The next morning Jesika started to head towards Aethelinda's cave, hugging Rowan tight before departing.
She climbed up the mountain until she reached the opening of the dragon's cave. As she stepped inside, the dragon bellowed at her, the sheer force of her roar blowing Jesika's hair back. The dragon started to approach her, surely to finish what she started last time. Jesika peeled off her armor and dropped her sword, falling to her knees, her head hung.
All went silent. Jesika's heart beat violently against her chest and she had to remind herself to breathe. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about her beautiful kingdom, her beautiful castle. Taken away by someone who turned out not to have a heart.
She let the tears fall and screamed with all of the pain in her:
"I know it's not your fault! I know that now! I'm sorry for attacking you! I messed up. I'm a sorry excuse of a leader, I'm a sorry excuse of a friend," Jesika looked up at the dragon as it continued to glare at her. She blinked away the tears as she continued: "I should have never been queen. But I love my kingdom. I love it with everything in me. Like the way you love your mountains. But right now, there is a very evil man destroying my home. And he'll continue to destroy it unless you help me. I know I'm not noble enough. I do. But I HAVE to ask you to help me. I have no other hope."
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Aethelinda didn't react for a long moment, simply staring at her. Jesika lowered her head, sobbing, coming to terms with the fact that her kingdom was gone. Never to be saved. As she sobbed, something nudged her head, knocking her onto her back. Jesika looked up to see the dragon looming over her, a gentle look in her eyes. Jesika's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe what was happening. Was the dragon really—
Jesika stood and slowly came closer to the dragon, her hand outstretched. She half expected the dragon to open its mouth and burn her once again, but she didn't. She simply waited as Jesika's hand neared her head. She felt the rough scales of Aethelinda's head under her palm and she slowly moved her hand over her head, petting her. Aethelinda remained still and dismissive, her head lowered. Sobs wracked Jesika's body once again, but this time the tears were different. They were happy tears. They were tears of hope. Hope that her kingdom wasn't lost after all.
Jesika rested her head against the dragon's as the tears fell, wrapping her arms around the dragon's neck. Once she finally got control of her emotions, she moved down Aethelinda's side, trailing her hand along Aethelinda's body. When she reached Aethelinda's back, Aethelinda laid down, making it easy for Jesika to mount her. Jesika laid down on the dragon's back, clutching the dragon tightly as she took off into the sky.
They rode by the cave they had stayed in, and Jesika sat up and waved at Rowan where he stood in the entrance next to Kronos. He laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. He mounted his griffin and together they flew to the kingdom.
It was time to take back their home.