Finding Dragons.

Living in a castle.

 I walk down the long hallways of the castle keeping my chin held up and glancing around me as I walk. 

 It's been weeks since the first feasts, and yet some of the guests are still here. that I find strange. 

What I find strangest however, is the fact that my Uncle and Aunt are still here. Normally they don't even come for the feasts, but the few times they have come, they leave the day after. 

Not weeks after. 

I step into the drawing room and my eyes instantly fall on a figure in the corner. 

I half frown and start to leave when her voice stops me. 

 "Seneca?" I wince at the sound of my Aunt's voice before slowly turning back. "I thought that was you. do you have any idea where your oldest brother is? no one seems to know where he is and he said that he would take a look at a locket of mine today." I wonder why Brayn might have agreed to look at her locket but dismiss it and shake my head at her. "No. I haven't seen him today but if I see him, I shall be sure to send him looking for you." She nods her head. She gives me a half approving scan over before turning back to her window. 

 I shake my head and turn, leaving the room in favor of finding another. 

 I glance down the hall towards my room for a moment before deciding against going back to it. Magnus was sleeping in the tower when I left, and I pressed my chair up against the door in hopes of keeping him in. That seemed to have worked this morning at breakfast so I hope that it will work again now, because I am sick of being chained to that room all the time. 

 I shuffle down the stairs and out to the courtyard, flinching at the sudden coldness that greets me as soon as the door opens. 

A small wind rips around me sending shivers up my arms and I wrap them around me. 

  The garden is mostly bare now, hardly a thing left growing other then the few ever greens that grow along the farthest wall. I shiver at the sight but keep going out into it anyways. 

  As I reach the other side of the garden I stop at the sound of voices.  they seem to be coming from the other side of the hidden fountain. 

I shuffle behind a shrub and duck my head, tilting it to the side in hopes of hearing what they say. 

Three voices seem to be coming from just beyond my hiding spot. I strain my ears to catch what they say. 

"No no." a slightly high voice that seems to be a man's says. "we must be quite sure." I hear a deep irritated growl come from another. "I am quite sure. the youngest will never be a problem, neither will the 2nd and that just leaves the two boys. neither of which should be much trouble if all goes according to plan. now if you had listened to what I said earlier then you would know that this should work. unless one of you is too scared to do your parts?" I shudder at the hiss that comes at the end of the phrase and turn away. thoughts swirl around in my head making me feel slightly sick. 

  I stumble into a rock and wince as it wacks into my shin. 

That is going to leave a bruise.   

I turn and half run back towards the castle, the conversation I over heard mostly forgotten as I think of getting back to my room in time to be ready for supper. I have already missed one meal this week--unintentionally as it may have been--and I do not intend to miss another and risk my mother's long lectures. 

 As I come into my hall I stop as I see two figures standing not far from me, talking intently. 

"Brayn?" I call. both their heads whip around towards me and a grin plasters across Brayn's face. "Hey Sen. I haven't seen you much today." I grin mischievously back. "yes. It would seem that most people haven't seen much of you today." He winces slightly. "If you are referring to Aunt Griminton then you know I have good reasons for that. Where have you been anyways? I came by your room earlier and you weren't there." I nod my head and glance past him at my door. "Yes well I was taking a walk." I see Hayden and Brayn exchange skeptical looks. I roll my eyes. "I stuffed a chair in front of the tower door before I left and that seemed to work quick well this morning. I am not completely incompetent you know." I glower. Brayn shakes his head. "I know I know and I'm sorry. I just worry sometimes that he will get out and give the maids a heart attack and do who knows what else." I nod my head knowing what he means.