Sacrificed to the Dragon

3. Lord Cellan

Cellan is lurking in the hidden gallery above the kitchen. He found out last night what Agneta has planned for the princess and now he is eavesdropping like a pro. He loves all the hidden places and passages in the castle and uses them regularly to keep in touch with what is going on in his domain. He still doesn’t like to mingle with the people here, they are Loredanians after all. They might be his loyal subjects now, but he is not one to trust easily. And they have a normal life with the rules he set up a long time ago, without him breathing down their necks and reminding them of why they are here. Though, the men are not so bad, they came here of their free will.

The scene down below is getting interesting. The princess is lost as a little mouse. She really never worked a day in her life and she doesn’t use magic to get things done. How odd, he thinks. He felt her magic is strong, so it puzzles him that she does things by hand. Well, she did try to levitate the bread out of the ovens and made a mess even of that simple task. 

She amuses him to no end. Maybe she will be a nice reprieve from the boredom he feels lately. It will be a fine game of cat and mouse and he will get the full plan from Agneta later. He wants to know what the mouse will be doing, or trying to do. But he smiles widely as his mistress enters the kitchen, she still catches his attention. The graceful and elegant Anery. Her tiny figure is accentuated with the dresses she prefers. And he will never understand her need for high heels. Even with those, she only comes up to his chest. But she is a skillful magic user and a damn good baker. He loves her breakfast pastries the most. But right now she sounds mad and he focuses back on what is going on down below.

It looks like breakfast will be a mess today if Anery doesn’t do something to help. He knows she will, it’s just the way she is. Sometimes she needs to vent a bit before she does something. That fiery temperament of hers is what still draws him to her. She is a force to be reckoned with in a tiny package of a floral dress. And maybe it’s a good thing, it will show the princes that they may all be equal, but Anery holds a special place among the castle’s inhabitants. They respect her, they listen to her, they admire her. Well, so does he, but the princess doesn’t need to know that.

He relaxes in his chair as there is nothing of interest going on in the kitchen. The other girls have come in and the breakfast is back on track. He can nap a bit until Anery comes up to the gallery with their breakfast. She should be by soon enough, judging by the sounds and smells coming from the kitchen below. And he feels hungry just because of the alluring smells.

She doesn’t disappoint, his beloved. And the selection she made today is mouthwatering. He smiles at her and thinks that she is just as beautiful as the first day he laid his eyes on her. The distraction is temporarily forgotten, he sits up straight and accepts a cup of herbal tea and some pastries. She knows he’s got an affinity for sweets, so she didn’t even bother to bring eggs or vegetables.

“I will tell Agneta that I don’t want the princess in my kitchen. She is a nuisance. She knows nothing. She is the most spoiled brat I have ever seen.” Anery tells him.

“She needs to learn, give her time.” Cellan smiles fondly.

“You like her.” Anery accuses and he can hear it in her voice that she is not happy.

“She fascinates me. Her magic is strong and I don’t understand why she tried doing things by hand.” He tells her.

“She never learned to use it.” Anery smirks. “She probably had the best of teachers at her disposal and did nothing.”

“Do you really think so?” Cellan asks her.

“You don’t?” Anery asks back. “What do you think she did all day in the palace?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “But I’m sure Agneta will find out. She will keep assigning her new jobs.”

“She will break. She’s not made out to work.” Anery smirks.

“I don’t think so. There is more to her than you see. I believe she will blossom into a fierce young woman. She just needs guidance.” Cellan speaks his mind.

“And you think you can help her? Are you willing to commit to that?” Anery challenges him. “Training a young witch takes time.”

He looks at his mistress like she suddenly sprouted snakes in place of her silvery blond hair. What is she talking about and why did she have to bring this up at breakfast? He can’t really think so early in the morning. And she posed the question as a challenge! The audacity of her. She knows him too well and she can push the right buttons to make him do anything. But this needs thinking, hard thinking and a rational decision.

“I thought you might do it. You were the best in your class.” He smiles sweetly to her.

“Turning the tables on me?” Anery sputters. “What? Shall I train her to be your next concubine as well?”

“No.” Cellan says calmly. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re not being replaced.”

