The Tale of Two Sisters

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Veldroid awkwardly hugged the girl back, as the girl seemed like she would not let Veldroid go any sooner. Feeling that Penelope kept staring at him, Veldroid then patted the girl back softly, indicating her to release him from the hug.

The girl did not understand the signal, so she kept hugging until other humanoid dragons walked behind her, coughed. This time, those dragons looked like an elderly one, as some of them grew a beard for men, while others have long, straight white hair, for women, as Penelope thought for herself.

"Vanya, that's enough. Let go of the prince, please."

One of the elders asked Vanya, the girl who kept hugging Veldroid to let him go. Vanya then released Veldroid and politely had a courtesy to the elders. As she finished her courtesy, then she realized Penelope stood close to Veldroid. She then narrowed her eyes to Penelope, as she did not look like a dragon or anything in this world. 

"Who is she?"

Vanya asked with her intimidating voice, and cold tone, while pointing her finger to Penelope. Penelope certainly did not like the girl's attitude, but since she came here with Velrdoid, she thought it will be the best if he handled the situation. Veldroid noticed the tension between those two, immediately came between both of them.

"Oh, um, this is, she is-"

"The Chosen One."

Everyone turned around to look on who is talking, and immediately kneeled on the ground when they found out who. 

Though everyone is paying their respect to the one who speaks, Penelope did not know to whom he is referring to, so she just stood there, idle. 

However, she seems to recognize the voice from somewhere.

Somewhere that impact her life, but she cannot remember when or where exactly.

As Penelope just stood there, an elderly-wise looking humanoid dragon walked out from the big tree that looked like a guild, slowly toward her. He passed through all the dragons, who are kneeling for him, as he walked to Penelope. 

Yet, the elderly dragon stopped in front of Veldroid and patted his head.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Veldroid kept his head low, to show respect to the elder while replying to him.

"Thank you, Lord Ferro."

The elder, Lord Ferro, seems like a guy who leads the people around her, Penelope thought for herself. As Penelope still stood in froze, Vanya glared at her and hissed in her words.

"You ignorant creature! Show your respect to Lord Ferro! He is the one who shall bless you and guide you to the Light!"

Vanya wanted to continue more, but Lord Ferro quickly put his hand in front of Vanya, gesturing her to stop talking.

"Vanya! That's not the way for you to bestow your respect to the Chosen One!"

As Lord Ferro mentioned the Chosen One, many of the dragons there suddenly lifted their head and turned to where Lord Ferro looked at. 

All of them now are staring at Penelope.

Feeling all eyes on her, making Penelope super nervous and uncomfortable, as she had been the centre for all of them. Vanya's eyes wide opened when Lord Ferro mentioned that Penelope is the Chosen One. Somehow, she is doubting the Lord Ferro's forecast.

"Are you sure this creature is our saviour, My Lord?"

Lord Ferro turned to Vanya and just smiled.

"Yes, she is. Our saviour. Please, where is my manner, O Chosen One?"

Lord Ferro kneeled down in front of Penelope and took her hand. Penelope startled, but she did not pull back, as Lord Ferro's hands are not that rough as she thought how dragon's hands should be.

"My name is Ferro. Please to meet your acquaintance."

Lord Ferro held Penelope hands firmly, yet gently, as he was holding his child's hands. Penelope awkwardly accepted the handshake, but she did not know what to respond. Veldroid noticed that, and he immediately stood up to be by her side. Vanya saw that, and she just bit her lips, noticing something is not right with her fiancé.

"Um, Lord Ferro, I think maybe we need to give her proper details about her role and our agenda."

Lord Ferro then looked shocked and hurried asked Veldroid to bring Penelope inside.

"Oh, pardon my rudeness! Please, let us head inside, and I'll tell you everything, O' Chosen One."

Lord Ferro ushered Veldroid to follow them inside, as he guided Penelope inside to their big tree-guild. Vanya watched them went inside, with furious looks in her eyes. 

As Lord Ferro walked inside, the dragons still kneeling, only the elders followed him, Penelope and Veldroid. After they entered the guild, the main door is shut, firmly. Lord Ferro lead all of them to one room, he said he wanted to discuss something.

"O' Chosen One, please forgive us for bringing you to this old, humble castle! This is at least what we can offer since...I shall tell you later."

Lord Ferro stopped in the middle of the sentences, but Penelope was more interested in something else. Her concerned is that this big tree is the castle in the mirror world that she did not believe.

"Um, is this is your castle?"

Penelope asked nervously. She is afraid that the question might come out as offensive. Lord Ferro turned around and faced her with a smile. 

"Yes, I afraid so. Is it troubling you?"

Penelope shook her head, alternately, she smiled as she was amazed by the structure of the building inside. Though at the outside it looked like it was only just a massive tree, inside, it was more significant and sophisticated. She never saw something this elegant in her world.

At the outside, you may think that the interior will be made from woods and other things that related to trees, but no. Rather than that, inside of the castle, it has magnificent, polished glass walls, as it have unique carved on it and you can see your reflection in it. The floors itself look like as you are walking on water, as it was crystal clear-looking glass. 

