Day 11

Jessica Wildness lay in bed. She was battling to sleep. The day ran through her mind. The way Drake had not replied but walked away instead.

She wondered if she had been presumptuous. If maybe he was just being nice.

Her door opened and someone came in.

Really, she thought.

She reached over to her bag and as quietly as possible removed her camera. She was going to give the intruder a fright with her flash. Plus, then she could show Shane how creepy it was having Caelin coming in her room at night.

She pointed the camera in the direction on the window where the noise was. A faint scuffling came from the window. She pointed her camera and ‘click’

The flash went off. A startled figure leapt out the window.

Jessica grabbed her shoes and ran to the window. She could see a figure hanging on by his fingers. Making his way along the ledge. He was moving quickly. Jessica carefully climbed out the window in pursuit. She wanted to know who was in her room and she was now sure it was not Caelin.

So, who was in her room and why?

She hung on by her fingers and pursued the figure. They were faster than her and not wearing a night dress.

The figure disappeared. Jessica hung on. Her fingers were giving in on her. She tapped on the nearest window hoping it would be open. But it wasn’t opening. She tapped again hoping someone would hear her and open it. But nothing.

Her finger could not hold her for much longer. She tapped on the window again. On the thick wood that closed the gaps in the walls called windows.

It opened. A hand reached out and pulled her up.

“Thank you!” she said.

Then she saw it was the prince Azriel. Azriel was the 3rd son. He was tall strong and handsome like his brother Drake.

Jessica smiled awkwardly

Where is Yair when you need him? She thought.

She tried to communicate.

“Someone, room, follow, me, here” she tried.

Azriel did not seem to understand her. He looked out the window but there was nothing to see.

“Me, follow, room.” Jessica tried again.

Azriel just took to back to her room. Where Caelin was sleeping on the floor instead of guarding her door.

“Someone, me, room.” She tried again.

Azriel kicked Caelin’s leg but he didn’t respond.

“Guard get up!” Azriel said.

But Caelin didn’t respond. Not even a grunt.

Azriel realized something was wrong.

Was this why she was hanging on by her fingers outside a window?

Azriel picked Jessica up and over his shoulder. He then ran with her over his shoulder to where the passage of the royal rooms where. He told the guards to check Jessica’ room and to get assistance for Caelin. He then knocked on his brother’s door.

Jessica was making a seen.

“Put me down!” she said hitting him

“Put me down now!”

She kneed him in the chest. But he didn’t budge.

Once he finally put her on her feet. She saw she was outside Drake’s door and Drake was standing in the doorway.

The flustered Jessica neatened her hair.

Azriel explained what he had seen to Drake.

Drake allowed Jessica to enter his room.

“Someone, me, room, me, follow.” Jessica said to him.

Drake understood. He gestured to Jessica to sit on his bed. So, she did. By now the performance from Jessica had woken Prince Ryu and Princess Libelle.

Princess Tanith also woke up.

“Mother, Father, who was making that noise?” Tanith asked.

“Tanith go back to your room. We are handling it.” They told her.

But they didn’t yet know who had been making a noise.

Drake wrapped a blanket around Jessica’s shoulders. Then he left the room.

The nights were cold but the days were hot. Winter was coming.

Jessica sat on Drake’s bed and waited and waited.

* * *

Jessica woke up early. It was still dark and first light had not yet appeared.

She was feeling cold.

As she gathered her senses, she realized she was laying across Drake’s bed and the blanket he had wrapped around her shoulders was lying on the floor. Drake was not in his bed.

She had fallen asleep waiting for him to return.

She pulled the blanket over her and wondered where Drake was?

First light poked in through the lattes and she could see Drake sleeping in a chair. It was a big chair but she still imagined it was not so comfortable.

As the light touched his face he woke up.

Jessica wasn’t sure if she should pretend to still be sleeping or act like she also just woke up. But neither seemed like a truthful option.

So, she just smiled at him.

Drake stood up and stretched.

He was already dressed in day clothes.

Jessica sat on his bed. She then remembered she had taken a picture of the figure in her room last night. She checked it out.

It looked like a man, but the face was unclear. They had moved too quickly.

She did a little curtsy and ran to Shane’s room. She pounded on his door.

Shane West opened the door. Jessica stood there in her night dress.

“Someone was in my room last night and I got a picture of them. I think it’s a man.”

“Good morning to you too.” Shane said.

“Why thank you I did sleep well.” He added.

Jessica grinned.

“Morning.”

“So, as I was saying someone was in my room and I took a picture. But he… I think it’s was a man. Anyways” she said shaking her head

“I followed him out my window and he just disappeared. Then Azriel pulled me in through a window and took me back to my room where my shadow Caelin was laying on the floor. I think someone knocked him out. So, he took me to Drake’s room.”

