Chapter 9.
Seraphina froze as Billard suggested to take a tour of their garden. In normal circumstances, she would have been a bit excited, however, when he mentioned the young prince would be their guide she froze.
She had felt the glares he had been sending her throughout their meals. But why did he agree on it when he didn't even seem like he was interested in being in the same room with her?
Once inside their chamber after the dinner, Seraphina plopped down on the bed.
"Why do I have to go with that kid?" Seraphina fumed and Celia threw her a sharp glare.
"Watch your mouth!" She hissed. "He is the dragon prince and if anyone caught you addressing him anything but Your Highness or Prince then you'll suffer consequences and along with you, our nation."
"But still, why do I have to go for a tour with him? Why can't I just go by myself or even with you for that matter?" Seraphina pouted and Celia narrowed her eyes at her.
"Didn't you hear what Prince Billard said? You and His Highness are going to get married, so, you'll have to get to know each other." She said as she started preparing the bed, tugging on the velvet quilt making Seraphina roll over.
"But, he's too arrogant. And, he doesn't even seem like he wants to marry me, even I don't want to marry a kid." Seraphina whined and Celia smacked her forehead making her squeal out.
"Ouch! What was that for?"
"Make it a habit of addressing His Highness properly and on the contrary nobody would want to marry an ape woman like you. The wild bears would have more manners than you do." Celia said and Seraphina sat up.
"Hey!"
"Are you offended?" Celia asked as she gave Seraphina a frosty look, "Well, I don't care if it did, it's the truth."
Seraphina found it hard to control her anger but she couldn't just pounce on this girl, something told her that she had more of strings in hand than she showed.
"You're too harsh." Seraphina muttered as she remembered the young Prince's cold gaze.
"Besides, all he does is glare at me as if he's going to eat me up. Not that he would be able to, yet..." Seraphina said and Celia came across.
"Well, he's your soon-to-be husband so, it is his choice as how he looks at you." She said uninterestedly.
"He is not my soon-to-be husband..." Sera muttered as she loosened her hair from the annoying ornaments. Her head hurt as she never tied it.
"Besides, who makes a child marry now?" She grumbled.
"He isn't a child. He is a Dragon."
"But he is barely twelve"
"He is thirteen. And a Dragon matures at the age of fourteen."
Seraphina narrowed her eyes as she rested her chin on her palm. When she learned she had entered a Dragon territory, she thought a real Dragon breathing fire and flying around the sky with its big bat wings would be there to scoop her up and gulp her right then and there but instead she came across a child. A damn child who was only giving her cold glares from across the table.
If he was going to be matured at fourteen then why marry now?
She didn't know anything about Dragons. She asked Celia, "So, how much do you know about them?"
"I know a few things..." For a moment Celia recalled all of the memories that the dragons had seared in her mind and she mumbled, "bitter things..."
"Huh?"
Celia pushed back her thoughts as now was not the time to remember her past. She had to do everything in her power to not mess up everything and getting them and the entire human nation annihilated.
"Nothing... Because we were going to be their allies we had to know a few things about them. So, our King had gathered information and I studied them before coming here." She informed.
Sera nodded. "Tell me about them."
"After they reach the age of fourteen, their body is matured, they look much older than their appearance. They live for a long time because of their bloodline. Among the dragons not all of the dragonspeople are capable of transforming into dragons, only those who have the strongest of blood are capable of transforming."
There was a moment of silence as Seraphina's eyes stared at her asking for more. "That's it?"
"Yes. We don't know everything about them. Most of their information is classified. Nobody could get into their territory and if they go, they don't come back. Though they have given the tutelage to the elves and dwarves and allowed them to have trade with other species but even those races don't know much about dragons. That's the reason why nobody was able to defeat them when the wars broke out."
Apart from wizards, who were strong enough to take down a dragon if they joined forces. But Celia didn't say that out loud. But given to Seraphina's appearance and clumsiness, Celia thought she could barely have a chance against them. She might be a normal wizard. One of the lower levels.
Seraphina was busy getting out of the dress and Celia winced slightly as she thought she heard the sound of ripping fabric. She'd have to spend a lot of time stitching and restitching.
"Please tell me, you didn't tear the gown." She spoke looking at the wooden partition and Seraphina poked her head out with a sheepish grin.
"Just a little bit at the side."
Celia had to keep a lid on her anger while she was here or this womanchild was going to make her run for the hills screaming in pure rage.
"What was your guild's name?" Celia diverted the conversation, as she heard another rip and clenched her fists.
"Arctic Flames," Seraphina mumbled as she donned on the white loose gown and emerged out from behind the partition and walked over to the bed.
Celia faintly had heard a rumour about the guild called Arctic Flames but she didn't quite recall as she felt tired. Her mind and body was exhausted and after teaching the wizard a few things, she felt her energy draining. She flopped on her mattress.
"Celia?" The wizard called her as she lied down on her bed.
"What?"
"Did you eat?"
"Yes." After the royals finished their meals, she was given her meal as well. Servants were never provided with good meals or embellishment and she had learned that in her childhood. She was here only to serve Princess Naomi however, with an unfortunate circumstances, she had to feign serving the wizard. She hated it.
"Celia?"
"What do you want?" Celia's voice came out a little hoarse.
"The bed is quite big. You can sleep here instead of the ground." Seraphina suggested.
Celia's eyes widened. She was a mere servant and she knew her limits. But after hearing the familiar line for the second time in her life made her wonder, were the wizards this considering? No! It could be a trap!
Wizards were only good at trapping people in their webs. They used magic and she would never trust a wizard again.
