Drayk didn't know what to think, but everybody clearly knows what is going on. Everybody except Morthia and himself. He hated the fact that he was grasping at straws, but his father was not willing to tell him anything last night. Only that it was saver for him not to know. How can it be saver, knowing that there is some secret and maybe even a plot to kill Morthia. A plot he didn't like in the slightest, and not only because he liked her. He didn't like that it was happening under his nose. He sighed and kicked against a piece of something, not knowing what it was and didn't care either.
"You seemed to be in an excellent mood." A woman in her late thirties stepped out of an alleyway.
"I am not in the mood for games, Omega." He snapped. "What are you doing here, you know full well the risk you are taking." She nodded and smiled. She had some blue bags under her eyes, once again she didn't sleep that well. How could she sleep, always on the lookout for members of the Dragon guard, other members of the Dragon guard. But that was the life she had chosen for herself.
"I heard a rumor." She said. "About that my gang is responsible for an assignation attempt." She shrugged.
"And were you?" He asked and then shook his head laughing. Although there was no trace from that laughter in his voice. "Oh wait, I forgot who I was talking to. You are the leader of the Blackmarket, Omega. Don't you think I know that you would say anything to safe your own skin."
"As if your record is so sparkling clean, or do I need to remind you about the loads of poison you bought through the Dark Web." She snapped. "Do not think for one second that I didn't wonder why you needed those."
"I already told you about the tech I created. I needed to test it to make sure it worked." Drayk said, but she was right. He had ordered that stuff through the Dark web, he had broken the law. But his father didn't allow him in the lab so how else could he... He shook his head and sighed. "I gather, that you and yours are not responsible." She smiled.
"Come on we are not that stupid, besides that we do not have any type of beef with the princess. At least not yet." Omega said, and she quickly looked around to make sure that they were alone. "No I think that the guilty one, is much closer to home."
"My father?" Drayk asked and Omega shook her head.
"No the royal prince himself." She snapped. "I was alive when princess Brialea ran away and from what I heard she had a damn good reason to do so. I only do not know the reason, but everybody that those know has some sensitive to keep their mouths shut. Lady and Lord Hemera have their grandchildren, the old commander is in the same shuttle as them and your father has you." She placed her finger on his chest. "That is why nobody opens their mouths, that is why nobody is willing to spill the beans. Because prince Carlos hold them on a tight lease." She makes a lot of sense, that was why Lady Hemera was so upset when Prince Carlos didn't allow the triplets to live with them. That was why his father didn't want to talk about it, or shut the ones op who were about to run their mouths. Like Micheal Senior the other day inside the throne room, he was protecting not Micheal but his children. "Also I heard that I might like the princess, she grew up like the rest of use. Poor." Omega looked over her shoulder. "Quick grab your gun." She said and he did, she grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. He could taste the blood in his mouth, he wanted to ask what the hell got into her.
"Halt." Someone screamed. That was why, more Dragon guard. He wanted to curse them, but they were just doing their job. Something he should have done, but he couldn't. "Are you alright Captain?" The same Dragon Guard asked. He nodded.
"A brushed ego, that is all." He said, which was not far off the truth. "Go after her, I wished I could join you. But my services are required inside the palace." The Dragon Guard nodded and he sighed. He watched as the one started to chase Omega, and he rubbed painfully his head. She needed to do that, he already knew that much. But why did it have to hurt? He started his walk towards the palace. Which was quiet, it was still early in the morning. Even some staff members were still a sleep, expect mister Crux of course.
"Captain Drayk, everything the princess wanted for her room is delivered. Even her fast collection of books." Mister Crux said. Well he was in a good mood this morning. "I only hope that the book cabinet is big enough."
"If it is not big enough, we will just order another one." Drayk said and he sighed. "I am going to see if she is awake or not." He left Crux behind, the man was clearly puzzled. But he didn't care. He slipped into her bedroom, she was still fast asleep. Some strings of red hair were hanging in front of her face. He knelt down, and softly whipped them from her face. She was even beautiful when she was a sleep. He smiled to himself, yes he was falling for her and hard too. Maybe she would become his string that Prince Carlos would pull. He wanted to shake his head, she already was and there was no point in denying that. In her sleep she grabbed his hand and lay it under her head. He bowed towards her. "Morning princess, it is time to wake up." He said softly into her ear. She opened one eye, and then smiled at him.
"What time is it?" She asked, and he gave her a time. She closed her eyes. "By the Dragon, you are early. Even earlier then the triplets." She suppressed a yawn, and he smiled.
"I am sorry." He said. She gave him a smile.
"I dreamed of you." She said. "It was a nice dream. We were dancing." He shook his head, and sighed.
"I do not know if that would be fun, I have two left feet." He said and she started to giggle. A harmonious sound, yes he had fallen and landed face first. Something he did not mind at all. "Crux told me that everything for your room has arrived, even your books." She nodded and yawned again, it was indeed too early. "I am so sorry that I woke you up." She moved her whole body to the side.
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"I made some room for you." She said and he didn't think twice he moved himself on the bed, after kicking his boots off and placing his gun inside her closet. She lay her head on his chest and it only took them a few seconds to fall back asleep.
*******
"I am sorry, Lady Hemera. But I didn't know that this was happening." Mister Crux voice was soft and full of terror.
