A Scope of Treasure

Chapter 4

Prince Aurelius was standing at the entrance of the cave, a look of utter shock on his face as he watched the last of the steam dissipate around me. I crossed my arms over myself, even though my dress was already mostly on.

No one had ever caught me mid-transformation. I had always been so careful - how could I have let this happen? I shouldn't have left him in the tree, I should've placed him somewhere much further...

Fear prickled up and down my body. What was he going to do?

I stood up, and he jumped. "I can explain," I started.

The prince gestured with his sword at the rocks behind me, then at me. "Can you?" he wheezed. I noticed he looked quite disheveled - his pristine clothes, cape, and boots were coated with leaves and grime, his hair was in disarray, and his glasses were askew. Glasses. So that's why he always squints.

"Yes, I-" I pulled my dress on properly. "I sincerely apologize, Your Highness. And please, I would like you not to tell anyone."

He didn't say anything, so I continued. "I promise, as long as you let me keep coming here alone, I won't hurt or bother anyone. It is absolutely necessary I let it out, otherwise-"

"Let it out?" he echoed, in that same, breathless voice. He looked dazed as he leaned against the cave wall.

"Your Highness, I believe you're in shock." I frowned. "But yes. I- I have the ability to transform into a dragon. I am still in control when I do so, as in I won't attack humans or create unnecessary trouble, except for one thing: my desire to hoard.

"Being around precious, shiny objects gives me a headache. So being in the castle, seeing all the decorations, the queen's jewelry-" I shuddered. "It all builds up within me, until I release the dragon voluntarily before it is forced out of me."

"Forced out of you..." he mumbled.

"That is why I just need to come up to the mountains every week or so, in order to spend some hours as my dragon self - away from all the glittery valuables in the kingdom. My hoarding instincts are worse when I'm a dragon, and if I see something valuable in that state, I will do anything to get my hands on it." I shook my head, then gestured to the rocks around me. "That's why I was collecting these." None of them were precious gems - just crystalline, shiny rocks, which were good enough for me.

"These aren't-" Prince Aurelius straightened, and cleared his throat. "These aren't real crystals." He still looked a bit pale.

"I know."

"So you are cursed to become a dragon when your headaches become unbearable; headaches in response to close proximity with treasures?"

"Yes." I tilted my head. "I wouldn't call it a cur-"

"This is incredibly shocking information," he muttered. "A maid- Seraphine's maid, no less - turning into a dragon-"

"Prince Aurelius." I picked up my bag. "I ask you again not to say anything to anyone about this. I am skilled at controlling myself, and I have found my job in Crutonia to be suitable. I would like to remain in this kingdom, unharmed." I walked up to the prince, seeing his throat bob as he swallowed. "I won't trouble anyone if they don't trouble me."

"Is that a threat?" he asked.

I blinked. "I didn't mean it to be. I just meant if people find out, I will be forced to leave the kingdom - or chased out. And moving so soon will be an inconvenience for me."

"Right, right." Prince Aurelius put a hand to his chin, then took off his glasses. "Well, something must be done." He glared at me.

"If you need your glasses to see, then why don't you-"