Order of the Gears

Chapter 10

Author's Note: Oh jeez, bad writer's block >__<'''' I need to start writing more on this story and on my other one, but I doubt that'll start soon. Block, hurry up and go away!

Enjoy, vote and comment please!

3 Votes: August 5

Normality: August 7

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“It was given to her on her third birthday, when it was still a hatchling. But when we introduced it to the princess, it frowned and ignored her completely. Would’ve attacked her too, except I was there and it knows I’m a friend,” Tom sighed, scratching his head. “That’s so strange. This dragon is colder than a regular dragon, too. He normally would’ve never taken a stranger on a ride, much less have this behavior.”

            I was kind of skeptical at Tom’s small speech.

            “But Freed’s so friendly,” I replied. “That can’t be possible.

            “But it is.”

            ****

            I asked Freed to go back, seeing as he couldn’t keep himself at the front of the palace. After a snort of fire, he flew away and I returned to my room, Tom going some other direction by the time we got to the divide in one of the halls.

            “Good night,” I waved.

            “Night.”

            I fell onto the soft feather bed as soon I got out of the shower, falling asleep quickly without even putting the covers over myself.

            I dream… of my past.

            Large gardens, fake tea parties, and other small children. That’s what I dream of, and I recognized myself as the little girl that was always in a pink dress. It always seemed like I was living the life of royalty…

            My alarm broke into my dream. I flipped over onto my stomach, punching down on the clock. I realize that it isn’t necessary to set one, but I loved to sleep in, and that included past my work time.

            “Morning,” I yawned as I dropped myself onto a wooden chair with a plate of pancakes.

            “Not a morning person?” Rika smiled. I shook my head. “Neither is Reid or Harry. Oh, there they are.”

            The two males went up silently to the chef and he already had two plates of toast ready for them. They came back, slowly chewing just like me. Only Rika seemed to be awake, and she laughed.

            Back to a day of work.

            ****    

            “Hey, Syl, can you come over here for a second?”

            I was in Marko’s private suite, fixing up his air conditioning. “What is it?” I asked, stepping down from the ladder.

            “Can I talk to you?” he asked. Now, this kid always had this innocent, quiet look to him, but he was radiating it even more today.

            “What do you want to talk about?”

            “I had an idea about sabotaging the wedding…” Marko glanced upwards to me and back to his game. “And I’ve been wondering… what if you married Tom?”

            Two thoughts ran in my head: As much as I loved Marko, and yes, even though it’s only been a few days, I couldn’t resist liking the boy, wasn’t he being a little crazy and me, marry Tom? I’m not even in love with him and he’s way out of my league!

            Marko suddenly put his game to the side and threw his arms around my side, truly acting like a little kid now. “I would rather you to be my sister than that Sylvia! I mean, you even look like my real sister!”

            “Marko, you know I can’t,” I tried smiling. “Let go, I have to get back to work.” 

            “But don’t you like Tom?” he persisted as I got back on the ladder, taking my flashlight out again.

            “As a friend,” I shrugged, tinkering with the gears inside the vent. “Not as a lover.”

            Marko looked like he was at a loss and despite the fact that I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, I said, “Look, Marko, as much as that warms my heart that you trust me that much, I simply don’t see Tom in a romantic light. I’ve already agreed to helping whenever I can to find out what the princess wants, but I doubt I’d want to marry Tom nor he want to marry me. I’m sorry.”

            I curse myself because in the middle of that, Tom himself had walked in.

            “Tom!” Marko flung himself on Tom. I glanced over and saw what seemed to be hurt in Tom’s eyes. I sighed to myself and added, “I’m sorry to you too as well, Tom. Looks like I’m disappointing royalty left and right today.”

            “Wouldn’t you like to marry Syl?” Marko asked.

            “There, all fixed,” I put the screws back into the vent and got off the ladder before Marko even thought of shaking it. “I’ll be going to plan more of the wedding now with the princess.”

            However, Tom stopped me in my tracks. Not physically, but of what he said.    

            “I would Marko, I very much would.”