Chapter 2

• Chapter 2
• Elena pov
• Catherine's words sent a shiver down my spine, The Dragon Lord would not be merciful. I knew that much already.
• He was known all through the land for his cruelty and brutality towards anyone who crossed him.
• He wasn't someone to be trifled with. He doesn't play nice.
• And I was to go to his side, I was to leave my home, my kingdom and go to his castle and face whatever he had in store for me.
• Because if I refused, he will burn my Kingdom to ashes.
• "Perhaps." I echoed, feeling the anxiety flow back into my chest.
• I have to be strong.
• Catherine lapsed into the silence and I stared into the distance till she finished doing my hair.
• "Dragons." They are terrifying creatures with untold power.
• Most of them had gone extinct by now, fighting amongst themselves.
• But those who had survived this long were not only strong but smart too.
• They possessed a different kind of power and they possessed everything they needed to survive the unthinkable and prosper in this world.
• The Dragon Lord himself was extremely wealthy, strong, and powerful in every way.
• He was feared across the lands and anyone who crossed him or refused his request would immediately be laid to waste.
• The most powerful kingdom had crumbled beneath his fury in mere days.
• He wages war, he decimated the kingdom until they were nothing left.
• I didn't want that to happen to my land. My people didn't deserve this fury. My father had pleaded with me to leave to escape to flee. But I couldn't.
• I was their princess. How could I abandon them in their time of need?
• My father was torn between his duty as a father and as a king.
• But I knew that my duty was clear.
• Both as a princess and as a daughter.
• Giving myself up would protect everyone that I loved Catherine, my father, my people. It was all worth it.
• At least, that was what I had to keep telling myself if I wanted to get through this.
• Catherine did my makeup and I sat in silence as she finished.
• She cleared her throat.
• "When are you leaving"? She asked her voice was nothing more than a whisper.
• "At nightfall," I said
• It would be nightfall all too soon. I would eat, and then we would leave traveling to the Dragon's Lord land, to his castle. I would be alone.
• I would not completely alone, I would be with him. The thought alone was a terrifying one and I tried not to think about it for too long.
• "I would just have to cross that bridge when I got to it, no earlier no later."
• " I'm going to miss you." Catherine said. Her voice wavered and I just bit my lips.
• She looked like she was going to cry, and I couldn't afford to cry right now, if I cried, I would never stop, if I cried I would never go. I had to be strong.
• I dreaded speaking to my father. The goodbye would be very hard and I needed to stay strong forever, didn't I?
• There would be no more chances for weakness, no more opportunities for hesitation or missteps, not anymore. The Dragon Lord would pounce on my weakness that he saw.
• That's if he let me live that long, I didn't know what he wanted with me, but I had a feeling that it was nothing good.
• Why else would he want me?
• Why else would he have demanded that my kingdom should surrender their princess if it wasn't a power play?
• And what use would he have for me, anyway?
• I paused the dangerous thoughts aside and focused on staring ahead.
• "I'll miss you too Catherine." I said taking a deep breath. I wanted to keep my head, I wanted to keep my stiff upper lip.
• But it was hard when Catherine was staring at me with tears in her eyes.
• I stood up quickly, pushing the thought out of my head.
• "You will look after my father alright?" I said feeling the emotions rise inside me.
• "He will assign you elsewhere, but please watch over him," I said
• He his old and I don't know we'll he would cope when I'm gone.
• He had already lost my mother and I had no siblings, so he would be left on his own. The reality tugged at my heart and I tried not to think about it.
• I was doing a lot of that right now.
• Because if I thought about things too deeply, or let my emotions take over, I might make the wrong choice. And I had to make the right choice, for everyone involved.
• Everyone but me.
• I ignored the painful selfish thoughts and pulled Catherine into a hug, I didn't want to look at her face any longer. If I did I knew I would cave, and tears would flow.
• She hugged me tightly and I drew strength from her support. She would watch over my Father.
• It would be okay.
• "Alright, I need to prepare to leave," I said as I pulled away.
• The nightfall was fast approaching
• The dusk had never seemed so unfriendly, so unpleasant. The dusk was dark and unforgiven tonight, ticking away the moments I had left here.
• Perhaps I would take dinner in the carriage, perhaps I would have more of a stomach for food in an hour or so right now it was the last thing in my mind.
• I turned from Catherine and my room, trying not to linger too much. I touched my mother's pendant necklace that was laid across my throat and asked for courage.
• Then I left my room for the final time, making my way down the stairs.
• I didn't look back and I pretended that I didn't hear Catherine muffle and sob, I knew she was trying to be strong for me, and I wasn't going to make it any harder for her than it already was.
• Descending into the dining hall, I felt my heart leap into my throat. My father was there waiting for me to join him as I always did.
• The food must be cold already and I felt a sickening lurch in my stomach, I didn't want to do this.
• "Sorry Father I'm late," I said as I approached the table
• He shook his head, standing up as I approached. "I will ask one of the maids to pack it for you, for, your trip." He said.
• It seemed to hurt him in a physical sense, to talk about me leaving, it hurt me to see the pain in his eyes, but I knew that I was doing the right thing. He would perish if I don't go.
• Damn the Dragon Lord.
• I hated being forced into a corner like this. I hated feeling like this like there's no way out. But I knew what I had to do.
• "Thank you," I said.
• The moment passed between us, almost awkward.
• "What should one say on a day like this?" I questioned no one in particular.
• How did you offer comfort when the road ahead seemed so dark and so insurmountable?
• How did you approach the impossible, and make it easy to swallow?
• It was so painful. It was spring and thorny and hard. But I didn't want my last moments with my Father to be uncomfortable. I stepped forward and wrapped my arm around him, just like the way I used to do when I was a little girl.
• I held him tight, breathing in the familiar scent, the smell of home, and burying my head into his shoulder.
• For some moment, all I wanted was to hold onto him and have everything to be alright.
• I wanted to listen to him and flee. I wanted to be a child again. Who didn't have to make her own choices? Who didn't bear the true weight of the crown? But I wasn't a child anymore, I had duties and responsibilities to attend to. I had to protect everyone I cared about and sometimes that meant making the hardest decision imaginable.
• After was felt like ages, I pulled away and took a deep breath.
• "I'll... make sure dinner is packed for your trip... Elena." He said. My Father's voice was soft and low, just like Catherine's had been. Everyone was speaking to me softly like I was already gone.
• I shivered at the thought.
• "Thank you, Father." I murmured in return.
• All around us, the darkness descended, a heavy blanket smothering and oppressive.
• I heard footsteps approaching from behind and my heart sink into my stomach.
• I knew what was coming next.
• A servant cleared his throat and said the dreaded words.
• "Princess!! Your carriage is ready."