The Shamer's Daughter - A Fanfiction

Chapter 6 - Even or Odd

He left and the door shut behind him. It wasn't because Dina hadn't listened to the scary words that had come from Drakan's mouth, it was just that the previous jaws with teeth had scared her even more, and so the first thing she said when they were alone was:

"Are they real dragons, Mother?" She was still holding on to her dress and didn't let go before Melussina took her hands in hers instead.

"I don't know. Did he take you that way?" Her eyes were filled with different thoughts, but she couldn't hide the worry of her child being alone with that man amongst ghastly dragons. "I was brought through with half a dusin men all carrying torches and speers, all scared out of their senses, but I didn't see much. The smell felt convincing though." Her hands found Dina's hair tie that had gotten loose and automatically started braiding her daughter's hair as she had done so often before. Dina's hair was like that of a horse and just as wild and often got loose from any hair do. The braiding was calming to both of them. And they didn't talk for a little while - Melussina was thinking.

"He won't hurt you." When she finally spoke, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself as well as Dina. "Drakan is angry because I won't say what he wants me to, but no harm will come to you. I promise."

"Mom, he looked you in the eyes." Dina's voice was hardly more than a whisper and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Yes. Yes, he did and I'm still trying to figure out what that means. He's not ashamed. And Prince Nicodemus is ashamed of many things, but not that." They both knew what that was and there was no reason to elaborate. "And he's so young Dina," this was the final drop that made Melussina's voice break. "Only 17, slightly older than Davin. They won't believe me but I am sure he is innocent." She regained her footing and looked her daughter in the eye. "He won't hurt you."

"Mom?" Dina felt a tear leave her eye and her mother wiped it away before it could reach her cheek. "Who's been killed?" Her mother sighed.

"The king. King Ebnezar and his daughter in law Adela Leotarra. She's the widowed princess after the king's eldest son passed away some months ago. And then the king's grandchild, Bian."

"But why would anyone want to kill them?" Dina was scared, and not just because of the dragons now.

"Prince Nicodemus is the king's youngest son. They say he has always had issues with his father and for a while with drinking as well. That he wanted to marry Adela's younger sister, but the king wouldn't let him, because he needed him to marry for another alliance. According to the king's counselor, it made the prince mad with lust and vengeance and he became determined to take his father's place as king. And so, the word is that he, senseless with liquor, killed both his father and anyone between him and the throne - Adela and her son." Melussina was holding her daughter's shoulders, both to get her to focus on every word, but also to shield her from all the evil in the world. "It is just all so convenient! They found him outside Princess Adela's chambers, drunk and asleep, and still covered in blood with the weapon in his hands. He couldn't remember a thing and couldn't explain. The counselor was so sure, but I'm certain as well. He didn't do it." It wasn't til now that Dina noticed how pale and tired her mother looked. Maybe she hadn't slept at all since she left them in Birches.

"What Drakan wants me to do, is an awful thing. To make a person believe that he did a thing so terrible, if he didn't. It would be almost as evil as the murders, do you understand Dina?" Dina nodded, she wasn't sure she did just yet, but her mother's wild eyes scared her. She had never seen her mother like this and she seemed so weak compared to the calm and sensible woman she had known all her life.

"But could you do it? The thing Drakan wants from you, could you make him believe?"

"Why do you ask?" Her mother's expression changed in an instant, it was now cold and stern, like when she had talked to Drakan. And Dina wasn't even sure why she had asked.

"If I'm to be your apprentice, then I need to know exactly what a Shamer is capable of." She wasn't sure her mother had bought it, but Melussina was too occupied with other thoughts to handle her daughter's curiosity at the moment. But she did hesitate before answering.

"I'm not sure, but I would never try. I couldn't do a thing that would make me feel so much shame. And that's why you will have to help me. If Drakan is serious about his threat, then you need to be brave and trust me, okay?" Her mother removed a strand of hair that had already gotten loose again. "The prince is just a boy. He's ashamed of many normal things, but he's not the monster they're trying to blame him for." Dina looked into the green eyes that were the only thing she thought she had in common with her mother.

*

An hour passed and the moon had gotten to a point where it shone through the window in the room with the two shamers instead of the sun. They heard Drakan's steps on the stairs before the door opened, but Melussina didn't look up, so neither did Dina. They sat in the windowsill and were playing Even or Odd with some coins, her mother had kept in a pouch in her belt.

"Even" Her mother guessed, as if she hadn't noticed Drakan at all. It annoyed him and he slammed the door as soon as Dina had revealed the three silver coins in her closed hand.

"Well?" He said and stepped into the moonlight.

"Hmm?" Melussina said. The Shamer's arrogant answer bothered him even more, and Dina felt sure that she saw a smile playing in the corner of her mother's mouth.

"I'm waiting for an answer Medama. Where will The Shamer's Daughter be spending the night?"

"Hopefully in her own bed, home in Birches, Lord Drakan. I understand the anger and shock this situation must have caused you, but I have done my duty as a Shamer, and I wish to go home now." Melussina had gotten up, but Dina stayed put in the windowsill, where she couldn't get further away from the dark eyes almost as frightening as her mother's.

"Very well then. Dina, come here." He reached out a hand without taking his eyes off the Shamer. Dina tried to look to her mother, but she wouldn't turn around to face her.

"Leave the girl alone, she plays no part in this."

"Neither did Bian." Said Drakan before walking determinately towards Dina and grabbing her arm, when she didn't follow his instructions. Dina fought him, but was no match for his strength. It was one thing to be brave in the middle of the day, but now that darkness had fallen for real and her mother was right beside her, she didn't want to leave. He dragged her back to the hidden stairs, they had come from earlier and turned around to give her mother one last chance to stop him. But she didn't.

"Go with him, Dina. Remember what I said, Nicodemus won't hurt you." Even if Dina had believed those words, she still would have been scared. Drakan's touch alone made her feel cold to the core. But her mother looked so proud, that she wanted to live up to her image and do her justice and so she buried her fear for a little while.

"It isn't necessary to force me... My lord. Dina said with the best impersonation of her mother that she could manage. She added the polite phrase because she had heard her mother call him that and because she wanted the tone alone to be insulting enough. "I am perfectly capable of walking on my own." Melussina smiled with even more pride than before and Drakan looked even more surprised than Dina had dared hope for. This gave her the last bit of courage she needed to descend the stairs. And she only looked back once when she was sure Drakan wasn't looking.

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