Morthia didn't know where Drayk was so patient with her, she was holding her utensils wrong. She hung what in her chair, all that strange stuff that was not how it was done. But he corrected her over and over again. They didn't practice with actual food, she didn't want to be full. But she started to panic slightly when the time to dinner came closer with every second.

"Do not be so stressed out. No one will pay that much attention on you." He said.

"That is a lie and you know it. Everyone's eyes will be on me, and not only that, but they will be on me all the time." She replied and he nodded.

"You are right about that. Now put out your arm." She did and he placed a bracelet around her arm. "This bracelet detects more than 1,000,000 types of poison and if you are allergic to something, like nuts. He detects that too. It is something I invented myself and I am rather proud of it. Gone are the days of food poisoning or allergic shocks." She looked at it, in her eyes it was nothing more than a bracelet.

"How does it work?" She asked.

"You simply wear it and it will notify me when there is something wrong with the food." He said while pointing at his watch. She nodded and sighed.

"That is at least one less problem to worry about." She said, with a sigh. And leaned in her chair. "Now I need to survive dinner." He smiled and laughed.

"You will be fine. I will be there, if you need me." He said. And he took her hand once again. She didn't know why, but it felt nice. Him holding her hand, his presence. The fact that me made her feel normal, when her whole world is upside down. She was preparing to have dinner with the Dragon King, who is her father and she is not just a normal nobody. She was the princess of the empire, the product of two royal lines, heir to the throne. Tears welled up in her eyes, this was not the first time she wished her mother was here. But this was the first time in a very long time, she wanted to ask her why she ran away. She wanted to ask her about boy's and this strange feelings she was having. Drayk didn't say anything, and sighed. "He, there is no need to be emotional." He whispered.

"I am not crying because of this dinner. I am crying because, I want my mom." She said. He hung his head. "I am sorry." She whipped away her tears.

"Never feel sorry about that." He said. "There will always be times that you would want her by your side. Like on your wedding day, when you give birth to your first child. Or, like right now, your first royal dinner." She needed.

"Why are you so sweet to me. My father says it is because my beauty captured you." She said, she tried to smile while making that comment. He shook his head.

"It is not only your beauty, but the fire that burns inside you." He said. "Back in the shuttle, you were scared, but you acted strong to comfort your siblings. And I admire that. I can even go further back, when you asked me for that photo." He pointed towards the photo on her nightstand. "You already had a book in your hand, your siblings all chose a stuffed animal or a journal. But you wanted a piece of your mother, something to show your sibling when they get sad. Or to show your own children. It just shows how much you care about them."

"She died a week after that photo was taken." Morthia said, and hung her head. "She got bitten by a dragon head viper, and we didn't have an antidote at hand. She got sicker by the day, and still cooked, still cleaned the house. Showing me how to do curtain things, knowing that I would do the dragon share of the housework. Micheal was at work in the mines when she passed. I was all alone, and nobody who supported me. That evening, Micheal expected me to put my grief aside, I was ten remind you. And to cook dinner for him and his children." She shook her head and another tear escaped. "Back in the throne room, he told some lies. And I am grateful to your father that he shut that one down." He lowered his head.

"I do not think that he did that for your sake, but it is indeed a nice by product for the action." Drayk said, and his hand went through is blond hair. He was a younger version of his father, if his father at one point had blond hair. But she was not sure about that. There was a knock landing on her door, and he stood up. "I think that is mister stock in his ways, I mean mister Crux." He said with a huge grin. He opened the door and it was indeed mister Crux.

"Why are you in the princess's bedroom?" Mister Crux asked rather loudly, his voice didn't hide the disapprovement.

"Well I am her bodyguard, mister Crux and her teacher." He said, like it is nothing. Crux entered the room and was surprised to see the dishes and the table. "She is not raised in this world, and her mother died when she was young. So there was probably not much time to teach her how to do things here at court." Crux nodded.

"That is true, I heard that princess's grandparents have arrived. Lady Hemera, has expressed her desire to meet her granddaughter as soon as humanly possible." Mister Crux said. "I placed the princess and her grandparents at the same table as you and your father, captain Drayk." Drayk nodded.

"That is a good thing, did you ask the Dragon king if he agreed with you? I'm imaging that he wants to spend as much time with his daughter as possible." Drayk pointed out.

"I informed the king, that this was his mothers-in-law's wishes and he knows how stubborn that woman can be." Mister Crux said. "I see you paid attention to the king's wished." This was directed towards her.

