The Princess Knight
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters that you recognize in this story. Everything belongs to JK Rowling. All I own is the plot.
Pairings: Draco/femHarry, others to be decided.
Notes: Wow, I noticed that I'm getting a lot of positive feedback and responses for this story and I just have to say – thank you all so much for the love! Keep them coming! :D
Chapter 3 – Jade
"You're a strangely quiet dog." Jade mused out loud, mostly to herself, as she sat on her bed that morning and stared at the large, scruffy-haired black dog that lay sprawled out on the rug beside her bed. When the dog – she had taken to calling him 'Lance' - merely barked once at her in agreement before resting his chin on top of the back of his paws, she chuckled softly.
Reaching over the side of her bed, she leaned down, scratching behind his ears. He seemed to enjoy the attention enough, and when Jade stopped, he let out a whine of protest.
"Would you like to go with me on our trip?" Jade remarked as she glanced at him again, resuming her scratching of his ears. Lance let out a short yip at her words and he stuck his tongue out before he glanced up at her with what almost seemed like a doggy grin on his face.
"Hmmm." She leaned back against the pillows behind her with a thoughtful frown.
It still really amazed Jade how Lance was such an unusually quiet and observant dog. Often times, he wouldn't really bark or make loud noises like most dogs were known to do. Instead, those times when he wasn't in Jade's room, Lance often settled himself into a quiet, secluded corner somewhere in the palace and spent the time watching everything around him.
He was uncannily intelligent too – it showed in his bright gray eyes when he stared at people. In fact, it had only been two days since Jade had formally adopted him as her pet and already, he responded perfectly to his name and the things she asked him to do. If it wasn't for the fact that she knew it was impossible, she'd swear that Lance understood human language.
"Excuse me, General? Are you in there?"
A loud, familiar male voice approaching from the outside of her room suddenly drew her attention, causing Jade to look up from Lance and stare at the doors. When she didn't answer, she heard a soft knock, followed by Theodore slowly entering her room. He was holding a sheet of parchment in his hand, and when he saw her, he greeted her with a formal salute and nod.
"Good morning, General. If I may—"
Theodore hesitated when he saw the blank stare that Jade was giving him.
"—I was instructed by General Severus to explain to you the Prince's itinerary for the next few months. As I understand it, we'll be accompanying him in his travels."
"Go on then." Without her disinterested expression changing, Jade merely nodded at him before turning her attention back to Lance and resuming her scratching along his ears.
"Yes, Ma'am." Theodore reddened before he straightened in front of her and began to read from the parchment in his hand.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll be leaving early for the Kingdom of Ravenclaw. It will take a few hours to get there, but we should be there by nightfall. King Lucius intends to stay in Ravenclaw for a week, at most, before we leave for Hufflepuff."
"I understand." Jade answered, looking bored as she lifted her gaze and acknowledged him with a wave of her hand. "The road to Ravenclaw is ripe with bandits and Death Eaters, but we'll manage. That being said, I want Greg and Vince to assume the front line." She instructed.
"Yes, Ma'am." Theodore paused to write down what she had said before he went on. "Hufflepuff is farther than Ravenclaw, so it'll take 2 days before we get there. I'm afraid the King will be unable to join us. Severus said that he and King Lucius will meet up with us in Gryffindor."
"I see." Jade intoned, giving him another impassive incline of her head.
"Lastly, once we get to Gryffindor—" Theodore blinked and finally lifted his gaze from the parchment he held so he could study her face. "—General Severus has made it quite clear that he would like for us to keep a very close eye on His Highness. As we all know, the Kingdom of Gryffindor is home to many Death Eaters and we must be on the look-out for them while—"
"Yes, I'm aware of the dangers that surround Gryffindor, Nott." Jade interrupted impatiently, growing weary of the entire discussion. "Now if there's nothing else to discuss—"
"Th—there is something else, General!" Theodore suddenly blurted out, catching Jade completely off-guard altogether when he stepped toward her and closed the doors behind him. Frowning, Jade's eyes narrowed at his behavior and she stiffened, giving him a cautious glare.
"Nott, just what exactly is it do you think you are doing—"
"I—I was wondering…Ma'am." Theodore began uncertainly, biting his lip and intertwining his fingers nervously behind him. "I was wondering if you'd given…you know…what I'd said to you before…any thought. Wh—what I mean is—" He stammered nervously, breaking out into a cold sweat when Jade continued to give him a blank stare."—I was wondering if you'd taken the time to consider…my proposal to you before. You know, when I asked you if you—"
"—if I want to marry you?" Jade supplied bluntly, looking unimpressed with his words.
"…Yes, that one." Theodore's eyes dimmed at that and his shoulders slumped slightly at her reaction. When Jade didn't say anything else, he let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. "Jade, I have asked you over and over again. Merlin, I've made my feelings for you known since before you were made Captain, but you still don't want to give me a chance! What is it really—"
"I've no interest in pursuing a romantic relationship with you, Nott. Even then." Jade answered him calmly, oblivious to the crestfallen expression on Theodore's face.
"Quite frankly, you and I have nothing in common, and I would be a very ill-suited wife for you." She drawled.
"How would you know?" Theodore countered, growing angry when he saw the lack of any emotion on her face. "You consider every single man you meet ill-suited for you, because you're too damn busy pining after the one man you could never have!" He accused her sharply.
