three

Lord Arthur Blythe was shaken awake by his son, Edmund. He reached out to his son, expecting him to have had another nightmare, but his son stopped him, "Amaris is gone!"

His wife, Penelope, shot up from beside him, "Missing? What do you mean?"

The parents rushed out of bed, Arthur grabbing his sword and Penelope attempting to soothe her son enough to get out the story. Apparently, she had been with her handmaiden, Luce, and she had left her rooms to retrieve a book. He made a note to remind himself to scold his daughter for wandering the castle at night by herself.

"Did you check the nursery?" His pregnant wife asked. Only one month until their newest baby joined them. Edmund nodded, eyes filling with tears.

His son opened his mouth, but Arthur cut him off, "It is not your fault, my son. We will find her. Where else have you checked?"

They were walking to the King's rooms as Edmund told him that, basically, they had searched the entire castle. Luce had run from room to room in a flit of panic when she realized it had been far too long since her friend had left. Edmund double-checked those rooms in his own panic. Searching them again would just waste precious time. If she was not in the castle, she was out of it.

When they reached the King's door, the guards nodded at him before knocking on the door, entering the room to wake the King. Arthur turned to his son's personal guard, "Take him back to his rooms and wait with him there."

"No! She is my sister; I will help find her!" Edmund shouted at him.

He grabbed his son's shoulders, "Do not argue with me, Edmund. I will not risk losing you as well." He kissed his son's forehead. "Now, go."

His son was kissed by his mother as well before he let himself be dragged away. Arthur allowed himself to feel a small pang of relief knowing one of his children was safe. If something happened to Amaris-

He, thankfully, was pulled from his thoughts when the King appeared in his doorway, face angry at being woken up, "What is the meaning of this, Arthur!?"

Arthur sighed, "My daughter is missing, Richard."

King Richard's face dropped before it hardened. He turned to his guard and immediately ordered a search be started. The guard nodded, bowed, and disappeared with a firm "Your grace."

Richard had disappeared for a moment, returning with his sword, his face pinched with determination. Amaris was like a second daughter to him; Arthur felt the same about the King's own children. The King and his guard started down the hall and Arthur turned to his wife, placing a hand on her stomach.

"My love, if you dare tell me to go back to our rooms, I will punch you," His wife glared at him.

He kissed her hands, "I would not dare."

They started down the hall together. Eventually he had to leave her behind; he did not want to, but she ushered him away. She would search, but it would need to be slower than everyone else as she could not keep up with how far into pregnancy she was. He tried to think of where she could be as he searched, trying to remember if she had told him anything new recently. She had not. He prayed to the gods he no longer let himself believe in to make sure his little girl was okay. She had to be.

***

It had been an hour. Still no sign of his daughter. He could feel his nose beginning to itch with tears he was sure would fall if they did not find her soon. Just faintly, he could feel bubbling anger. He would deal with that feeling later. After his daughter was safe in his arms. He saw his wife walking quickly to him, a silent question on her desperate face. He shook his head and she paused, placing a hand over her mouth. The King noticed from where he was commanding another group of guards. He walked over to her, grabbing her hands, "Do not worry, Pen. We will find her."

Richard nodded at his friend. Arthur nodded back. The King was about to open his mouth to give another demand when the ground shook beneath them immediately followed by an ear-piercing roar. No.

His eyes briefly met his wife's before he tore through the crowd, desperate to get to the source of the sound. His daughter was burned. His daughter would be ash before he got to her. He had to force himself not to stop to throw up at the thought. He distantly heard pounding footsteps behind him as he ran. He ran into a clearing behind the castle he had not even known was there.

He skidded to a halt at the sight in the middle of the field. Before him was the biggest, most beautiful dragon he had ever seen. It took him a moment to place it. The rumors of her did not do her justice. He would never tell his wife, but he thought he had just found the most beautiful sight in the world. He heard the King and his panting wife skid to a halt beside him.

"Mother! Father!" He heard his daughter's voice from somewhere near the dragon. He choked on air as he watched the dragon turn slightly and reveal his daughter. She was seated between the spikes on the back of the dragon; the creature so large he had to squint to see his daughter. He watched in disbelief as his daughter pulled herself from the spikes and stood on the wing. He could hear his wife crying at the sight of her daughter safe and alive. He was not too far off from breaking down himself. He felt Richard's hand come up to grip his shoulder.

The dragon lowered her wing to allow his nine-year-old daughter to step off of her. The group of people could do nothing but watch in shock as his daughter stood in front of the dragon, facing everyone; her hair windswept and a wide grin plastered on his flushed cheeks.

"I think I have a dragon now," His daughter told everyone.

He listened as the dragon let out another ear-piercing roar as if confirming what his daughter just said. Amaris did not react to the roar like everyone else did, covering their ears.

She just stood taller and smiled wider.