Chapter16

10 years ago...(Kassandra is 9 years old) Kassandra I was in my room studying again and my father was lecturing me about the kingdoms, Cassina's history, blah, blah blah. I was close to falling asleep a few times until my mother came into the room. "So, how are the lessons coming along?" Mom asked my father. "I think it's going well if Kassandra would stop doodling my angry face!" Father said as he snatched the paper from my desk. I chuckled and then Mom said to him. "Come on, honey. Kassandra has been studying morning, noon and night, why can't let her have some fun?" I smiled at that idea but my father was having none of it. "Absolutely not! she's a princess and as a princess, she needs to memorize the kingdoms their current leaders, their heirs and so on. She's going to inherit the throne someday and she needs to be ready." "Yes I know but, you're being too strict with her. She's only a child." I sighed quietly and I rested my cheek against the palm of my hand. 'Here we go again...' I thought to myself as I watched the two of them agree about how my dad is being too strict with me and my mother wants me to have a little bit of fun and enjoy being a kid before I get older. As I sat there listening to stupid arguments, I decided to take this opportunity to sneak out. I used my invisibility spell and then I sneaked out of the room. Once I was out of the room, I cancelled the spell and then I made a run for it. I spotted my friend Zen on the balcony in his dragon form. Zen is my best friend and we're the same age. I ran over to him and then I climbed onto his back. "Let's get out of here!" I told him before he flapped his wings and fly away from the balcony. I laughed in victory and shouted. "Woohoo!! Freedom!!" "Hahaha! you hate studying so much, don't you?" Zen asked through the mind link. "Ugh, Father's lectures are so boring! he's always telling me to memorize the names of the kingdoms, how to be a princess, blah! blah! blah! honestly, I'm only 9 years old for crying out loud! why can't he let me have fun like any normal kid?" "Well, at least your kingdom is not boring! you've got magical creatures and dragons!!" Zen spoke with a grin. I nodded my head in agreement before we spotted Zonar, the leader of the horde that lives here, flying towards us. His dragon form is a dark blue and he has purple eyes. I smiled at him and then he flew next to Zen before tilting his body. I got the message and then I carefully stood up on Zen's back before leaping onto Zonar's back. I sat on his back and I held onto his spikes. Zonar is not just the leader of the dragon horde, he's like a second father to me and he's taught me everything there was to know about dragons and how they meet their mates. Zonar flew towards the meadow where the Dragons were living and then he lands onto the ground. I smiled at the dragons before Zonar shifted into his human form and I ended up being carried on his back. In his human form, Zonar has black hair that reaches in the middle of his back but it was always tied back in a low ponytail, sky blue eyes and he has pale skin. He also wears black robes with the horde's symbol on it. He looks handsome and I always feel this mysterious connection whenever I'm around him. "Hey kiddo, got away from your studies again?" Zonar asked with a smirk on his face. "Please don't tell my mother." "Don't worry, my lips are sealed." Zonar spoke with a grin as he carried me on his back. We got to the meadow and then Zonar puts me down on the ground. I spotted Aunt Katrina and I smiled at her. "Aunt Katrina!!" "Hey! there's my favourite niece in the whole wide world!" Aunt Katrina smiled as I hugged her tightly. "I take it you escaped from your mean old father again?" She asked as she ruffled my head. "Yep, I want to spend time here with the dragons and learn more spells from you!" "Great, come on, let's get back to your training before the evil witch comes back." "I hope the evil witch doesn't mean me?" A familiar voice called out. I hid behind Aunt Katrina and then I watched my mother walk towards us. "Uh, hello mother." "Good grief, you're getting better and better with your little escapes." I chuckled nervously and then Zonar spoke up. "Karen, I know you're the King's wife but, can you please give the kid a break? She's only a child and she shouldn't be learning all of the royalty stuff until she's older." I giggled a little Zonar joked this and then Mother shook her head. "Good grief, I can't believe I'm listening to you. Fine, but only until dinner time you hear?" "Thanks, Mother!!" I spoke with a smile before running off with Aunt Katrina and we left to do some training. We got to the lake and then we started practicing our attacking spells. I used an ice spell against Aunt Katrina and then she used her protection spell to block it. "Good, your ice spells are getting better. Now try using a fire spell next." I nodded my head and then I concentrated my magic before throwing several fireballs at Aunt Katrina. However, my fireballs were small and weak. Aunt Katrina sighed and