38. AURELIA

Chapter thirty-eight

AURELIA

I woke up to my body ached and cramping. It was used to my nice plush bed at home, which unfortunately was not the case for me now.

"Princess problems," Belle muttered to me.

"Hey!" She laughed, and I couldn't help but giggle.

The light was starting to rise above the mountains along the land, casting glimpses of sparkles in its reflection of the water. The briny air continued to fill my senses as a breeze brushed past my face. As much as I would like more rest, I knew we had to keep on track if I were to return to the castle before the ten days were up.

I stood up to stretch my arms and saw Damian quietly still asleep. The morning rays filtered in more above the sky, and I knew we needed to leave before we were found again. If our fire didn't give us away last night, two strangers and a dragon in broad daylight surely would.

"Belle, could you wake Damian up?" I asked.

"Nas 1 . Why can't you do it?"

"Fine," I said, unsure of how to do it. "Good morning," I said as loud as I felt comfortable.

Nothing.

Leaning toward his face, I raised my fingers, stroking his cheek. He looked so innocent and peaceful–like someone who wasn't an assassin.

His eyes slowly opened, meeting mine. The warmth in his dark eyes was unmistakable. "Um," I said, my words fumbling. "We probably should go." I shrugged my shoulders as he blinked and offered a nod of acknowledgment.

"Belle, you ready to fly us?" I asked, looking at the island out in the distance.

Before Belle was able to respond in my mind, Damian looked from her to me. Then, in his morning voice, he said, "Actually, I was thinking that you and I could go by boat? I know that you are scared of the water and I would like to show you what it is like." I tilted my head to the side, not expecting Damian to want to spend alone time with me.

"I would love that," I said, looking at Belle. She nodded her snout, agreeing with the plan. It wouldn't take too much longer to take the boat, and I would also like to know what it was like on the waves.

"Now, we just have to steal a boat. Belle, you ready?" Damian asked, his arms crossing in front of his chest.

"We can't steal!" I exclaimed.

Damian rolled his eyes, then placed his hands on his hips. "That's why I wasn't asking you," he said as he returned to Belle. They were forming their own type of relationship, and it made my heart grow warm.

Belle tilted her head. "He's got a point. It's not a bad idea." I put my hands over my face and moved my fingers where I could slightly see through them.

"You're the one who wanted to steal a dragon egg," Damian retorted, looking back at me.

I sighed heavily. "You know that's not what we're doing."

"Sounds all the same to me!"

"Yay! We are losing time. Let's go! Hurry!" Belle's heart raced with anticipation as she leapt into the air, her claws eagerly digging into the earth below, sending clumps flying in all directions.

"You guys are ganging up on me! Rude!" As much as I retaliated against their relationship, I was happy they had one. "Okay, okay, let's go." I decided. "But where do we find a boat?"

***

The sun was shining iridescently, reflecting off the water. We had to hurry before anyone saw us, and we were all walking fast enough that showed that we knew it, too.

We were making our way around the glistening sea, nearing some unattended boats, when we heard muffled voices. "Belle! Behind the boathouse!" Thank the scales that she heard me as she dashed behind the crooked, broken-down house, with her pink scales flashing in the sun as she ran limply with her hurt ankle.

Damian grabbed my hand and bolted behind a few barrels by shore. Their wooden surfaces bore the marks of their time, rough and weathered, with cracks running through their aged exteriors. The air around us carried a pungent aroma, stale beer, and a musty scent.

The barrels were stacked up three high, so we wouldn't be seen unless they intended to look specifically behind them. As we came to a stop beneath the brown rusty kegs, I glanced down, still feeling the electricity from his touch. I blushed, realizing that he was still holding my hand tight, not wanting to let go. It reminded me of the electricity that pulsed from our touch when our fingers skimmed in the Forbidden Forest or when he wrapped his arms around me on Belle.

Exchanging glances, Damian let go of my hand, and I turned as a blush rose to my cheeks. Shaking it away, we peered through the cracks to see where the voices were coming from.

Three figures made their way toward the dock perched out to the water, where a few of the wooden boats resided, swaying in the breeze as they waded in the water, held by a ratted rope tied to a pillar at the edge of the dock.

One of the men held a vivid gemmed sword in one hand, his arms making movements as he spoke with the other. His hair, the color of pine trees, stood up straight, formally made to accustom his stature as a knight. His violet uniform was the color of silk that I would know from anywhere. The lion crescent fixed on his back.

What the scales were knights doing from my kingdom out here?

The other figure next to him wore the same purple cloak. His hands sat firmly on the hilt of his sword positioned at his hip, ready to draw it out if necessary. There was a third man with him, whom I couldn't see clearly, but caught sight of his thick boots.

It made little sense that knights from my kingdom would be out this far. This was a part of the Sardan Kingdom's territories. The only reasonable explanation was that they were here for me, but that wouldn't make sense since my father sent me himself.