At his words, the blank expression on Jade's face finally faltered, and for the first time since their conversation started, there was a noticeable spark of anger that lit up her green eyes.
"And just who are you talking about?" She demanded, her eyes narrowing into slits.
"You know very well who I'm talking about!" Theodore hissed back at her with a cold sneer. "You've been in love with Prince Draco for thirteen years, haven't you? Admit it – he's the reason you've been shutting yourself off from every man who offers for you." He demanded.
"That is not true." Jade hissed back quietly at him, clenching her jaw. "Do not presume you understand the extent of my relationship with Prince Draco, Nott." She warned him softly, giving him a dark, foreboding glare. "Frankly, you have no business meddling in affairs that are not yours. I have made my feelings for you very clear. So now, if you do not wish to report back to Severus with a severed arm, I suggest you get out of my room and shut the door behind you."
Theodore's eyes flashed and he opened his mouth to argue with her.
"Jade—"
"I said leave." Jade repeated coldly. "That's an order, Nott."
"Very well…General."
Despite the sarcastic way Theodore had drawled out her title, Jade didn't bother looking up at him again, and when she finally heard the distinct sound of her bedroom doors closing loudly against the walls, Jade tightened her fists and took in a deep, steady inhale of breath.
How much longer do we have to entertain them before they leave? Draco thought wearily to himself, holding back an irritated sigh as he lifted his head and nodded politely to whatever it was Lady Astoria was saying to him. Much to his annoyance, it turns out that she was a very talkative woman, and he found that he could not keep up with her constant chatter.
He had been entertaining her company ever since they had finished supper. Astoria and her father Winston Greengrass, the Duke of Athendale, had decided to pay Draco and his father one last visit before Prince Draco left to meet with the Princesses of the other Royal Kingdoms.
If Draco were to be honest, both the Duke's blonde daughters – Lady Astoria and Lady Daphne – were quite attractive, but then again, he was old enough to have chased around a lot of attractive women before, and frankly, he had grown quite tired of it. Now, it took more than just good looks and charm for a woman to hold his attention, and it frustrated Draco to no end.
More importantly, it irritated him now whenever he imagined being married to some beautiful, incredibly vapid woman who would no doubt bore him out of his mind with her mindless chatter about gossip, gowns, jewelry, lavish parties and Merlin only knows what else.
And Astoria is slowly proving herself to be exactly that. Draco thought, a disdainful sneer beginning to curl his lips as he arched an eyebrow at her and leaned back against his throne.
They had been in the throne room for more than two hours already, and by then, Draco could see that even his parents – King Lucius and Queen Narcissa – were beginning to look tired from keeping up conversation with the Duke and his family. When the Duke's wife shifted the topic again and engaged Queen Narcissa into another conversation about the latest party she had just arranged, Draco lost interest and he lowered his attention to Jade kneeling below him.
As Draco expected, however, Jade paid him no attention. Instead, her sharp green eyes were focused intently on their guests, her hands hovering over the holsters of her twin sabres.
It was actually an old custom that had been practiced by the Slytherin Royal Family for generations now. Wherever the King sat – whether it was in his silver-encrusted seat in the Royal Throne Room or simply just in the dinner table – it was always his most trusted General who took the place by his right side. Of course, this custom also extended to the Crown Prince.
This was why – as both King Lucius and Prince Draco sat in their high throne chairs in the middle of the room – their Generals, Severus and Jade, knelt down, on one knee, in the seat directly to the right and below the King and Prince's throne. Both Generals were decked out in their complete green and silver armor and together, they looked extremely intimidating. They wore blank, stony expressions on their face, and they gripped their weapons tightly – ready to strike any unfortunate intruder who dared to approach the Royal Family while in their presence.
When Draco noticed the way Jade suddenly tensed, however, he looked up, noting that Astoria had risen from her chair and was making her way towards his throne. At the sharp, frightening look that Jade gave her, however, she paled and shot Prince Draco a panicked look.
"May I approach your throne, Your Highness?" Astoria asked, trying not to wince at the threatening glare that Jade was still giving her from beside him. "I only wish to give you a present before you leave for your trip." She added hastily, bowing her head to show her respect. At her words, Draco noticed for the first time the package Astoria had been carrying in her arms.
"You may." Draco nodded, and he shot a hand out to his right, calming Jade by placing a firm, reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You'll have to forgive my General, milady. I understand that Jade can be quite intimidating when she wants to protect me, and she isn't really known to be social to anyone else." He shot a quick glance at Jade from the corner of his eye and gave her a teasing smile. When both Queen Narcissa and King Lucius chuckled with agreement at their son's words, Jade reddened slightly and bowed her head, lowering her green eyes to the floor.
"Nevertheless, I have no doubt that she is the most skilled fighter in all Four Kingdoms." Draco added softly, causing Jade to look up again and stare at him.
"I trust her completely with my life." Before anyone could notice the warmth in the look he gave her, Draco tore his gaze away from Jade and glanced at Astoria again, acknowledging her with an incline of his head.
"You wanted to approach me?" He beckoned her forward.
"O—oh yes, Your Highness!" Astoria shook herself from her thoughts and stepped up to the Prince's throne. She knelt down slowly onto the thick, green carpet laid out in front of him, but when Draco gave her an expectant look, she blushed darkly and gazed at her father for help.