"I am also not used to change multiple times a day." She said and he nodded and he sighed.

"That is indeed true, captain Drayk if you do not mind. I would like to educate the princess from time. You have a fast knowledge of the protocol, but I am basically an export." Crux said and Drayk nodded.

"You indeed are an expert, but you ask this to the wrong person. I believe it is up to the princess." Drayk replied. Crux nodded. "But now it is not the time to talk, the princess has an appointment with Lady Airce Hemera and we do not want to be rude." Drayk once again offered his hand. "Allow me to esscort you princess." She took his hand and stood up. He guided her past Crux and she gave him a smile.

"Mister Crux, I would be honored if you would help me navigate this world." She said, he looked shocked at first, but then bowed his head.

"You are welcome princess. It would be my honor." He said and he started to follow them closely.

*******

The walked and nothing in the hallways changed. It were all the same cold walls and floors. Even the stairs were made from dragonsteel. She didn't know how to feel about that, because knew how much work it was to mine the ore. Micheal has told her many times, and she believed him. She was met with a lot of gasps when they arrived at the top of those stairs.

"Bless the dragon." An older woman, rushed towards her and took her in her arms. "Seeing you like this makes an old woman so happy." Morthia didn't know what to make of this, and the older man who appeared behind the woman picked up on it.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Dear, let her breath. Remember we are strangers to her." He had a pleasant low voice. The woman let her go and tucked away a stray string of hair.

"Oh, I know that. Brundo, but she looks so much like our little girl." The woman said, Morthia looked at Drayk who clearly enjoyed himself. But decided to jump into action.

"Princess, allow me to introduce me to your grandmother and grandfather, Lord and Lady Hemera. Lord and Lady Herema, allow me to introduce you to Morthia Empyrea." He said, while bowing towards them. The woman nodded and pinked away a tear that had appeared in her eye.

"Morthia, like my mother. O dragon, bless my daughter's soul. She kept her promise." Lady Hemera said. "Your mother promised mine mother that she would name her firstborn daughter after her." Morthia nodded, with a smile.

"I am sorry that you were not able to say goodbye to her." Morthia said. But Lady Hemera shook her head.

"Our daughter did what she thought was best. And I as a mother can respect that. I was struck with grief when I learned that she was no longer with use, but I am glad to know that she had a child." Lady Herema said.

"She had four, Lady." Morthia said. "She had my brother and sisters when I was five years old. Tina, Andrea and MJ." Lady Herema placed a hand over her mouth, but Morthia could see that the woman was both sad and happy to learn that she had more then one grandchild. "It would be my honor to introduce you to them." The lady looked at her husband.

"Morthia, I am at a loss for words. You made this old woman very, very happy." She said. Morthia looked at her grandfather and he nodded. "You are a dragon send, and I would love to meet my other grandchildren. But please tell me, who is taking care of them right now?"

"Madam Charlo." Drayk answered in her place. "I visited them at the beginning of the afternoon and they were fed, cleaned and in bed." Lady Herema sighed a sigh of relief.

"That is good to hear that they are well taken care off." She said and she turned around to her husband. "It takes every inch of my self-control not to run towards them." He smiled, in their short interaction Morthia learned that he was a man of a few words. And that her grandmother was a woman of many words. Which made a funny contrast. The doors of the dinning room opened and they were allowed to go inside. Her father was already sitting at the main table, Drayk guided her towards one that was further in the back. Lady Herema and Lord Herema sat down, and she followed their example. Everyone looked at her, but no one said something. Drayk sat down next to her, his father then entered the room and sit down next to his son.

"It is an honor to dine with you, princess." He said, and he bowed his head towards her and gave her a smile. "Son, is that one of your toys." He pointed to the bracelet around her wrist.

"And what if it is one of them, what is it to you?" Drayk replied coldely. This was the first time she heard him talk like that. His father looked at it.

"Well explain to use what it does, I think Lord and Lady Hemera like to know as well." His father said with a huge smile. Morthia saw that her grandmother narrowed her eyes to the commander. But then focused on Drayk.

"Please, I want to hear about it." She said. Drayk melted his stance a bit and bowed his head towards her.

"It will be my pleasure Lady Hemera, as you might know the king has appointed me to her royal highness securaty." He said and she nodded. "Well there is always a concern that there is something inside the food or drink that those not belong there." Her grandmother nodded again. "So this little piece of tech detacts these things, it also detacts food the princess might me allergic too."

"That is a good thing, but those it work?" Her grandfather asked. Drayk nodded.

