Chapter 4 The Pet

• Esthela clutched the bow given to her by her younger brother, an arrow poised and ready for release, whilst a knife lay at her feet. She contemplated adhering to Lotha's instruction to wait patiently for their arrival, regardless of the duration. She could not recall the moment she succumbed to sleep, but it was the sun, high in the sky, that roused her with hunger's insistent growls demanding sustenance.
• After hours of uneventful vigil and with a burgeoning sense of restlessness, Esthela cautiously eased the door open, the creaking noise sending a shiver down her spine. Initially, she merely protruded her head to scrutinise the environs.
• Finding all to be tranquil, she swung the door wide and stepped out into the sunlight. As she surveyed the area, an uncanny sensation of being watched compelled her to cast her eyes across the river. There, she beheld a magnificent stag with grand antlers, in the company of a smaller consort.
• The sight arrested her breath. Never before had she witnessed such a regal creature of imposing stature and distinctive colouration. "He is a magnificent specimen," Esthela silently appraised as she continued to observe the majestic stag. It seemed the sovereign of all deer, its splendour seizing her attention, rendering her spellbound.
• Both animals regarded her with a sense of curiosity, their absence of fear in her presence offering her comfort. With resolve, she made her way back inside the hut. Esthela retrieved a leaf and a piece of charcoal she had brought with her. This was one of the secrets she shared with her friend Leoric; he would gather scarce pieces of paper for her to paint on, as it was one of the few pastimes she truly relished.
• As she commenced painting the deer and its companion, her mind became besieged with unanswered questions that haunted her thoughts. Why had she not fallen in love with and married her dear friend? And why had her parents procrastinated in arranging her marriage after no suitor came forward to claim her?
• It was all due to the promise of an engagement to a stranger. 'Who could these people really be?' Esthela mused as she contemplated the ring her father had placed upon her finger, adorned with a large ruby that seemed on the verge of emitting flames, so fiercely did it sparkle in the sunlight.
• As a child, Esthela would often overhear her parents embroiled in heated arguments, particularly concerning someone her mother referred to as Lotha, the chosen one. But chosen for what? Her mother esteemed him highly, almost with reverence, in a manner akin to her father who always kept him near, imparting knowledge in ways she could not fathom.
• The truth was, they never explicitly disclosed who Lotha was or the significance he bore. Esthela surmised he must be someone of considerable importance, judging by the deference her father's closest friend, Aldus – Leoric's father – showed him. They had accompanied her family and settled nearby, and whenever Lotha arrived, Aldus would bow with the utmost respect before her parents and Lotha, despite their objections.
• 'Who are these people?' Esthela pondered this question, realising that for now, she possessed no answers. A sigh escaped her lips as she contemplated her life, now brimming with enigmatic mysteries. Occasionally, they would all journey to the mountains, a place of which Esthela retained no memory.
• Following each expedition, her body would experience transformations. The same occurred with her siblings, particularly her elder brother, Lotha, who became taller and more robust with every visit.
• Esthela had grown accustomed to these transformations, accepting them as a normal part of her existence. Yet, her father's words to her brother echoed in her mind. According to him, she was to utter her fiancé's name thrice, and a door would open. But what was this name? Why had they not divulged it to her? And to which door were they alluding? These unanswered queries left Esthela feeling both perplexed and intrigued.
• Esthela had never before encountered a deer with such an extraordinary visage. It stood tall and proud, its antlers magnificent, displaying shades of reddish-brown and black. What species of creature could it possibly be? She dared not draw nearer, fearing to wander too far from the safety of the hut. Whenever she ventured out, a vast shadow would flit across the ground, sending shivers down her spine and urging her to retreat indoors.
• "Stop scaring her, Oryun!" Prince Erick's voice rang out, laden with ire as he chided his friend, who lay beside him, convulsed with laughter.
• "Ha-ha-ha... Forgive me, Erick. I simply cannot resist the amusement of watching her expression when she looks up and sees naught," Oryun replied, his laughter tinged with mischief.
• "Bother my human again, and I shall place upon you a spell that will strip you of your ability to fly!" Prince Erick threatened his friend with a playful disposition, taking pleasure in terrifying humans and all manner of creatures.
• "Ha, ha, ha... It seems you've developed quite the fondness for your new human pet, ha, ha, ha..." Oryun teased, his laughter unrestrained.
• "Why do you refer to her as a 'human pet'?" Erick enquired.
• "And isn't she just that? You're forever watching over her, and it's only a matter of time before the Empress takes note," Oryun replied, a mischievous lilt to his voice.
• "I requested that your father instruct me on how to disengage myself from her," Prince Erick confided.
• "Did you now?" Oryun asked, his surprise evident.
• Changing the subject with alacrity, Prince Erick posed a question, "What do you reckon her name is? She's quite fetching, wouldn't you agree?"