*****
"Why do I have to wear this again?" Seraphina growled as Celia had put her in another heavy gown. She missed her boots, pants and sword. How could anyone wear this?
It was morning and after they had their meals, they now stood near a garden. A guard had instructed them to wait while the young prince would come and lead her to Lotus Garden.
She stretched again, her back cracked and Celia sent daggers at her, "Would you stop that? You know it is very unladylike and the young prince has already displayed his dislike towards you."
"The feeling is mutual."
Her head tingled as her hair was tied again and it felt someone had put a stone on it. She wanted her hair loose.
"At least let my hair loose."
"We can't!"
"Why not?"
"Until your husband see your hair loosen you are not allowed to show it to other men."
"Huh? What kind of rubbish rule is this?" It was irritating and unbelievable! How were the females alright with men dominating them? She felt her fists tickling.
"You don't have any clue oof our culture, do you?" Celia asked, her eyes turned sour.
"Err... I know a bit, like, you folk are weak."
Her words mare Celia's blood boil. How dare she! Hoe dare she belittle the human race so easily! She would have to pay for this disrespect and besides her boorish behavior also needed a check. Celia glared at the wizard as she thought of something that would teach this arrogant wizard a lesson.
"Some one is coming!" They heard footsteps.
"Well, when the Prince is here, you have to pay respect him."
"I have to bow again?"
"Yes but be sure to do a deep bow, kneeling in front of him while touching your head to the ground."
Seraphina cringed at her as she displayed a scowl on her face. That was very unforgiving. Deep bow to that brat!
The young prince came along with two men at his sides. They had seen one of them at the entrance who was his advisor, Valentine but the other one was new. He had a big moustache that pointed downward telling it was five thirty-five on his facial clock.
"My apologies Princess of the human country," he began as his moustache wiggled with his each sentence and it was very hard for Seraphina to concentrate on his speech as the moustache was distracting. It was as if it was portraying the emotions behind his words.
"My name is Alonzo and I am the steward."
Both Seraphina and Celia nodded as their eyes stayed at his moustache.
"If you have any questions or anything you want you can rely on my service, Princess Seraphina."
She nodded stiffly. She wasn't sure she could follow his speech but he didn't feel like a threat.
"From here, we will depart as young Prince will lead you forth." The steward said and both the men and Celia vanished behind her leaving a cold-eyed child in front of her. He had smug look on his face and her deep blue eyes were still emotionless.
So, now she had to bow down?
She bit the insides of her cheek and taking a breathe, knelt down while smashing her head on the floor. It was for saving herself!
"What are you doing?"
"Paying respect!" She said hoarsly as she felt her blood in her ears. It was damn humiliating. What if her guildmates saw her like this?!
"That's not how you pay respect!"
Demian was perplexed at her strange behaviour. He knew she was weird but this exceeded his expectations.
The human princess tilted her head, a curly strand bounced over her face as it turned red. She was clearly flustered.
"Th-that's not how you pay respect?" She asked.
He felt an urge to blink at her. What was she, an idiot?
"You simply bow to your superiors and elders." He hissed, annoyed at her lack of knowledge.
"Aren't I older than you?" She asked as she stood up.
His teeth grinded. Was she mocking him?
"I am a Dragon. I don't bow!" Heat surged through his chest and suddenly his skin started to burn. He lost his composure and was about to fall but the princess reached out to him. She held him in her embrace so he would not fall on the ground.
He clenched his jaw to suppress the pain and jolted himself away from her. It was unforgivable!
"How dare you touch me, you lowly creature!" He growled and he noticed the lack of fear in her eyes, she stood straight and her eyes showed something different. It was anger.
"I was just helping you. You don't need to burst out."
"I don't need your help!"
"Fine! Next time you fall I'll just laugh till my stomach hurts and when I'm done I'll pick you up.."
He blinked at her. Huh?
He thought she would be afraid instead she was sprouting some nonsense. He had heard the human females were taught humility, utmost etiquette and the mannerd but she was disrespecting him right on his face. The nerve of her!
Was she aware he was a Dragon!
"Disrespecting me would end up in your annihilation, you do know that, don't you?" He asked.
"If helping you meant being disrespectful then I would rather let the young Prince of Dragons fall on the ground before the human Princess." She grumbled and he gave it a thought for a moment. She was right. He can not let her see his weakness.
"Ah! But that would be great to see, no?" She grinned to herself and it annoyed him more. She was making fun of him.
He spun on his heels and went ahead.
"Hey, where are you going?" She asked from behind.
"To my chamber. I am tired."
"Eh? But we were here for only a few minutes!"
He didn't answer and suddenly he felt a soft hand gripping his palm. He snapped his head at her, anger was an understatement. He felt his ears turning red with the bellowing anger within.
But immediately it evaporated as the princess tugged him to the other way and said, "I haven't seen the lotus garden and you are here to show that. You can't take back your words now."
"I am a Dragon, I don't break my words." He said in a gritted teeth.
She surely knew how to manipulate with her words. She certainly wasn't an idiot. He had to be careful.
He noticed the warmth of her larger hand seeping into his and he sighed as he noticed where she was going, "That's not the right way to the Lotus Garden." He said.
She tilted her head down at him, her green eyes glinted, "then where?"
He didn't say a word instead he replaced their hands and took hers in his. That felt more right, he gave a nod in his head as he turned and started walking pulling her behind him.
Without their notice a figure watched them with the hopeful smile on his face and his eyes radiated the light for the bright future of the Dragon kingdom.