Blue

a week

A week

And then she would be in close proximity to Atlas for an extended period of time. She had to calm herself down from that realization.

He had pulled aside herself, Ander, Mykel, and told them this after training one day. She had yet to meet their other companions. It was two more people who would either find out who she was and scorn her or they would never know. There were other options too, but she wasn't an optimist on any good options

She had woken two nights in a row now to him with his hands at her throat. Her nightmares had manifested themselves from her husband's face to his face now and the rational part of her brain knew he would never hurt her, but the other part wasn't so sure.

It would be five days until the ball. Ander had been pressuring her to attend as herself, a woman, and shaehad caved eventually. He had taken her measurements and passed them along to a seamstress himself. They would pose as childhood friends for the ball. It was too easy though. People knew Ander, so there would be questions. Maybe they could come up with another explanation? She shook her head of that thought.

It wouldn't work either way.

She realized that the suppression herbs also suppressed her sense of desire for Atlas, but it still hung cloyingly sweet in front of her every day. She was grateful the effects were lessened, she wouldn't be able to contain herself if they weren't. Every time now that she would spar with Atlas she would end up throwing her guts up shortly after.

She didn't like sparring with Atlas very much because of this. It felt wrong to do so. The other guard members poked fun at her because she refused to remove her shirt if the day got too hot and the training too intense. She would if she could but she can't and she was miserable on those days. Miserable because she wanted to be free of the wrap around her chest and miserable because she had to witness Atlas bare chested and what a distraction he was in that state.

There were times as well in their training, and it was specifically times when they'd practice hand to hand, that she had to step away. Images of her stepfather and husband would cloud her vision and she'd panic. It was embarrassing. The first time she blamed it on the heat, and now she avoided it at all costs.

She thought she would avoid her traumas here, but it is here that they've been brought to the front of her mind relentlessly. At some point she had to accept that, but it's been hard. Too many things could happen in such an unlikely way and the uncertainty this thinking brought her scared her.

She was so uncertain about this trip south, namely because of the two new additions to the group. Latimer, and Raylen. Raylen was an older dragon, purple scales adorned his body, scarce few sprinkled his neck in their deep hue. The rest covered his arms like armor. Latimer was a young dragon, like her, perhaps a year or two older, she didn't ask. His scales were a burnt orange color that melded with the color of his skin in a sneaky way.

Latimer was the son of lord Faustus, a tidbit she had gleaned from Atlas' mind in his decision making.

These were two  more souls that had the potential to find out her secret...secrets...she wasn't pleased by the fact that they had to come along, but she understood Atlas' reasoning for more man power on this trip. Anything could go wrong.

After training, Atlas had pulled them all aside for a meeting. He was going over tactics and logistics. They all ultimately decided that horses were going to be the method of transportation, because she didn't have the wings to fly with everyone else. That meant she'd have to learn how to ride a horse on her own time. She wasn't excited by this information.

They discussed too, the main route they would take, right through Idrid. She paled at this information and she felt Mykel tense behind her. Essentially they would take the same route there that Atlas had taken back and in that progress had met her.

They also discussed alternative routes, but they all ended up going through Idrid. There was no way around it because they had to go through that city to get to the front lines.

She didn't want to see old faces again. She was certain someone would recognize her...maybe...

She did look different, she herself had to accept that fact, but she wasn't a completely different person.

The meeting ended shortly after it began, she liked that Atlas got down to business an didn't dwell on things that weren't necessary to dwell on. He hadn't said all that they were going south for, but she knew there was something serious a foot his entire mannerism had given her that idea and she refused to hunt through his mind to find out the actual reason.

She didn't like to know every thought that seemed to cross his mind.

It was weird.

She had figured out too, that the herbs also suppressed this aspect. If she wasn't taking them continuously she feared he would find her out.

If she was going to tell Atlas who she was she wanted to do it on her own terms.

"Atlas! It has been so long," it was a woman. Tallulah had to hault and turn around. Immediate jealousy washed over her. She was stunning. Purple scales littered her neck, face and arms. She was sure that they littered the rest of her body as well. Her hair was a yellow halo that shaped her face. She was the essence of beauty. The gray gown that covered her body was obviously meant for traveling, but it was still grand and beautiful like its wearer.

"Carine, a pleasant surprise!" Atlas responded. Her hand twitched towards her axe.

"Indeed, Father is in the city, he said he had come to see you,"

Why are you here too then? What games are being played? These thoughts were not her own.

Tallulah was instantly relieved. He had no interest in Carine. She turned away again, resuming her walk towards the kitchen for some food, following her growling stomach.

The kitchens were stuffy, but the food was good. The food was one thing she would miss on their trip south. The rich flavors she had grown so used to would pale in comparison to the food they'd eat on their travels. She was spoiled for sure, and it made her reflect on the status she'd had in Idrid. The food her family had was never this good, but it was enough for them. She had eaten more meat in her time here than she did in a year at home.

"-disrespectful for sure, she's been in contact with the prince before so they'd know if she was his mate already," it was Reylan. "I've told my brother he needs to reign her in and find her own mate instead of pursuing someone not meant for her," so Carine was Reylan's niece. Interesting...

"What is so important about contact?" She asked. Of course she already knew the answer, but wanted to appear ignorant of the fact in order to hear more.

"Contact is what iniates the bond between and dragon and their mate. A pair could go years without knowing this until they touch," the older dragon explained.

"When the prince first came of age at 16, many of the surrounding nobles brought their daughters to him in the hopes that one would be his mate. None were," she had to bite back her grin. She was. And she was a noble man's daughter. This was the one moment she was proud of her heritage.

She realized she would have to deal with these women throwing themselves at Atlas for a week.

It wasn't going to be fun.