Chapter 10: The Test Of Presence
1599 Words
My fingers were just about to touch the dragon.
“Stop!”
The voice cut through the air so sharply that I froze instantly. My hand hung in the air, trembling. The dragon didn’t move, but I slowly pulled my hand back.
Footsteps rushed toward us. I turned and saw guards running in from different directions. Their faces were tense, their hands already on their weapons. Behind them, Valdanus was moving quickly, his eyes fixed on me.
“Step away from it,” one of the guards ordered.
I didn’t argue. I took a step back, my heart racing. The dragon lifted its head slightly, letting out a low sound, but it didn’t attack. Valdanus reached me within seconds. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “No… it didn’t do anything.”
He glanced at the dragon, then back at me. His expression was hard to read. “You shouldn’t have been this close.”
“I didn’t plan it,” I said quietly. “It came to me.”
That made him pause. Behind him, more guards gathered, forming a barrier between me and the dragon. Still, it didn’t leave. It just stood there, watching me.
One of the guards spoke again. “Your Highness, this needs to be reported.”
Valdanus nodded slowly. “It will be.”
I nervously clenched my dress. “Reported to who?”
He looked at me this time. “To the king. My father.”
My stomach dropped. Before I could say anything else, the guards moved closer around me. Not roughly, but firmly enough to make it clear I wasn’t free to walk away. Maria appeared from the distance, panic all over her face. “Pan!”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, trying to calm her.
“What happened?” she asked, looking between me and the dragon.
“I’ll explain later,” I said.
Valdanus turned. “Bring her.” He ordered, I'm sorry Pandora, this is beyond me.” He said to me.
What had I done?
We walked through the palace halls again, but this time it felt different. Heavier. Slower. The whispers returned, louder than before.
“She went near a dragon…”
“Is she mad?”
“She’s dangerous…”
I kept my head straight, even though my heart wouldn’t calm down. We stopped in front of large doors. The throne room, my heart started beating fast, at this rate, I thought it would explode. The doors opened slowly. And just like before…there was absolute silence. Everyone inside turned to look at me. This time, it felt worse.
I walked forward, my steps steady even though everything inside me felt unsteady. Maria stayed close behind me, her hand brushing mine lightly. At the far end of the room, seated on the throne, was the king. King of Scorish. He didn’t look like my father. He looked… colder, way stronger than my father. His eyes were sharp, watching me without blinking. He didn’t speak immediately. He just studied me, like he was trying to see through me.
Valdanus stepped forward. “Father.” The king raised a hand slightly, stopping him. His gaze stayed on me. “You are the outsider,” he said.
Of course he knew my language, he is a king after all. His voice was calm, but it carried across the entire room.
I swallowed. “Yes.”
“You entered my kingdom without permission,” he continued.
I didn’t look away. “I didn’t have a choice.”
A few murmurs spread through the court. His eyes narrowed slightly. “You stand before me and speak as if you have rights here.”
I felt something rise in my chest.
“I’m not asking for rights,” I said. “I’m asking to live.”
The room went quiet again. Maria shifted slightly behind me, but I didn’t move. The king leaned forward slightly. “And yet, you walk freely into restricted grounds. You approach a dragon as if you understand it.”
“I didn’t understand it,” I said honestly. “It came to me.”
That caused more whispers.The king’s gaze sharpened. “Dragons do not ‘come’ to strangers.”
“I’m telling the truth,” I replied.
He stared at me for a long moment. “Truth,” he repeated slowly. “Or foolishness.”
I clenched my hands tightly. “If it was foolish, I would be dead.”
A few people in the court reacted to that. The king didn’t. Instead, he leaned back into his throne, still watching me carefully. “Do you know where you are?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “In your kingdom.”
“And do you understand what that means?” he continued.
I took a breath. “It means I follow your rules.”
“Then why do you break them so easily?” he asked.
I didn’t answer immediately. Because I didn’t have one. “I didn’t mean to,” I said finally. “I didn’t even know I was breaking anything.”
That didn’t seem to satisfy him. Silence filled the room again. Then someone stepped forward from the side.
“She is a risk.”
I turned slightly. It was one of the nobles.
“She has already disturbed a dragon,” he continued. “That alone is enough reason to remove her.”
“I agree,” another voice said. “We know nothing about her. She could be a spy.”
I felt a little anger rise in me.“I’m not a spy,” I said.
But they kept talking.
“She should be sent away.”
“Or locked away.”
“She brings trouble.”
The voices started rising. I stood there, listening to them talk about me like I wasn’t even there. Something inside me snapped. “I didn’t ask to be here!” I said, louder than I meant to.
The room went quiet again.
“I didn’t come here to cause problems,” I continued. “I ran for my life. That’s all.”
No one spoke.
“I’ve lost my home,” I added, my voice quieter now. “I’m not here to take anything from you.” I looked at the king directly. “I just want a chance to live.”
Silence followed, a heavy silence that seemed to be pressing down on me. The king watched me carefully, his expression unreadable. Slowly afterwards….he stood up. The entire room straightened.
“You speak boldly,” he said. I didn’t respond. “You show no fear,” he continued.
“That doesn’t mean I’m not afraid,” I said quietly.
That made him pause. For a brief moment, something changed in his expression. Suddenly it was gone.
He looked around the room. “You all speak of risk,” he said. “Of danger.” No one interrupted. He turned back to me. “And yet… she stands here alive after approaching a dragon.” The room stayed silent. “That alone is not something we ignore,” he added.
My heart started beating faster.The nobles didn’t look pleased. “But it is also not something we trust,” he continued.
My chest tightened again.
“So this is my decision,” he said. Everyone listened carefully. “She will stay.” A few gasps filled the room. “But only for now,” he added. “Under watch.” Relief and tension hit me at the same time. “If she proves to be a threat,” he continued, his voice firm, “she will be removed.”
No one argued. The decision was final. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“Valdanus,” the king said.
“Yes, Father,” he replied.
“She is your responsibility,” the king said.
Valdanus nodded. “Understood.”
The king looked at me one last time.
“Do not make me regret this.”
“I won’t,” I said.
He didn’t respond.
He simply turned and sat back down.
The audience was over. The guards stepped back. The tension slowly faded. Maria rushed to my side immediately. “Pandora…”
“I’m okay,” I said softly. But my hands were still shaking. Valdanus stepped closer. “Come.” We turned to leave the throne room.
The whispers followed again, but this time they felt different. Not just suspicion. Something else, more like they were curious. As we stepped out into the hallway, I let out a slow breath. “I thought he was going to send me away,” I admitted.
Valdanus walked beside me. “He still might.”
That didn’t help.
“But for now,” he added, “you’re here.”
I nodded slightly. For now. That was all I had. As we continued walking, something pulled at my attention again.That feeling, i slowed down.
“What is it?” Maria asked.
I didn’t answer. I turned my head slightly, looking toward the open side of the palace. There….in the distance…i saw it. The Dragon still standing still, and still watching me even from here. It hadn't left, never looked away. My mind drifted back to the king's verdict and the thought hit me that I just wasn't allowed to stay because of his interest anymore but felt like I had been allowed to stay for a reason. What had I gotten myself into? Now I felt like a prisoner for someone one wanted freedom.
- Writer