Seeing the confused look on the Prince's face, the Duke of Athendale chuckled and spoke. "Astoria is very skilled in home crafts, Your Highness. She has crafted a beautiful cloak for you. One that is made of silk, the finest our Kingdom has to offer. She would like for you to bring it with you during your travels, so that it will remind you of her even when she's not with you."
Before the Prince could even react, his mother – Queen Narcissa – suddenly chimed in from where she sat on the throne on Lucius' left. "How thoughtful! That's very sweet, Astoria." Without waiting for her son to answer, Narcissa rewarded Astoria with a wide, approving smile.
"Isn't that lovely, dear?" She turned to her husband, giving King Lucius a pointed look. "It's always nice to see a young lady skilled in home crafts, there are hardly any of those left anymore! Why, nowadays, I meet so many young girls in our villages who tell me that they wish to join the army when they grow up! Imagine that. Women aren't meant to be good soldiers—"
"Mother!" Draco glared at her, his eyes flicking briefly to Jade.
"Well, it's true." Narcissa huffed at her son's reprimand with a sniff.
"Not to mean any offense, My Queen." King Lucius finally spoke up for the first time since the conversation had started. "But a fair number of women have already signed up to join our army last month, and Severus tells me that they are faring tremendously well, some better than the men, in fact." He turned to glance at Severus for confirmation, and when his General nodded, King Lucius continued. "I fear that our notion of women being incapable of becoming good soldiers is slowly becoming outdated. In fact, I welcome more women joining our army."
"I understand." Narcissa looked a bit put out at being corrected twice, but she recovered herself quickly and turned to smile at Astoria again. "Well in any case, I still think that you're incredibly thoughtful, darling. Go on then, Draco. Open it and show it to us." She urged.
Sighing, Draco nodded and took the offered package from Astoria. She remained kneeling on the floor in front of him, watching shyly as he unwrapped the package and slowly unraveled the beautiful and very intricately designed green and silver cloak out onto his lap.
"How exquisite!" Narcissa exclaimed, smiling at Astoria and her parents.
"I agree." King Lucius smiled, nodding at Astoria before he turned to give her father, the Duke, an appraising look. "I've no doubt the man your daughter will marry is very lucky indeed."
"Ah yes, but my King." The Duke responded with a chuckle, flicking his gaze back and forth between Draco and Astoria. "I do believe my young Astoria hopes that it will be His Highness, Prince Draco, who is to be the man that she would have as her husband." He kidded.
King Lucius and the Duke both chuckled when they saw the blush on Astoria's face darken even more at their words.
"We shall see then, Winston." King Lucius assured him.
"Very well, my friend." Duke Winston nodded before he finally stood up from his chair, holding a hand out to his wife to help her to her feet. "I believe we shall have to get going now. The roads are quite dangerous at this time, it would be best for us to leave early." He told him.
"Right then." Narcissa interrupted Lucius before he could answer and turned to give her son a pointed glare. "Well, Draco? Aren't you going to thank Astoria for her lovely gift?"
"I was about to, Mother." He answered with a sigh.
Despite himself, Draco couldn't help but agree that the cloak was beautiful, and he had to give her credit for the obvious amount of time and skill that she had obviously put into making it for him. Glancing down at her kneeling form in front of him, he reached out to take her hand. "Indeed, it's a beautiful cloak, milady. No doubt that every time I wear it, I shall think of you and your beauty." He told her, causing Astoria to blush prettily and bow her head to him.
"You are too kind, My Prince." She whispered, looking pleased with his words.
As Draco leaned down and raised Astoria's hand to his lips, placing a kiss onto the back of her palm, he couldn't help but notice the way Jade suddenly averted her gaze from the scene and stared down quietly at the floor near her feet to hide her face. Frowning, Draco pulled away from Astoria and stared at Jade, waiting patiently for her to lift her gaze again to meet his. When she met his eyes, however, his frown only deepened. For the life of him, Draco really hated how, by reflex, Jade always knew when to blank her expression so that he never had any idea what she was thinking. It frustrated him to no end, because all he ever wanted was to understand her.
Fortunately, Draco didn't have to say anything else as Lady Astoria rose slowly to her feet and began to make her way back to her parents. After both King Lucius and Duke Winston exchanged a few last words, Severus rose from his seat as well and, at the King's request, escorted the Duke and his family out of the throne room and back to the entrance of the palace.
As soon as they were gone, Prince Draco leaned back against his seat with a sigh. He turned his head, listening closely to his mother as she spoke to King Lucius with a hushed voice.
"Honestly, Lucius." She began, sighing and rolling her eyes at the ceiling in exasperation. "Must you and Draco go through with this little trip of yours? I still do not understand why you insist on Draco meeting with the Princesses of the other Kingdoms when clearly, we have already found our son a fine match in Lady Astoria—" Hearing her words, Draco flinched and he opened his mouth to argue with her but she kept talking. "—I mean, she is everything our son could ever want in a woman. She is beautiful and gentle, she will know how to care for him—"
"Mother, I can hear you. I'm still right here." Draco interrupted her angrily, his voice dripping with sarcasm and his features twisting into a sneer. "And besides, I still don't see what the big fuss is about Astoria. She's just like every other daughter of all the other random nobles that I've met over the past few years. There are a dozen other women who are just like her!"
"Not with her lineage, there aren't!" Narcissa reminded him haughtily. "Her father is my second cousin. She comes from a long line of traditional noble families who can be traced back as far as our own bloodline, Draco. Remember, when you choose a wife, you are marrying not just her, after all. You are also marrying her family – her background – her very history, Draco."
