of pure gold. “Who has that sword?” She asked.
“Mine.” Zelina answered with pride. The sword was the last gift her mother had made for her before she died in her sleep. She was pregnant with her fourth child and knew immediately it would be a boy, but a month to her delivery death, she died in her sleep. She has been hiding the sword until today, until now that Hydra had seen it.
After all her arguments and stubbornness with her mother, she agreed to teach her how to fight, at least to defend herself from people who might hurt her as she was crippled. It was a secret between her and her mother and no one knew about it, not even her father who could have locked her in her room forever if he came to know.
“Yours?” Hydra scoff. “You can’t be serious, do you even know how to hold or fight with a sword? I highly doubt that.”
Princess Zelina kept quiet. No one needs to know that even though her legs couldn’t agree with her anymore, her hands could with the sword.
“It’s mother’s last gift to me Hydra and it means so much to me, I can’t let it go so it’s mine.”
“Unless so,” Hydra said. “Father is angry at your disappearance, the coronation will start in a few minutes from now and you are missing.”
“Don’t tell father or anyone you saw me here please. I will stay here until nightfall.” Zelina said.
Rolling her eyes at Zelina. “Why are you scared of this coronation, you know you are the next Queen of the Dragons by birth and right,” Princess Hydra said.
“I’m not scared of being crowned the Queen, I just don’t want to get married to that guy my father chose for me. I don’t love him one bit nor did I feel any spark between us when we first met,” Zelina said and shrug a shoulder. “And he knows that, I don’t just understand why he would agree to marry me when he knows that I have no feelings for him.”
“Oh you know that you’re the most beautiful one amongst us and no one will ever say no to this pretty face of yours. Everyone adores you and he is glad that he gets to marry you.” Hydra told her. “You have to come for your coronation, do you know how my girls and I have trained for this day? Come on, I have broken my waist and legs and practiced hard for this day. I want my dance to be the talk of this kingdom. Don’t ruin my day too.”
“Don’t worry, you will get to perform for me, only me.”
“No way, I want the cheering, the clapping from our people and the other kingdoms when I finish showcasing my talent.” Hydra said shaking her head.
“The other kingdoms are here?” Zelina asked in surprise.
“Yes, the wolves, the Vampire’s everyone, are all here to witness your day. So this is the more reason you have to come outside from your hiding place and get married to your handsome husband. Father will be angry if you embarrass him today.” Hydra said.
“That’s why I am telling you not to tell father or anyone that you saw me here. I can bare father shouting but I don’t want to embarrass him the more when I reject his suitor for me, so please do not tell him.”
“Oh I will tell him. I will tell him where his precious daughter is hiding.” Her second sister, Adalinda, voice was heard. “I didn’t know you’re this scared.”
For unknown reason Adalinda just hated her but that didn’t concern her. Zelina has tried avoiding and staying off Adalinda path as soon as she was born before Hydra.
And behind her were her two wolf friends, Gurwolf and Barwolf who had a smug look on their faces.
“I’m not scared,” Zelina said, holding her sword as if it would give her protection from Adalinda. She had always wondered why Adalinda hated her when she was the one who ought to hate her. Adalinda was red-headed, like their mother- the only thing the three girls had in common, the red hair- she was the best archery in the kingdom. Once she aims at you, even if you are miles away from her, forget it, her arrow will touch you.
Adalinda has everything she had always wished for herself and still yet she doesn’t know why she hated her. Hydra didn’t hate her.
“Really? Then follow me to your coronation.” Adalinda said with her white teeth showing. “You’re not fit to be the Queen, I am. No handicap shall be my ruler. You should have died when you were born.”
“Adalinda, stop it. She’s our sister and she didn’t ask to be in this position.” Hydra defended Zelina.
“Whatever, I am going to report to father I saw you hiding here like a headless chicken that you are.” Adalinda said and without another word she turned and left the garden with her two friends.
“What are you going to do now? You know she will tell father.” Hydra said to her.
“I am going to do what I should have done instead of hiding.”
“And what could that be?” Hydra asked, smiling.
“I am going to make Adalinda the ruler as soon as father passes me his crown today.”
The smile on Hydra’s face froze.