Arranged Memories

“How did I end up putting myself in this predicament?” With the wind whistling past his ears, Everett began pondering about his situation. “‘Move the cattle out to the grazing pastures’ he says, ‘it’s a beautiful day’ he says. Blah blah blah blah blahhh,” he moved his hand in a mockingly puppet motion. At least that arm was free, meanwhile dangling from right arm wasn’t on his list of things to do today, let alone this high off the ground.

Luckily for him Lunala’s talons had only pierced into his leather jerkin’s sleeve, and not into his arm. He’s seen the great golden mustard she beast pick steers from off the ground like they were mere babes from a cradle, but he never knew that she could be this gentle. Alas, it was Lunala’s grip, that had him worried, it was her rider’s attention.

“Mum told dad from the very beginning, ‘don’t get involved with the upper crust. Who knows what they might expect from us next.’ Well, I guess it certainly couldn’t be this.” Feeling his arm getting sore, he yelled, “Damara! Lunala’s got a great grip, but my shoulder socket not so much! Care to help me out, please?!”

Just like that, with a pat on the back, Lunala began to fly upwards. Releasing her grip, she flung Everett into the air whilst she performed a mid-flight summer sault. As he tumbled like a rag doll, as he fell back down, the dragon opened up her leathery wings and caught him with near pin-point accuracy upon her back.

“Damara, so what gives me the pleasure of you unexpectedly holding me hostage for today?” She remained quiet, her face steadfast into the wind, as her curls were pushed back, being combed by its wispy fingers. “Best to wait for her to answer instead of pressing things.”

As he waited on her response, he took this moment of silence to make himself more comfortable. Sitting right behind her on the saddle he wrapped his arms around her waist for her comfort and his.

“Sorry, there aren’t any buckles for you.”

“It’s alright. I assumed that you weren’t expecting to pick me up today, especially with the way you snatched me off my horse.”

“Yeah, it’s just that- it’s just,” her words were caught in her throat. She had to stop herself from nearly bawling. “I wasn’t expecting this kind of news today, nor any other day.”

“Uh oh.” He wrapped his arms a little tighter. “Looks like I’m in for the long-haul now.”

Damara continued, “I just thought that, like in all the stories and songs that they taught me and made memorize and sing, that- that- that at least I’d have a choice.” Tears started streaming down her face.

“A choice for what?”

“MARRIAGE!” The word broke out of her throat like a bat out of hell and was sent piercing into the sky. Her distress at the thought had even made Lunala uneasy. Normally when Damara was sad or angry, there was always a foe for her to find and destroy. Yet, without one in sight, the great golden beast was confused. So, in frustration for her rider, Lunala spewed a breath of golden fire unto the tallest, nearby, tree. Roaring as she flew away, she was still distressed at Damara’s crying.

Figuring that this would have had to happen eventually, Everett asked, “You’re getting married? To whom?”

“To my third cousin, Branton.”

“Ah shit.” He facepalmed, “Of course it’d be him.”

Though Everett, was a common run-of-the-mill stable boy who raised cattle and horses alike, word of all the great house rulers and their descendants was mandatory learning in their households, especially as a sign of respect. However, the name ‘Branton’ struck a chord in him.

It was less than seven moons ago that while squandering a rebellion, did Branton save Everett’s life (even if it was unintended). With his horse stricken out from underneath of him and its body collapsed atop of his, Everett was face-to-face with a marauding sellsword. Just as the man’s dagger was mere inches from his face, Everett was saved. With a quick bite to the head, Branton’s dragon had ended the sellsword’s life instantly, only to turn around setting the nearby tavern ablaze. Rebels poured out of the fire like salamanders would from burning logs.

Whether it was sword fighting, bare knuckle brawling, or wooing women, Everett knew that he was completely outmatched when it came to Damara’s third cousin.

“Tell me, Damara,” he began, “is he not a valiant fighter?”

“He is.”

“So then, what’s wrong with marrying a man that knows how to properly swing a sword.”

“It’s because his sword improperly finds a new sheathe Every. Single Night!” He could taste the venom in her words. “I’m meant to be pure and chaste, and yet he’s out there searching for meat at every chance he gets!”

“Now, now…” Everett knew that he couldn’t defuse this situation no matter what he said, nevertheless, he had to try, “most of those women have as much, if not less freedom than you do. Besides, it’s not like he’s forcing them to, is he?”

“No… but it’s just that I thought that a man was supposed to be faithful and loyal to his potential wife, as she is to him. All because I got a wall of flesh in between my legs, and he doesn’t have one for his means that he can get away with it. I’m not allowed to be despoiled, but he’s allowed to despoil every other woman out there for every other potential marriage.”

“I guess when you put it like that it makes sense.”

“Here I am, and because of our lineage, I bear the brunt of keeping the family bloodlines from being disgraced, and yet he’s out there bringing shame unto our household every single day.”

