Chapter 38

Being pushed to the King's chambers was a lot like being strapped into the torture chamber Nazir had crafted to punish her. The trepidation roiling in her stomach was similar, but she wasn't fearful of being hurt like she would have been normally. This fear was different, if it could even be called fear.

"How long is this going to take?" She tried to sound level headed but it came out more of a snarl than anything. The healers remained silent as they continued. The sound of the wheels clacking against the stone floors only frazzled her nerves more. What she wouldn't do to be able to throw fire again. She'd burn all of them to ash just to amuse herself.

"We're here." The healer pushing her spoke in a gravely voice as they arrived in front of what looked like a door carved from ivory. On one door was the three towers that dominated the city, they were depicted shooting beams of either energy or light out of the floating orbs and into the distance. The other door had a carving of the royal family, though she recognized none of the faces. They were likely the original King and Queen and their two sons. Talia wondered if the current King was of any relation, by now most of the original bloodline had all but died off.

The second healer knocked on the door briskly before stepped back and positioning into a deep and respectful bow. She turned slightly to see her healer-pusher doing the same. The door opened cleanly, not even a squeak to announce its movement, revealing two glittering armor-clad guards with helmets covering every portion of their faces. They looked like little chess pieces, Talia thought to herself idly, as they stepped forward and her healers stepped back.

"The King is grateful for your acceptance of his invitation." The fist guard said, his voice deep and authoritative. The second guard walked up to her before taking control of the wheeling chair and pushing her forward. She sneered,

"Certainly, it was my honor to accept such a forthright invitation from a man I know nothing about." Her remark was biting yet respectful enough to not warrant a reaction, thus the guards remained silent as they escorted her in and closed the door behind them.

Inside the royal chamber she was assaulted by gaudy riches. Statuettes, glowing orb lights like the one in her medical room, animal hide rugs, tapestries, decadent fruit platter lying about on what she imagined were impossibly expensive tables. It reeked of overcompensation. Low and behold, the King reeked of it too.

He was a short man, especially for a human. Or perhaps she was biased as a half giant. Either way his stature was measly at best, he was underwhelming in every way. Typical muddy brown hair, typical murky brown eyes, typical round face. He had thin lips and ears that were more like saucers on the side of his head. He was actually sort of goofy looking, but she could see one thing about him that made her skin crawl and that was the pure venomous darkness that pooled in the depths of his eyes.

"Greetings dragon rider, it is an incredible honor to host the very first of your kind in my illustrious city in... What has it been now? Five thousand years? A shame about your condition however. Let me assure you that I will call upon every healer in the world until your walking is restored to you." He stood from the cushy chair he had been perched in to step forward and offer her a goblet of wine. She took it from him gently with a soft polite smile, she hadn't been in the game of killing royals for a few years but she still remembered her manners.

"A kind offer your highness, I can not fathom the resources such efforts would cost you. I am grateful of course but I feel that it would be in my best interest to return to my elvish homelands." It was the lie she fed everyone who tried to hold her hostage. She looked more elvish than anything and the threat of the elvish kingdoms retaliation was often enough to buy her release.

"Of course I could send a bird to your kin and request an escort to come for you. It would take a few weeks of course but in the interim my healers could continue to find an answer to your condition." He smiled smugly as if he had caught her in a check-mate. She smiled sweetly, her own venomous rage spiking in her blood. She wouldn't be cowed by such tactics.

"I wouldn't advise you to answer that..." Reezara whispered as she curled tighter into Talia's arms. Of course she was going to ignore her dragons advice, her mouth was already spitting the words,

"Certainly. I welcome your invitation. Might I pen the letter myself? I owe it to my family to tell them what has happened. They know not of my dragon just yet." It would be weird for him to deny and he knew it, the calculated look glinting in his gaze was enough to confirm that. She had him by the balls already, the satisfaction was enough to widen her smile. But the game was far from over.

"Of course. I'll send you some ink pots, quills, and paper after we adjourn here. Now, may I see the dragon? It is a beauty from what I can see already." His intentions were growing ever clearer. Her smile fell as she laid a hand over Reezara's back.

"The choice is hers, she's not mine to command like a pet." She left the invitation open, if Reezara wanted to show herself it was her choice she wouldn't argue. The dragon lifted her head slightly to eye the king.

"He is a snake, seeking any weakened scale to inject his venom. I will not show him myself so he might see a weakness." Talia shrugged,

"She's feeling a bit shy today I'm afraid. Perhaps next time." She was well aware that there would be a next time, he would ensure it. Whatever his game was he wasn't done playing. His smile faltered slightly but he nodded his head and took a seat once more nonetheless.

"Certainly, understandable for such a young hatchling. Has she spit her first flame then?" The line of questioning was growing far too personal for her liking. Her stomach twisted and her desire to slit his throat grew. Playing the game was never her favorite part of the job, she preferred the bloodbaths.

"Not yet. She is young, it will come with time." The lie rolled easily from her tongue but she still wanted to bite off the words and let him find out the hard way. Reezara's claws dug in with her own affirmation, she would certainly burn him if Talia asked.

"Yes, certainly as do most things. I am to understand you are a half-giant?" She bit the inside of her cheek. What was with the third degree? He was a nosy man, perhaps if she cut that off he'd get the hint. But she was like a declawed cat there was no threat behind her words just yet. She curled her fingers but there was still no mana to ignite her flame.

"Does my heritage intrigue you?" She swirled the wine in her goblet before sniffing at it. The scent of fermented fruit was tantalizing, but the scent of drugs beneath it was off-putting. Did he take her for a fool?