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Shane’s eyes were big. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

She climbed out her window to chase the intruder!

Jessica was still telling her story

“He has such a hard shoulder. I was battling to breathe after he tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I kinda feel a little” she used her fingers to indicate a little quotation marks

“Bad for him. I kicked him and elbowed him in the back. But anyways back to my story. Someone was in my room again!” she finished.

“You climbed out your window and chased him?” Shane asked bewildered.

“Yes! This is the second time they were in my room. It’s creepy and not ok. But at least it wasn’t Caelin watching me sleep. But now I need to know who was in my room and more importantly, why?”

“Are you hearing yourself? What if you had fallen?” Shane was not amused “You need to take care of yourself. This crazy invincible act of yours is too much.”

“I didn’t come here for a lecture.” Jessica objected.

“But you need one! Some of us care about you and if you got hurt or died it would be…” he froze in mid-sentence

“Are you saying you care if I die?” Jessica asked.

Shane glared at her.

“Of course I care. You are my sister and even though you are not blood, you are my Sister.”

Jessica grinned feeling all warm.

She hugged him.

“I love you too.” She said.

“Wait! What!” Shane said pulling away.

“Not like that but like a brother and a best friend.” She clarified.

“So, are you going to be more careful?” Shane asked hopefully.

“Probably not. But since we are leaving for the castle today it should be safer.” She replied.

Shane wanted to say ‘You are impossible’ but he knew it wouldn’t make a difference.

“It’s a good thing Azriel was there to pull you in through the window.” Shane said.

“Indeed.” Jessica said pensively “I can’t believe I am going to say this but I need Yair.” Jessica said.

“Maybe you should get dressed first. I believe it is not proper for a woman to walk around in her night dress.” Shane said.

“Morning Pragya.” Jessica said leaving to change.

Shane looked at Pragya who was sitting up in her bed.

“What was that about?” Pragya asked.

“Someone was in Jessica’s room again. I am worried about her. At first, I thought going to the castle was a bad idea. But now I wonder how safe she is here?”

“Do you think someone means her harm?” Pragya asked.

“I do not know. But I think more is going on than we have been told and I think that if Jessica stays it will not go well for her.”

“Surely if someone wanted to harm her, they could have. Running away from her doesn’t look like the behavior of someone trying to harm her.” Pragya said.

Shane wasn’t sure. But it didn’t add up and even though he believed he could make a good life for himself in the palace he was now agreeing that going to the castle would be best. They needed answers and if possible, to go home.

Jessica dressed and grabbed her bag. It was strange to not have Caelin following her around. She went to the royal dining hall. She just looked in hoping to see Yair. But he was not there.

“Jessica, Prince Drake has requested you join him for breakfast.” Yair said standing behind her.

“I was looking for you.” She said happy.

“How can I be of service?” Yair asked.

“I need to speak to Drake and I need you to translate. Do your usual thing.”

“As you wish.” Yair said.

“Can I speak to him now?” Jessica asked.

Yair looked at her. She was a strange creature indeed. She looked like them but she was not like them.

“Come with me.”

Yair led her to Drake. He was in the tower watching the sunrise.

The sun danced over the golden buildings. The dragon pens glowed under the golden light. The sky danced as the light slowly changed its color. A heavenly tango took place above them covering the stars with a banner of clouds and color.

“Morning” Jessica began.

“It is not just beautiful.” Drake said looking at the sky.

“It is.”

“No matter where I am, I always watch the sunrise. It is the hope of a new day. Peaceful and unspoiled.”

“I was wondering about the man who was in my room last night and I wanted to ask some questions.”

Drake cut her off

“Just watch the sun rise. Each one is different.”

Jessica watched the sun rise. It was longer than on earth. Three times longer.

Jessica watched hoping it would hurry up so she could ask her questions.

It finally did end and Drake turned to her.

“You wanted to ask?”

“Azriel pulled me up through the window but why was he there? I am grateful.”

“Tell me what happened last night.” Drake said.

“Ok. Someone came into my room. I thought it was Caelin so I took my camera and took a picture of him.”

“Your camera?”

Yair explain it was the magic box that captured a likeness of a person.

Jessica continued.

“But when I took the picture, the person jumped out of the window so I followed them and they just disappeared before my eyes. I don’t know how but they vanished. By now my hands were sore and I couldn’t hold on so I banged on a window and Azriel open it and pulled me up. Then he took me back to my room here Caelin was sleeping outside my door. But Azriel couldn’t wake him up. So, he brought me to you. But I didn’t know what he was doing. Just that he was carrying me off somewhere. Then this morning I looked at the picture I took and I think it was a man.”