Again, from the corner of his eye, Draco noticed Jade stiffen at Narcissa's last sentence, but before he could ask her what was wrong, King Lucius finally let out a weary sigh and spoke.
"Narcissa, I understand all of your concerns. But frankly, this is not just about finding a perfect match for Draco." He turned to Draco, giving him a pointed look. "My son, I just want you to know all of your available options before you finally settle down and choose the woman you wish to be your Queen. It is a very important decision in a man's – much more a Prince's – life after all. The woman he is to marry should satisfy him in more than just beauty and crafts."
With that, Lucius glanced at his wife, giving her a teasing smile. "It was the same thing my own father did for me. After all, if he hadn't allowed me to meet other women before setting up an arranged marriage back then, I never would have found you, my beautiful queen."
As he reached out to caress her cheek, Narcissa giggled and pushed him gently away.
"After all these years, you are still such a charmer, my King." She pointed out, smiling at him.
"And you are still such a tease, my Queen." Lucius smirked, kissing her hand.
"Oh please." Rolling his eyes at his parents' affectionate display, Draco was just about to call Jade's attention when he realized that she was already standing up from her seat. To his confusion, she knelt down on the carpet in front of him, her eyes trained intently on the floor.
"Your Highness." She addressed him with a formal bow of her head.
"Is everything alright?" He asked uncertainly.
Reluctantly, Jade lifted her gaze up again until she was staring right at him, allowing Draco to see the strangely conflicted expression on her face. When she noticed how Draco's frown began to crease even more, she cut him off before he could ask her what was wrong.
"May I be dismissed, Sire?" Jade knelt down on one knee again, avoiding his eyes.
Draco hesitated, unsure of whether or not Jade would resent him if he insisted she tell him what was bothering her. When he saw the guarded look in her eyes, however, he relented.
"You may." He told her softly, though not before giving her a warm look that, luckily enough, went unnoticed by his parents beside him. "However, you are to report to me in my chambers tonight before you retire. I wish to discuss a few things about tomorrow's journey."
"As your wish, Your Highness." After giving him one last incline of her head to show him she understood his request, Jade stood up and slowly made her way out of the throne room.
Prince Draco watched her walk away in silence, a forlorn look lingering on his face.
Why am I not surprised? Severus couldn't help the sigh of exasperation that escaped him as he stepped out of the palace later that night – only to find that the very person he was looking for had been out here all this whole time. As usual, he found Jade on the very edge of their training courtyard – just on top of the hill that overlooked the Slytherin Kingdom below.
The young General's stance was actually quite an impressive sight to behold.
Jade was holding a passive, strength-building pose that Severus had taught her back when she was still training under him. With perfect, unwavering balance, she was crouched atop an upright, metal beam that stood five feet above the ground. To Severus' further surprise, however, as he got closer to her, he came to notice that she was actually crouching down onto the tip of the beam with just a single foot, while her other foot was resting on nothing but air.
Seemingly unaware of his presence, Jade had her arms crossed over her chest and she was staring down at the kingdom below her with a frown of deep concentration on her face.
With a knowing smirk, Severus approached her from behind and cleared his throat.
"I figured I'd find you here." He spoke quietly, breaking the heavy silence and drawing her attention towards him.
Without losing her balance, Jade glanced at him over her shoulder.
"Severus." She didn't adjust her position, nor did the expression on her face give anything away as she merely nodded at him before turning back to stare off into empty space. "I apologize if you had to look for me. I just felt the need to be alone for awhile." She told him.
"So I've noticed." Severus answered easily, and he walked over to stand beside her. He followed her gaze, staring out at the small villages that circled the area of land below the palace. When Jade didn't say anything in response, he shot a glance at her from the corner of his eyes.
"Is there something bothering you, young lady?" He couldn't help but chuckle when he noticed her averse reaction to the nickname. It's been more than ten years now, but Jade was still so bothered whenever he addressed her as 'young lady'. Of course, he liked to take advantage of the discomfort it brought her and he addressed her as such whenever he could.
"Nothing of particular importance, Sir." Jade hesitated, her eyes flicking away from his. She lowered her gaze and spoke to him in a calm voice.
"I just have a lot of things on my mind."
"I see."
Severus fell silent again, and he took that moment to study the young, black-haired girl. For as long as he could remember, he had never understood Jade's personality, mostly because she never let any of her emotions or thoughts show on her face. At one point, Severus had even suspected Jade to be autistic, at least in the sense that she never wanted to talk to anybody else except Draco. It wasn't until she turned seven that she finally began speaking to everyone else.
It was quite a challenge for Severus at first, since it had been him, after all, that Prince Draco had assigned to take Jade in after they had found her in that village so many years ago.
She was five-years-old at the time, barely with a mind of her own, but to Severus' surprise, Prince Draco had been unusually patient with her. It was even Draco who first taught Jade how to write her name and – later on, taught her to read. She read hundreds of books from the palace's library after that, absorbing one after another as though her mind was a sponge.
In terms of intellect, Jade was exceptional, that much was obvious. But it was her speed and the pure grace she exuded whenever she was on the battlefield that truly drew people's attention to her. Even Blaise Zabini – who was widely considered to be one of the best veteran soldiers in the entire Slytherin Army – would be unable to defeat Jade in a one-on-one combat.
