Nixiesocean: Another chapter! I love Ade… he's interesting… Ceara is kind of… well… I dunno…
Acy Yua: I don't mind, so long as the criticism isn't a flame. : - ), besides, it'll help my story be better. And that was a test run, I suppose, of how people would react (very poorly I might add) to my story. I'll edit chapter one. Thank you for feedback!
Chapter 2:
Chapter 2: A Plan
Aram narrowed his eyes. "What were you doing in Ceara's rooms?"
"Playing chess." I replied, looking him directly in the eyes. I felt his mind; it was exhausted as he looked. "Besides, didn't Mother make a rule that you're supposed to take a bath right after dueling?"
He shrugged. "It can wait. Besides, we twins have to look out for each other." He gently smacked the side of my head. "What book you going to read today?"
"A Study of Dragons, Ceara suggested it while we were playing chess." I started to walk away. He hadn't moved. "What now, brother?"
"You're more secretive now – what's going on?" He came up next to me. I shuddered. He was my height, but far more muscled. "You're defensive."
"What of it?" I demanded. "A man can have his secrets!"
Aram moved in front of me. He planted his feet in the ground. I knew I'd have to answer his question. "Do I have secrets from you? What have I kept secret from my favorite brother?"
I leveled my eyes. "That's your choice. I can have secrets – even from my twin. Now, leave me alone." I walked around him and left the halls, heading straight to my rooms, where I could read in peace.
I'll find out what you're hiding. I heard him whisper in my brain. We've been able to do that for a long time. If it's so important – maybe Ceara will know. I didn't respond. I knew Ceara wouldn't tell, if she knew. I hoped she didn't. That'd be so embarrassing!
I plopped onto my bed and started to read.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What is he hiding? I know him! I thought to myself. Like I'd ask Ceara! I coughed. What can I do? Ade's like me! I remembered back to when we were eight, when we started to pick what we wanted to do. I chose the sword, Ade the books. I chose the sword because I loved the feeling, the raw power in it. Ade had to be forced to learn it, though learn it he did. I hated reading; it was always so boring.
I realized we were far from the same. We're both quite different. I have more in common with Alan! The only thing we shared was our looks. We both had Father's jade eyes and Mother's midnight-black hair. Like it was so often said, Ade will make a good advisor when I turn twenty. Father's abdicating when we turn twenty. Which means we'll both have to be married the week before I take the throne. Thank the Goddess that's two years away!
I reviewed the list of eligible maidens I could woo. Most were in my posse. I didn't want them – they enjoyed the sight of fighting. That must be Ceara's influence, no doubt. I decided to leave, lest the Vipers think I was mooning over Ceara! I scoffed at the thought. I could never marry her. What a stir in the nation!
I gingerly reached out to see my brother's brain. It wasn't guarded. That, in and of its self, surprised me. Only when he saw me, was he guarded. I saw he was reading about red dragons. When I moved into his subconscious, I realized he knew I was there.
Get out. He said angrily. He slammed up walls and I was painfully forced back into my own brain. And stay out.
He was aware of me now. I sighed and left. There wasn't anything I could do but request Lady Jenvia's presence. She wasn't much in anything. Needless to say, palace life is boring. I have nothing to do, no one to moon over, and reading is just plain boring! I wondered idly what would happen if I disappeared, and then decided against it. I was duty-bound to become the next king. Soon, I'd have to go to studies. Averill and Alan were lucky, all they had to do was marry and have kids.
I didn't. I had to marry, have kids, keep control of a nation and keep them happy! Such is the life of the privileged, not that I'm complaining!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"… silver dragons, the rarest and most peaceful of the race of dragons, are still a mystery, even after the humans the hundreds of thousands of years humans have lived with them. They are aloof separate and rarely come into contact with those outside their sect. Female silvers are often recognized by their distinctly larger size. Males, often smaller and built with denser muscles, are the caretakers of the dragonets." Where had I seen this behavior? My mind clicked. Ceara had wanted me to know something. Ceara had wanted me to know, in a round-a-bout way, that her parents were silver dragons! I jumped out of my chair and ran down the halls to Ceara's rooms. I knocked, while keeping my breath.
"Yes?" She asked. She took my breath away, she was just plain beautiful! "Oh, Ade, come on in." I came in, shyly taking a seat. "What's wrong?"
I bit my lip. How could I tactfully go about this? "You remember that book you left me borrow like an hour ago?"
"Three hours, actually, and yes." She replied, her blue eyes taking me in. "A Study on Dragons."
"There's a section on silver dragons," I told her. She was unperturbed. "And I noticed some similarities between your family and them."
"And?" She prompted. She didn't seem surprised. "You're implying I'm a dragon?"
"Um," I said, cursing myself for lack of words. "Yes, I guess."
She smiled. I blessed her lips, to form such a picture. I wanted her to smile more often. "Anything different about me, now that you know?"
I shook my head. "No, I guess not." A thought struck me. I bent my head. "Remember three years ago, when Averill got in big trouble?"
"What time that year?" She asked, laughing. Averill's a troublemaker. "You mean with Fiona the maid?" I nodded. "Yes, what about it?"
"You remember when you said I'd make a good advisor to my brother?" She nodded. "Well, I had a feeling that day, a feeling that I wanted to do more than just, well, be an advisor."
