Taking Back

A New Mark and Newer Fates

Lucinda and Alisha were left all alone with each other, Alisha giggling softly.

"Your Highness?" asked Lucinda.

Alisha looked at Lucinda. "Shoutmon took it to the extreme, didn't he?"

"I didn't see Shoutmon's idea coming, your highness," she answered. "It did the trick since Eddie didn't move until Shoumon came in and helped the situation."

"I can't imagine not having you in my life!" Eddie's voice echoed in her ears. She felt her heart race when he pulled her close. "You don't realize just how important you are to everyone! To your mother! To- to me!" Eddie's statement almost sounded like a confession, but was it out of love? He was attempting to confess his feelings for her. Alisha figured it was better to divert the conversation to other matters. She didn't even know if she had feelings for him yet. Alisha needed time.

"Hey, Lucinda," began Alisha.

"Yes, your highness. Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing too serious, I hope," replied Alisha reassuringly. "I felt something on my back earlier, and I was wondering if you could check it out."

"Oh, yes, of course," replied Lucinda beaming. Lucinda rushed to Alisha's backside and untied the strings on the back of Alisha's nightgown. She pulled the fabric apart, exposing her back. "Oh my gosh."

"What?" asked Alisha, trying to look back. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh," began Lucinda. "You have a huge dragon mark on your back, and it's very decorative."

"What!" Alisha tried to look over her shoulder. "Help me up."

Lucinda pulled Alisha up and guided her to her desk with a mirror. Alisha sat on the stool facing away from the mirror. She looked back to see a gold-shaped dragon on her back with delicate designs, which resembled Eddie's.

"Woah," replied Alisha in surprise.

"It looks stunning on you, your highness," complimented Lucinda.

"Yeah, it does," Alisha smiled.

As the princess admired her new mark, she heard someone's feet dragging and stomping toward the door. Eddie's face appeared from behind the door. He was all scratched up, and his hair a mess. He stumbled in, gasping and breathing heavily as he practically dragged himself across the floor. "Ugh, oof, oy geez," Eddie groaned. "That damn dragon. I swear, one of these days, he's-" He looked up to see Alisha sitting by the mirror. Her face glowed as the light shone from the window nearby, making her look almost mesmerizing. He couldn't take his eyes off her as he entered her room, meeting her gaze unknowingly. "Beautiful." He smacked his mouth shut as soon as he realized what he had just said, his face shivering from embarrassment.

"Hmm?"

"Uhh, n-n-nothing? Nevermind?" Eddie fumbled with his hands as he looked down at the ground, trying to avoid her irresistible visage. "Um, how, uh, how are you feeling now, p-princess?"

"I haven't sneezed yet, but other than that, I feel normal," she beamed. "I got my bond mark on my back. Do you want to see it?"

"Y-your bond mark?"

Alisha nodded. "Yes, come here. Isn't it gorgeous?"

He walked over to Alisha as she turned around and moved her hair out of the way to show him her new mark. He stared at her bare back, admiring the golden dragon on her soft skin. He couldn't resist wanting to graze his fingers against it. He could feel her shoulders rise as he touched her, her back arching slightly. He thought it was cute as she moved and reacted to his touch.