The Dragon's Kiss

Chapter 22 - TWENTY TWO: Come With Me

"Let's get away from here first," the face under the mop of hair grinned, grasping the hand Lucy didn't already have a hold of. The two pulled Kel into a speed walk away from the man who was still grimacing in pain.

As the Seven Lions Inn grew farther away, Kel noticed a familiar red and white mask disappearing into a side street near the building. Had that man been watching this time as well?

She tried to tug her hands free of her two captors, but they remained clamped firmly around her wrists. With a sigh, she gave up on going after the masked man and allowed them to yank her down the street.

When they finally came to a halt, Lucy and the newcomer began arguing.

"I can't believe you let that horrible man bother her for so long, Sir Thane!!" the maid grumbled to the strawberry-blonde knight.

"You told me not to show myself unless the situation was desperate!" Thane quipped back defensively.

"It was obviously desperate! Didn't you see how much of a creep that guy was?!" Lucy demanded..

"Um, guys…" Kel interjected. The two gave each other a final huff before turning their attention to her.

"Ah, you must be wondering…" Thane began awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

"He's only here," Lucy whined, "because that was the only way I could get permissi-"

She suddenly clapped her hand over her mouth. Thane clicked his tongue and shook his head at the maid before taking over.

"Miss Lucy didn't sneak you out. The emperor gave us his permission as long as you were well-guarded."

"...Eh?"

Kel was even more confused by Thane's explanation. The same emperor that placed her under house arrest in the first place suddenly gave permission for a late-night adventure around town?

"Why-" she began before Lucy jumped in.

"Oh! And you won't be under such strict guard anymore. Think of this as celebrating your first night of freedom!" the maid smiled light-heartedly.

"...EH?"

Why had she been under 'such strict guard' in the first place then? Just what in the world was going on?

Lucy and Thane showed Kel around the rest of the festival, occasionally pausing to squabble a bit. Kel would have been more amused by the prickly atmosphere between the two, but she was still irritated at their refusal to answer her questions.

By the time they boarded the carriage to return to the palace, Lucy and Thane were ready to kill each other, and Kel was ready to kill the both of them. It had been a long night, indeed.

The next morning, Kel awoke when the sun was already well above the horizon, memories of the night market still whirling around her mind. Though she had several questions and no answers, there was one thing she knew she had to do.

Without even pulling a robe over her knee-length night dress, Kel ran to the bedroom door and threw it open. A smile crept across her lips as she noticed the absence of the usual gleaming staff blocking her way.

"Good morning, princess!" A friendly maid paused to bow. "Would you like to go on a walk?"

Kel nodded vigorously. "Very much so!"

"Allow me to help you get dressed, and I'll call someone to escort you out to the gardens," the maid chuckled.

The maid worked quickly, cringing as she helped Kel don one of her short, single-layer dresses. She opted to only pull back the top bit of Kel's hair, Kel suspected, to allow her golden locks to cover her bare shoulders.

Roland, who was apparently still on duty, just stationed further away from her room, was called on to take her outside. Fortunately, he hung as far back as possible, giving Kel plenty of room to breathe.

Ignoring the paths of the immaculate garden, Kel bounded for the grassy field nearby. She took her shoes off and spread her toes in the soft green lawn before flopping down on her back.

"Haaa," she breathed out happily, closing her eyes. The cool grass tickled her skin, providing relief from the sun's steaming rays.

When did I become so immune to the cold? She wondered, feeling a tiny bead of sweat trickle down her forehead. Even Roland had put on a heavy mantle before exiting the building. Why was she the only one who felt Serin's pale autumn sun was hotter than Mevani's midsummer sun.

As she lay pondering, she felt a cool sensation pass over her body. She hummed in contentment at the relief from the unrelenting sunlight.

"Did you have a good time last night?"

"Ah!" Kel's eyes shot open. She suddenly understood where the shade had come from. The dragon emperor stood looming over her, crimson eyes fixated on her.

She hurriedly pushed herself up to her feet, kicking the back of her own ankle in the process.

"Easy there." The emperor's hand shot out to steady her as she fumbled around trying to regain her balance.

When both feet stood firmly under her, she cleared her throat. "I believe it is you I have to thank for last night," she remarked with a bow, trying to hide her pink cheeks.

The emperor scanned her carefully. "... as long as you had fun."

"I did, Sire," she replied immediately.

"Perhaps," the emperor continued thoughtfully, "there's something you could do for me in return."

Kel's eyebrows twitched. Was this man seriously implying that she owed him a favor because he was gracious enough to release her from the imprisonment he, himself had inflicted upon her?

She pressed her lips together and flitted her eyes to the side as she calmed her frustration. She saw that Roland, who had been waiting dutifully by the edge of the lawn, had been joined by Thane. Both were watching Kel and the emperor intently.

"What could I possibly do for Your Majesty," Kel finally answered, gritting her teeth into a smile.

"..."

"..?"

Why wasn't he saying anything?

"Look at me." The emperor reached out and clasped Kel's downturned chin in one hand, forcing her face upward. With his other hand, he brushed some of the sweat off her forehead.

"Y-your Majesty!" Kel exclaimed, feeling embarrassed. Even if he had noticed the droplets, he could at least have the decency to ignore it.

"Come with me," he said quietly, paying no heed to Kel's protests.

"Where?" Kel grunted, struggling to pull her sweaty face out of the man's long fingers. Could he really not see her distress, or was he somehow amused by it?

"To a ball. Come with me to a ball."