the dRaGoN one

Insights

Anna's POV:

I shut the door, turning to face my brother. He's folding his arms, questioning me with his expression "I didn't know you still held a grudge," he says demeaningly. "He made a mistake, it was half a decade ago."

"You're actually defending him??" my eyes flash dangerously.

"He's different now," he sits in a chair by his desk. "We all are. He may not have recognized you, but you definitely did not recognize him either."

"Hmph." I huff, sitting in a different chair. 

"I don't care," I continue stubbornly. "That's not why I'm here."

"Why are you here?" Rykor asks, leaning forward. "I would've thought that today of all days you would sleep in a bit."

"Oh yeah," I mentally face palm, remembering the importance of what I had learned. "Rykor, do you remember what mom told us about....the thing....in the courtyard," I say, lowering my voice.

He stiffens, clearly not wanting to discuss my mom. "What did you do." He asks coldly.

"I found it, I found the way in. And Rykor, I think there was more to her death than meets the eye. I think there is a conspiracy."

"Who told you this?" He asks dubiously.

"Um," I start, unsure of how he'll take it. "The Elder Dragon did."

He lifts his gaze to mys, eyes crinkling in amusement. "Okay. And what did Santa tell you, Anna?"

"No, I'm serious." I summon every ounce of sincerity I own, regretting all the times I tricked him. "He told me he couldn't lie, that he was cursed to inform the royals of whatever they desire."

He stands and begins pacing. "One question per night?"

"Yeah, how did you—."

"Suspended in a world of white?"

"Have you already—."

"In a white pond of water? Moving water?" I stand and shove my hand over his mouth, shutting him up.

"How did you know?"

He yanks my hand off his face, turning dramatically away from me, towards the balcony. "I've been there, every night. Every night since Orads death." I stand still for a moment, shocked.

"You never thought to tell anyone???" I ask angrily, stepping in front of him and forcing him to face me.

He glares down at me. "Anna, you wouldn't understand."

"Try me." I stomp my foot in frustration.

"Before I was the Elder dragon, who was?" He snaps at me.

"Orad," I say immediately. My face dawns in realization. "Oh."

"Anna, his death killed me. I'm certain a part of me will never be the same. After he died," he put his hand on his neck uncomfortably, "I had a dream. He was in dragon form, speaking to me. He always has some new thing to say, some action to ridicule. You know him," he says. "I was never sufficient."

"Why do you talk to him?" I ask softly. I always knew Rykor looked up to my brother, but I never knew why. He was always cruel and impatient, showing me coldness and pain. Everyone assumes that he was a loving brother, but he was simply a war machine, and however it pained me to admit it, I was not put off by his death at all. He never treated me with the same respect Rykor did. "Why do you put up with his censure, even after he's dead?"

"I don't know what I'm doing," he stares blankly at the courtyard below his balcony. "I wasn't born to rule, Anna." He looks at me, eyes watery. "And now mother is dead. My coronation will be within months, my wedding within days. The fate of not one but two countries rests on my shoulders, and soon," he gulps uncomfortably, "I will have a family. Children." He reddens, turning away from me so I can't see his face. "They will possess the same unfortunate burden I bear."

There's a long silence. I have no idea what to say. He has always seemed so perfect, I never thought that he wasn't confident in his position.

"Rykor," I say uncomfortably, "why didn't you tell me. I could help you with the burden of ruling, I could—."

"I would never wish this on you, Anna. This is my task, and i will do it in the shadow of my brother. That's why I didn't tell you. I would hate for you to work in my shadow, and resent me in the same way I resented him. You have the potential of happiness, love, marriage, a family. Don't worry about me. I'll worry about these things."

"I...I can't even..." I hold myself back from slapping him across the face, instead using some choice words that were not very lady-like. "You think you are SO MUCH bEtTeR.... I could help you, you know!? I could save your butt, make you less... depressed. You could have those things, too. Marriage? A family? Rykor, those are on it's way for you. You're going to have to start caring about people outside of your little world really soon. Or I am going to have to sincerely apologize to Leya, because her husband, and it's my fault, is going to be a horrible person."

"Anna, you don't understand. Serious things are at stake here!"

"Yeah, good luck. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful." I give him my puppy eyes and shake my head disappointedly, stalking angrily out of the room.

He punches the bed post. "Whyyyy issss todayyyy soooo suckkkyyyy" he's pretty much having a rough time. Reden walks in, swirling his sword like it was a toy in his hands.

"Well," he started, "looks like she still has her way around here."

"I am SO not about to talk about my sister with you, Reden. That's for you to solve, unless you want me to punch you in the face. Again." Rykor says nonchalantly.

"Okay okay, fair enough. Calm down, Ky."

"When your sister is thinking you're equal to a demon and your fiance, who you don't even know, is constantly challenging your every move and liking another guy, and your mother has died, probably from poison--an inside job--, come talk to me." He flops down on his bed and rolls to the side, away from Reden.

"Um," Reden coughs uncomfortably. "What if I want to invite you to go shooting? Can I talk to you then?"

"I have meetings."

"I took care of that, you're welcome."

"you did WHaT?"

"C'mon dude, it's one afternoon. Unless you'd rather spend time with the evil sister or cheating fiance."

"She's not evil and she's not cheating."

"Hey, you're the king."

"And I'm not the king, yet."

"THen you should be able to take an afternoon off."

Rykor sighs defeatedly, agreeing to go shoot some birds, targets, whatever they can find.