Jessica pulled out her camera.

“See”

She showed them the picture. The face was blurred but the person had masculine qualities.

“So, I was wondering if you knew why Azriel was up so late and in that part of the Palace?”

“Do you think my brother was in your room?” Drake asked.

“I don’t know. But I would like to know who was.” Jessica said.

“You should keep these thoughts to yourself. Implying such things is a grave offense.”

“So, what did you find out last night?” Jessica asked.

“Caelin was given potency and cannot remember.”

“Who would want to harm me?” Jessica asked.

“No one.” Drake said as if harming her was an unthinkable thing.

Jessica needed to ask different questions.

“What is potency and who would have access to it?” she asked.

“It’s a purple mushroom and it grows everywhere. Anyone could get it if they wanted.”

“Who would benefit if I was gone?”

“What do you mean?” Drake asked.

“If I was killed what would happen?”

Jessica then remembered what Shane said.

‘If they wanted to hurt her why run away?’

“What would happen if I looked guilty of trying to harm the royal family or some else who is important?”

Drake looked confused.

“What are you trying to ask?”

“I think the person in my room is not trying to harm me but your family.”

Jessica’s mind started putting bits together. She needed to see where that man went.

“I will see you at breakfast. Thank you for last night.”

Drake looked a little uncomfortable with that. But Jessica ran off before he could say anything.

“I slept on the chair.” He told Yair.

“It is not for me to know.” Yair replied.

Jessica ran to the window that Azriel had pulled her up from.

She looked out in the day light. Nothing was visible. She ran to the next window and looked out. But still, she couldn’t see anything. The person had to have gone somewhere.

Maybe a window below?

She ran to the windows below and looked out. Still, she saw nothing. Those windows didn’t even look like they ever got opened.

Jessica went back to the window Azriel had pulled her in through.

Why was Azriel here? she asked herself.

She heard a woman giggling. Quietly she went to the room down the passage from the window. Then she saw Azriel dancing with a servant.

Guess that explains why he was around.

Jessica felt slightly disappointed at the answer but it was good to know that Drake’s brother was not in her room or trying to harm her. Instead, he liked a woman beneath his station.

Jessica went to eat with Drake. Breakfast with his family seemed more uncomfortable every time. She was not sure why she even agreed to eat with him.

Tanith looked sad as she ate despondently.

“Why are you sad?” Jessica asked her breaking the silence at the table.

“You are leaving today and probably won’t come back.” She replied.

“I will always remember you fondly.” Jessica said.

Tanith smiled but her sadness wasn’t gone.

Jessica noticed that Charon was wearing gloves at the table while eating.

Veles spoke up stirring the pot.

“Are we not the hope of our nation? Do not people from every tribe look to us for help? Are we not set apart for more?”

“What are you getting at?” Libelle asked.

“Why is this widow sitting with us again as if she has the right to be at our table?”

Drake spoke up

“She is not a widow. She lied as she was afraid of us.”

“Why would she be afraid of us? It’s unsettling that someone who lies to their prince is sitting with us.” Veles vexed.

“We are not her people and therefore you and I are not her prince. Why does is bother you brother that this woman sits here?”

“She is unworthy.” Veles stated.

“Enough. I will hear no more of this!” Ryu said

“This woman leaves today. Now behave like brothers.” He ordered.

Jessica felt the hostility but was unsure what it was about.

“Why are you wearing gloves?” Jessica asked Charon.

“My hands were cold this morning.”

“Please take them off.” Libelle said.

Charon reluctantly took them off.

His hands were raw. As if he had been hanging by his fingers on stone.

“What happened to your hands?” Jessica asked.

Everyone looked at them.

“I was looking for the intruder” he said calmly.

“Intruder?” Tanith said frightened.

“Who told you there was an intruder?” Drake asked.

“Why was I not told?” Veles demanded.

“I heard about it. I wanted to help. It’s nothing.” Charon said.

Azriel and Drake looked at one another. They had kept the intruder a secret. Only they and their parents and a hand full of others knew about it. Charon was not told.

Jessica without thinking asked

“Why were you in my room?”

“What are you talking about?” he was defensive.

“I took a picture with my camera. So, tell me why were you in my room?”

Charon looked at his parents as if expecting them to defend him.

“Does she have a picture of Charon in her room?” Ryu asked Drake.

“I do not know. She has a magic box that takes a true likeness of someone.” Drake said.

Yair just translated.

Jessica was so princely like she had rights, and it was her place. Maybe that was why Drake liked her. She was a royal pain.