“Well, those women, just like Brenton, must face their past commitments for the rest of their lives. Every man must, too. We are all judged for the actions we have committed. Yet, it is our actions combined with our words that we are judged by. The promises that we make, and the ones that we fail to do. For those who are not congruent with themselves cannot be congruent with others.”

Damara wiped her tears, “Everett, have you ever loved a woman before?”

“Yes,” silence filled the air before he spoke again, “I’ve loved you.”

“Have you ever made love to a woman before?”

“Uhhh…” He was caught, and he knew that if he lied now, he’d be paying hell for it later. His hesitation already giving him away, he had to be forthright with her, “I have.”

Damara’s tone shifted to that of anger again, “Why? Why would you make love to a woman that you do not love?”

“My spirit was strong, but my flesh was weak. Besides, I knew that I could never be yours and that you could never be mine.”

“Is that all, or are you hiding something else from me?”

“Well, uh- after the battle on Creek’s Bay, your cousin, Branton, rounded up all the surviving knights. For a job well done in assisting the squashing of the rebellion, he led us all to a brothel. He paid for the drinks and food, but also the women.”

“You mean to tell me that you didn’t refuse her advances?” Kicking her legs into the stirrups, Lunala started to climb again, as she began to fly upside down.

“Damara! Please! Wait! I know that sounds like an excuse, but I couldn’t refuse your cousin’s gift! After saving my life and being so generous to the rest of the knights and me, if I were to refuse his offer it might’ve spelled treason for me and certain death! Had I not have taken a woman in the bed, I would’ve had a sword in the belly, and that means that I wouldn’t be here now to console you!”

Patting her dragon again, they flew level and steadfast. Breathing a sigh of relief, Everett was lucky that she stopped three-fourths of the way through. Though he may have had a tight grip around her waist, he knew that eventually he would’ve plummeted.

“I’m sorry, Damara. It’s just that,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “I know that I can’t have you. I’m lowborn, and you’re not. Much is expected of you, but not from me. Hell, most women and men don’t even get to choose who they get to love. Most of us get arranged marriages, just like you. It’s how my mother and father were married, and their parents before them, and so on and so forth. Believe it or not, my parents have been looking to arrange my marriage for years now. They’ve just been waiting for me to earn enough shekels so that I become a good enough prospect to earn a decent dowery.”

Sighing dismally, Damara answered, “If we could never marry each other, why did my dad make us accompany one another then?”

“It a highborn’s duty to be well acquainted with the common folk. A ruler is only as great at the people one’s ruling over. Just look down there,” he pointed to a small village. “Those people there are going to speak of and remember the times that Damara Aureum rode here upon her dragon just to make sure that they were in good spirits. Kingdoms are made of people, and it’s the king’s and queen’s responsibility to not just establish authority, but to learn about the authority that they need to use and for whom.”

“I guess you’re right.” She huffed, “still, I wish that we could be together. I was always told that having too many dragons is just as dangerous as having too few. I just wish that you and I could live somewhere far away living in a little wooden cottage to ourselves, with Lunala bringing us a deer or sheep every other day.”

“We would go fishing, berry picking, and make our own clothes. You learned how to make textiles, didn’t you?”

“Guilty as charged. Sadly, such is not the life for me.” Thinking back to what Everett had told her about his night in the brothel, she asked, “Everett, did you ever go to a brothel again, or did you take your pleasure from some other girl?”

“Uhhh… to be honest. Yes, I did. Since then, I visited a brothel once a moon and the milkman’s daughter from across the valley spied me while I took a dip in the stream.”

Damara growled again, and at the slightest tap of her feet, Lunala started to slowly fly upside down.

“ONLY BEcause I was frustrated that I could not have been with you.”

“So, this is your reasoning for despoiling other women?”

“The women of the brothel have been long despoiled before me.”

“And what of the milkman’s daughter?”

“Remember, Damara, she had a choice to play in it as well, as equally important as mine was. Besides, I was not planning on being found to have been bathing in the stream by her. At first, I was rather embarrassed.”

Damara laughed, “You never got embarrassed with me when we played in the streams as kids.”

“Yes, but back then we were kids. There was no carnal knowledge nor inquisition. We just chased minnows and crayfish around.”

“Tell me, have you grown since then?”

He sensed her playful aura, “I would as much, if not even more than you where you are concerned?”

“Oh, is that so?”

“If you’re that intrigued, why not find out for yourself? Then again, I’d rather leave my growth in its rightful place and not potentially have Branton come after my sword with his own.”

“Oh puh-leaze. Branton’s more likely to feed you to Geriflax than risk embarrassment in a sword fight. Besides, if only. Tell me, did you enjoy your time with those women?”

“Only as much as I could enjoy it. Nevertheless, I still wished that it was you within my arms and not them, even though they were beautiful as well.”

“Well, I was told that there’s many a way that a man and a woman can love each other. Yet, I don’t know how. I was always taught that a child must be the result of their lovemaking.”

