Dragons Breath

Chapter three

After hours of flying, I finally see the capital city just up ahead, its made of many small buildings and houses surrounding a large castle. The castle is bold on the blue beyond. Every stone is even and square as if those who built it were set on perfection. The walls were made to protect a community, to echo with laughter and be the shelter they needed for the millennia to come.

I wrinkle my nose, while the sight is beautiful in a strange sense the city reeks of humans. Unfortunately for me my husband to be is one of those humans.

Doing just as my father told me I fly straight to the castle at full speed. Looking down at the city below I see people jumping and screaming in fright. This must be their first time laying eyes on a dragon. The smell of their fear fills me with delight, I want more of it, but unfortunately, I'm here to protect these insects. That doesn't mean I can't give them a bit of a scare. You know, just a little welcoming gift from me to them.

With that thought, I lift my head up in the air, dark violet fog-like gas spewing from my mouth along with a powerful roar. The people below screech running around. They must think I'm here to kill them, do they know nothing. While I may be intentionally trying to scare them who invites a dragon without first warning their people.

Flying to the top of the castle I spot a group of men, they must be the ones here to greet me. I swiftly land in front of them the ground rumbling under the heavyweight of my body. Looking over the group of men I see some staring in awe while the rest are either seem scared or disgusted by me.

A short bald man approaches me apprehensively, his mouth is hanging open in a silent scream, his eyes ready to pop out the sockets.

As he gets closer beads of sweat drip down his body, "You must be princess Eleonora from the Perilous Horde."

His words come out shaky and uneven. I laugh to myself loving the sight of this scared little human. I bring my face down to his and lightly blow my hot breath across his body letting out a grumble. Not a moment later the man staggers back the front of his pants becoming wet. If I weren't in dragon form I'd be laughing my ass off, poor human.

I shift back into my human from facing the men of the capital completely bare. Many of the men turn red and look away while others stare on lustfully. I roll my eyes, they're acting as if they've never seen a human body before.

"I'm am princess Eleonora of the Perilous Horde," I say confidently to the bald man who just pissed himself. He looks flustered at my sudden change in form. But quickly tries to recompose himself.

Clearing his throat he says, "Princess if you would please put some clothes on, it's improper for a lady of your standing to be nude in front of so many eyes."

I laugh at him, these humans are very strange back at the mountain it was not looked down upon to be nude but rather it was embraced. It is physically impossible for us to switch between forms and keep our clothing, seeing one naked was not abnormal.

But I must be respectful of the humans and their customs, "I'm sorry I shall change immediately, you see where I come from being like this is not uncommon." I state in a bored tone.

Pulling black leather pants and a bra from my bag I quickly change.

The bald man looks up at me with forced kindness, "Now that you are ready princess I'll give you a tour of the palace, you may call me Nickolas," he says offering me a hand. I try as politely as I possibly can to shake his hand, but I kind of not really on accident squeeze his hand roughly showing my dominance.

Nickolas pulls away from me as fast as lightning wincing. I smirk with satisfaction.

We make our way off the roof and inside. Looking around I find that the castle is much different from the interior of the mountain, there isn't as much open space in here, it's very cramped. Not to mention that they have valuables just laying around. Are they looking to get robbed?

The floors are made from a deep marble with silky red rugs covering them. Above me hang golden chandeliers glittering with diamonds. Humans seem to love extravagant things. While we dragons love gold and treasure we don't leave it out in the open where just anyone could run off with it. The possibility of their riches being stolen is high, their stupidity truly baffles me.

I follow Nickolas and the rest of the men around the castle as they show me various things and places, which I could honestly care less about. But I foreign interest, giving a nod here and there.

Finally, when the tour is over I'm shown to my room.

"This is where you'll be staying. You have an hour to settle in. After that, some maids will be sent to help get you ready for dinner with the king and you're intended." One of the men informs me. By intended they must mean the prince I'm supposed to marry.

Great I just got here and I already have to meet my 'new' family. The day I willingly love or marry a human will be a cold day in hell, that's for sure. I thank the men that showed me around then practically slam the door in there faces. I'm glad that's finally over. I wish I could just hide out in this room and not have to leave.

I take some time to examine my new quarters, it's much smaller than my last one. The walls are a wine red, the floors are a dark marble with golden rugs laid out. The bed is sitting in the back against the wall, covered in a silky white comforter, with more pillows than I can count. This room is indeed beautifully decorated, but it's just a bit much for me I would have preferred something simpler.

Time passes quickly, and I now find myself being forced into a chair with maids trying to do my hair and makeup. Grabbing and pulling me every which direction.

"Princess you're so beautiful I've never seen someone with such perfect hair or skin, dragons truly are as the rumors say." A maid with dirty blond hair says to me.

Rumors, there have always been many false rumors about us but the one that I can say is true is our beauty. Dragons have always been known by humans for our otherworldly beauty. Because we are born beast our human forms are mere imitations, that's why we look so perfect. We are simply wolves in sheep's clothes.

"Don't let my beauty fool you girl, I'm still a monster on the inside," I say this with a straight face looking into her innocent brown eyes. The maid simply holds a hand to her face in an attempt to hide her giggles.

"What is so funny?" I question fiercely.

Calming her laughter she looks at me and replies, "You may fool others with that tough girl act of yours but I see right through you, your secretly just a shy girl."

This little mouse was referring to me as shy now that was laughable, sure I wasn't the most sociable person even with my own kind but that's only because I'm a rogue by nature. I'm introverted, not shy.

Dragons can have different personality traits depending on the color of there scales. Red and orange typically have nasty tempers but they are fairly good at leading, green and yellow are more happy go lucky and level headed, blues are considered the wisest and most rational, purples are extremely violent and have by far the worst social skills even most dragons choose to stay away from them, while black and white dragons are mostly likely to be rogue due to there introverted nature and unsociable personalities. And then there are gold and silver dragons, some people believe that those dragons only live in legends, I've never seen one myself but that doesn't mean they're not real.

Looking at the little maid I smile and say, "I'm not shy I'm rogue."

Confusion swirls in her brown orbs.

"what's rogue?"

"Rogues are dragons that don't belong to a horde, or rarely find themselves involved with horde activity."

"You're apart of a horde though." She states matter of factly.

"You're right I am apart of a horde but that's only because of my loyalty."

My conversation with a maid is short-lived as someone abruptly walks into the room, "hurry and get the princess ready I don't want to keep the king and his family waiting any longer."

With those words, the maids get me ready in a rush.

When they are finished with me I swear I look like a bedazzled pineapple. I'm wearing a hideous saffron-colored floor-length dress. My hair is piled on top of my head, but not neatly there bits and pieces hanging all over the place. Many pins are digging uncomfortably into my scalp. My lips have been coated in a light brown lipstick, not to mention my already pale face has been smeared with chalky white powder.

Maybe with this look, the prince will be so revolted that he begs his father not to have to marry me, now that would be a dream come true.

But there's only one way to find out. I leave the room and head to the dining hall.

Time to meet my prince.