THE DRAGON QUEEN

Chapter 4 ~ Farewell

Janaeya knelt in center of her room, packing her clothes into a large traveling box as she prepared to leave for the academy.

She folded them roughly, shoving each piece inside with force, her face twisted in clear anger.

Beside her stood Agnes, one of the maids. Agnes had always been kind to Janaeya, no matter what others said about her being powerless. She's always been there for her since she was a little girl.

Agnes watched quietly as Janaeya struggled with the clothes.

“You’ve got to take it easy on that dress, It’s the best one in your wardrobe.” Agnes said smoothly.

Janaeya took a deep breath. “Does it even matter? Nobody cares what I look like anyway.”

“You know it’s not your fault, right?”

“Yes, it is,” Janaeya replied sadly. “I failed my family. You don't understand how big this is for them.”

“No, it’s not,” Agnes chimed in gently. “You didn’t make yourself, and you didn’t plan any of this. So you have to give yourself a break.”

“Taking breaks is not in my family’s DNA,” Janaeya said, folding another pink top and slamming it into the box. “It’s seen as being weak. You of all people should know that.”

Agnes took a deep breath and stepped closer. “Well, you’re Janaeya. You’re not your family. And someday you’ll realize you don’t need their validation to live your life the way you want it.”

Janaeya stayed silent for a moment, thinking about the words. The thought felt a little ridiculous, yet encouraging.

All her life always revolved around earning her father’s validation. In a royal family where she was the only female child, and her father often treated her like one of the boys, she had to meet their standards or be completely left out.

“You don’t have to say those words to make me feel better,” Janaeya muttered.

“Of course not.” Agnes knelt to her level and cupped her cheek tenderly. “I’ve known you since you were a little girl, and I’ve seen the real you better than anyone else. You’re strong, Janaeya. You’re a wise girl. That’s how I know that even without powers, the kids at the academy need to be scared of you.”

That made Janaeya’s mood lighten. She smiled warmly, her eyes suddenly alive with a spark of hope. She desperately needed to hear those words.

“Here, let me help you with that,” Agnes said, taking the cloth from her hands and folding it properly. “Because when you get to the academy, there’ll be no one to do it for you.”

Janaeya didn’t say a word. She simply knelt there, staring at Agnes. Then, without thinking, she pulled her into a tight, affectionate hug, eyes closed and teary.

“I’ll miss you, Agnes,” she murmured, her voice shaky.

Agnes was caught off guard by the sudden hug, but she quickly returned it, resting her chin gently on Janaeya’s head.

“I’ll miss you more, Janaeya.”

They continued packing and were almost done when the door creaked open.

Maya stepped in. She had come to exchange some final words with her daughter before she left for the academy.

“My Lady,” Agnes greeted with a respectful bow.

“I need some time alone with my daughter,” Maya said.

Agnes nodded smoothly. She glanced at Janaeya with a warm smile before leaving the room, giving mother and daughter their privacy.

“So... you're all set,” Maya said with a slight smile, stepping closer.

"I guess," Janaeya replied with a smirk as she sat on the bed, tilting her head sideways as if recalling something. “Mom, what is it like at the academy?” she asked.

“Well, It’s adventurous,” Maya said, “And crazy... and magical. A lot of things, my love. But yours will be different from mine. You’ll have to figure that out when you get there, on your own.”

She sat on the bed beside Janaeya and held her hand softly.

“Mom? About Grandma… what was she like? Did she ever attend the academy?” Janaeya asked, her curiosity written boldly across her face.

Maya looked surprised by the sudden question.

“Not every Blackstone passed through the Academy of Elemental Arts, Janaeya.” She paused. “Why? Why are you suddenly asking about your grandmother?”

“Nothing. I just remembered her. I really would’ve loved to meet her in person.”

“Janaeya?” Maya echoed, her voice rising slightly. “Your grandmother is evil. She is cursed. Meeting her is something you should never even think about. She kills without remorse.”

“Cursed just like me,” Janaeya said. “Is that why she has a dragon? Are dragons real?”

Maya’s jaw dropped, stunned. She tried to recall if she had ever mentioned anything about dragons to her daughter, but none occurred to her.

“How the hell did…? Who told you that?” she asked, surprised.

Janaeya rolled her eyes, quickly searching for a convincing lie to tell. “Uhm… the library,” she said. “I read about the family's history in the library.”

“Oh,” Maya nodded, though she didn’t look entirely convinced. “Well, dragons are a curse. They’re created to destroy. Anyone marked by the dragon spirit is seen as a threat to our nation.”

“So what happens to someone marked by the dragon spirit? What happened to Grandma?” Janaeya asked, listening intently.

“I don’t know, Janaeya. I haven’t seen a dragon since I was born, so I can’t tell if they’re real or not, or what happens to someone born of it. All I know is that your grandmother wasn’t entirely marked by the dragon spirit, she was a host. And she did really terrible things to the people of our nation.”

“So what happened to her?”

“She ran away,” Maya replied. “She was gone the moment people saw her as a threat.”

The look on Janaeya’s face showed she knew her mother wasn’t being entirely honest with her. She was hiding something.

“You just said she did terrible things. Why run away if she’s more powerful than almost anybody? And if she’s such a bad person, she could easily take over the whole nation and its divisions,” Janaeya pressed further.

Maya didn’t know how to escape the conversation. She seemed confused about why her daughter was suddenly so interested in her grandmother's history.

“Where is this coming from?” she asked.

Janaeya kept mute. She kept thinking whether to show her mother what she had seen in the hidden room or keep it to herself. One thing was certain—if she told her, her mother would definitely tell her father, and that would put her in serious trouble.

“Janaeya?” Her mother snapped her out of her thoughts.

Just as Janaeya opened her mouth to speak, a knock sounded on the door.

It was Elvis.

“The coachman is outside. He’s waiting for you, Janaeya,” Elvis said, standing at the doorway.

Janaeya stood up, picked up her boxes, with the necklace and picture tucked safely inside and prepared to leave.

“I’ll miss you, my love,” Maya said, pulling her into a tight hug. “Take care of yourself, okay? And call me if you need anything.”

Janaeya nodded smoothly. She dragged her boxes outside as Elvis helped her. She gave her room one final look, took a deep breath, and closed the door for good.