The first couple of nights had been incredibly rough for her. Plagued by nightmares and getting used to her new surroundings - and the silence of it.

She didn't know if it was because people feared Kaisog's presence, and what she might make him do, or if it was because they didn't wish to wake any melancholic feelings in her - or if that was simply how they were - but everyone had been surprisingly nice so far. Careful around her, to be sure, but that was probably to be expected.

She hadn't seen the king since, but she figured he was an exceedingly busy man so it was likely something she would have to get used to. That was what she'd been told, at least.

Just as she was now, she found herself spending most of her time with Kaisog under the grand willow right outside her room. That big drake seemed to always want to play.

She sighed as she watched him chase a poor bird around in the sky. The little thing was flapping its wings so hard she wouldn't be surprised if they fell off right then and there. Not that Kaisog even so much as snapped after the feathered creature. He was quite literally just playing a game of tag. One-sided though that game might be.

"Calm down now, Kaisog. You are scaring it half to death," she called up to him. "Not to mention the maids," she then muttered to herself, though she knew he could hear it just fine as well.

He landed heavily on the ground right next to her. She smiled at how he hung his head as if having taken a beating.

"Do not worry, before long you can do whatever you want." She reached up to run a hand over his scales. "We just have to make sure no one will be frightened first. Just have patience a little while longer, okay?"

He nodded with a toothy smile, beating his wings just once in eagerness. He really was a child caught in an adult body. It was the most endearing thing about him, but also the most exhausting, as his energy seemed bottomless.

That said though, the maids here didn't seem as surprised and frightened at his antics today as usual. Surely, they hadn't gotten accustomed to his presence here already? And why in the world did they all seem to be running around in the courtyard like this?

She had felt a different kind of buzz in the castle all day, but it seemed to have grown even more over this short period of time.

Well, there was only one way to find out for sure.

She approached one of the maids, who she recognized had helped her in the mornings and evenings, running around with a big basket of laundry in her arms.

"Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?"

The maid stopped up, a slightly wild look in her eyes from running around. "Yes. What is it, princess?"

Ciara didn't want to take up any more of her time than necessary, so she cut straight to the chase.

"I was wondering why all of you seem so busy? Is something special happening?"

The maid hefted up in her luggage, shifting to her other foot. "It is mistress Victoria, princess. She has unexpectedly arrived here, at the castle." There was a strange, inexplicable expression on her face.

Another older maid, having noticed their chat, came running over. "Yes, and she has done so in fury," she added, then turned to the younger maid with somewhat of a glare. "Hurry along now, Chanti, there is no time to waste!" She kicked the young maid back into gear just like that, leaving Ciara all alone again.

"Mistress Victoria?" Ciara muttered to herself. She had never heard that name mentioned before Who was she exactly? She would be nothing like a maid what with how she had the entire castle on its end like this. A noble, then?

As Ciara started to walk back to the young drake by the willow, she caught a strange sight from the corner of her vision.

A single woman was walking amidst a slew of at least eight maids, who were nervously buzzing around her.

The lady herself was truly a beauty - even rivalling Ciara's own mother. She was elegantly tall with long legs and no subtle build. Her skin had an enticingly warm glow to it and the woman took full advantage of that, letting her clavicle and much of her arms show from the jet-black dress, which seemed to hug her every curve just right. Her hair was a dark maroon and curled like Ciara had never seen before, reaching halfway down her back.

She was the kind to make heads turn all the way around with her mere presence. Not that her furious mood did anything to counteract that fact either.

By the looks of it, this would have to be the 'Mistress Victoria' the maids were talking of. She most definitely had the looks and carried herself like Ciara imagined a noble lady should.

Ciara realized she had come to a standstill, and she'd been openly staring, when the woman's emerald gaze landed directly on her.

For quite a long moment, the two simply stared at each other, until Kaisog broke it by releasing a low snarl.

This momentarily drew the woman's gaze to Kaisog, before returning to her again. Her eyes seemed to run Ciara's body down from bottom and up, an unimpressed scowl on her face.

"So. You are the princess everyone is raving about."

Though a little uncomfortable with the woman's eyes, which seemed to drill into her very soul, Ciara managed a little smile.

"Yes, that would be me. It is a pleasure to meet you." She curtsying lightly. "I am Ci-"

"I do not care. Never will," the woman cut her off curtly. "And the feeling is not mutual."

Ciara stared up at the woman. Well, she was a little different from everyone else here. Certainly not one to sugarcoat anything.

She towered up above Ciara. "I am Victoria Malvada, the king's personal consort. The only one he will ever need." Her back was straight and chest puffed out proudly. "Now, if you will have me excused, girl. I have places to be." With that said, Victoria strode off with her band of maids right at her heels.

The king's personal consort?