"It those, Lord Herema. I have tested it with more then thousand types of poision and my own food allergies." He said. Her grandfather nodded and smiled at him. He wanted to say something, but the Dragon King stood up from his chair.

"Dear members of the court, may I have your attention. Many of you might have heard, but we have learned that Princess Brielea is no longer alive." He said, and he focused his attention to Lady and Lord Hemera. "I am sorry for your loss, Lady and Lord Hemera, your daughter was a Dragon send." Morthia saw that her grandmother rolled with her eyes. "But on a happier not, I learned that she gave birth to my heir, Morthia. Please stand up daughter." Morthia stood up and took a deep breath. A server came with a dragonsteel cup, with some kind of liquid in it. "Let me raise a cup to your health." He said, while picking up his own cup. He took a sip, Morthia pick her own cup from the plater and raised it to her mouth.

"No don't!" Drayk said. He stood up and took the cup from her hand.

"What is the meaning of this!" Commander Derock shouted. Drayk gave him the cup.

"Poison." He said, and gave the cup to his father. Who sniffed at it and nodded. "To be more exact dragonhead viper venom, the princess wouldn't have felt the effects of it right away. But she knows full well the outcome." Morthia looked shocked to the cup, as everybody else in the room. Dragonhead viper venom, that was what killed her mother. "Do you still think of it as a toy?" His father said nothing, but focused his attention on the server.

"Did you do this?" He asked, the server shook his head. "Who did this." Was he really suspecting a solid answer from them? Morthia was new to all of this and even she knew that this wouldn't be the case. Her gaze went from the raging commander to Drayk.

"It at least worked, thank you." She said. He nodded, also Lady and Lord Hemera were standing, and her grandmother lay a hand on Drayk's shoulder. Her grandfather nodded and smiled, but Morthia also could see that he was as angry as the commander. She focused on her father.

"Sorry about that, father. But my drink was not safe for consumption. But I am honored by your words, I hope that one day I am worthy of such praise. The Dragon knows that I have a lot to learn." She said and her father nodded. Why was he not as ticked off about all of this, she was about to drink poison. Maybe he saw no need of also getting angry, that area of emotions was well covered. She sat down and took a deep breath, her grandmother also sat down. But she didn't look at her, instead she looked at her father. Did she know something, probably? But she didn't voice it.

"Are you alright?" Drayk asked and she nodded with a not so confining smile. But she knew that she was not fooling him, instead she leaned towards him.

"Don't you think it is strange that it is Dragonhead viper venom?" She asked, this pulled the attention of her grandmother. And Morthia quickly told her about her mother's death. Her grandmother shook her head in disbelieve. The dinner was served, and the topic was laid to rest.

"Do you look forward to your dress fitting tomorrow?" Drayk asked and she nodded. She then focused on her grandmother.

"Do not get me wrong, my mother's old clothing are the most beautiful once that I have ever worn. But I have worn her clothing ever since I grew into my body. Since then, I never had something that was mine." She explained, but her grandmother shook her head.

"There is no need to explain yourself, I can't say that I understand I never had to share my clothes with another woman, not even my own daughter." Her grandmother said. "Do your brother and sisters also get new clothing?"

"I believe so, at least that is what I gather from mister Crux." She said.

"Then we will be there when the dressmaker is busy taking your measurements, to make sure that they do." She said, after that she leaned towards her husband to whisper something in his ear. Something that was not shared with the rest of the table.

"Grandmother, if you do not mind. Can you tell me more about my mother, what was she like when she was younger? Which books did she love to read?" Morthia asked. "Her whole life before she had me was so different." her grandmother smiled.

"I believe those stories are better told when your siblings are with use. She was also their mother." Her grandmother replied. Morthia nodded, this was true, but she couldn't wait until the morning. There was so much she wanted to know about her mother's earlier life, she knew a little about her father's and if he permitted she would ask him more about it. The dinner ended, and the court bled out of the dinner room. Commander Derock hadn't returned to their table, most likely he was in source of the one who put poison in her cup. Outside the dinning room her grandmother took her hand. "Watch yourself, I believe this was only the first attempt on your life. Drayk, please give my other grandchildren the same device." She pointed to the bracelet.

"They already wearing it, Lady Herema. Morthia has asked me to do my up best to protect them." He said. "I gave madam Charlo, the watch linked to their devices. Of course." He tapped on his own watch. "They are also linked to mine." Lady Herema nodded.

"That is good, well we will see the two of you in the morning. Rest well." She said, and then she let go of Morthia's hand.