CHAPTER 2: THE STRANGER
I giggled as I felt myself on something wet and ticklish. The smell of fresh air and rain is making me not want to stand up, but I know I have to because I have chores to do. With a deep breath, I sighed and opened my hazel eyes just to see grey kind of clouds over my head. Well, the maid quarters surely do not have cloud as roof.
I looked around to see I'm in some type of clearing filled with wet grass, the palace far from sight.
Confused and panicked, I look around trying to find anything familiar just for my eyes to meet scarlet red eyes staring back at me with something close to curiosity.
I screamed bloody murder as I watched the silver dragon also watching my every move like a predator after it prey.
Everything that happen before came rushing back to me at an alarming speed.
OH Heavens! I'm surely going to die.
They probably left me here with this creature so it will kill me.
The dragon growled baring it teeth and I screamed in fear, tears running nonstop down my face. I've been doing a lot of screaming and crying lately.
Well, I'm not to be blamed, I'm scared out of my mind.
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I started thinking of different ways I could escape. Maybe if I try to talk to it, it may help make my death quick and painless.
'Oh my' I can't imagine I just thought that.
"Ermmm" I cleared my throat shakily and the dragon just Kept staring at me like it is taunting me.
Suddenly he moved closer to me, and I stood up in fear and took several steps back and something like a whine came from the dragon and I stared in disbelief.
I'm sure this creature didn't just make that sound.
It whined again before pushing me to sit with his snort, of course I screamed, I thought he was about to bite my head off.
He circled his body around me, and I was paralyzed with fear, I only started to relax a little after several minutes when it seems the dragon was not going to do anything to me yet.
It kept nudging my hand with his face and I just stared confused at the strange creature.
'Is he asking me to pat him?' I thought and almost like he heard he started whining again.
So shakily I raised my hands up and gently passed it across his scales, careful to avoid the mouth in case he is planning on biting my fingers off.
I gasp out loud as it started cooing and purring like a pet cat, someone please tell me this is not one of the dragons I have heard rumors of.
After few minutes of petting it, I started to relax a little then my brain started to settle enough for me to start wondering how I got here from the palace.
The last thing I remembered was the silver dragon jumping over me and feeling dizzy.
So how did I get here?
I tried standing up to at least find my way back to the palace, but I find that very difficult since I have a very large beast wrapped around me.
All efforts of unwrapping myself from him proved abortive and the beast rested peacefully as if it does not see my struggle.
I signed in frustration and glared at the silver dragon, almost like he could feel my stare, he turned his large-scale head towards me with scarlet red eye watching me carefully and I yelped in surprise and fear, is he ready to finish up the work and kill me.
I guess I should have just sat quietly.
I sat paralyzed as the dragon kept looking at me before huffing and bringing his large body up and unwrapping it from my body.
"Orion" I heard a voice call, and I yelled in surprise, I thought I was alone, I looked around me and to my surprise, I saw a young bulky man stare at me with stunning silver eyes, for a moment I was lost, I can swear my breath stopped. This human or supernatural that was in front of me is the definition of unnatural beauty. But the only strange thing is he is looking weird, the look he is giving me is so cold almost line I'm an ant disturbing his breath and I'm needed to be swatted away.
I heard a light grumble behind me, and I was reminded of my current situation, don't blame me, I have the attention span of a kid. I looked behind me to see the dragon staring right back at me, I can swear this creature kills, so why am I still alive.
"If you are not going to eat me, you could at least show me the way back to the palace." I huffed as I spoke quietly to the dragon.
"Orion come here" the male standing behind me said, I turned around to take a second look at him and now that I'm seeing him again, I think I'm standing in front of royalty. His dressing, physic and stance should have been a green light for me, but I was too dumb to realize.
'Hold on, is this not the legendary silver dragon, the one and only king's dragon' I thought as I stared wide eyed at the dragon.
Then my wide round eyes turned to the man standing in front of me and something clicked as I watched the dragon leave my side and stroll majestically to him, if the dragon is responding so easily to this man, it can only mean one thing.
I am standing in front of the King of my Kingdom, Krashia.
"OH heavens, your royal highness" I bowed quickly while going down to my knees. The only thing I heard was the flap of wings and the powerful breeze that followed as the dragon, Orion flew away with his rider, leaving me alone in a clearing filled with green grass far away from the palace.
