The Dragon Queen

Six: Prince George

Six

Prince George

When we got back to the castle, the first thing Lancelot did was pour himself a drink of scotch that he downed rapidly. “What are we going to do?” he demanded. “A dragon? For f***s sake, Little Princess is a dragon?”

“She’s not,” I said flatly, “only part of her is.”

“But you heard The Witch Doctor,” said Lancelot, “if she doesn’t connect with a dragon, she’ll die.”

“The Witch Doctor isn’t the only source on dragons. Look at her Uncle! He’s from Continuar, he’s royal, and he is not a dragon.”

“That we know of.”

“You know the truth as much as I do. Father killed the dragons and created the peace treaty. It’s why I’m marrying Ashden in the first place. I’ve never heard of a dragon controlling a mortal before, let alone being…. whatever it was The Witch Doctor was talking about.”

“She’ll sense those eggs,” Lancelot said, “and then she’ll attach to one, and she’ll destroy everything and everyone. It’s no secret that she hates you.”

I frowned.  “You think she hates me?”

Lancelot snorted. “Georgie, you might be a Prince, but charming you are not. You have been nothing but miserable to that poor girl since she was five years old. We used to chase her because we could, remember?”

I smirked. “I only wanted to kiss her.”

“Yes, and do you remember what happened when you tried?”

I frowned, thinking back to the memory. I’d been seven years-old and had delighted in tormenting annoying, five-year-old Ashden at every turn. I would chase her around the castle, pretending I was going to kiss her, only to stop just short and tell her that she wasn’t worth it. “I didn’t. Because I wasn’t going to kiss her until she was ready.”

Lancelot snorted. “No, you didn’t kiss her because you liked tormenting her.  It’s the same reason you never let her befriend anyone at school. It’s the same reason that you keep her isolated. Even from me, and it’s my job to protect you both. You don’t care one whit about Ashden, you just enjoy seeing her suffer.”

“That isn’t it at all,” I said.

“I know that,” he admitted, “but Ashden doesn’t, and the rest of the world doesn’t. Why do you think she kissed you the other day?”

“My devlish good looks/”

He laughed. “Ashden is sweet, but she isn’t stupid. She kissed you because she was trying to get revenge on you for the way that you treated her knight. She knows you despise her country.”

“But I don’t despise her.”

“She’s still a Continuarian,” Lancelot reminded. “And if she is a dragon, Georgie, we’re going to have to kill her. We’re the Dragon Slayers. That’s our job.”

“No, we won’t,” I said firmly. “Because I have a plan. And it involves killing two birds with one stone.”

Lancelot raised an eyebrow. “A plan?”

I nodded. “We’re going to frame Samael for bringing the eggs, and we’ll get him arrested for illegal smuggling. He’ll be hanged, and the eggs will be confiscated and destroyed.”

“But what about what The Witch Doctor said?” Lancelot asked. “That Ashden could die without the dragon?”

“He was lying,” I insisted, “he has to be. We’ve been to Continuar. We’ve seen her family. They knew of the dragons, and the dragons were killed long ago. Her Uncle was one, and he’s still alive. Ashden is my future. She always has been, and I refuse to kill her. Do you understand?”

I grabbed Lancelot by the shoulders, and for the first time he looked at me with fear in his eyes. But it was replaced with something like respect.

“Careful, Georgie boy,” he said, “people might start to think that you have feelings for the girl. Can’t have that now, can we? Wouldn’t want to ruin that image you’ve so carefully cultivated.”

I glared and let him go. “It will be done. Are you with me, or against me?”

“I’m with you,” he said, as he wrapped one hand around my neck, pressing his forehead against mine. “I’m always with you.”

I kissed him deeply, tenderly, and he pressed his muscled form up against me, wrapping his arms around me tight. It was different from Ashden’s kiss. But I still enjoyed it all the same, still wanted him all the same.

And wanted her.

And I would do whatever it took to protect them both.