Sacrificed to the Dragon

12. Names and power

“Katherine!” Agneta rouses her from her thoughts and Katherine realises that she has been staring into her tea mug for too long. It’s gone cold and now it tastes weird. Was she daydreaming again? The dragon’s golden hair flashes in front of her eyes and she shakes herself mentaly to stop the images from appearing.

“Yes?” She smiles up to Agneta.

“Come to my office after breakfast. We need to talk.”

That sounds scary, she thinks. She wonders what she did wrong this time. It was not her fault that the carpets got ruined. The other girls played tricks on her and messed things up. It was not fun for her and she still has the blisters on her hands today. They are not healing fast, because Anery couldn’t do anything about them. Did they tell Agneta that it was all Katherine’s fault? Would they have stooped so low as to right out lie to the keeper?

Lory sits down next to her and gives her a pastry she snuck off of another table. Katherine smiles back at the girl and takes the delicious smelling thing.

“Thank you.” Katherine smiles. “I don’t get any. I always seem to be too late. Did you save one for me?”

“No. I took it from a serving plate.” Lory laughs. “You sit here all on your own most days. I would come join you, but I work at breakfast time. We should meet in the evening. Maybe for a few words before bed?”

“I would love that.” Katherine retorts. “If I don’t miss dinner again.”

“Where were you last night?” Lory inquires.

“The dragon took me.” Katherine whispers to her friend. “I was out with Ariston. He took me riding to cheer me up. I hope the dragon didn’t get me in trouble. He said it will be fine, but I’m afraid that is what Agneta wants to talk about.”

“I see.” Lory smirks. “You’re not in trouble. You can trust the dragon's words.”  

Katherine is comforted by her friends' words and walks to Agneta’s office to see what the lady wants from her this time. Maybe she will get a new job to try? She hopes that Agneta has something pleasant for her. Why couldn’t reading be a job? Maybe they need a librarian? She can ask about it. Agneta can’t say more than no.

She knocks on the office door and waits patiently. She thinks it’s best not to antagonize Agneta so early in the morning. She might go easy on her if she doesn’t anger her first. She can hear talking from the office and the other voice is fairly familiar by now. The dragon is here. This doesn’t sound good to Katherine at all. Especially when it starts to sound more like an argument and not only talking.

Suddenly the door swings open and she steps back a pace. He, the dragon in his human form, storms out and down the hall without even looking at her. Maybe it’s not bad for her after all. She thinks that he probably wanted something from Agneta and she turned him down.  Katherine can imagine Agneta doing that. The lady has some pull around here, maybe even more than the dragon.

“Come in, Katherine.” Agneta calls her.

“I’m here. I won’t even ask what that was all about.” She smiles gently.

“Good for you. Sometimes I think he needs to be spanked.” Agneta laughs. “I guess it’s too late for that now. He’s all grown up and he can eat me in one gulp.”

“You might be right, but I heard a rumor that he doesn’t eat people.” Katherine shrugs.

“Keep believing that.” Agneta tells her. “You, my dear, have an appointment today with said dragon. He decided to test your magic skills.”

“How?” Katherine stutters and wonders in what dream she is right now.

“I have no idea. I was never privy to his magic. I don't even know he can do it.” Agneta smirks. “I guess I can still learn something new about him after all this time.”

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” Katherine asks carefully.

“I’m afraid not. Go to the second story library. He is waiting there for you.” Agneta tells her with a smile. “Cheer up. It means no work for you.”

Katherine knocks on the library door, but she gets no answer. She opens the door carefully and glances inside. The room is empty of people. Or dragons. She walks in with a shrug and goes straight to the balcony. There he is, leaning on the railing casually, like the whole world belongs to him. She takes the time to admire his physique and she smiles inwardly. He is a vain creature. His black on black clothes only accentuate his golden hair.

“Don’t look at me like that. It will only bring you more trouble.” He tells her without turning around. 

“Stop reading my mind, then!” Katherine raises her voice.

“No.” He laughs at her. “Where would be the fun in that?”

“Uhh.” She throws her hands in the air and decides to leave. Turning around, she smacks right into a closed door. “Aw…”

“Oh, dear. You can’t leave. Agneta agreed that I can have you for a day.” He snickers behind her back and she decides that she hates him today.