Ceara gasped. "You want to run away?"
"Not forever, just enough to have fun, and, well, I don't know, be a hero." I was very anxious.
She stood angrily. "I expected this from Aram! Not you," She leaned in close. "You're the reliable one! The peacemaker, the cool-headed one! Ade, you can't just run away!"
I looked at her calmly. "Why not?" I asked. "Why can't I do something I want to do for once?"
She gripped my arm. "Because you're a prince, not a commoner. You're one that the nation's relying on to calm your brother! You're not a commoner to go run away to make himself a name. You're a prince! You're duty's here!" She pointed toward the marble floor. Her eyes shone with passion.
If I saw wisdom in her words, I ignored it. I ripped my hand away. "I want to be appreciated. If my family can't see I'm worth more than a shadow to my seven-minute elder brother, then I'm not even going to stay here! No one cares! Don't you see? Everyone focuses on the firstborn prince! I want to be something more than his shadow! I want to be someone!" I turned on my heel, suddenly intoxicated with the prospect of going on an adventure. "I came because I thought you'd understand. Apparently, I was mistaken." I walked out the door. I heard Ceara plop on the couch in her room. I didn't care. I slammed the door. I never get mad.
I ran to my rooms, and started packing – everything but my books. I'd leave them. I didn't want them. For once, I wanted a sword, a bow and armor. I wanted tools of war. I wanted to leave the safety of the palace and make a name of myself. I didn't want to be 'the prince's advisor'. I wanted to be someone!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I placed. My brother's walls were more concrete than ever. Even the slightest touch alerted him, and they'd come more solid than ever. I wondered what made him so defensive. I tried Ceara's rooms. She didn't answer, so I assumed she was out and about. I sighed. Ade was far too aloof for everything to be okay. I paced back and forth. For once, maybe I'd read a book to calm my nerves.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
All of my things were packed. I knew Aram was prying, but I shut him out. I felt lonely. Dinner had been a little while ago, which meant sunset was bound to come soon. I anxiously looked out the window; the sun seemed to mock me. It moved slowly, almost like it didn't want me to leave. I didn't yet, Aram was across the hall, he might hear.
I sighed. A book wouldn't help, so I decided to take a chance and begin practicing my sword-fighting techniques. The sword was heavy. I only used it once a day, at Mother's insistence. My wrist ached from the complex stances. I stopped when my sword nearly hit my bookcase. Smiling sheepishly, I sheathed the sword and turned. I gasped.
There stood Ceara. She was standing with a raised eyebrow. I realized she had been standing there a while. She already had shut the door.
"How… long?" I panted. I was out of breath from the stances.
"Oh, I was here probably twenty minutes." She said nonchalantly.
"Why?" I asked. "You don't want me to leave. It's my duty to stay here." I felt a light touch in my mind and slammed a wall to shove Aram out.
She looked down. I realized a blush was on her fair cheeks. "I thought that if I saw if you truly wanted to go, maybe I'd reconsider." Her blue eyes stayed on the ground. "I thought that you wouldn't mind a woman coming along. Palace life is kind of boring."
I came over. The mere thought of touching her made my skin tingle. I gently lifted her chin with a finger. Her eyes were bordering on tears and I felt the need to kiss her. I restrained the thought – she probably didn't feel the same way anyways. Her eyes were sparkling and the urge to kiss her, to make her feel better, was overwhelming. My heart raced.
I smiled. "I don't care." My throat clenched. It hurt me to say the next phrase. "We're friends, right? Friends care for each other."
She nodded, breaking the stare we had going. "Yes, of course. Friends." She pulled something out from behind her. "Do you mind?" It was her pack. She knew I'd allow her to come! I sighed inwardly. She knew me better than I knew myself…
"I hope the sun sets soon," I muttered. She smiled; something wasn't the same. I couldn't place it. The smile was less warm than normal, but why? I shook my head. It was my leaving the palace. It must be.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Written in Draconic. Taken from the diary of Lady Ceara.
Diary,
There's something inside him. I can't place it. Normally, with my Draconic powers, I could. There's something I cannot detect. Something… has changed. Three years ago, I complimented him on him being a good advisor for his hotheaded brother. Was that what inspired this change? It seems like a good one, for now at least. I plan to go with him. Not to ruin my reputation (not like it's not soured anyways) but to see this change in action.
I cannot express my hopes inside this diary. Too many people are taking up the language of Dragons now that Asnarinith was discovered. From my parents, I know they know he is not truly gone, only biding his time. I fear he will discover Ade's leaving and follow him, to kill him. I cannot allow this! You know, Diary, since I first became a teen, I've acted as his guardian. Mother says I must, being that we're Dragons. She has dedicated her life to being Queen Katharine's guard, so I must follow. It wasn't hard to choose. Aram can defend himself. Ade's well … I don't know why I like Ade better. Maybe it is because Ade and I are so similar? I am not quiet sure.
I cannot tell Mother. She would pair us before the next moonrise. It hurts me, I guess, that Ade only thinks of me as a friend. Why? I cannot figure this out. I will tell you later, Diary. I'm off to coerce Ade to bring me along. Mother and Father will understand, of that I assure you.
Ceara