The Princess & the Dragon

Chapter 3: New Home

"Hello." My voice echoes into the room as I step inside.

No one is on the other side of the door waiting for me like Sirena promised.

Where is my family? I knew I shouldn't expect a welcoming party. No banner, and no balloons, just an empty castle foyer. I close the door behind me and wonder if maybe they have forgotten about me coming.

The room stays quiet as I walk up to the grand staircase in the middle of the room that splits into two different directions at the top. A wooden table to the right has a vase full of flowers and a candlestick, which I lift up to get a clearer view of my new home.

Hard wood flooring spreads out into the three hallways that lead to the wings of the castle. A diamond beaded chandelier hangs down in the center of the room. Each candle that sits in the eight holders is lit and flickers light on the floor beneath me. All is quiet and at peace and only the sound of a small mouse fills the silence.

This is it; this is my new home.

I hear the sound of heels clicking against the floor and turn to see a woman walking down the hallway to the left of the room. She is wearing a gorgeous silk pink gown and a white fuzzy robe that wraps around her. Her black hair lies straight down her shoulders, and her eyes, green and oval shaped, stare back at me. A smile slowly forms on her lips as she comes to realize who I am. "Stellana dear, it's been years. How you have grown."

I wrap my arms around her as she embraces me in a hug.

"Staca," I whisper her name before pulling back. "I'm fourteen, well almost fifteen."

"Fourteen." She repeats back with a puzzled look. "Almost of age for your gifting."

"My what?" Great, another thing my parents forgot to mention to me before coming here. I need a guide on how to live within the world of fairytales and magic.

Before she has time to answer, a tall slim man walks in and joins us. He's dressed in silk black pajamas which match Staca's pink ones, and his hair is still wet from the shower. He leans in to kiss Staca on the cheek and as he pulls back, he turns his head to look at me. "Well, if this isn't Miss Stellana Camden."

"She just arrived dear." Staca tells him.

"Is that so. Sirena mentioned a storm out West perhaps the weather kept them."

"Perhaps."

Kerlin curls the end of his mustache while admiring the way I stand in front of him. I feel completely exposed and uncomfortable. I lean back on my heels and hold my hands together behind me. I know what he's thinking. I'm not what he expected at all, and I can say he didn't hold up the bargain for my expectations either. As a child I was always afraid of him, but now that I'm older I refuse to let his stern looks intimidate me. He has this way of making others feel beneath him, now that I know he's the king of Lindo, I can understand why he is this way.

Still it doesn't change the way I feel about him.

"Stellana, as the king, I would personally like to welcome you to Lindo. I'm sure your parents informed you about the rules while you stay here. This land is a beautiful one, but there are places that even I don't dare to venture too. You are not allowed to wander the halls of the castle or be out of your room after dark. It is forbidden. Staca and I have a reputation here and one you must keep. We fully trust that you won't make a spectacle of yourself. We expect you to be a proper lady during your stay."

"A lady?" I repeat.

"Yes, Staca will take you into town tomorrow to get some more appropriate things to wear."

"Is there anything else?" I ask him sharply.

"Another day Miss Camden. It is time for you to get some rest. Where is Sirena?"