Chapter Five.
1581 Words
Chapter Five.
The sunlight danced through the tiny window as Lucias moved to the tiny stove and placed his pot of water on it to make two cups of hot water, the preferred drink of any dragon. He let out a long breath as he waited for Augustin to arrive. The peaceful green dragon had been the only person, other than King Zamir, he had remained in contact with since his forced seclusion. He sometimes felt a tingle of magic surrounding him, and for some reason he could not quite explain, he knew it was his half-sister, checking on him. At first, he was concerned Anais would tell her ‘friend’ where she was; however, the werewolf princess had never appeared on his doorstep, so it was clear she hadn’t. Whether that was because his half-sister did not know where he resided or that she was keeping his secret, he did not know.
A short knock at the door echoed around the tiny apartment. Lucias moved to the door, looking out of the peephole to be assured it was indeed Augustin. Seeing the green dragon in his human form standing outside, Lucias unlocked the door, opening it and ushering him inside before anyone spotted him.
“I say Anais, Uki and Castella on the flight over,” Augustin informed Lucias no sooner than he stepped over the threshold of his home.
“f**k,” Lucias sighed, running his hand through his golden blonde hair.
“It is okay, they were mid-flight themselves. My dragon greeted Anais’s, and that was that,” Augustin reassured him.
“Hang on, Uki and Castella were flying on her back?” Lucias growled as the green dragon nodded his head.
“Please tell me she, I mean they, had restraints or a parachute,” Lucias said, his elliptical eyes almost turning round with horror.
“Not that I could see. Apparently, it is a common occurrence,” Augustin informed him, unsure what the problem was. His mate flew on his back all the time, and she absolutely loved it.
“That stupid girl. She has no sense of self-preservation. Get out of the Ice palace, head north and keep yourself safe. My message to her was clear, but did she take notice of it? NO, she did not, she was on the battlements and made herself a f*****g target!” Lucia’s voice elevated in anger, smoke beginning to bellow down his human nostrils, as heat ignited in his stomach.
Augustin took a seat, allowing Lucias the grace to be angry at the werewolf girls. Although he guessed the uncrowned king would not be quite so angry if it were just Castella on the back of Anias.
Lucias paced the tiny room, trying to negate his rage that once again the werewolf princess had put herself in danger.
“Whilst you are pacing, I have other news which may upset you,” Augustin said, thinking it best to just hit Lucias with all the things which were sure to anger him at once, then they could move on to why he had been called here.
“If it is about dragons fighting each other, within the neutral zone, I already know,” Lucias growled.
“Well, that was one of the things. The other is what my beautiful mate informed me, after she had visited the queen. Eliza is quite concerned about Uki’s safety. Apparently, she is quite determined to travel alone, to find you,” Augustin informed him.
“Of course she is,” Lucias growled out, shaking his head in disgust.
“Stubborn f*****g werewolf”, Lucias sighed. He then snapped his head up and looked directly at his friend.
“Hang on, did you say ALONE!” Lucias bellowed.
“Yes. She wishes to protect her friends, especially Princess Anais, given she is a very valuable asset to anyone who has control over her,” Augustin stated.
“For f***s sake!” Lucias sighed, shaking his head, his arm suddenly hurting again despite taking his elixir not three hours ago. It was a psychosomatic reaction to hearing about Uki and her crazy plans without thought for her own safety.
“When, when is she going to be so stupid?” Lucias growled once more.
“That, we do not know,” Augustin sighed.
“And she calls me an Appendage head!” Lucias chuntered under his breath, frustrated at how fast and loose Uki took her personal safety.
The pan of water began to bubble over on the stove, taking Lucias’s attention from the information Augustin had just shared, as he moved into the area he used as a kitchen and switched off the potable gas to the two-ring hob. He picked up the pan, the heat not bothering the dragon at all, and poured the boiling water into two cups, before handing one to the green dragon, and then sitting on the edge of his bed, the only other place to sit in his tiny home.
“So, why did you call me here. Not that I mind coming to visit,” Augustin asked, sipping the boiling water and letting out a contented sigh as the scalding liquid hit his tongue. He loved his mate, but she never allowed the water to boil long enough, scared she would hurt him. He would drink it still bubbling directly from the pan, as would most dragons.
Lucias let out a long and lamented sigh.
“King Zamir believes I should return to the sand lands and take my throne,” Lucias said.
“What do you think?” Augustin asked; he had his own thoughts on the matter, but he knew that Lucias would not like what he had to say.
“I don’t know,” Lucias admitted.
“There is talk of the war council voting to awaken King Mattias from his hibernation, to regain control. You know the risks that are involved. But the dragons are getting out of hand. Massively,” Augustin stated.
“f**k,” Lucias had never met his uncle, but he knew he was a good man, preferring peace to war, unlike Marcus. Plus, Augustin was a member of the House of Mattias, hence his green scales. So had some distant relative connected to Mattias himself.
“You know that many think me a traitor,” Lucias stated.
“Yes. But I also know many more feel you were valid in your actions. Then there are those who find it completely natural for a dragon heir to take out the king to ascend the throne. You would not be the first, nor the last. After all, it was Marcus who killed your grandfather,” Augustin reminded him.
“But I did it to protect a werewolf girl,” Lucias said, unable to deny the truth of the matter.
“An innocent girl, who was targeted for one reason only. To hurt King Fitzwilliam,” Augustin reminded Lucias.
“They will want me to complete some of the traditions. I also have a damaged wing. I am an injured dragon, which is viewed as a weakness,” Lucias stated.
“Maybe. But anyone who sees what you endure, and how you cope with your injury, will be unable to deny your strength, which is not a weakness at all,” Augustin responded.
“But you know my main reason for refusing,” Lucias softly said.
Augustin nodded his head.
“I do. Only you can make that decision. It may not be the reaction you think it will,” Augustin gently stated.
“Or they might kill her, and as much as I want to wring her neck at times, I don’t want her killed because of me,” Lucias stated.
“I think she is more than able to take care of herself. However, you don’t know for sure yet, so maybe take ‘her’ out of the equation, and do what is right for the dragons. Our kind needs you on that throne,” Augustin gently said.
Lucias let out a long sigh; his friend had given him much to consider.
The two dragons chatted for a while longer, Augustin telling Lucias all about his younglings and how amazing they were. He also spoke about his werewolf mate and how amazing she was. How life in a pack was so amazing, and how much he loved his life living in the kingdom of wolves, even though it was permanent snow. But the green dragon assured Lucias that his mate was more than able to keep him warm.
Lucias was glad Augustin had found such happiness; however, it was time for the green dragon to leave and return to his pack, mate and multitude of younglings.
“Where are you going to tell Lindsay you have been?” Lucias asked as they headed towards the door.
“She will not ask, as I said I had dragon business to attend to. She is very good like that,” Augustin sighed, thankful he did not need to lie to his mate.
Lucias nodded his head.
“Thank you, my friend,” the golden dragon said, as Augustin smiled at him.
“You can do this, Lucias,” the green dragon encouraged him, hoping that his words would help the true golden king to take up his throne and gain control of the fractious dragons. He opened the door and stepped outside, leaving the golden dragon to his own decisions.
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