For the longest time, Jade refused to talk to any of her fellow soldiers. It wasn't until she turned fifteen that she finally began to speak to them, but she never really made any friends.
Two years ago, there was actually a soldier who once made the mistake of approaching Jade. She was sixteen-years-old then, and the young man, one of their newer recruits, had tried to kiss her while they were training together inside the castle. Without warning, Jade lashed at him, stabbing his arm and nearly severing the limb off altogether had Severus not intervened.
It's no wonder the other soldiers are always avoiding her. Severus grimaced at the memory, shaking his head. Even the Queen, who often told Severus about how strange she found Jade to be, was wary of her and she despised Jade's close relationship with the Prince.
King Lucius, on the other hand, had no qualms about Jade's strange attachment to his son. He even found it amusing how nearly all the noble families who had visited them over the years had grown terrified of the young, scarf-wearing, green-eyed girl who often tailed after Prince Draco wherever he went, scowling and scaring off any strangers who approached him.
Surprisingly enough, Severus saw that Prince Draco only seemed to find Jade's overprotectiveness of him endearing. Not once did the Prince ever tell her off for her behavior.
I don't think I'll ever understand their strange relationship. Severus mused to himself with another sigh before he finally shook himself out of his thoughts, bringing his attention back to the Jade's brooding form in front of him. By then, he noticed that she had stepped down from the metal beam and she sat crossed-legged on the ground, looking lost in her own thoughts.
Slowly, he walked over to where she was and sat down beside her, though he was careful not to look at her as he cast his gaze out and stared at the scene of villages below them.
"What's on your mind?" When a few minutes passed and Jade still didn't seem to want to answer him, Severus let out an exasperated sigh "Well, I do hope that whatever's bothering you is not because of that scene you witnessed in there awhile ago between Prince Draco and Lady Astoria." He remarked wryly. "If I remember correctly, I seem to recall you telling me just a few nights ago that you harbored no romantic attachments for the Prince." He reminded her.
"It's not that." Jade answered softly.
"Then what troubles you?" He asked again.
Her expression shuttered and she drew her gaze away from his.
"It's nothing, Sir—"
"Tell me." Severus ordered impatiently, giving the younger soldier a pointed glare.
"It is obviously important enough that it detracts you from your duties. Tell me what's on your mind."
"It is just…" Jade hesitated, her features creasing into a frown. Eventually, she sighed and lifted her eyes so she could meet Severus' gaze. "…when the Queen started talking about Lady Astoria's lineage and history back there, I could not help but think about my own." She spoke softly, and when his eyebrows furrowed at her words, she lowered her gaze to the floor.
"I know nothing about who I am, Severus. I do not have any living memory of my real family, nor do I even know where I come from." She paused, her hands playing idly with the holsters strapped to her thighs. "I'm just…frustrated. I wish that I knew more about my past."
Again, Severus fell silent, and he thought back to the day that he and Draco had first taken Jade in thirteen years ago.
They had found that the young girl had a severe case of amnesia. Draco had employed the help of his family's doctor, asking him to check up on Jade and determine the cause of her amnesia. He also wanted to know if there was a way to cure her.
Unfortunately, other that explaining to them that Jade's amnesia must have been caused by a very traumatic experience on her part, the Doctor did not know how to reverse it.
"When we found you thirteen years ago—" Severus began uncertainly, pausing when he noticed that Jade had finally looked up and was now staring intently at him. "—you didn't remember anything. In fact, you barely even talked to us." He told her, studying her reaction.
Jade remained silent but nodded slowly, urging him to continue.
Reluctantly, Severus went on. "I'm sorry if I am unable to tell you anything about your past, Jade, as I myself know nothing about where you're from. But I do suspect that you may have been from Gryffindor, because the traders who had you found you just over the border—"
Jade's eyes widened in surprise at his words, and she cut him off.
"I'm from Gryffindor?" She asked softly, staring at him.
"I cannot confirm that, Jade." Severus answered her honestly, shaking his head. "All I can tell you is that those slave traders claimed to have found you somewhere in the dark forest between the Slytherin and Gryffindor Kingdoms, but I know not for sure if that is truly the case."
"I understand." She nodded again, taking in his words. "I do not know much about the other Kingdoms. Will you tell me more about Gryffindor, Severus? Is it like our own Kingdom?"
"Hardly." Wincing, Severus sneered and shook his head at her words. "The Kingdom of Gryffindor is…not exactly in the best of states right now, politically speaking, I mean." He told her. When Jade gave him a confused look, he explained further. "From my few visits there with King Lucius, I noticed that many of the towns and villagers there are still rebelling against the rule of the new King, King Peter. His family is not directly descended from magic you see, unlike the families of the other Kingdoms. Because of that, many of the villagers are still opposed to his rule. They are also unhappy with the way he has been running the economy, leaving little for the commonfolk. There are constant uprisings and attacks that are being staged against him and the Royal Family almost every week. The Kingdom often collapses into anarchy when that happens."
"I see." Jade's expression gave nothing away as she listened intently to Severus' words. "Why did King Peter assume the throne? What has happened to the first Royal Family then?"
"They were murdered by the Dark Lord." Severus' expression suddenly grew dim at that and he lowered his voice as he looked away, staring at the ground by his feet. "I'm sure you've read about him before in some of our history books. Rumors say that after he murdered King James and his family, the Dark Lord just vanished. He hasn't been seen for more than a decade."