I cannot believe I was in front of the King of Krashia, well I cannot also believe I am still alive after having an encounter with the King's dragon.
"Why did the King's dragon bring me here?" I asked myself as I looked around me.
First of all, I have no idea where I am, so I am obviously lost, and the only clue I have of my way back to the palace is the direction the King's dragon followed. Immediately, I started walking in that direction in hopes of getting back to the palace before sun set.
.....
I have been walking for hours and I do not think I am any closer to the palace, I am out of breath, thirsty and hungry and it is sundown already, everywhere is getting so dark, I am scared something scary might pop out and kill me.
Every single sound or creak makes me jump and it is the fault of that god forsaken dragon.
It should have just killed me while I was passed out rather than make me go through this scary journey, it's not like I have anything to live for.
Is this my punishment for spilling the wine, it was not even my fault, I passed out because of their dragon. I sighed quietly as I wondered what way to go as it is even hard to see two feet ahead of me in this thick forest, I ended up in. How I ended up in here is still a mystery.
Tired and weak, I sat beside a tree and rested my head on it, tears filling my eyes as it finally dawned on me that I am really lost.
"What did I ever do in my past life to deserve this?" I asked whispering to myself. Maybe if I was born a supernatural then life would have been easier for me.
A growl brought me out of my self-pity.
Slowly I stood up and looked around carefully even if all I can see is darkness.
I heard the growl again and before I could scream and run for my life, a hand covered my mouth making me panic which led to me struggling against my captor.
"Shh, I am not here to hurt you" my captor whispered, well that is exactly what every kidnapper would say.
I was about to bite the person's hand off when I heard the growl again and something jumped out of the bush, most likely aiming for my head.
But I do not feel a thing as the presence behind me came forward and with the little light from the moon, I can see he is surely fighting a wolf.
Within few minutes, the fight was over, and the wolf was lying dead on the floor.
"What is a young maiden doing in a forest alone and this late?" my savior asked as he dusted his body and scheted his sword.
"I was lost" I whispered.
"Lost?" he asked.
"I am looking for the way back to the palace" I explained further.
"Palace?" he asked again, well he sure does ask a lot of questions.
"I am a palace maid" I explained, and he nodded his head in understanding.
"I am on my way to the palace too, I came out to hunt" he said as he started walking and I followed him immediately, now that he said hunt, I noticed the sack he was carrying.
"Are you one of the hunters?" I asked and he chuckled.
"Well, let's just say something like that" he said smiling mischievously.
I looked at him suspiciously but just shrugged it off. I have no problem with him as long as he gets me to the palace safe and sound.
"So, what is your name?" he asked looking briefly at me.
"Fayre" I answered as we walked through the forest careful not to misstep.
"It is a beautiful name for a beautiful maiden" He complimented making me look up at him blushing, the smile he gave me made me smile shyly, I hardly ever receive compliments.
"What is yours?" I asked shyly.
"Octavius"
"Hmm, sounds familiar, you live in the palace too" I asked again, not paying attention to my surrounding and completely invested in the conversation.
"You are a curious little damsel, are you not?" he chuckled, and I blushed embarrassed.
"The questions will have to wait, we are here" he said, and I finally looked around and true to his words, we were in front of the palace.
"How, I literarily walked around all day but could not find the way?" I questioned surprised.
"The forest is enchanted, it makes it hard for uninvited guests to locate the palace" he explained as we got closer to the palace gate.
"Really, how did you know that and how come you were able to find your way?" I asked eyes wide, and he laughed.
"I think this is where we part ways my lady" he said bowing a little before walking off to a part of the palace and I just stood dumbfounded.
Strange!!
He did not answer any of my questions aside from his name.
"Fayre" the yell of my name brought me out of my thoughts and I Iooked to the side to see head maid Victoria looking me over.
Immediately I ran over to her bowing my head, I am probably going to be punished, I was so caught up in trying to find my way, I forgot about the aftermath of my earlier action at the royal hall.
"You are okay" she said, and my head snapped up before apologizing after meeting her eyes.
"Yes, head maid" I replied.
She sighed almost looking like she has been worried but that's impossible.
"You will be taken to the dungeon for causing chaos at the hall" she said, and I heard the tap of her feet as she walked away before two arms wrapped around me dragging me away to the cells.