Everett scoffed, “You must not take credence to that of the lessons of the pious. Most of them are hypocrites. You have no idea how many times I’ve seen friars, and a few nuns, at the cat houses. There are many ways, including those that would leave you undespoiled for your wedding night.”

“How do you know?”

“Well, let’s just say that I learned a few things from the times I made my own visits.” Slipping a hand on the inside of her thigh beneath her skirt, as one went beneath her bodice, he asked, “May I?”

Trembling at first, she calmed her nerves. Knowing that this might be the last time she’d ever visit her childhood friend, she wanted to make and to savor as many memories whilst she still could.

Wanting to enter cross the final boundary of intimacy on her own accord, with a firm resolve, she said, “Yes.”

***

“They say that day in sky

The princess let out a great cry

Tears streamed from her face

She made no mistake

That she fell in love with this guy.

*

When she married the prince

He made her wince

Kept up through the night

With sounds of delight

For he had tasted her quince

*

The king, the seeds that he sewed

The fields he went to and ploughed

The fruit that he made

With many a maid

False heirs to the kingdom do grow

*

The queen, a woman so loyal

The king caused so much turmoil

Many heirs have been born

Though the queen was quite scorned

Thus, is the life of the royals

*

The queen flew o’er the lands

From forests to the great sands

Her friend, he was gone

We sing this sad song

She craves the touch of his hands

“Gods be damned, why am I thinking of that blasted song now,” Gennady thought. “I had that jestering minstrel’s tongue severed from his mouth and forced him to eat it after roasting it on an open flame for daring to sing that at my royal court. The nerve of that fool for daring to call my grandmother loyal with her body, but never with her heart.”

“Gennady,” he looked down as he heard the small voice from below him, “where are we going now?”

“We’re headed to the Champlain Sea, Celeste. The water dragon tribe there has the best ale in the world. Its even said to have healing properties. Though we control the air with our dragons, all of the waters and below the surf are part of their domain.”

“They’re said to be rich in gold and pearls, right?”

“And their water dragons are said to lay eggs whose shells contain nickel and silver.”

“Ooo! I can’t wait to get there. Will there be any kids my age to play with once we arrive?”

“Yeah, I was told that there’s a little princeling who was just born a few months ahead of you. He even has his own water mount too. Who knows you may find some river pearls with him.”

“I can’t wait!” Her voice turned somber, “Hey, big brother?”

“Yeah,” he looked down at his little sister.

“Why doesn’t mom love me?”

“Don’t you worry about her. Mom never really loved me either.”

“But why?”

“Well, she just never really liked kids. I was told that even when growing up that she never really had friends unless they were grown-ups. Eventually as she grew so did her friend circle.”

“But why have kids if she hates kids?”

“Family duty. Having children is the oldest family tradition. Some people choose not to continue it for their families, meanwhile other people take up the torch for them, making sure to have enough family for the rest of them.”

“So, is that why you sometimes called grandma ‘mom?’”

“Well, grandma did raise my siblings and I better than mom ever did. As a matter of fact, grandma knocked mom down a peg or two. When I was born, mom was going to get me a wet nurse, but grandma told her ‘You disgrace our bloodline by treating your own children as inferior.’ Truth be told, grandma had another son at the same time I was born.”

“She wasn’t done having kids yet?”

“Yep, Grandpa Branton was an amorous man. Wouldn’t surprise me if half the kingdom were our uncles and aunts.”

“Half uncles and aunts,” Celeste corrected him, laughing.

“You're right, half uncles and aunts.” he rolled his eyes at her sassy little remark. “Believe it or not, though mom begrudgingly nursed me, Grandma Damara did so as well. She says that’s the reason why Uncle Frederick and I get along so well.”

“Then who fed me as a babe?”

“Well, mom complained that she was too old. Luckily for me, I had a daughter around the same time you were born. So, my wife, Ritza, nursed you both.”

“Dinara and I aren’t sisters, but we’re like sisters, right?”

“Truth be told, lil’ sis, I always raised you like my own daughter. Sometimes it’s hard for me to separate you and Dinara apart.”

“So, why’d you leave her and Ritza at home in Lambton?”

“They say that ‘a wise man does not carry all of his treasures in the same coin purse.’ You are all precious to me. Hence why I must protect you so, lest thieves plunder me all at once, taking my most valued treasures away.” He tickled her and she let out a loud giggle. “Hey! Look down there, Celeste! It’s a man with his house built atop the back of a water dragon!”

“The Champlain Sea! May we go say hi?!”

“Sure thing! Lumos! Descend!”

Guiding the black dragon towards the blue leviathan, Gennady spoke, “Pardon me, sir! Is this the Champlain Sea?!”

The man nodded, his beard of salt and pepper moving up and down along with the waves.

“I am Gennady! Are you the royal that I should be seeing?!”

The man nodded again.

“May I have your name?!”

“EVERETT!”