Ciara blinked drowsily against the bright light from the torches. Her face felt weirdly stiff and her thighs ached. These were the first things she noticed.

Second, she found herself fully dressed in a nightgown she couldn't recognize, in a bed that wasn't her own and in a room she'd never seen before.

The room was big enough to house a small family and decorated with the most lavish of furniture. Three comfortable-looking, burgundy armchairs were situated around a little, round coffee-table near the middle of the room. The back wall was covered in floor-to-ceiling wardrobes, likely filled with clothes like this silky nightgown.

She was lying in the largest bed she'd ever seen, surrounded by the softest of pillows - it truly felt like she was floating on top of clouds. The flickering flames gave the room an almost ethereal glow and a warm, deep smell.

Apart from in her imagination, a room like this could only be found in a castle.

She sat up with a jolt. If she was here now, then everything she thought she'd merely dreamt was real. It had happened. Kaisog and all the others had... Protecting her to their last breaths.

She now understood the stiffness in her cheeks – she'd cried herself to sleep on that drake. A stiffness that was now temporarily relieved by a wave of new tears.

She could still hear his last scream. See the fallen bodies of the young men she'd grown up with. Hear metal meet metal - and flesh. Smell the metallic scent of blood as it had spurted out from them. The clarity with which it hit her made bile rise in her throat all over again.

She jumped out of the bed and rushed out on the little balcony, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

She heard a happy yelp and looking up, she saw the young drake from the day before staring at her happily.

Now it was bright daylight, she could properly see him. He was most definitely part water dragon with how his wings also acted as his front feet. But that wasn't the only thing giving the young drake away – two rows of fins trailed down his back, ending at the tail. Their color was a bright turquoise, just like on his belly and the inner skin of his wings. He had a pair of long horns growing out of the back of his head, curling gently upwards at the end. It all stood in vivid contrast to the otherwise jet-black color of his scales, except for a little stripe of a spot under his eyes, which was teal in color as well. Said yellow eyes revealed an almost childish happiness as he wagged his tail back and forth like a puppy.

She stared at him, dumbfounded. If he was here, then...

The last hope of her very best friend having survived left her completely. She felt the same feeling of absolute loss she'd felt last night wash over her. Reminding her this was reality, not a dream. She had lost her best friend just like that. That time, when he sent her off on that drake, would forever be the last memory she'd have of him.

Her legs buckled under her and she fell to her knees a sobbing mess - much to the drake's surprise and frustration.

She'd never be able to ride and play on dragons with him again. Never listen to the exciting and wild stories he could tell. Never wonder what his family would be like or what he would've become had they let him stay back then.

She'd never have that one person she could tell everything again. She would forever be alone with her problems and worries – there was no one here who would or could support her the way he had. She'd have to face this place alone, even if they all hated her for messing things up.

She jumped in surprise when she felt something big and warm gently nudge the top of her head. And just as she looked up, a very warm and very wet tongue, covered her entire face.

She couldn't help giggling at his poor attempt at cheering her up. Especially because it worked.

Well, maybe she wasn't entirely alone.

She reached up and caressed the dark scales under his nostrils. "They let you stay here?" she shakily asked, getting another yelp from the drake. "Did you stay here to wait for me to wake up?" She got a nod and a much prouder yelp. She smiled through the tears still clinging to her eyes. "That is very brave of you." He blew up his chest as if to prove her point.

She slowly got to her feet, looking at the drake's dark scales. This drake, though she'd only just met him, was the only one she had left now. She'd have to convince the king to let him stay here with her. Surely, if it was only him, it would be all right.

She had to name him too. And she had the perfect name for him already.

She caressed his scales again, as if in a trance. "You are young, strong and brave," she told him, new tears gathering in her eyes quickly. "Just like Kaisog was." She met his yellow eyes, which shone with an intensity she'd previously only found in her best friend. "That will be your name too. Kaisog." she leaned forward and pressed her forehead to the wide bridge of his nose, as she couldn't reach his forehead. "Bravery," she whispered to herself, the meaning of the name in a language long lost to history.

...

