Dragon Prince: Warrior (Re-Write)

Chapter Three: A New Family

After lunch, Ezran and Callum spent the rest of the afternoon showing Sierra all the ins and outs of the castle. As twilight approached, the brothers returned to their rooms to prepare for dinner. While King Harrow personally escorted Sierra to her room, he has a Xadian bird named Pip on his shoulder. The girl was self-cautious about being alone with the king as they walked down the corridor. His sons were relatively easy to converse with but with him, Sierra was worried about saying the wrong thing without meaning to. Now she knew how Callum felt when he first tried to indicate a conversation with her.
"I trust my boys were on their best behavior," Harrow said, breaking the ice so Sierra wouldn't have to.
"Yes, they were pretty fun and interesting," replied Sierra with a smile.
"I sure hope so. I would hate for my sons to wreck the reputation I worked so hard to maintain." Harrow noticed the uncomfortable look on Sierra's face and, to her surprise, nudged her arm and laughed. "One thing you should know about me, I'm also known far and wide as the King of Comedy."
Sierra couldn't suppress her laughter, which was probably King Harrow's intention the entire time. He really was as nice as he first seemed, and a lot like his sons the more she thought about it. They finally reached her room.
"Here it is. I hope these living arrangements are to your liking," Harrow said and then opened the door, inviting Sierra inside before him.
The room was lovely with a large bed covered in white and red sheets, supported by a mahogany bed frame with golden designs carved onto the headboard. The room also came with a nightstand made out of the same material as the bed and a beautiful wardrobe with the carving of a beautiful tree on one door and the carving of a majestic stag on the other. There was a full-body mirror and a pair of tall clear glass windows, which led out to a small balcony.
Sierra stepped out just as the sun was setting overhead behind the grassy hills that surrounded the countryside with the village nestled neatly at the bottom. The wind picked up, carrying the sweet smell of pine and river water from the nearby woods. The king joined her, smiling in delight at the content look on her face as she breathed it all in.
"Do you like it? " he asked, though by the look on his face he had a strong hunch he knew the answer already.
"It's wonderful," said Sierra. "I don't know what to say."
"A thank you would be nice." King Harrow smiled at Sierra playfully.
"Thank you." Sierra smiled at King Harrow. "You and your family have been so kind to me. I wish there was a way I could repay you."
"Don't stress yourself, your gratitude is all the reward we need," King Harrow said, placing a hand on Sierra's shoulder. She jumped at the physical contact, but quickly relaxed when the man smiled. He had the warmth and comfort that only a father could give. Sierra wondered if her own father was ever like this. If only she could remember.
"Please, make yourself at home. I'll have Prince Callum come and fetch you for dinner." King Harrow bowed and left to give Sierra some time to adjust to her new living arrangements.
Once Harrow was gone Sierra cautiously approached the bed, as though a creature would suddenly spring out of it. She pressed her hand down on the mattress to test its softness. Her hand practically sunk into it. Sierra pulled her hand back and walked away.
This was so much more comfortable than the bed she woke up in the infirmary. It was like being hugged by a friendly, cuddly bear. She wondered if she had ever slept on a bed like this before. There was no way she could forget something like this, right?
Sierra's enthusiasm died out like water extinguishing a rising flame as she stared at her reflection in the full-body mirror. She stepped away from her new bed to examine herself. Her hair, a radiant sandy blonde, shimmered as it captured the rays of the setting sun. Now she knew where Ezran got the idea for her name. It wasn't nearly as golden as the hair of that woman from his story, but it was still lovely nonetheless. Her eyes were the color of sapphires and her skin was smooth and free of any birthmarks or blemishes.
Sierra didn't want to sound conceited but even she had to admit that she was... not that badly look at. Then, why did she feel so out of place?
Everything was right where it should be.
Her attention changed from her face to her clothes. Sierra grimaced. The family had been so kind to her the least she could do was wash up for dinner. Lucky for her, her new room also came with a private bathroom.
After washing off whatever mud stains remained on Sierra opened the wardrobe and was almost bombarded with the number of clothes she had to choose from. These people really went all out for her. All the more reason to look her best.
One by one, Sierra checked through the various outfits. A lot of them were beautiful daily gowns with long sleeves and complex patterns around the ends of the skirt. They came in colors such as white, yellow, purple, pink, blue, red, green, but so far none really spoke to her.
