The Dragon's Call

Chapter 6

-Ashes-

Interesting. The princess was… interesting. She wasn’t what I had expected. I thought she would be less feisty, yet here she was challenging me right in front of my men. She seemed surprised when she heard who I was, but she quickly pulled herself together, meeting my eyes with her own beautiful green ones. I had never before seen eyes like that. They were like emeralds. Intriguing.

“What are you doing so far in the North? You dragons hate the cold.”

It was not strange, she found our presence here suspicious. But then again, had she not married Lord Keplin to give her father an army? Maybe she was trying to feign ignorance to trick me.

“We do, but when your father decides to get himself a fresh new army with a thousand men by marrying you off, then we cannot just sit on our asses, waiting for him to attack,” I said, seeing a confused expression taking over.

“You’re the one attacking us!” she then yelled.

I walked closer to her. She was like a lioness, this little princess. Strong. Defiant. Certain of her own power. Hard to scare.

“Where is my father?” she said in a lower tone, as I came closer.

“Dead.”

Her eyes grew big in shock, before they narrowed, flaming with anger. I could see she wanted to do something, hurt me probably, but what could she do with a room full of dragons? She was one princess. I slowly turned my back to her. Done with this conversation.

“My lord!”

She didn’t even wait a second, before she reached for my sword and pulled it out. I turned around, grabbed her arm, but I was a second too late, and she held the blade pressed against my throat. I couldn’t help the laughter that escaped me. This princess was different.

“What are you waiting for?” I asked.

She seemed uncertain. While it was clear she wanted to hurt me, she was hesitating. She knew killing me would only get herself killed, and she was weighing her options. Was sliding my throat open worth losing her life for? She was a smart one. It was not hard to see. Right now, she was just letting her anger rule over her. Could you blame her? Her father dead. Her kingdom was now ruled by the dragons. Her husband dead. She was all alone.

“Have you ever taken a life before, princess?”

“Someone has to be the first one,” she sneered.

“Then, what are you waiting for?”

“I want to,” she whispered, her hands slightly shaking. “You deserve to die!”

I couldn’t really say I didn’t agree. This wasn’t my first fight, nor was it my last. I had been in many wars and killed a lot of people. Done a lot of awful things under the name of my father. Death didn’t even really scare me. A part of me almost wanted to help her. All she had to do was put a little pressure on...

“My brothers… where are my brothers? Are they dead too?”

“They are no longer your concern,” was all I said.

“They are my brothers!”

“I think you should be more concerned about yourself!”

She took a step closer; everyone was watching her closely. My men had their hands on their swords but didn’t draw them, afraid to set her off. Their prince’s life was in her hands, they had to wait for the right moment to strike.

“I’m concerned about my brothers and my people!” she said with a voice full of power.

“Then you probably shouldn’t be holding a sword against my throat.”

She looked at me confused by my words. I sighed.

“Your people are in my hands now, and if you truly want to protect them, you shouldn’t try to kill me. Besides, if you kill me, you die too, and then who will be there to take care of them? Not your brothers, I guarantee you that.”

She came even closer, putting just a little more pressure on my throat, at the mentioning of her brothers. Time went by slowly, as I saw her think it all over, but then she breathed out slowly, before lowering my sword, and looking away. I smiled victoriously and quickly took the sword from her, putting it back in its scabbard. Tylon, my childhood friend, who had brought me the princess, quickly grabbed her, holding her securely at his side.

“Prepare her for traveling. We leave at dawn.

He nodded once, before pulling her out of the throne room. Reluctantly, she followed behind him, but not before giving me her most deadly glare.

-Laelia-

I was still wearing my bloody wedding dress, as I was taken out of the castle, followed by two dragons on each of my sides. The sun was barely up, as I was pulled from my chamber, and led outside where Prince Ashes and his men were already seated on their horses and ready to travel. I was brought before Ashes, who was sitting on a black stallion. One of my guards put his hands on my hips before lifting me up to him, ready to receive me. Ashes placed me in front of him, caging me in with his arms and big body.

“Ready princess?” he asked close to my ear.

I glared at him over my shoulder. I had never before hated a person like I hated him. He was a true monster. He didn’t even seem bothered by the fact he had killed my entire family, and probably killed hundreds of my people as well. He was without mercy. Was this really what dragons were like? Evil? Cruel? Taking whatever they thought was theirs? I had always thought they stood for elegance and wisdom. Now I was not so sure.

“Do I have a choice?” I asked, my voice full of sarcasm.

I could see my words amused him, as the sides of his lips curved up slightly.

“Not really,” he said, before he set his horse in motion and signaled to the rest in the big courtyard to move.