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Our Fairytale



Drache~



Alone in my chambers, I gazed out my window, up at the bright sky. Much brighter than my mood. My long red hair blew slightly in the warm breeze. It’s always warm here----my home----the kingdom of Drache, of which I am the princess. Joy. Nothing beats sitting in front of Lords and Ladies and pretending to be the polite daughter my father wanted. I sighed.



The far off sound of marching feet was a sound of great familiarity. The soldiers were home. As I watched, perched on my window sill, I noticed the absence of a few familiar faces and bit my lip, hard. I had anticipated the loss, but my friends . . . I’d never see them again, just glimpses when I wanted to see them in my glass. What good was magic and alchemy if you couldn’t bring people back from the dead?



I watched the soldiers, some bleeding, others broken. I felt a pang of remorse in my gut. Why did Father have to send them? There was something inside of me roaring to break free and fight with them.



A soft growl behind me, I turned to see Drakina, a small dragon that I’d found a few years ago, curling up around my leg. She gazed up at me and mewed, turning her head toward my seeing glass.



“Oh very well, ‘Kina, I’m coming,” I said sweetly and lifted her to my shoulders. She prummed in my ear as I sat amongst all of my books and parchments. The glass was a large, round, mirror-like piece of carved glass. The wispy smoke-like shapes curved and danced in my vision. My hand poised over my dragon-spike pen and ink.



A rusted silver ring, vague, out of focus, but there. I recognized it. My four and a half inch heel clicked on my stone floor. Not good. A nervous tick that I had whenever I knew something really bad was going to happen. Many of my prophecies had come true. I dipped my pen into the ink and began scrolling everything down as quickly as possible.







My scaled heels clicked against hard stones as I walked out to the messaging dock. A small kid ran by me and bumped my hip. He spun around and stared at me wide-eyed.



“Ma’am I’m so sorry!” He bowed. People stared. Damn. I grabbed the boy’s arm and pulled him to me gently, hiding him inside my cloak, and leaned down to him whispering softly.



“Don’t call me ma’am please. And there’s no need to apologize, sweetie.” His big eyes got even wider as he recognized the signature sharpness of my teeth.



“P-Pr-Princess Tara . . .” He trembled and I hugged him.



“Don’t be afraid of me.” I let him go and walked on. I could still feel the peoples’ eyes on me, so I hurried.



The messaging dock was busy today, so many were trying to send letters and packages out to their families and friends. I slunk into the shortest line and kept my face hidden. The stout old woman in front of me turned slightly, her right eye glazed over with a pale blue film. She studied me for a moment then turned back. By the time I arrived at the front, the man behind the desk was tired and irritated. Without even a glance upward he spoke.



“C’mon, hurry up already!” I shook my head and placed a dark purple envelope in front of him with the words: Vogel Clergy, written in molten silver. He froze and looked up at me. “What business would you have with the Church of Vogel?” he asked suspiciously. I smirked.



“That’s my business. Yours is to ensure that this is delivered by tomorrow morning and no later. Understood?” I smiled sickly sweet, letting my sharp teeth (from my canines and back) show slightly. I giggled when I heard the gasp. My family was the only one that was intimately associated with the remaining dragons. We kept them safe when we could, and in return they taught us. The relationship was known throughout the kingdom, and I was the only princess to ever intertwine herself with actual dragons, not just their treaties, but actually interacting with them.



“You’re the . . . the----Princess Drache I ask forgiveness.” I flinched as he stood and kneeled. Looking around to see people staring even more so than before. I swore and turned to the man.



“Fine, just get off the freakin’ floor.” My jaw was tight and rigid as I tensed up. He looked up at me, surprised by the way I spoke probably. I turned and walked off quickly, dodging through the tangle of bodies in the crowd, all the while trying to keep my face and hair hidden. Why the hell do people keep staring?







I leaned against the nearest wall after I entered through the main door of my family’s castle. My chest rose and fell dramatically as I took a deep breath. I wasn’t exactly supposed to go into town during the busiest time of the day. Father was always worried I would be kidnapped. I suppose he had reason, but I didn’t understand fully.



I jolted a bit when I heard a man clear his throat just next to me. Looking up to find Sir Darren, my face reddened and he laughed. I pouted.



“That wasn’t funny, Darren.” But the corner of my mouth betrayed me by turning upward in a smirk. He draped his heavy arm around my shoulders and tugged me into a half hug.



