Sargent and the other kingdoms argue about who should take charge and ride upon the beast's back. All of which supply their best candidate for the position in hopes to claim glory in the war. The king of Kilarn barks back and assures that only a Kilarn born will be the one to mount the creatures back. And as for Andreia, her presence has been dismissed by all arguing – not caring if she has any abjections to any decisions ruled.
Phoenix seems to be carefree in the matters at hand, to busy relishing in the joy at not having to hide anymore. He's been flying around the new land around the kingdom that he's never been allowed to see before. And to his joy there are a new variety of birds in this section of land, with a lot more open fields to disadvantage them from hiding. And to Andreia's despair, he finds the small grouping of fire-flower bushes to the east of the castle, and drunkenly devours the forming pods.
Villagers gingerly have been peeking out from their hiding spots to gaze up at the ignited beast that glides in the darkened sky, but at too wary to emerge out into the open. Andreia fetches Del from the crawl space once Phoenix is in the air, so she's not worrying about paranoid soldiers with weapons. (Though none will pierce his impenetrable armour, she's more afraid of the retaliation that will come from him.) She brings her friend out into the courtyard, holding her tightly by the hand as they pass the grouping of squabbling kings and princes. She's yet to reveal the extent of her secret to her friend and the chaos of the castle has her positively confused. But Andreia would rather show her then tell her. And in her brief experience, telling people hasn't gone down well.
They walk to the centre of the courtyard with Del still confused has to what's going on. Andreia summons Phoenix back and the gust his wings produce almost knocks the two women over as he perches on the tower overlooking the courtyard, his great shadow cast down to engulf them. Del stares with owl-like eyes at the ground before her, tracing the shadow of the creature's head. She gingerly straightens as Andreia seems to be emitting a bubble of calmness, but she's too afraid to turn around and face the beast from which the shadow is emitted.
"It's alright." The princesses insists, tugging her friend by her arm to turn. Del glares at Andreia and gingerly directs her gaze skyward. Her mouth drops open and air whooshes into her lungs, but it doesn't come back out again. She begins gasping but is unable to produce any other sound. "It's alright." Andreia assures hurriedly. "He won't hurt you. He's a friend." Andreia extends her hand to the sky and Phoenix obediently stretches his neck down and presses his nose to the palm of her hand. Del's hyperventilating worsens and she attempts to back away but the princesses has a firm grip on her arm.
"Dra…dra…dra…dragon…" She stutters, chest heaving and eyes popping out of her head.
"Yes, Del. It's okay, I raised him." She turns to him fondly. Del breaks her gaze with the flaming beast and stares at her mistress.
"Raised?" Her voice is a raspy whisper.
"Yes. From an egg." She informs. "Borivor was the only one that knew. He helped me keep him a secret. I'm sorry I never told you."
"She smells of dragons." Phoenix comments and nudges his head closer to get a better whiff at Del – who tries to retreat frantically.
"That's because I made her sleep in the crawl space last night. She smells of you." Andreia slows Phoenix by putting herself between the small human the dragon.
"What?" Del blubbers in confusion.
"I was talking to him. I kept him in the crawl space when he was little, that's what it was built for. He can smell his scent on you." The princess says and Del looks at her as if she's crazy.
"You talk to it?"
"Him." She corrects again. "And he can talk back. But only I can hear him." Again Del gawks at her like she's crazy. "I'm sorry I never told you. I always wanted to, if that helps. You're the only one I can be myself around. And at times, you were the most difficult to keep it from."
"All this time …" She locks eyes again with Phoenix. "Singes and scrapes in your dresses, they weren't from walking to close to the fire were they?" She asks though she's already sure of the answer.
"No they weren't. Most of the scrapes are from being tossed around the meadow when he decides to chase birds without giving thought to the hurricane his wings cause." She smirks. "Though, when we were younger, they were from him using my dresses as blankets. And the singes are from minor fire-breathing accidents." She gives a small laugh to ease the tension.
"You raised a dragon, in secret, without the entire kingdom finding out." She sounds half awed by the feat. "All this time I just assumed you were just clumsy, with all your bruises and tattered dresses." She admits without registering how she's addressing the princess in public. "I always thought you smelled of fire and brimstone but I could never come up with a logical reason why. And I thought your fascination with reading about them was just because you're a descendant of the great kings who did once ride them, but know I see it's because you were learning about how to raise one." Phoenix laughs, not only in Andreia's head, but out loud too. Though the sound vibrating from his throat resembles that of a barking growl.
"I had to keep him a secret. I was afraid. Believe it or not, he used to be quite small, and couldn't bare it if anything were to happen to him." She explains and Del stays quiet for a moment.