She soon found a blouse that has caught her eye. The blouse is a deep blue color with a silver embroidery lining the edges and a silver belt hanging around the waist of a pair of dark blue pants that's folded at her dark brown boots. The blouse had a scooped neckline that showed off the tops of her shoulders and enhanced her cleavage, which was ample enough to draw men's eyes. After she put it on, she brushed her hair till it was nice and wavy.
"Come on Sierra. It's time for dinner." Callum's eyes widened at the sight and gestured for Sierra to follow him and she followed him to the dining hall. It was huge and grand, there's a table with about ten elegant and cushioned chairs by the table. There's also silver plates, goblets, and eating utensils. A blue carpet stands flawlessly underneath the table and chairs.
But the feast was astonishing to her.
There were cakes soaked in sugar syrup and potatoes glazed with butter. Fruit were in decorative patterns. Cupcakes formed teetering stacks. Sausages lay in savory pyramids. Lumps of carrots and rich knobs of beef floated in tureens. There's plates of chicken surrounded by potatoes and bowls of salads. There was pitchers filled with fresh fruit juice.
Dinner was casual, apparently. Well, as casual as Sierra presumed royal dinners could be when visiting dignitaries weren't involved. Ezran was sharing a funny story with his father, who laughed so loud he nearly shook the table. Halfway through the meal, Sierra was beginning to feel more at ease around the royals. Despite their wealth and status they truly were like every other family.
The only downside was that Lord Viren was also present, as were his children. Claudia was casually chatting with her brother, who every now and again would sneak a glance at Sierra.
She never smiled back at him because she knew she would be giving him the wrong idea, but when Callum smiled at her she couldn't resist smiling back. Unlike with Soren or Viren, where she had to force herself to smile out of politeness, with Callum she didn't need to fake anything. The same went for Ezran. Sierra laughed softly when Bait stuck out his tongue to snatch a jelly tart from Harrow's dessert plate when he wasn't looking. The king was very good-humored about it. His laughter was infectious, for when he laughed everyone did.
As for Lord Viren, every time she looked her way Sierra felt an uncomfortable sensation of a slug crawling up her back. The high mage gave her the exact same look he did back in the throne room. She had no idea what she did to antagonize him so much.
"So Sierra," King Harrow began while Amaya signed.
Sierra immediately deduced that it was technically Amaya who was speaking while King Harrow was translating her sign language. "Have you had any luck in remembering anything?" General Amaya is an intimidating-looking woman, with or without her armor. She had a strong and demanding presence whenever she walked into the room, her eyes always carrying an intense focus. But when she addressed Sierra her eyes were gentle, the expression on her face emoted concern rather than an interrogation.
"Nothing very useful, I'm afraid," Sierra replied with a sigh. Once again she felt Viren's eyes staring at her like a hawk hovering over a field mouse, waiting for the right moment to snatch.
"Give it time." Amaya's softened as she gazed at the girl warmly. "I'm sure your memories will return when you least expect it."
"I sure hope so," replied Sierra.
"You're lucky General Amaya found you when she did," Viren said while cutting his meat. The juices of the dead animal trailed down from the
veins like a river on the plate. Sierra noticed she could smell the tender flesh and the internal juices from where she sat, as though the food were on her plate instead of Viren's. She had to snap herself back to reality, almost losing herself in the scent. Not because it smelled delicious, but because it reminded her of the scent that came off of Viren himself.
"What do you mean?" Sierra asked.
"There had been reports of a beast lurking in the woods for the past couple of nights," said Viren.
"Which I'm sure are just exaggerated misconceptions," King Harrow said after taking a sip from his gold chalice. "It could have been a wolf or a mountain lion."
"Or a banther?" Ezran chirped in eagerly, making everyone laugh softly at his eagerness.
"Or a dragon," Viren added. King Harrow shot the mage a subtle glare, a non-verbal command to drop the topic altogether. "Or, a wolf. Either way, you're very fortunate to still be in one piece."
"Don't worry your pretty little head about those dragons, Sierra," Soren said, waving his fork around as though it were a sword while flexing his muscles. "If those nasty lizards ever come after you, they'll have to go through me."
"I think the dragons are the least of her worries," Claudia said, playfully poking her brother's armored shoulders. Soren glared at his sister in response, but Claudia just smiled innocently.