"The Dark Lord." Jade whispered, nodding slowly. "All accounts I've read about him say that he was the first man to have ever sold his own soul to the devil for the gift of dark magic."
Severus nodded grimly. "After the Dark Lord's disappearance, Peter Pettigrew – one of King James' Generals, assumed the throne. I'd rather not say anything about him but…Based on the few times I've met with him, I can't say he's doing a good job ruling a Kingdom." He sneered.
Jade wisely chose to remain silent at that.
"It gets worse." Severus told her, giving her a wry smirk. "There have been rumors going around that King Peter is actually friendly with the Death Eaters, and that's the real reason there are still so many of them in Gryffindor despite the attempts of the villagers to drive them out."
Again, Jade nodded and looked down, studying her hands. After a few seconds, she looked up and stared at him, and Severus couldn't help but notice the realization on her face.
"General Severus, Sir." Jade paused and she waited until she had Severus' full attention before she continued. "I would like to request your permission that, during our brief stay in the Gryffindor Kingdom, I may be allowed to go off on my own to find out more about my past."
"I would say yes, but I am no longer your Commanding Officer, Jade." Severus reminded her, giving the young General a pointed look. "I'm afraid I cannot give you permission for that."
Without waiting for her to respond, he gave her one last smirk, before he stood up slowly, walking back towards the palace. When he felt Jade's glare lingering on the back of his neck, he chuckled and glanced at her over his shoulder just as he reached the palace entrance.
"You should go and ask Prince Draco."
As Jade entered the Prince's room later that evening, she was greeted with the sight of Prince Draco, dressed in only a pair of black pants, lying comfortably against the lush pillows of his bed. He was reading intently from a thick book in his hands. When he noticed Jade enter, he didn't bother looking up and simply beckoned her over to him with a lazy wave of his free hand.
"Come in, my love." Without lifting his eyes from his book, he shifted slightly to the side of his bed and patted the space on the covers beside him.
"Come over here and sit beside me."
"Yes, Your Highness." Jade inclined her head and did as she was told, obediently shutting the doors behind her before she made her way over to his king-sized, four-poster bed. When Jade hesitated, seeing his distracted expression, Prince Draco patted the covers again.
"What is with this awkwardness again, Jade?" Sighing in exasperation, Prince Draco finally lifted his eyes from the pages of his book and glared at her. "I want you to sit beside me."
"Yes, My Prince." Jade lowered her gaze, mostly to keep herself from staring too long at his bare chest, and fought the urge to blush as she settled on top of the covers beside him. "I apologize for taking too long. I spent a few hours in the training courtyard outside the castle."
"So I've heard." Prince Draco nodded and lifted his eyes from his book again, turning to give her a small smile. When Jade looked confused at his answer, he chuckled and added. "I spoke with Blaise just before you came in, and he mentioned that he saw you in the training grounds. I hardly think you need any training, love. You're an exceptional fighter." He told her.
"Thank you, My Prince." Jade blushed and lowered her gaze again, shifting awkwardly against the blankets and fiddling with her hands on her lap. When the Prince fell silent again and she noticed that he had resumed his attention to his book, she reluctantly scooted closer until she was sidled up to him, leaning over his shoulder to peer curiously into the book's thick pages.
"What are you reading?" She asked.
Sensing her piqued interest, Prince Draco chuckled at her reaction. He surprised her completely when he reached his arm out, wrapping it snugly around her waist and using the gesture to pull her closer in front of him so that she now sat between his legs, her back against his chest. When he rested his chin atop her shoulder as he read, Jade stammered in protest.
"Y—Your Highness—?"
"I'm trying to refresh my knowledge of the other Royal Families." Prince Draco ignored her reaction to their intimate position and gave her a wry look. "You know, just to make sure that I don't make a complete fool of myself and end up calling a Princess by the wrong name."
"You could never make a fool out of yourself, even if you tried." Jade declared, and Prince Draco couldn't help but give her a smile for her loyalty. "I mean it, My Prince." She added.
"And I've no doubt you do, my love." He assured her, rewarding her with a kiss on her cheek before he rested his chin on her shoulder again and turned another page of his book. "But unfortunately, I'd be a fool to not consider the fact that you happen to be very biased when it comes to me, and so my chances of making a fool out of myself are still pretty high." He mused.
Jade fell silent at that and, unsure of what else she could do while she was trapped in his arms, she settled for reading the names written in the book the Prince held in front of them. When he saw that she was reading with him, he pointed to the names on the top of the page.
"Princess Cho and Princess Marietta of the Ravenclaw Kingdom." Draco murmured idly, shaking his head to himself. "I never really got along with those two, but I suppose I have no choice. Father is adamant that I meet with them both anyway." He muttered under his breath.
Lowering her gaze from the family tree of the Ravenclaw Royal Family that was splashed out on the page in front of her, Jade leaned back against him and fiddled with her hands. "Princess Cho is quite pleasant, My Prince. She is much more tolerable than Princess Marietta."
"Really? Because I can't stand them both." Prince Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes and giving Jade a pointed smirk. "From what I hear, Princess Cho is not interested in meeting up with me either; she is completely besotted with that pretty-boy Prince from Hufflepuff." He snorted.
"Would you mean Prince Cedric, Sire?" Jade asked curiously, looking surprised.