“Yes it was, you know it.” He chuckled and pulled my hair lightly. I smiled. “So, what did you send to Vogel?” I blushed even deeper. “How did I know? Heh, you got a squealer. ‘Kina’ll say anything given a treat.” I glared up at the knight. “Aw come now, don’t look at your big bro that way,” he said with big puppy eyes. I blushed and punched his shoulder, almost too tall for me to reach. He laughed a hugged me tight. “Oh come on, Tara, don’t be so mean.”



“I’m not mean!” I shook my head.



“I won’t tell Dad what you sent if it makes you feel better,” he offered. I sighed and looked down.



“Fine.”







I finished telling him and he stood staring at me. I bit my lip. He’d tell Father for sure now. But he just nodded and looked up. I waited.



“Well that was unexpected. Heh, I didn’t think that my little sister was the one sending prophetic visions to Vogel. No wonder they’re always so far ahead.” He looked back down at me smirking. “No wonder you lock your door.” I blushed. “Unless you’re sneaking someone up there . . . well?”



“Darren! No! I don’t do that!” My face was red. He was laughing, I sighed and studied his clothes. A loose orange shirt and grey pants. I had forgotten what happened. I bit my lip again and looked away. The sound of his laughter stopped, pulling me back to reality. His arms wrapped around my shoulders and I returned the embrace. My hands traced the bandages underneath his shirt. He was one of the soldiers that came back.



We stood hugging for a while until Father walked in.



“Darren, good to see you home, son!” His voice reverberated off the walls. Darren smiled down at him. He hadn’t seen me yet. “So tell me, how was it?” I could feel my brother’s body stiffen slightly, his shoulders tensed and his jaw tightened.



“It was . . . not pleasant. We lost at least a third of our men . . . Tony’s dead.” My eyes widened. Tony. Big Tony . . . gone? Father sighed and clapped a huge hand on Darren’s shoulder and squeezed.



“I’m sorry, Darren. I am.” His eyes shifted down to me, I felt so small. “You shouldn’t be bothering a man when he’s just come back from battle, Tara. You know better. Go.” I looked down and nodded. I couldn’t say no to him, he out-sized me. I started walking away when Darren grabbed my hand.



“Actually sir, her company calms me greatly.” I stopped and looked at my father’s face through my bangs. He sighed, not happy. He wanted to talk to Darren, but Darren didn’t want to talk to him. Guilt churned up in my stomach. Father walked off, broad shoulders squared. I sighed and Darren squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry about him. He won’t get lonely, trust me.” I nodded and looked up at him. He was smiling again, I couldn’t help but smile back.







I woke up having my blankets ripped off my body, I squealed and covered myself. Blushing madly at my----as Mother called them----ladies in waiting like they’d grown extra heads. Looking around, my room was clean and I ground my teeth.



“You touched my stuff!” They both jumped. “I knew where everything was! I don’t know where . . . What have you done?” I almost screamed when all my scrolls and scriptures were gone from my desk and my glass was moved. The two women stared at me, dumbfounded.



“But, Princess . . . aren’t you . . .” one of them tried. “Aren’t you happy to see your walls?” I turned to stare at her, my eyes narrowed, teeth almost bared.



“No! I hate this much space!” I ran to my walk-in closet to find all of my dresses and cloaks and shoes organized, and my shirts and pants and boots nowhere in sight. I could feel heat rushing to my face. “Get out,” I whispered, my voice trembling dangerously.



“But Princess----”



“Out!”



They ran from my rooms as fast as their silk skirts would allow. I clutched the closet door and bit my lip to calm down. My messy hair covered my red face. Soft clicking of heels. I looked over my tense shoulder to see my handmaid. She stared around the room then looked over at me, my body still trembling under my nightdress.



“Well now, this is different.” She raised a brow at me.



“What do you want, Mudiwa?



“Those two girls you yelled at. They ran into the servants’ quarters crying, scared out of their minds that they would be fed to Lord RaiMal.” She chuckled a bit. “I can see why.”



“They touched my stuff,” I hissed. She walked over and looked inside my closet.



“I know. Look, how about you get dressed and I’ll rearrange everything the way you like it?” she suggested. I studied her face. Dead serious.



“Yeah, that would be nice . . . thanks ‘Diwa.”



“It’s no problem, hun.” She hugged me, wedging me into her chest so far I began to believe I’d have to fight my way out of the abyss that was her bosom. When she let go, my face was red for an entirely different reason. She laughed at me. “Well once you’ve gotten over that, put this on.” She handed me a dress and shooed me away.



