Tears of Raven

33

"Your grace?"

Raven had let the girls put her in a light green dress this time with red embroidery when she headed out of the room and down the staircase.

"I'm going for a walk."
"It's very early, you never leave the room if there are no engagements." Then Lela turned to Ami. "Are there any today?"

"Not that I know of." She was muffling while taking care of the bed sheets. "But if your grace wants to stroll, she has every right to. She's not a prisoner, Lela."
"Yes but she can't go without security or an escort. She's our future Queen."

"Oh, Lela. I don' need a bodyguard." Her eyes flew at Araxys that was stretching his muscle. He reminded Raven of a cat she had once seen on a window. It was an inhouse animal and spent most of its time by the window looking at people passing by. "I have scary dragon privileges."

That was exactly what Zed had said anyway.

"You can literally walk everywhere you want with that dragon. No one will dear to speak to you or order you anything. try it."

After talking to the king, she had come to a conclusion. Everybody knew about Araxys. It made no sense to keep him hidden and pretend she wasn't bound to a giant four-legged beast. She might as well wear a board with the writing on it.

Therefore, Raven had decided once simple thing, she would stop crawling back to this room every time something scared her. she would start acting her part and if everyone ended up being scared of her, then so be it. she was going to rule upon them all anyway, what was the point

"When I'm back, please have some paper and charcoal brought up."

"What for, your grace?"

"To draw." Her eyes looked knowingly to the girls and they smiled both. "C'mon Araxys. We're going out."

"I am no dog, Hatchling."

"And I wasn't asking it." the way her voice hardened made the dragon immediately tilt his head to the side impressed. A small smile creeped on the thousand teeth he owned and then, scrolled his neck following Raven out of the room.

"Are you ordering me then?" he inquired when they walked down the stairs. Well, she did, he simply jumped down causing the castle to tremble.

"I'm strongly advising you."

The dragon giggled and tenderly pressed his snout on Raven's arm.

"I know what you're doing, Hatchling."

"Do you suggest I go back in that room and act as if I'm a guest in what will be my own castle in barely two months?"

"No, I am just letting you know that I can see your core and you're not mischievous like the king of Twistal. He might teach you things that work for him but he was born a soldier, trained to keep a straight face when looking death right in the eyes. You grew up in a forest sheltered by nature. You know very little about men."

"He's a soldier but I'm a rebel. And I'm going to break them like they wanted to break me."

Araxys hummed as he followed her, not convinced. Raven took pleasure in seeing everyone step aside when she headed outside the castle.

She knew where the prince was. Maybe it was the ring, maybe it was their linked destiny but she could feel a hidden string pulling her back to him so she followed it to the Swans Lake.

He was throwing bread to the beautiful black swans but when he heard Araxys heavy steps his eyes widened.

"I don't know if I'm more surprise about you being here by your own free will or to see you walk around with your dragon behind your skirt."