Chapter 9
Nobility
~Dragon Dancer~
“If it wasn’t for that whore of a mother of yours things wouldn’t be this way!”
I stood on the white marble, my feet lightly touching the always cold stone. I was standing between pillars fifty yards apart, fifty yards tall in the throne room of the castle. It was the closest thing to my home; a gigantic cathedral-like structure with an air commanding respect. And fitting to the picture, sitting on the colossal throne, more dignified and glorious than any king, was my father. Long grey hair grew to his shoulders and he had a neatly trimmed beard, his dark grey eyes peered down at me, hard and uncompromising, and today, very infuriated.
“Really, should the master of all Gea let such filthy words come from his lips? Especially when talking about his wife,” I said coolly. How old was I? At least seventy years, so young, and I showed it; I looked like a mere toddler talking to an all-powerful king.
“Unfortunately such foul words are the only ones that can begin to describe that woman. It has been ten years since she ran away with that primitive human and it’s not long before she rots with him.” My kind, in theory, could live forever, but we were only safe from dying of old age, about everything else could kill us. However, if one loved a human they aged with them for some reason. I really didn’t see what was worth such a short life.
“I can’t imagine why,” I muttered under my breath sarcastically. I could see why she left my father; it seemed that all his years eroded all his charm and feeling.
“What did you say?” he growled, a wave of magic slammed into me and I stumbled backwards. The blow didn’t hurt very much but was more like a slap to the face.
“Nothing Father,” I said from the floor, my face a mask of indifference.
“From what I hear it is not just nothing,” he spat at me, “This…thing about your arrangement; are you still persisting to be pigheaded?”
I pushed myself off the floor and looked at him with steely eyes, “Unfortunately, yes, father. I simply do not agree to marry that dreary Inred.”
“What?!” said father rising, “This is my house and my rules. You will do whatever I say, disobedience is something I will not allow.”
“Then I won’t disrupt your household. I’m afraid this is the last you will see of me; I’m leaving you, father.”
“WHAT?!” he yelled and grew into a towering giant, crackling with power, “YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!”
I turned, a little three year old ignoring one of the most powerful beings in Gea, “Sorry, obedience doesn’t come naturally to me,” I looked behind me, staring hatefully into the eyes of my father, “Good-bye, Master of Gea, enjoy an eternity in solitude.”
I began walking out of the hallway; the very air became heated with father’s anger. “So you want to be like your mother? Fine!” he screamed angrily at me, “Then I will curse you just like her,” I felt the magic gather around him, infusing with his words, “I curse you my foolish daughter! I curse you that your name is unknown to you. May you never have a true identity! May your name be unknown to the world except to me. I curse you! I curse you!”
I was running now, trying to get away from the words stripping at my memory, at me, until I didn’t know what I called myself.
“I CURSE YOU!” Those were the last words I heard my father say.
I woke up from my dream and looked around startled. Surprised, I realized I fell asleep. Aaron’s dreams where I showed my past must have sparked more reminiscences. I sighed, that was a particularly bad point in my life and nothing I really wanted to remember.
“You awake?” asked Gret with his mouth full, I looked over at him and saw him munching on a piece of bread.
I nodded, “Dinner just got here,” said Aaron pointing at the platter of food on the table. It was a bigger platter compared the ones provided; the food along with the room was starting to improve with our advancements in the tournament. I walked over and picked up the usual, an apple, and munched on it sitting on the edge of my cot (a great deal softer and better quality with the advancement).
Brand, who was sitting on the cot adjacent to mine, looked at my apple frowning, “You won’t get any muscle on those bones if you keep eating apples,” he said hitting me on the arm with the back of his hand which felt like a grown man punched me.
My mouth full I shrugged. I swallowed, “I’m a light eater.”
“That’s a lame excuse for a kid your age, eat some meat!” He handed me a huge leg of some kind of animal, I took it knowing I had no choice. Inside I sighed again, I wasn’t lying about being a light eater, the apple I just finished filled me plenty. Eyeing the gigantic leg I could already feel the stomach ache coming. For a second I thought about “losing” the leg somehow but when I was the look in Brand’s eye I knew even I wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Tentatively I leaned down and took a nibble and found that it was a turkey leg and very delicious, if only I weren’t already full.
I started to hand Brand the leg back but he stopped me, “What are you, a bird? Eat!”
