Love Me, Dragon

7

Chapter seven

Amelia

A few days had passed since my parents informed me of the decree passed by the dragon king. It was finally the day that we were supposed to go to the palace.

My mother had been crying since early that morning. She was inconsolable. Even my father had gotten upset by how much she was crying. He had told her that I was just going for a competition and not to die.

After my parents had told me of the decree, I wasn't in the least bit interested, but the decree wasn't one that we could disobey, because galore to do so could result in the killing of the entire family.

I was excited to go. I felt it was a chance for me to explore life outside my town and also to meet and learn more about the dragon shifters. My parents also wanted me to go because they felt that it would be good for me to make acquaintances.

They weren't bothering me to win the competition, and I also wasn't really interested in it. They just wanted me to go there and return home safe and sound.

It was time for us to leave because there was a carriage waiting at a particular spot to take all the girls to the palace. My parents were taking me in their carriage, so the servants had put my luggage in the carriage, and I was standing on the side, waiting for my parents, who were wasting time.

"Mother, father!!" I exclaimed. "If you don't come out now, I might miss the carriage, and we will all be put at a very great risk!" I shouted, my voice sounding annoyed, from my place beside the carriage.

My back rested on the body of the carriage. I was annoyed because they had forced me into a normal corset dress, and it was killing me. I could hardly breathe, nor could I stand straight. The dress was also long, which was something I had never worn before.

The worst part is that that was all that had been packed up for me in the boxes I was to take. My parents had gotten the best tailor to make so many dresses for me in such a short period of time. I hated them, but I had to admit that they were very pretty, prettier than anything I could ever make.

"We're coming, Amelia." My father said this as he helped my mother down the stairs to get to where I was.

"Amelia, it is very unladylike for you to shout. You're going for a competition, and those that would finally even have a chance are going to be chosen by their manners and how they act. So you better learn."

"Mother, I thought you said that I didn't need to win the competition."

"Well, you don't." She said. "But it would be better if you won." She said it under her breath, but I could still hear her.

"What did you say?"

"I said you don't. All I want is for my sweet daughter to return to me in one piece." She said that, and I laughed.

Even though I wasn't interested in the final goal, I still wanted to at least spend some time there before I was thrown out, so that I could achieve my mission of learning about the dragon shifters.

We all filed into the carriage, and it started moving. I sat beside my mother, while my father sat across from us. My mother had her arms around my shoulder, holding me tight and refusing to let go even after I told her I couldn't breathe.

The dress was already making it hard for me to breathe and move, but she was just making it worse. I really didn't know how she was able to move around so much with a corset on. Sitting alone was a problem for me. Maybe if I had worn it all my life like she did, then I would have been able to move around.

Even though my hair had been tied back so tight, I could feel my scalp throbbing so much. I endured it because I didn't want to complain too much and also because that was what I was going to go through throughout my stay in the palace.

We had been allowed to take only one maid with us, which would aid us in dressing up and getting ready. My parents didn't take a maid from the house; they had hired one of the best groomers from another town and paid her so much money to act as a maid for me and make sure I was always looking my best and to make sure I acted ladylike. I really didn't know why they were going through so much stress because of me.

My parents were very wealthy, but they didn't show it at all. Even I didn't know the extent of their wealth until around that period. I told them that it was cheating, but my mother said that it wouldn't be if no one knew.

The carriage came to a stop, meaning that we had finally reached The coachman opened the door of the carriage, and my father went down first before helping my mother and me out of it.

When I got down, I looked around and saw all the different ladies that were already there, waiting for the carriage. There were so many of them, dressed in different styles and colors of dresses. As my parents and I stood outside of the carriage, all eyes turned to us.

I could understand why they were staring at us. It wasn't normal for my parents, especially me, to participate in the activities of the public. I was hardly ever allowed out of the house, let alone participate in anything that they were doing.

They whispered amongst themselves, both parents and daughters, but we ignored them and waited till we saw the carriages coming in the distance.

They all rushed with their children to be the first to get into the carriages. I really didn't care, as long as I was going to get in anyway. My mother held me tightly as we walked towards the carriage.

All my luggage was placed in a different carriage, and I was to get into the carriage with the other girl, while Constance, my supposed maid, was to get into another carriage with the other maids.

When it was finally time to get in, my mother hugged me, refusing to let go for a while until my father pulled her back and hugged me too. Since I was the last person to get in, I was seated close to the door. I waved at my parents, who held on to each other as the door closed. My mother's eyes were already really swollen.

I could understand why my mother was so sad. We had never been apart for more than a day, and now I was going for a competition that we didn't even know when it would end. I was also sad, but I tried my best to hold it in because I didn't want my mother to cry more than she already was.

As the carriage started moving, I smiled to myself, hoping that everything would go fine and that I would be safe and return to my parents in one piece, because I knew it would break them, especially my mother, if anything happened to me.

I leaned back in the seat as the ladies beside me stared at me strangely. They had grouped us into the carriages, six ladies each. I pretended not to listen to them, closed my eyes, and leaned back in the seat.

They really didn't have any shame because they started talking about me. I could hear every single thing they were saying, but I didn't bother to say anything to them as I felt it would be a waste of my time and energy.

The carriage went on for a long time, and sometimes I would move the curtain aside to look outside. After a while, we were finally getting close to the palace because I could see the buildings over the forest.

I was really excited and nervous as I rubbed my sweaty palms on my dress. I don't know if anyone was as nervous as I was, because I was excited that I would get to finally meet a dragon shifter.

The carriage came to a stop, and the doors were opened. I looked around in awe. The palace was more beautiful than I had ever imagined. It was huge and decorated very grandly. There were guards stationed almost everywhere. They didn't even flinch when they saw us; they were focused on their duty. It was the first time I had seen a royal guard.

Constance came to stand by my side with my boxes beside her. I took little notice of her as I was still looking around.

"My lady, don't open your mouth so much. It's unladylike." She said this, grabbing my attention, and I closed my mouth and cleared my throat.

"Don't do that too." She said that, and I stared at her like she was crazy.

Then what exactly could I do that was ladylike? I sighed and turned forward, but I was still excited. Someone came in and asked us to walk forward a little so that someone would come out to address us.

I stood there, my heart beating fast, not knowing what the palace held for me, but hopefully it would all be good.