The Priestess and the Dragon (Dragon Saga Book 1, Wattpad Version)

Chapter Ten

Things were moving too fast. The next morning, Suzume was taken to general Tsubaki’s home. To her great dissatisfaction, she was personally escorted by the lieutenant. He had yet to take off his mask, and he rode ahead of her without speaking. His shoulders were stiff and from time to time she saw him glance around him, waiting for an attacker, perhaps. The lack of conversation and the steady rocking of her mount were making her sleepy. Mostly, she was bored. She watched the swishing of his horse’s tail as they road down the dusty track.

“Where is general Tsubaki headed?” She asked to quell the stretched silences. She could not stand it any longer. The lieutenant was colder than the peaks of the highest mountain and just as dull.

“To war,” was his blithe reply.

Suzume scowled at his back.

“I’m not a complete idiot.”

He scoffed under his breath but Suzume heard him.  

She ignored him. He was the general’s second in command and she didn’t want her intended to think less of her. She had spent a long time building her reputation and she didn’t want it ruined by this prickly warrior. “Who are we at war with?” Suzume elaborated.

The island that her father’s kingdom encompassed was massive and hundreds of leagues from the continent. At times there was internal strife within the kingdom but that was infrequent and limited to small rebellions. Attacks from the continental countries were a concern but those battles would be fought at sea. The general’s arm was head inland away from the ocean. Are they going to challenge that shape shifting monster?

“With our enemies,” The lieutenant replied.

It was Suzume’s turn to scoff. “That is obvious. Is a clan lord trying to rebel?”

The lieutenant glanced over his shoulder at her. It was the first time since they had left the camp that he had done so. His dark eyes stared out at her from behind his red mask. The bushy white mustache fluttered in the wind. The effect was meant to be intimidating but Suzume though he looked foolish. The flapping of his mustache and grimacing expression carved into the mask were at odds.  

“What does it matter to you? You’re no longer part of this world,” he said without inflection.

He turned back around and kicked his heels into the ribs of his horse, cantering away before Suzume could snap back a response.

She shouted after him anyway. “I will be soon. I am going to marry the general and then I’ll have him bring me your head on a platter.” She scowled after him. How dare he say that, doesn’t he know who I am. Who I will be...

The lieutenant did not respond and continued on ahead. She urged her mount to follow him. The mare tossed her head in protest but went after the lieutenant. After a few more silent moments, Suzume reassessed her previous declarations. In truth, I don’t know if I want to marry Daiki. He’s a good man to be certain, and powerful which is very appealing and yet... She shook her thoughts away. She was being foolish. This was a golden opportunity to return to the palace and get her revenge –without the fear of being eaten by a mercurial dragon. She was still furious at him for abandoning her, but that was of no matter now. She was back on her way up in the world.

By the time she caught up with the lieutenant, they had arrived outside the complex gates. I thought getting to Daiki’s complex would take longer than this. His home is not far from the palace and that’s still weeks away.

Servants ran out to greet them and the lieutenant gave them brisk instructions. They fell over themselves to do his bidding. One servant came forward with a mat and rolled it out upon the ground for Suzume to step upon, so she would not dirty her feet upon the ground. It was a strange gesture, considering her clothes were stained from travel and she wore tattered sandals that were near worn through on the bottom.