The Singer And The Dragon | Ongoing

Chapter 1

[Hello readers! I know I have been MIA for a very long time, sorry about that. And I know this little piece of story, isn't going to make up for the absence. But I'm gonna try and do my best. This is a new story I'm working on, and hopefully I will be able to finish it in a couple months. *fingers crossed* ]

[Unedited] 

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"And they lived happily ever after."

No they did not.

Yes, the Knight saved his Princess from the dragon, and the people of their Kingdom celebrated the news for a week, before things settled down.

But the part about their marriage? Not true. 

Nora snapped the book shut and pushed it away, before resting her head on the cool wooden table.

Reading the story from a human's point of view was always a bad idea. The level of exaggeration and lies printed in these books never failed to surprise her.

Nora wondered, what would happen, if humans got to know the actual version of the story? Would they hate her? The knight? Or the princess?

Her memory about the incident had faded into blurry images, and broken conversations. She couldn't recall the whole story, but Nora was sure of one thing.

Nothing happened between the princess and the knight.

The princess had staged the kidnapping, and begged the dragon to get help from the knight, whom she loved.

The knight was hesitant at first. He wanted nothing to do with the princess. But the dragon kept pushing, insisting that he save the princess.

In the end, that knight gave in to their request.

She never understood why he went along with their plan, until afterwards, when the knight came to the dragon with a proposal.

"I don't love the princess."

What? The dragon was shocked, and couldn't understand what was going on.

"I love you. W-Will you marry me?"

Hearing his confession, she finally understood why he went along with the request, and played hero for the princess.

The knight loved her, and not the princess. He saved the princess because the dragon wished for it.

It was a mess.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Salver?" The question pulled Nora out of her thoughts, and she looked up at the speaker.

Small black eyes, framed behind red-rimmed glasses, and an expression of concern set in a heart-shaped face, greeted Nora.

"Did you not like the book?"

"The book-" Nora paused, trying to find a word for it that didn't sound offensive.

She settled for a half-truth.

"The story is good, Charlie. Just...not one of my favourites." Nora said.

"When are you going to stop calling me, Charlie? Miss Salver?"

Nora peeked at the face she had grown fond of, over the last few months. Charlie was looking down at her, with raised brow and pursed lips, waiting for an answer.

"Maybe...never?"

Almost instantly, the stern mask melted away, and a small smile appeared on her lips. Charlie shook her head, earrings dangling from side to side, and let out a chuckle. "I shouldn't have asked that question. Forget it."

"Just leave the book on the table, once you're done reading." She waved a hand at Nora, and walked back to her seat behind the reception desk.

"Yes ma'am."

She stared at the book in her hand, at the colourful cover, and decided it was time to put it back on the Children's section.

Nora got up and looked around her.

Multiple, mini table-lamps cast shadows on the long table. One, two, and a third person, with their head covered in a hoodie, took up seats at the far right corner, but none of them noticed Nora.

"Good." She hoped no one had heard her talking to Charlie in such a way.

It would be a headache if the kids visiting the public library skipped all formality and started calling Charlie by first name, the way Nora did.

She was about to walk over to the 'Children's Books' section, when her phone went off.

The harsh ringtone killed the silence in the room, and three heads snapped up to look at the idiot who hadn't switched off their phone.

"Sorry...really sorry about this." Nora whispered and cut off the call.

The name, Gina Watts, flashed on her screen, before going blank.

Nora thrust the phone into her jeans pocket, abandoned the book on the table, like Charlie wanted her to, and half-stumbled, half-ran out of the room.

Gina was calling her? Why?

Today was her day off. Nora had made sure that all of her duties were covered by the replacement. What had happened?

Was it the boys?

She made her way to the parking lot, her mind conjuring a thousand questions and no answers.

Gina never bothered her like this, after hours, unless it was an emergency.

Nora tapped at her phone screen, and brought up the last miscall from 'Gina Watts'. She pressed the call button, and listened to the dial tone.

One ring, two rings, and then someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Gina?"

"Nora! I'm so glad you called back!"

"What happened?"

"Can you come over?"

"Come over? Why? What's wrong?"

"It's Asher."

Shit!

**

[That's all for now. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.]