Fated Hope

by Sariah Skye

  “If you want to get out of here with your balls, you better step back!” I yelled, trying to sound menacing.

  A veiled figure stepped out of the shadows quickly. “No! Don’t—” I took aim, not letting the figure to get an advantage and flung my magic in front of me. I heard a low shriek as the figure ducked out of the way, and my magic flew across the room, igniting a blue and white tapestry that was hanging on the wall.

  “Your highness!” I heard, and the veiled figure stood upright, and pulled off its hood. He lifted a torch that had fallen off the wall—perhaps one of the crashes that I heard—and with his fire magic, lit it. I felt relieved, when I recognized the figure as one of the Court guards.

  “Dammit! You scared the shit out of me!” I scolded. I quickly summoned another lightball and tossed it up in the air, revealing a room that contained many priceless heirloom artifacts, along with a tall bookshelf on the other side of the stone room. I grinned sheepishly, as my plasma ball continued to burn the coat of arms belonging to one of the queens from a couple thousand years ago: a priceless relic. “Oops.” I laughed uncomfortably, calling for water magic and, spinning it in my hands I flung it towards the burning fabric, dousing the singed tapestry before it could completely burn.

  “Your highness, I’m sorry, I—” Less panicked now, the guard’s voice didn’t sound so menacing. I didn’t recognize him specifically, but I recognized the official palace robes he wore. He was a tall gentleman, with wild blonde hair to his chin and chestnut colored eyes. On his cheek was a faded, orange Celtic knot that I recognized from somewhere, but I just couldn’t place where.

  I snapped my fingers, suddenly remembering. “Donneghan! Is that you?” Donneghan was a couple years older than Maxxus and I (Braeden’s age), that joined the guard and was a friend of Braeden’s. The same orange dragon who Braeden claimed had a crush on me, but I didn’t believe it.

  “Yes, it’s me. I’m sorry to scare you, Leo—your highness. There was a noise in the hallway so I came in to investigate, but I’m afraid the culprit alludes me.” Donneghan sighed, standing upright and brushing off debris from his burnt-orange colored robes. “It has to be Brownies playing tricks; I’ve heard the little devils reside in the forest nearby.” He balled one of his fists and crackled his knuckles into his other palm. “Damn them!”

  I scoffed. “Oh them? They wouldn’t hurt anything. We have an agreement,” I said with a chuckle.

  “With the…Brownies?” Donneghan appeared surprised, before he shrugged. “Well, whatever the case, they don’t seem to be complying right now.”

  “You sure it’s Brownies?”

  “Has to be. What else could cause all this destruction?” He asked, motioning around us. And he was right; clay pots were broken, metal suits of armor toppled over and books had fallen off some of the shelves, laying in heaps on the ground. The room looked like a small cyclone had been through, but I breathed with relief realizing it, at least was not Shadows.

  “Where are they, then?” I was shocked to think Brownies could be the culprit; could have been some rogue ones. Causing random destruction though wasn’t really their thing.

  Donneghan pointed with his torch underneath a small table, that was covered with a long, red velvet blanket. A copper censor sat atop of it, with a small plaque before it, indicating who it belonged to. He took a couple careful steps toward the table. “Out, you fiends!” He ordered, in his deep, scary voice.

  I expected a trilling laughter of a Brownie, but instead I heard a familiar, angry hiss.

  “Sona?” I pushed the guard aside, and carefully knelt down before the table, moving aside the cloth carefully. My calico cat had pushed her body up against the wall, teeth bared, ears pushed back and all the hair standing at attention on her back. When she saw me, she immediately relaxed, and her stance softened. “Mrow?”

  I turned to Donneghan and laughed. “It’s just my cat, Sona.”

  “Cat? The thing is a miscreant! A devil!” He refuted.

  I shot him a nasty look. “Ha. No, it’s just my cat. Here, see?” I carefully reached under the table and wrapped my hands gently around the tiny, “furry beast.” Sona reluctantly gave up her hiding spot, and willingly allowed me to pull her into my arms. “Just a cat!” I pulled her into my chest, and scratched behind her ears.