"Certainly, the new rider is a most interesting subject for me. I am likely the first royal to get to interview you like this. Such a... Rare and valuable opportunity." The way he mouthed it irked her. The way his voice hit her ears irked her. Everything about him annoyed her endlessly. Yet she smiled,

"I would be happy to oblige you, however I am growing quite weary. The battles of my travel have been costly and tiresome. I am still sore from the last one." She rolled her shoulders to prove a point. The King's smile fell suddenly.

"Have my healers been incompetent in their jobs?" The edge to his voice was clear. She shifted uncomfortably as she replied,

"Most of their ministrations have been done whilst I slept. They've tended my broken bones well, I feel this soreness may be more from the memory of the fight than the injuries themselves." He tapped his fingers together as he leaned forward,

"And what did you fight again? My guards could find no body, though the damage was significant. Certainly it was a large creature." Now he was digging into the meat of things. Would he believe her?

"It was a large bull-like creature. Although that was his original form, he was of course possessed by a demon when we fought. He was consumed by a creature under my command, then banished to the void of whatever afterlife cares to claim him." It was the short and sweet of it. He leaned back once more before drinking from his own goblet. He drank deeply as rivulets of crimson bled down his lips and chin. He slapped the goblet down with a gasp, white teeth flashing as he started to laugh.

"Demons! But of course, what should I have expected? You were quite injured when you arrived, it only makes sense that your recollection isn't quite up to the challenge just yet. Whatever the creature it hasn't been found by my guard so there's no need to worry." He was practically slapping himself on the back for that. She nearly rolled her eyes.

"Of course, my head is quite achy." She held the goblet forward, the knight standing next to it took it though the look he received from the King made it clear he wasn't happy with it.

"I see, yes you are quite ill aren't you? You were badly hurt after all, what can I expect? Poor appetite and thirst is only the first sign that my healers have missed something in you. I'll see to it at once that they ensure your perfect health before the end of the week. Before I send you back to your quarters however I have a gift for you." He motioned with his fingers and the guard who took her drink turned on his heel to open a smaller wooden door across the room.

Talia nearly gasped as Lotus stepped through, a wide grin on her face. As she moved forward Talia noticed her elegant green dress and groomed hair. She was practically glowing, she looked the picture of health and happiness. If it weren't for her empty glassy eyes Talia would have returned the smile. She would have been all too happy to rush forward and embrace the first friendly face she had seen in a while.

"Lotus? Where have you been hiding?" She asked perkily. It felt so wrong, that tone coming from her mouth.

"She's not herself, I can't sense her mind anywhere." Reezara nuzzled her nose under her wings as Talia started to pet her slowly. That much was clear, she could sense that Lotus wasn't herself at the very start. Talia wasn't a peppy excitable woman but Lotus was. She would have been bouncing around already, yet she walked with a slow careful purpose.

"She was seen by my healers but was quite healthy. She insisted she wanted to be the first of your group to greet you after you were awake. She offered to serve you as a handmaiden for the duration of your stay within my castle halls." He emphasized 'my' before smiling brightly at her. She shuffled again as her discomfort grew. Handmaiden? Lotus just shed her last chains, why would she enslave herself again?

"She likely doesn't see it that way. She'd do anything to make you happy." Reezara's voice pulled Talia back from her spiraling thoughts. She sighed, Reezara was probably right. Lotus was far too nosy and eager to please compared to everyone else.

"She'd be an idiot to do that." She smiled as Lotus bowed in front of her. It felt so unnatural.

"I need no service, I am eternally grateful for you dedication though Lotus." She wanted it to be clear she wouldn't accept such an arrangement. She didn't need handmaidens, and she certainly didn't need her friends to become her staff.

"One day we'll have an entire kingdom begging to wait on us hand and foot." Reezara remarked dryly.

"Yes, but they won't be our friends." Talia retorted just as dryly. The King snarled slightly but covered it with a laugh.

"You'll need all the help you can get my dear, your inability to walk will leave you quite hampered within this castle. She will assist you with every task from bathing to clothing." What was his goal? She squinted at him as he said it.

"What shall I do while I'm here? You expect I shall heal, and so I shall but in the interim what shall I do?" She didn't expect he'd allow her any measure of true freedom. She had a distinct sense she was more a caged bird than anything to the King. A toy.

"Heal of course, focus your time on getting back to your feet. If you truly want something to put your mind to my court always has a free seat. You could try your hand at mediating and offering advice to the cityfolk. I'm certain they'd be most eager to be the focus of the first Rider's attentions for a short time." He sounded awfully smug. But she couldn't let him know how pissed she was just yet.

"Of course. Now if you don't mind I'd like to go rest. I'm exhausted." She really was too, her back was starting to ache and so were her legs. She could have cursed the gods, she couldn't feel anything unless it was pain. The King waved a hand dismissively,

"I'll have your dear friend Lotus wheel you to your new room. It was once the royal room for Princess Akira of the first age. I've had it cleaned and prepared special for you." Those words had enough threat behind them, she was certain her stay within the castle would be quite extended if he had anything to say about it. Lotus stepped forward, her eyes never straying in any direction as she grabbed the chair and pulled Talia harshly back towards the entryway. She snapped her teeth together in annoyance.

"Thank you King." She bit the words out as Lotus turned her around.

"Please, address me as King Gordon when we're away from the public. See you soon Talia." His voice echoed through the empty halls with an ominous tension so high even her hair was standing on end.