Dragon's Fire

Fourteen

     The next three weeks go by in a blur, between wedding planning and training. I feel exhausted everyday by the time I go to bed. Kayden is worried about me, he thinks I am doing too much, pushing myself too hard. I’ve gone down a dress size, probably due to stress.

    Theodora has been a God send lately, she is always there  to help me with training. Kayden is trying his very best to help me. Sometimes I get so frustrated and angry I lash out, I always feel awful afterwards about it, I know it’s not his fault. He just happens to be there. 

        I feel like I’m making zero progress in my training, my mind is just not in control, it actually feels like I’m going backwards. 

Wedding planning is the only thing that seems to be going smoothly, Maggie has everything under control. The wedding is in a week and I don’t have to worry about anything but my vows. 

I knock on uncle George’s office door and wait for him to call me in. 

“Oh Taryn, dear… what can I help you with?” He seems surprised by my visit, I hadn’t told anyone I was going to talk to him. 

“I was hoping you’d have a few minutes to talk?” I step inside and close the door behind me. 

“Of course dear, please have a seat. Can I get anything for you?” He gestures to the coffee bar. 

“Oh no thank you, I will be quick. I was hoping you’d do me a favor” I sit down across from him

“Anything dear.. What is it?” 

“I was really hoping you could walk me down the aisle next week?” I blurt it out, my confidence failing. 

“Oh Taryn… I would be honored.. You know your parents would be so proud of you” He sighs sadly. 

“Thank you.. I hope that I have become a fraction of the person they wanted me to be” I smile.

Uncle George looks up at me with tears in his eyes now. “You have, you have by far become everything they wanted for you. You are a smart beautiful young woman”  

    I lean forward and wrap my arms around him, it’s the first time we have hugged. He is hesitant for a moment before he responds, his hug is full of emotion and sadness. The way his body quivered and rocked made my heart sink. 

“Well, I should get back to training” I straighten up and wipe a stray tear from my eye. 

I make my way back to the library and see Theodora sitting at the table, shifting through a book. 

“Hey Theo.. Sorry I’m late” I sit down across from her. 

“No worries, I have your lesson ready for the day, focusing on temperature control.. I want you to light the fire and keep the temperature low, just enough to keep the coals warm, no flames” She instructs me. 

    I focus on the coals in the fireplace, willing them to burn hot for me. They tremble slightly before bursting into flames, I can’t get them under control, no matter how much I try to back my mind off them. I sigh and lean back in my chair, feeling exhausted. 

“It’s okay to fail, you just try again until you get it” Theodora smiles understanding at me. 

“I’m really tired, I think I’m going to go lay down for a while” I stand up and move away from the table. 

“Of course, get some rest, I’ll see you at dinner” 

    I walk slowly back to my room, taking my time. I decide to have a bath, stripping down and stepping into the tub. I stare at the ceiling for what feels like hours until I feel my eyes droop. 

    My dreams feel so real lately, I’m sitting on a hill with wildflowers all around me. I enjoy the breeze that surrounds me, bringing me the scent of all the flowers. I tilt my head back and look towards the sky, it is clear and blue, the sun shining brightly. A few birds are flying overhead in the distance. The wind picks up suddenly and clouds appear, forming dark shadows over the field, the rain starts to fall like a massive sheet coming down on me. 

I feel the coolness of the rain and lay down on the ground, letting it soak me, every strand of hair, every inch of my body. 

    The storm is raging all around me, I feel like I cannot move. The rain feels so heavy on my body now, like it’s pinning me down. I see the birds in the sky fly away in a sudden hurry, a new shadow comes overhead. My own eyes must be deceiving me, I see a Dragon, not just any Dragon, but my own. I stare at it wide eyed as it comes closer, there is something different about it, it has more color than my own, this one is purple and black… I don’t know this Dragon. 

    I flinch slightly back as it comes down and hovers on top of me and picks me up in its talons. My body is light and limp in the air, I tilt my head and watch as the trees and landscape pass by. I don’t know where this Dragon is taking me but I feel calm and free. 

A knock on the door startles me awake, water splashes onto the floor as I sit upright. 

“Princess? I’m supposed to fetch you for supper… the others are waiting” I hear a maid say through the door. 