"Yes, he would be the one." Prince Draco's expression seemed to darken slightly with irritation at her words and he glanced up at her, meeting her eyes. "Have you met him before?"
"Not formally, My Prince. I have seen him quite a few times during the Royal Parties that the Queen has thrown over the last few years, but I do not remember his face." Jade told him.
"Good." He muttered, his expression unreadable as he turned another page of his book. Confused by his sudden change of mood, Jade frowned at him and studied his reaction carefully.
When she lifted her eyes and stared at the book again, it was the family tree of the Hufflepuff Royal Family that was now splashed out along the pages. She recognized the two Prince's names on the page – Prince Cedric and Prince Ernie – and just beside them was their younger sister, Princess Hannah. Slowly, Jade lifted her gaze and waited for Draco's reaction.
"Disgusting." He was scowling and his lips were curled into a disdainful sneer as he stared at Princess Hannah's name. "That clumsy, bumbling idiot of a Princess is the last woman I would choose to be my Queen. Stupid girl can't even look at me without blushing!" He drawled.
"You are being unfair, Draco." Jade chastised him softly, though her voice carried none of its usual conviction as she spoke to him. "Hannah is quite lovely, and she's incredibly nice—"
"The last time we danced together, she couldn't even look me in the eye. And she still kept stepping on my feet. I do not like her, Jade." Prince Draco retorted snidely, rolling his eyes. "And what are you talking about? She is not lovely at all, her hair is just like a spider's web—"
"You are being cruel and nasty again, My Prince." Jade spoke softly, reaching down and taking one of his hands in hers, intertwining their fingers together and giving them a squeeze.
"I know, I know. I just…." Prince Draco fought another urge to roll his eyes as he gazed at the Hufflepuff Family Tree again.
Sighing, he relented and turned another page of his book.
The next Royal Family tree that greeted him, however, was one that made Prince Draco pause for a few seconds. Eventually, the confusion cleared from his face and he shook his head.
"Oh. I made a mistake; I must have gotten an outdated version of this book. This one still displays the Family Tree of the first Royal Family of Gryffindor." As he glanced down at the list of names before him, Jade noticed that the first Royal Family of Gryffindor had listed only one successor to the throne at the time – Princess Harriet, daughter of James and Lily Potter.
"King James only had one daughter." Jade whispered to herself as she stared at the names in front of her, and she was confused when she felt a strange, tightening inside her chest.
Prince Draco's expression became grim as he reached out and traced the box that held the deceased Gryffindor Princess' name. "I never actually got the chance to meet Harriet. She was murdered long before King James introduced her to the other Royal Families." He mused.
"I see." Jade whispered again, unable to tear her gaze away from the Princess' name.
"Tis a pity though, really." The Prince's snide voice drew Jade's attention again, breaking her out of her thoughts. She looked up and turned her head to the side to glance at him. "Although I'd never met her, I'm almost certain that Princess Harriet would have been a lot better than that annoying git that they call the Gryffindor Princess now." Sighing, Prince Draco finally leaned back against the pillows behind him and closed the book he held with a loud snap.
At his words, Jade couldn't help sneering in agreement and shaking her head.
"If you are referring to Princess Pristina, Your Highness, then I'm afraid I have to agree with you. I implore you not to choose her as your Queen." Jade admitted, looking up at his face.
"Oh don't worry, love. I won't." Prince Draco chuckled as he set the book down onto the table beside his bed and settled back against his pillows, pulling Jade even closer against him. "I would much rather marry a toad than to ever allow myself anywhere near that sniveling witch."
"I would much rather you refer to her as a sniveling 'cow', Your Highness."
At the blank, deadpan humor in Jade's voice, Prince Draco let out a surprised, genuine laugh and he leaned in again, hugging her and giving her another affectionate kiss on the cheek.
"Don't you ever leave my side, Jade." He cajoled her playfully, still laughing.
Upon hearing the tenderness in the Prince's words, however, the warm smile on Jade's face suddenly faltered. She tensed as she drew her gaze back down, staring at their intertwined hands on top of the blankets. When Prince Draco sensed the sudden shift in Jade's mood, he frowned and reached out, gripping her chin and tilting her head up so he could see her face.
"Is something wrong, my love?" He waited until Jade met his eyes with hers before he spoke again. "There is something that bothers you, Jade. Tell me what it is." He ordered firmly.
"There is." Jade pulled her chin away from his grasp and bowed her head again, avoiding his gaze. "I would like to formally ask your permission, Your Highness. When we arrive in Gryffindor, I would like to request for a short leave of absence from my duties so that I may be able to roam the Kingdom on my own." She paused and finally lifted her head to stare at him.
To Jade's dismay, the worried look on Prince Draco's face suddenly grew sad at her words and the expression marring his handsome features became crestfallen as he watched her.
"This is about all those things my mother said, isn't it?" He spoke quietly, and when Jade stiffened and blinked at him, he sighed in defeat. "Do you wish to leave me, Jade?" He asked.
"No!" Jade's eyes grew uncharacteristically wide at Prince Draco's words and she shook her head frantically at him, reaching down to clasp his hand firmly in both of hers. "Never, My Prince! I would never wish to leave you. You know better than anyone that nothing else gives me as much fulfillment as being close to you – always by your side." She assured him firmly.
"Then why do you wish to go off on your own?" He asked again, looking concerned.
