The Dragon's Kingdom

To be or not to be brave

 I slipped into the surprisingly warm water, letting out a happy sigh. Warmth unknotted my tense muscles, my eyes slowly drifting shut. Fia had already left after wiping off her face. A basket filled with soaps and two washcloths were already waiting for me.

I grabbed one of the clothes, ridding my face of the rouge it had been painted with. Another yawn escaped me, so I dropped the cloth heading towards the deeper end of the pool. Benches had been carved into the sides of the pool and I relaxed on one, intent on spending the next hour enjoying the water.

My eyelids continued to droop. Exhausted from all of the stress that had been wracking my body and mind. I started to doze, steam curling away from the water and clouding my vision. The sound of my own breathing filled the room, along with the memories that began to plague me.

The sound of Knox's growl rumbling through my chest. Red eyes lit with rage, that scar twisting his lip. My sleepy state disappeared when I remembered his muttered words.

"Told you." He had rasped out.

Why? Was he expecting that I would be disgusted or even frightened by his appearance? Had he taken one look at me and decided I was rude and quick to judge? Did I prove him right?

"Asshole," I opened my eyes glaring down at my clenched fists.

Next time I see him I'm going to be completely calm. No freakouts. Just smooth serenity like this pool. With that in mind I plunged down in the deep pool, closing my eyes and sinking down to the bottom. The terror that seemed to constantly fill me disappeared as I slowly released the air in my lungs. Watching the bubbles travel to the surface.

This wasn't the first time I had contemplated the peace of the water while beneath its surface. It definitely wouldn't be the last either. The last bubble broke the surface and my lungs began to burn. My chest panicked with the need, but I could last a little longer before I would actually need to break the surface.

Warm hands cupped my hips, tugging me up, up, up till cool air finally filled my lungs. I tried to shift away but my body had turned stiff, freezing me in his arms. I knew without looking that it was Knox behind me, his skin standing out against mine like blots of ink on paper. One of his hands drifted up, skimming lightly over my stomach.

"What are you doing?" I finally managed to whisper, heat pooling at the apex of my thighs.

He didn't reply, continuing to gently stroke my skin until I was a humming bundle of energy. Thick fingers pulled at the stiff peaks of my breasts, sparks skittering across my skin with every tug. The hand still holding me firmly against his hard muscles shifted, banding across my waist and keeping me trapped against him.

"I knew you were a fucking whore." Rae's voice snarled in my ear, the hands touching my skin turned gray, flesh slowly falling away to reveal bone.

I tried to scream, tried to move, but my voice had been stolen from me. I was trapped alone with Rae again.

A door slammed open and I lurched, quickly scrambling up and out of the water. I hid my trembling hands behind my back before lifting my gaze to face whoever had decided to interrupt me. Or rather they had saved me from my nightmare.

"Sorry to bother you, your highness." A maid stuttered, "I didn't know you were in here. Maina had asked me to prepare a bath for one of the visiting princes."

"Can you hand me a robe?" I crossed my arms over my chest, flushing with embarrassment.

She quickly grabbed one of the white robes, helping me into it before placing new soaps and cloths into the basket on the floor. Cinching the robe up tightly I didn't bother to grab the heavy dress I had worn down here. Even with my nap I was exhausted, confusion making my head throb.