The Dragon's Call

Chapter 3

-Ashes-

“But you are not king!” my father yelled, right before my oldest brother Blaze came storming out of my father’s study.

I followed my brother with my eyes, as he stormed down the white marble hallway, before turning a corner.

“Ashes, good you are here.”

I turned toward my father, who was standing behind his big oak desk with the golden dragons as table legs. There were papers scattered on the table, and the tall and broad man behind it looked tired. His salt and pepper hair was standing in some places, as if he had been pulling it, and he had dark lines under his yellow eyes.

“Father,” I said and walked into the room.

I placed myself three feet away from his desk, my hands behind my back, while I waited to be told why he had summoned me. The old man sat back down in his seat, rested his elbows on the desk, and his chin on top of his clasped hands.

“I have a very important task for you,” he started.

My eyes narrowed, as I waited for him to explain further. A task. The way his voice was low but serious told me the importance of this mission. Blood would be spilled.

“You are to go to the North with your brothers and kill King James the sixth.”

“But father-“

My father raised his hand, cutting me off.

“I have already had one of you talk back to me, I don’t need more defiance for the day.”

I nodded. The argument between Blaze and my father seemed to become clearer to me by the second. While my father valued our opinion in the matters of war, it was ultimately him who had the last word, and he did not like us to continue to argue with him, had he closed the argument.

“The king is gathering himself an army. I cannot let him get the advantage.”

“The Golden City’s walls have never been breached,” I said, wondering why my father suddenly feared the human king.

“We aren’t as many dragons as we once were. Our kind isn’t thriving. Too many dead mothers. Too many dead children. While the humans breed like cockroaches, with half the deaths that we experience. We do not have the power to hold them off for too long. I cannot let him gather an army. You and your brother must kill him before he does.”

I sighed. He was not wrong. We were dwindling in numbers. It was almost scary how little the number of dragon kids that survived birth, and even scarier the number that lived to become adults. While the city was still full of life, it would not take many generations before some of the parts would be empty. If the humans were to come here, seeking a war, we would risk losing too many, and we couldn’t afford the losses. If we attacked first, the humans would be unprepared. It would minimize the losses, and insure a future without wars.

I was not certain what had made the king finally decide to attack us. The old king preferred the North. So, what had made the king finally decide the time was right? What had changed since he wanted to come here?

-Laelia-

“The humans to the North. The dragons to the South. The elves to the West. The nymphs to the East… The humans to the North. The dragons to the South. The elves to the West. The nymphs to the East… The humans to the North-“

“Princess?”

I tried to ignore the loud knocking on my bedroom door, as I continued listing the home for Arcadia’s creatures. My mom had taught me the string of words. It had always calmed me by whispering the words. If I could picture the whole of Arcadia, I felt like I could somehow control my situation… but I never could, and even now the loud knocking wouldn’t stop. My governess was on the other side, clearly ready to get me bathed and into my dress, so I could go meet my fiancé. I pulled the blanket even further over my head, as the door to my bedroom was pushed open. I could hear the heels my governess was wearing, clicking against the stone floor and coming closer like a predator locked on its prey. She was a scary woman, and had no trouble walking into my room, even though I had told my guards I refused to see anyone.

Elizabeth pulled the blanket from me, and impatiently she tapped her foot, while crossing her arms. Her evil eyes were locked on me, and her mouth was nothing but a line, as she looked down on me.

“What do you think you are doing, your highness?”

“Hiding.”

“Hiding?”

“Yes, hiding. I’m not going out there.”

“Your future husband will arrive soon, and it is a sign of respect for you to be there to greet him at the entrance to the castle!”

“My father can do that.”

“Your father isn’t the one marrying him.”

“Could you imagine if he was,” I laughed.

Elizabeth certainly did not see anything funny about my words, and only turned even sour, as she grabbed my arm and lifted me from the bed.

“You will get out of bed and get ready to meet your future husband!” she sneered, as she pulled me out of the comfy bed.

“I don’t want to marry him!” I yelled, as I dug my bare heels into the ground, but the stones were smooth and there was nothing to help me against the power of my governess.

“Get her bath ready!” Elizabeth yelled, and in came Sarah and two of my other chambermaids.

They all carried a bucket of hot water, and quickly poured it into the copper tub that stood by the other end of my chamber. Elizabeth pulled me over to the tub and, in one quick rough movement, pulled my white nightgown off me. Without any clothes, I had no choice but to get in the warm water, so as not to freeze.

“There! We will get you all nice and pretty for Lord Keplin.”

“Lucky me,” I murmured, as Elizabeth started to roughly brush my hair. I didn’t matter if I begged and told her it hurt, she would not relent.

Soon she had my long black hair braided into one long and thick braid. The white strands of hair hung down in the front, framing my face. My maids quickly washed my arms, legs and back, before I was pulled out by my governess. She dried me roughly, before she started to dress me. The chemise was not awful to wear. It was the easiest piece to put on, but then came the white corset, which was like a tool used for torture. My governess pulled the strings as tightly as she could, cutting off any air circulation. I gasped every time she pulled, and it felt like the room was spinning. My maids’ faces even twisted in pain, as they watched me. Usually, it would be one of them who took care of tying my corset, but Elizabeth always thought they didn’t pull hard enough, so she had made the job her own, and I hated it. When she was finally done, and I was close to fainting, she brought me my dress. It was a deep green one that would bring out my eyes. It had red roses embroidered on it and the roses’ leaves had been edged with gold, so they stood out. It had long sleeves that continued even after my arms ended. Slim strains of fabric would hang down from my wrists, almost reaching the floor.

Elizabeth made me raise my arms high in the air, as she pulled the dress over me. It quickly came down around me. It hugged my curves beautifully, and if it wasn’t because I was wearing this dress to go meet my awful fiancé, I might even like it. Elizabeth found a pair of silver heels, which helped raise me from the ground. I had to look tall, slim and beautiful for my future husband. My maids painted my lips a dark red, my cheeks a lighter shade and then a small touch of eyeliner.

“So beautiful. Only one piece missing,” Elizabeth said, and took the small crown that had leaves carved into it.

It was nothing flashy. Just a little accessory, but it stood out against my black hair. I looked like a real princess now. Nothing like the mud-covered girl from yesterday. It was awful! I wanted to be that mud-covered girl, not this stiff and sad princess, who wanted to be anywhere but here!

“Just beautiful! Now you’re ready. Let’s go!” my governess said, and clapped her hands twice, before starting to walk out of my chamber.

I could do nothing but follow her. I knew she would get me out of here in one way or another, even if she had to order the guards to carry me. I might be the princess, but no one could stand up to my governess, except my father. Sadly, he was the one who hired her! She was doing exactly what he wanted, so the guards would do as they were told and force me out of there. I passed them in the hallway, and I had never seen them stand straighter. It was definitely Elizabeth’s presence that did that to them. I almost laughed. Almost… but then I remembered where I was going, and then suddenly there was nothing to laugh at. I knew Lord Keplin had not changed. He would still be the arrogant boy I had met three years ago, but now I couldn’t go somewhere to hide from him. I would be bound to him by God, and I could do nothing to stop it. My father wanted his family’s support, and his family wanted their son to become prince. I was simply the link. Nothing more.