Trapped

Chapter 2

Marco, Ryder's father had bought me for his dirty work. Bought... Agh... It sounded as if I was a piece of meat. I was to assassinate Marco's enemies. Trained in combat, one of my skills.
I was also to be a dragon tamer, due to my bloodline I got connections with dragons, allowing me to mentally speak to them.

I was led to a room on the far north wing of the mansion. Birch wood floors passed beneath our breath as we walked. We stopped before a door. "Princess, this is your room," Ryder announced. Mine? I couldn't remember the last time something was mine. Not even my soul was mine anymore. I shook as reached for the door handle. The door slid open smoothly under the pressure. There had to be a mistake... This couldn't be my room.... A double bed was up against a large window overlooking hills. There was a bathroom off to the side and clothes in the open cupboard. I turned to Ryder who laughed at me, "Well Princess, I thought you'd be use to the luxury." Marco smiled grimly. "Get settled, tomorrow you start work," his voice firm. I nodded and he walked away.

I jumped on the bed, it sagging under my body. It was as soft as clouds. It had been years since I'd felt something this soft other than Frank's bed. I shivered rembering what he'd done to me. Ryder walked into the room. "So, you're my father's personal assain and dragon tamer... Interesting," unilke his father, Ryder's voice was smooth and calm. He sat next to me and I tensed. Concern crossed his eyes, "What did they do to you there?" I turned and buried my face in the feather pillow. They'd done a lot. They'd broken me, in more ways than one. I didn't answer Ryder, so he got up and walked to the door, but stopped when he got there. I heard footsteps nearing and then a soft kiss was planted on my head. "Don't worry, no one will know," was all his dreamt voice said before her really did leave this time.

I woke up with the sun in my eyes.
A minx dragon stood at the foot of my bed. Male, obvious by its red scales. He was holding a rolled up note in his claws. I took the note from him,

Dear Princess,
My father has asked if you could please follow my dragon to the kitchen, where you shall be fed and I shall show you around my house and grounds. I shall also help you pick out your messenger dragon, as you have met mine, his name is Catcher. You will begin by meeting the dragons later with me, then you can begin training them tomorrow, assassinations will come from my father via female Minx. She is brown with a grey star on her forehead.
Love Ryder.

I'm sure that love wasn't meant to be there, I fell back giggling. I scorned myself for thinking that way if my master's son. Not even friends... It had been drilled into me by Frank. I got up and changed into a pair of pants and a soft blue shirt. I whistled and Catcher rose into the air. When my father was still alive he'd taught me everything there was to know about dragons, and that knowledge stuck with me even now, five years later. We'd written all his findings in a book and it was the only thing I was allowed to keep when my mother had sold me. Frank never knew about the book that now lay on the table in my new room.

Cather had led me down many different corridors and hallways. I knew the kitchen was close when I smelled something delicious. Ryder stood in the doorway talking to some pretty brunette with brown eyes. Ryder must have felt my gaze on his back and he turned around. "Princess," he said my name in a way no one had ever. I neared and Catcher hovered over my shoulder before landing softly on it. His claws only feeling like a small weight brushing against my skin. "Odd," Ryder said tilting his head at me. "He's never so friendly, well you must have some gift Princess." His smile warmed my heart. I noticed now that he only called me Princess. It was kinda cute.

I whistled and pointed at Ryder and Catcher sped off my shoulder and onto his. He laughed, the sound warmed me from the inside. He told me to sit at the table and a plate of eggs and bacon and toast was piled up on it. I took a piece of toast and started chewing on it, the chef had already put butter on it and it melted further in my mouth. It was delicious, but after the first slice I couldn't eat anymore, they had starved us slaves there...

Ryder had guessed I wouldn't eat all my food and had eaten the rest. Now we were walking around the grounds, he was taking me to the dragon avery to choose a messenger. All kinds of dragons flew about. I noticed something odd when we got to the avery, it was quite noisy. All different dragons were inside. Mainly minx. I heard a light whistle in the trees behind us while we were looking at the dragons. It whistled again and I turned to look. I gasped... Sitting on a branch was a Phoniex Shifter. A female by the seems of its colours. She looked at me, I felt our bond snap into place. The rarest dragon species, the Phoniex Shifter. She few down to me her wings gleaming in the morning sun. Ryder turned and gasped. "Is that a..." I nodded. As a rider he'd know a Phoniex Shifter the moment he saw one.
Don't be afraid. I am not going to harm you. I spoke to my newly bonded dragon.
She bowed at my feet.
It's an honour. Call me Twilight. The dragon spoke back to me.
"She's mine. She's my messenger, she's my dragon," I smiled at Ryder who grinned at the dragon.