Switched ~ a Fractured Fairytale

Chapter Fifteen ~ Aftermath

Chaos. That's all I could see, everywhere I looked. The large oak tree Alastair and I had been standing under only minutes before was ablaze, flames reaching ten feet into the sky and billowing thick, acrid smoke that made my eyes sting. Guests were shouting and running in all directions as palace guards and footmen rushed for water. And, in the midst of all, Olive, watching the slowly retreating dragon, carrying her beloved son.

Immediately, I was rushed to the palace infirmary, escorted by my siblings and a squad of palace guards, in case the dragon returned. I sat on a bed, still wearing my wedding gown, which was now quite ruined. It was covered in soot and most of my train had been burned away. There was a large tear where the dragon's tail had hit me. The lace veil was in tatters and the hem was covered in muddy grass stains. My throat was sore from the smoke and my mind was completely blank from the shock. With every breath, my ribs ached, and I could already see a spectacular bruise blooming across my sternum.

A dragon! A real, enormous, fire breathing dragon! I was struggling to get my mind around the enormity of the situation.

'Well, at least it was a memorable wedding,' Cassy said, sitting beside me.

'Cassy,' I said hoarsely. 'That dragon, do you know anything about it?'

'It was a young female, that's all I could tell,' Cassy said, shrugging. 'Honestly, I was too stunned to really think. You do realise this is the first time a dragon has involved itself in human affairs in nearly a hundred years.'

Theo chuckled, shaking his head at her. 'Trust you to be more interested in the history.'

'Hey! This is huge,' Cassy said. 'I can't believe it, actually. It looked like it was headed north to the Kiprani Moutains. All the reports spoke of dragons flying south, not north.'

'Well, what goes up must come down,' Theo said, and Cassy made a face at him, rolling her eyes.

Bash came through the doors at the far end of the ward and, spotting us, he hurried over.

'El, how are you?' he said. 'Are you hurt?'

'I'm alright,' I said. 'How's Mother? Issy?'

'They're all fine,' Bash said reassuringly. 'Everyone's OK.'

'We were talking about the dragon,' Cassy told Bash.

'A dragon just turns up, burns a tree and runs off with a prince?' Theo said. 'Doesn't sound very dragonly to me.'

Bash sat down on the chair beside my bed and looked at me with a thoughtful expression. 'Here's the thing I don't understand,' he said. 'Why did the dragon take Alastair?'

'And why not wait till after we were married?' I said.

'Dragons don't attack people as much as you'd think,' Cassy said. 'Even back then, they prefer to keep to themselves.'

'So why now?' I asked.

'And why Alastair?' Bash said.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in thought. With Alastair gone, likely kidnapped, it was hard to see how our alliance would continue. King Percival was committed, but he wouldn't throw away the lives of his soldiers for nothing in return. Santiana was on her own again, and now more alone than ever.

'El, I'm really sorry,' Bash said, standing and taking my hand. 'Father and I must return home to the war.'

I nodded sadly. 'Stay safe,' I said.

Bash hugged each of us, Cassy blinking back tears. In the doorway, Bash turned and saluted us. Then the door clicked shut and Bash was gone. Cassy and I looked at each other. I could see my own worry echoed in her eyes and the firm set of her jaw.