The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 30: An Unexpected Visit

Sabine

"I liked Prince Fadir from Carsa. He isn't the crowned prince but he was the most fun to dance with." Princess Rosalie preened her hair in the oval, full-length mirror in the corner of her bedroom.

"Didn't Telasia recently take over Carsa? Does it matter who the crowned prince is?" I asked.

The princess laughed and tossed a look over her shoulder. "When my father conquers a nation, he doesn't destroy their government. The current monarchy remains intact. It helps the citizens stay safe and comfortable with the change."

I smoothed out the wrinkles in my skirt. Sitting in a corner of Rosalie's room was a step up from standing invisibly against the wall.

"So, there is still a king and crowned prince. They are loyal to my father and they abide by Telasia's laws but they remain in control of the local government." She turned back to the mirror and fluffed her strawberry hair.

"Would you like me to braid your hair?" I rose from my seat.

"No." The princess glared at me through her reflection. "You're here as my guest. As my friend."

"That's..."

"Cole is gone again and I like talking to you. Does it have to be more complicated?" She smiled through the mirror.

"No, I guess not." I nodded.

"Good. So, tell me what you thought of Prince Fadir."

"Which one was he, again?"

Princess Rosalie giggled. "He had the silver tassels on his cuffs and he wore the most beautiful, blue jacket I've ever seen. When the light struck it, it looked just like Morganna's scales."

"So, you liked him because of what he wore?"

She laughed again and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Well, that's what attracted me to him. But he was a smooth dancer, like waves moving through the ocean. Besides... he said some really sweet things." Her cheeks turned a dark shade of crimson and she stepped away from the mirror.

"Oh, and what sweet things are appropriate for a prince to say to a princess at a formal gathering?"

Her flush spread down her neck and she shook her head.

I smiled and clasped my hands in my lap. Was this what it was like to have a friend?

The slave house I'd lived in was mostly men. My former master made sure none of them ever touched me. I was too valuable to him for that.

Some women slaves came and went but none ever spoke to me. I remembered their hunched backs, gnarled fingers, and gaps in their cruel smiles. They were worked to the bone, on their feet or flat on their back.

Absently, I touched my collar. I was saved from that existence but it also left me alone. The other slaves saw me as the master's favorite and resented me for getting better treatment.

"Will you marry him?" I asked the princess.

She shrugged. "If he asks my father, I won't object. Most princes are too intimidated to approach the Dragon of the Heart."

"Even for love?"

"Yeah, even for that." The princess sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. "But that's alright. If he's too cowardly to face my father, how will he ever face Morganna? She has to approve of anyone I marry, too."

From the parlor, I heard the blue dragon rustle her scales and yawn. The princess's face flushed even more.

"Morganna says that she doesn't think Prince Fadir will have a problem facing my father, or her."