"I like her."
"I like her too." Andreia responds in her head.
"Is she the one that would bring me food at night?"
"Technically it was my food, which you ate whilst I turned my back." Andreia corrects. "But yes, she brought the food."
"She always made lovely arrangements on the platters, and she always brought an extra muffin."
"I wouldn't know, you always got to it first." Andreia releases Del's arm when she seems less inclined to run for the hills screaming. "He likes you." She says aloud. "He remembers you bringing me food, which he ate. He says he was grateful for the extra muffins." Del looks slightly stunned now, going between Phoenix and Andreia.
"Well I had to, I'd be gone five minutes and the tray would be devoured. I just thought you were a hungry child, I was always surprised when you never gained weight. But know I see where the weight went." She mumbles and Andreia giggles. "Does he have a name?" She wonders.
"Phoenix. His name is Phoenix."
"…The Brave." Phoenix raises his head proudly. "Or perhaps The Terrible? The Ferocious? The Tyrannical? The Great?" He ponders with titles and Andreia just rolls her eyes.
"This is how you're going to fix things. You're going to fight Kaltdorf off with him." Del says in understanding.
"Yes." The princess responds. "No army has a chance against him."
"…The Powerful? The Mighty? The Majestic?" The dragon distracts himself and takes to the air again. Nathaniel joins the princess and her maid, nodding at both of them. Normally Del would curtsey, but after the current events, the thought skips her notice.
"Barak is causing hostility." The prince informs. "He's arguing that he should be the one to ride Phoenix into battle."
"Over my dead body."
"I thought you might say that." He gives her a proud smirk. The princess turns her attention on the gathering of royals at the top of the stairs.
"What makes you so trust worthy? How do we know for sure that you didn't already know your daughter was hiding a dragon?" Barak yells. "How are we to know that he is the only one? Why should we believe anything you say?" When it comes too jealously and envy, Lithetis and Kaltdorf have always been neck and neck. The only barrier that stops them from aligning with each other, is that they hate each other more than the rest of the kingdoms.
"Andreia." Phoenix's voice interrupts her before she can storm the steps. "I see an army approaching." He eyes fly to the sky in alarm.
"How far?" She asks aloud and Nathaniel looks at her in a moment of confusion.
"The first village." Phoenix soars high above the castle, looking to the south.
"Fly closer, let them see you. But don't descend." She commands and he does as commanded, flying out over the forest. "Kaltdorf are approaching." She informs Nathaniel first. "Kaltdorf are at the first village!" She bellows at the squabbling royals and they all gasp in alarm. Borivor descends the stairs and immediately begins ordering his men to take up arms and help hide the villagers and servants. All gates to the kingdom are immediately barricaded; bonfire-torches that line the perimeter wall are set alight. Everyone begins to flee to the safety of the bowels of the castle, whilst the princes and kings continue to argue. The soldiers line the castle walls, archers at the ready. The inner courtyard's doors are finally closed and barricaded. Clearly with a dragon on hand, Borivor's plan is to play defence – should any pass through the beast's grip.
"Princess, you need to get inside." Nathaniel gingerly touches her elbow.
"I'm not going anywhere." She snaps. "Del. Go inside, take all the maids still on the top floors and barricade yourselves in my room. Take all the children you can find and hide them in the crawl space." The princess commands and the maid opens her mouth to argue, but quickly shuts it and nods. She flings her arms around her friend.
"Be careful." She whispers in her ear. "And don't do anything stupid." She release the princess and hurries away before tears can even form.
"Andreia, please." Nathaniel pleads.
"No. I won't leave him and I'm the only one who can communicate with him." Nathaniel sighs and rolls his eyes at her stubbornness. Phoenix returns to the top of the castle, lowering himself to the ground, the inner courtyard too small to contain him fully, so he has to lean up against the doors, looking over the wall.
"Those foul beasts run with them." Phoenix growls.
"What foul beasts?" Andreia speaks aloud.
"The disgusting creature from the other night."
"How many?" Andreia chokes in horror.
"About ten."
"Ten!" She squawks and Nathaniel questions what she's going on about. "The creature that attacked us, it came from Kaltdorf. And they have about ten more." She rapidly informs. Nathaniel grunts and jogs off to inform Borivor - as he seems to be the only other person that is being reasonable. "Did they see you?" She questions Phoenix.
"I believe so, but they gave no sign of retreating."
"Then we'll have to force them back the hard way." She mumbles and beckons to a guard and she sends him on an errand. Nathaniel and Borivor ascend the staircase and inform them of Kaltdorf's weapons, whilst Andreia goes about unseen. There's no way on earth she's letting Barak ride her Phoenix.