Princess of Dragons

Chapter 35

Ciara quickly turned around when she heard the crowd's gasps and screams. Only then did she realize how far everyone stood from her, Kaisog and Sunrose, how wide their eyes were and how they shivered at the sight of her scaly friends. Even that old couple.

She immediately raised her hands to them as they were quickly scrambling to get away.

"Please, calm down! You have no reason to fear them. No harm will come to you!"

However, no matter how loudly she spoke, her voice drowned amongst theirs.

"Princess!" a certain voice easily cut through the crowd. "What in the world are you thinking?!" Arthas berated her from the other end of the balcony, having placed himself between the guests and the two dragons - and herself. Had he been here the entire time? "Send those beasts away! Immediately!"

She let her gaze stray to where she knew the king to be. He had his face hidden in his hand, not deigning to even look at her. Meanwhile, Victoria stood by his side, smirking.

That only meant one thing; she'd failed again.

It would seem today wasn't the day to show the people the kindness dragons possessed either. She turned around to the two confused and wary dragons, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I am so-"

"Why, if that is not my old buddy, Kaisog!" Her savior had appeared again.

Just as she, the crowd turned and parted to let Julian through. He sent her a single wink as he approached the big, black dragon.

"Been a while, has it not?"

Kaisog whined in agreement and nudged the man lightly.

Though Julian laughed, she could hear the slightest tremble to his voice. She looked at him properly, noticing he was actually shaking so much it was visible to the naked eye.

"And who is this beautiful lady? I do not believe I have met you yet?" He reached out to Sunrose, who easily let him stroke her beautiful scales.

Ciara smiled, honored by what he was doing for her sake right now.

"That is Sunrose, my brother's dragon." She moved a little closer. "He left her in my care a few cycles ago."

"Sunrose, huh? Fitting." Julian sent her a somewhat shaky smile that she returned wholeheartedly.

"So it really is true then - you can tame a dragon," someone out in the crowd said, in awe. The statement made the otherwise silent group start muttering.

She turned, shaking her head. "No, I have not 'tamed' any of them," she said, not sure how many times she'd denied that very claim by now.

"Then what do you do?" someone else asked. "Is it some kind of magic that we do not possess?"

Once again, she shook her head. "No, I simply treat them with the respect, trust and love they deserve - just like any other person."

"So they could attack us at any moment, then?" a panicked woman asked, one of the ones standing at the front.

"Yes," Arthas quickly answered, his hand not budging from the hilt of the sword he carried everywhere.

She sent the man a sharp look. "No, they would never do that."

"How can you be so sure of that? - You said you have not tamed either of them, so why should they not?" a man asked, a glare sent in her direction.

"Because I trust them," she answered. "And I know them as well as I know myself. Likewise do they me - they will not attack without a good reason to do so."

"Then does that mean you could ask those two to attack at any time?" a woman asked, her gaze hard and sharp.

She paused then, because technically she probably could. But she'd never do that either - did they really trust her so little?

She could hear both Sunrose and Kaisog snarling lowly behind her at that. She knew they were baring their pearly-white teeth as well. None of them ever did take to insults kindly.

Their apparent anger also sent Julian a step back, though she knew he knew it wasn't directed at him. It was that deeply rooted in them.

"Now, now. We are all allies here," the king said, finally breaking through the crowd and then facing them with his broad back facing her.

She could see the tension in his shoulders and the hard expression he wore even from behind.

"The princess would do no such thing, I assure you, even if she is able." He earned an agreeing snarl from Kaisog. "Besides, I should think it foolish to wake their wrath over something as simple as an insult."

Laughs erupting from the crowds of that, nervous though it might be. Most of them were fake laughs, as one would expect. Stiff and without humor; simply a means of defeating fear.

"Let us return to the festivities, shall we? I will have more wine brought to each of you."

Everyone immediately began filling in again, laughing and talking amongst themselves. Others were a bit more hesitant, but finally followed along despite their skepticism.

The king immediately whirled around, his glare fastening on her.

"Send those two away. This instant!" he snarled, glaring at her for a long moment before turning around and following his guests inside, closing the door behind him with a sweeping motion.

She flinched when it harshly shut, then released a deep sigh. This day had just gone all wrong for her. She failed at every step, it seemed.

She slowly turned to the two, fighting a desperate battle against her tears. This was so unfair for those two. They'd done nothing wrong.

"I am so sorry." She reached out and ran her hand down both of their snouts. "Can you wait outside of the castle until all of this is over? I promise I will repay you somehow."

Sunrose snorted, sending her a soft look before pulling away and nudging Kaisog to do the same. He hissed at the dragonelle's insistence, reaching his head over the railing and gently nudging Ciara's stomach.

She easily wrapped her arms around him, looking into his yellow eyes for one moment before pressing her forehead to his scales the next. She said nothing, just let the moment pass as he pulled away as well, following the dragonelle to the sky.

"Thank you. And I am so sorry," she whispered, knowing the wind would carry her words to the two of them.