Taming the Dragon Prince

III: The Search is Over

"Pink would look good on your black hair!" Princess Thalia snuck me back into her room and basically used me like a doll to play dress-up with her numerous collections of day dresses. 

She was rummaging through her overly huge wardrobe, pulling out clothes, looking at it for a second before aimlessly throwing it behind her only for me to catch.

It has been half an hour since we excused ourselves from that horrible tea party with lady Rina and the other nobles, and princess Thalia decided it was a good idea for a maid like me to wear one of her expensive gowns while my maid uniform gets washed and dried. 

Currently, I am wearing a bathrobe and stood still while the dresses I was carrying kept piling up from the princess's indecisiveness to pick a dress for me.

"Err, princess. You don't have to worry about me, I'll just retrieve an old uniform from the head maid miss Vasatti. I am sure she had some spares to lend to me." I placed all the dresses I was carrying on her bed since my arms are giving out for carrying them. I was about to say some more when the sound of her loud gasp startled me.

I turned around to see what made her react like that and saw that she was holding up a dress that she thinks that best suits my black hair. Not too extravagant and not too simple, it was just a perfect light scarlet color that twirled down into midnight red. It has a puffed sleeve that can compliment my petite shoulders and to make matters worse, the princess also plans to let me wear one of her deep red necklace that matches the dress she's bound to force me into wearing.

I took a step back, "Princess, please, if anyone sees me wearing that they would have my head!" 

"Oh don't be! This is just a gem given by the fairy queen and handcrafted by magicians to protect its wearer," She nonchalantly stated as if what she just held on her small hands isn't the kingdom's treasure.

"More the reason why I shouldn't be wearing these kinds of things, princess!" I jumped a meter away from her before she could lay a hand on me and tackle me to the ground, causing her to plop down on her bed. 

She groaned, a muffled voice echoed out since she was talking against her pillow but I believe that she was saying: "Oh come on! Just this once!"

"Princess, I am forever grateful for your kindness but what you expect me to wear is much more expensive than the 20 years of my life." I waited for her to calm down as she was flailing her arms around her bed like a child who did not get what she wanted.

"And also-" I added, sitting down on the edge of the bed, keeping my gaze locked on the dress that she was holding. It was really beautiful, I feel like if I wore it and stood under the sunlight then it will glow vibrantly as if I was wearing a blazing armor. Although never in my life did I hope to wear something like that, I am, after all, just a maid. "It may be okay for you but to the people in the palace to see a servant wearing the clothes of the royal princess then I would be suspected of stealing it and I will be locked underground in the dungeon."

Princess Thalia stopped moving around, she paused for a good 30 seconds before raising her head and showed her creeping angelic yet mischievous smile. It seems like what I just explained did not pass through her thick skull and instead came up with another equally stupid idea.

"Then I'll make you unrecognizable! Just a bit of makeup here and there will surely do the trick." She stood up and pushed me to sit in front of her vanity table adorned with various cosmetics that is probably imported from other countries. She managed to slither the red necklace around my neck before doing anything else.

"Princess, you flatter me." I smiled crookedly since she just somehow said that I am ugly and needed makeup to change the way I look.

"Now, now, I am skilled in cosmetics so I am sure I can make you look like a princess from a distant land." She began putting products taken from various bottles and tubes she picks up that made me think that she's just nonchalantly baking a cake instead of fixing my horrendous appearance. "Just close your eyes and relax, I'll handle this."

She looked at me through the mirror, our eyes meeting before she flashed a reassuring smile to me. I was kind of tired anyway so I did what I was told and closed my eyes, I did not realize it until 20 minutes later that I had fallen asleep with my neck hanging awkwardly to the back that made it easier for princess Thalia to apply makeup since my face is facing the ceiling.

I blinked a few times before the princess entered my line of sight with her usual thin smile, "Hey there sleepy head!"

"Err, princess it was not really nice of you to leave my head hanging for a lot of time-" While saying along those lines, I lifted my head and saw my reflection at the mirror"

My mouth dropped to form the shape of an 'O', I blinked a few times to let my eyes adjust to the golden glow inside the room since I slept for a good 20 minutes.