then she said to me. "Good grief, your ice, water and lighting spells are improving but, your fireball spells could do with some work." I chuckled nervously and then she said to me. "Try again and this time, think like a dragon." "Think like a dragon?" "Yeah, think about how they breathe fire at their foes but, try and concentrate your energy into your hands." I nodded my head and then closed my eyes for a moment and then I felt the heat in my hands. I opened my eyes and then I threw my fireballs at Aunt Katrina and then she used her protection spell again. She fell onto her backside afterwards and she shook her head. "Okay...that was a massive improvement. Don't do it again." I nodded my head in agreement after seeing the damage I've caused. "Aunt Katrina, are my attacking spells that powerful?" "They certainly are, why do you ask?" She told me as she wiped the dust off herself. "Well, I've been thinking about this weird connection I have Zonar and how my spells are stronger than yours. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm...different." Aunt Katrina looked at me surprised when I told her this and she said to me. "I can't answer that one for you, why don't you talk to your mother? She might be able to know. It is a mother's job to keep her daughter safe and keep pointing her in the right direction." I nodded my head and then we continued with training for the rest of the day. Afterwards, I was about to head back to the castle until I heard the Dragon priests' chanting. I followed the source and I hid in the bushes when I saw their ritual taking place. I smiled at them and then a beautiful woman with blonde hair, blue eyes and peachy skin walked towards the center of the forest as the torches burned and the priests were banging on the drums and chanting. I noticed the woman was wearing a beautiful sleeveless white dress. She sat down on the blanket with flower petals scattered around her. The leader started to do his speech to summon the dragon. It was silent for a moment until one of the dragons appeared. It was a golden yellow dragon with green eyes. I watched the dragon approach the woman and then he sniffed her a few times before she smiling at him and petting his snout. "Do you accept your mate?" The woman nodded her head and so did the dragon. I watched the dragon pick up his mate and then he flew away with her. I heard priests cheered and then someone said to me. "Incredible to watch isn't it?" I jumped in fright and Shay, the leader of the priests smirked at me. "I'm sorry, Shay! I didn't mean to-" "Don't worry, come on. We're about to have a celebration." Shay told me as he helped me onto my feet and then we sat around the bonfire with the afternoon sky hanging above us. Shay gave me a bowl of fruit and he sat next to me. "So what do you think about the Dragons young Kassandra?" "I think they're magnificent and beautiful. I don't see why some people fear them," I told him as I took a sip of water. "Well, everyone has their own opinions about dragons." "Aren't the women concerned about being offered up like that?" "Not at all, the mating ritual is sacred to us and for the dragons. The dragons struggle to look for their mates and that's why they rely on us to help them look." "And the mating ritual helps them? how do you know if they're destined to be with the woman you randomly pick?" "We don't randomly pick the women, we call to our ancestors to help us look for the dragon's mate once a month and then we bring her for the ritual." "Wow, do you think that might happen to me someday?" Shay chuckled before ruffling my hair and said to me. "Maybe but, knowing your father he wouldn't allow a dragon to become his son-in-law." "I don't care! I want to marry someone I love, not go through the pain of arranged marriage! it's not right!" I spoke with a frown on my face. Shay laughed when I said this and then he said to me. "We'll see what our ancestors have in store for you until then, enjoy being that curious, adventurous child." I nodded my head before thanking him. I left the clearing in the woods. I spotted Zonar and it looked like he was talking to someone. I used my invisibility spell and I stuck to the shadows and I spotted my mother with him. I was shocked when I saw him holding her hand and looking at her almost as if he's...in love? "Karen, she needs to know." "No, don't you get it, Kassandra can't know. If Scott finds out the truth he will kill you." I wondered why they were being so secretive and why they were talking about me. "I don't care, Kassandra doesn't belong in that castle and she doesn't belong to Scott. Have you noticed that she's different? I'm not talking about her being a sorceress like yo. She's-" "Enough! please don't speak any more of this. I should be heading back." I watched Mom leave the woods and once she was gone, Zonar took off into the sky after shifting into his dragon form. Once they were gone, I cancelled my spell and then I headed back to the castle while wondering what those two were talking about and what was going on between those two.