We curiously continued to watch them. They moved slightly, the guard with dirty blonde hair and stripes of silver talking profusely with his hands, moving every few seconds, his chain-mail shifting. I could see in between them, catching a glimpse of a fisherman. His age was evident in the fade of his sky-blue hair, which mirrored the distant horizon. Deep creases formed along his face, telling the aging stories of his life. His attire was of emerald green waders that were worn and well-used. A sturdy net hung from his grasp, showing his hours spent on the waters.

Only being able to hear a few phrases at a time, I heard, "king's orders," "girl with pink hair," "Scaleborne," and "golden eyes." What did they mean by the King's orders? They had to be searching for me. But why would my father do that?

I thought of how he was acting weird. The look that Tobias gave him, and how he had wanted the map originally. This must be Tobias' doings. But how?

Also, the girl that was let in the castle. There was no way that she would've been let in by any of the guards. It had to have been someone inside of the castle. The only person that it made sense to be was Tobias.

An urge tugged at me to approach them and to see why they were here for me. I wanted to see why my father sent knights to look for me. He was the one that sent me on the quest. It didn't make sense.

Damian grabbed my arm, knowing that I was about to do something and would give away that we were eavesdropping. Maybe he could feel the heat on my skin from my fury.

Glancing at Damian, he had a finger over his mouth.

We were hushed as we waited, the voices slowly fading into nothingness. I peered over the cans, the muscles in my legs cramping from staying in one place for too long. "Are they gone?" I whispered to Damian. He glanced in my direction, his brows knitting together in a deep furrow. Uncertainty flickered across his features.

"Belle, are they gone?"

"San," she said in Satas Lerma , confirming they left. "I don't hear them from where I am."

"Let's go," I whispered to Damian. We sprinted to the small boats billowing in the water's waves off the deck. They were small, but they could hold both of us comfortably. Our feet clambered against the wooden dock, making their way hastily to the boat.

The water swayed them from side to side; the foam bubbling on its surface. Seaweed speckled the thin layer of froth with its dark green color and musty smell. The sun's rays filtered through, showing small clementine fish swimming underneath the layers of water, spouting small bubbles to its surface.

Jumping into one of the darker wooden boats, Damian untied the rusted ropes hooked to the small pillar of wood connected to the dock, and we slowly began to float away the moment it was released. He grabbed a paddle from the boat and dipped it deep into the water.

We made our way a few yards past the dock and the shore. Surveying the area, I tried to find anyone, any bodies, shadows, or movement. Nothing caught my eyesight. Even the older man we just saw was gone, probably working in his boathouse. I sighed in relief, knowing that we still had quite the journey but that at least we were safe for now.

I could feel Damian's strength as he rowed us and pushed us closer to the other side of the water. It was far in the distance, but I knew it was there. Damian's arms swayed from side to side as he dug into the water, pushed, and then did the same on the other side, his efforts creating circular ripples throughout the clear ocean's surface.

The sun's rays sprinkled, casting orange and yellow shadows on the small waves. Fish bubbled to the surface, and birds chirped in the air, flying freely. The only sounds being the swish of us crossing the water and the wind rushing past my hair.

Plush, beautiful green trees scattered around the mountains and the shorelines, the beauty of the Earth encapsulating my view. I took a deep breath, hoping to savor the life I could feel and smell through my senses. Will the Deathlies take this away from us, too? The life that was found on the earth was so precious and valuable–something that I didn't realize I cared so much for until I saw what they were capable of.

Damian continued to paddle, the water making sloshing noises beneath the boat after each stroke.

"What draws you to the ocean?" he asked, the dimple in his cheek rising with a curve of a smile. "I can see it in your eyes. The water makes you light up inside."

I blushed, feeling the gold shimmer on my cheeks, and smiled, looking down into my lap shyly. "It was my dream to travel with my best friend, Cora. We wanted to come to the water. To splash and play in it and soak in the sun. Even if our skin burnt, we didn't care. She has often come this way and experienced much of the land." I paused, thinking of Cora and how badly I missed her. "I was jealous. It's silly, but I was jealous of how my father treated her. He treated her as his own. My mother, too. As if she would be heir one day. He has her travel as the face of the kingdom to create relationships with each kingdom and city."

Damian was intently listening and rowing as I talked.

"I'm sorry," he responded with true empathy in the dimples on his tan skin. His facial hair had grown even more, covering his mouth and lower cheeks, but the dimple still shone through. I glanced away to make sure that I wasn't blushing again. "How does your tower tie into the story?"

"Well, as you know, my parents lied and said that I was dead at a young age. This was to protect me. However, the older I get, I wonder if they are actually trying to protect me, or if they never knew what to do with me. I think that there's some sort of fear they have with me.

"Ever since I was little, my mother had never been able to look me in the eye. She never spent time with me alone. I knew that it hurt her to not have a child that she could raise on her own, but it hurt our relationship with how she treated me during the little time we spent together." I thought of the last time I saw her, with bruised, inky splotches displayed on her body. I winced, wondering what had happened to her, and cringed thinking that my father may be hurting her.

"My father allowed me to go to their dinners each night. However, that was the only thing that he did for me.