“Really?” She laughs and the bitterness in her voice cuts him deep. “Look at me! I’m getting old, there is gray in my hair. I failed to give you a child! And I know that you're sleeping around with any lass that willingly crawls in your bed.”

He stands up and goes over to her. Giving her a tight hug and smelling her hair. She shudders in his embrace and he knows she tries hard not to cry. She always wanted a child more than he did. But it was just not meant to be. His frail witch could never carry a dragon child to terms. And every loss saddened her even more, so he just stopped trying. Cellan learned every trick in the book to prevent her from getting pregnant again. He cares for her too much to let her suffer so much pain again.

“You’re not being replaced.” He whispers in her hair. “I won’t ask you to teach her anything, you can avoid her if you want to.”

“If you’re right…” Anery sniffs back her tears.”...if she does come out of all the tests and tasks Agneta throws at her stronger and fierce, I’ll help you train her.”

“You’ll see, love. I have a good feeling about this.” Cellan smiles.

“But I’m still throwing her out of my kitchen.” She smirks and leaves him alone with his thoughts.

No. His feelings are right. He was never wrong about any of the girls he brought here and he can tell what kind of person one is on first glance, even the men. She might be lost right now, but he is confident that she will find the strength in her and come out of this with her head raised high. Maybe he should do a  divination for her on the next full moon? But does he really want to know her future? Can he stay away from her to make it happen? Or does he need to influence her to get her on the right path? There are two weeks left to figure that out. Or maybe on the next full moon, or never.

Some time later he hears a commotion in the kitchen and looks down. Anery did exactly what she said and Agneta is down there with Katherine to take her away. He can smell the fear she feels, even up here. He follows her as she runs away as soon as they step through the door. He nods to Agneta in passing and strolls casually down the hall. 

No need for him to run. Her scent is imprinted in his brain. He only wonders where she is running to, since there is nowhere to go.The fields are on the other side of the castle and the guards would never let her pass the door. The same goes for the mines. The access is allowed only to those that work there. The main door on this side is locked and way too heavy for her to even open it. Even if she would somehow get it open, there is nowhere to go if you can’t fly. The door opens directly into a three hundred meters deep precipice.

He stops dead in his tracks on the chapel door, but she’s not there. Nobody is ever here anyway. It is completely empty of everything. No chairs, no altar, not a single painting on the walls. The stained glass windows are covered up, as he hates the sight of the gods mocking him. He hates the happy images and the empty promises. The outside door is slightly ajar and he walks over to close it, but he hears faint sniffing from outside. Ah, so that’s where she is.

Cellan debates with himself if he should leave her alone or go see if she really is crying. Can he comfort her? He is the one that brought her here after all. Is it wise to show her his face? It is his own rule to let the girls be, but can he really be so heartless and let her cry? Well, she doesn’t need to know who he is, does she? He didn’t tell her as a dragon, he doesn’t need to tell her now.

He smiles to himself and thinks this is just to console her. No need for her to feel sad about something she can’t help. The learning period is different for every girl he ever brought here. And even Agneta will give her some leeway and not press her too hard in the first days. The adjustment from the old life to this new one is hard. He has no idea how he would fare to be locked up in this castle away from everyone he used to know. The idea alone is repugnant and he shakes it off fast. The soft crying sounds are tearing at his soul.

Oh, damn! He thinks this is a huge mistake. He is not the one to give her comfort. And not here with his mother watching. This is the only place in the castle where he can still feel his mothers presence. But the girl is like a flame that draws him closer and closer. He only hopes that she won’t burn him when she finds out that he is the one who brought her here. Does she know that dragons can take human form? Why doesn’t he know what they teach children down there?  Can he fake it enough so she doesn’t find out who he is?

The decision is made, he opens the door and peaks out in hopes of finding her fast. The courtyard is small and closed off on all sides. But it is what’s inside of it that bothers him the most. The princess found refuge in the perfect place to cry. A graveyard. The smile vanishes from his face and he is ready to turn around and leave her alone. Katherine sits at the base of a statue. It is a pretty woman with long hair, a crown on her head and soft features. His mother.