Katherine turns around slowly and slides down the door. She sits on the floor in a heap of her dress. And it is a nice blue dress today. She picked it because it reminds her of his eyes. She doesn’t even look up at him. She feels defeated. 

“I guess you have more pull around here than I thought, if you can order Agneta around.” She whispers gently and she knows he can hear her. He is standing right there. Probably with a smug, satisfied look on his face, too. He got what he wanted and he managed to break her where nobody else succeeded. No, he didn’t break her, she gave up.

“Come on, Katherine! You’re not a quitter!” He reaches out and picks her up with one hand. “Let me test you. I will help you learn some useful magic. I’ll even get Anery to help you.”

“You can order Anery around?” She asks quietly.

“Questions again?” He laughs. “See? You’re not broken. You still deffy the agreement.”

“Oh.” She looks him in the eyes and promptly gets lost in the blue.

He leads her inside and lowers her in an armchair. The gentle way he is with her is a nice surprise for Katherine. She is not used to that others are being gentle with her. Not her mother, especially not her father, who never had time for her in the first place. Not even her brother. There is a sigh and she can see he is debating something with himself. He starts to pace the room and she waits for him to say something. She can’t ask anything, he will only get irritated more, if she does. 

“Alright!” He exclaims and stops in front of her. “Will you stop being difficult and let me help you, if I tell you my real name?” 

“You have more than one name?” She asks in shock.

“I’ll let that slide. I have to get used to questions, if I will teach you magic.” He laughs suddenly. “I have many names. It’s the dragon’s way.”

He steps back a bit and pulls a small knife from his right boot. He flips it in the air and catches it in his left hand. Katherine looks at him and wonders what that has to do with anything, but dares not ask. If he wanted to kill her, he had many chances and means, other than a small knife. Why would he even need a knife? He is a dragon.

“Don’t think like that!” He tells her with a smile. “I’m not going to kill you. We will have a blood oath ritual. You will swear to me that you will never disclose my full name to anyone. If you meet me in the hallways you will never say my name out loud.”

“Understood. I promise.” Katherine nods and extends her right hand.

He takes her hand gently in his and makes a fast cut across her palm. The sting is short and he keeps his eyes on hers all the time. He makes a cut on his hand as well and preses the wounds together, mixing their blood. The sensation is weird for Katherine. And it has nothing to do with the blood on her hand. It is more the feeling of being held and trusted. The longer he keeps holding her hand, the more personal it feels and it sends goosebumps all over her. Her heart speeds up and she knows he knows that too.

He lets go of her hand and murmurs a healing spell to close the cut. She can actually feel the skin closing and the blood vanishes as if it was never there. But a faint line remains to remind her of the oath she took. A glance at his hand tells her that his wound closed as well, but there is no line or any other mark to diminish his perfection.

He kneels by her side and takes both her hands in his. It makes her feel uncomfortable, as she knows deep inside that he shouldn’t have done that. He shouldn’t have kneeled before her. She has no idea how and why she knows that, but there is nothing to be done. It was his decision to give her this power. And she also knows that whatever he will confide in her, will weigh her down and the responsibility scares her.

“You don’t have to do this. I promise I will be an obedient student and you don’t have to tell me your name. I can just call you Lord Dragon.” Katherine rushes the words before he can say anything.

“Oh, my sweet little princess.” He smiles ruefully. “You’re not getting out of this so easily. You made the wow and this little display only cemented my trust in you.”

She remains speechless and only stares in his eyes. Her thoughts are rushing all over and she can’t pinpoint a single one. What made him do this? Is he really going to trust her? Can she be trusted? She has no friends to confide in, but she is not the kind to betray the trust, even if she had someone to tell. What will this mean for her? She will be his to command in every way. He can just pull out the oath whenever he wants something from her. He can blackmail her with this and she has nothing. She is at his mercy and dragons were never known for that quality. Well, one was and she is long gone. Could he be like her?

“Don’t think of my mother, you’ll only make me sad.” He shakes his head and smirks at her. “My name is Athrey Arthur Cellan, prince of Loredan and the rightful heir of the throne.”

A single tear slides down Katherine's cheek and she gasps for air.