Chapter 4 Meeting

Marianna entered the throne room. Everyone bowed as she walked past them approaching her throne and sitting on it. One man stood. "I did not say you could rise," marianna said with a hint of anger. He immediately knelt back down.

"It seems over the past 20 years I have given you, my vassals, too much leeway," marianna said. "The fact that you dare call an emergency meeting For something so trivial..." "It is not trivial your majesty" a count spoke. "Did I say you could speak?" Marianna questioned. "From the moment the crown princess was born... even before I decided she would be my heir" Marianna told them. "Who do you suggest would make a better one than her?" Marianna asked.

No one said a word as they looked at each other. "Now you may speak,'' Marianna told them. "Perhaps the prince, he has the noble blood of a Duke in him after all" said another man. "Do you just believe the future monarch to be about blood?" She asked. "It is more than that, your majesty," said another man. "So I would hope," Marianna said. "After all, when it comes to blood, who better than the crown princess?" Marianna spoke. "That is correct your majesty" said the grand Duchess of Samona, Farah Venice. "She is the one who carries the most noble of blood on this continent with blood of every former kingdom except for 1" Farah said.

"She is not fit to rule" said the count. "She is fsr to immature and lacks...." "and what, pray tell do i lack?" Seraphina asked as she entered the throne room. The man went silent. "I suggest you answer her count Farious" marianna said. "You lack Nobility" he said. "Far from it dear count" Sera said. "If anything I practically sweat it" she told him.

"Who do you think..." the count said before being interrupted once again. "I AM SERAPHINA SENGRID CROWN PRINCESS AND FUTURE QUEEN OF THE UNITED EMPIRE" she said. "You are..." "I AM THE DRAGON'S DAUGHTER" she projected. "I Carry blood of Zera, I carry blood from Geria and I Carry blood from Angeria. You can doubt my Nobility all you wish, count Farious but you cannot doubt my blood" she told him.

"All we wish is for you to consider one of your other children as heir" said the viscount. "My heir is Seraphina and that is final. I will hear no more of this matter" marianna said simply. "Now leave," Marianna told them. Everyone quickly left and soon the only one left was a Duke from Angeria.

"Is there a reason you're still her Duke Saron?" Marianna asked. "There is your majesty," Duke saron said with a bow. "I wish to formally engage my Eldest son Reginald, with the Crown princess Seraphina" said the Duke. Seras' eyes went wide in shock. "She is of marriageable age now, your majesty," he added. "My children will only marry whom they wish, Duke saron. I will not force my children to marry if they do not wish it" marianna told them.

"My son is quite fond of the princess, your majesty," the Duke said. "My mother has already said how she feels about the matter, Duke saron... I will marry who I wish and it is as simple as that" Sera told him. "Neither my mother nor I care for the fondness your son holds for me" she continued.

"I believe it is time you leave as well, duke" Theo's voice rang from behind Sera. She quickly turned. Shocked to see him. "Yes your majesty" the Duke said before quickly leaving. It was obvious he was angry. "As your mother said, you may marry whomever you wish when you wish" Theo told his daughter.

Sera gave her father a slight nod before he gave marianna a look, and went on his way leaving the thorne room. "Your father loves you very much," Marianna said as she stood up from her throne. "Is that what you call love, mother?" Sera asked with a slight chuckle "your father cares for you very deeply my dear" marianna said as she walked to her daughter.

"What's wrong my sweet girl? I sense it's more than just your father?" Marianna. "I wish I was perfect, just as you are" Sera told her mother. "If I was you wouldn't have to go through something so trivial" Sera added.

"Seraphina you are my one true heir" marianna told her. "You are the one who I believe can change the world even more so then I" Marianna added "in fact I believe you're the one who will tame the world now that dragons roam it" she said. "You will be queen and I will make sure anyone who denies you of your birth right is killed by the dragons they so fear" she told her daughter.

Suddenly there was a knock on the throne room door. "Enter" my mother said, and her aide Salana who had become the grand duchess of Angeria entered. "I apologize for being late, your majesty, but it seems a.... problem... has occurred" Salana spoke as she entered the throne room and closed the door behind her.

"A problem?" Seraphina questioned as she looked back and forth between Salana and her mother. "Yes, one that your majesty has expected," Salana said. "And which, pray tell, was I correct about this time?" Marianna asked her dear friend.

"Well I suppose the best way to say this would be to spit it out so please excuse my crude words" Salana said. "There is a very large red dragon in the courtyard, your majesty and it appears to be very angry to the point it has begun to breath fire destroying the courtyard in the process" Salana told marianna and Seraphina.

"A large red dragon?" Sera said, looking at her mother. "Well what are we waiting for let us go see this dragon who has made its way here and destroyed part of out home" marianna said as she walked out of the throne room, and Seraphina and Salana followed.

TO BE CONTINUED