"Don't be sorry, they are fully dressed and asleep. There is nothing to see here." Wait that was Lady Hemera's voice what were they doing inside his bedroom. "Besides that they are two adults." Wait a minute, why is she talking about them? That is when he felt her head on his chest. He was not inside his own room, he was laying on Morthia's bed and he had fallen asleep. "Aren't they a cute couple?"
"Cute is not the word I would use, Lady Hemera." Crux replied. Drayk slowly opened his eyes. "Good morning captain. Welcome back, to the planet of the awake." Drayk didn't look at him, he looked at Morthia how also was waking up. She gave him a warm smile.
"Good morning, you might have guessed, but we are not alone in here." He said, and she nodded. Wow, this was the first time he really looked into her eyes. They were a beautiful mixture of dark green and a dark blue, he was sure that he would drown into them. If he did not get interrupted by Crux.
"Alright the two of you, it is time to break it off. Princess, please take a shower and get dressed. Captain you come with me." Crux grabbed him by the sleeve and started to pull him out of Morthia's embrace. He quickly grabbed his boots and gun, before Crux pulled him completely out of the room. "What in dragon's name were you thinking. No on a second note, do not answer that."
"To be fair Crux, I need to say I didn't think at all. She wanted to use me as her pillow, who am I to refuse her?" He said with a huge grin on his face. "And I think that I was just as tired as she was. Because I can't even remember of me falling a sleep."
"You are the captain of the Dragon guard." Crux sputtered.
"Easy Crux, nothing of the sorts happened. She wanted to cuddle and we fall asleep. That is really it." Drayk said. "We did not kiss, we did not..." He stopped when the Dragon King entered the hallway. "Good morning, my king." He said with a bow. Crux jumped up and also bowed.
"My king, the princess is just taking a shower and after that we are going to decorate her room." Crux said. "I have ordered everything myself and even went the extra mile to get the princess her own book collection. They all, have the empire seal so..."
"I know what you have done, Crux. Do not think that I am blind or deaf." The Dragon King said. "I want to make her life as happy as possible. That is why I am organizing a ball for the end of the week." He now looked at Drayk. "You better learn how to dance, soldier. Your two left feet will not save you from dancing with my daughter." How did he know about the joke that he made to Morthia. The Dragon King started to laugh. "And Crux, please light a bit up. Those two are young and from what I heard in love." Drayk got a tight knot in his stomach, her whole room was bugged. And they bugs were tuned in to record even the softest of conversations. If he had done something to Morthia, her father would have heard it. He didn't know how to feel about that, no that was not true. He knew exactly how he felt about it, disgusted, no rather violated. Thew door of Morthia's room opened, and her grandmother stepped outside.
"Did I hear the king?" She asked. Both men nodded, but didn't say anything.
"He came to tell use that there is a ball at the end of the week, to celebrate the princess homecoming." He said, with a fake smile on his face, although that one was short-lived when Morthia appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a dark red dress, with golden rings inside her ears. A small red crystal was hanging around her neck. She was breath taking, his fake smile made place for a real one. He hadn't seen that dress among her new ones, so this must be one of her mother's. Was this important, no. "I really need to learn how to dance." He said to Crux. "The Dragon King is right I can't not refuse one dance, because of my two left feet." Lady Hemera and Morthia started to chuckle, and Crux looked a bit uncomfortble.
"Alright, but I will not be your trainings partner." Crux said. "And it have to wait until after the decorating. Lady Hemera. I brought all the items form their home to here, not only the book collection of the princess, but also the many toys and stuffed animals of the triplets." Lady Hemera nodded.
"I will bring those to them." She said and walked away. Just in time, because a whole horde of workers came into the hallway. All had something in their hands, a desk, a chair, a carpet, boxes with books. A whole book cabinet, and some other things but he couldn't name it because he lost track. All of them entered the bedroom and went to work. Crux also went in to oversee all that there is to oversee.
******
It didn't take that long, gut they were sitting next to each other listing to the chaos that was currently inside her bedroom.
"No the book cabinet goes against that wall. The desk boarders that bed, ohh I love those nightlights. Yes, they need there. That carpet needs to go around the bed. Where are the maids, oh there you are. Yes make the bed, and change the bathrobe." Crux's voice was heard over everyone and everything. Which made it even funnier, at one point all the workers started to pour out of the room and they were able to enter to it. He needed to say that the inside of the room looked a lot better. There was no longer the feeling that they were inside a prison of some sorts. Well they still were in the Dragonsteel cage, but it didn't feel like one. There lay a soft carpet around the bed, in the color of Morthia's eyes, the lights had the same color so did the bedding. The desk was standing against the bed and had even some prularia on it, like a fake flower that dances. The book cabinet was just big enough to carry all the book, but barely. All with all, it felt like something to relax in. Morthia took place behind her desk and smiled.
"It really those feel like home." She said with a sigh. "Thank you, Crux." The butler bowed his head. "Now all we need is to practice how to dance." Crux shook his head. "I never danced at a ball, so I need to learn as well."
"You are right about that, princess." He said. He looked at Drayk. "No funny business."
""I promise, I think." He said, with a huge grin on his face.
"I take it, alright let's begin." Crux said and Drayk directly jumped to action. While Crux started to count he started to go over the steps with Morthia.
"You lied, you do not have two left feet." She said with a grin on her face. He nodded and shrugged.
"Or you're the first good dance partner I got." He replied. She shook her head, but in his mind it was true. When he danced with the other girls it was forced. Now he was free and it felt good. From now one he only wanted to dance with her.