• Oryun continued to watch Prince Erick, who had assumed the form of a majestic dragon and now sat invisibly beside Esthela. Piqued by curiosity, Oryun decided to join in the observation. The human before them exudes beauty. Despite their numerous encounters with humans during their travels, they had consistently avoided interactions with women, heeding the Emperor's cautionary advice. That humans could not endure the formidable energy of dragons and that any union between dragon and human would invariably result in the human's demise.
• "Do you honestly believe what my father says?"
• The prince queried his friend as he reclined beside the stone upon which Esthela was now engrossed in her painting, regarding her with evident admiration. He had never experienced the pangs of love before, but this human captivated him with her beauty, and he yearned to possess her heart entirely for himself.
• "My prince, do not succumb to affection for the human. You are well aware that Elgida will dispatch her if she learns of this," his friend cautioned.
• "Elgida and I are naught! Why would she lay a finger on her?" the prince retorted, his brow furrowed with annoyance.
• "She fancies herself your betrothed, you know this all too well. She has been resolute in her ambition to marry you since your birth and to ascend as the empress," his friend reminded him.
• "I do not favour the idea; I shall never crown her my empress. I would sooner take any other princess from the allied kingdoms to my wife. But Elgida will never be my spouse; I have made my position clear to her. I cannot fathom why my mother allows her residence in the imperial palace."
• "Because she was the sole survivor of her lineage when the humans vanquished the dragons of the Copper Mountains. She was but an infant when your mother took her under her wing."
• "That is precisely why I cannot comprehend her obsession with me; she ought to regard me as a younger brother, given she has two centuries over me!"
• "Indeed, that is true. Yet, she is driven by ambition; she covets the title of Empress."
• "She shall not have it, I assure you. I would rather wed any other princess than her. It matters little to me whom my father selects, provided it is not Elgida; I will consent. This evening he has arranged for me to meet many; will you accompany me? You are aware of how tedious I find those balls."
• "Of course, I shan't miss it! Whom will you choose? I know! That delightful little blue one we encountered during our visit to the water dragons, she was rather charming! What was her name?"
• "Do you mean Princess Luddie? Yes, she's quite endearing and amusing. She's all yours."
• "Mine? I'm merely the son of a counsellor; I could never aspire to marry a princess. Perhaps with your 'pet', I might stand a chance," he chuckled.
• "Oryun, I take no pleasure in your jesting!" he bellowed, startling Esthela, who spun around, searching for the source of the disturbance but seeing nothing, and scurried to take refuge in the hut. "Do you realise what you've caused me to do?"
• "I've done nothing of the sort! It was a mere jest, although I'm earnest when I say you must keep her hidden from Elgida. Should she learn of your 'pet', her days would be numbered."
• "Cease referring to her as my 'pet'; she is not!"
• "Oh? Then what is she?"
• The prince stood in silence, pondering the very same question. She was a human whose lifespan was but a brief flicker in his time, roughly thirty-five days to his seventy human years. He couldn't afford to grow attached; she would pass before he could grow accustomed to her company. Yet her beauty captivated him, and he desired her for himself. What if there were a way to extend her life?
• "Don't harbour such thoughts! Remember the incident with the boy we rescued? He later turned against us, seeking to slay all for our blood. Had it not been for your grandfather, we would have perished at his hands."
• "We needn't disclose our identities to her," Erick insisted.
• "Erick, I know you too well," his friend Oryun retorted. "You wouldn't bear to see your 'pet' come to harm."
• "She is not my pet!"
• "Then what, pray tell, is she?"
• "I haven't the faintest idea! Yet it irks me when you refer to her in such a manner. Observe the marvellous creations she fashions; she paints all that she beholds," he remarked, observing Esthela who had cautiously re-emerged and, upon seeing no peculiar creature, resumed her seat on the stone beside him.
• "Indeed, she possesses a remarkable talent," Oryun conceded, peering over Esthela's shoulder. "We ought to procure for her some of those coloured charcoals from the Diamond Mountains. The hues she could produce would be splendid."
• "I shall consider it," Erick mused.
• "We must devise a means to prevent her from glimpsing our shadows," the prince pondered aloud. "I cannot abide the thought of her being scared."
• "I believe I've hit upon a solution. We can replicate what we did whilst tending to the child, remember? We shall erect a protective barrier around her so that none may approach when we are absent."
• "But I fear that halts her time. That wasn't what grandfather told us about humans, or I misremember his dealings with them."
• "Yes, he did mention something of the sort, though I can't quite recall; we were but children at the time. Is that not your desire, for her to live longer? It might well be one method, should she remain within; her time would align with ours."
• "I shall give it some thought. I'd only resort to such measures in our absence. Yet I'm not entirely certain of the mechanics—I fear an unforeseen misfortune might befall her. What if I were to take her with me this evening? I could conceal her in my chambers until I ascertain the proper method. The thought of a predator claiming her during my absence is unbearable."
• "Have you taken leave of your senses? How can you even contemplate bringing a human into our realm? She is merely your pet, my prince! Your pet!"