Whispers Of A Dragon

No Longer Yours

"Father, please, say something." A deep sense of anguish and loss washed over Kaida as she struggled to look at her father through teary eyes. "I can't go just yet, you know that. You promised!" She tugged on her father's hand as much as the little strength left in her could allow, but he merely stood still, seemingly not caring for her cries. Did he not care for her anymore? The thought bruised Kaida's already aching heart and added to a painful end to what would have been a perfect night.

She'd just returned from the masquerade ball and instead of walking up to her parent’s bubbly selves that were always eager to indulge in her tales from her escapades, Kaida had been met by their sullen expressions. Wishing to comfort them, she had rushed to their sides and inquired after whatever it was that had stolen their joy, but she’d not been ready for the piece of news they bore. It was time! Time for her to leave the only place she had called home.

"I still have a year.” That had been the agreement. For what she was expected to give up, the royal house had agreed to let her have a year to say her goodbyes. She should have known that a king wouldn’t keep his word. Not when it’d been made to a lowly commoner like her. “Can't you tell them to wait that long?" Tears kept pouring down her face, but not even that would change the expression on her father's face. “Father?!”

"I'm afraid we are not in a position to ask the throne of anything." Her dear father finally cupped her cheeks and held her gaze, his own eyes bearing the sadness that Kaida knew had its roots buried deep inside the man’s heart. That only added to her own heartache and spite for the royal house of Govalon. "We already tried to hide you once before. I'm afraid we risk losing all our lives if we do." Her father sighed with sadness.

"So I'm your sacrifice then? You hate me so much you are willing to give me away to strangers?!" Kaida spat, the words leaving her mouth with a venom she knew her parents did not deserve, but for the love of God, she couldn’t move past the invading thoughts that were screaming of their failure to fight for her. She had simply not expected to be given up so easily.

"Enough Kaida!" Her mother pulled her into her arms, but the usually comforting embrace only spoke of betrayal and only made Kaida wish to escape it. "You know we don't have a choice and this isn't for forever. It's just until the prince can tame his dragon then you will be free to come and live your life any way you wish. Maybe find some love too."

Love… Kaida mentally glared at the word, knowing nothing of the sort would ever happen to her. Not if she became a slave to the royal house of Govalon, because this was what it would be. s*****y.

"Only if he decides to let me go, mother." More tears fell as realization that her life was finally over dawned on her. It did not matter what her mother said either, stepping out of her parent's house was as good as a death sentence. And no matter how much they said she was an important piece to the dragon kingdom, she knew her life at the palace would be reduced to that of a mere slave.

“Of course he’ll let you go.”

"What if he doesn’t? What if he wishes to tame more than one dragon? What if he wishes to fill this entire kingdom with dragons, what then, huh? What then mother? Father?" Kaida was probably exaggerating a little as not even a single dragon had been seen in over centuries for a prince to wish to fill Govalon with the wild beasts, but at this point she would do or say anything to keep her at her parent’s side, even though she didn't seem to be making a very good argument.

"Don't say that my sweet lily." Her mother cupped her cheeks, her gentle sound making Kaida lean into her touch finally. "Are you forgetting?" Her mother smiled down at her. "We should always look on the bright side, only then can the universe smile and grant our hearts desires."

The universe…she'd thought that that part of their realm had finally smiled down on her when she'd met her mystery dance partner at the ball.

"I found a boy, mother." The words spilled out of Kaida’s mouth without a second thought even as Uther's piercing eyes suddenly flashed before her eyes, making her melt into that gaze as she’d done when he had held her. His intense gaze was followed by a dashing smile that was partly hidden by a series of dark shiny scales. Dragon scales. And as if to indulge her senses, the sight turned into more of a vision than a memory.

"Come to me, my queen." A comforting voice spoke as a flight of stairs appeared before her, making Kaida blink her tears away.

“Uther?”

"I have waited for you, light of my life, Come…" A trail of fire lit up the flight of stairs that Kaida only realized led up to a very muscular figure whose hands were stretched out to her. Mesmerized by the sight and the sound of the figure too, she stepped towards the stairs, her heart hammering in her chest, but someone screaming her name drew her out of that dream.

“Are you alright?” Her mother and father wore deep frowns on their faces that reminded her of her predicament quicker than anything would have had.

"I might even love him." She blurted out, even as the vision that made those words feel real faded.

"Tell me you didn't!" Her mother was frantic all of a sudden and she shook Kaida a little violently trying to get her to speak, but to Kaida who had never suffered such harsh treatment from her parents before, the action spoke of how much they cared more for the crown than their beloved daughter. “You are to remain untouched, tell me you didn’t!”

"I wish I had." Kaida spat, her voice laced with venom even if she didn't mean what she was saying.

"You stupid girl!" Her mother exclaimed while her hands that held Kaida trembled against her skin. "Don't ever say that, not even as a joke." She got held tighter, her mother's embrace reminding her that she would never again relish it.

"I wish I didn't get this stupid gift at all!" Kaida spat before pulling away as anger replaced her sadness. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She still had months before moving to the castle. Months to enjoy the only freedom she would ever know in her little pathetic life.

She marched to her room, ignoring her parent's pleas and hating the fact that the royals could do whatever the hell they pleased and get away with it. They didn't care whose life they trampled on as long as they got what they wished. And right now she hated that what they wanted was her. And it was so pitiful that there was nothing her or her family could do but bow to the crown's wishes.

"It's not all bad, you know? I wish I was the one going to live in the palace. I would gladly leave this peasant life faster than you could blink." Her elder sister, Kaliyah, pointed out as she sat up gracefully on her bed, her long brunette hair flowing beautifully by her sides.