I sat on my bed and stared at the floor. I didn’t mean to yell . . . or scare anyone. They were new girls . . . crap. Father would be so mad at me. Why did I always do stuff to get me into trouble? Why? I sighed and fell back on my bed. Drakina’s tail entered my vision and I felt her nuzzling into my neck. I smiled, my little ‘Kina always made me happy. I reached back and stroked her spines, listening to her prum in my ear. Mudiwa’s footsteps in the other room were faint, but there was another noise. Like a voice coming from under my bed. Sitting up, I looked down. Nothing. My lips formed a small pout as I slid down to the floor, hiking my dress up to my thighs so I could move, and reached under to find my glass. My body shuddered with relief and I pulled the heavy hunk of glass out from under my bed.



Shadows swirled and smoky figures danced. The glass was speaking. More urgently than last time, too quickly for me to understand. When I looked up at Drakina for translation she just sat there in a trance that no manner of coaxing could bring her out of. Another look at the glass and I growled.



With a quick word and a touch from my hand, the glass sparked and calmed. The noise stopped and I held my hand still on the smooth surface.



“’Diwa! Pour a hot bath for me? I have a conference to get to.” I heard her chuckle from the other room and leave to get the water.



As I waited, I looked around and sighed before climbing onto my window sill and swinging my legs over the outer wall of the castle. Inhaling the clean, spicy air and smiling slightly. I ignored the sound of my bedroom door opening and closing, but was well aware of the taller presence. My body relaxed against the heat behind me, my back leaning against a male stomach.



“Dad’s not gonna like having to find more maids for you, y’know?” I nodded. “But still, you scare them . . .” His hands pressed against either side of the window frame. “You don’t want anymore, do you?” I shook my head. He sighed. “Okay then that should be fine. Mudiwa can take care of you well enough alone.” I smiled and turned to hug him.



“Thanks Darren.”







Mudiwa pushed Darren out when she got back. She laughed at me for a good five minutes after I told her what we talked about. Perfectly content with being my only maid. And I was happy with the thought of not scaring more people. I bathed in the hot water, cleaning my skin and hair, coming out white as porcelain with light tan freckles dotting my nose and shoulders and a few on my chest. Mudiwa smirked as I wrapped myself in a towel, covering my tender skin.



“I know Prince Jager loves those freckles heehee.” I blushed, my face and neck turning pink.







Father messed with his documents the whole carriage ride to Vogel.



“I truly can’t stand riding in this tiny thing,” he grumbled. Of course he’d find a carriage large enough for three grown men, small—tiny. As small as I was, it felt like a lounge, I couldn’t help smiling. “I prefer riding a horse.”



“I know, Daddy. But it’s protocol, makes protecting us easier.” He looked up at me as I braided my hair loosely.



“You are much more calm away from home.” I nodded. “It’s been a while since you called me ‘Daddy’.” I looked out the window.



“It’s been a while since you’ve spoken so freely to me.” He nodded and went back to his documents and I shook my head.







As our carriage pulled up in front of Vogel Castle, I could see the Hacshen horses in the stables and smiled. Krystal was here already. Of course, her father’s kingdom was closer than mine. I followed my father out of the carriage, petting our chestnut Clydesdales as I walked past. One of them bent his neck to brush his soft nose to my cheek, making me smile.



“Come along, Tara, the horses will be fine,” Father called. I sighed and hurried to the front door where my father was talking to King Vogel. I walked past them, toward Krystal’s turned back. I hugged her from behind, almost making her squeak. I giggled and looked down at Stephanie and hugged her.



“Good to see you, shortie.” She blushed and pouted, making me laugh. She turned to follow her parents and Krystal and I followed ours. Jager wasn’t here, as usual. My father kept pressing the discussion of war, much to my displeasure. I wanted to make him be quiet. I turned back to the girls to see a still blushing Vogel and a mischievous Hacshen. That blush couldn’t have been because of me. Oh boy I had to hear this.



“Stephanie! I got your letter last night! Tell me what happened?” Krystal nearly exploded, but kept her voice low enough not to cause a disturbance. Stephanie smiled and blushed at once.



“We kissed for the first time and we just hung out.” She hid her face in her hands.



“Oh my Goddess, that’s adorable!” I laughed and hugged her with Krystal practically singing praise over the cuteness.



“Heh . . . yeh,” is all the little bird would say, but she smiled up at Krystal. Her little face was all red. “So how’s Damian?” I watched Krystal’s face fall.





(to be continued...)