Princess Ahira (12 page)

             
I squeaked and the shape made no movements. “Have it your way,” t
he
p
rince said, kicking his horse
which shot forward. 

             
The man in the middle of the road
muttered and his hands glowed with blue lights.
There was a blinding light and the horse reared, se
nding the prince and I flying.
I screamed and cringed as I prepared myself for the hard landing, but to my surprise I was cradle
d in the arms of the stranger.
I looked up and the light, which hadn’t disappeared, illuminated hi
m
. 

             
“You’re the
stalker
m
age from yesterday afternoon!”
I blu
rted out as I recognized his
brown hair and sky blue eyes.

He cringed at my word choice.

“Thanks,”
I added
, intending to soften the blow. I blushed when he didn’t release me. His eyes were fastened on the prince who was slowly standing up.

             
“Arrogant wizard!” the prince said, glaring
as he unsheathed his sword and rushed at us. 

             
The mage blinked and a huge f
ireball shot towards the prince. He
dodged it but got the ends of his golden hair
singed. The prince, more furious tha
n ever
,
leaped at us
again
. 

             
This time a riv
er that appeared out of nowhere
r
ushed forth and surrounded the prince and his horse.
“Leave
and never return to this hallow,” th
e mage yelled
most impressively over the roar
of the waters. The river surged
and carried the prince and his mount away.

             
“They’ll be fine, right? Would you put me down? Why are you here anyway?” I asked, unable to stop the babble of questions that burst from my mouth.

             
“Yes, the prince and his steed will survive
,
” t
he mage s
oothed as he set me on my feet.
“The river will drop them off at the house of a particularly dumb prin
cess.
T
hey will be a perfect match,” he predicted. “That’s what I would like to think anyway. Who knows what will happen to him?”

             
My forehead wrinkled. This boy seemed odd. “Thank you for saving me,”
I
said with
sincerity.
The mage blushed,
his light magic still lighting u
p the driveway for us. “Erm,” I said. It was only right that I invite him in for a cup of tea. But after that prince experience I wasn’t exactly cheering for male company at the moment
.

             
In the end my good breeding won out. “Would you like to come inside for a cup of tea?” I politely asked.

             
“Yes, please,” the mage
said
with a smi
le before we turned to enter
my temporary home. I led him down the hallways, making a beeline for the kitchen.
I set
the mail on the table and
went into the ki
tchen with the mage behind me.
As I prepared a cup of tea I started to pump him for information. 

             
“So, what’s your name?”
I asked.

             
“Aaron,” he
answered with a sweet smile.

             
“My name is Ahira,” I said as I carefully poured the piping hot drink into a tea cup.
“I s
aw you in the woods yesterday. What were you doing there?” 
I asked.

             
He
looked a little uncomfortable.
“I was originally there to pick some of the Ever
Blossoms. But
I saw you and your dragon, Azmave
th, right?” he asked and I nodded. “O
nce I saw you and y
our dragon I became fascinated.
Dragons are moody creatures who generally don’t like their
princesses.
I was astonish
ed to see your loving relationship,” he said as I became minutely disturbed while I passed over his cup of tea.

             
“It’s not really like that. Why were you in the area? I’m very grateful that you rescued me, but it is evening…,” I trailed off.
 

             
Aaron blushed.
“
I happened to be nearby and I heard you scream for Azmaveth. I thought it sounded like you might need help,
” Aaron
carefully replied before baiting me and switching topics though. “I walked into a tree when I heard your shout. Amazing, out of all dragons you are placed with Azmaveth.”

             
“What do you mean?” I asked as he took a sip of his tea.

“Azmaveth is a duke. That’s the highest possible rank besides the title of
Dragon King
,” Aaron rambled, his eyes were glowing with happiness.

             
“So what?” I asked, unimpressed. Azmaveth, even if he was a duke, was still Az
maveth:
a dirty, piggy
,
little slob with an enormous appetite.

             
“So what?” Aaron raved. “You have power,” he said, thrusting a finger in my direction. “He very clearly dotes upon you! Do you know what you could do?”

             
I was about to
inform Aaron that I would die happy
if Azmaveth just learned to pick up his dirty dishes, but instead the tunnels ran with the delighted tones of Azmaveth’s voice.

