Caspian

8- The Great Hall

For the last few days, Amethyst has tried her best to stay positive even if it was so clear that her husband didn’t like her. Every time they’d eat together, he would just remain stoic and would never talk to her despite her efforts to start a conversation. Sometimes, he’d find her reading in the library and Amethyst would greet him but he’d just shrugged his shoulders and give her a bored look before leaving. One time she was happily watching the squirrels in the palace grounds when he walked out but went inside right away the moment he saw her. So Amethyst concluded that he’s obviously avoiding her. She’s definitely like an eyesore to him.

But what’s new? She thought. I was always treated as one anyway.

Amethyst just have to get used to it even if deep inside, it still affects and hurts her. However, with her warm spirit, she still kept her smile plastered on her face and tried her best to enjoy her stay in the palace. This is her home now. Besides, the people in the palace are warm and kind to her anyway. She even started painting again and felt good afterwards. She also began spending more and more time in the library where she will just read and read till the evening, learning new things every day. That morning, she decided to go and explore the kingdom and asked Rosie if she can accompany her to the kingdom’s village or town centre. But then Rosie said she needed the King’s permission for that matter. She waited so he can talk to the king but to her dismay, she didn’t see him till evening. So then at that moment, she decided to find him. She’s currently on her way to the King’s chamber so she can ask if it’s all right for her to go out and explore in the kingdom.

As she was walking towards his chamber, she noticed that the scenery started to change. The halls going to the king’s chamber slowly started to turn even more massive than the usually massive halls in the palace. She hadn’t noticed that before during the wedding night. Then she eventually reached her purpose and knocked at the door. No one answered after she tried a few times so she twisted the knob and pop her head inside the King’s bedroom but he was nowhere to be found.

“Where could he be?” She voiced out as she gently closed the door.

She sighed before walking back into the hallway she passed by earlier when she noticed a huge door down the left. The borders of it looked magnificent with its gold accent. Amethyst didn’t understand why but she was drawn to the door like it was some magnet that attracts her to walk into it. She knocked several times but after receiving no reply, she opened it and was surprised that it’s not even locked. And what she saw when she entered it was a Great Hall.

Unique patterned white marble made up the floor and walls with silver tiles shining like mirrors glow and was reflected, covering the ceiling. The furniture on the sides was coloured velvet and it looked luxurious. Not to mention the gigantic golden chandelier on the centre of the great hall’s ceiling, accented with diamonds that glowed like little stars. It was beautiful. But that wasn’t all, the more she stepped forward, the more she saw enormous portraits hanged on its walls. Portrait upon portraits covered these high walls.

“Portraits of Dragons.” She expressed in awe as she excitedly strides towards the portraits and admired each one.

Those dragons in the portraits were huge, bat-winged and scaly. Some of them looked like ancient lizards and snakes with barbed tail. And these portraits were not ordinary. They looked real from an angle, it has depth on it. Every dragon also looked magnificent and powerful. It was very far from the drawings she saw back in their kingdom’s library which looked just ordinary. But these looked very special. Amethyst transferred from portrait to portrait, amazed at how the artist made them. Then she noticed some writings just below each portrait.

“King Magnus the Gallant, 1346 to 1761.” She read out loud. Then she proceeded to the next one. “King Draco the Serpent, 801 to 1346.”

Then as she checked, they’re all labelled as Kings with a certain year beside them.

“Kings?” She voiced out trying to understand why the painters would name their paintings Kings. Then she saw books neatly stocked on a golden shelf at the very far end of the hall. She went and took a book from it. She coughed a little as she slightly dusted it.

“The Book of Dragon Kings.” She read.

Amethyst was about to open the book when a deafening and thunderous growl shocked her and she dropped the book. The growl was so loud and intense that it made every single cell of her body cower in fear.

“How dare you enter this place?!” Cronus angrily yelled as he looked at Amethyst with murderous eyes, his red and white eye glaring at her behind his mask. “Who told you to enter this place?!”

“I…I’m sorry.” It was all that Amethyst can say as she stepped back in fear until her back landed on the wall.

The growl she heard was no ordinary and the terror she felt is slowly consuming her. Cronus slowly approached her and dangerously towered over her.

“You!” Cronus growled again as he pinned her on the wall.

“AAAAHHH!” Amethyst screamed for her life as she closed her eyes when she saw Cronus hands in the air and thought that he would punch her. But his strong hands made a huge hole on the wall just beside her head instead. Cronus, now back to himself, realized what he had done and worriedly looked at the woman in front of him whose teary eyes were closed. She was breathing so fast; he can hear her heartbeat so loud. And when she opened it, tears streamed like rainfall from those hazel brown eyes and it pained him to the core.

I almost killed her. He thought.

