Dragon Blood

Three: More Than They Bargained For

"DaddyDaddyDaddy!" Skylar screeched as she ran down the hallway toward Hal. He turned around just in time to catch her in his arms.

    "What's the matter, sweetie?" he asked as he grasped his six-year-old in his arms. Her emerald dress wrapped around her awkwardly, but she didn't seem to mind. Hal reached up to push the flyaway strands of her fiery red hair away from her face. No matter how tightly Greta braided her hair, there were always wisps that escaped.

    "My back hurts again," she said, tucking her face into his shoulder. This worried Hal. She'd been getting back pains, right along her spine, for the past few months and the countless doctors they'd called couldn't figure out what was wrong. Everything else about her was perfect; she was completely healthy. And she could run quite quickly and play enthusiastically despite the pain, so the doctors were even more perplexed by this.

    "I'm sorry, Sky," he kissed her head. "Have you been taking your medicine from Greta?" Greta was once a healer back in her village, before she was hired to take care of the baby princess. She used herbal remedies on the princess, which had always worked.

    Sky nodded her head, but cuddled closer to Hal. She radiated heat, as she always had, but she felt warmer somehow. "Honey, do you feel hot?" he inquired.

    "A little," she admitted, pressing the back of her hand against her forehead as she had seen Violet and Greta do when she was sick.

    This worried Hal. She had never felt sick before when her back was hurting. He would have to get Greta to up the dosage of her medicines. "Come with me; I'm already running late ." He continued to carry her as he headed toward the throne room. It was time for the monthly open house where his subjects could come to the castle and voice their complaints, suggestions, ask questions, or ask him to settle disputes. It was tiring and not often helpful, but it kept his relationship with his people a sound one.

He should be taking his time figuring out what was wrong with his daughter. She'd been perfectly fine until she turned six years old. That was when she began getting the pains and growing warmer each day.

    The guards bowed their heads to Hal when he approached the throne room doors. Hal set Sky back on her feet and smoothed her dress as she rubbed her eyes. "Remember that you're the princess, darling, you have to walk yourself into the throne room."

    "Yes, Daddy," she nodded, but grabbed his hand. Her grip was shocking, and he squeezed her hand right back. Violet would already be in her throne, awaiting his arrival. Hopefully Greta would be there as well. It wasn't often that she let Skylar out of her sight, which caused Hal to believe that Sky had escaped her caretaker's attention.

    The guards pushed open the mighty doors to the throne room and everyone turned toward them expectantly. It was a full house, as usual this time of the month, and Hal nodded his head to his people, who had risen in respect when he entered. Violet narrowed her eyes at him for being late, but smiled at Sky. "Hello, darling," she whispered to Sky as their daughter walked by her to stand between them. Greta stood to Violet's right, glaring at Skylar. Hal's suspicion that Sky had slipped away was confirmed by that one look. He smiled at his subjects as he sat, which caused them to sit as well. And then hell began.

    Skylar had a difficult time standing still, so it only took about fifteen minutes before Greta escorted her quietly out of the room. Hal sighed in longing. He was bored out of his mind. He had always thought of his subjects as intelligent, rational beings. At least before he started these monthly meetings. It was then that he realized there was no limit to the idiocy of people. He had far more important things to be worrying about, but here he was deciding whether or not a sheep that wandered into another farmer's field automatically became the property of the second farmer. It was tedious and unrewarding. He loved his subjects and his kingdom, but they were a piece of work.