My heart, My love, My dragon

Chapter 27

Oliver was shaking Anya awake to start with her daily chores but she was snoozing soundly. He had given her his bed and he slept on the floor. Annoyed, he shook her roughly. Anya rolled over away from him groaning, "Five more minutes."

It was five in the morning and Anya wasn't accustomed to waking at such hours. Finally, Oliver had no choice but to splash her face with water. When he did so, Anya woke up with a jolt. 

"What the hell?!" she hissed and wiped off the water with the sleeve of her dress that she was still wearing from yesterday. Oliver tapped his wrist to signify that it was time to get up. "I don't think splashing water on me was necessary."

Oliver opened up his closet and took out a tunic. He signaled for Anya to take it as he began pulling out a pair of pants. He began pointing at various objects which overwhelmed her. She quickly interrupted him, "Do you have paper?"

He nodded and Anya said, "Where?"

He pulled out a piece of paper from his bookshelf and handed it to Anya who gave it back to him, "Write whatever you want to tell me on the paper. That is if you have a writing utensil."

Satisfied, he pulled out a pencil from his s**t pocket and began to jot down whatever he needed to. When Anya took a look at his writing she discovered he had excellent penmanship. He wrote, "Put on the tunic and use string to tighten it around your waist to fashion it as a dress. But since tightening it will shorten it above your knees you'll have to wear these black pants. Then, tie the apron around your hips. The clothes might be a bit too big because they're mine."

Anya shrugged, "They'll have to do."

Oliver left the room to let Anya change. She did so and found that the clothing was surprisingly more comfortable than the rough fabric of the dress she used to wear. Thankfully, she had been wearing flats prior to the incident with the King. 

When she came out of the room Oliver was tapping his foot impatiently. Handing him the piece of paper and pencil she said, "Tell me what I need to do."

He wrote, "Follow my lead. We'll work in the kitchen but as you've said it is only temporary."

She followed Oliver out of the servant dormitories and to the kitchen. It was breakfast and the cooks were busily preparing the food. Anya knew that they were preparing breakfast for the group of friends around the King and Libelle. Oliver set a bucket of potatoes and a stool in front of Anya. She sat down and Oliver gave her a knife.

He wrote on the paper, "Begin peeling the potatoes and I'll be right over there."

He pointed to a stove that was in the far corner with the cook from yesterday. Anya nodded but inside she was panicking. She did not know how to peel potatoes. It wasn't in her training of becoming a Queen and a warrior. With an unsteady hand, she picked up a knife and examine the potato in her other hand. 

She fumbled in pressing the knife against the potato skin and trying to take the skin off. She pressed too hard and the knife missed, cutting her index finger instead. She hissed and dropped the knife. She stared at her finger as it began to bleed.

She looked up suddenly and saw Oliver shaking his head disappointedly as he quickly scribbled something on the paper. She took the paper and read, "You can handle spears, axes, and needles but not a kitchen knife?"

Anya glared at him, "Not all of us know how to peel potatoes."

He turned the piece of paper over and wrote, "You don't know how to peel potatoes?"

Anya flushed embarrassingly and looked away. Such a menial task of peeling potatoes is what everyone should know but Anya didn't. Lowly, she said, "No."

Oliver stifled his laughter but was surprised by his actions and covered his mouth with his hand. "Well, are you going to teach me how to or no?" Anya huffed.

He took a potato and demonstrated by lightly pressing against the shin and running the knife along the potato. He handed Anya another potato and she copied his actions but ended up with a scraggly potato. This time, Oliver shook his head and took over while directing her over to where the cook from yesterday was.

"M'lady, you're going to take these plates out to the dining room," the cook told her and motioned to the various plates in front of him. It reminded Anya of how hungry she was.

"You never told me your name," she pointed out.

"It's..." the cook hesitated for a moment and looked behind Anya before continuing with, "Darrold."

Anya took two plates and headed out. The plates were for the King. One was porridge and the other was a bowl of milk. Anya snickered at the thought of the King drinking the bowl of milk like a kitten. Walking out into the dining room she held her head high as the room quieted. Luthor gawked at her in shock.

"King Vulcan," she mocked and placed the porridge in front of him. 

He examined it pickily before taking the porridge and pouring it on Anya, "It's cold. Tell the cook to prepare me another bowl."

Anya boiled in anger, "Two can play that game, King Vulcan."

She picked up the milk bowl and poured it on him, starting at the head. He jumped out of his seat in an instant, the chair toppling down behind him. The white milk soaked his hair and shirt. He snapped his fingers and four guards came behind Anya.

"Take her to the Beating Arena. I will not tolerate this behavior," he growled. 

The guards began to drag Anya away but she called out, "Neither will I, King Vulcan. Neither will I!"

The Beating Arena was a small arena in which the King indicates guards to beat up a certain person so that they learn their lesson. It was known to be brutal for the victim will arrive home beaten to a pulp. Anya shook their hands off her and ran toward Luthor who was following them alongside Kaida.

"I need to speak with you, Luthor," Anya urged. "It's important. I need to-"

"I'm sorry, Anya, but I have already planned to hang out with Kaida at the library. I'm going to teach her some spells."

"Luthor.." Anya said impatiently but the guard were already pulling her away. Annoyed she shook their hands off her, "Don't touch me! I'll walk by myself."

In the distance, Kaida tugged Luthor away and Anya growled in frustration. One of the guards picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "Let me go!" she screeched and pounded against the armor on his back.

They passed the palace kitchen entrance where everyone had gathered to watch Anya being carried away. Looking up, she saw Oliver giving her a look of confusion. Darrold was not far behind. 

"Don't worry, Oliver. I'm taking a quick trip to hell."