Chapter 15: Fire And Suspicion
1541 Words
The dragon rose into the air so suddenly that my breath caught in my throat. Its massive wings spread wide as it flew upward into the dark sky. The force of the wind hit us even from the balcony, making Maria stumble back . I grabbed the railing tightly while my heart pounded against my chest.
“Pandora…” Maria whispered nervously.
I couldn’t answer. My eyes stayed fixed on the dragon as it circled above the palace slowly. Its roar echoed across the grounds, loud enough to wake half the kingdom.
Then suddenly, palace bells started ringing. Not soft bells but warning bells. The peaceful night instantly turned chaotic. Guards rushed across the courtyard below while servants hurried through the halls in panic. Torches lit up one after another around the palace walls.
“What’s happening?” Maria asked fearfully.
I swallowed hard. “I think… this is because of me.”
Before Maria could respond, footsteps rushed toward us. Valdanus appeared first, followed closely by several guards. The moment his eyes landed on me, relief flashed across his face for only a second before his serious expression returned. “Are you alright?” he asked immediately.
I nodded quickly. “I’m fine.”
His gaze moved toward the sky briefly before returning to me. “You need to get inside.”
Maria quickly grabbed my arm. “We were just about to.”
Another roar echoed above us. The guards nearby looked nervous. Valdanus stepped closer to the balcony, watching the dragon carefully. “It’s circling the palace.”
“Why?” I asked quietly.
He didn’t answer immediately. And oh man, that scared me… The next morning, the entire palace felt tense. Much worse than before. Whispers followed me everywhere now, louder and less careful. People didn’t even try to hide their fear anymore.
“That girl is cursed…”
“She controls dragons…”
“She brought bad luck here…”
Maria stayed close beside me as we walked through the halls.
“I want to throw a shoe at all of them,” she muttered angrily.
I almost smiled, but the tight feeling in my chest remained. Deep down, I could feel it too. Something was changing. And not in a good way. A guard suddenly approached us and bowed. “The king requests your presence.”
My stomach dropped immediately. Maria grabbed my hand. “Again?”
I sighed softly. “Looks like it.”
The walk toward the throne room felt longer this time. Every step felt heavier. By the time the doors opened, I already knew this wouldn’t be another simple questioning. The room was full. More nobles than before stood gathered around the throne room, speaking in low angry voices. The moment I entered, silence spread instantly. Every eye turned toward me. Cold and suspicious, almost hateful.
I forced myself to keep walking. Maria stayed close behind me, though I could feel her nervousness too.
King Edric sat on the throne, his name I got to know while I over heard some nobles talking a while ago. His expression unreadable. Valdanus stood beside him while Estevan leaned nearby, arms crossed tightly. Something about the atmosphere felt wrong.
One of the nobles stepped forward immediately. “Your Majesty, this has gone too far.”
The king remained silent. The noble pointed directly at me. “Ever since this girl arrived, the dragons have become unstable.”
Murmurs of agreement spread across the room. Another noble stepped forward. “The creature circled the palace all night. The people are frightened.”
“She is dangerous,” someone else added.
I clenched my hands slightly. Valdanus finally spoke. “There is still no proof she caused anything.”
The first noble scoffed. “Proof? A dragon nearly destroys the lower grounds, follows her around the palace, and now circles above us like some trained beast.”
My chest sank. “That doesn’t mean I control them,” I said firmly.
The room turned quiet again. The noble looked at me sharply. “Then explain it.”
“I can’t,” I answered honestly.
“Convenient.”
Anger rose inside me instantly. “I’m not lying,” I snapped.
“Enough,” the noble barked. “For all we know, she could be using witchcraft.”
That word hit the room heavily. Witchcraft, seriously? Maria gasped softly behind me. Even I froze for a second.
Then whispers exploded across the court.
“She bewitched the dragons…”
“That must be it…”
“She’s hiding something…”
“No,” I said immediately.
But nobody listened. The accusations kept coming.
“Perhaps she was sent here intentionally.”
“A spy from another kingdom.”
“She could weaken Scorish from within.”
My chest burned with anger now. I looked directly at the nobles. “Do you honestly hear yourselves?”
That shocked some of them into silence. One noble glared at me. “Mind your tone.”
“No,” I shot back immediately. “I’m tired of being spoken about like I’m some monster.”
The room went quiet again. My breathing felt uneven now, but I didn’t stop. “I didn’t ask dragons to react to me,” I continued. “I didn’t ask to come here either.”
“You expect us to believe that?” another noble sneered.
“Yes,” I said firmly. “Because it’s the truth. I accidentally winded up here, and we coincidentally met the prince. I didn't even know about dragons up until few days ago, and you all stand here and call me a witch!” I screamed.
The tension in the room thickened instantly. Maria looked nervous behind me while Estevan watched quietly from the side. Suddenly…Valdanus stepped forward. “She has done nothing against this kingdom.”
His calm voice cut through the room easily. The nobles turned toward him immediately. “She entered restricted grounds,” one argued.
“And yet she harmed no one,” Valdanus replied.
“The dragons react to her!”
“Yes,” he said calmly. “And we still don’t know why.”
The room grew quieter. King Edric finally spoke. “Enough.”
Instant silence followed. The king’s gaze moved slowly across the room before settling on me again.
“You deny all accusations?” he asked.
I lifted my chin. “Yes.”
“You deny being sent here intentionally?”
“Yes.”
“You deny using unnatural means against this kingdom?”
“I do.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Then why do dragons respond to you?”
I swallowed. “That, I don't know.”
That answer clearly frustrated many people. But it was the only truth I had. The king studied me carefully for several long seconds.
Immediately another noble stepped forward angrily. “Your Majesty, keeping her here risks everything. If other kingdoms hear about this…”
“They already have.” The voice came suddenly from the doorway.
Everyone turned instantly. A messenger stood there breathlessly. My stomach tightened. The messenger bowed quickly before speaking again. “Word has already begun spreading beyond the capital.”
The room erupted into whispers again. The noble looked furious. “You see? This is becoming political now.”
King Edric’s expression darkened slightly. “Enough,” he repeated firmly.
Silence returned immediately. The king stood slowly from his throne.
“Until we understand what is happening,” he said calmly, “Pandora remains under protection.”
The nobles immediately protested. “Your Majesty…”
“That is my decision,” he interrupted sharply.
Silence followed instantly. My chest loosened slightly in relief. But the tension in the room remained heavy. The king looked toward Valdanus. “Continue investigating this matter.”
Valdanus nodded once. “I will.”
Then the king looked at me directly.
“And you,” he said calmly, “will avoid the dragons from now on.”
I hesitated before nodding. “Understood.”
The audience ended shortly after that. As the nobles slowly left the throne room, many still glared at me openly. Some whispered under their breath while others refused to even look at me.
Why so much hate? I pondered.
Maria immediately rushed beside me once the room cleared slightly. “That could have gone worse,” she whispered.
“Comforting,” I muttered tiredly.
Estevan walked over next. “You handled yourself well.”
“Did I?” I sighed.
“You didn’t run,” he pointed out.
Before I could answer, Valdanus approached us.
His expression looked thoughtful now, distant in a different way.
“What is it?” I asked quietly.
For some seconds, he didn’t answer. Then finally… “There may be something about your past you don’t know.”
I clenched my dress tightly. “What does that mean?”
Before he could answer. A loud roar suddenly shook the palace again. But this time… It sounded much closer. Much closer than before. Then one of the guards shouted from outside the throne room. “Your Highness!”
Valdanus turned sharply.
“The dragon is here!” the guard yelled. “At the palace entrance!”
- Writer