Everything inside of this castle is too magnificent to deny its existence.

Lord Ferro can only smile as Penelope looked amazed, looking around the castle with wonders in her eyes. The other elders already passed through her, leaving behind Veldroid and Lord Ferro who is still waiting for Penelope. Unlike Lord Ferro, the other elders looked like they did not like the presence of Penelope inside of their castle. They somehow looked arrogant than those two, as they believed that Penelope is only just a creature below them, that did not have the same social class as them. The dragons are the highest social class in this world, as most of them were from royalty or nobility. Hence, when they knew that the Chosen One is an unknown creature which below them, they thought that they did not have to show respect to her.

Lord Ferro noticed all that, but he decided to let it be, as he believed that the time will tell it all later. 

"O' Chosen One, please, if you must."

Lord Ferro gestured to Penelope to follow her, with courtesy. Penelope then noticed that she was a bit into her world while she was enjoying the beauty inside of the castle. She ran like a child ran to her mother, and she stopped next to Veldroid, as she noticed that it was only two of them. 

She looked around to look for other people that joined them. As she tried to look around, Veldroid looked troubled, as he hoped that Penelope did not felt pessimistic.

"Wheres the other? I remembered that when we entered, there were some older people followed."

Penelope asked since she thought that maybe they did some magic spells as teleportation. If they do, Penelope really wanted to watch it with her own two eyes.

Veldroid seemed restless when he wanted to answer.

"Um, they already went first. Penelope, there is something I need to tell you first."

Veldroid grabbed Penelope's hand, which made both of them stopped from walking. Veldroid later signalled to Lord Ferro, and he nodded. Lord Ferro then left first, leaving those two behind. 

For the first time, Penelope sensed that Veldroid is going to tell something serious and important. Penelope gulped since he had that severe looks in his eyes.

"W-what is it?"

Penelope's voice sounded shaky as she thought that maybe by the Chosen One means that she needed to be sacrificed. Veldroid felt guilty when he wanted to say it, but he needed to tell her sooner or later, or she might receive some harsh treatment from his people.

"The thing is, in this world, the Juridria Kingdom, the dragons are the highest class in the hierarchy. So, that's why most of us are royal or noble."

As Veldroid explained, they walked casually to the designated room for them to discuss something, with the elders. Penelope nodded to whatever Veldroid's words.

"So, um, since you're neither dragon nor anything from this world, they might see you...as something that is not worth to be respected."

Veldroid stopped to watch for Penelope's reaction, but she seems calmed and collected. Velrdoid absolutely did not expect that kind of response, but he still asked her anyhow.

"You...don't seem surprised or upset, or anything."

Penelope raised her eyebrow as Veldroid asked him that question.

"Why should I feel like that?"

Veldroid amazed with Penelope's behaviour, as she did not seems affected by these kinds of things. Some of the creatures here are really into the social class, as they believe that the higher you are, the more comfortable your life will be.

Penelope smiled, proudly as she wanted to prove something.

"Those things have no effects on me. I prefer to go in my own way, my own path. I don't go with a group or class."

Veldroid impressed with Penelope's words, as she had prepared to say it beforehand. Penelope smirked to Veldroid.

"Besides, I'm the Chosen One, right? So, they have to accept me, or I just left."

Penelope laughed loudly, which made Veldroid startled, but then he too, chuckled as he agreed with her.

"Yeah, you're right."

Both of them seemed satisfied with the talk, so Veldroid brought Penelope to the discussion.

As they walked, Veldroid cannot stop looking at Penelope, as he was charmed to her. When Penelope turned to him, he quickly turned to the front back.

Finally, after a long walk, they stopped in front of the orb, which been placed on a wooden stand. Penelope looked around where she noticed that no one is around.

"So, where is everyone?"

Veldroid smiled smugly, feeling arrogant with the trick that he was about to show.

"Well, prepare your eyes! As you will be amazed, again, with the wonder in our world!"

Penelope rolled her eyes, but deep down, she was really anticipating on what was about to happen later. Veldroid touches the orb and says something uncanny.

Ingbr su ot het omor!

After Veldroid chanted those words, suddenly, Penelope felt as something wrapped around her!

She felt like as she had been lifted by some forces, as she entered a dimension where blue lights shimmered. Penelope trembled.

"Wow!"

Her body suddenly changed into a ray of light as she travelled lightly on the unknown dimension.

Finally, after a few minutes, she landed on something firm, and she touched her body, to make sure that she is a solid again.

"What a trip! Right, Veldroid?"

Penelope looked around to find Veldroid, but instead, she found herself in a room, a meeting room, to be exact, where all the elders and Lord Ferro had already sat. 

Veldroid too already sat on his chair. 

Lord Ferro gestured to Penelope to a seat, asked her to sit too.

"Please, O' Chosen One. Have a seat. We need to discuss your role and the Eren War."

Penelope gulped.

Are you ready to make a grand choice?