Chapter6

Kassandra I didn't know how much time had passed since I've been stuck in this room with my ankle chained up. I could only move out of the bed and sit down on the animal skinned rug with some cushions and an area where I do my business. I would have used my powers to break free but, I couldn't risk it since I didn't want these dragons to think that I'm a part of a witch's coven. I tugged on the chain again and it still wasn't coming loose. I sighed a little before I heard a gentle voice speak up. 'Excuse me, Princess." I turned around and there was a beautiful blonde-haired girl with blue eyes and she was wearing a dark blue tunic and she wore black leggings and brown boots. 'Lord Drago asked me to bring you some food, here you go." The blonde-haired girl said to me as she sat down the tray of food next to me as I sat on the animal skinned rug. I looked at the food she gave me and there was a plate of fruits and cooked fish. For some reason, I wasn't hungry so I turned away the food. 'Your highness, please eat something." 'I'm not hungry, I just want to get out of here." 'I know you do but, Lord Drago has chained you up to make sure you learn not to run away." 'But this thing is hurting me and it's restricting my movement, don't you have a spare key?" 'Sorry, Lord Drago has the only key with him." I frowned angrily and then the blonde-haired girl stood up and was about to leave until I asked her. 'Wait! what's your name?" 'My name is Liz, please excuse me, Princess Kassandra." I watched Liz leave and once she was gone, I turned my attention back to the stupid shackle on my ankle. I wanted to use my powers to unlock it but, I couldn't risk Drago walking in here and seeing me practising magic. I remembered Leo teaching me how to used a lock pick so all I've got to do it find something I can use to unlock the shackle like a key. I then remembered the hair clips that the priests put in my hair and I took one of them out. I moved my skirt out of the way before I used the pin to lock pick the shackle. 'Come on, come on." I mumbled and then the shackle came off. I smiled in victory and then I rubbed my ankle and it was a little sore but, this was no time to celebrate since I had to get out of here. I got up and I left the treasure room. I came to a halt and I looked around to keep an eye out for Drago. I peaked around the corner and once I made sure the coast was clear, I made a run for it. I was about to reach for the exit but then, I heard Drago shouting. 'Dammit, Kassandra! where are you?!" 'Crap!" I mumbled before I made a run for it. I ran into a random room where I spotted Liz and some other girls. The room contained a large table for the women to eat their food from along with some makeshift chairs and there were some animal skinned rugs that covered some of the furniture. 'Princess? how did you get loose?" 'Shh! listen, if Drago asks, you haven't seen me!" I told them before I hid behind some boulders. The other women stood in front of the boulder to hide me and then I heard Drago entering the room. 'Where is she?" 'Who?" Liz asked Drago. 'Kassandra, that's who! I went to check up on her and she had vanished. I don't know how she got loose but, it's clear she was able to pick the lock on the shackle. Have you or the other women have seen her?" 'Sorry, I haven't seen her since I gave her something to eat and the girls have been pretty much hanging out with their mates." '*Sighs* if you see her, make sure she doesn't escape." 'Don't worry, I'm sure she's about somewhere. She can't get very far." Liz told him after he left. I then heard her tell me. 'It's okay, he's gone." I sighed in relief and then I came out of hiding. 'I'm sorry for making you lie to him." 'It's fine, we all had the same reactions when we saw the dragons, we also thought they were dangerous but, they're very friendly and they care for their mates." 'Care? hmpf, they got a funny way of showing it." 'Princess I know it's hard for you to accept but, they are not evil." 'I'm not convinced if the dragons are not as bad as you claim then why did one of them kill my mother?" 'Maybe it was a rogue dragon, either way, the others are not that bad. Please Princess Kassandra," Liz held my hands and she gave me that puppy eye look. 'Give Lord Drago a chance, I know his back dragon form looks evil but, he's really a gentleman." I pulled my hands out of hers and I told her. 'I've seen a couple of Princes and noble Lords who are gentlemen at Cassina's events and parties but, that shape-shifting Lizard? no way in hell! that guy literally chained me to the bed so I couldn't escape and you call that being a gentleman?!" 'Okay, poor choice words there..." Liz mumbled. 'Look, I know what he did was wrong but, Dragon Lords tend to get a bit possessive of their mates and I don't blame him for trying to keep you here, aside from the futile escape attempts." 'I don't care, I'm getting the heck off this mountain and I'm heading back to Cassina." I was about to storm out of that room but, then Liz stopped me. 'Hold it! you can't get off the mountain that easily." 'And why is that?" I asked with my arms crossed. 'It's best if I showed you," Liz told me as she led me out of the room and I followed after her. We walked up a few flights of stairs and we eventually got to the top of the mountain. I was out of breath by the time we got up there and then Elizabeth asked me. 'Are you doing okay, Princess?" 'I'm...I'm fine...just exhausted from walking up those stairs...you do this every time you come up here?" I asked while catching my breath. 'No, I usually ride on Midnight's back so he can carry me up here, it's quicker that way." I frowned at her until she stepped aside to let me see the view. I stood upright and I carefully walked on the stony ground since I was on bare feet. I looked around and I saw the dragons flying in the sky and I could faintly see some of the girls, who I assume are their mates, riding on their backs. I can also see more mountains in the distance and there was also a forest below but, it looks like there's fog surrounding most of it. 'It may look beautiful look right now but, the only way to get in and out of here is to fly." I looked at Liz and she continued. 'This place is known as Draco scriptor paradiso, it means Dragon's Paradise. The only way to get in and out of here is to fly." "But, there's a forest down there. Surely those girls who were afraid of these guys tried to escape through there and made it back home." "Oh, believe me, a few of them including myself have tried but, it didn't work." "Why? did your so-called mates catch you?" I asked with a smirk which almost spelt out 'I told you so'. "Well, yes and no, those who successfully escaped without their mates knowing about it were able to get far but, they didn't get off the mountain that easily." "What do you mean?" Liz rolled up her tunic before revealing a large scar on her side. It looked like some kind of large animal had scratched her on her right side. I was shocked by this and she told me. "When I first met Midnight, he was very possessive of me and every escape attempt I made was a failure until I was able to sneak out one night and I ran through the woods. However, because of the heavy fog, I got lost and that was when I was attacked by a werewolf. If Midnight hadn't flown in to save me, I would have been the werewolf's dinner." "Then what happened? did he get mad? did he hurt you?" I asked Elizabeth as she fixed her top. "He was but at the same time, he was scared for me. He was afraid that he had lost me but, in the end, he turned out to be a nice guy. All it took was some patience and of course, trust." I was surprised by this and confused because my father told me the moment my mother was killed, that was when they revealed their true colours and that was their aggressive and bloodthirsty personalities. He told me to never trust the word of a dragon or interact with one if I were to meet one. 'Was my father wrong? was it a rogue dragon that killed my mother? or...did something else happen on that day that caused my mother's death and the dragons' banishment? ...No use thinking about it, I'm getting out of here one way or another.'