Once we got back to the compound everyone was already at dinner. "I think I'm going to skip and just head to my room; I'm pretty tired," I said, as Erik and I put the horses away.
He caught my shoulder as I went to walk off. "No, you're not. There is no skipping meals unless you are sick. We train hard so we need to keep our bodies nourished to keep us healthy as we train," he said guiding me towards the cafeteria. We entered and I found my brothers already in their usual spot. I quickly grabbed dinner and took a seat at the edge of the bench beside Benedict.
"How'd it go?" Alakay asked.
"It went well. I didn't think we'd be gone so long," I replied.
"Who were you escorting?" Benedict asked, as he glanced at my limited food choice.
I ignored the raised eyebrow. "The princess. She wanted to go riding and her father didn't want her out with any less than a Dragon escort," I explained.
"Oh, so you got some quality time with Princess Isabella? You gonna be falling head over heels for her?" Alakay asked with a chuckle. I shook my head choosing not to respond.
Dinner wrapped up and soon we were in our usual dance circle. I had once again tried to slip off, but was told by Micah that wasn't allowed. Tonight was my final night on trial and they planned to celebrate it. However, after two or three songs as we were changing dance partners I managed to slip away and found my way up to the tower. I could hear the laughter of the Dragons as they all continued to dance and enjoy the night. For a moment, I thought of abandoning my seat and heading back to join them. This could be my last night. In the end, that is why I did not move from my seat on the tower. Tomorrow I would be facing the decision that Orion would make about my future with the Dragons.
"Mind if we join you?" Louis asked from behind me.
I gasped and spun to see my four brothers standing over me. I quickly wiped at my eyes. "How did you know where I was?" I asked. Benedict smiled down at me and took a seat beside me.
"Alakay said he found you here a few days ago. We thought that with what tomorrow holds you'd be looking for a quiet place," Louis said leaning against one of the posts. Alakay walked forward and took a seat on my other side.
Shepherd took to leaning against the other post. "So what's going through your mind?" He asked.
"I don't even know," I said, looking down at my hands.
"Sometimes it helps to talk... just let the words come," Benedict said.
I looked around at the four guys who had taken me under their wing and become family. "I'm scared," I said. "I am scared that Orion will tell me that I am not good enough to be a Dragon, that I'm done. Then what? Andrew offered me a place, but is that where I belong?" I said not talking to anyone, simply voicing the thoughts running through my head. "Then I failed... I failed my family. How am I supposed to find my brother?" I said, starting to shake. There was silence for a few minutes, my voice lowering as I continued to talk. "I'm scared that Orion will say that I have what it takes to be a Dragon. All I've ever known is a small village. This past week has been incredible, but it still seems like a dream. What if I can't live up to what Orion is expecting? What if this is all for nothing?" I said tears running down my cheeks. With a shaky breath, I looked up. "I have only been with you for six days, yet you have become family. I've already lost two families. I can't stand to lose another. If I'm sent away it will be like losing you all. If I stay and don't live up to what all of you keep saying I am, then I may lose you anyway," I said trying to control my emotions, but they were too strong.
There was silence as my words not only sunk in for them, but for me as well. "No matter what happens tomorrow you will not lose us. You are our brother and whether you are working on a farm or beside us that will not change," Alakay said.
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The Hidden Princess: Finding Hope (Book One)
FantasyOrphaned on her fourteenth birthday Samantha was left with nothing but her father's dying message. Samantha must make the choice to continue on when all hope is lost. A new life is set before her in the capital city of Jarrow, but when secrets from...