Hey friends, well here's another chapter for you and just a week before my birthday. I hope you guys like it
Disclaimer time: I don't own Lord Osric, the king, Geoff, the people or Drake. I do own Kalias, Colt and Laia and Kelei.
As we travel back home, I see that the guards are coming towards us. Colt acts on guard and steps in front of us. Laia has fallen asleep on our way home.
"Can we help you," Colt asks them.
"Yes Sir Colt. Lord Osric wants to see you and Lady Kalias concerning the incident with the dragon." One of the guards say.
"He has a name. It's Drake," I frown at him.
"Apologize. Concerning Drake."
"Lead the way."
As they walk ahead of us, Colt and I exchange looks. I had a feeling that the mill blowing up would get back to him. I just hope he's not going to insist that Drake be punished for it. It was just an accident. No one got hurt, we made sure. As we head to the castle, I see Geoff getting escorted as well.
"Hey is Drake ok? Where did he go," Geoff asks me.
"He's embarrassed and he flew off with Kelei. I thought it would be best he was alone with her," I explain to him.
"I don't blame him. If fire came out my butt, I'd want to hide too," Geoff jokes.
"Geoff. I hope you don't tease him like that when we see him again," Colt scolds him.
"I won't. But would it be ok to tell him some embarrassing stories about me?"
"That would be alright," I smirk at him and then hear a couple of voices in Lord Osric's office. And they're angry ones too.
"You can call him 'Protector of the Realm' but he destroyed my mill," The miller head shouts at him.
"He needs to be taught he can't just pluck cows out of the air whenever he wants," The owner of said cow complains.
"I understand your problems and I promise to take care of it," Lord Osric calmly says to them and sees we've arrived, "Here, fix your mill. And buy yourself a new cow or two. And remember gentlemen, our dragon is the last of a noble race. He deserves our upmost respect. Good day to you."
"Dragon lover," The miller grumbles after being paid a substantial amount of gold and gives us some dirty looks. The farmer scowls daggers at him and then at me as well as he leaves. Even though he got paid just as much if not more gold than the miller.
"Peasant concerns. Don't think too much about it. Now, why don't we go see Drake and find out what really happened," Lord Osric suggests as he writes in a book, bolts and then puts it up before getting out another.
"I don't think Drake wants to see anyone else. He's rather embarrassed," Geoff says to him and chuckles, "Master Kwan was teaching him to breathe fire and it came out the wrong end when he tried to avoid hitting the mill in the first place."
"You left him with Kwan and his sons," Lord Osric chuckles and then signs something one of his men brings to him, "What else does the old man plan on teaching him?"
"We don't know. Something about the ancient wisdoms of the dragons," Colt shrugs, "He's been helping Kalias overcome her fears as well. She was quite the master archer when she was Geoff's age, and she still is."
"That's good news. And how are you able to do that with your child on your back," Lord Osric asks me and reaches for Laia.
"I can move just fine. But this last time, Colt was spending time with her while I was training," I say and maneuver her away from his touch, "I'm rusty but I'm sure with time, I'll be back to my old self again."
"That's a relief to here," Lord Osric smiles at me and then mutters something to one of his men and sends him off, "Now why don't we see Drake and talk things over with him."
"We can't. He flew off with one of Master Kwan's sons. They might be gone until evening. But I talked to Drake about boundaries with hunting. He knows now not to eat livestock."
"Good, we don't need to give the people reasons to fear him. So if that's all, you can go. Geoff we do have a training session this evening."
"I look forward to it," Geoff smiles at him.
"Oh, and Lady Kalias I have another book for Drake. Here you go," Lord Osric says and hands me a red leather book.
"I've never seen this one before. Perhaps I'll read it with Drake."
"I'm sure you'll find it informative. Excuse me, but I have a meeting in an hour, and I want to get a bite to eat before then. Oh, and I had the tailors make a little tunic for your child."
He gestures to a lady in the doorway I hadn't noticed. She opens the box and shows a little scarlet tunic with black around the edges and a dragon on the front. It looks pretty fancy for her. I take it out and look it over. Laia is fussing in her carrier and then I smell a foul odor.
"Yeesh smells like you might need that new tunic," Geoff commits and waves his hand in front of his face.