  Donneghan hesitantly stepped forward, leaning down to get a better look at her. As he neared, Sona lowered her ears again and let out a warning hiss, and a growl.

  Donneghan jumped back in surprise. His awkward features fixed into a glower as he stared down the tiny feline. “That’s a cat? Sure it’s not a small dragon? With that temper?”

  I chuckled, patting the cat on her head. “I’m sure. She’s sorta feisty and doesn’t really like anyone but me.”

  “I see that.” Sona hissed at him again, until Donneghan took a few more steps back, clearly intimidated by the small, furry beast. “Well, I’m sorry I scared her, but she scared me first, making all that racket.”

  “She was probably confused. I don’t think she’s really been in this part of the castle before,” I said, scratching her gently behind the ears as she purred lightly. “How did you get out, I wonder?”

  Donneghan shrugged. “I’m not sure. But it was probably when the King left your chambers for a bit.”

  I raised a brow. “You have to be mistaken. Maxxus has been asleep for hours—he’s in the same position I left him when I fell asleep!”

  “No, there’s no mistake. I tried to ask him what he was doing, but he just waved his hand and said, ‘As you were’ and continued on past me. He went towards the main wing, and was there for about thirty minutes or so? He didn’t even talk to me when he came back, just walked right past me,” Donneghan explained, scratching at the back of his head with confusion.

  “Huh. That’s weird? Maybe he was getting something to eat?” I suggested. I didn’t exactly leave him with much on his plate for dinner; made sense he’d be hungry.

  “Maybe. Or he was sleepwalking,” Donneghan suggested.

  “Maybe.” I considered this. I’d never known Maxxus to sleepwalk before, but perhaps he was more worn out than I gave him credit for. I shrugged. “Well, I’ll figure it out later.” I offered the guard a smile, and a nod. “Well, sorry she freaked you out. I’ll go put her back in my chambers, and come back to help straighten this room out.”

  “No, no, you don’t have to do that,” Donneghan insisted quickly. “I am under orders from Baroness Kiarra to make sure you get your rest, and if you’re up all night I’m to report to her and she’ll lash me with ‘a wet noodle’.” He wrinkled his nose. “I’ll take care of this in the morning. It’s no trouble. You need sleep.”

  I began to protest, but relented. Listening to Kiarra lecture me about me getting enough sleep was not something I wished to endure. I grimaced at the thought. “Thank you, Baron. I appreciate that.”

  “Let me walk you back to your Chambers. I’m going towards there anyway.” He said, and I nodded. We made our way through the destruction of the artifact room and he followed me close behind until we reached the immediate hallway to the bedchambers.

  “Good night, Donneghan,” I said, turning to leave.

  “Good night. Oh and…your highness?” He said, before I could disappear through the door.

  “Yes?”

  “Congratulations on your talks with Zyanhei. I heard they were very successful.” He grinned, a lopsided, yet somehow cute grin at me, as he bowed his head respectfully. “No one’s been able to make peace with them in years, yet you did it in a week. Great work.”

  I grinned under his praise. Donneghan had always been polite to me, but even still we were never best friends, or anything. It was nice to hear the acknowledgement. “Thank you, Donneghan.”

  “Good night, your majesty. If you don’t mind my saying so, I know others are skeptic but…I think you’ll make a great queen.” He turned before I could see the blush in his cheeks. I was thankful, because then he couldn’t
see the blush in mine.

  “Good night…” I left him to stand guard in the hallway.

  I paused on the other side of the door briefly, allowing myself to relish in the compliment.

  I never, ever would have thought that I’d be at the receiving end of a compliment in Anarach. I smiled to myself, hugging Sona tightly against my cheek, snuggling her soft fur on my cheek. She allowed it for a moment, and struggled to get free. I released her to the ground, and she darted off for the bed, and made herself at home on my pillow.

  I laughed at her, as she turned her back to Maxxus (who still hadn’t stirred) and flicked her tail at him. I crawled into bed, resting my head near her body. She let out a contented meow, and drifted off to sleep.

  Yeah, maybe there was hope this royal thing wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  Chapter 19

  “Oh god!” I cried out, violently flinging upright.