“Thank you. I’ll be down in a few minutes” I say as I stand, grabbing a towel and wrapping myself in it before stepping out. I slip on a simple cotton dress and a light cardigan before heading to find the others. 

    On my way down I hear a noise coming from a room that I didn’t think was being used, it sounds like someone crying. I respect people enough to give them their privacy so I don’t investigate the noise, I keep going towards the dining hall. 

“Are you feeling better?” Theodora asks as I sit down, I nod and smile. 

“You weren’t feeling well?” Kayden asks as he looks me over. 

“I was just tired, I’m fine now, I promise” I say as dinner is being served, I pick at my food, not feeling terribly hungry.  

    Part way through dinner as everyone is engaged in conversation Kayden leans over to me, placing his hand on my thigh, 

“Are you sure you're alright?” He whispers in my ear, his breath cool on my cheek. 

“Yeah, I’m just tired,” I reply, my mind not really there. 

    Dinner continues on, one of the maids stands near the kitchen entrance, she looks timid and determined. I don’t recognize her, but there are a lot of people working in the castle I’m sure I haven’t seen before. I sit quietly and take a sip of my water, listening to everyone around me chitchat. I feel lightheaded, 

“I need to go lay down..” I whisper to Kayden as I touch his arm. He nods and pushes his chair out and helps me out of my own seat. I go to take a step and the overwhelming sense of dizziness takes over and I stumble towards the floor. Kayden catches me before I hit the wooden floor, lifting me up into his arms. 

“Taryn? What’s wrong?” He asks, I try to speak, to say something but I feel like there is a lump  in my throat preventing me from talking. I grab at my throat, which is on fire now, I feel like I drank acid. 

I feel my eyes widen in fear and shock as I start to panic, clawing at my throat. I can’t breathe. 

Tears swell in my eyes and everything becomes blurry. 

“Step aside, out of my way” I hear Theodora yell, I feel her by my side, smell her lotion. She always smells like Lilacs. 

“Taryn, can you hear me?” She asks, I try to say yes, “Don’t talk.. squeeze my hand if you can hear me” I squeeze. 

“Are you having trouble breathing?” I squeeze her hand harder. 

“Okay.. I’m going to perform a spell to help you…” She says, “Kayden place her down over here.. Quickly now” I feel Kayden move me onto something soft. 

“What’s wrong with her?” I hear Maggie ask

My eyes are stinging from my tears, I just lay there, my breathing is hard and painful. 

“What the hell happened? How did this happen?” Kayden yells, I assume at the kitchen staff. 

    Theodora leans over me and starts a chant, slow and clear words come from her, but I do not understand the language she is speaking, it sounds like gibberish to me. Slowly I feel like a veil of heaviness has been lifted off me, I can breathe again. 

    I open my eyes and while they still burn, it’s not all fuzzy anymore. I open my mouth and a small moan escapes my lips. 

Kayden rushes over to me and pulls me into his arms. 

“Is she going to be alright?” George asks Theodora, I look to her for answers.

“I believe she was poisoned, she needs rest. I suggest you investigate the kitchen staff to find out what happened. I doubt it was an accident, so close to the wedding date, someone has an issue with our future Queen it would seem” 

“I’ll take care of it, Kayden, bring her to rest...Meet me when you can...Taryn I’m sorry” 

“Should we postpone the wedding?” Maggie asks sadly. 

“No. I won’t let be scared away” I respond, making everyone stare at me. My voice shakes but it is solid. “I want to marry you… I don’t want to wait” I tell Kayden. 

“Of course, we will just have to double the security around her and take more precautions” 

    Kayden picks me up and carries me from the room, once we get to our room he places me in the bed and pulls the covers over me. 

“Kai.. I saw someone tonight that I didn’t recognize, you don’t think that it could have been someone who works directly in the castle do you?”

“I considered it… Who did you see?” He sits beside me and pays attention to every word I say. 

“There was one more thing, When I was going to meet you for dinner I swear I heard someone crying in one of the old rooms in the East Wing..”

“I’ll look into it, but for now you need to rest. Do you want me to stay with you?” 

“No, it's okay… go do what you need to do.. I love you” 

“You’re sure?” He stands and kisses my forehead as I nod, 

“I love you too” He says as he slips out the door.