"P-princess..." It took me a minute to finally say something and I am sure it would be quite a shock for princess Thalia. "If hell was a person then that would be me," I said with a soulless voice and look, if anyone would see me aside from the i***t princess then they would immediately see that I am so done here. My brows were drawn thickly, the eyeshadows were applied too much plus it was in the shade of vibrant blue that contrasted my red dress but at least my lipstick was red, the only problem is it was all over my lip line that made me look like a clown.

"What?! No way!" Is the only thing princess Thalia managed to say when she took a good look at my face, grabbing both of my cheeks so she could stare at her work of art that I might as well call a wonderful abstract.

I had only smiled thinly and wiped away the horrible makeup she just put on my face.

"It's okay princess, as I said before, I will just borrow something from the maid quarters." I stood up from the cushioned seat and bowed in front of her. I peeked at her face through my messy fringe and saw that she looked apologetic with her teary eyes, well at least I now know that she did not do this on purpose.

"I am sorry Aerith and I was really confident with my skills and yet you turned into a living hell..." She said and clung unto my arm while I was on my way to the door to leave, thanks to that I realized that I was still wearing a robe so I stopped.

"Err, princess Thalia, may I borrow the simplest dress you have? Something that wouldn't receive a lot of attention, preferably none at all as if I am a walking ghost." 

"Hmmm, I think I do have something like that." In hopes to make it up for me for ruining my already ruined face, she hurriedly hopped back towards her closet and rummaged through it before pulling out a simple white dress, nothing to describe, it was just ordinary, which is very beneficial for me not to attract the envious eyes of the other servants or worse from nobles who is visiting the palace today and wandering around the palace halls.

"Thank you for your kindness, princess." I immediately put it on and dashed outside before the princess gets any weird ideas and involve me. 

I speed walked across the deserted corridor that leads back to the main hall since only I and a few maids were allowed to visit the princess's bed chambers to help her dress up. The sun was high in the sky, veiling the hallway with a golden glow that made me squint my eyes while walking. It was already past noon, so much had already happened and the day is not even over.

"Hm..." Judging from the small chatters that I am hearing, I am nearing the main hall that will lead me to the grand staircase of the palace. I strutted at a much faster pace so I could find miss Vasatti already and change into a maid uniform since I realized that this white dress glimmers when the sunlight hits it. Making me look like a pixie just showered me with fairy dust.

"Ah! Aerith!" The only person I wished I did not run into, just ran into me. Angela, my horrid roommate, was about to scold me again despite me being older than her, but when she noticed my obviously-not-mine majestic white dress, she scowled.

"Where the bloody hell did you get that?" She asked in scrutiny, circling around me as I stood idly. "Do not tell me you stole it? I knew you are a wench but to actually steal something while inside the palace is a brave act."

"Well a while ago I just helped an old lady who turned out to be a fairy, in return for helping her she bestowed upon me a dress that can make my skin look younger," I said, or rather, chattered since I said it with utmost speed. I am certain that she did not understand a word I said but I don't care if she is that stupid.

"Wha-"

"Well, it wasn't nice seeing you, bye!" Before she could retaliate my behavior just now, I vanished by going into one of the many small hallways in the palace.

Please, if the gods above can hear my small prayer, just please, let me change into my maid uniform before I run into anyone.

Then suddenly, as if demons just appeared to stop my prayer from reaching the gods in heaven, a menacing voice echoed throughout the whole place.

"Oh well, if it isn't the pathetic maid from a while ago." 

Hearing that voice from a specific someone won't make me stop from speed walking the hell out of here. "Hey! don't ignore me!" Of course, lady Rina just has to appear right now from the shadows to block my escape path and halted me from walking.

I know I said a while ago that Angela was the only person I wish I didn't run into. Well, I am taking that back, lady Rina just took the first place. At least with Angela, I could sass back but with lady Rina who is the beloved (spoiled) daughter of the duke, I have no chance of winning when I am not with my human shield princess Thalia.

"I see that you are wearing such an expensive and beautiful dress." She was looking down on me through her feathery fans, if she wasn't wearing such high heels then I would be the one who would look down on her by the way but for now, I am just going to pretend that she's taller than me.

"I see that you have such an exquisite taste on fans, lady Rina." I smiled thinly, beckoning towards her gaudily colored fan that made her abruptly close it. I do not know about what I said but it looked like she got offended by my statement.

"How dare you!"

