The Dragon Bond: Heirs of Lyra

Chapter 8

"Princess Karolina quite agrees with you," the translator said. "She hates her history lessons."

With an obvious disinterest of the library shown from both Henry and Princess Karolina, the young prince decided to show his fiancé something he knew she would enjoy.

After a short walk to the far left wing of the castle, Henry approached the heavily guarded double doors at the end of the hallway. With a nod from Henry, the guards stepped aside and opened the doors.

Princess Karolina's eyes lit up the moment she stepped in the room. All of the kingdom's Crown Jewels were displayed on shelves throughout the entire space.

Henry took the time to point out each crown and describe the ruler who had once worn it. He also explained how the different necklaces and other pieces of jewelry were obtained and how the styles had developed over the years. Though Henry did not enjoy history, he did enjoy money and riches, and so he found the topic of the Crown Jewels to be particularly interesting.

They spent a while in the room examining the fine pieces of jewelry before finally moving on to other parts of the castle. Henry showed her as much as he could, trying hard to keep his tour lengthy so as to waste the day away. He knew that once the tour was over he would be expected to continue to entertain her.

After finishing through the main level and the second and third levels, Henry showed her up the winding staircase that lead to the fourth level and towers. Those two levels were important for the safety and protection of the castle.

Henry explained to the princess the different defenses the castle provided on its towers. He demonstrated the positioning Lyran archers would take from the rooftop in the unlikely event of an attack.

Once the prince ceased to continue any further about the different techniques of the castle's defenses, the princess allowed herself to enjoy the moment of silence.

Henry shifted on his feet, feeling the weight of the now silent air. He needed something to show her, something to talk to her about.

"Did you notice the view?" He asked.

After a moment the princess shook her head. Henry took hold of her hand, taking note of how smooth her skin was against his, and led her up to the highest point.

She resisted once they reached the top and Henry noticed the look of worry in her eyes. She said something quickly to her translator.

While Henry waited to hear what she had said, he looked down at the view. It looked like the entire kingdom stretched out before him and for a moment Henry envied his brother. What magnificent views Ralf must see from his dragon's back. Secretly Henry had always wanted to know what it would be like to sit on top of a dragon and soar through the clouds, but he was much too proud to ask a favor of his younger and crippled brother. He didn't want to look weak.

"Princess Karolina is uneasy with the height, Sir. She wishes to return to lower ground."

Slight disappointment filled Henry's gut at her words. Princess Karolina didn't even get a chance to appreciate the view. What was she afraid of? There was no risk of falling, not unless she jumped over the walls that encompassed the area.

Reluctantly, Henry nodded and led the two girls back down to the fourth level.

"I suppose it's time to get ready for dinner now," Henry commented, eager to get some time to himself. He felt strange from not having any time to train with Miles. The day had been incredibly long and boring for him.

Once the young prince of Lyra and the princess of Copia said their goodbyes, Henry walked to his room and closed the doors behind him.

He walked over to his bed, yanked his boots off, and then fell back onto his mattress. He sighed and wondered how in the world he was supposed to entertain the princess tomorrow.

When the next morning came too quickly, Henry found himself at a loss for ideas. The beautiful princess was staring at him, adding to the pressure. Instead of thinking hard about what to do, he found himself getting caught up in her beauty. He wanted to please her, to impress her. But he had things to do, an army to train. He couldn't be idle any longer.

Her parents, the King Lemoine and Queen Rachel had left late last night after dinner. Henry could tell Princess Karolina already missed her parents, which was why he wanted to think of something to take her mind off of their absence. 

Then, the perfect idea popped into his head and his face lit up. "Princess Karolina," he started.

For once, the princess answered on her own. Though she spoke only a single, simple word, the accent was still thick on her tongue. "Yes?"

"How would you like to see a dragon?"