"…Because, Your Highness…I just—" Jade cut herself off in the middle of her explanation and sighed, releasing his hand so she could reach up to massage her temples in exhaustion. "—I just want to know more about my true identity. I want to know more about who I am or where I really came from. I want to find out if I have any family left alive." She noticed the confusion that clouded the Prince's eyes and so she added further. "Severus has told me that you found me near the borders of Gryffindor. I figured that would be a good starting point for my search."
"I understand." Prince Draco nodded slowly, though the crestfallen look never left his face.
He lowered his solemn gaze and looked away, staring emptily at the walls across his room.
When he didn't say anything for a long time, Jade sighed and hugged her arms to herself, shifting awkwardly against him. Finally, after a long moment, Prince Draco spoke again.
"Given time…After I marry and formally assume the throne, will you–" The Prince paused and turned his head so that he was staring right at her, meeting Jade's wide green eyes.
"–will you not wish to leave me then?" He asked softly.
When she saw the strangely forlorn expression on his face, Jade opened her mouth to answer him, but she couldn't find the voice to speak. Prince Draco noticed her hesitation instantly and Jade saw the way his eyes clouded over before he hastily averted his gaze again.
"I'll understand, you know." He added softly, swallowing the lump in his throat as he shifted his attention so that he was staring numbly at the empty space in front of him. "Of course you'll want to have your own family one day. Fall in love, get married…Perhaps even raise children of your own when the time comes." Prince Draco gave her a smile that did not seem to reach his eyes. "I am not as selfish so as to ask you to remain by my side forever, Jade."
"It is not that, My Prince. I would never wish to leave your side. It is just that–" Jade lowered her eyes and turned her head so that he couldn't see her face. "–until I find out more about who I really am, I fear that I will never be at peace with myself." She leaned back against his chest and turned her head so she could look at him, her cheek resting against his shoulder.
"I am so sorry to have asked this from you, My Prince." She whispered.
"No, I'm sorry, love. Of course you may have my permission." He shushed her and gave her another sad smile before he lifted his hand, caressing her cheek. "I'll admit that sometimes, I can't help but want to be selfish when it comes to you." He reached down and took her hand again; bringing it up to his lips and giving the back of her palm a chaste kiss. "And sometimes, I often wonder to myself that if…If things were different and if I wasn't the Prince, then maybe…"
When he let his voice trail off and he fell silent, Jade looked up, staring expectantly at him. Prince Draco's features were creased into a slight frown and he looked angry with himself.
"Maybe…?" She prodded, unsure of what he meant to say.
The Prince tensed at her words – almost as though she had jolted him from his thoughts – and he shook his head hastily before sighing and rewarding her with another vacant smile.
"It's a silly thought." He blinked the dazed look away from his face and tried to ease her confusion by forcing out a laugh. "Anyway, it's getting quite late. And we have a long day of travel ahead of us tomorrow, love. Perhaps we should turn in for the night and get some rest?"
Nodding, Jade took that as her cue to leave and began untangling herself from his arms. When he noticed that she was beginning to climb out of his bed, however, the Prince frowned. He reached out, grasping her tightly by her arm and pulling her back onto the bed beside him.
"Sire?" She stared up at him with wide, shocked eyes.
"Stay here with me tonight." Prince Draco ignored her reaction and adjusted their position again so that they were both lying down on the bed, with Jade curled up against him.
"But Sire." Jade protested again, shifting uncomfortably against him when he reached for the covers and pulled them over both their forms. "The guards outside in the halls…They will talk. And the Queen will be angry with you again if she finds out." She told him, looking unsure.
"Let them talk. And let my Mother be angry." Prince Draco retorted, shaking off her concern with an impatient wave of his hand. "You have fallen asleep many times before in my room when you were younger anyway. Why should this time be any different?" He pointed out.
For the life of her, Jade couldn't think of any counter-argument to the Prince's statement and so she bowed her head, staring quietly at the patterns of his silk blankets so as to avoid his eyes. He smirked at her reaction before he peeled the covers back again, urging her with a nod to scoot closer beside him. Reluctantly, she obliged but when he wrapped an arm around her waist to draw her closer, he grimaced and pulled away, giving her a pointed look. It took Jade a few seconds before she realized what the cause of his glare was. Once she did, she had the temerity to look sheepish. Blushing with embarrassment, she reached down, pulling her twin sabres out from where they were still sheathed inside the holsters strapped to her thighs.
"Sorry." She mumbled awkwardly, laying them out onto the table beside his bed.
From the corner of her eye, she thought she caught a glimpse of the way Prince Draco's lips twitched at her apology but he didn't say anything. Afterwards, as she hesitantly snuggled back against him, he wrapped an arm around her waist and they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Notes: Aww…I'm actually not used to writing Draco to be so nice and affectionate in this story, since we all know he's usually a snotty, mean jerk but I assure you that he's not meant to be OOC. He just really has a soft spot when it comes to Jade, but I promise that you'll see his usual self later on when he interacts with the other characters. :D
To be honest, I already have a plot mapped out for this, but as of now, this story is still so open-ended that a lot can still happen in the next few chapters. Having said that, I welcome any suggestions or requests that you guys think might make the story even more interesting. :D
The next chapter will have Draco and Jade travelling to Ravenclaw, so I'm really excited to write that out. Until then, please don't forget to send me your thoughts! See you next update! XD