Not long after that, a handful of maids had rushed into the room, ushering her into the little room at the corner - the bathroom, it seemed. Before she'd even been able to protest it, they'd stripped her of her clothes and forced her into a wooden tub with hot water.

Not to say she didn't appreciate having her aching and stiff body loosened up by the water or getting the salt of the sea out of her hair and skin. But having someone scrub her back and brushing her hair for her was much more than she was used to. She couldn't deny that it was nice to be spoiled a little on top of everything, though.

The maids were quiet. But maybe that was just because of the dragon outside her door. It was fine though. Way better than the questions they could've asked her, given her sorry state and what had surely been a spectacle of an arrival the evening before.

Not even getting dressed did they allow her to do by herself. As a matter of fact, they made quite short work of strapping her into a tight corset and dressing her in a beautiful, lavender-white gown.

Looking at the girl in the mirror was like seeing one of those noble ladies she'd been told so much about. Ladies like those were always outstandingly gorgeous, not a hair was out of place. Ladies like those always held their backs straight and never cried in front of anyone. That was the kind of lady she had to become now. Just as Kaisog had taught her.

She straightened up and lifted her chin a little, nodding to herself. She had to do this. For herself. For her people. And for Kaisog.

She'd only just made the decision when the maids ushered her out of the little bathroom and into the middle of the bedroom. With a quick and polite series of bows, they practically ran out of the room, only to be replaced by a pair of knights.

"Princess Ciara Tarakona. The king wishes to see you," one told her with a bow.

She nodded, just as much to herself as to him. No turning back now.

She followed them out of the door, the one who spoke in front of her and the other behind her. Just like the maids, these two were also very silent.

They guided her through one long hallway after another. She tried to memorize them all at first, but quickly had to give up. There were too many turns and corners and they all looked the same.

The longer they walked, the more nervous she became. What if they didn't want her here after all? That would explain why everyone was so silent around her. It wouldn't even be too surprising with her horrible entrance either.

It was already clear that there were some people who didn't like her at all. What if they simply sent her home after all this? What if they really had been behind what happened?

Her heart was pounding when the guards stopped in front of a magnificent set of gates. This was it. The king would be right behind this door.

The knight lifted one metal-clad hand and rapidly knocked on the door. "The princess has arrived."

She breathed in sharply, bracing herself for whatever was to come.

"Enter," a deep, sharp voice called from the other side.

She watched with bated breath as the guard slowly pushed the big doors open in front of her, everything moving in slow-motion. It was like a blinding light washed over her the more the doors opened, making her squint at the contrast to the dimmer hallway.

The room before her was exceedingly grandiose, both wide and long, and seemed to be made entirely of marble. The sunlight coming in from the brightly colored windows at the far wall lit the entire room up in an almost ethereal way. At the end of a long, deep red carpet, lifted by a pair of steps, was a grand throne.

In it sat a man around Aem's age. The king, no doubt. She'd heard before that he was supposed to be very young, but she didn't realize it was to this degree – he was as old as Aem.

He seemed even darker than everyone else she'd seen in the Fire Kingdom so far – though still nothing like Kaisog. His hair was short and almost completely black. His eyes were a dark gray that seemed to drill into her, lips set into an unimpressed scowl.

So, this man was to become her husband. The king of the Fire Kingdom.

On his right stood Sergon and on the left a small man in long robes. An advisor, probably.

She realized she'd been staring for too long when the guard who'd been walking behind her gave her a discreet pat on the back.

She jolted out of her daze, gave the guard a thankful look and then walked into the room as quickly and elegantly as she could with her heavy feet.

The large gates behind her shut almost immediately, forcing her to a nervous halt halfway along the long carpet. She clasped her shaking hands together in front of her, trying to hide exactly how much they were shaking however she could.

A heavy silence hung over them as all three looked at her. Waiting for her to make the first move. Oh, how she wished Kaisog had been here.

She lifted the hem of her skirt and curtsied as deeply as she could. "Thank you for inviting me here, your majesty," she slowly started out and kept her head down, waiting for him to say something in return.

After what felt like way too long, he finally spoke. "As you were."

