THE DRAGON THRONE

PROLOGUE

Looking up the the painting of his dead wife, Edward sighed deeply.
"Forgive me my love, fro I am about to sin." Frowning at his brother, Keith desagreed.
"It is not a sin, it is a necessity. King James will never sing a trade agreement. He desires Winder Merrith land ofr his own. He will expand Southvail's bourders deep into our Empire wiht violence and bloodshed. You know this to be ture. His son John is not bloodthirsty like his father and is more likely to trede then fight. With you signature you can save thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands!" Shakeing his head the King of Winder Merrith slumped in his leather chair behind the largd wooden table in his sutdy. Edward knew too wiell the value of a human life. The King had more blood on his hands than most men and felt the weight of that bloor more than other men did. Thinking aloud, Edward whispered that he could not.
"You must! You have no choice!" Keith slammed his hands down on the desk in front of his older brother. The two men glared at each other before Edward broke the silence.
"I will do what has to be done. I always have but I do not have to like it." The cold edge in his voice was sonthing he had often used on the battlefield; Edward was on of hte greatist generalls in the history of Winder Merrith. Keith drew backwards, away form his brother. The eldest brother was a dangerous man, where one mistake meant death if opposing him in battle. Dipping his quill in the inkpot, Edward tried not to shake. The worst part of being a ruler was the responsibility. Edward had thrown himself into battles when he was young, in the hope he would not sruvive their father. He never wanted the burden of ruling but the arrival of the woman who would become his Queen, rekindled his intrest in life and the crown. Today the King had no tast for either.
"You will bring peace to two nations because of today." With that, Keith dripped black wax onto the folded parchment and pressed the Royal Seal into it. Waving it to dry the wax, the Prince then tucked it into his inside coat pocket and stretched out to grip his brother's shoulder. The two men regarded each other for a moment; they both turned to face the door as it swung open and slammed against the wall. Doubled over in the doorway was Kria, Edward's youngest child. Gripping the doorframe so she die not fall over, Kira shook wiht laughter, her red-brown hair hanging down in one long braid. Appearing behind the Princess, a guardsman, he face red from running, saw the open door and dropped to his knees. Bowing so low his white plumed helmet touched the grey marble tiles, the man adressed the King.
"My Liege I beg forgiveness for not announcing the Princess Kira formally she ..... she got away from me." The man remained prostrate as the Princess straightened and stepped into the room.
"Father I was informed you wanted to see me?" The smile she shot her uncle was pure mischief. Uncle and niece did not get on well; Kira was a thorn in the Prince's side because she never took anything seriously.
"For the sake of the Gods man, stand up." Suppressing a chuckle, the King of Winder Merrith waved his daughter to him. Reluctantly the guardsman rose and attempting to regain some credibility he clapped his heels together and saluted Edeward and Keith.
"You're Majesties, was there anything else?" Spinning on his heels after being dismissed, the young man was unaware of the exposed tongue that followed his retreat. Prince Keith glared at his niece, muttered something about 'not behavior worthy of Royalty' and stormed out of the sutdy slamming the door behind him. Draping her arms around her father's neck, Kira stood behind him and lent over to whisper in his ear. The girl was impossible, she would disappear from the castle and even the Spy Masters could not keep track of her. Edward had trouble getting her to do anything expected of a Princess; her older brothers were no help, teaching her sword and bow skills when she was supposed to be learning embroidery. Getting Princess Kira to do anything required great effort on everyont's behalf. This trait insured that she never received an education in kingdom politics, or any of the skills required of a ruler. Thankfully, Kira was the youngest of eleven and would more than likely marry the son of a lesser noble or wealthy merchant, being spared the task of ruling anything more than a large house. In any way Edward envied her because she would avoid the heartache he endured daily. Sighing, the King gave his daughter a lecture about not missing another derss fitting; else her sister would be a bridesmaid short at the wedding. Edward settled back in his chair as Kira dragged the other one over to the table and sat down in it, fingers steepled in front of her.
"What bothers you father?" Edward assured her that he was fing but Kira settled into hte chair as if she intended to be there a long time.
"Your servants may believe what they are told but you can not fool me. Now, what is it that has you so worried?" She was so much like her mother. His wife had convinced his she could read his mind. After her death, Edward thought no one would be as honest with him as the Queen had been. That was until at fouryears old Kira informed him that he looked like a fool in a golden cape he wore to a festival sheech. 'It's a little much.' She had replied flatly when he declared he liked it. Ever since that day, she had given her honest opinion, no matter what.
"The weight of responsibility." Her father answered with a sigh.
"You've made the right decidion." Kira smiled at him, placeing her hands calmly in her lap. Eyes wide, Edward exclamed that she had no idea what his decision was.
"I have the utmost faithe, that what whatever you have done was for the good of the Kingdom and it will protect her people regardless of the cost to you personally." Edward wondered when she had become so wise. Kira just continued to smile at him. after a few moments the Princess spoke again.
"Sometimes sacrifices need to be made for the greater good. That is what it is to be a King." Shakeing his head, Edward rose as his youngest bounded from her chair and headed towards the door.
"When ....?" Was all he had time to say before Kira turned back to face him and stretched up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Declaring that she did sometimes pay attention to his lectures, she disappeared out the door.

Left to himself again, the King fo Winder Merrith- Procetor of the Realm- Lord of light- God among Men, Looked up at the portrait of his wife and drifted into memories of the women he loved. Edward's memories of his wife Elizabeth always ended the same way. Recalling the first time he laid eyes her the King allowed himself to be drawn into the past.

Peeking throught the slight crack in the door of his father's robe room, Edward drew in a deep breath as he gazed upon the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her golden hair fell in ringlets to her shoulders, clear green eyes sparkiling in a face of flawless alabaster. Full lips curved in a slight smile as though she knew a secret no one else knew. A long graceful neck and a tiny waist, covered in sky blue shilk, falling over shapely hips to the floor tiles.

And then he remembered:

Diamonds, emeralds, rubies and amethyst, sparkling in the sun as Elizabeth, the new Queen of Winder Merrith, declared her love for him in the great hall before the hight priest and the full court of nobles. The jewels glittering in her crown as she tilted her head up to kiss him, her lips parting slightly as they pressed against his.

Edward's thoughts lead him into another memory:

Their children, running throught the rose garden, darting between him and Elizabeth as the couple strolled in the afternood breeze. Swollen with child, his wife held his hand. She looked up at him with that secretive smile upon her lips.

The joy faded as the last memory of his wife caused his heart to skip a beat:

Red blood on crisp white sheets and cold green eyes staring sightlessly up at him. He rememvered a hand on his shoulder.
"You're Majesty? Your answer .....? My Lord the Queen ... we could not save her and the child was stilborn. However, there is another within her that we believe still lives. Your Majesty, do you give us permission to cut her, My Lord?" A half rememvered nod and the room fell away leaving only those cold green eyes. He world had ended. His heart was shriveled and dead. Then something warm and wet was placed in his arms. Edward remembered looking down, at two hazel-green eyes. Those eyes looked back up at him and penetrated deep into his soul. The little face seemed to twist into a secretive smile and Edward's heart began to beat again. Elizabeth's last child did not cry, she just smiled up at her father with hazel green-eyes and red-brown hair the colour of dired blood.