All Chapters of My little Dragon Queen: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Alcina is sent to the Western Plains, the territory of House Warner, by herself. With a royal retinue, of course, and no less than ten carriages in which her attendants, belongings, and dowry are to be carried. Dowry - given that no one in this arrangement, neither the Clair's nor the Warner's, is unaware of the fact that House Clair needs the alliance more than House Warner.  Her parents will not be traveling with her, of course. She came alone to this unfamiliar place filled with foreign people. Her heart shakes with fear but she has no other option. Neither Alfred nor Nordin could come, given that they are too tied up in matters at home, which they will be forced to oversee for another two weeks. Once settled, they plan to travel to the Western Plains immediately to join Alcina, but until then, Alcina is to navigate the beast’s lair alone. When Alcina boards the carriage, hands trembling, how silly, she’s a day’s ride away from

Alcina follows Brendan into the maze.Brendan cannot tell if it is foolishness or naivete that compels her to do so, given that anyone with half a brain would have not followed a man they compare to nightmares incarnate, into a labyrinth of which they know nothing about. It’s half the reason Breandan had headed in this direction, to begin with, having grown weary already of having to make pleasantries that he has no desire to make.He had hoped the girl would have enough of a sense of self-preservation, to run away when Brendan gave her the chance.Instead, the little lamb stumbles in after the lion into his den.Though his back is turned, Brendan can hear with perfect clarity, the soft footfalls that come to a petering, hesitant stop a few paces away from him. Too frightened to come any closer, then, he surmises. He spins on his heel.Alcina stumbles back a few steps, alarmed by the sudden movement. 

Alcina cannot help but lock the door that night. * * * * * * * * * * The next morning, Alcina is greeted first thing by Mary, a bright-eyed fourteen-year-old girl, who is to be her primary attendant from House Warner. She is young but endearingly eager in her youth and clearly skilled in her tasks. Alcina, for one, finds a small measure of relief in the fact that her personal attendant is such a courteous lass; she much prefers Mary’s ruddy-cheeked vivacity, to an older and somber one. “I am most honored to be serving you, my Lady,” Mary says.  Alcina manages, despite the circumstances, to muster up a smile for her.  She sits at the vanity while Mary gently brushes her hair, deft and nimble hands working quickly to arrange her locks into a presentable appearance. Alcina allows herself to be lulled into a moment of rest, as Mary’s babble - about the weather, and other such foolish things - provides a pleasant backgroun

Alcina's lips part in surprise. “The nomadic tribes, as it turns out, were more like a scattered - but numerous - group of companion settlements of horse-mounted warriors who were unnaturally skilled at the battle. In fact, many of our military’s leaders were killed in that conflict.” Brendan gazes off to the side, in Lincoln's direction. “Commander Lincoln, a low-ranking officer at the time, came into a leadership position of his own regiment.” “He won every single battle.” Alcina's gaze, wide-eyed and disbelieving, joins Brendan's on Lincoln's figure where he stands at the head of the training.  “At eighteen, he managed to single-handedly turn the tides of a losing battle. Every brawl, every charge he led his regiment into, he emerged victoriously.” Brendan's lips twist into an amused little curve, as they come to a slow stop just a few feet behind Lincoln. “Lincoln is not known to possess a Gift, no.” Brendan's eyes fli

In the days following, Alcina tries to catch a moment alone with Lord Brendan to properly thank him for the books but finds the man’s presence to be difficult to find, you can as well describe him as almost nonexistent. She searched for the man in Library, at the battlegrounds, even in the Maze where she spent a minimum of time alone with the man, but it was like he has vanished into thin air.She doesn't even catch in during the night. When it's time for sleep, he is already in his side of the room, with a closed door.And Alcina still doesn't dare to enter the monster’s lair all alone in the darkness of this deadly night. Who knows what might be waiting for her at the other side of the room. So meeting Lord Brendan in his lair is out of choice.The only times she ever sees him are the spare few dinners they have together, forcibly ordered to by Alpha Warner, whose overwhelmingly jovial presence at dinner looms over any and all possibil