In Kaida's eyes, Kaliyah was indeed more suited for palace life. With all the calm around her and the grace she carried herself with that made her get mistaken for a noble woman many times over, Kaliyah was princess material.

Not Kaida. All she ever wanted was to be free. To roam the lands and explore all of its secrets.

"Then by all means, please go..." Kaida looked at her elder sister with puffy eyes.

"I'm sorry little sister, the gods didn't think I was worthy of being gifted anything." Kaliyah answered with a grin, making Kaida huff in response. "Besides, I am not cut out for the life of a nun either." Kaliyah added.

Kaida just sighed at her sister's words while she forced herself to calm down. She didn't even understand why she was fighting the inevitable. It was not like she could change anything even if she threw her worst tantrum ever.

The truth was, they owned her. She was bound to the crown even before she had left her mother's womb all those years ago. She had known it and accepted her fate, but tonight, something rekindled her earlier passion to rebel against her owners. The dragon fire in those eyes had been begging her to whisper to them from the moment they connected with hers. That and her own heart that wouldn't stop fluttering every time a thought of her dance partner crossed her mind.

"Uther…" With eyes closed, she chose to relive that fleeting moment that had definitely left a mark in her life.

A loud banging on the door to her house, however, jolted her out of her preferred thoughts and without a second thought she jumped from her simple bed and rushed through the short passage to see what it was.

"The girl." An unfamiliar voice demanded, his voice souding throughout their tiny home. The intimidating royal soldier was towering over her parents right in the doorway, seeming as though he was ready to breathe fire on them and Kaida found herself clenching her teeth in anger at the sight.

Her parents were the most humble and loyal people she knew and it didn't sit well with her that they were being treated that way. Commoner or not.

"B...But, wouldn't his majesty grant this lowly servant a chance to bid farewell to his youngest daughter. Wouldn't tomorrow be more convenient to pick her, seeing that night has already fallen?" Her father trembled while he spoke and Kaida hated seeing him like that. He was after all her anchor that held her life and his family together through all the hardships they had suffered right under the crown he so vowed to serve faithfully.

"You dare question his majesty's wishes?!" The soldier bellowed, forcing her parents to shy away from the huge man.

"Perhaps you would like him to scratch your back while he is at it too?"

"Oh my lord no!" Her father cried out as he dropped before the soldier whose chest was heaving.

"The night is perfect for his highness to receive his gift from his humble servant." Her father's pleading tone earned him a wry smile from the king's messenger. And that caused Kaida to walk forward in a few quick angry steps.

"Father, you may be his majesty's humble servant but you definitely aren't beneath this man for you to be kissing the dust off of his boots." Kaida came inbetween the soldier and her father. Lifting him up to his feet, she smiled. "Stand proud because the great king of the dragon kingdom requires something of you. Something only you can give to this great empire."

"Is she the one?" Obviously wounded by her words, the soldier hissed, but Kaida merely glared him.

"Perhaps you would like me to narrate to his majesty of how you dishonored the man who birthed his most prized possession?"

Possession… Kaida loathed that word and every word similar to it with a passion. But she used it anyway when she turned away from her father and to the soldier who was raging mad at her insolence.

"Who are you little girl?" The soldier sneered, ready to exact judgement on her petite frame.

"I can be your worst nightmare." She tried to muster up her most threatening look yet, but the huge tall man just regarded her with disdain.

"That is enough!" A mighty roar from the darkness outside her home broke up their little stare down. "She can have the night."

"Your highness?!" The soldier dropped to his knees in the most spectacular way leaving Kaida wide eyed.

"Your highness?" Stunned that a member of the royal house was possibly here, she pushed past the soldier and strained her eyes trying to lay them on whoever had just spoken, but she was met with nothing but darkness.

"Just the night." A displeased voice spoke, bringing Kaida back to the moment. The decision should have pleased her too, but there was nothing to be thankful for when the royal house had already broken their word. "At first light, be ready." The soldier commanded and she was about to make a smart remark in response when her father came and stood between them.

"Please, this humble servant is grateful for his highness' kindness."

"But father…"

"Enough, Kaida!" Her father's stern voice that he’d never used on her sent her into silence.

"At first light. She will be ready, my lord." Her father bowed, pulling her down with him too. It only lasted a moment, but for Kaida, it felt like her entire life just got re-written in that fleeting moment. The man to have protected her, the one who’d sworn to protect her at whatever cost, had all but left her hanging out in the bitter cold for the enemy to do with as they pleased. She’d expected more. God knew her father couldn’t stand up to the dragon house, but she’d expected more.

"Come my sunshine." At the sound of retreating boots, her father got up, hand held out to her, but she remained with her knees on the cold floor of their little house.

"You promised." She said, her voice low and strained.

"Kaida…"

"You swore to protect me father." She ignored the hand she'd held on to many times before in her life as feelings of betrayal consumed her whole.

"I always have and always wi–"

"Have you?" She cut her father off, the rage in her flaring. "How father? By having me become a slave to your king?" She spat. "Is that what I always was to you? A gift...to appease your king?" Her chest heaved as her breath came in short quick ones. "Was I only your way of escape to save your skin? Is that what I was?" Her voice cracked at the thought that her beloved father chose his life, their lives over hers.

"My sunshine…" Her father came and knelt in front of her like he always did, his tone back to the tender one that had comforted her many times before, but in that moment only betrayal seemed to drip from it, trickling right into her soul.

"Did you forget?" Kaida finally got up, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "I'm no longer yours."

"Kaida!" Her mother exclaimed, but she wasn't listening, her face set hard on the very first man to break her heart.