Upon comprehending that it missed her, Amethyst used up all her energy to push Cronus from her and ran away. She was scared. And as always, she ran as fast as she could. She just wanted to get away, far away from there. She still wants to live. And if she was fated to die, she doesn’t want to be murdered. She didn’t care anymore about what complications will happen after.

She bolted away into the open grounds and saw a carriage unloading some stocks for the kitchen. She secretly slipped into the back as it started to move and covered herself with all the used bags and covers. She was panting hard but tried to take it all in, trying to be as quiet as possible, as the carriage passed by the palace gates. She sighed a little when she was out of the palace and removed her cover. Then she jumped out of the carriage and tumbled down on the side road. Good thing it was already dark and the carriage driver didn’t even notice her.

As soon as she stood up, she looked around and saw the woods nearby. So she ran towards it. She had read in a book before that it would be easier to escape in the woods, not having any idea that what she’s going to would be far more dangerous than the one she escaped from.

***

Uri and the servants came urgently into the King’s chambers upon hearing his thunderous growl and found the King closing the door of the Great Hall.

“She saw it. All of it.” Cronus said which made Rosie and the other servants gasped.

“I apologize, your majesty. I haven’t watched her closely. I didn’t think she’d come to your chambers.” Rosie automatically said as she knelt in front of the King. “Please punish me for my carelessness.”

“Why did she decide to come here, anyway?” Uri inquired curiously.

“Oh, my lord. She was waiting all day to talk to his majesty because she wanted to visit the town centre and the villages but she didn’t get to meet you. I thought she would just wait till tomorrow and never thought she’d come here.” Rosie answered and bowed her head once again. “Please forgive me. I am really very sorry.”

“It’s already done.” Cronus said as he turned his back and walked towards his bedroom and left a loud bang on his door.

“It’s alright, Rosie.” Uri said as he nodded for the guards to help the lady stand up. “Where is she?”

“I haven’t seen her yet, sire. But we’ll go and check on her now.” Rosie answered, then all the servants and palace guards scurried away to go look for the princess.

***

Cronus just kept pacing back and forth in his room since the incident. It was late in the evening when a knock was heard on his room. Uri entered together with his palace general and he just shook his head.

“We’ve looked everywhere. But she’s not here. Her scent is nowhere to be found except for her things.” Uri said and Cronus let out another thunderous growl.

He was so frustrated that he unintentionally brewed a storm. Lightning and thunder started and was heard throughout his kingdom from the dark clouds which Cronus rage formed.

“How can a woman escaped hundreds of palace guards and servants?!” Cronus yelled angrily as he started to control himself and the flames which are about to burst out at any moment. “And not even a single one saw her?! AND HOW CAN SHE GET OUT OF THE GATES WITHOUT ANY OF YOU NOTICING!!!!?”

“I apologize, your highness.” The general said as he knelt and bowed. “I have already sent out the guards to go and find her. The search parties are already out, your highness.”

He paced back and forth again and tried to calm himself. “ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!”

So he rashly walked past Uri and his guards. He can’t just stay there and wait, he will go find her himself.

Where are you, Amethyst? He thought worriedly.

***

It’s been 6 hours since the princess went missing and by now, he was worried to death.

Damn me and my temper for causing all this mess. He blamed himself. She’s human after all. Of course, she’ll be terrified. If only I was able to control my temper.

It’s been like that ever since he received his father’s powers before he died. He’s been training for years and only 2 full moons are left before he completes his training. So he can have absolute control over it. Up until then, the power inside him can somehow overpower his will and thinking. Cronus flew amongst the lightning and the clouds as loud thunders are everywhere to be heard. His rage was still so strong that the storm he brewed was equally strong. He flew everywhere, on the villages, the town centre, the dock, by the shore but he still didn’t see nor smell her. Then he went back to the palace grounds and tried to follow her fading scent.

Damn. Why didn’t I think of it at first? He thought and cursed under his breath. Certainly, his rage and frustration clouded his mind and he just felt absolutely stupid.

So he recalled the search parties and asked them to track her scent and to his surprise, each of them already holds one of her things and already tried it.

Of course, they would, Cronus. They’re trained to be good trackers! He scolded himself and his stupidity.

But somehow, even if they were the best, they actually can’t smell her scent. And that is very unusual. Human scents should be very strong for dragons. And the smell lingers.

Why couldn’t they track her? He asked himself.

He shook his head and would just do it then. He’d just find the answers to his lingering questions after they find her. He followed her scent and surely, the princess got herself out of the palace grounds through the gate. Then it stopped at a certain point. And as he sniffed further, Cronus heart dropped when the scent he is following directed him towards the f*******n forest, The Forest of Outlaws. She surely wouldn’t dare to go to the woods by herself. But all the sniffing led him towards it. He then gritted his teeth and growled menacingly.

DAMN ME. He cursed before he hastily flew in that direction.

***