There was madness in the Royal courtyard. Guards spilled out of the castle gate in scarlet and silver, ordered to search the northern regions for hidden enemies. Frightened maids gathered in groups to whisper and observe the happenings. The King stood to the side, examining the Queen with concern, as if he truly cared.
"My wife," he murmured, holding on to her while making a show for everyone to see. He was very skilled at convincing others of his sympathy. "You could've been killed!"
I wondered how the Queen felt, being held so close by the one man who gave her the most distance. Was it a happy moment for her? Or perhaps she writhed as he held her. I couldn't tell from where I stood, which happened to be in the center of all the chaos.
Static surrounded me.
Before I could move, he grabbed my arm, pulling me to the side. I frowned as I unwillingly followed him, watching him guide us to a wall away from eavesdroppers. He then turned toward me.
"Polar bears?" he asked, his silver-blue eyes alight with passion. "You went off of the grounds and into the wilderness, where it isn't safe, just to ride polar bears? You could've been killed!"
"Prince Sebastian," I began, lowering my eyes out of respect when I wanted nothing more than to match his intensity. Such a fierce Prince, he was. "I was only a guest. I shouldn't be blamed! If anything, I should be honored."
"Honored, you say?" I couldn't see his face, but I guessed he was smirking.
"Yes, honored," I told him, absentmindedly lifting my eyes to his. "I killed the dragon and saved not only the guards, but the Queen. And don't you think, your majesty, that nine guards should've been able to successfully kill one dragon? With all do respect, I believe you should be questioning whoever trains your guards."
The Prince lowered his eyes and clenched his jaw. He knew that I was right, and his silence proved it. After another moment, the Prince gave a curt nod and turned away from me.
I watched as he approached his parents and began to have what looked like a serious conversation. I tried to read his mouth, but he was too far for me to make anything out.
"Anya!" I turned around and found Cora running toward me with Titus trailing behind her. I didn't see Luca anywhere.
Cora took me into a hug and then pulled away, punching my arm. "What was that for?" I asked, rubbing the spot she'd hit.
"That's for scaring me half to death! Word travels fast in the castle, you know. I came as soon as I heard what happened," she told me, and turned to acknowledge Titus as he came to a stop beside her.
He whistled and shook his head with a smile. "How did you survive a dragon?"
"With white fire," I said, making him frown.
"You could barely contain me during the first round of the competition. How did you manage to contain a dragon?" he asked, and I gave him a clever smile. There was no way I was going to tell him about my private lessons.
"I guess when you are in a life and death situation, you do things you wouldn't be able to do under normal circumstances," I explained, and he seemed to accept my answer.
"I bet you kicked that dragon's as-"
"Cora," I interrupted her. "The royal family is right over there. Be lady-like."
She scoffed, and looked over at the family. "They seem more concerned with you than me."
"What?" I shifted my gaze and locked eyes with the King. He had been watching me with a quizzical expression, as if I was math problem that he couldn't solve. What had I done to cause such a look? I turned back to Cora, shaking his off his heavy gaze.
"I'm not sure," I told her. "Let's go inside. I could use a good meal; I'm starving."
We turned toward the castle doors and began to walk back toward them. I didn't get far before I heard the sound of my name being called. I spun around and saw the Prince wave his hand in the air, beckoning me to join them. I sighed out loud and turned back to Cora and Titus.
"I'll have to eat later, you two go on without me. I'll be sure to tell you all about the fight." I didn't wait for them to respond and turned around to approach the royal family.
Bowing low, I kept my eyes averted, waiting for one of them to speak. The silence was uncomfortable, like the moments just before a disastrous snow storm. Thankfully, the Queen spoke first.
"Lady Anya," she began. "Today you've exemplified the spirit of a courageous warrior, one who would do anything to protect her Queen. Today, I watched you slay a dragon, something most men could only dream of doing.
"I sense a strength in you that cannot be easily matched, and for that reason, I trust you more than any other guard. When your training is completed, I will petition for you to be my personal guard."
I looked up just in time to see the King's face turn red. "What?" he asked his wife. "These warriors have been handpicked by me! They will be assigned by me to do as I please when I need them to. And when the war hits our land, they will fight for my honor! The Firelander have been quietly fighting us for ten years and the day is near when they'll attack.
"There was a dragon that almost killed you! Where did that dragon come from? I bet they somehow snuck past the border, just like those two Firelanders we found months ago! What if there are more out there, waiting to attack? That's why I've ordered three hundred of my best men to search the woods. We can't take chances!" He turned to the Queen. "We'll find you another guard, but this one is mine."
I shifted uncomfortably, not liking the sound of that...
"Father," the Prince began. "At least honor her for saving her Queen's life. She deserves that much."
"She has the honor of sharing your bed," the King grunted, and the Queen's brows lifted in surprise. "That should be good enough for her. It's good enough for the other women that you sleep with, and they are worth far more than her. You know, the daughters of noble men and such."
"Father-"
"Reward her tonight, my son." The King patted Prince Sebastian on the back and began walking away. He had the most nonchalant expression dancing on his face, as if his words had no affect on me. "Come with me, Queen Eliza."
The Queen gave me a concerned look as if she wanted to say more, but she quickly followed behind her cruel husband. I tried to smile at her as she passed by, but truth was that I wanted to cry. My own king spoke so poorly of me, even after saving his wife. To him, I wasn't even human. I was just a pawn that he wanted to play in a game of war and pleasure. I wasn't even good enough to gain his honor...
The Prince's concerned voice broke through my fog of sadness and I looked at him, irritated with his presence. This was the Prince who made me fight and kill a Firelander. The Prince who accused me of being less than decent on the first day we first met. He'd treated me worse than the others, like I was nothing, but there he stood, forgetting any of that happened while trying to offer his sympathy. The nerve of him!
"With all due respect, your majesty..." I took a deep breath and let out all of my frustration. "I still very much dislike you. Your father looks down on me because he thinks I'm your mistress. That was your idea. It appears that every time I suffer, it is your doing. I wish that I could tell you to stay far away from me, but I have no control over that. What I can control is the private trainings. I no longer wish to partake in them."
"Lady Anya," the Prince reached out to grab my arm, but I pulled away. He looked hurt, and I hated him even more for making me feel bad.
"Have a good afternoon, Prince Sebastian."
I turned and walked away, leaving him standing there in the middle of the clearing chaos.