Her eyes met his. The coldness of them made her mouth go dry. Yet, she knew it was her turn to speak.

"I- I apologize for the late introduction, your majesty, however various circumstances made it impossible," she awkwardly said, then realized they'd probably already know that. "I am Ciara Tarakona, princess of the Dragon Kingdom, and I am very honored to finally meet you," she quickly followed up, trying to stay calm and resisting the urge to bow her head again. A lady wouldn't do that, right?

"Likewise," he dryly replied to her rushed words, his gaze not changing one bit. "I am the king of the South – or 'Fire Kingdom' as you may know it to be – Lodin Morian. I welcome you to my castle, princess Ciara Tarakona." It sounded like a sentence he'd simply memorized and now told her.

He really didn't want her here, did he? Maybe that attack really hadn't been a mistake after all.

"Thank you," she meekly replied, those thoughts taking up all the space in her mind. God, how she missed Kaisog right now.

"Now then," the advisor said, breaking into the conversation before she could run off and try to escape. "You may refer to me as Narza, the king's advisor. You have already met Sergon, the Royal Guards' Commander." Sergon gave her a smile. "If you do not mind my asking, princess, could you perhaps explain these 'various circumstances' you speak of?"

She blinked in wonder. Well, that was forward of him.

Then, the question and memories settled in her mind. As she had in her room when she woke up, she felt the stinging of tears at the back of her eyes. She didn't know what compelled her to think she wouldn't have to speak of all that – no matter who orchestrated it.

"No matter what happened, you can tell us," Sergon promised, seeing her struggle to speak. "You are safe here."

Right. She couldn't believe Sergon had anything to do with all of that. She'd like to think she knew him well enough to know that much. And someone like him was standing by king Lodin's side, so he couldn't be all bad either – no matter how scary he seemed.

She breathed in shakily. "We- we were attacked." She was desperately trying to keep everything she felt from showing too clearly. She couldn't be weak in front of these people.

The room seemed to freeze at her comment.

"You were attacked?"

She couldn't help but flinch when she met the king's gaze, but nodded lightly. "Y-yes."

"By whom?" Sergon stepped a little closer. "Where is your escort? And all your guards?"

She moved her hands to her arms, rubbing them slightly. "They-" She closed her eyes and swallowed, building the courage to tell them. "All of my guards were killed protecting me. They sent me off on the young drake alone."

"And what of your escort?" the king cut in sharply, having noticed her exclusion of his man.

She frowned lightly. How was she supposed to tell a furious king, who already disliked her, that one of his men had turned on him and attacked her? There was no way he'd believe her.

Even so, that was still the truth and she couldn't find it in her to come up with some lie right now.

"He escorted us into an alley, where a group of mercenaries were waiting for us." She lowered both her voice and gaze.

If possible, the room seemed to become even colder at that.

"Are you trying to say one of my own men was the cause of this?" the king asked, seemingly calm and collected. However, he might as well have roared at her.

She could only nod in response to his icy fury. All words had simply left her.

Sergon turned to the king. "Lodin, please cal-" but he was cut off by the king slamming his fist down on the armrest, the sound of it silencing the room completely.

"I will not calm down!" His eyes burned as he turned to her again. "How dare you insinuate one of my own men has gone against my orders!"

She realized the lady-like picture she'd hoped to show them was all but ground into dust by now, but she couldn't do it over at this point.

"I-I can only tell you what I s-saw, your majesty," she replied, hoping to not anger him any further than she already had.

It didn't seem to work whatsoever.

"I do not care what the hell you saw! You are insulting and diminishing the loyalty of my own men right in front of me!" His glare was drilling into her furiously.

Throwing away the façade she had completely, she felt a matching ire flare up in her as tears fell from her eyes.

"I know what I saw!" she yelled right back at him."I saw one of your men slicing his sword through my brother's neck!" she screeched at him. Their flabbergasted expressions reminded her of who she had just yelled at. A hand flew to her mouth and she turned her back to them. What did she just do? "Please excuse me," she muttered, quickly rushing out of the room before any of them could do anything to stop her.