A Crown Of Blades(ARTK, Book 3)

Chapter 151-152

  Seggos 17th,3330 A.G

  Marriotta placed a hand over the smooth blue egg in her pocket, ensuring it were secure. If she were caught..... Marriotta could only imagine what her punishment would be this time- but it could go either way. Perhaps they'd be too afraid of her, of the egg in her pocket and the living dragon she'd made friends with to do anything.

Or perhaps they'd try to crush that egg while it were so vulnerable still. It weren't that easy; Marriotta had discovered the previous week. The shell of a dragon's egg were tough, an ancient form of protection from falls and predators. She'd tripped and accidentally flung it half a dozen paces across her chambers; and nothing happened.

She'd only had to wipe the outside off, as it hit a particularly dirty spot of the wall servants had apparently consistently missed while cleaning.

She hadn't felt movement from the egg yet, but she tried not to think of that or what it could mean. It could mean nothing, a temple devotee had told her. From what very little we know, and from what I see right in front of me- a dragon's egg is resilient. A dragon's egg will hatch whenever the hell it feels like it.

Marriotta looked over her shoulder, immediately regretting that action as she made eye contact with a soldier she did not know. His eyes widened slightly- as did hers, and for a while neither said anything. Marriotta thought of how he could run straight to her mother, how they were too far seperated by the crowds of people for her to do anything about it-

But then he ran a finger over the top of his eye and slightly bowed. He was with her.

He may not have officially been amongst the rebels, may never have attended one of their meetings- but he was with her.

And that left Marriotta to wonder how many more were like him; how many had been disgusted enough by her mother's actions for their loyalties to change.

Marriotta nodded, turned her back to the man- and continued on towards the tavern. It'd been a little more difficult to arrange than some of her other meetings because of how closely she were watched these days, but she'd managed.

She'd found one of her soldiers in a hallway one day, on guard duty outside of her mother's room- and he'd arranged everything.

And she did not doubt him for a moment. He were trustworthy. He'd been with her since that very first meeting, and there were that thing behind his eyes that simply could not be faked.

It were a different tavern than their usual to avoid suspicion, but it made no matter. This one were slightly larger, had a larger menu, and most importantly the owner and his employees were notorious for minding their damned business.

When she stepped inside, all eyes turned to her.

Marriotta did not mind for a single moment. She loved this part, and doubted she'd ever get sick of it. That were something she had in common with Nara Ashhand, though she hated to admit it.

Just over a thousand soldiers were there that time. Marriotta wanted to take a moment to take everything in, but she didn't get that chance. Not a moment later one of the soldiers stood up, a look on his face that were a mix of hope, fear and determination. Marriotta locked the door behind her. The employee a few paces away did not even blink an eye.

"Is it true then?" The soldier asked. "Most of us didn't get to attend- only a few. And if what that one says is true- by the gods this is going to be so much easier."

A couple around him nodded, sharing that sentiment- as there were very little any leader feared more than rebellion.

A dragon were certainly at the top of that list. Their city being burned, their precious castle becoming ash- those too.