Nadine

5. Bury It

The next dream he had a rock. The next he had a dagger. The next he had a bow. The next he was a dragon chasing me around the fields blowing fire at me.

"I'm going to go for a walk, momma. I've kept us all awake all night."

"You need to eat something. Then we can go together." My mom helps me stand up. "I'll go send for breakfast. Mary will be right in."

I watch her leave.

Mary comes in a few minutes later. "Let's get your hair done and a pretty dress on little miss. It will help you feel better."

I sit there staring at my table. What did I do to make him so angry? He has so much hate for me. I have always loved my brother. I love seeing him happy and celebrating his accomplishments.

"This way, little miss. Breakfast is in the dining room. Tre and his parents are here. They will be eating with you this morning. Isn't that nice?"

Why was he trying to kill me? Just because I have my dragon too? I didn't even know about it until I saw him flying around.

"Morning princess."

"Good morning. How are you feeling today?"

I don't know what to say. I shake my head.

Mary guides me to the closest chair to the door. She pulls it out for me and I sit down. I stare at the dishes in front of me.

"We didn't get much sleep last night." Mom sits down beside me. "We're all a little sleepy."

Tre tries to stand up and Asa pushes him back in his seat and comes over to sit on the other side of me. I feel her wrap her arms around me. "You poor baby. Let's get some food in you. Tre and Dracul can you please step out? She needs to eat and none of us want to deal with this veil right now."

"Let's go eat in the kitchen. The girls can take over this area."

I hear the door shut. How can I be so weak? I'm supposed to be the queen. I'm supposed to be strong and keep everyone else safe.

"Here princess try a bite please." Asa is holding some food in front of my face.

I open my mouth.

"How is that? Did you like it?"

I don't even know what I swallowed. None of this makes any sense. He's never done anything like this before. He's always been so kind and sweet.

"Try some fruit baby."

I remember the time he threw a rock at my horse. But he said it was a joke.

"Take a drink princess."

There was the time I fell into the river. He said it was an accident and he pulled me out right away. I just always felt like he tripped me.

"You are doing so good princess."

The time he almost shot me with an arrow while he was showing me how to use the bow.

"Little more blood."

I wonder if he really has hated me all these years.

"You did so good princess. Did you want to sit in the sitting room and visit? Or maybe go to the barn and see the horses? I can go out there with you." Asa helps me stand up.

I give her a big hug. I still don't know what to say, but she hugs me back.

She hugs me for quite a while. "I promise princess. You will be ok. You want to sit with Tre for a bit?"

I nod and her and mom lead me to the sitting area after they get the veil back on.

I sit down in the first chair again. I can hear them talking but it doesn't matter. I don't care. I stand up and walk out. I don't know where I'm going. But I need out.

"I'll go with her."

I know that was Tre.

I go over to the market area. I have a ball gown on. The guards know who I am immediately and start following me around. I don't care.

People are yelling. I roam around looking at everything for trade. There's some music playing somewhere. I move towards it. It sounds lovely.

"Saffron and Salt here!"

Someone is trading a pig and I remember Clay's first trade. He was so proud of himself that day.

I find the music players and sit on the ground watching them. I've never seen anything like this. It's so different.

"Princess, I need to move you. To many people are crowding around you."

"I'm sorry Advisor Gunner."

"Don't be sorry, princess. We can move you into the building right there. You'll be able to hear from inside."

I nod and he helps me stand up.

"You can stay here as long as you want. Everyone knows where you are. And I have guards all around you. Do you want me to sit with you?"

"I'm fine thank you." I look around. "Where did Tre go? Was he here?"

"He's outside princess. He said he wants you to have your space until you're ready to talk."

I sit and listen to the music. It's sounds sad and tragic but it's beautiful. I sit here alone and listen to them play.

After a long time, I get up and leave through the other side of the building. The guards and Tre follow me until I'm out of the market area.

I want to see where it happened. I remember where I was. I go to where I first learned I had a dragon. I smile as I remember Dipak talking me through it. Everyone was so happy and laughing. I remember the red on my dragon. Everyone saying how pretty it was. I remember them leaving.

I move to the spot where I was watching the clouds. It isn't that far. I kneel down. There's nothing here that looks like an attack ever happened. Then I see the rock. I pick it up and hold it. It still has blood on it.

I feel Tre put his hand on my back as he kneels down beside me.

"He hit me with this rock Tre." I sit it down and start to dig.

"What are you doing, princess?"

"I'm going to bury it."

"Let me. Please."

I stop and he digs me a hole with his hands.

I put the rock in and cover it up."Tell me what happened that day."

"We were almost all the way back to the castle. Dipak forgot something. He sped back to get it. The alarms sounded and we all started trying to figure out what was going on. Someone was screaming that the princess had been attacked. We started back to the fields but Dipak caught back up to us. There were tears on his face. He had you in his arms." He takes a deep breath.

"Was it bad?"

"Yes."

"Tell me."

"The veil and your dress had cuts and blood and dirt all over them. You weren't moving at all." A tear falls out of his eye. He wipes it away and shakes his head. "Dipak said your brother did it and flew off before he could catch him. He ran into the medical area with you. Your mother and father went there with you. Frode, Gunner and my dad went after Clay. They caught him quickly and threw him in the dungeons."

"Tre?"

"Yes." I feel his hand on my back again.

"When you left that day I was thinking about how much I was going to kiss my spot later."

He shakes his head and looks at the ground laughing. "Only if I can kiss my spot too."

"Are you ok Tre? I know you've been upset. They said you didn't leave the medical area."

He takes a deep breath. "I'll be ok when you are princess."

I give him a little smile. "I would like to leave this spot now."

He stands up and offers me his hand. "You want to go to the barn? We can check on your horses or go get some food. It's way past lunch time. It's nearly dinner hour."

"You go eat Tre. I heard the advisor's offices were redone. I want to go see them."

"I'll go with you, baby."

"Not yet. I need some time to myself."

"I'll walk you back to the castle."

"Will you meet me in the yellow room an hour after dinner?"

He smiles at me and kisses my hand. "Yes ma'am."

We get to the castle and part ways.

The advisor hall is completely empty. No advisors. And since there are no advisors, there are no guards. I can have some time to myself finally. At the end of the hall is a big window. I sit by it watching outside. It's a beautiful day. Lots of clouds. I remember cloud watching that day. They were so puffy.

I lay down on the floor and watch the clouds go by. After a few minutes, I see something in the distance. I stand up and put my face out so I can see better. It's a dragon coming right for me. I scream and jump out of the way before it hits me with fire.

"Princess. It's ok."

I open my eyes and Dipak has his hands on my shoulders. I jump up and wrap my arms around his neck. "Dipak, every time I sleep he attacks me again. I'm so tired."

I feel him pick me up and start carrying me. He carries me into his office and lays me on the couch. "Sleep princess. I will guard you. You're safe here."

"But."

"No."

"But."

"Sleep now. You are safe here."

"But."

"No."

I give up and close my eyes.