My heart, My love, My dragon

Chapter 39

"What's this? A sleepover?" Anya laughed hoarsely as they entered the Royal Guard Wing. Of course, there was only one enormous room where the Royal Guard will sleep in. Five beds on the right side of the room and five beds on the left side of the bed. Each with its own table to the side.

"We're all vulnerable by ourselves. If we sleep in separate rooms it'll make it easier for someone to attack us individually, the palace, or the Royal Family," Aeson explained.

As they settled in, Anya noticed that Iris was settling down in the bed beside Alder's. She thought that the girls would sleep on one side and the guys on the other. "Iris, what does Alder mean to you?" Anya asked, analyzing the two of them.

"She's Alder's beloved," Cairn shrugged. "Therefore, we switched."

"Geez, can't even give each room to breathe," Anya rolled her eyes. She realized then that what was once Iris's bed to her right side was now going to be Cairn's. It was night and they only placed personal belongings into the drawers beneath their beds. Their uniforms were in the massive closet that came included with the Royal Guard Wing. This meant Anya didn't have to wear dreadful dresses. The room in which they slept in also included a balcony that overlooked the garden since they were on the third floor of the palace.

The order on the right side was Cairn's bed, then Anya's, then Sierra, then Aria, and at the end was Levinia. On the left side, the order was Chris's bed, then Alder's, then Iris's, then Reed, and at the end was Aeson. Anya waited until she heard everyone's breaths even out to ensure that they were asleep. She then got up and walked slowly to the balcony. A cold gust swept in but Anya promptly closed the glass door behind her. Nowadays, she never slept.

She couldn't even if she wanted to. There were always nightmares. Tonight was especially cold but her nightgown was protective enough. She heard the glass door open and immediately swiveled back to face the intruder. It was Levinia.

"You have nightmares every night, right?" she sighed and leaned against the railing. 

"Yeah."

"Me too. I prefer to stay awake."

"It's best that way," Anya shrugged. "Then waking up terrified."

"Ever tried a sleeping pill?"

"No, never got the chance to take one."

"Since Aeson is from the House of Healers and medicine I think he has some. I forgot to bring mine," Levinia said while rubbing her hands together to gather warmth. "Works like a charm."

They walked back inside together and hovered next to Aeson's bed. He rolled over to face them with a groan, "May I know what's so important to disturb my sleep?"

Anya stared down upon him, "We need sleeping pills."

"Ok, ok, you don't need to glare at me with your glowing blue eyes," Aeson rolled his eyes and turned on his lamp.

"Blue eyes?" Anya frowned.

Levinia looked at her in disbelief, "You seem to be the only one in your House with Blue eyes. They're like gems. Beautifully alluring but deadly. Do you...wear contacts?"

Anya blinked, "I wear blockers. Everyone in House Hydra has hazel eyes. I had hazel eyes but Lucia and Hydreich noticed that they were changing color so they told me to wear blockers."

"Told you or forced you?" Cairn spoke up which startled Anya. "If you looked at the portrait carefully you would've seen that Kimberly has the same gem blue eyes. My mother used to comment on how they were as cold as can be but also very warm."

"Please refrain from making any more comments about her," Anya gritted her teeth.

"Well, I'm sorry but I was born without a zipper on my mouth," Cairn snapped back. 

Aeson quickly tapped on Anya's shoulder and handed her a bottle of sleeping pills. Levinia had already received hers. "Take one every night."

Anya hummed in response as she retreated to her bed and gulped down the pill. She hadn't it to take effect quickly but it did so she was knocked out quickly. 

****

When Anya woke up she woke up in a good mood. That was the first night in a while that she didn't have a nightmare. They all woke up at four in the morning to prep themselves to guard the Royal Family during breakfast.

They all gathered in the massive closet and saw that there were individual closets inside with their names on top. When Anya opened her closet there was an array of light blue clothing and armor to the darkest shade of blue clothing and armor. She chose a dark ocean blue uniform. Their uniforms were a white long-sleeved shirt with cuffs for the neck and a polyester form-fitting sweater that was the color of their house. Anya noticed that the guys had more comfortable black pants than the girls had. They were almost like high-waisted black leggings. 

In the end, they had to pin their House Crest onto the sweater. Thankfully, Anya's hair was long enough to be pulled up into a high ponytail with a few strands of hair on the sides of her face dangling.

"A bit dusty aren't they?" Sierra scrunched her nose and wiped the dust off her shoulder.

"These are probably their uniforms," Anya pointed out and no one needed to question who she was referring to. What Anya didn't like about the leggings was that it was one inch above her ankle which made her scar visible.

They walked together in silence until Iris said, "Anya, do you dye your hair?"

Anya heaved a sigh, "It seems everyone is so curious about me. The questions keep flowing in."

"You're dodging her question," Aeson said.

"Fine. I don't dye it but it is dyed to a black color," Anya twirled a strand of her hair. "How did you notice, Iris?"

"When the sunlight hits your hair, its true colors are shone. Auburn. Not black," Iris analyzed. "I assume Lucia dyed it because everyone in House Hydra has black hair? But I'm sure you don't know Kimberly had the same hair color."

"And I assume Felix didn't teach you to scrutinize so much," Anya scoffed. "Or you simply turned into Aria."

"That's it," Aria hissed and threw a sharp wind that slapped Anya's face. There was a tiny cut and Anya placed her finger on it but when she drew her finger back, there was blood on it.

Anya smiled and Cairn's eyes widened. Anya raised her palm upward but Cairn was quick to pull her arm back down. Anya rolled her eyes and instead converted the ground into ice. Everyone slipped and fell onto the ground.

"What the hell, Anya," Reed snapped. "Aeson, give her a tranquilizer or something."

Anya made the ice retreat off the ground and back inside her. "Happy now?"

"Please, let's just get to breakfast," Levinia sighed.

"Agreed."