The Dragon's Flame Queen ✔

✔LI - Like A Goddess

Demian woke up and it was already long past lunch. He looked out of the windows and saw the orange gold stretched far and wide, the colour of fire hearths and tangerines brushing the sky. He felt so exhausted that he had no recollection of time. As he looked beside, the bed was empty and cold. Seraphina wasn't there. He remembered she had gone with Alonzo. Hadn't they arrived yet?

There was a knock followed by a muffled voice with a hint of restlessness, "Your Highness?" It was Alonzo, no doubt, as he knocked some more calling him. He didn't know when he had been knocking.

"Come in," Demian said with a hoarse voice that hinted he just woke up.

The door jolted open as Alonzo entered, his face was carved with worry and his steps were long. 

"What is it, Alonzo?"

"Your Highnes, you haven't eaten since breakfast! I came here with the maids but you and Princess Seraphina didn't answer." Alonzo added as his moustache flapped accusingly, "I came back again but you didn't answer! I was worried that something might have happened!" 

"No. I was just tired." Demian asked, "Where is Seraphina?"

Alonzo looked at him for a moment as Demian raised a brow questioningly and Alonoz's eyes went large.

"Y—Your Highness!" Trouble carved on his face, "I don't know where she is. I thought she was with you."

"But I sent her to take you while going to buy her gown." And then Demian remembered he had asked Mrs Heartstone to take care of her for the evening banquet. 

"Where could she have gone?" Alonzo asked, panicking as he paced around the room.

"Alonzo, go look for her in Lady Cathride's chamber. She could be there," Demian suggested but he was worried that it was Seraphina after all. She could just snuck out of the palace to go on her own and from her pout, it was hinted she wanted to go alone.

Alonzo nodded and dashed there. His heart had been in his mouth and again, bad thoughts accumulated in his head. He took the stairs and went to Lady Cathride's chamber. With long strides, he reached near the wooden door in a few moments.

He coughed as would it be good to trouble the Lady now as she might be preparing for the Banquet.

He was about to knock when Lady Cathride opened the door and Alonzo froze. "Err... Lady Cathride, pardon me for interrupting, but have you seen—"

"Princess Seraphina?" Cathride finished the sentence and opened the door widely as Alonoz's eyes followed behind her where Princess Seraphina stood.

He gasped. Tears poured down of his eyes as his moustache waved blissfully in the air when his eyes witnessed the Princess in her new attire. He sniffed and Lady Cathride seemed to have prepared a set of handkerchief in her hands as she stretched out to give him one.

"Alonzo!" Seraphina exclaimed, "come in!"

"No! Your Highness!" He wiped his nose and gave it back to Lady Cathride who took it by two sticks—she seemed well prepared. 

"Please take your time as I go back to Prince Demian," Alonzo added, wiping his tears with another handkerchief that Lady Cathride provided him from beside. He gave it back and the Lady took it with the sticks. Her face had a proud grin and Alonzo's reaction was the best that she had gotten as a prize. 

"How do you think Princess Seraphina is looking?" She asked as her nose grew in length.

"Beautiful! I shall carve this memory in my mind forever and die peacefully." Alonzo cried more as Cathride gave him another handkerchief while her smile grew wide and a layer of miasma sipped out of her. She mumbled, "Now, there is one other person who is going to be speechless," and her grin turned wicked as Alonzo looked at her questioningly.