"All I had ever wanted was for him and my mother to tell me that I was enough. That I was good enough. It felt like I was never worthy of being queen in their eyes. That's why this quest is so important to me. To prove that I am good enough for them." Damian was silent, nodding as he listened.

I didn't expect him to say anything, so it was a shock when he spoke. "Aurelia," he said, using my real name, "You are always worthy, and you are always good enough. If anyone tells you otherwise, I will kill them myself. You hear me?" His gaze bore into mine, sending a jolt of tension coursing through me. My chest tightened, and I found myself holding my breath, unable to draw in even the slightest gulp of air.

I blinked back tears, knowing that was the acceptance I needed–that I wanted to hear from my father. But Damian was right. I didn't need my parent's approval. I was good enough. Maybe this whole time I was doing this quest to prove to myself what I was capable of.

"I thought you only killed bad guys?" I asked jokingly, allowing my emotions to lower.

"Anyone that would think that you're not worthy is a good enough reason to be a bad guy," he said as I blushed.

"What were your parents like?" I asked, thinking of his past.

"They…" he paused. "They expected a lot from me. They wanted me to become exactly like them—to follow their footsteps."

"How so?"

"My parents were both scholars, and had the highest education that you can have in my town. My father was a doctor and my mother was a teacher. They wanted me to follow after them, to go to school and to get a similar education. They had the funds to pay for it, but that didn't mean that was what I wanted." His eyes glanced off to the shimmery water, watching as the sea wood and the foam passed by us, attaching themselves to the small boat that we were rowing.

"What did you want, then?"

"I wanted to craft knives and swords specifically. To me, it's not about shaping metal, but creating something so deadly that others couldn't. Each sword and knife tells its own story." He grabbed out the same knife he had used multiple times on our journey, placing the paddle back into the inside of the boat. The blood-stained hilt looked dull and rusted over. There were gems on it placed up the hilt, glimmering shades of blue and red. I hadn't noticed it before, but the hilt had an embedded design carved inside of it, tracing swirls throughout the grip.

"You made this?" I asked, never thinking that he was the one that actually crafted it. He nodded, a smile of passion slowly curving upward. "Well, Damian, you have certainly surprised me," I said, taking the handle of his dagger from his hands.

I admired where the blade met the handle and watched as the intricate lines bled into patterns through the hilt. The blade wasn't too heavy, easily held in my hand. It was remarkable. Damian was talented. It proved that he had the heart I knew he had.

With a mischievous gleam in my eye, I raised my arm, letting the hilt dance lightly between my fingertips, teasingly hovering over the water's surface. A grin spread across my face as I turned to him.

"Hey, be careful with that!" he called jokingly. I held it up higher in the air, ready to stand in the boat to make it further from his reach. "Don't make me force it from you," he said, slowly moving in my direction.

Our eyes widened as the small boat rocked more aggressively back and forth from our movements. I narrowed my eyes at him, accepting the challenge. Without making small movements, he lunged, the front of the boat beginning to tip upward, the back of it lowering more into the water. The shock of it made me almost drop the dagger into the ocean.

"You better give it back to me before this gets deadly," he said, his body up against my own, his face breathing next to mine. His breaths warm against my skin, sending chills down my spine.

Time seemed to stop as his eyes were peering into my own, my hand almost going weak, almost dropping his special dagger yet again.

"What if I like it deadly?" I snapped, not taking my eyes away from his, my eyebrow raising.

With a cruel grin, he said, "Well, in that case, how about we find a compromise? I'll let you keep it... if you promise to make it worth my while."

"You like to bargain," I said as a statement. My mind raced back to the recent night in the forest, when he had the exact dagger I held in my fingertips against my neck.

"If I remember clearly, you were the one to strike the deal first," he said. I scrunched my nose in response. "What about this?" He stepped backwards on the boat, bringing the weight back to normal. A small wobble shook from the shift. "I'll let you keep that knife if you teach me Satas Lerma ." My eyes wandered to his other boot, forgetting that he had a second knife. I smirked, looking down, smiling slightly.

"And why would you care to do that?"

He paused. "Because maybe, I am realizing that dragons aren't as evil as I originally had thought they were." His head tilted to the side, his eyebrows raising. "Happy?"

I scoffed, my eyes not pulling away from his. The darkness of his irises peered back, not breaking the connection. My mouth threatened to curve into a smile, but I willed the urge away. He felt different. There was something different about him. The softness that I knew was there, shone through. He did care about me. "Well, it's a deal," I said, moving closer to his body as he smirked, picked up the paddle again, and rowed us off to the island that held still in the distance.

Glancing at my boot, I put the one he gave me in it, matching how he held his own. I couldn't help but smile, knowing that he had given me his knife that meant so much to him–something that he was passionate about. Was I giddy with the thought that he wanted to learn Satas Lerma, or that he gave me his knife? I couldn't help but wonder if the flutter in my stomach had anything to do with starting to care more about him, and if he felt the same.

1. Nas: No