The Bond Of Dragons The Dawning

Chapter Sixteen: Butterfly wings

Chapter Sixteen

Butterfly wings

"I have not decided if you are brave or stupid," she stated.

"And if you decide I am brave?" I replied.

"Then I hope we can be great allies."

"And if you decide I am stupid?"

"Then I will honor you and your friends' lives. It's not a fair fight if your opponent is incompetent. you have my word I will make it fast and painless."

"If I'm stupid, why not just let me go then? Why kill me?" I asked.

"A stupid man is more dangerous than a brave one my dear, but a stupid woman is unpredictable and untrustworthy a brave woman is an unstoppable force of nature that even our mother fears."

"our mother?"

"You do not know your ancestry, do you? Pity."

"Tell me then," I demanded.

"You make many demands in a foreign home. To a Queen who has not decided but I will allow you to get clean and then I will decide if I will show you what you need to know, come."

she walked down the hall, her painted skin shimmered in the setting sun. She led us into a side door we walked into a large bedroom with a bed fit for royalty. Fit for a prince. A large rug elaborately embroidered was set in front of the white stone fireplace. The bed was wrapped in a canopy, thick bed sheets lay untouched. The walls were decorated with paintings of dragons and birds.

 The Queen lingered in the doorway not wanting to come any closer. She sighed looking around there are showers to the side." with that she turned and left.

Will came in with the dragons just seconds after the queen left. Isha walked around me, she sniffed intently. Diago walked around sniffing and whining. Like there was someone he knew but couldn't find them.

Will sat in one of the thickly padded chairs by the fireplace. "Whose room do you think this is?"

"No idea," I said, "maybe no one it's a huge place."

"That's true," he said watching Diago but I'm not so sure these things are really worn and the fireplace has old soot in it. 

"hm, I don't know maybe they move out? I'm going to shower."

He nodded.

I went into the other smaller room. There was a large tub. I turned on the water and peeled my old clothes off. I gently took off the old bandage from my thigh. It pulled at the scab the closer I got to the wound, blood soaked through multiple layers. I bit my lip hard and looked away when I tore the last piece off. The wound was deep and had a thick scab with black veins snaked around it like the poison was still being drawn out.

"Another scar to my collection."

My hair was stiff and painful to try to brush. I gave up and sank into the bath. It burned the wound but was bearable. I dunked my head under. The water was so hot but it felt so amazing at the same time. I scrubbed the gunky dirt and seawater from my skin and hair.

The warm smells of soap and bubbles filled the air, hot steam fogged up the windows and mirror. It was hard to breathe but I didn't want to leave. I scrubbed off again and tried to brush out my hair resorting to just scrubbing in a ton of shampoo and conditioner. The smell of cinnamon filled the air.

When I was done I wrapped my leg again very poorly, I just threw my hair up into a towel and got dressed.

Will was sitting in the same chair by the fireplace reading one of the books from the mantle. He looked up when I walked in and tilted his head at my poorly bandaged leg.