Seraphina's wounds had recovered almost but the questions kept coming into her mind. What princess Zenith said was it true? Would they really sacrifice her after Demian turned 14? And, would Demian really turn into a berserk dragon and go on a rampage?
Seraphina could sense the tension emanating even from Celia as she was packing up Seraphina's luggage for their visit to the Sages of the Hidden Valley of Dragons. After princess Zenith had left giving both girls the ominous news both of them hadn't been able to sleep properly and hadn't talked well regarding the matter. Seraphina knew Celia might be glad that it wasn't her princess Naomi who was in this situation now. Seraphina wondered if princess Zenith could really help her out or not, she did say she would help her get out of the dragonsland and escort her safely to the human nation but somehow her mind resisted to believe that Demian would turn berserk. She hoped that nothing like that would happen.
It had been a week since Seraphina had seen Demian. Most of the time she had seen him on the breakfast table and whenever she approached after their meals she didn't find Demian in his study nor in his chamber. She even went to her chamber at night but he wasn't there even in his quarter. It was as if he was avoiding her.
Seraphina never found herself this much restless and angry.
She wanted to see him, most probably annoy him as he had the nerve to ignore her. Seraphina thought their relationship was improving after their small tour in Rockmond, however, now it felt their relationship had gone back to square one again after the attack. Was he that offended? Why was he ignoring her? His ignorance was making her more wary and having no answers was like a final straw. If she couldn't demand answers from him then she would have to investigate about this matter. The fear went down as she decided to keep it for later to worry about and focused on the present.
"Let's go, Seraphina." Celia said but it didn't reach her ears.
She was going to see him today, and probably would smack on his head to talk. Her head had been filled with the thoughts of how she would strangle that little devil.
"Seraphina."
Seraphina snapped out of her thoughts and blinked at Celia, "Yes? What is it?"
Celia observed her for a moment then asked, "Are you worried about what princess Zenith said the other day?"
Sera raised a brow, "Why would I be worried about him becoming a monster?"
Celia shrugged, "Maybe because he would turn into a berserk dragon and destroy everything?"
"No! I'm not worried about that... besides, it would be better if he got crazy, that way I would be able to beat the pig out of him." Seraphina cracked her knuckles and smirked to herself. However, she was worried because it was the curse that would make him a monster. From their little interactions, she came to believe that Demian was not a bad person. He was just suffering.
"Let's go, we'll be late."
Hidden Valley. The valley was somewhere deep in the bosom of the forest and only the royals knew how to reach it. She suddenly remembered the old sages had the ability to peek in the future. What if they could tell how to lift the curse? If she would come across them, she would definitely ask how to lift the curse. Maybe, she would be able to ask about her seal as well.
"Lately, you've been spacing out a lot..." Celia said.
"Because I am pissed at him. He had been avoiding me. Did you notice?"
Celia nodded. "Maybe he is busy because he wants to finish his work before taking a break."
But it didn't soothe Seraphina's thundering heart. Maybe he had been busy but it wasn't very far to reach the day when he would finally turn into a dragon.
****
Seraphina sat beside Demian who seemed to be taking a small nap. He hadn't spoken to her by a word.
She looked at his face and despite the fact that she wanted to strangle him, her heart kept beating loudly in the wooden ride. She was alone with him in it. Celia wasn't allowed to come out of the castle so she stayed behind.
Seraphina decided to let him take rest as the black bags under his eyes said he wouldn't have slept quite well for a few more days. Maybe Celia was right. He had been working.
She looked outside of the small window of the carriage and found four guards walking at their sides.
The canopy of vegetation comprised of ferns and ancient moss covered sky reaching trees surrounded them. The roots of the ancient trees hung over as if reaching out to the tresspassers who dared to enter their territory. Sunlight barely peeked through the large fleshy leaves, and the more they moved ahead the more the vegetation became wild.