  Sona, who’d been sleeping on my pillow next to my head, let out a surprised meow and cowered against the wall.

  “Sorry,” I whispered to her, and that’s when I felt the bile rise in my throat. My stomach churned and protested, as I choked back a gag reflex.

  Scrambling over the mattress, and over Maxxus dead-asleep form, I hightailed for the toilet in the washroom, as my tummy protested and attempted to heave out my dinner from last night. I barely made it, my stomach sloshing and grumbling the entire way as I vomited violently into the pot.

  I stood upright once more, feeling woozy and flushed as the nausea ebbed throughout my body, wracking me with chills and making me weak in the knees.

  “Fuck, I was wondering when this was going to set in.” Like humans, dragons also had “morning sickness” in the early stages of pregnancy. Though, I remember my mother mentioning she was sick from conception on with both of us, so I was thankful I’d had about two weeks so far barf-free.

  I lowered myself down, in front of the toilet on the cold, stone floor; it felt pleasant against my flushed skin.

  I sat there for a few moments more, and when I was confident I wasn’t going to throw up again, I crawled weakly from the washroom back into the bedroom.

  “Maxx?” When I’d reached the bed, I was surprised to see that Maxxus was still sleeping in the same position he was when he’d gone to sleep. He hadn’t shifted position through the cacophony of Sona’s excursion, or when I’d scrambled over him in a panic for the John before I lost my dinner. “Weird.” I pulled myself into the bed, putting one leg on either side of Maxxus’ waist, I leaned over and pushed my palms against his bare chest. I shook him, I tickled his sides: nothing. I let my hands trail down down his stomach and into his underwear, reaching for its contents. Surely, that would wake up any male in a heartbeat.

  Nothing.

  “What the hell?” I said, giving him another squeeze.

  This was unlike him. “Are you sick, I wonder?” I scooted forward, leaning over his chest, my face near his. “Maxx?” He breathed soundly, but he didn’t stir. With my open-palm, I struck him lightly on the cheek, causing a slapping sound. “Maxxus?”

  Nothing.

  “The hell…?” I held my hand out in front of me, summoning a ball of water in my hand. With my other hand, I circled my my pointer finger around, calling for air and I mixed them together, cooling down the water to an icy temperature.

  “Sona, might want to take cover, girl,” I warned, looking directly at the cat.

  Her green eyes bulged and she inched backwards slowly, towards the end of the bed.

  With a fast motion, I flung the ice water ball at Maxxus and hit him directly in the face.

  His eyes flew open in an instant as he flung himself upright, nearly colliding with my body on top of him.

  He blubbered, trying to frantically wipe the ice water out of his face. “Leo! What the hell?” he demanded angrily, noticing I was on top of him, hands outstretched.

  I fluttered my eyelashes innocently. “I did nothing.”

  “What the—huh? Couldn’t you just wake me up nicely?” Maxxus demanded, shaking his head. I held up my palms, dodging the water droplets that flung off his hair and skin.

  I giggled, climbing off of him. “Sorry, but I couldn’t wake you up for anything! This was the only thing that would work!” Feeling guilty, I summoned up a tiny fireball in one hand, and a mass of air. I spun them around each other, warming the air and creating a small blow dryer, essentially. I blew the air at him, and with my dragon ‘fire’ it grew larger, settling over the bewildered green dragon, and drying the water from his body. Somewhat. “Better?”

  He raked his hands through his hair, and shook out the remaining water from his hands. He glared at me briefly before softening his expression. “Yeah, it’s better. What do you mean you couldn’t wake me?”

  I shrugged. “I tried everything. I even grabbed your crotch, and nothing.”

  “Nothing?” He appeared surprised. He lifted up the waistband of his boxer shorts, and peeked inside; I guess checking to make sure it was still there. Men. “Huh. That’s weird! I guess I was really, really tired.”

  “I suppose so.”

  Maxxus yawned, reaching his hands high over his head. “I didn’t really feel it last night, but I do now. I must have slept terribly.”

  I raised a brow. “On the contrary, looks like you slept really well. You were in the same position all night. Except for when you left for a snack, but you still came back and ended up in the same position.”

