The Mehndi Prince

An unexpected guest

The next day dawned. With my fiancé claiming the to need to rest, there was little to do as my usual scheduled duties had been cleared, in anticipation of courting Neve. Boredom was setting in. Mum? Dad? I need to speak to you. Do you have a moment? I ask over our mind link

Come meet us in our chambers in about an hour, I have an a situation to deal with here. Growls my father, anger and frustration pouring over the link.

Sure, see you both then.

I wonder what has dad p****d off? It doesn’t matter. I’ll find out soon enough. I briefly wonder what Lyra is doing at this moment. I already know what Fennick is doing. He left, following the come hither glance of a buxom brunette hyena Mehndi he met at The Pensive Dragon yesterday.

As I pace back and forth within the royal family quarters. I’m restless, agitated even, but I don’t comprehend why. I run my hand through my jet black hair, my fingers catching in the curls and continue to pace.

Stopping in front of a large window, I stare out into the distance. Maybe a quick flight, will calm my nerves? Without giving the idea a second thought, I open the window and jump through it. Changing into my gold and black dragon. I feel it move across my skin, and erupt out. Engulfing my human form.

Scales overlap one another, glossy and thick almost grating across each other. Massive claws sprout from my fingertips, harder than any stone or metal. My leathery wings emerge from my back, great wing beats lift me into the sky as I feel the wind rush around me. This…this is freedom.

The clear evening sky, in the distance I climb higher and higher in the air, almost as high as the stratosphere. Hovering in place I take in the soundless serenity. Then turning myself back toward the ground I go into free fall. Plummeting, with my wings held close to my body but not completely closed. The velocity increasing as gravity takes over.

Using my flared tail, I guide myself towards the mountains to use the thermal air currents to slow my descent, rather than open my wings suddenly and potentially break them in the inertia.

I land in the mountainside cave designed for dragon arrivals, but used by all Mehndi capable of flight. There are a few other dragon Mehndi, bustling about, preparing to leave, just arriving, the cavernous opening seeming crowded with the bulk of the dragon bodies. I make my way back up to my quarters nodding to Mehndi I recognise as I pass. I am feeling more myself and more grounded despite being so high up in the sky.

Is now a good time? I ask over the mind link. Come on up my father sighs. With a small use of power I portal to my parent’s private quarters.

They are both sitting on their love seat, well mum is at least. Dad has his head on her lap as his legs dangled over the other arm of the chair, while mum absentmindedly runs her fingers through his hair. An ultra low bass purr of pleasure rumbles from my dad’s chest.

“What’s going on?”

“My cousin Helio has requested an audience with me. I haven’t seen him for decades. He went in search of worlds like ours. To be our ambassador and this is the first time I have heard from him since he left.”

“Dad, I’ve never heard you talk of a cousin.”

My father sighed before continuing. “My father sent him away about a decade after I married your mother. He was… maybe ten or fifteen years older than me at the time. And according to your grandfather he was a barnacle on the rump of bear.” I look to my mother in confusion and she mouths a pain in the arse. I can’t help but grin back at her.

“So essentially he was banished without actually being banished. What did he do?”

“What he didn’t do, would be a shorter list.” Dad releases a massive chuffing sigh and closes his eyes. There is grief and regret flirting over both my parents features. My mother still running her fingers through his hair and caressing his face. “Mostly he just started trouble and I think father just wanted him gone. He was tired of him and his antics. Until one of his pranks went awry and led to the death of two of our offspring.” Dad’s voice hitches, and he takes a shuddering breath in. I am floored by this revelation. When dad said that previous offspring had not survived, I assumed that they had passed as infants, due to sickness or weakness, not as children who were not much younger than my sister.

“Well with a century or two, hopefully he has matured” mum reminds dad.

“It’s possible, but not likely,” retorts dad dryly. I look at both of my parents and suggest. “Well, we can give him the benefit of the doubt. Until proven otherwise, of course.”

“I agree,” says my mother. Dad groans defeated and throws his arm over his face. “You know this is going to blow up in our faces, don’t you both?” I shrug.

“It may,” conceded my mother.

“Fine, but I get I told you so rights.” Dad states pointedly. “Also, I want you to keep an eye on him,”

I frown at dad and cross my arms over my chest. “So, I am supposed to keep my eye on this rogue cousin and woo a princess simultaneously?”

“Don’t you take that tone with me boy,” growls my father.

“Ari! Behave!” Chastised mother. Her eyes lock with mine. “I’m pregnant and you just challenged his word.” I gasp softly at this news.

“How many know this?”

“Just you and of course our closest servants, can’t hide much from them. I’ll tell your sister tomorrow” mother then mind linked to me.

I’ll need you to run interference for your father. His temper will not be as reliable as it usually is. He’ll be prone to fits of rage and protectiveness. She sighed Just make sure he doesn’t do anything he’ll regret later.