The Witch's Siege

“Liz, will you be free to hang out at the mall after school?” my best friend Anya asked.

“Sure. Anything you need to get?”

“A present for Alex. He’s turning six tomorrow.”

When the last bell rang, I rushed out of class and was almost at the staircase when a sudden flash of light engulfed me. My body felt as if it were racing through endless space before I found myself inside what looked like a castle—and I was on a throne.

Was it a dream? My thoughts were soon interrupted by three soldiers marching towards me.

“Good morning, your majesty. We’ve received word that Alsgar plans to unleash his dragons by nightfall.”

Alsgar? Dragons? What was happening? Where was I? I didn’t know what to say; I just sat there, frozen and speechless.

“Your majesty?”

Right then, a voice entered my head: Tell them to prepare for battle. Ask the six Generals to convene with you.

Who are you?

My name is Irja; I brought you here. Just do as I say.

I followed her instructions and summoned the Generals. Irja got me to mobilise the kingdom’s soldiers; we created temporary structures both on the ramparts and over the baileys. They wouldn’t fully deter the dragonfire, but they were enough to provide the protection we needed to stall the devastation and execute our primary plan: the taming of the dragons.

I was perplexed by Irja’s plans. A few minutes ago, dragons didn’t even exist to me, and now I had to tame not one but two? Irja said that Alsgar had put the dragons under a spell with the help of a warlock he had hired. She said that if we broke that spell, the dragons would wreak their vengeance on Alsgar and his soldiers.

How are we to break the spell? Are you a witch?

Yes, and the dragons Alsgar has under his control are the two I grew up with.

Why can’t you undo the spell yourself? Why am I here in this queen’s body?

I’m dead, Liz. Alsgar had me killed with the warlock’s help, but in my final moments, I managed to transfer my spirit through time and space to find someone with the innate abilities to help me undo the spell.

Innate abilities? You mean I’m a witch, too?

Yes. Your powers are dormant, but I can tap into them. And once this is done, I’ll send you back to your time and free the queen’s mind as well.

What about you?

I’m already dead, Liz. Once Ash and Ember are free, I’ll move on.

When night fell, the dragons arrived as expected, raining fire upon the castle. Many soldiers stood on standby within the towers and under and behind the walls, safe from most of the dragonfire. They were ordered to take formations at the battlements only after the dragons had been tamed, to take on the invading army. Irja also cast defensive spells on the castle, but their potency was limited, given the circumstances.

As Ash and Ember flew over the keep, I reached its balcony and called out to them. The dragons heard my call and descended from the skies to unleash a sea of flames upon the keep. Irja deflected their attacks and spoke to them directly with her thoughts, piercing through the mind control spell that the warlock had placed. Ash and Ember struggled in the air as she kept pushing through until the spell was finally broken and they were freed from Alsgar’s grasp. 

Irja then commanded them: Go, Ash, Ember! Show them your true power!

The dragons bellowed and took to the skies, heading back to greet Alsgar’s army with the fierce flames that they had sought to control. His forces were decimated and he was forced into submission. The siege was over before it even began.

Once the battle was over, Irja and I said our bittersweet farewells to each other.

The powers within you are no longer dormant. Use them wisely.

I will, I promise.

Take care, Liz. I couldn’t have done this without you.

I hope you can move on in peace, now that Ash and Ember are free.

I could feel Irja’s sadness as if it were my own. She wasn’t ready to leave, but she had no choice.

I can… I’m glad they’re free. This is how they should be.

Irja kept her promise and sent me back to my world, to the exact time I disappeared. I stood there trying to wrap my head around everything that had just transpired when Anya stepped up to me from behind and tapped on my shoulder.

“Come on, Liz. Let’s go.”

I brushed those thoughts off and joined her; they could wait until I was home.