13 CURSE DEFLECTED

I sent the boy ahead to get something to eat. I needed some time alone with a certain god. Look inside myself when in doubt? I would tear my heart out if I couldn't find him. I was so mad! This was supposed to be the end. The prophecy said, "Find the god and you'll save the clan." Finding the god seemed to have done the exact opposite.

"My lord, I am in doubt. And you better come out now or I'll trap you in a prison worse than the one you were stuck in all this while," I said, enraged.

"Mind your tongue, little one. I cannot keep reminding you of my celestial status," he appeared in front of me just like before.

"You said the curse was lifted, then why are my people dying?"

"I guess I need to come clean of certain things first," he said in his raspy voice.

"What have you done, you old sod?" I asked, running my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"The legends are a little untrue. Hecate did not cause you all to lose your dragon forms. It happened merely because I lost a bet and got captured. All the dragons derive their powers from my immortal essence. Since I was bound, naturally none of you could shift and became weak," he said.

"You lied?" I asked, baffled.

"Merely concealed the truth-"

"You should be glad you don't have a physical form, grandpa. I would have wrung your neck otherwise," I said, mad beyond words. My entire life I had despised Hecate for our troubles while she had had nothing to do with it. "So Hecate did not curse us?"

"Oh no! She definitely did. All those years ago, your ancestor was foolish enough to murder Seon Uchigi. He was not only her champion but also the son she had with a mortal. Angered, she placed a curse on the Dragomir bloodline. The curse of early death and a single heir per generation."

"If that curse was lifted when I merged with your essence, what the heck is happening to my clan?" I asked, impatient.

"Well, let's just say Hecate did not take kindly to you escaping her punishment. So the curse got deflected to every other dragon in your clan. Those who have lived past the age of twenty-five will be the first ones to go," he said, calmly. His essence shimmered under the pale moonlight.

Past twenty-five? That included dad.

"Why didn't you tell me this before? It wouldn't have made a difference if you had been straight with me. I would have still found you as that's what was prophesied," I said, feeling betrayed and hurt.

"Ask yourself, Meredith. If you knew that the curse on your life had nothing to do with me and you had merely two years left to live, would you have dedicated yourself to finding me or to finding a cure to your curse?" he asked, softly.

"Of course-"

"I have known you all your life, child. I have watched you grow up. For you, your need to survive has always been greater than your need to protect your clan..."

"That's a stupid notion," I said, kicking my foot. I was mad at him for even thinking something like that. "Yes, I have been terrified of death and I have tried my best to lift the curse for myself. But it was not all for selfish reasons. If I were to die, what about the bloodline? There would be no one to complete the quest. The people would lose hope-"

"Oh, child. The people don't live because of you. You rule over them, guide them, help them. But you aren't their reason and purpose for life. If you were gone, they would be aimless for a few years before a new leader would emerge and they would continue to live as humans. Not becoming their former selves wouldn't kill them. You always knew this too, didn't you?" he asked me and I felt like he was diving deep into my heart and tearing out secrets about myself that even I didn't know. Or maybe I did but didn't want to accept them.

Feeling defeated, I collapsed onto my knees.

"But all's well now, isn't it? You are free from the curse as well as the responsibility that has burdened you all your life. If there are no dragons, you won't have to worry anymore about ruling over them. I know you have always felt like a slave instead of a queen. Even though it wasn't my intention, I ended up helping you get what you have always wanted, freedom from your curse and from your people."

His voice seemed closer to me while his essence remained where it was. His words stung although they were meant to comfort me. Everything he said seemed to reflect my unspoken words. Had I always been so selfish?

"Shouldn't you be happy? You aren't dying anymore," he said and it was the final blow.

I began weeping uncontrollably. "But everyone else is!" I cried out. "They are all dying, even dad..."

I wailed loudly for quite a while. My voice echoed through the woods of the campus. Anyone who heard me would believe a banshee had visited them. After a while, when I calmed down a little, Lord Dragomitus said softly, "Do you want to see them?"

"Please," I whispered with a nod, too tired to say anything else.

In a flash I was soaring above the Riu valley in my dragon form. The god flew beside me. Below in the town square, a dozen white sheets were laid out. Curious, I dove closer and was stunned. They were the covers laid on the bodies of the dead. Their families wept beside them, looking weak themselves. A single tear escaped my eye. I was the cause of their plight. I had always considered myself as their saviour. The Dragomir who would bring back the glory of the dragons. I had sentenced them to ruin instead.

The god flew ahead of me towards the mansion. I followed him with a heavy heart. I got down in front of the gates and changed into my human form. As soon as the guards and servants noticed me, they bowed down and cried out for me. Many of them looked worn out as if they had aged a decade in a single day. I returned their greeting and rushed in. The old maid tried to get up when she saw me. I signalled for her to be seated knowing that she must have been in a lot of pain.

I entered dad's chamber. The first thing I heard was a fit of cough. He was lying on the bed looking extremely frail. His face was marred by wrinkles, His blond hair had taken a silver tint. He seemed to have lost a tonne of weight. A young boy placed a cooling cloth on his forehead.

"Dad," I said, my voice cracking.

He looked at me and smiled weakly. He beckoned to me and I sat myself down on the bed. Lord Dragomitus stood beside me, but no one seemed to notice him. Dad gestured for the boy to leave and once he did, he got up with much difficulty and hugged me. I tried my best to look strong, but when I saw his once sharp blue eyes look at me dimly, I lost it. I hugged him back and wept like a little girl. We had shared many moments such as this when my mom was still alive.

"I'm sorry," I said, sobbing. "I'm sorry for resenting you all these years. It was not your fault. I'm sorry..."

Dad caressed my cheek. His eyes were watery and his lips trembled, "I have always wondered if forbidding your mother from going on the quest was wrong on my part." He coughed and continued weakly, "But somewhere deep down, we both knew that she wouldn't succeed. I wanted her to spend the little time she had with us. I was selfish." His voice cracked and he wheezed.

"Dad, it's okay. Don't talk. Rest," I said tearing up, unable to see him this way.

"No, I must... We knew that going on the quest reduced the lifespan of Dragomirs... even more than usual."

"That's why she lived for so long while no one else did," I said, my eyes wide.

He nodded, "I loved her and I wanted to keep her with me for as long as I could. I'm sorry. I know you always had your ideals. You love our people. I'm sorry that I was a selfish king. But..."

I wept knowing that he was far from the truth. If anyone was selfish here, it was me. I was a horrible person.

"But," he continued, "I'm so, so proud of you, Meredith."

"I love you, dad," I sobbed, "And I promise, I won't let you down."

"You never have," he said.

Overcome with guilt, anger and despair, I hugged him tightly until he fell asleep.

***

"How much time does he have?" I asked.

"About six months," the god replied.

I nodded. I had time. I would save him. I would save them all. For once, I was going to act like the queen I was.

"That's a difficult decision, my child," he said, reading my mind, "It would require sacrifices."

"I know. I'm willing to make them. Whatever it takes," I said, my heart for once filled with courage instead of fear.

"Spoken like a true queen," Lord Dragomitus replied and although his face remained expressionless, I could sense a hint of pride in his tone.

"For once, I feel like one too," I said.