A Memorable Passage

This passage is at the very end of Janet Lee Carey’s Dragons Keep. Spoiler alert. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT.

                “A peace gift from the dragons,” called Father Hugh.

                “Ah, see how it clings to her hand!” called Marn’s son, Gerbert. “As if she were born so!”

                I dropped my other glove and held my hands high, feeling the wind rush through my fingers.

                Ah, the freedom of this nakedness. That which I’d hidden so long from all, transformed by a kiss and held in reverence. Merlin had said the twenty-first queen would “end war with the wave of her hand.” But I’d not known till now the mage spoke of the war between humans and dragons.

                The talon had, all in a moment, become a sign of peace between us.

There is a few more paragraphs after that, but I would like to skip ahead to the last three lines of the book:

                 I raised my kissed claw higher.

    My curse – a blessing.

    From that night and on.

This whole story revolves around Princess Rosalind and her curse, which is seemingly getting in the way of Merlin’s prophecy about her. The whole book she struggles with this “mark”, which is a dragon scaly claw for a third finger. She wears golden gloves to cover her claw. She is insecure because of it, and even tries to cut it off at one point.  The whole book is a very intricate journey of this struggle and what it brings to her over a course of three years.

This passage matters to me because of how emotionally moving it is. Rosalind’s mark is finally accepted. She fulfills her destiny. Finally, for once in her life full of hardships – a life full of disappointment, death of loved ones, despair and utter betrayal – finally, everything is okay. She is on the throne where she belongs, as Queen of Wilde Island. Not only is she queen but the love of her life is sitting at her side as king, and she has brought peace among humans and dragons. It’s ironic, the way she fulfilled Merlin’s prophecy and brought peace among the land.

Rosalind is a character I felt I could relate to at a very young age. I remember feeling like I was trekking through her heart-wrenching journey with her, every step of the way. I guess this passage is so important to me because it made me feel relief. After everything Rosalind had been through, it was just so relieving to read those last three lines. I understand what it’s like to feel the need to be accepted by the people around you, and in this passage that is what Rosalind receives.

Honestly it’s just an amazing ending to an amazing book.