The Dragon Paladin

Chapter 16

The end of the trade meeting was coming , and it was coming fast. Tomorrow night is the second-to-last night, where there will be a ball for all the packs to attend. Everyone has the day off from unnecessary duties to prepare. On one hand, half the pack is setting up decorations such as lights around the gardens and the fountains, weaving flower garlands for the pergolas, preparing perfumes and fire pits and torches. While the other half is busy sewing outfits for everyone. Clara has me helping her. 

"I just don't get what's so important about it!" I complain to her. "Why do I even have to go?"
"Will you sit still?" Clara sighs as she rummages through my closet, seemingly convinced that there will be something party-worthy among my armor, 9 matching tunics, 1 set of human clothes and two pairs of pants. No such luck. "Is this really all you have?" She asks me as if she's allowed to complain. It's my clothes, I decide what I wear.
"Of course not," I say innocently. "I also have a suitcase full of vintage dresses from Earth buried under the tree by the window."
She turns to me hopeful, and sighs when she sees my deadpan expression. "Now is not the time for sarcasm," she chides. "We need to find you something for tomorrow night. You can't wear anything of mine,  everything I have will just sag on you. You're a twig."
I took slight offense to this. "Hey! Not my fault you're built like a boulder."
"I am a gronkle and part Balmeran," she replies. "That is how I am supposed to look." 

Clearly, my attempt to show my displeasure failed.

"What do you even need this for?" Clara takes out my suit of armor and holds it up against her. "Dress up?"
I jump up and take it from her. "None of your business!"
"Ok, ok." She looks around my closet one more time and shakes her head. "Come on." She grabs my hand.
"Wait! Where are we going?"
Clara picks her sketchbook. "We are going to get you a dress."
"No! I don't need-"
"Listen to me, Blizzard. You want to do this. But it'll have to be fairly simple because someone left it till the last minute. So trust me for once, alright?"
I'm not sure if I like where this is going. But I'll act like I don't hate it.

First stop, the flower gardens. Clara has me posing by the fountains, the bushes and blooming shrubs. Something about finding the perfect colour for me? Seriously, you'd think she was getting ready for a mating ceremony. Which is not the case. I've got too much on my plate right now and likely the next few years to think about mating. Or relationships. One hour and several sketches later, I feel the communicator in my pocket going crazy.  Uncle Thace gave it to me before he and Ulaz and Kolivan and Regris left. It feels like forever ago, but it's probably only been abut two months.

"Clara? I've got a call I need to take."
She sighs and looks up. "Fine. Go. Nothing's looking right, anyway."

Thank you for your faith in my modelling skills. I take the communicator out of my pocket and run back to the tree by the bedroom window.

"Hello?"
"Ellie?"
"Regris!"
"Kid, I have been calling you for nearly two weeks! What have you been doing?"
I giggle. "Sorry, my communicator was in a pocket I forgot about on a garment I haven't been wearing. Why?"
"Listen carefully, you have about a day before Kolivan gets to you. something about a training test. You been practicing?"
Oh no. What do I say? I can't lie, but I can't tell the truth.
"Ellie?" Regris' voice on the other end gets my attention. "Have you?"
"I've been too busy studying and doing chores!"
"What studying?"
"Didn't Ma tell you? She got sick, so I'm living with her friends pack, away from humans. I'm safe here, she said. Part of the deal is, the friend is now my teacher and I have to help with maintenance."
I hear him growl in frustration. "Can you get tomorrow afternoon off?"
"No I cannot."
"Ellie-"
"Regris, there is a ball happening tomorrow night, and both my roommates, their two friends have already decided I'm going."
"You do realize Kolivan doesn't give a damn about that stuff, right?"
"Yes! I do! But if I don't go, then the Alpha might do something to me! He nearly did to my roommates friend, who leads his own pack. I'm not taking any chances."
"Your funeral, kid."
"Make the coffin out of mother-of-pearl."
Regris laughs. "A little dark, don't you think?"
I shrug, then remember he can't see me. "Well, what's stopping him from completely ending me?"
"What's stopping you from going insane? I've seen how you look at blades. How you fight. It's unsettling."
"I know! Why do you think I hide for an hour after? It scares even me!"
"Hey, it's okay! Calm down. He left for yours not long ago, think you'll be ready?"
"Maybe. I hope so."
"I know you will. Good luck."
"Thanks."
I hung up. Well, I'm gonna die. Just hope it's quick and painless.