Callum rolled his eyes at the young guard's attempt at flirting. Sierra, on the other hand, seemed less than impressed by Soren and amused by Claudia's teasing of her older brother.

After dinner, Harrow took Sierra with him to his bedroom to know each other better. She seemed to trying to find a way to ask him a question, but she was unsure of how to ask it to the King of Katolis and decided to be bold about asking the king about the question in her mind. "Do you believe dragons are evil?" Sierra hoped she didn't offend him by asking.
"You seem pretty fascinated by them," Harrow said as he took a seat beside her. "Sounds like you and Callum have something in common." This comment made Sierra smile, which Harrow noticed. But his smile faltered as he thought about what she asked. "Between you and me I like to think that there are good dragons, though I doubt they would be very kind to me."
"Why?" Sierra looked at him in confusion.
Harrow cleared his throat. "War is full of uncertainties. There are centuries of wrongs on both sides. I, regretfully, am responsible for some of those wrongs."
Sierra could not only see the sorrowful regret in the king's eyes and hear it in his voice, but she also felt it in her heart. The once happy, joyful man she had met earlier today was now a crumbled, broken and injured soul with wounds he blamed on nobody, but himself. Sierra found herself reaching for his hand to give it a comforting squeeze.
"If you could change things, what would you do?" Sierra asked. The question came so naturally, she wasn't sure if it came directly from herself or by someone else speaking through her mouth.
"My wife used to ask me the same question," said King Harrow. "I could never find a direct answer. I suppose I would wish for things to be better. For my sons to grow up in a world where they don't have to always worry if the next day could be their last. To not be led by fear... or hatred."
Sierra smiled softly. "I'd say that's a good answer."
Harrow smiled, feeling his spirits lifting bit by bit. "You may not have your memories, but it's good to know your wisdom is still intact."
Sierra laughed and smiled at the king's compliment. Then, she noticed the moonlight cascading into the room from the balcony. She looked at the night sky and something, other than the moon caught her eye. King Harrow noticed this and he saw what she was looking at. He took her hand and led her to the balcony.
Above them, on the clear night sky, were a group of accurately aligned stars.
"Do you see that group of stars?" King Harrow asked her warmly.
"Yes," Sierra said, mesmerized by the sight as though she were seeing the stars for the first time in her life.
"Do you see the shape that they make?" asked King Harrow.
"A dragon," Sierra replied quickly.
"Yes." King Harrow smiled as Pip flew onto his shoulder and started stroking his bird. "It's named after the first King of the Dragons."
"Draco. The eternal resting place of the dragons." Sierra noticed the impressed look on the king's face. She shrugged. "Callum told me the story."
"I figured as much. I admire his curiosity. I wish most people shared his desire to understand the world. To see things beyond what our eyes will allow. He gets it from his mother. She used to love looking up at the stars. She would make up the most ridiculous shapes out of nowhere."
Harrow laughed. "But, it made her laugh."
"She sounds wonderful." Sierra joined him on the balcony. She dare not ask how she perished, she guessed as much given how the king spoke of her in the past tense.
"She truly was. I like to think she's up there in the stars, watching over us. Maybe she's had better luck befriending dragons than I have." Harrow laughed, prompting Sierra to laugh along with him.
"Thank you, Sierra." King Harrow gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"For what?" Sierra looked up at him curiously.
"For listening." His expression softened as he looked at her. "I don't get a lot of opportunities to simply reflect nowadays."
"Your welcome, Your Majesty." Instead of bowing, Sierra smiled at the king.
"Well, l'Il let you rest." He led her back indoors. "Goodnight, Sierra."
"Goodnight." Sierra bowed and the king left the balcony. Sierra stayed out a bit longer to admire the constellation. People around her were so conflicted when it came to dragons. Some feared them like monsters under the bed, others hated them for their power, while others were enthralled by their magnificence like Callum and Ezran. Harrow was difficult to categorize. He did not fully condone dark magic yet still allowed Viren to perform his spells. He said nothing outright negative about dragons, but nothing too positive either. He was conflicted, she could tell.
She wished she could help relieve him of some of his burdens, but from the looks of it all he really needed was someone who was willing to listen. After a while, Sierra found herself yawning.
Drowsiness started to take over and she slopped on the bed. In no time at all, she fell asleep.