Dragon Prince

Chapter 20: Crazy, Stupid Love

CHAPTER 20

CRAZY, STUPID LOVE

Callie stared at the waves crashing against the cliff as she peered out of the open lighthouse.

She wasn't a lighthouse keeper, but she did enjoy the view and she watched as people worked about on the pier and fought to evade the falling excrements of the birds overhead.

Arty came up from the hatch below with Erik.

"Good news," he told Callie. "There's talk of a dragon in Isalgia and lover boy seems to be the talk of the town,"

"Lover boy?" Callie scoffed.

Erik shook his head, on his shoulder, Iggy copied his movements.

"Still in denial?" Arty asked.

"I'm not in denial, I'm being practical," Callie huffed. "He was probably just... confused... Maybe the eel venom still addled his brain,"

"Uh-huh," Erik muttered sarcastically.

Truthfully, Callie only recently began to realise her feelings for the prince. He faacinated her somehow and he cared so much about people that he was willing to put their needs before his own.

It was like he didn't even know how much he cared. Or how much good he had done.

Still, he was a prince and she had no business having such foreign feelings invading her mind.

But the way he looked at her when she had had a moment of weakness and cried in front of him... Almost as if he wanted to kiss her...

No. Nope. It's all in your head. That was nothing.

But you want it to be.

Ignoring her mental argument, she turned away from the snickering elf and man.

So she had feelings for the prince. It would probably fade with time.

"Come on," Arty chuckled. "Let's head out to lunch. Erik and I are meeting Gunther and Jed at this cool tavern we found."

With a sigh, Callie followed them down the stairs and out of the lighthouse. They passed numerous people either vendors or sailors or drunks along the way.

Once they arrived, Callie could instantly see a minstrel in the far corner strumming on his instrument as he captured a large audience with tales of the Dragon Prince of Isalgia.

Callie rolled her eyes and took a stool by the bar. Arty ordered for them and she saw Gunther at one of the tables in an arm wrestling match with yet another burly fellow.

Ram had left immediately they had arrived and insisted they remain behind until they get word from the king.

It had been well over a week with no response and Callie was getting agitated.

The squawk from a familiar bird caught her attention and she was surprised to see Woogah land on the bar in front of her with something strapped to his leg.

"For Captain It, from Princey It," the bird told her.

Callie sat stunned as she read the invitation over and over again. It was an invitation to a ball signed by the prince himself and sealed with the wax crest of Isalgia.

"Whatcha got there?" Arty asked with a mouth full of roasted duck.

"Invitation to a ball," Callie said airily, then noticing the sly grin on Arty's face had smacked him upside the head.

"But we can't go," she sighed.

"Why not?" Arty asked.

Callie gave him a look. "I have no dress, no shoes, no carriage and no idea how to act all ettiquetty,"