She felt lonely and released a sigh. She recalled her time in the guild where they had gone on a mission to hunt down the bandits that were terrorising the fire merchants. Merlene, Asilax and her. It was her first mission when her father finally approved of her going on a bigger mission.
She huffed again. She missed her days of going into the wilderness. What about her father? Would he be happy now that she was gone? How about her friends and all the other guild members? Were they missing her like she was missing them? Another sigh.
"Why are you sighing after every minute?" Demian asked and she snapped her head to him. His eyes were still closed.
"Nothing."
He released a breath and slowly sat up opening his eyes, her turned his head to look at her.
"I was just thinking about my father that's all." She said, "I wouldn't be able to see him again..."
"Do you want to go back to your kingdom?"
How could she go back when they never wanted her? Moreover, she didn't know how much more days she had left to live. What if Demian ends up killing her? Seraphina looked into his eyes. The pure colour of the deep ocean seemed to be very calm at the moment. Would it grow merciless when he becomes a berserk dragon?
"No. I can't go." Her face fell when she remembered the last conversation with her father.
"We'll go to your kingdom after my fourteenth birthday." He said, his voice was low with compassion. Her heart ached and as if he could read her, he asked, "Is there something else bothering you?"
That moment, she came across two harsh facts. One, Demian was an innocent child who could never kill a person.
She shook her head and gave him a weak smile.
And two, she was going to save him from his cursed fate even if she would die.
*****
The carriage stopped abruptly and Seraphina woke up. She blinked open her eyes and it was already dark outside. The guards came rushing as the chauffeur said to Demian, "Your Highness, we have arrived."
Demian and Seraphina both had fallen asleep when the sun moved above their heads. Seraphina felt as if her head had grown heavier than her body. An aroma of wilderness lingered in the air and it strangely soothed her nerves, she found it hard to keep her eyes open.
"W-where ar' we?" Seraphina's tongue twisted and she felt like the time when she had drank beer over her limits. She could barely move.
"We have arrived, let's follow their lead." Demian said and gave her a weird look.
"I- I can'th mov." She tapped her head and tried to order her eyes to stay open but it was futile.
"Hmm... " Demian hummed and said, "Then it's true, apart from Dragons, this place surely affects others."
"Whath?"
"Nothing... Don't worry the effect of it will wear off soon, hopefully," he said and wrapped his hands around her as he helped her to hop out from their ride.
Seraphina could barely stand but managed to stay upright beside Demian as he supported her. She stumbled on her feet as her eyes fell on the large monastery before her under the shades of the trees as if it was hiding under their shadows. The myraid of sunlight seeping through the leaves from the high trees gave the monastery a divine look and the climber plants created a artistic mural across the walls. The large pillars holding the high top of the monastery had the statues of dragons protruding and the fress green grass laid in the courtyard. The stony steps led the way to the monastery and on one of the steps Seraphina saw an old man waiting for them.
His long ground reaching grey hair were tied back in a knot and his frosty white beard reached his knees. His lips were not visible but the wrinkles over his face were defined, he wore pale grey robes with his hands at jis back and his wrinkled eyes seemed to be watching their every move. He seemed just as ancient as the trees surrounding them if not older.
He nodded once as if he had confirmed something, his eyes were closed. He was the only one who stood there but the warmth that seeped off of him was very welcoming. Seraphina smiled at him, acknowledging his presence and the moment she blinked, the old man was nowhere to be found.
"There wash an ol' man. Where's he?" She asked, feeling her consciousness slowly slipping away.
"What?" Demian's voice reached her as if he was a long distance away from her. "Seraphina?"
His voice drifted in the air, echoing but her eyes could not see where he was. It felt as if he was going away. He was slipping away from her grasp and she desperately wanted to hold his hands, hold him. Her heart slowed down and she saw black dots appearing in front of her. She desperately fought to keep her eyes open and to see where Demian was. She needed to get him before the curse could wrap its ugly arms around him.
"Demian..." She called out but her words never left her mouth as if they were stuck somewhere in her throat and her consciousness finally gave up.