Heart of Ice

Dragon's Lair

Druford did not consist of much except for the castle Daermad used to guard his gold and jewels in. After the dragon's demise, it was found that all the gold and jewels in the castle were cursed.

People found that the hard way after they flooded the castle and fought for the precious materials. They took the jewels and the gold home and turned mad one by one. Many even ended up killing their family members in greed. After this, the rest of the people dumped all the things they found at the castle in the river.

The castle was built on top of a hill . It's towering height was enough to intimidate anyone who came closer, let alone the barren trees and the darkness wrapped around it.

The rain was still coming down hard and with the wind howling, Anna wished her brother had been careful enough to not be abducted by the Ice Witch. She also wished she was home, wrapped up in a blanket with a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other, sitting in front of the fire.

That is how Anna was spending her free time, thinking of a time when she did not have much to worry about.

By the time, Anna, Drago, and Harlow reached the front of the castle, they were completely drenched. Anna could feel the cold settling in her bones. Her hair stuck to her face as her eyes grew heavy from fatigue.

The horses hooves splashed into the puddles and let out noises that let the humans know they were uncomfortable. The three stopped and Uncle Harlow ventured forward to find a place to sleep away the night.

A thump and a splash was came from behind Anna and she focused her eyes to find Drago on ground. Anna immediately jumped off Lightening and ran towards him. Looking at his stark white skin and pale blue lips, Anna knew he would not be able to survive the night if he was not placed somewhere dry and warm.

Anna took off her cloak and wrapped it tightly around Drago's shivering body. Her eyes tried to find her uncle but was having trouble seeing two feet in front of her with the heavy rain and the night sky. The moon refused to shine it's light on everyone.

Anna screamed out for her uncle even though she probably should've kept her voice low. But distress was running high in her blood and she did not have the time to wait and possibly have the death of Drago on her hands.

Faint noise left Drago's mouth but nothing coherent came out. His barely open eyes stared at Anna and he tried to raise his hand but there was no energy left in his body. His vision faded in and out of focus. He heard two distinct voices before everything blended together. Nothing clear could be heard but he did see Anna's worried face many times.

The next time Drago opened his eyes, everything was hazy. He rubbed his eyes and groaned as a headache hit him hard. His head pounding, he tried to sit up but found himself unable to.

Looking down, his eyes moved over the various colored cloths wrapped around him. With furrowed eyebrows, he looked around for one certain someone. Instead, he found a tall, broad man standing over a pot boiling over a fire.

"You're up." The man said as he turned around. His honey brown eyes found Drago's pale blue eyes.

"What happened?" A groan left Drago's mouth.

"Where are we? Where is Anna? And why am I up like bandages on a wound?"

A chuckle left the man. He shook his head and went back to stirring the pot. Drago could not see what Harlow was stirring in the pot but what it was, Drago did not like the smell of it. Or maybe the smell was coming from the place they were currently residing in.

"Anna is out hunting. We are in the servants chambers in Druford's castle. You fainted and gave Anna quite the scare. And that," Harlow pointed at the cloths around Drago, "was Anna's doing." Harlow did not look away but Drago but only stared at him, expecting something from him when Drago only nodded.

"Yes?" Drago questioned.

"Nothing. Just expected you to protest the fact that Annalise is out in the dark and cold, hunting — alone."

"She can handle it. Better than anyone." Drago's mind went to the time she rescued him.

Harlow chuckled and continued stirring the bronze colored liquid he had been stirring for over two hours. His arms ached and his nose twitched every time he got a whiff off the pot. The only way he was getting through was imagining the reaction of the person who will be drinking this.

Drago tried to unwrap himself but only ended up wiggling around the space he was previously laying on. That was the second Anna decided to make her appearance with two squirrels dangling by her side. Her eyes zoned in on Drago and she rushed to his side, throwing the squirrels at her uncle not bothering to see if he caught them.

"How are you feeling now?"

"I'd feel better if I was not being treated like a nasty wound on someone's arm." Drago chuckled at his own joke and smile widely before he saw the look on Anna's face. His smile only grew wider but more gentler. "I'm feeling well. Thank you for taking care of me." His gentle tone settled under Anna's skin as a warmth spread over her body.

Drago and Anna gazed at each other for a couple of seconds before Anna did something Drago did not expect her to do. It happened so fast that Drago did not even see it coming.

Anna's hand raised high before it came down on Drago's arm. A noise echoed through the room and even Harlow turned around to see what was happening who previously had been ignoring the two children.

"Ow!" Drago's hand rubbed the skin Anna's hand had made contact with not a second ago.

"You scared me. I thought — I seriously thought you were going to die!"

"I am sincerely sorry. If I had known you'd end up this worried, I would've never let myself get this sick." Drago's hand's grabbed Anna's whose were readying themselves for another attack. "But — but you do look cute, worry about me like this." His smile and tone took a teasing tone as Anna's face turned red.

"Shut up!" Anna mumbled as she pulled herself away from Drago.

"Only if you wrap me in cloths like this again. Only, next time, try to find a blanket. These are not so comfortable."

At this, Drago was rewarded with a pillow to his face. A laugh left him as Anna walked towards her uncle and helped him skin the squirrels she had killed not too long ago.

They spent the next couple hours cooking and eating before it was time for Drago to take his medicine. Uncle Harlow poured the now dark brown liquid into a small bowl and pushed it towards Drago.

Drago's mouth twisted in disgust as the smell reached his nose. He pushed it away and crossed his arms over his chest. Anna pushed it back towards him and Drago's lips thrusted outwards. His expression turned sullen and his eyes turned sad.

Anna pushed it closer to Drago and raised her eyebrow. Drago pushed it back and Anna pushed it back towards him again. This went on for a while, with Harlow watching the two in amusement, before Anna smacked Drago's hand away when he made a move to push it away again.

"Drink!"

Anna's firm voice forced Drago to swallow his desire to throw the bowl away and pressed the bowl to his lips. He pinched his nose with one hand and used the other to swallow the thick contents of the bowl. Multiple noises left his mouth, all in disgust but he forced himself to swallow. Drago could not remember the last time he had something so disgusting to drink. Or eat.

Harlow could not keep his laughter in and bellowed in laughter. Anna followed his lead and laughed so hard, tears leaked out of her eyes. Drago's eyes watered from the filthy taste and grabbed the water bottle and drank it dry but the taste did not leave. Drago had the need to throw up everything he had eaten but from Harlow's and Anna's encouragement, he was able to hold it all in.

Anna and Harlow spent the rest of the time teasing before they all called it a night. That night, Anna fell asleep, thinking of the journey ahead.