"Sorry Lord Osric. Thank you for the gift and I need to get my daughter cleaned up," I say as I bow to him and exit out of his office to head for my old room in the castle.
Laia's discomfort increases from a fuss to outright wailing. And since the castle walls echo, her cries are even louder than before. Colt has to take the lead when I get lost a couple times. Finally, we arrive, and I set her on the bed. I get some water from the bathroom. Thank goodness Ethan had pipes put in to allow water from the river to flow in. He might be a little odd but having a water wheel on the side of the castle was brilliant.
I use my powers to heat up the water in the sink a little and test it a moment. After adding some more cooler water, it's just right and I undress Laia. Geoff watches on the side as I remove the soiled nappy. He grimaces when I hand it to him in a bundle and sets it to the side. I pick up Laia and set her in the warm water, her crying stops but she still hiccups.
"Thank goodness! I wasn't sure she was going to stop," Colt sighs in relief as he comes over with a wash rag, "A little water and she's happy."
"Yes, when she's old enough in the summer, I plan on taking her swimming with me," I smile and kiss her belly.
"Ahh! Eee," Laia squeals and coos while I pour the water over her head with my hand.
"Ok, you. Let's get you clean, and then I'm sure you're going to want to eat again. You have an appetite to rival your uncles and grandfather," I tease her as I clean her privates, "Geoff I know you have training, but I think you and Drake should spend time together before then,"
"I'll try but didn't you say he flew off with Kelei?"
"He won't be gone forever. And I would like to tell you something, but you have to promise not to tell Lord Osric. Please cross your heart."
"Ok cross my heart, what you tell me will not leave this room," Geoff says and puts a hand to his heart.
"Kelei is actually a dragon."
"A dra-," Geoff starts to shout and then shushes himself and whispers, "A dragon?! Like Drake?"
"No, not like him. She's an Eastern Dragon. She looks very different from Drake. But the point is, Drake isn't the last dragon on Earth."
"And you're sure you don't want to tell Lord Osric? I mean two dragons to protect us would be a good thing."
"No I don't want him to know unless she wants to tell him herself. Now you promised!"
"Ok ok you're right. I promise to keep it a secret."
"Thank you."
"Did I hear a baby crying," King Ethan calls and comes into the room.
"Yes sir," I say as I bow to him and get a towel for Laia, "My little one needed to be cleaned up."
"Aww I like babies. She's beautiful Kalias," King Ethan smiles at her, "May I hope her?"
"Yes sir as soon as she gets a nappy on," I smile at him and lay her on the bed to get dried and put a some lotion I made for rash on her before putting on a clean nappy.
King Ethan watches in fascination as I pin the parts around her snuggly. Then I redress her in the tunic Lord Osric gave me. I hate to admit it but she does look cute in it. I pick her up and then hands her to Ethan.
"Now you want support her head and butt your highness," Geoff says to him.
"Like this," Ethan asks as he adjusts his arm to hold her head in his hand.
"Yes just like that."
"Aww she is so sweet." King Ethan coos to her and laughs as she holds his face.
"I'm glad she loves you too Ethan," I smile at the two of them and take her back when he hands her to me.
"Will you have dinner with me tonight? I've missed you."
"It would be an honor," I say to him and hear Laia fussing again and pulling on my blouse, "Excuse me Ethan but I need to feed Laia."
"I'll see you tonight. Goodbye Kalias," King Ethan says and hugs me. Then he hugs Colt and Geoff, "Bye bye."
"Bye," Geoff waves and looks at us, "Does he seem…off?"
"It's hard to tell with Ethan. He's always been nice but I don't know," I say as I shrug as I start to undo my blouse, "Geoff would you please?"
"Right. I'll see you guys tonight," Geoff says as he leaves the room.
"So, dinner with the king," Colt says as he sits with me while I nurse Laia, "Is Laia going to be joining us?"
"I think we should. Ethan didn't say not to. And if you think of it, we haven't had a family dinner with him since before Drake was born and he was crowned king. I miss doing that with him. Just forgetting positions and having dinner together as a family. You, me, Laia and Geoff together."
"That would be nice," Colt smiles at me and strokes Laia head.
Laia pulls away from my chest. I turn her around and pat her back. She lets out a big burp and coughs. I wipe her mouth and put her back in her carrier. While she rests, I clean up her soiled nappy before taking it with us to hang dry at the monastery.
