Heir of the Dragon

Nonnegotiable Loyalties

According to my calculations, we'd definitely been apart longer than this before. It was only a measly day and a half, after all. Why did it feel so incredibly long?

I sat cross legged on the floor in the lushly furnished room, facing the window. The warmth of the sun that shone through the multicolored glass felt good on my skin. Good, but not quite as good as the fire that happened when he touched me. I replayed the sound of his laughter, for the hundredth time, in my head; rewatching the way his golden eyes smiled.

I missed him. Terribly.

Breathing a sigh of frustration to the empty room, I stood up and began to pace. As I subconsciously let the curtains of the bed brush across my fingertips, I came to a certain conclusion.

If anything was worse than being separated from someone you need, it's not knowing if they were well or not. And even worse than that? Heaven forbid, but some small, horrible voice suggested the possibility of never seeing him again.

I hated waiting.

The maids that the prince sent to my room had taken my clothes to be cleaned. Instead they had given me dresses to wear that were probably worth my weight in silver. The part of me that had daydreamed of riches, and dancing, and feasts was thrilled with this, but another part of me worried that I would be restricted by them. So I consented to wear them, but only until I got my clothes back.

As I ran my fingers over the fine maroon dress I'd adorned myself in today, I was tempted to think of what my life could have been had I been born in different circumstances. Scenes flicked through my mind of myself in this dress, leather corset hugging my thin body, and the deep red fabric sweeping the floor as I wandered the riches of my dreams. Shadaii became the handsome lord who I talked with on the outlooks of the castle, dressed in a fine leather jacket and royal cape. His black curls were combed back from his face, and his warm honey eyes smiled, all fear and reservation forgotten.

A sudden rap on the door shocked me out of my imagined life.

I hurried to the door, hoping against all hope that it would finally be the news I was waiting so impatiently for. When I pulled it open, I was crestfallen to find another maid standing there holding a neatly folded pile of some very familiar articles of clothing.

"Your clothes are clean and dry, my lady," She said, looking me over with cheerful blue eyes, "But you do look lovely in the dress," She added after a moment. I managed a smile.

"Thank you," I said, taking the pile of clothes from her. She dipped her head, and then hurried down the hall and around corner. I sighed, and leaned against the doorframe. I didn't want to look lovely in the dress. I wanted to speak to the king, and then I wanted to take Shadaii and Occhie and leave this place.

Yesterday had been tolerable. I'd managed to leave this magnificent fortress and wander among the people for a few hours. There was so much good in Eador. Out there among them, I felt at peace, and oddly enough, even a little at home. Their world was enchanting; with their bright flags, and bright hair, and incredible beasts.

Today, however, was putting me through mental torture. Within the walls of this luxurious prison, I felt only a festering kind of anxiety. I had visited Occhie yesterday, and I was relieved to find him well taken care of, but the servants couldn't tell me where to find Shadaii. I couldn't get his face out of my mind. When I dwelt too long on it, the loneliness was sometimes so bad it physically hurt.

Movement in the hall shook me from my thoughts, and I stood up straight, realizing I was still standing sulkily in the doorframe. The first thing I noticed were her eyes. They were a crystalline, liquid kind of blue. They stood out from her pretty freckled face like pools in the desert. She stood on the other end of the hall, and simply stared at me. I would have guessed her to be only a few years older than I. She was dressed in a beautiful, expensive looking dress, and her long curly hair was a beautiful auburn color. There was a look in here eyes that I knew all to well. Something burdened her; something that had lasted a long time.