  “I got a snack? What?” Maxxus wrapped his arms around his upper body, rubbing his own biceps with his hands to rid himself of the chill in the air.

  “Yeah. At least, according to Donneghan. He said you walked by him, said something and that was it. You let out Sona accidentally, and she caused quite a ruckus in the palace,” I added with a chuckle. “You’dve thought we were being invaded with all the noise she made.”

  “Sona got out?” He shook his head slowly, looking past me, with confusion on his face. “I don’t remember any of that.”

  I reached over and patted his bare leg. “It’s okay. I’m sure you were just sleepwalking.”

  “Yeah, but that’s weird. I…I should probably go check with Aleron, make sure there isn’t something else wrong with me?” he said.

  I shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt, but I’m sure it’s just nerves.”

  “Nerves?” he repeated.

  My hands gently covered my stomach. “Well, this is probably quite a surprise to you, too. It’s no doubt—”

  “Surprise, yes! But I’m not nervous!” Maxxus inched forward, wrapping one arm around my shoulders, and placing the other lightly on my stomach. “At least, not in a bad way.”

  “It’s okay, Maxx,” I insisted. Even though the idea of it made me insecure, I stifled any thought of panic. If Maxxus was insecure about the baby, and I was… what did that mean? What could go wrong?

  “No no. I’m just tired. I really think it just caught up with me. That, and not having anything to eat last night,” he added with a chuckle. He brought his face up and looked directly into my eyes. “Really,” he said earnestly.

  “Sorry,” I replied guiltily. “Especially because I just barfed it all up just now.”

  “Aww, that sucks.” Maxxus pulled me into his chest and rubbed my hair affectionately. “All that steak gone to waste.”

  I abruptly pulled away, and playfully smacked him in the chest. “Damn you!”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Okay, okay. Are you okay though?”

  I shrugged. “Just morning sickness, I guess.”

  “You should probably get checked out too. Just in case.”

  “Maybe. But pretty sure it’s normal,” I said with a shrug.

  Maxxus pat me once on the head, and moved out of my embrace, sliding out of the bed.

  “Hissssssssssssssssssssssss!” Sona growled from nearby on the pillow, her cat-voice low and the fur on her back straight up.

  “What is that for?” I said, reaching out for her.
She jumped in my arms, hackles still raised and ears shoved back on top of her head as she stared Maxxus down with her bright green eyes.

  Maxxus looked at her strangely. “Damn, what is that for? I didn’t do anything to her!” He cautiously reached his hand out to her. Typically, she’d just give him a single sniff and turn away. She wasn’t used to him, yet. To be frank though it’d be surprising if any dragon besides myself could be liked by Sona—dragons and animals typically did not get along.

  Sona raked her paw out, claws outstretched (or would have been, had she had them) and let out a demonic-sounding hiss.

  Maxxus jumped, and yanked his hand away quickly.

  “Sona!” I scolded her, not really angry but perplexed at her behavior. I held her out at arms’ length, hands under her upper arms as her hind quarters dangled below so I could take a look at her for possible—I didn’t know what. Injuries from yesterday?

  I glanced at Maxxus apologetically. “I don’t know what her issue is, she’s been out of sorts since her escapade last night.”

  Maxxus shrugged it off. “It’s not like she was a fan of mine anyway. Oh well. Off to start the day, right?”

  I groaned. Satisfied I could see no visible injuries, I gave Sona a quick hug and scratch on her head and released her back on the bed. She took her spot on my pillow and sat vigilant, watching Maxxus’ every move as he rummaged through the armoire for clothing and disappeared into the bathroom for a shower—I assumed. He didn’t say another word to me. She relaxed, but her ears did not relax, the tip of her tail twitching ever so slightly. The expression on her face seemed to say, “I’m watching you…” But that was ridiculous, because I couldn’t hear cat’s thoughts. I didn’t think.

  And I wasn’t going to try.

  I scoffed to myself at the thought. She had a bad night, she was entitled to be cranky.

  A knock sounded at the door then and Kiarra’s voice chimed from the other side. “Are you decent?”

  I snorted. “More or less.” I opened the door with my magic, and the blue dragon popped in, looking stunning as always.