The Samodiva And The Dragon

6. Talk

Author’s note:

I’m adding in parentheses music that, in my opinion, compliments, if not even adds up to the reading experience.

(“Revelation - Phil Ray feat. Felicia Farerre)

-Diva-

I wake up with a jolt from the harsh knocking on my door. I felt so broken after the talk with my father that I'm not sure when I fell asleep and for how long.

The door swings wide open and in comes aunt Yaga with a deep frown on her face. It is so strange how her small frame looks so intimidating. She is about five feet two inches tall, but when you are not on her good side, she looks at least six feet tall. She is always dressed very conservatively, even though I’ve caught her over the years looking at some of the guards with mischief. Oh, Gods help me to forget that moment when I heard her flirt with the army chief. That made me straight up nauseous. Anyhow, she is a pretty woman - exotic, with olive skin, dark brown hair and light brown eyes that, depending on the light, look somewhat greenish. She has some special allure in her look, that captivates you right away. She is still breaking men's hearts, even at her age, so I don’t even know what it is. Sometimes she looks very old, and others so much younger, almost the age my mom would have been today if she was still alive. But I guess that’s to be blamed on the fact she is a witch and her looks depend on how much energy she was able to charge on. Even though, if you ask her, she would say that her beauty ointment does miracles. Of course, she would say that, if people knew she was a witch, they would lock her in the dungeon or worse - would kill her. No matter how cold and distant she can be at times, she is still like family to me. Pretty much the only one I have, considering my father’s detachment.

Her harsh voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

"You are late!"

She looks around with a confused look, but then stops in her tracks when she realizes I'm still in bed. She checks me up and down and I’m sure I look like a beggar with my wrinkled and dirty dress, probably puffy face and red eyes. With blankets all rolled in an utter mess around me. Without another word, she goes into the bathroom adjacent to my bedroom.

I can hear water splashing, she has to be filling the bathtub. I have no idea when the servants have brought water. When they do that, they use the separate entrance to the bathroom, but I would usually hear them.

"Stand up, let's wash off that dirt and self-pity."

She pulls off my blankets and starts folding it while waiting for me to stand up.

I groan in exhaustion. I guess my "beauty sleep" wasn't enough, because I am overwhelmed by lack of energy, my bones crack, and muscles hurt. I take my time walking to the bath and breathe deeply in the calming aromas of lavender, lemongrass and ylang-ylang. My favorite combination. Aunt Yaga might be many things, but without her, I wouldn't have made it so far, and I would always be very grateful that she still sticks around and truly cares.

I take off my clothes and carefully slide into the big copper tub. The water is delightfully hot, but not scorching hot. I moan from the sensation of it meeting my skin and the oils and herbs hitting my nose with force. I look at her very embarrassed when I see she is smirking at me. I giggle, and say out loud:

"Thank you! For the bath and being here for me." I feel a little overwhelmed by emotion and try to swallow my tears. She might be many things, but when I needed someone to hold my hand, she was there. Of course, with a scolding face, not approving of all that about being too sensitive and showing weakness, but still she was there.

Her smile drops and with a very serious expression she says:

"Child, I'll always be here for you!" After a short pause she continues:

"I'm sorry I didn't give you heads up about the Zmey prince, but it was a surprise for me too."

She absentmindedly puts her hand in the tub to check if it needs more hot water, sighs and says: "Diva, I know very well it is scary to be sent to an unknown place with unknown people, but this marriage could actually be good for you. From all the kingdoms around, the Zmey kingdom may be the only one that can protect you. You have to make sure to charm the prince.”

I look at her in utter disbelief. Is she telling me to seduce him?!

“Aunt, I don’t understand..”

“Oh child, you get me very well!”

I gulp and say with a voice laced at the same time with disgust and dismay:

“But he is probably double my age and who knows how cruel he could be. I can’t…”

She interrupts me harshly:

“You have all the necessary tools to make him do as you wish. You are a princess and princesses get to be betrothed to someone they most likely wouldn’t have the chance to fall in love with or even get acquainted with. You are a very beautiful and intelligent young woman who knows how to use all her nature-given attributes to her advantage. And together with your nymph charms, he has no chance of getting away.”

I don’t think my eyes could have been any bigger at that moment. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. I want to protest, scream and yell, but not even a single sound gets out.

She sighs.

“You know their people are actually descendants from the ancient dragons, and it is said that the royals still possess a dragon spirit. Of course, I don't know for sure if it is true or not. But he is your best option. Even without the dragon spirit, they are very strong and possessive, so he would do everything in his power to take good care of you once you manage to win his affections. Villa thought that because Bogdan is a king, he would be able to protect her, but he ended up being just another powerless human."

She scoffs with her last words and I am at a loss. I don't even know where to start from. Then her last words registered in my mind.

"What do you know about my mother's death?" I almost shouted.

She looks away from me and says "I know nothing!"

But I don’t buy that anymore. I lift my upper body from the tub and say with a strong and confident voice:

"Aunt Yaga, you know about everything that happens here in the palace, even in the whole kingdom, so don't try to hoax me, I'm not a child anymore and you need to start talking! I'm tired of your half-truths! Talk! Now!"

She looks at me with wide but proud eyes and I can detect that she feels hesitant to talk. We stare at each other for a while. Finally, she pulls a chair and sits next to the bathtub. I lean my back on the edge of the tub and look at her expectantly. She takes another couple of minutes to collect her thoughts. I can see all kinds of emotions swirling in her eyes. There is mainly regret, but fear as well. What is everyone so afraid of?! Why does nobody tell me anything?! If there is something so scary that my father and aunt Yaga are both so spooked off, isn't it better if I am aware of it as well?! Finally, resolve settles in her eyes and she says:

"That is true, I know many things, but it has never been my place to say them out loud. And it still isn't. I would not talk about other people's decisions and the consequences of them."

She takes a deep breath and continues.

"The way your father treated you, well, keeps treating you, is wrong, and I have told him that openly."

I grow more and more frustrated by the second.

"I don't want to know about his motives or whatever you are trying to tell me right now. My question is about my mother!"

I can see that my words irritated her. Through clenched teeth she says:

"I can't tell you what happened to her. I took a vow not to, and I'm not a person to break her word."

I quickly ask: " Who made you take a vow not to tell me?"

Aunt Yaga looks me in the eyes and stands up, she takes my towel and nods to me to get out of the tub. I reluctantly stand up and while she is wrapping me in it, she silently whispers: "Your mother did."

It is barely audible, but I'm sure of what I heard. What does all of this mean?! Why would she ask her not to.. My eyes are ready to burst out of their sockets. Dread settles on the back of my throat. I grab her hand and tug at it, so she turns towards me.

"Did she know she would die?"

Aunt Yaga gets pale and audibly gulps, and says:

"Dress up and meet me in the library. Today we are late, but nevertheless, the lesson is of the utmost importance."