Chapter 21
The supposed dragon king winced as I asked him and he muttered something in a different language that sounded a string of curses. He changed back into his child form and glared at Linessa as if she was a dung pile.
"I am the dragon king. I'm just in the newer form. She met me years ago when she was first born is why she doesn't remember it. I even named her! It's so offensive that you spend so many days trying to name someone and they don't even know you!" he announced and the music stopped in the hall. The Arctic king came running out of the crowd and bowed lowly to the boy.
"It is a pleasure to have you in our household your majesty," he murmured and I stared at him aghast.
"Why are you bowing to him?" I questioned confused and King Vaughn gave me a scathing look.
"He's the one that will control our harvests for the next millennia. It's only proper to bow to that kind of power," he hissed and Tynan acknowledged the king with a nod.
"It's nice to know someone knows me," he pouted and I sighed.
Reaching over, I slid my hand in his and he glanced over at me.
"A dance?" I asked looking over at the musicians and the king changed back into his older form. The striking resemblance to Lawrence amplified with his transformation and he led me onto the dance floor where we started to dance to the slightly off key notes of the quartet. Dancing with the king was like dancing on air and when the song finished he smiled at me.
"I should have made the mayor of your town give me to you as a sacrifice," he informed me and I rolled my eyes.
"You'd prefer a dead Selenium to a live one?" I asked mildly and he sniggered.
"It's possible but I need to talk to higher ups in private if you don't mind," he voiced and I looked over at the little group of people he was talking about.
"Do I get to come?" I questioned and he nodded.
"It pertains you so you'll have to come," he agreed and we walked over to them. "I need to talk to your majesties and the Seleniums in private please."
The king nearly stumbled over himself trying to get a room cleared and we all ended up in his private chambers. They were large rooms with lots of red and yellow covering everywhere. The floors, the ceiling, the furniture, the mirrors, it just made me feel warm when I went in there. Not that it bothered me too much. It was cooler in there than it was in the great hall with all the Yuletide festivities and much quieter.
"What do you have to speak about your majesty?" King Vaughn was laying it on thick and I couldn't blame him now that he knew the he was there.
"A war is about to start that's going to try and put this Selenium on the throne," he replied pointing to me and I blinked. My confusion at the time was astounding to the ignorance I had about anything that went on in the world. I was used to being told to do something and then to do it. I didn't need any extra baggage or thought process that I had to worry about so this was news to me.
"What are you talking about?" I asked curiously.
"The MerKing has decided to put the Seleniums back in power for the known world. I would answer to you and he would answer to you and we would all be under your command," he replied and I gapped at him.
"What would I want that for?" I exclaimed and it was his turn to look surprised.
"You don't want the world at your beck and call?" He asked astonished and I shook my head.
"It's too much work! I have a hard enough time trying to keep my prince alive! The whole world would die if I controlled it!" I protested and he started laughing.
"You're such a strange girl! Anyone else in the world would jump at the chance and one who gets it doesn't want it! So amusing..." he trailed off thinking about the problem and laughing to himself. It only took me a few seconds to find a solution to the issue.
"The king had invited me for a visit before we came. Remember your highness?" I directed at Aiden and he nodded recalling the incident.
"Then Phyralis tried to kill me in order to free you," he muttered. It was a hard thing to get over and I certainly didn't blame him for it.
"Phyralis tried to kill you?" The dragon king asked intrigued and I nodded.
"I was a slave then but when we landed here, my prince set me free," I informed him and he nodded thoughtfully.
"The four of you should go as peacemakers and see what you can do to get rid of the Sea King's anger against the known world. I suggest you do it quickly or else we might have a situation on our hands and I don't want to start having dragons killed for you," Tynan said seriously to the princes, Linessa, and me.
"When do you want to leave?" I questioned as we left the room to go pack and the three of them looked at me.
"You turned down a chance to rule the world," Aiden muttered kneading his forehead and I shrugged.
"I don't want it," I replied and he heaved a sigh.
"That's the strange part. I never have really understood that about you," he offered in consolation and I smiled at him.
"It appears that most people don't," I responded and he grinned back at me.
"Tell me about it," he joked and our quartet split up to go get ready.
I didn't have a whole lot to pack so I just ended up playing with my kitten. I hadn't really thought of a name for her but it was bugging me so I started considering them. Lawrence walked in on my contemplation and I glanced up at him surprised.
"Ready?" He asked and I nodded holding up my small bag. "You don't have a lot do you?"
"I don't need many things just some knives, swords, and clothes. Food's a necessity but I can always hunt for it," I shrugged and he pulled the kitten out of my arms.
"Thought of a name yet?" he changed the subject. He had seemed uncomfortable about my explanation and I was wondering why.
"I was thinking about it as you walked in," I confessed and he waggled his eyebrows at me.
"That's our hormones communicating," he grinned and I rolled my eyes, not dignifying it with an answer. "The best name would be Liana. It suits her."
"Well Liana, what do you think?" I asked and her face grinned at me before it started to change.
