The smell of food and spices cover the markets in this early morning. The cooking of fresh meat and seafood is everywhere and the place is crowded. We are at the peace meadow located just outside the city of Lan-Se. The yearly food festival is on and so many people and dragons want to try what the cooks have to offer. Anyone can attend the rich and the poor. It is my favourite time of year as this time marks the anniversary of my family winning the civil war two hundred and thirty-five years ago. The Zhenjin family ruled as tyrants for hundreds of years and they eventually killed the last of our golden ancients who are highly revered in the world. My family who is lesser nobles organized a rebellion. The leader was Ju-Long Ning who my sister is named after and with her strength and resilience succeeded against the Zhenjin Empire.
Even though the Gold Empire still ruled over Dragon City at this point, after the civil war my family repaired the relationship and trust that was broken by the Zhenjin family and our nation's old dictator politics. Unfortunately, the Gold Empire was destroyed fifteen years ago and my nation could not help as my mother deemed it too dangerous to go against a newly powerful re-formed Black Draconium Empire that has taken the city and state.
I wanted to stop thinking, so I closed my eyes and take a deep breath in and all smells are magnificent. My mouth started to salivate. My stomach growling in anticipation for all the food. My mind has been thinking so hard of what to eat first, so many tough choices. Suckling Pig, Roast duck, Dragon Fruit Chicken, Salted Fish, all variety of curries and sauces that can have with rice or specially crafted noodles. I could go on and on about what all the stalls had here. The meadow is massive and it is covered with stalls, people, and dragons. Although the markets are huge, it is not as large as it used to be. Even though it celebrated our civil war victory other nations joined in to share their own food cultures. It became a sort of worldwide event that everyone is welcome to enjoy. Sadly not everyone can enjoy these events anymore as our Blue Draconium land borders have become stricter. Black Draconium Associates and civilians are under high surveillance due to a recent slave trade being exposed. This includes Light Green and Orange Empires civilians as Light Green is under Blacks occupation and Orange is close allies with them. The Citizens from the Red and Green Empires must be security checked as they have been at war with each for the past five years. White, Turquoise, Light Blue, Brown, and Purple Empires we still have good communication with and many of their civilians live here. There is also the case of the dragon separatists and subjugators who try to rally against the humans to destroy or enslave us. They are rare here but there are a few who have tried but fail as the dragons live with us in peace and they easily ratted them out with the dragon court.
But seeing all of the music, dancing, and food markets bringing everyone together makes me happy. It also makes my family happy as they are the ones who created the event because my family loves food. It is to also remember our roots because we were small lords because Ju-Long Ning cooked a dish that made all the lords dragon or human fall to their knees. Well... That's all I knew anyway but no one knows what the dish was, what it contained, or who she served it to. So it's a mystery, which everyone likes to make theories about it.
While walking through the crowded meadow there is a crowd of dragons hovering the chocolate stalls as their lives depended on it. Humans do not even try to go there as they fear they will be crushed. But I don't blame the dragons, chocolate is an expensive delicacy here, especially now since the cocoa tree plantations here do not grow as great cocoa beans. We used to get our cocoa beans with the food trade with the Red Draconium Empire as they have the climate and land for it. But since they have been at war the trade has been dangerous and scarce for them so prices of such ingredients grew astronomically. This has been the only time I have seen chocolate be cheap for a long time.
"Still thinking, are you? You're not even supposed to be here Lei". A deep male voice crept up behind me. I quickly turned around and saw it was my bodyguard Zheroh. He was wearing our traditional armour. With Blue armour with lighting bolt details which is our Empires insignia. He always keeps his helmet off as he tries to show off his long and beautiful black hair. He also has a gorgeous face with his soft dark skin, cleft chin, large pink eyes, large lips and chiseled jaw. He hates having hair anywhere else on his body so he shaves all the time. He always smells nice because I always give him, my best perfumes to use. He always smells of roses which is my favourite scent, it easily overpowers the smell of the food surrounding us. He also looks pretty threatening since he carries his huge spear that is shaped like a lightning bolt. Also on his belt, he has a sheathed dagger which also looks like a lightning bolt. Even though they should feel threatened cause if anything happens to me Zheroh knows how to use his weapons and mag energy power to their full extent. He might not be the smartest man but yet can still figure out who I am even in my disguise. I am wearing a black-haired wig that covers my dark blue hair and wearing the basic robes which only have one layer to them. With long sleeves and wearing a black belt to hold my robes together, it is a beautiful flowing outfit. It is was most of our citizens wear, nice and basic clothes.
Zheroh is right though I should not be here. I should be back at the palace meeting with political officials along with the rest of my family. After all, I am a prince, I actually have to do princely duties every now and then... My family will not make an official appearance at the festival until its last day to give the final speeches, which is a few days away. I'm usually a quiet person who does not usually leave the palace grounds, however, I love this festival and Zheroh knows it as well.
"Oh come on Zheroh, let's go and try some food and then we head back to the palace". I smiled and quickly grabbed his hand, to drag him to the nearest food stall which has the suckling pigs. Zheroh is much stronger and taller than I am but he does not go against me. He does his job well, he makes me feel relaxed and I can be myself around him. I have known Zheroh for as long as I can remember, he is a few years older than me. We trained in fighting, Martial arts together as Zheroh wanted to learn our way of fighting since it is different where he is from. His family originated from the Purple Empire, which has a well-known reputation of military power. Zherohs' family has a history of being soldiers and military personnel. So it is no surprise Zheroh wanted to be part of that life as well. What makes it easier is that I have never been in real danger as I am not the heir or the leader of the nation. I'm just an heir to spare that leaves the castle grounds if necessary.