“I am a prince. How can you accuse me of this offense?” He said standing up outraged.

Jessica just sat giving him a look like ‘throwing a tantrum will not help you’

“Prove I was in your room?” he said defiantly.

Jessica pulled out her camera. She went to the picture of the figure in her room.

She showed it to Yair.

Yair nodded.

“What were you hoping to get?” Jessica asked “Were you trying to scare me? Why?”

Charon looked cornered.

“I am the only worthy prince. Veles is a bully. Azriel is courting the kitchen girl. So, if Drake proved to mother and father that he was unfit for the throne by choosing you over his responsibilities. Then I could prove myself a worthy successor.”

Everyone at the table looked horrified. The silence that followed was so heavy Jessica felt her shoulders getting sore.

Jessica was taken to her room by Caelin there she gathered all her things. She could only imagine how the family talk was going. She felt sorry for Drake. His own brother had tried to use her against him.

She realized how easy it was to use people to hurt others.

Jessica, Shane and Pragya were taken to the dragons. Drake met them there. He was composed. She climbed onto the dragon behind Drake.

She held on tight to Drake and they took off into the sky. The dragons climbed and climbed and then they soared through the air. The snow-capped mountain far below them. It was chilly up there, she understood why Drake gave her a jacket.

They flew for a long time without landing or stopping for water or anything. Jessica just rested her head on Drake’s back and held on tightly. She kind of liked the alone time even though they couldn’t communicate and there were others around following them.

She liked flying it was awesome. She liked the view of the world, just scenery no people, no problems just beauty.

Drake’s armor was cold and her face being pressed against it became unpleasant. She sat up straighter looking around.

“It’s awesome!” she called to Shane who could not hear her.

“Thank you!” she whispered in Drake’s ear.

Drake understood that. He took her hand which was around him.

Jessica felt her heart beat faster. Drake was holding her hand intentionally.

She squealed inside doing a jump up and down.

He likes me. Why is that making me so happy?

They descended towards the ground.

Drake tried to say something to her but she didn’t really understand. Then he wrapped her arms around him tighter.

So, she held on tighter. Then Drake make his dragon twist as it flew towards the ground. Spinning around faster and faster. Then they pulled up and made a loop before landing. Jessica held on as her wig flew off, she closed her eyes as the ground raced towards them.

Once they landed, Jessica’s eyes were big with fright.

“Prince Drake I think you scared the poor girl.” Yair said sombrely landing next to Drake.

Drake climbed off and helped Jessica off.

“It appears she has lost her wig.” Yair stated unamused.

“We will get another.” Drake said cheerfully.

Jessica had a grin that wrapped around her head. Her frightened big eyes changed into an excited look.

“Why are you so happy?” Shane asked.

“I like flying.” Jessica replied.

Shane raised an eyebrow in unbelief.

“Why are you not smiling? You and Pragya are moving forward.”

Shane smiled “Yes we are.”

Pragya looked over at Shane and smiled a shy smile.

“I am happy for you.” Jessica said still grinning.

“Please teach me the language everyday no matter what. I really want to learn.” Jessica requested glancing at Drake.

“I am still learning. My Latin is rusty and it’s similar but not the same. But I will teach you what I know.”

“Who knew Latin would be a useful language?” Jessica said.

They had water and ate. They had stopped near a river and the dragons also drank. Wind flowers grew everywhere. Jessica played with them, picking off their petals.

“We will be at the castle soon. Drake wants you to fly with me.” Yair said.

“Oh” Jessica’s face fell.

“As the prince he cannot arrive with a woman that is not his wife on the same dragon. It is arrival protocol.” Yair added.

Jessica still looked down and defensive.

“He also wishes to show you some of his riding skills” Yair added.

Jessica’s face let up.

“You should have started with that.” She said.

Why am I comforting her? Yair wondered.

They packed up and took off again. Jessica felt odd holding onto Yair. They traveled for a while then once the castle came into view Drake gave commands to his men.

Their dragons made smoke rings which Drake flew through. Then they made rings of fire, which Drake also flew through. An obstacle course of fire and smoke lit up the late afternoon sky and Drake showed off how he could fly through the bars of fire and rings of fire. He spun and dived and soared upwards. It was quiet the show. Jessica felt like the most special woman in the world. Every dragon rider there knew why he was doing it, and it was an impressive display.

They arrived at the castle courtyard. The guards looked terrified as twenty-two dragons landed and twenty-five persons dismounted.

Drake showed the royal seal and the invite to the peace conference. News was sent to Tẽra that a small army of Dragon Rider’s had arrived.

Drake sent a guard with the royal seal to get a wig for Jessica. So, she didn’t have to cover her head.