30
"How long does it take from here to Twistal?" Raven inquired as Lela was fitting her bright red dress.
"Come again, your majesty?"
Raben cleared her throat and looked at Ami for a little hand.
"it depends. On dragon wing should be couple of hours. On foot three days." She tapped her chin thinking.
"On Zeus wingspan?" Raven asked Araxys.
"A day, if he's in a hurry a little less. The lad is pretty fast."
Raven glared at her dragon with mocking eyes. "So you're telling me a small thing as Zeus can fly almost faster than a mighty dragon?"
Araxys scoffed.
"I do not care to rush to places or else I could eat the distance in twenty flaps give or take."
"Sure, you could."
Araxys roared making Raven laugh heartly she let Lela finishing pinning her hair up.
"he's grumpy today."
"That happens when a hatchling bothers my nap."
Raven's cheek hurt for how much she was smiling.
"He has mold in his scales."
"If I did, you'd have to clean it so do not put that into the universe, hatchling."
"I would love to give you a bath."
He growled and turned on his tail so he wouldn't face the giggling girls.
"Is there something we can do to help him, your grace?"
Raven laughed some more and shook he head.
"he will live."
"You on the other hand."
She advised the girls not to get too close to the dragon today and head down.
She didn't feel nervous this time. Something had shifted after that weird dream she had where she had met the king. She doubted it had been real.
Araxys had saved her. she could feel his power in her bones. And yet, whenever she looked at the seemingly harmless ring, the livid around it had disappeared and her finger had turned normal.
She was sure it had been purple right before she fell asleep.
But it didn't mean anything.
She had a slave mark once. Araxys had erased it. maybe he took care of that as well.
She could ask but to be fair, the answer kind of scare her.
Her long burgundy and black dress was lighter than usual. Lela had returned to sew pants under it and yet it felt as comfortable as a second skin. Maybe it was the short sleeve or the tight embroidered corset that left a long space in her chest. She didn't know, it felt different than usual.
She was led into the dining room where a long well decorated table awaited. She was to take place I the middle next to the prince that was seated at the left side of his father and mother.
It was going to be a tiring evening, Raven thought as she walked toward the sovrans.
She didn't bow to any of them and let a man pull her chair back. Suddenly everyone stood from their place as if they were waiting for her to do something.
"Princess." Whispered the prince and she reluctantly lifted her gaze to meet his.
"What am I doing wrong?"
"Nothing, just sit."
She complied and everybody replicated her gesture. She wondered what would happen if she suddenly had to stand, would they follow her? she was so tempted to try but the king's voice raptured her from her fantasy.
"Looking lovely, princess."
"I don't think red is my best color." That was something Ami had said and she was dying to repeat it. she agreed with her maid, red was not a very happy shade for her pale skin.
"It suits you just fine." The king bite back whatever savage remark he wanted to tell her and moved his attention to the guest across from him. another fat man with money, considering the amount of golden chain he had around his thick neck.
"So this is the sweet angel that will save us all." The wide man opened with his mouth still dirty from the wine he had swallowed seconds before. "And tell us, princess. Will we ever have the honor to actually see your dragon? Some of us would die to be able to get our hands on its scales. They're very exquisite material to trad-"
The prince had to reach for Raven's wrist and pin her to her chair. She wanted to crawl up on the table and beat that fucking piece of shit with one of the silver plats.
"I do not c-"
"I know." The prince reassured her as he placed their hands both on her thigh. "I got this." He whispered smiling viciously.
"Dragons have never been trading material and surely our only dragon must be protected at all cost. We wouldn't want the enemy to come and sweep it off our fingers, right princess?"
Raven's eyes wouldn't leave the man she was imagining all the ways she could fucking tear every tooth he owned and make him chew on them with his bare gums.
"Princess?"
"Yes?"
