World's Tale: Royalty and The Dragon

Chapter Seven: Fallen From Grace

The poor usually dream about how it would feel waking up in a comfortable bed, in a warm room, with linen blankets on themselves and the first rays of the morning peeking in through the curtains.

At least, most of them would.

It wasn't Nel's case, however, since every now and then she'd have some really bad awakenings, in the most random places. At that, was one of those times.

She opened her eyes, looking straight up at the sky. By the looks of it, it didn't seem to be later than noon. Nel sat up, taking in as much of her surroundings as she could. She did not know that view, but could she have really flown that far? She had been laying under the shadow of a tree she did not recognize, by the side of a road she didn't believe to have seen before.

She tried pulling herself up, helping herself with her arms.

Pain jolted all through her body and she fell down against the bark yet again. Her arm was a mess, her shoulder was dislocated and a deep cut ran almost all the way down to her elbow. Cautiously, she ripped a piece of her jacket, which was already completely destroyed anyway, and wrapped it around her arm, bearing with the burning feeling as soon as the cloth touched the exposed flesh.

Throwing her head backward, she leaned fully against the tree, bumping her head against it a couple times.

"You don't look too good already missy, I wouldn't add brain injury too if I were you."

"What the f... Brain injury?" pouted her, glancing sideways.

Ahh, she knew she recognized that voice.

She sighed "You better run that rundown cart along Jorge" the man paid no attention to her words and jumped down from his wagon.

He looked at her up and down, probably scanning for some more injuries. Trotting back, he rummaged in the supply bags he was carrying.

"Whatever you're doing I don't need it" huffed Nel and he whistled in response.

"Feisty even after falling from the stars, love?" he kneeled down and cleaned her forehead with a cloth. Snapping his finger he smirked at her "Don't tell me, are you still angry for that time I almost pounced you?"

Nel frowned and furrowed her brows "I'll snap your neck if you don't stop."

"I can think of other things you could do with my neck, darling" he mused offering her a hand to get up, she took it. It wasn't like she had many other options.

"Jorge for the love of God" the two of them looked at each other in silence before cracking a smile "You don't look too good yourself, by the way."

The man shrugged, running a hand through his short black hair nervously. He looked like he had just escaped from a prison, by how he was dressed.

Wait, he can't possibly have done that, right? wondered Nel, squinting her eyes at him.

"I escaped just barely, the other day. I was out on my daily patrol of the borders, you know?" he started, hopping back on the cart and patting on the seat next to him for Nel to sit on "It so happens that the King's men are patrolling around here, too" he nodded at her, taking the reins in his hands and hitting the donkey gently on its back "But you probably know that already."

Nel looked down at her arm "I was.. Being careless."

Jorge burst out in a laugh so forced it made Nel cringe "Careless? Darling, I saw that. I saw it all, you were going absolutely crazy up there. You know better than to lose it like that."