The Dragon's Heir [Beta][Complete]

Chapter Seven - Unedited

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Chapter Seven

Sitting around the fire, an air of awkwardness fills the cave. Harrison is shivering in a dry pair of shorts that I had to lend him - they are slightly too small - with a hot mug of stew. Renaldo and I had gone and found some edible mushrooms and a few herbs - along with a rabbit I shot - and turned it into a stew, enough to give Kaloua a decent serving too. Slurping a nice, warm mouthful of stew, I gaze around the room.

The witch is hidden in the corner, not having taken a bowl of stew. For some reason, she was not interested in socialising with us at all. She had her cold eyes scanning over Kaloua and me, obviously not happy that we are safe and unharmed. She is cruel sometimes, I have gotten used to her temper over the years. She stays like this for up to a week at a time, and afterwords, she would act like nothing happened. It always confused me.

Renaldo was sitting near Kaloua, sipping his stew. They had become closer in the past year, and Kaloua had become fond of the servant. Though they were only friends, I could swear they had developed their own unique bond.

Harrison is sitting alone, but right next to the fire. His brown hair is damp and his blue eyes alert. He is bare chested, with a rug around his shoulders in an attempt to warm him. He looks up from his stew and gives me a small smile, with a tinge of sadness and relief. How long has he been in the woods? A day? A year? Too many questions, and not the right time to ask them. I shuffle over to him and whisper,

"Why were you in the woods?"

Harrison raises a brow, "Isn't it obvious? I was looking for you. Your name has been cleared, you know."

"Really?"

"Yep. Your mother begged once Ange and I got-" I press my finger to his lips,

"Don't say it." I whimper and he lowers his head,

"My father wanted to marry me off as soon as possible, and sends guards out every day to look for you - to marry off Christian. But I knew that you wouldn't let the guards find you, so I went into the woods every day, hoping you would show up. I was beginning to loose hope until I spotted the 'wild' girl. I didn't recognise you at all, so I was contemplating killing you until you ran off, and I knew something was up. I followed and realised later it was you, so I chased you, knowing I had to find you." He sighs, "I don't want to bring you back...to see Christian treat you badly."

I smile gently, "He won't. He is kind and-"

Harrison laughs, "Things changed when you were gone, Arabelle. Christian tried to murder my father, then my mother had another child, but she has a different father to me. And lots of other chaos happened once you left."

I scowl, "Because I left or coincidence?"

"A bit of both I think. Christian trying to murder my dad is because you left...he blamed Arthur for scaring you off. But my mother having the child was coincidence."

"But Christian used to be so kind..."

"Not anymore." Harrison says and we go silent, staring into the flame as it turns to night time. Kaloua walks over to me with worry in his eyes. Harrison was going pale, and that is never a good sign. The witch takes a look at him and thinks he has hypothermia, so she makes a foul smelling mixture to help cure it. Harrison drinks it, then goes to sleep on a rug next to the fire. I go over to my make shift bed and lay down, snuggling into the soft pillow. I watch the night sky, unable to sleep, and only realise just how long it had been when the sun started to rise. I lay there silently and watch as Harrison wakes up and sits up, noticing everyone is asleep - or at least looks it in my case. He stands and walks outside, and I decide to follow him.