A Dragon's Heart

Chapter 7- The Dark Prince

Through the heavy darkness that enclosed her mind, Sierra faintly realized that she was no longer in chains. The surface beneath her felt soft instead of a rough dungeon floor.

Sierra felt hands moving on her torn back and gasped with the sudden pain.

"Shh, Sierra" a voice said. Philip? She wondered.

She struggled to rise, but a firm hand on her bruised and bloodied shoulder convinced her to stay still.

Sierra opened her eyes to find herself in an ornate bedroom. A fire crackled in the fireplace and a soft quilt lay beneath her.

Suddenly, she was aware of someone sitting on the bed next to her. Sierra shifted carefully on her stomach to see.

Philip sat there, removing bloodied bandages from her back.

Sierra panicked. She knew she couldn't withstand much more torture.

She tried to leap out of the bed, ignoring the screaming pain. It was only a few steps toward the heavy wooden door when her burned legs refused to hold her and she collapsed.

Still, she moved forward on her hands and knees, dignity forgotten in her rush to escape. Philip knelt down beside her and grasped his shoulders.

"Please, let me go" she whispered pitifully. He ignored her plea and gently lifted her into his arms and set her on the bed. Sierra refused to lay down but sat.

She couldn't help trembling. They had hurt her so much.

"I'm not going to hurt you" Philip said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. Still, she edged away from him as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You already have" Sierra said, hating how weak and scared her voice sounded.

Philip winced at her words but he knew she spoke the truth.

"No longer. I won't let my father kill you". He said fiercly.

"I would rather him kill me instead of prolonging this more" Sierra said faintly.

"Never! I will not let you die" Philip growled. Sierra just sighed. Death was immensly preferable to endless torture.

"Ramon has come up with a new plan. It is to be announced that you have joined him in his quest for power. He thinks that if he cannot break you, he might as well try the Dragon King". Philip said regretfully.

Sierra smirked.

"Where does he think I got my strength? Ember will not fall for it". She said happily. Philip shrugged, but was relieved to see her with some resemblense of joy after what she had been put through.

"Let me heal you" He said. Sierra shook her head.

"I can do it fine on my own, thank you" She said.

"The spell restraining your magic is not to be broken. It will alert....It" Philip trailed off, unwilling to say the name of the Being that was controlling all of their fates.

Sierra grimaced, but allowed Philip to place his hands on her numerous wounds. Red light poured from his hands and her broken skin flowed back together.

The feeling was amazing. She laughed joyously at the feeling of pain vanishing. Philip only then realized the full extent of the pain that had been inflicted apon her.

He had forgotten how beautiful her skin was when not torn apart by whip and burning iron. And her laugh, he had never before heard something so wonderful in his young life. The bright light of Sierra's smile seemed to envelop him.

Breaking away from his awestruck thoughts, he rose and walked to the large wooden wardrobe and withdrew a dress.

"Your presence is required at dinner tonight." Philip said simply at her questioning glance. Instead of arguing, Sierra just nodded. Philip left her to prepare herself.

Only a short while later, Philip was knocking on her door. Sierra stood in front of a large mirror and frowned. The dress was many sizes too large and was the color of dried blood.

I could fit a dragon in here with me! She laughed to herself. At Philip's knock, she sighed and heaved open the door.

He was dressed in black pants and shirt, with a red vest. The vest was decorated with what she assumed were military medels, although what he could of accomplished at his young age, she had no idea.

Grudginly, she admitted that he looked very handsome.

Seeing her in the gown, Philip smirked and choked on his laughter at Sierra's icy glare.

"I can fix that" He said and touched the sleeve of the ugly gown. Immediatly, it transformed into a brilliant scalett gown. The bodice hugged her small frame and billowed out into a full skirt.

Even to Sierra, who intensly disliked dresses and finery, the gown was beautiful.

Philip offered his arm to Sierra like she was a lady and not a prisoner. She lightly placed her hand on his arm and together they walked down the long hallways.

Once they reached a huge marble staircase, down which the throngs of obviously important people awaited the arrival of more important people, Philip released her arm and whispered in the ear of a uniformed man.

"Prince Philip, Heir to the Throne of Arcadia!" The man announced as Philip regally descended the staircase.

Sierra whispered in the ear of the man once Philip had reached the bottom of the marble staircase.

"Princess Sierra Nighthawk, Heir to Dragon Island and Arcadia, daughter of King Daniel Nighthawk and adopted daughter of the Ember and Adriana, King and Queen of Dragons". the man shouted.

Sierra descended among the shocked gasps and murmers. She smiled at Philip, who's astonishment showed clearly. He took her arm and led her to a chair behind a huge banquet table.

Philip made her stand behind it, for, as he hurridly explained, it was custom to wait for the king to be seated before sitting. She was greatly tempted to ignore this particular custom.

Instead, she stood watching the members of the king's court swagger down the stairs and into the banquet hall. Countless pompous dukes, duchesses, and earls descended the staircase.

"Almost over" Philip whispered, after he heard her stomach rumbling for the upteenth time.

Philip tensed suddenly as the man at the top of the staircase announced,

"High Prince Darkon, Defender and Heir to the Throne of Arcadia"

She watched as a tall man dressed like Philip except for a vibrant green sash instead of a vest, walked down the stairs amid applause and cheers. He headed towards them, ignoring Philip's glare.

While Philip was a fighter, he didn't exibit the aura of strength and power that this man possesed. And while Philip had a round face, light hair, and all around boyish looks, the newcomeer had finely chisled features and dark hair.

They couldn't possibly be brothers Sierra decided. The dark prince, as Sierra thought of him, came to stand on the other side of her. Philip let out a breath that sounded more like a hiss.

Sierra shifted closer to Philip, away from the dark warrior prince. Philip, she could withstand, but this new man was dangerous.

The dark prince turned to her and Sierra's heart stuttered, even as she scolded herself fiercly for being afraid.

"Princess" he murmered and a deep, deep voice, pulling out her chair for her to sit down. Sierra realized that Ramon had already arrived and seated himself. She sat. Philip glared at the older man.

It was going to be a long dinner...

Picture of Prince Darkon------------>

*HINT* One prince is good and one is bad....which is which?