Princess of Dragons

Chapter 19

Lodin could almost see how the blood seemed to drain from the girl's face, leaving only a pale remnant in its wake.

"S-so, you do."

He watched as the girl's eyes fell to the grass they stood on and really just anywhere that wasn't him.

"I do," he said. "Of course, it was not that hard to figure out seeing as you, your dragon and both of your guards were gone for half a day. Not to mention the guards and maids talking among themselves and the influx of worried mothers I have had today."

In truth, he'd had no doubts about it as soon as he heard the report of a dragon flying above Crocus and her being absent simultaneously. The only curious thing was how neither of the two guards mentioned anything about whatever her dragon had been doing at the square.

Her eyes as they met his were those of a child who knew exactly what they'd done wrong.

"It was all my doing, your majesty. I forced the others to go with me."

As if he didn't already know that.

"Of course it was you. None of the other two would be stupid enough to suggest something like this." His eyebrows drew together. "What in that wretched mind of yours made you think that to be a good idea?!" He was probably loud enough for both of her guards to hear it. Not that it mattered if they did.

She visibly shrunk in front of him, her shoulders rising to chin-level and eyes averted.

"I wanted to know more about the people here, so..." She exhaled. "I figured that was the best way to do so."

He simply stared at her for a moment. She didn't understand. She really understood nothing.

He inhaled deeply and raked his hand through his hair, before he looked back down at the girl in front of him.

"Listen," he started off, making sure he had her attention still. "You seem to have misunderstood something. The quarantine has not been set in place to restrict you. It is there to protect you."

Her head whipped up and her wide eyes met his. "To protect me?"

"Yes." He crossed his arms. "You have to understand; when you chose to come here and become my wife, all of my enemies became yours as well."

Enemies were likely one of few things he would never be in shortage of.

She looked at him strangely, as if she didn't quite understand the meaning behind what he was telling her.

"Do you mean the Water Kingdom?"

He looked at her for a moment, really struggling with trying to understand where she meant exactly, until it clicked. Right, she was still using the old names for the kingdoms. Maybe not so strange since she and her people had been sheltered from the rest of this world on their little island.

"Among others." At least she understood that much. "There is a reason why I rarely step out of the castle myself." Well, at least that was part of the reason. "Do you still remember what you were told when you came here?"

She nodded slowly, the pieces hopefully connecting in her head. "That I would be safe here."

He nodded again. "That is why we really would prefer it if you would stay on this side of the gates."

"But..." she trailed off. "If I always stay here, then I will never learn about this kingdom or its people."

"I am not saying you are forbidden from ever stepping out for the rest of your life. I only ask that you come to me before-hand so that I can make the proper arrangements.". He really did hope she wouldn't be asking for it every second day, though. It would be a hassle.

Her eyes seemed to shine when she looked at him with the broadest smile he had ever seen on her face.

"Really? That is all I must do?"

He couldn't help but be a little amused with how easy she was to read. One didn't have to know her well to see exactly what she was feeling and thinking in any given moment. It was so clearly displayed on her face.

"Yes, and then bring along around twenty or so guards." He almost chuckled at how her expression immediately dropped.

"Twenty?" she exclaimed, making wild gestures with her arms. "But I have Kaisog!" She pointed in the general direction of her dragon.

"I know, however it is for your own protection. You were only lucky nothing happened to you back there." She might as well have run into the same situation she had when she'd only just arrived here.

"Still," she muttered, quite obviously on the hunt for excuses. "Kaisog by himself would be much stronger than all twenty guards combined!"

He sighed at her insistence. "He might very well be, however not all of your enemies fear dragons."

"Are you referring to the Dragon Slayers?"

So, the girl wasn't entirely oblivious of her surroundings.

"Despite even Arthas' best efforts, there will be those who are not happy with your presence here," he explained, though he could see she already had figured that out.

"Yes, because my presence means more dragons flying around."

He nodded. "In part," he said. "Your presence here certainly means more dragons in the future, but you have also come to represent 'change'. Changes to this kingdom as a whole, changes to the war and changes to their jobs. Naturally, some people would not be ready or able to forgive that."

She nodded absently. "I see, that makes sense." Her eyes turned to him, but saw something that wasn't him. Yet, he figured that was just her listening intently to what he was saying.

"Then there are also those that still live in the past and fear the Dragon Kingdom. They think this is your attempt to get back to power." Her eyes widened then. "That you ha-"

"NO!" she suddenly screamed and lunged forward. Her push sent him to the ground.

"Hells, woman!" he yelled at her in both surprise and hurt - he hadn't exactly been prepared for her to act so violently at the pure mention of it. "What in th-"

That is when he finally looked back up at the girl, only to completely stop in his tracks at what he saw.

She was standing there, where he had just been standing. Her eyes were slightly glazed over. A red spot expanded from her shoulder. A long arrow nestled deep into her skin.

"Princess!" He heard his yell echoed from the two guards when her knees buckled under her.