My heart, My love, My dragon

Chapter 17

     Flames crackled and looked like terrifying mountains, surrounding Anya. Her mother screams, "Where are you, little one!"

"Aniah, we must leave!" her father yells at her. Anya couldn't see anyone of them but the growing red flames that know crackled above her. Her tiny body wobbled to her feet and shielding her head with her tiny arms.

"Mother, we need to get her out of there!" a young voice screams beyond the crackling flames. Anya squints her eyes through the flames only to see a wobbling figure. A tall woman stands frantically by his side. 

Anya looks around her and finally above her where the roof comes crashing down. Anya's scream echoes throughout the burning flames.

****

Anya wakes up in a sweating fit. She jumps out of bed and scurries to the bathroom. There was only one bathroom in the Royal Wing. But it was enormous with a bathtub, shower, sink, and toilet. It was right in the hall that connected King Vulcan's suite and her's.

She quickly splashed cold water on her face various times until her flushed skin returned to normal. A cerulean hand towel-dried her face. Looking up in the mirror she was horrified, not with herself, but the fact that King Vulcan was standing in the doorway of the bathroom. He was not alone. Libelle stood worriedly beside him.

"I apologize your majesty's for intruding but there is only one bathroom in the entire wing," Anya hurriedly said but kept her eyes trained on the ground. She didn't want them to see the trauma and fear in her eyes. These nightmares had been terrorizing her in the past two years and they wouldn't stop.

"Are you okay?" Libelle asked. Suddenly, her hand was on Anya's shoulder in a comforting manner.

Anya tensed, "Do you mind if I take a sip of water?"

King Vulcan frowned, "Of course, why wouldn't we allow it?"

"No reason, I apologize if my question bothered you," Anya bowed her head and took a glass cup from the drawer and filled it up. She gulped the cold water down instantly and felt like herself again.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Libelle asked which annoyed Anya. Libelle was too intuitive for her taste and seemed to guess everything she was doing. 

"No. With your permission, may I leave now. I'm going to look for Luthor," Anya bowed and quickly whooshed past Libelle and King Vulcan. She was positive that she probably left dust in her wake.

Back in her suite she quickly dressed herself to head down for breakfast. Another thing she dreaded. King Vulcan, Libelle, Chris, Kaida, Dalinda, and a bunch of their friends sat on the right side of the table cracking up jokes and having a good time. Anya felt as though she and Luthor were considered outcasts though, Luthor didn't mind sitting at the far left of the table.

She dressed lightly in a Lulus Zahara Blue and White Floral Print Midi Dress. The downside to breakfast was that she'd always receive a stack of waffles with scrambled eggs to the side. She was only permitted to eat a salad. As she entered the dining room the group of friends quieted slightly and stared at her. 

When she sat beside Luthor a maid came in with their plates and left promptly without sparing them a glance. It was apparent that many knew she was a threat, a weapon from House Hydra, and a danger to Libelle and King Vulcan's relationship and child. 

"Luthor, I'm going to the library now," she informed him who was busy munching down his waffles. "I'll buy something to eat in the town."

"You aren't going to eat your waffles?" Libelle's caring voice traveled down the table to Anya.

Luthor stood up and linked their arms together, "No. We're going to the Town Library."

"Why not use the one we have in the palace?" King Vulcan asked. Anya grit her teeth together in annoyance. Why were they asking too many questions?

Anya leaned in toward Luthor's ear and whispered, "I told you what happened to me in the library before."

Luthor opened his mouth to speak but a heavily armed guard came jogging toward King Vulcan and whispered something into his ear. A tense aura filled the air as a gloomy cloud settled above the King's head. Everyone looked on curiously.

"Anastasia, you have visitors," King Vulcan said at the same time the doors of the dining room flung open.

"Presenting, High House Hydra's Lucia, Hydreich, Ryoko, and Rochelle," the spokesperson's voice was loud enough for the entire palace to learn about their arrival.

Luthor cringed, "Aw, c'mon..."

"That's no way to welcome your big sister, is it now, Luthor?" Ryoko grinned and slung her arm around his shoulders.

"You're embarrassing me," Luthor insisted.

Lucia and Hydreich took turns in embracing Anya until Anya slipped away to greet Rochelle. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You don't know?" Rochelle looked concerned. "You'll find out eventually. Are you ready?"

Anya smiled, "I'm ready."

When a High House arrives to a different city there are two designated members that announce it through the form of their element. And since Rochelle and Anya are the only two that aren't dragon's but use spells they are in charge of announcing their arrival.

They clasped hand together and shut their eyes in concentration, "Aqua Glacies!" they yelled in unison and a large column of water and ice shot past the roof of the palace and up in the air. Tiny snowflakes were created that fell into the town.

"Excellent work, girls," Ryoko applauded and Luthor rolled his eyes. Anya no longer felt alone because now, their group of friends was reunited. 

"Please, I could do better, "Luthor scoffed and then mimicked teasingly, "Aqua glaciers!"

He struck a teasing pose that causes them all to laugh. "Little brother, you should know this stuff," Ryoko laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Children! Compose yourselves," Lucia hisses quietly and their faces become straight and serious. She clears her throat and continues, "We are here for the tournament."

"What tournament, Lucia?" Anya asked.

Hydreich's eyebrows shot up, "King Arin, you haven't told her about the tournament?"

"I was going to," King Vulcan snapped.

Lucia turned to Anya, "A tournament is held every Spring when the King has turned twenty-two. Every High House sends out a daughter to fight for the place as Queen. They send out one heiress from their House. Mind you, this only happens when the King is with someone who isn't his beloved and his beloved is alive."

Lucia's snake eyes cut through Libelle who looked down at her tiny stomach bump. Arin took her hand in his, "Libelle will not participate in the tournament because she is carrying my child."

"Unless you want riots all over the Kingdom then she will participate in the tournament. She is only a few weeks impregnated and besides, she is a magnetron from the High House that wields metal. She's strong enough to fight," Hydreich stated firmly. "Our Anastasia will also participate."

"Excuse me?" King Vulcan growled.

"Have you forgotten our agreement made two years ago? The one that stated that in two years' time Anastasia will become your fiance and Queen. But, Libelle of High House Magnetron is your fiance now which leads us no choice but to let Anastasia participate," Lucia smirked at Libelle's stricken face. It was clear she had no idea of King Vulcan's agreement two years ago. "House Hydra of water and ice will empower the kingdom alongside House Vulcan of fire. If House Magnetron sits on the throne then no one will benefit from it."

"And what of that child in her womb. To be the leading monarch in the future the child has to wield the power of fire," Hydreich butted in, enjoying pointing out all of the wrongs in their relationship. "But, if Anastasia bears your child then the offspring will be of water and fire. Two elementals."

Anya stood idly to the side as the two sides fired back. But then Hydreich announced, "If Libelle does not participate then there will be a war between both Houses!"

"No!" Libelle cried. "It's okay, Arin, I'll participate."

"No you will not! If this means war then so be it," King Vulcan growled ferociously. 

"Very well, you are digging your own grave," Lucia said. "Ryoko, Luthor, Rochelle, and my dear Anastasia. Form your pairs."

King Vulcan's face paled. Everyone's did as the elite members of High House Hydra strike the first blow. They've caught the palace unprepared...