The Prince and His Dragon

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   King Drew married Queen Ella that September, and their wedding was stunning. Everything went swimmingly until the vows were said. From the pews, Rose, May, and Tanner were sat in the front row. Rose started to cry happily, but as soon as the King and Queen said their "I do's," the ducts dried up. The princess couldn't explain it. She'd grabbed a handkerchief to wipe the tears, but there were no tears.

   At the reception, Ella seemingly disappeared. Drew wasn't too worried, though.

   "She's probably relieving herself," he'd said to his court. While the crowd waited, some danced. May excused herself to use the restroom, and when she did she saw Ella holding a peculiar necklace. She hid around a corner to watch what she did. To her horror, the Queen sucked another lady's soul from her body by using her necklace. After the woman collapsed to the ground, Ella hid her necklace then washed her hands.

   May backed up a bit, then started walking, as to not seem suspicious. As she entered the bathroom, Ella was leaving.

   "Oh, May," she said, a bit surprised, "the soap they have here is absolutely heavenly. It smells like citrus." She smiled at the princess and walked off. 'Does it also smell of souls, you wretched witch?' May internally asked. When she walked into the bathroom, she was shocked to see the lady's body gone. Had Ella done something with it? If so, what?

   ~~

   That night, Ella tucked the children into bed. She placed a kiss on Tanner's forehead, then Rose's. But when she went to do the same to May, the girl placed her hand over her forehead.

   "It's too warm tonight," she explained. It wasn't true, but she wasn't about to say "I don't want your poisonous lips to touch my clean skin, you vile fiend." Though, she wanted to. She really wanted to. Ella shrugged, then walked to the door.

   "Goodnight, sleep tight, and don't let the bedbugs bite," she said with a smile before blowing out the torch beside the door. She cracked the door. May laid there, unsure of what to do. She couldn't tell her father. He'd punish her, and harshly, too, probably. So she vowed to never speak of what she saw, for her safety.