Dragon's Mother

Chapter 6

There are some scenes that can be a little triggering to some audiences. This is your fair warning to read at your own discretion.

"You got into the treasury again!?" Sir Hendrick hissed, all four knights looking amazed as they stared down at the young brunette who had just got done telling them all about his time in the King's treasure tower.

"None of the demons seem to suspect any of the slaves of doing anything against them so their pretty lax around me. I'm not saying I could get into the treasure room easily but... maybe, if you guys need me to," Ansel said quietly, glancing over at the thief who was sitting in another cell to his right. He had his back to them all and didn't seem to care about any of them.

"It might be risky if he goes in for a third time. The first time was with that demon lord guy so that's not entirely suspicious but going up there just to bring him a letter by himself might have roused suspicion. Unless we can guarantee King Decal won't be up in his tower long enough for us to get the egg, I don't think he should go up there a third time," Sir Chester said, Sir Rodwell agreeing with him while making plans with Sir Stephen about how to get out of the cell.

"What can we do?" Sir Hendrick asked when they all heard the door to the cellar open roughly, slamming so hard into the wall it echoed causing all of them to jump.

Ansel quickly scrambled away from the cell wall, grabbing the trays he'd set out for the prisoners, and made sure to bow to King Decal as he entered the dungeon followed by his private servant and several of his generals and lords. Ansel started to tremble, thinking they were here for him ready to throw him in one of these cells or kill him on the spot, only to watch as the king slowly approached the cell containing the thief. The man didn't flinch, didn't even turn around, but he knew who was here without having to look.

"Come to kill me?" the man asked, tossing his stale bread over his shoulder. It rolled on the ground toward the king who held up his hand for the guards keys.

"I have a proposition, actually," King Decal said, opening the cell for some knights to go in to grab the thief. "In fact, I've invited everyone here to participate too," King Decal said with a thin smile, mischief clear in his eyes as he practically glided out of the room leaving the keys with his servant. All the prisoners, including the human knights, were dragged out of their cells forcing them up into the castle leaving Ansel alone in the dungeon.

"I've been forgotten. Again," Ansel thought with a sigh, depositing the food trays back in the kitchens before he followed the group from afar not wanting to raise suspicions.

King Decal lead the group through the castle, the thief being dragged behind him while the others had shackles on their wrists and ankles connected by thick rope to keep them in line, until they were in the throne room. There were many demon's standing around in the room, lord's and lady's in waiting wearing rather fancy clothes, who started to gossip and murmur as they watched the prisoners enter the room. To everyone's shock, in the very center of the room, was a large stone table with the dragon egg on top for all to see making the room very warm. There were four knights standing guard around the box shaped table but they moved away the minute King Decal entered the room. He walked across the hall before all, his subjects in awe as his large wings fluttered behind him and his tail swished from side to side as he walked. He was wearing long black robes that seemed to flutter around him, flying up as he turned on his heel facing them all before he sat leisurely on his throne staring directly at the thief who glared back at him. Ansel, who was peeking in through the open doors, flinched back afraid of being caught but he was still invisible to all to the point that he was even able to slip into the room and join the crowd, peeking around all the noble people.

"Is this your 'proposition'? To let me stare at what I failed to take from you?" the man asked, seething with anger when the knights let the man go.

"Actually, I have a challenge. It seems that this is not the dragon egg I seek so I don't appear to have a use for it. Perhaps I'll sell it, make the largest batch of eggs in the world, or I can use it as a chance to have some fun. So I've decided to make a game! If you can grab the egg and make it out of my kingdom before the day is done, I'll let you go with the egg," King Decal said with a smile, looking out at all the confused looks of the prisoners and his own people.