Looking at Zheroh and then seeing the cook I ordered two pork belly pieces with crispy crackling, one for me and one for Zheroh. We walked around eating our delicious pieces of pork while discussing what I was meant to do today. Seeing the noble family of Raiton who rules our nation's second-largest city in the south. Then a traditional anniversary dinner ceremony that my family does every year. I then ask Zheroh how he has been with his family and they have been good, just working everyday lives like most people. We then stand and joke for a while, as he teases about my outfit and how he knows I have much better taste than this.
When we finished eating our pieces of pork we walked to the curry egg stall and ate one of those. Afterward walking around we ate salted fish and rice. It was lucky they are small portion as it is normal for everyone to try and eat everything and it is all cheap so it is easily affordable. Zheroh then says the day is quickly going and we need to head to back to the palace. I clapped my hands to together and in a cute voice ask if we can eat some cakes topped with sugar. Even though I feel like, that I'm so full I feel like I'm about to burst. But I really wanted a piece of cake. I know he could not resist that... He rolls his eyes and smiled. He then takes my hand and takes me to the cake stall and orders for both of us a small cake. Soft and moist delicious cake, it could not have been better. I was going to spend the morning alone but having Zheroh around made it so much better. It has become blatantly obvious that I love this man... Zheroh then mentions that I'm blushing like a tomato. I gently push him and he barely budges.
"I am NOT" I retorted while trying not to laugh. He then smiles at me with his pearly white teeth and then looks down and thinks a little. He knows what I am thinking, I just hope he feels the same. However, if we have been found out acting like this, Zheroh will not be able to work with me anymore. There are no laws saying I cannot be with another male, my older brother's friend Shiro has a relationship with another man. But since I am a royal and we have to be well behaved with discipline and I have to be an example to our citizens. We cannot just fall in love with our servants or lower class people in general...
"We must go now your highness!" He teases and then grabs my hand to drag me out of the festival. He knows not to call me that personally... He only does when he gets annoyed with me. But he has to call me that in public and in front of my family. However I admit we are not keeping a low profile, it is getting harder to hide every day... The public looks at us and I hope they don't recognize who I am.
We head out of the festival and nearby is a dragon meditation temple. The wooden temple is massive, made out of wood from the ancient elder Biru trees which give the building a natural blue look. Extremely tough and durable as much as rock... It is only unique in our nation. The blue draconium minerals under this land affected the Biru trees. Recently the Empress, my mother has banned the builders to build from such trees as they take thousands of years to properly grow. Our palace gardens have many baby ones growing. They are even more beautiful when in bloom during spring as the leaves fall and pink flowers bloom and glow.
Looking at the temple there are two large dragon statues facing the door as it looks like they are protecting the temple. I left my dragon Ponderrah there as he cannot stand crowded places. Even though humans are not allowed inside the temple the dragon priest elder lets me in alone to retrieve Ponderahh. The elder dragon is taller than most dragons I have seen. Like most of the dragons here they are blue draconium oriented so much of their details and scales are blue. Four long slender legs which give him perfect speed and jumping prowess. Two large shoulder appendages flap like wings as he walks. I believe our kind of dragons is one of the most beautiful in the world. I walked through the massive temple halls and looking around at the individual rooms as dragons are meditating in complete silence. It is one of the most peaceful places in the city and all dragons are welcome for refuge. The elder dragon stops before a room and with claw presses a large dragon claw button. The door shifts downwards and there I saw him. It looks like he is asleep.
I stomp over making sure he can hear me coming. I don't want to spook the baby. As I got closer Ponderrahs right large ear pricks up and he slowly lifts his head and turns to me. He opens his two pure white eyes open and tries to look in my direction.
He is a blind dragon. He is a very gentle boy and has difficulty navigating anywhere where he goes. I scratch the top of his head next to his bonemark which is shaped like a lightning bolt and said hello and to wake up the sleepy head. He smiles softly as I can see the two bottom fangs of his mouth. He groans a little and yawns as he feels very tired, but he manages to get up. As a dragon of his kind and age, he is small. Even according to our dragon ambassador Shun Shun who is one of the rare dragons who can speak the fluent human tongue. Ponderrahs dragon speech is incoherent and is hard to understand. Instead of roaring, purring, or growling it is screeching and squeaks. He has improved since Shun Shun is teaching him but he has a long way to go...
I grab the saddle that lies in the corner of the room and placed it on the back of his neck. His mag energy holds the saddle into place, so it looks like the saddle is levitating slightly. After making sure the saddle is secure, Ponderrah lowers his head so I can climb on.
I have special controllers that help him to steer. The controller end softly taps his ears and he goes in that direction. His gate is also different to other dragons as his front left foot had been broken years ago and hasn't healed properly. So there is always a limp. But it doesn't cause him pain. He's a strong little dragon...
We say goodbye to the dragon elder and leave the temple. Zheroh uses a purple glowing arm wristband that has a button on it and it calls his dragon Tentara to him. Tentara rushes towards us and we all happily greet him. He must have been having fun at the festival since he had food around his mouth.
Like his friend and "owner", he is from the Purple Empire. But unlike where Blue dragons have four legs, these dragons have two. They are smaller than red dragons but they have thicker legs and tails which can make them jump extremely high. Tentara is highly competitive with the other dragons and has multiple gashes across his body. Some of the gashes have been made recently as you can see the ointment on the wounds.
Zheroh gets on Tentaras saddle and we both start to head off to the palace. It is time for me to be a prince again.