It had been two days Billard had sent two of his men to get information on Seraphina. As the hours went by he felt his chest had been tightening around the worry. He had been having trouble sleeping for days and occasionally his eyes wandered the carved ceiling of his room. He had no time to admire it but nowadays he was doing that a lot.
Not to mention, Zenith had been very cautious around him after what happened at the breakfast table. She was very careful in choosing her words. He was irritated by it but knew the reason behind it. It was his fault after all.
He tried to make it out with her through the nights he was spending with her however, even he was distracted by everything. Especially with the upcoming event. The transformation day. It wouldn't worry him if it was like any other dragon transformation but with the curse it turned the situation a bit complicated.
He released a breath as he sat on his chair. After the breakfast, he went to his study chamber as it felt this room was the only thing that could give her a momentary peace.
There was a knock and from the metal clanks he was certain it was his guards.
"Come in."
A man in dragon armory entered and in his hand, it was a letter with the emblem of the human nation. Billard's attention immediately rushed to it as he asked, "Have they sent a portrait?"
It was the first question that came out of his mouth. He had forgotten to ask if his gifts were their liking or not. But in this circumstances, that can wait.
"Yes, Your Highness." The man knelt down and stretched his hands where the letter pointed at him in the air.
He went around the table and took it as he dismissed the man. He stood up and left as he hastily opened the papers.
In a neat handwriting, the letters were carved as he read it as fast as his eyes could read it. There were no important matters that needed his attention. The king had asked about his daughter and was happy for the gifts. As his hands turned the letter away, he found another paper as requested, the king had sent his daughter's portrait.
The ground beneath Billard's feet vanished immediately as the golden haired princess's face looked at him from the paper. Blue eyes that clear sky would feel shame upon witnessing her innocent eyes. Pale skin and golden ringlet tangled beside her little face. No doubt, she was a beautiful girl but at the moment, it wasn't the beauty that had haunted him but the thoughts that he had been proven right made his blood boil in anger.
Did the human country betray them? Did they have any ulterior motives which the dragons weren't known for? And more importantly, was all of these attacks related because of Seraphina?
Questions after questions crowded his mind as all he saw was red in his eyes. The human nation didn't betray them as they had sent him the actual princess's portrait. If they were to plan anything against them, they wouldn't have sent the portrait instead sent the imposter's portrait.
With everything in his mind, one question made his belly tied into various knots. Who was this girl living under the name of the human princess?
*****
Seraphina might be perplexed because Demian hadn't come in two days and he didn't show up at the breakfast as well. Which left her in a worry. She tried to go to his chamber but there were four guards behind her doors and more guards had been deployed at Demian's doors as if someone would steal him.
She could not understand why the corridors were suddenly full of dragon guards and even more it seemed they were keeping a close watch on her.
Even Celia had noticed it.
With that Seraphina was more worried about Demian's condition. She wanted to see him yet, the guards would always interject her and would tell her to stay in her room.
While she was in her deep thoughts, her door burst opened, making her startle in the process. She looked at the source and found Celia was there, a deep frown carved on her face.
"What is it?" She asked.
"I don't know but a large number of men had gathered inside of the castle. The defense ministry had arrived and now they were in a confidential conference in Prince Billard's Chamber." Celia informed.
Seraphina's brows tied into a knot. Why was the defense minister here? Was there a war coming? With whom? Her heart took a speed as somehow the atmosphere didn't feel quite right.
Before Celia and Seraphina could engage into a conversation, a set of feet entered the room. They had brown military clothes unlike the Dragon Guards. However, a few Dragon soldiers were behind them and all of their eyes were on Celia and Seraphina.
Celia seemed to be overwhelmed by their presence but Seraphina was unaffected by it as she stood up and asked, "Is there something that matters?"
.
One of them came closer and said, "You are being called to Prince Billard's chamber immediately."
****
Billard and Master Valentine stayed immobile in their places. While Billard was sitting in his chair, Master Valentine, taking a place beside Billard, stood straight. Both of their eyes were on the defense minister of the Dragons nation. Houjou Sarodo. His thick mustache stayed in a thick bush of black hair above his lips as his round eyes looked at them cautiously and occasionally drifted between them.
Billard pursed his lips in a thin line as his eyes raked through the reports and the picture of a woman. The papers and scrolls were spread across his table and he clenched his jaw.
"We have to capture her immediately!" Houjou said as Billard had no words to encounter it.
It seemed the imposter who had been living with them for more than two months was none other than a wizard. A very infamous wizard, if he may add it. The Flame Queen.
Now every dot was connected in his mind. The answers for which he had been sending his men had finally come to an abrupt end. A bad ending and it gave him quite the surprise.
Not a few days ago, he had found out the resemblances in his reports that were similar to Seraphina and now Houjou had come with every proof he needed to establish his points against Seraphina.
She not only was living under the human Princess's name but also hid her identity as a wizard.
When he had found out about it, he was angry at Seraphina but he was still glad that it was Seraphina as she had saved his brother's life and also had changed his brother into a different man. Were those for to win their trust?
It could be...
His belly warmed with hellfire as he was feeling it hard to control his anger. What if Seraphina hurt his brother?
How could he be so careless?
"Prince Billard. How come a wizard could live in your castle without anyone's knowledge?" Houjou asked the questions that Billard was finding for himself all these time.
Was she that powerful? His anger almost reached his head. She had the nerve to enter a Dragon castle. He wanted to send her into the dungeon for tricking them but he wasn't sure he should as Seraphina had done nothing other than saving Demian. But it could have been a trap. Although, it had no proof.
Besides, his brother liked Seraphina but now what would he do after learning the truth?
Billard knew Demian was going through the transformation already. The burns and scales would grow now and that was the reason he wasn't coming to breakfast. He stayed mostly in his room.
But now, he had to tell his family about this truth. Tell Demian about the truth. He didn't know what his reaction would be. It would break him and it angered Billard more.
How dare the wizard trick his little brother and play with his emotion?
Billard didn't answer as Houjou said, "We should immediately act and kill that witch!"
Billard looked at him with a frown. Why was he hesitating? He was feeling raged but when it came to killing Seraphina, he was in denial.
If Houjou didn't come, Billard would sort the matter confidentially without anyone's knowledge but who he was trying to fool?
Houjou Sarodo was a man who had powers and goons all over the dragon nation and the outside of it to keep the borders at peace and protect the whole Dragon Country.
"May I?" A voice asked from beside Billard as Houjou looked at the white robe wearing man.
Master Valentine said, "We should at least ask before coming to any gruesome punishment for her."
"And why is that? Are you perhaps trying to give her enough time to stab us in our backs?" Houjou asked.
"Of course, not!" Master Valentine said but his tone was against Houjou's idea of punishing Seraphina. "We should at least confront her."
Billard stayed quiet as his mind was in the swirl-wheel of his own thoughts while both Master Valentine and Houjou got into an argument. It seemed weird that Master Valentine was siding with Seraphina.
"Call Seraphina here." Billard ordered, his voice was as grave as his face. Houjou was about to interject but seeing the grim expression on his face, he decided against it.
"Take that witch out here!" He shouted at his men as some of them were dispatched from his group and a few of the dragon soldiers followed them. It seemed Master Valentine motioned them to follow her.
"Call Demian and Zenith here as well as the maid Seraphina had come with." Billard said as he felt Master Valentine's body went rigid.