             
“Ahira, I’m home!” he rumbled. “You are never going to guess where I’ve been,” he said as he trotted into the kitchen while concocting possibly the biggest lie I would ever hear in my life. “I know
.
I’m late, I’m late, but it wasn’t my fault! You see on my way back from the lake I ran into this cat. But it wasn’t really a cat, it was a pig. Don’t ask. I also met a sphinx who had forgotten his riddle, so naturally I had to help him. Then I ran into a wood elf who had ironically gotten himself lost in the woods, and then I—who is this?” Azmaveth said, abruptly cutting off when his purple eyes landed on Aaron.

             
“Azmaveth this is Aaron.
Aaron, Azmaveth.”  I introduced them as
Azmaveth’s eyes became murderous. “Aaron saved me from that prince you were supposed to take care of,” I wryly said as the wizard shuddered under the dragon’s glare.

             
“He returned?”
Azmaveth questioned, turning his gaze onto me.

             
“Yes.
You took your merry old time getting he
re, so the p
rince beat you back,” I carelessly flaunted
. 

             
Azmaveth went back to glaring at Aaron, who bowed.
“I was just leaving,” h
e stuttered, tripping over himself as h
e all but ran out of the room. Apparently he had all the courage and bravery of a mouse.

             
After Aaron appropriately fled
I fixed Az
maveth with my own dark glare. “You were being mean!”
I accused as Azmaveth still looked mad.

             
“H
e had your scent all over him! What did you do? Hang on him?” he snarled.

             
“What
is your problem?”  I demanded.
“I’ve been alone all
day, the p
rince attacks me
,
and Aar
on was nice enough to rescue me and
you
dare waltz in here acting like I’m a traitor,” I growled
. 

             
“What is
my
problem?” Azmaveth bellowed.
He was about to continue but I interrupted. 

             
“You
’
r
e
such a spoiled brat!”
I
screamed in a pitch so high I’m sure I did perm
ane
nt damage to Azmaveth’s ears.
I ran to my bedroom, slamming the new oak door in Azmaveth’s eye. 

             
“You get back out here
right now
!” h
e roared.

             
“MAKE ME!”
I yelled back rolling over as I plugged my ears and folded my pillow around my head. 

Azmaveth continued to roar and growl outside my door, but I ignored him with great determination. Eventually he stomped away.

Several times that night I heard some rather lou
d explosions come from his lab.

the Dragon Steward

             
The follow
ing morning I rolled out of bed and instantly
grabbed my da
gger, flute, and charm bracelet. I had learned my lesson.

I
washed and readied myself for the day. Explosions were still sounding from Azmaveth’s lab, so I made breakfast and left it on a tray next to the door before I retreated to the kitchen to eat by myself.

I busied myself right away. I scrubbed the kitchen floor and cleaned my room. Before I knew it, it was noon, my most hated hour because that meant the mail was delivered.

             
I stomped out of the den, shoving the front doors open, before tramping down the driveway.
There was nothing in our mail h
ole.

I growled.

Azmaveth would undoubtedly make me com
e out later to check it again. He was convinced that he was a spectacular dragon who should receive mail every day. I angrily muttered and grumbled as I started stalking back to the den. I halted in my tracks when I was a stone
’
s throw from the front door.

             
There was a strange young man standing outside the den, reaching for the doorkno
b.
I immediately panicked
, he had to be a prince. (An
awfully
gutsy prince, but still a prince.)

             
“What do you think your doing?”
I
sharply asked as I felt in the pockets of my apron for my dagger.

             
The prince whirled around and I stopped moving. Heck, I almost stopped breathing.

             
He was quite tall with a
feline feel to him. His hair
was a deep black with a purpleish
hue, the same shade of Azmaveth’s darkest scales. His hair was carefully kept and was as silky
as a girl’s
.
His eyes were by far the most attention grabbing of his whole perso
na
, though
.
They were a deep purple with rings of silver in the
m.

             
The prince spoke, snapping me out of my reverie.

             
“I’m going inside,” h
e said a
s if he thought it was obvious.
He looked only a little older than me. He was handsome, by far the most handsome man I had ever met… but there was something very distinctive about him that irked me. He inexplicably roused my temper.

             
“And who are you?”
  I as
ked
.

             
“Kohath,” h
e supplied
,
as if that answered everything. 

             
“Ah. Koha
th, why are you going inside?”
I asked, pinning
him in place. “You’re not a prince, are you?”

             
Now it was his turn to stutter.
“Oh…well…you
see, um, I’m Azmaveth’s steward,” h
e said.

             
“Steward?” 

             
“Yes.
I’m in charge of his lands
.
I report to him.” 

             
“Why ha
ven’t I seen you before then?”

             
“Because Azmaveth told me to stay away, something about a book he was
reading…
All A
bout
—.”