"Oh my, lady Rina, why are you angry? I just merely answered your compliment back with another compliment. Your fan is beautiful indeed, if my memory serves me correct it resembles a rooster."

"Hah?" She finds herself unable to find the right words to say to me so she just lets out an annoyed gasp. When she is running out of ideas, she just changed the subject. "You stole this dress, didn't you!" Now she turns into using violence as she grabbed me by the collar and lifted it. I am sure she just tried to lift me with it but since I am much bigger than her, she failed.

"No, I didn't." I deadpan.

"Where is your proof?" She hissed.

"I don't need to prove myself to you." I pulled myself away and continued to walk past her, I am seriously not in any mood to get into a catfight with a noble. After all, society would side with lady Rina since she has more power than me. No one would give aid to a mere servant like me.

"You have such bravery just because the princess favors you, but let's see about that soon." I can hear from her loud heels that she is also walking away. Good.

"I can't wait," I answered.

It wasn't long before I found myself back in the rose garden where the princess usually takes a walk every morning. I initially planned to go straight to miss Vasatti to get a change of clothes but after that stressful encounter with both Angela and lady Rina, I just suddenly needed a breath of fresh air.

"Wait what?" It was only then that I realized the red jewelry that princess Thalia forced on me, is still around my neck. "I guess I have to go back to her room and return this..." I looked down on it, with the sunlight reflecting it was indeed a beautiful necklace. I wonder how the princess received it since she also said that this gem protects its wearer from evildoers.

-

A lone crow flew above Aerith after noticing the glistening glow the necklace emitted but Aerith was too busy scrutinizing the necklace she had on that she did not notice the crow land on a tree branch just above her head.

"If my memory is correct, that necklace is passed down from queen to princess," it said in a soft voice, staring intently at Aerith. "Ugh, the princess of the human kingdom is more suited to be a witch judging from her disheveled appearance but at least I managed to find her without entering the castle's force field, now I know what she looks like."

The crow looked closely at the red gem that Aerith was wearing and immediately hissed, "That jewel won't let me get near her anyway, might as well just let that dragon capture her instead."

Stretching her wings, she returned back into the sky and flew much higher than any other birds. Soaring through the soft clouds and gliding across the harsh wind won't stop her since after all, she isn't just an ordinary crow.

"Ack, this trip really tires me." She quipped after finally arriving at the sky kingdom, a vast land suspended in the air. She flew through the deserted ruins and fields with a lot of fallen debris before arriving at the colossal palace which is also empty. The air was choked with thick fogs, everything in this kingdom was either demolished or completely covered in vines and mosses, it was abandoned for 2 decades after all by a race that vanished without a trace.

"Your majesty! I have arrived." The crow landed on the cobblestoned floor, taking a few seconds to catch her breath after traveling from the human kingdom to where she is now.

"Your majesty?" She looked up to see the throne where he always stays, still dark and enveloped with a shadow that only made his red beaming eyes visible to the crow.

He lets out a puff of smoke that made it possible for the crow to get a glimpse of his appearance for a split second, it only made the crow grovel in fear since she's in front of such a powerful beast.

"Prince Alec, I have-"

She was interrupted with a fume of blazing fire dancing on top of her head and an angry growl. Alec, the only dragon left in the sky kingdom, decided to step out into the light for the crow to see him crystal clear. 

"Do not call me a prince." He said calmly although it was filled with so much killing intent. "I am not a prince if I don't have anyone to rule over."

"Yes I understand, but I came to tell you that I have located the human princess."

What she just said made Alec's scaled wings perk up, ready to propel into the air but the crow immediately stopped him in doing so.

"I suggest that we take her tomorrow in the morning." Alec looked down on the puny crow, and if looks could kill, that crow would be a nice meal for thanksgiving since Alec was very eager to locate the princess as soon as possible.

"I know that the princess's holy power is crucial in reviving the fallen dragon race but we must not act harshly as the human kingdom is powerful enough to bring you down and all of this search for her would become fruitless."

Her explanation made so much sense that Alec who aggressively does anything he wants, stood by and walked back into his ghastly throne. "I will capture her tomorrow, now tell me, what does this human princess look like." It sounded more like a command rather than a question for the crow who saw Aerith up close. 

"Oh, she's ugly."