Drakon

reunion

[⚔k i a d r a k e⚔]

I pulled Ash into my room, politely kicking Poppy out for the time being. She was all too glad to oblige, scurrying out with a massive grin on her face. I threw my arms around Ash's shoulders, burying my head in his chest. His familiar scent of freshly fallen rain assaulted my nose, but I didn't mind that; it was comforting, a reminder of my former life. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, but it didn't feel like it, you know." He looped an arm around my shoulders, holding me closer to him. "If you missed me, why didn't you come back?" I could hear his heart beating, a erratic thrum against my ear.

"I finally feel like I belong, you know. I have friends here, I think you would like them." I mumbled into his chest. He exhaled sharply.

"Was I not enough for you?" Ashton asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" I whispered back.

"Why didn't you come back? I-I thought you were dead!" Ash's voice cracked, and I sucked in a breath. "I was so worried about you." He tightened his grip, pulling me closer to him. He propped his head on mine, and I sighed contently, basking in his warmth.

"I'm sorry. I've been so busy lately, I haven't had the time to go back... Terris has been teaching me how to read, Alistair's been teaching Terris and I how to sword fight- and oh! Did you know dragons are real? I've been riding Ironfang. He's Alistair's silver dragon!" I rambled excitedly. Ash never truly believed in dragons, and I was glad to prove him wrong.

Ash pulled away first, staring at me with his sky blue eyes. "You're on a first name basis with him. Are you guys close?"

"Oh. Uh..." My face must been a bright shade of red, for Ash poked me in the cheek. "We're.. very good friends." I struggled for words. How could I explain the relationship between Alistair and me? Sure, we were good friends, but Terris and I were good friends too. But with Terris, I didn't have that spark. Sure, we found comfort in each others' realistic view on the world and poking fun at Alistair, but when I met the prince, we clicked, like two pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.

"What about us?" He pouted. "It takes quite some skill to build an empire out of the filthy streets. And you did say that if you didn't come back in a month, feel free to storm the castle. I thought you'd be more glad to see me!"

"I am glad to see you!" I exclaimed. "It's just, I don't know. I feel like I was born to live in a castle, not the streets. I know, I'm supposed to feel super awkward learning how to speak properly, how to dress and walk like a proper lady and whatnot, but it feels so natural, like I've done it before. Somehow, it's like, it's like I'm back home."

"The streets are your home, Kit. And we street thieves are your family. A family that came to warn you, and bring you back." Ash looked serious now, his blue eyes darkening. "We need you back more than ever, Kia."

"I can't leave!" I answered, eyes wide. "I've been recruited to be a rider by Alistair himself! I have a new family here, a proper life, a proper education! Things I could never get living on the streets." I took a deep breath. "You could stay as well. Get to know everyone here. I think you'll get along with Terris."

"The witch?" He scrunched his nose, looking disgusted. "And I can't leave. It'll just make the situation down there worse. Do you know what happens to an empire when it's empress goes missing? It begins to crumble. Sure, I'm the emperor and all, but you are their idol, not me. You're the Queen of Shadows, the untouchable girl, the one that you only remember a glimpse of. Do you know how much effort it took me to come to the castle without the rest of the streets marching after me, demanding for the King to free you?"

"I didn't-"

"Of course you didn't know, Kit. You've been living here with nice clothes, nice beds, a servant." His face twisted, a mask of disgust. I had seen this side of him, but never against me. "You're completely oblivious to the lives on the streets right now. They think that King Felix used his son Prince Alistair to kidnap you, to lure you into his trap as a way to warn the streets to stop fighting back! Instead, it's been a frenzy down there. The lower classes are starting to revolt, about how they never get a chance to see the likes of the richer aristocrats, about how they don't know anything about what happened to the eldest prince, Prince Cole. They want to storm into the castle."

"King Felix, kidnapping me? That's absurd! He's the nicest old man I've met!" I shouted back. His breath hitched at this. What? What was wrong with Felix? "Well, he's sorta odd and keeps saying that I look like some people he used to know, but otherwise he's fine! And Alistair kidnapping me? Please. I could beat his ass any day with my eyes closed." I sighed. "Don't you get it, Ash? I never felt right on the streets. I was the best, but I didn't feel like I was in the right place."

"Some of the older kids are fighting for your title. There's an open spot for empress, for the queen of the streets, and it's driving the people mad. There's fighting, even killing, in between the best partners there are, all because they want to claim your title. Soon, they'll be clambering over me to get my title! I can't do this on my own." His words wavered, and he flinched when my fingers skimmed across his back.

My heart fell. There were younger children on the streets, vulnerable and scared like I once was, that were being dragged into this mess. A mess that I created. I had created a vacuum, and it was sucking people up and ripping the breath out of people. But I couldn't return to the streets- not after all I've seen and done here.

"You won't get it, Ash." I murmured in a quiet voice. "You haven't seen what I've seen, done what I've done. I can't leave this place. It's a part of me. I have a family here, Ashton."

"I thought I was your family. I thought I was a part of you." He spoke, his voice a similar quiet. This was a strange noise to hear. He was always happy and upbeat, even while we ran away from the orphanage keepers or the constables on the streets. "I thought that maybe, you could finally-  we could finally..."

"You are my family. You are a part of me. But so is this. I- I don't really get what you mean, Ash. What do you mean?"

"I- oh, for the love of the gods, I can't do this." He sighed, before looking straight at me, blue eyes meeting purple. He cupped my chin with one hand, and brushed my long hair out of my face with the other. He suddenly leaned in for a kiss, his mouth capturing mine, and I let out a strangled cry. Then I realized I had made no sound- the voice wasn't mine.

But it wasn't as high pitched as Poppy's, so who's was it?

I broke away, turning my head to face the door. "Who is it?" I turned to see Terris, who was in a rare formal gown, the skirt of her dress not ending at her knees but at her feet, and the collar of her dress circled her neck like a turtleneck. It was strange seeing her in such girly and fancy clothing, which meant there was something important.

However, she was plastered to the doorframe, eyes wide, looking like she was about to drown us in water, or throw us out the window. "Oh gods. Terris, I can explain, it's just-"

"King Felix wants the riders at Dragon Tower." She spoke in an oddly calm voice, though her hands were still clenched into tight fists, and she was blinking far too rapidly. "I'm just- I'm just gonna go stick my head into a fume cupboard and wash my eyes with acid, I'll be right back."

I looked at Ash, and sighed sadly. "We're just friends, Ash. Nothing more. I'm sorry." Unshed tears welled up in my eyes, burning me, blinding me, breaking me up.

"No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for believing that I had a chance against the prince." His eyes were red, like he was about to cry, but his face was apologetic. "I'm sorry for believing you would care for me after all these years."

"Ash..."

"You have places to be, Kitana." His voice was a bare whisper. "Just go."

I stood up from my bed, grabbing a cloak to wrap around me, before looking back at him with blurry sight. He was gone, leaving nothing but an open window and curtains fluttering in the breeze. I gasped for breath, choking back the tears. Clutching the cloak tightly in my hands, I sniffled, before hurrying to Dragon Tower.

I was just trying to leave my feelings and my thoughts behind.

video: midnight train by sam smith