Magnificent: A Dragon Story

Chapter One

"Evangeline!" I hear my mother screaming. As she always does. Either I'm out wandering around or I lose myself in my own world in the comfort of my own room.

"Evangeline!" I hear her scream again.

"I'm coming!" This time I was playing with my cat, Aimee. Aimee means deeply loved. Which is why I picked it. I love my cat very much. She's kind. Funny. Smart. And loyal. Which makes people think she's Satan's helper. We don't have a lot of cats around these parts. But Aimee I truly fell in love with. And she loves me.

Her favorite place is the windowsill. She loves to take naps next to the flowers I planted there. And she loves the sun. She can lay there for hours just basking in the pleasant scenery that is the village and mountains. I wish I were a cat. Being able to rest anywhere I want and nobody yelling at me.

"Evangeline!"

"I'm coming! One minute!" I grabbed Aimee from the windowsill and carried her in my arms out my bedroom doors. The halls have never been so full of servants. We must be planning something. Something I didn't know about.

"Evangeline!"

"Coming!" I raced through servants who crowded my pathways down the hall and finally reached the stairs. I went down to find mother. Wherever her voice is echoing from. Probably the Great hall.

"Mother?" I said. Hoping she'd hear me.

"In the Hall, Darling!"

I went as fast as I could to the Great Hall. I found my mother looking at a couple of servants putting up a painting.

"There you are" She sounded annoyed. "Come over here." She gestured me to come over and I went over to stand by her side. "Do you think this painting is aligned properly?"

I looked at the painting. It's my great grandmother. She looks to be in her mid-twenties. She's absolutely beautiful. Even if the painting was crooked she would look just fine. But I need an answer.

"It looks fine to me." I said to her. She didn't look at me. She was still eyeing the painting.

"You think so?" She said. "Alright. Hang it there!" She yelled to the servants.

"So is that the only reason you want me down here?" I said.

"No it's not." She faced me and finally caught eye with Aimee. "You brought the cat?"

I looked down at Aimee. "Yes."

"I thought I told you to leave her in the kitchen" Mother said with her hands on her hips.

"But mother! She gets so lonely down there. And the maids beat her. She is very unhappy."

"The only reason I let you keep that thing is to catch all the mice and here she's been for years and we are still ankle deep in them."

"Mother..."

I could feel Aimee snuggle deeper into my armpit. She's doesn't like mother and mother doesn't like her. Mother sighed.

"Just promise me she's stays locked up in your room tonight. I don't want our guests seeing that we have a cat in our castle. They'll think we're bewitched."

"Guests?"

"Oh right." She said. Her train of thought coming back to her. "Tonight we will be having a feast. We have invited a many of your father's old friends and royal families around France. I want you to look presentable and be on your best behavior."

Presentable. I hate that word and that words meaning. As if I'm a display for people to gaze upon. As if all I am is looks and grace. They don't bother to ask what's in my head. My knowledge or intelligence. But then again, I already have a cat. I don't need anymore reasons for people to think I'm a witch.

"Very well." I say with fake grace. "Might I ask who will be there?"

"Well, your father doesn't want me to say. But I will tell you this. Wear your best dress and put on your best smile. You will need them both for tonight."

I looked down at Aimee again. She is still trying to hide. Mother put her hands on my chin moving my head up.

"Chin up." She said softly. "Straight posture." She gave me a weak smile and kissed my forehead. "Now go on." She patted my shoulder and I walked away but before I exited the Hall I turned back.

"May I go to the village today?" I asked.

"You have to ask your father. He should be in the study" She said. Not looking at me.

I finally left the hall to the study.