"Exactly." Cut short the prince. He had tricked her into agreeing with that man. But at least he had moved his attention elsewhere. Raven couldn't help but notice the odd look he gave to one of the ladies in waiting. It made her shiver. She had already seen the same haunting glare on a male wolf looking for a female in heat.
"Prince Vesperius" a woman from across the table cut in "how are you finding your future wife? Are you enjoying her company?"
Vesperius lifted Raven's palm and placed a tender kiss on top of it. Raven made sure it was very hot when his lips found her skin but he dissimulated by licking the blood away with his tongue in a quick flick.
"Absolutely. Princess Raven is a delight."
Raven waited for him to drop her hand but he didn't. instead, he dragged her wrist on the table and kept caressing the back so everyone could see.
A plate of what looked like steamed meat was brought in front of Raven and she did everything she could not to flinch. The prince stopped the waiter before it was placed down.
"Get her something else. She doesn't like meat, how many times do I need to tell you?" the order was implied and the young nodded before bowing and disappearing.
After not long, Rave was being served the same dishes the others were eating but with no poor animal carcasses inside and she ate all. Her eyes praising the prince for his thoughtfulness.
Once dinner was consumed, the men were invited in the saloon to the right while women stayed and accommodated in the plumped velvet couches and matching chairs by the windows to talk and play games.
Raven didn't joy any of it, she simply stared at the fire, quietly listening to every word they spit out. Most of them were about her anyway.
They asked to see the ring and again so many compliments but none toward her. she was always:
"She's so skinny."
"Her fingers were hideous."
"let's hope she doesn't get chunky before the wedding."
"It was good that she got sick."
"I find her terribly pale."
"Your majesty, the hair needs to be straightened again." Pointed one of the lady Rave remembered from the tea.
Raven stood still as the corner of her eye caught a movement in the corridor and she excused herself.
Her head was beginning to hurt for the load of useless information she was collecting anyway.
The moment she was out of the room, her whole being relaxed. It was suddenly peaceful and she could hear her own mind. Raven looked around, the torches by the wall flickered and the last on the far end, almost burnt out. Raven barely noticed the figure slipping away. It was so fast she thought maybe she had imagined it.
She rushed to the end of the hallway but when she turned nothing was there, just a wall.
Maybe she did imagine it.
Raven moved back a step and as she spun, she was welcomed by a white jacket and velvet cloak.
"I felt you sneak away, princess." Raven scoffed but she wasn't bothered when he leaned against the wall, looking her from his eyelashes.
"Would you stop spying on me with those shadows?"
"Why are you here all alone?"
Raven opened her mouth, ready to tell the truth but something stopped her. there was no way he would believe her. he might even think she was crazy.
"It was getting unbearable inside there. Apparently, there are a hundred and twenty-two things wrong with me. That I heard of, at least."
"They have it for everybody, princess. You're just the latest news but they mean no harm."
"Easy for you to say, you're the apple to everyone's eyes. They adore you."
Raven moved past him but he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back against the wall.
"If you weren't so uptight, they would love you as well. You're not very welcoming to talk to."
"That's because I don't really care about them."
"Then do not expect them to care about you."
Rave shut her mouth, the only response the frown on her face that made the prince smirk.
"Now let us go back so we can pretend some more and then I can finally go to bed today."
The prince offered Raven his arm and she puffed but still took it. as the pair entered the dining room, everybody awed and cheered. But all Raven could think, was the sinister feeling she was getting. Like someone was eying her behind her back, lurking in the darkness ready to take her down.
Once Raven was set free, she reached her room and was so tired she had to ask her maids to undo her corset before pulling over her head a long white nightgown with bell sleeves and a tight waist.
She dropped on the mattress and closed her eyes.
The voices begun to haunt her and she relieved every remarked made toward her until they turn into real life nightmares.
Until she heard a screeching sound and with a silent scream, the filter changed and she was no longer in her mind.
The landscape had shifted from pitch black to light blue with light snow falling over her shoulders.
Raven's pace accelerated.