World's Tale: Royalty and The Dragon

Chapter Six: That which was Hidden

The path following the mountains stretched for hours onward. At some point along the road, the group had loaded the buckets and the roses on a cart pulled by a horse and were now moving faster than it did before.

Nel wasn't used to walking that path alongside somebody else. Most of the time she'd go there ahead of time, before any other of the women of the village. Other times she'd be with them but keep a safe distance and walk alone with her thoughts.

It was harder that time though: Alina was right there next to her and thoughts of her filled her mind. She would wonder what the princess was thinking about. She'd also ask herself why she was taking her along in the first place: the princess, the flesh and blood of the Alon King, the bloodline that had destroyed their lives and the quiet they were used to live basked in.

Yet here she was, enjoying the company.

"Nel?" called out to her Alina.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"There's something I was wondering..."

"Obviously," remarked Nel "So what is it?"

Alina tilted her head both ways before speaking up "Is there more than one Dragon?"

Nel weighted her answers mentally, as well as her options. Lie or say something close enough to the truth? "Why do you ask?"

Alina shrugged, jumping over a boulder in front of her. The path had started going up, rather than straight only. They must have been almost there if there were collapsed rocks on the road.

She waited for Alina to be in front of her before kicking it away, making it roll all the way down the slope and some more. Alina turned around and raised her eyebrows alternating her gaze between Nel and the rock "How did that roll down there?"

"Oh, yeah, I was asking myself the same" Nel murmured furrowing her brow contemplative. Alina chuckled and stopped to let Nel catch up.

"Obviously, yes."

Nel lowered her gaze to the ground and smiled quietly. She wasn't used to the kind of domestic feeling that there was between the two of them and she had no idea how to tackle it head-on. She also still didn't know how much she could trust the princess, despite the reputation that she had on her shoulders, which was enough to prove that she was different. But it was also hard to believe that hatred rooted so deep in her family could've just disappeared all of a sudden within her.

She was genuine, pure and perhaps a bit naive. But she knew how to make room for herself in people's heart. She had run off to talk to one of the elders walking next to Tia, who was still eyeing her angrily but with a glimmer of resignation, but even then, they looked like they were laughing and enjoying themselves. It seemed that everything for Alina was easier than it had ever been for herself. And how could it ever be any other way, after all.

What had she gotten herself into?

"Nel! Come, come!" the princess shouted to catch her attention and the Hunter shook her head. It was crazy just how much it felt like she was babysitting this girl. She sped up, jumping up the slope agilely, stopping right in front of the princess.

Alina blinked a couple times "Uhh... There was someone beaut- SOMETHING. Something, like, not a living breathing being. Right, you know what, just look there" she said, her face so red Nel thought she was going to melt. She chuckled and directed her gaze towards whatever she wanted her to look at. She was right, the view was beautiful: the red shades of the sky, the sun hiding behind the forest, the lake in the distance. But more than everything else, the quiet and relaxing atmosphere.