What made him mom? At the thought a disturbing yet comical image of Brand in a mothers outfit and hair popped into my mind. I hurriedly shook the bizarre image out of my mind before I could burst out laughing. Looking at the turkey leg I sure didn’t feel like laughing and I was painfully aware of my stomach. Refusing it wasn’t an option, now the whole room was looking at me expectantly. Shoulders slumping in resignation I took a huge bite of the turkey leg and forced myself to chew and swallow. I knew Brand wouldn’t be satisfied with just that so I took a few more bites. I was now queasy and in pain, forcing the bites down; I really couldn’t stand this much food.
“Don’t you think you’ve tortured him enough Brand?” said Aaron, “Just look at him; he looks like he’s going to puke.”
Brand reluctantly took the leg out of my hands; Rook was looking at me with way too happy eyes, “So the invincible Gray’s weakness is he can’t eat more than an apple? Good thing this isn’t an eating contest.”
I ignored Rook and lay down on my cot clutching my stomach and trying not to groan. Gret let out a suppressed laugh, “Maybe he is a bird.”
“I think that’s enough making fun of Gray,” said Aaron, “he’s already in pain.” I wanted to tell them all to shut up.
There was a knock at the door and everyone turned their heads to the door. “Who is it?” called Aaron.
The door opened and two of the king’s guard stepped in, Aaron and the others snapped to attention and reached for their weapons. “Now there’s no need to fight, save that for the arena,” called a sweet feminine voice. In stepped in a young woman, in her late teens or early twenties, that had an expensive dress on and a small purse that she carried daintily. Aaron and the others automatically relaxed and lowered their guards at the sight of her; their eyes took on a sort of deer-in-the-headlights look. “Hello, Dragon Seekers,” she said, her light blue eyes looking around the room, seizing everything, “I’m Princess Hellina.”
The others at the word “Princess” got off their beds and kneeled, I made no move from my spot on the couch. There was a flash of annoyance in Hellina’s eyes as she saw I didn’t move but it was gone, she must of thought I was hurt. A charming smile grew on her face, “Please, stand.”
Aaron smiled back like a shy schoolboy, “It’s an honor princess.”
“No it’s all mine,” said Hellina, “After all you are the prestigious Dragon Seekers, one of the four semi-finalists.” They all looked at her smiling with their doe eyes. I suppressed a gag, they might not see it but I knew that Hellina was a spoiled brat. All they could see was a small blonde beauty, but I bet all she could see was five men for the taking. I saw her eyeing Aaron in particular; I guess I could see why, he was strong, tall, and, in a humans eyes, handsome.
Aaron seemed dumfounded with the concept that he was talking with royalty and didn’t know what to say. Hellina didn’t really seem to mind, she started to walk around the room like she owned the place; she didn’t in fact, her father did. “I suppose you are wondering why I’m here,” she said.
“Yes, we are,” said Gret, the others agreed nodding.
“First, I’m here to congratulate you. I’ve seen you fight and I have to say,” she smiled even wider, “you all deserve to come this far.” Her eyes met Aarons and he looked away quickly.
“T-thanks,” was all he managed to say.
Hellina smiled dazzlingly again, “Of course, there is one other reason I’m here; you see,” she turned away, “this year my father, the king, was thinking that 50,000 trans as a reward was rather uninteresting. I suggested that also as a reward we would give the most sought after Dragon Dancer’s mask,” she turned around, “So, my father agreed that along with the prize money, if you win the tournament, you will also win the Dragon Dancer’s mask, provided by me.”
There was a stunned silence in the room as it settled in. Suddenly winning the tournament was a great deal more important. “Now let me tell you something that you must promise to tell no one else,” she said walking up to Aaron, he nodded fervently. She looked from side to side as if she was about to tell a deep secret, “I’m not allowed to have favorites but, I’m rooting on you. I’m sure you will win.”
Aaron and the others weren’t able to get out a thank you, their mouths seemed to stop working. Again, Hellina didn’t really care; she started to walk out the door.
“Goodbye and good luck Dragon Seekers, Aaron,” she said over her shoulder and blew a kiss in our direction. She walked out; the two guards followed her and closed the door.
Gret and Brand sighed together, “The princess huh? She was something…” said Gret.
Aaron collapsed onto his cot, looking up to the ceiling dreamily. “Yeah, the princess,” he breathed. Really, forget the turkey leg; I was going to throw up from of that.
“She sure made things easier,” said Rook, even he seemed to be in a better mood, “now that we know where the mask is, we’ve saved some serious time.”
“Hell, this tournament is going to be a cinch! We’ve only got two more rounds and the princess on our side. It’s going to be smooth sailing from now on,” said Brand laughing.
“Actually, it won’t be that easy,” said Sean standing by the door, “Tomorrow you’re facing the Griffon’s Crown.”
