The Dragon Queen

Chapter 2: The Ball

As the ball was starting to become in full swing, kingdoms from all across the country had indeed came to witness Princess Nina come of age. Her father kept a watchful eye on everything confirming with guards this were going well. He got word they were still waiting on his daughter to leave her chambers. He walked out greeting guests while making small talk, he was nervous to say the least this was the first time in eighteen years that he had a gathering. The last time there was a gathering of this size he was mourning the last of his mate, his queen and soulmate.

"King Richard" Nina father turned to see one of his closest friends, pulling him in for a hug as he pulled away he saw a young man with him.

"This must be Prince Victor, man has he grown" Richard let out a little laugh looking at his friend.

"Yes he has, could you even picture your Nina and my Victor being mates" Richard laughed, he loved Patrick's son to death but his reckless behavior in the last year as made him lose respect for him as a youngster. Trying to challenge other princes, disappeared for two weeks with one of his kingdom's maids, she looked-- Goddess knows what that lad did to her.

"Who knows Patrick it's in the Sun Goddess hands we all know this." Patrick nodded as he pulled out a gift from his jacket.

"I got Nina a gift, was hard to hunt down but with my good connections I got it." Richard took it from his hands and looked at it before placing it on the gift table for his daughter. One of the guards had came up to Richard's ear whispering, as the guard finished Richard nodded and made his way to the stage.

"Everyone!" King Richard's voice boomed over the gathering hall making all prior conversations a thing of the past.

"I want to thank everyone for coming this evening. As you all know I haven't had a large gathering like this since Megan passed.." Richard took a moment to collect himself, even after years he felt as she passed yesterday. "Even though Megan's passing, effected myself and my kingdom she gave me the greatest gift anyone could have wanted, she gave me my beautiful daughter, Nina." He nodded his head as the doors opened, he saw Nina walk into the gathering hall in a sliver layered dress with a see through mashing, the front was lower cut to the middle of her sternum showing off the inner parts of large breasts, as a sliver mashed cape draped over her shoulder held by her family's cest, two dragons breathing fire to the sky as the cape fell to the floor leaving a two foot train as she walked. Wearing matching shoes that snaked up her leg as they were visible with a slit that went to her thigh, her jet black hair braided tightly as two gold clips laid in her hair. Her face was light with makeup, light pink shade that made her green eyes pop like a rare gem. Everyone was in awe of her outfit as she walked closer to her father scanning the room her eyes landed on Patrick's son, he eyes were on the edge of popping out of his skill, his mouth hung open, she nodded smiling at Patrick.

"Glad to see you came Lord, how are you this evening?" Nina glanced at Victor from the corner of her eye, she giggled seeing him blush, he quickly snapping out of his gaze after his father nudged him with his elbow.

"I am wonderful Princess, let's hope tonight will be wonderful as well." Nina nodded agreeing with his words as her eyes landed on her father's deep sea blue eyes. She never knew where she got her eyes from, her mother's eyes were brown and her fathers deep blue. She knew where she got her hair as her mother's hair was black as the crows, flying over the Kingdoms grounds. She smiled at her father as he approached, kissing her head smiling.

"You look grown my daughter, soon it will be your age hopefully one of his men is your mate as we can only expect much." Nina nodded as she turned to grab something to drink from a drinking table across the hall.

"You look stunning my lady." She looked towards the voice, it was Lord Jake.

"Thank you my lord, it seems all these years of being protected it's rather uncomfortable for all the eyes on me." He arched a brow looking at her.

"What do you mean my lady?" Nina looked down at the table grabbing a sweet.

"I mean after my mother past I was sheltered, guarded as my life was going to be taken as a moments notice. My father did everything for me right in the Kingdom, schooling, training, learning my royal duties.. It was a lot growing up in all honesty." Lord Jake took a sip of his wine looking back at King Richard, then back at Nina.

"It seems your father is only trying to protect his rare gem my lady." Jake smiles with a quick nods as he left towards a group of Lords from other kingdoms.

"Everyone?" A small sound filled the air, as someone was lightly tapping their wine glass with a spoon, conversations once died again as they looked at the one making such noise.

"In great honor of Princess Nina's coming of age, as the Kingdom of Millbrook, we have an offering to the Princess." Lord Daniel and his mate Lady Sophia nodded to a servant they brought with them, their servant carried in a small wooden box and placed it on the gift table. Nina walked to it as her father peaked over her shoulder, Nina ran her finger over the engraving in the box.

"For the one with eyes that represent a gem here is your fire that contains it all." Nina spoke looking at the Lord and Lady.

"When did you learn Latin?" Richard asked his daughter

"Learned it two years ago.." As Nina answered her father's question she opened the small wooden box, inside of the box, an egg.

"A dragon's egg!" Nina gasped looking at the Lord and his Lady. Others in the hall started whispering looking at Nina and the egg. Nina looked down after they nodded to her his Lady's arm wrapped around her Lord's. Nina touched the egg, as she did a light appeared as it cracked in half revealing a baby dragon with her same green eyes looking at her. Nina gently placed her hand down to see what the baby would do, Nina did research on dragons as she was linked with them in some way but never knew how exactly, yet in her research she followed a hint of how. The tale goes, more than hundred years ago one of her great ancestors once called for a guide, one that swore to protect and lead the way to a great power. In that moment a powerful wave of heat tore through their body giving them the breath of fire, strength of thousands and eyes to lead their way. If a dragon was to be found again, if the dragon chose them they were of that royal bloodline. As Nine put her hand closer to the baby dragon, its eyes turned to amber then changed back to its normal green. It looked at Nina her eyes and smelt her, the whole hall had grown quiet waiting to see what would happen, and just as Nina was giving up hope the dragon stepped on her hand burning her with its mark. Guests gasped looking at each other in shock and bewilderment. Richard, Nina father taken aback by this, never did he know of his mates royal bloodline he stared as the dragon walked up his daughter's arm and around her neck where it stayed wrapping its scaled tail around her neck as it was a necklace only meant for her. Nina felt a wave of power, as if something woke inside of her.