[IC] Of Dragons and Royalty [Flamelord and MegaraFoxfire]

[Flamelord]

The sky flashed a growing yellow and blue as the sun crested the tips of the mountains far off in the distance. Valtare rose from his bed with a groan, a yawn, and a growl all mixed into one, not too much of a morning person, yet he was one by habit. As a part of the royal staff, he didn't get the luxury of sleeping in, and as a result, he usually woke early.

From bed he rose, stretching muscled limbs before he marched over to the dresser to prepare for the day. In the mirror he could see himself, though it as dirty, with slightly silver skin, brown hair, and sharp canines. It was weird, this human form, but he'd grown used to it from long periods of being in it. Thanks to the inherent magic that all dragons possessed, he could shift from the form of a silver dragon to this, a more humanoid form that met somewhere in the middle. He put on a tunic and pants, simple affair yet also fitting that of a royal servant.

Ready, he headed out the door and down the hall to wake his charge. He moved at a decent clip, not rushing, but not strolling along either. The day affairs of a Princess were well full of activity and work, and he had to make sure that she got to them on time, or else it would bode bad things for him. Arriving at the wooden door that stood as the barrier between the hallway and the room of his princess and childhood friend, Valtare paused for a few seconds, before rapping on the door to see if she was awake.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Princess Serena was standing by the window, still wearing her robe. Her blond hair was pulled into a ponytail, her bright green eyes looking out at the early morning. She sighed, not wanting to move. Today was going to be a long day, and she was still tired to begin with. Then she heard a knock on her door and turned to face it, sighing again. "Come on in, Valtare...I'm almost ready..." she moved behind the screens in the corner of the room, taking her robe off and starting to change into her daily dress. She heard the door open and she asked "What is on the list of to dos today, my dear Valtare?"

[Flamelord]

Valtare nodded to himself as Serena called out from inside the room, granting him permission to enter. And he did so quietly, swinging the door open and stepping inside, before gently closing it behind him. He scanned the room, seeing that she was behind the shades in the corner of the room, and thus his eyes returned to the window as he took in deep breathes, breathing in the familiar, and comforting scent that filled the room. It was a scent he was used to, and always left him feeling good.

He stood by the door as he waited, responding simply to her question. "Word ha it that another suitor will arrive today. So until then, it will be your usual lessons, ten some time with him, and a banquet later in the day." Hopefully this time would work out better than the last. Her parents weren't exactly the most patient types.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Serena sighed and walked out from behind the screens, wearing her riding gear. "Horses it is then...I wish I had a monster I could feed these bloody suitors too...I feel like a prize to be won when I'm around them..." She walked up to Valtare and smiled softly. "Not like I feel when your around...you make me feel human...well, we better get moving then..." she headed for the door, looking tired and weary. She hated how things were going. She wanted to marry for love, not because it was a good match in her parents eyes. But she couldn't fight it much longer.

[Flamelord]

Valtare moved away form his position against the wall as Serena emerged wearing her riding gear. He nodded in agreement, her comment bringing a small smile to his face. "Too bad there aren't any monsters within a couple miles of here. But then again, I suppose they'd just take it as a challenge to prove their manliness or something," he commented with a chuckle, his spirits lifting already just by being near her.

He smiled as she approached and spoke of how he made her feel, and he had to struggle to hold back a blush of embarrassment as his heart seemed to beat in double time. God, she kept doing this to him. He had to take some deep breathes as she moved past to calm himself down, regain his focus. He had to think of the day ahead, not about her. But she looked so tired and sad and it just made his heart ache to see it. And yet he knew he couldn't do anything as he followed. She was a Princess and had responsibility, and he was a dragon and a servant. Even if he was to profess how he felt and she return it (Which was debatable), it would never work out. He would just have to strive to the utmost to help her find someone she could love that would also satisfy her parents.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Serena walked down the hallway to the main hall, smiling and saying good morning to those they past. She even talked for a minute with the head maid about some of the interior changes being made. Then they got outside and Serena took a deep breath and said "A good morning for a ride...don't you think Val?" She smiled at him then started her way to the stables, rubbing her eyes as the daily headache kicked in. Sadly this wasn't new. ever since her father had told her she needed to marry this year she wasn't sleeping well. She didn't have much to eat either, her stomach in knots all the time. But she would get thru this, she just needed to keep moving forward. She didn't tell her parents how she was feeling, she couldn't even tell Valtare. They would worry and she didn't want that. She got to the stables and said "Stable master? I'm here for the morning ride..."

[Flamelord]

Valtare followed close behind Serena as she moved through the castle to the main hall, standing a few paces behind respectfully, so she could converse with others, yet close enough to protect her if an assassin should try something. Not that anyone ever had, but with her as the only daughter of the royal family and heir to the throne, one could never be too careful. Fortunately, there was no guard quite like a dragon, and that was even something of a major rumor amongst the suitors that arrived, beyond the usual stuff about the beauty and intelligence of the Princess.

"Yes, I'd say so," he agreed as they entered the fresh morning air outside. It was days like this he wished he could fly, but he didn't usually. There was no need for an accidental friendly fire incident with some anxious guard. as they walked, he noted her subtle physical cues, frowning slightly at the sight. Something was up with Serena, though he didn't know what it was. They had known each other long enough for him to be able to pick up on things like that, yet he still didn't know what the matter was. He was slightly saddened that she didn't tell him, and yet at the same time he couldn't fault her for having secrets when he had his own.

Arriving at the stables, he stood quietly by as she was prepared for her riding lessons, making sure to be there, but not to hover over her.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Serena looked around as a huge man walked out of the stables. He was seven foot with almost white blond hair and bright green eyes. He smiled at the pair and said "Good morning my lady. Ready for your ride?" She smiled and nodded, heading inside to get her horse ready. The man looked at Val and said "She feeling alright? Her ladyship doesn't look like herself..." Serena came out on a black mare and said "Ready Master Bane?"

[Flamelord]

Valtare nodded respectfully to Bane as he approached the two of them, standing still as Serena departed to ready for her and get a horse. His question made Valtare frown though, given how much he had considered the notion himself. "I'm not sure," he replied hesitantly, wishing he knew for certain himself. He hung back as Serena emerged riding a black mare and Bane went to join her and begin the lesson. "Good luck," he said to her with a nod. He would be there by the riding course, as always, watching, providing quiet support, and ready to assist if anything should come up, but he didn't usually ride himself. It just felt weird to him.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Bane jumped onto his grey filly and Serena rode over to the fenced off field. Bane rode next to her, coaching her as they rode around the field and tried different styles. After an hour or two Bane let her go back into the stables to care for her mare and he jumped down, shaking his head. "She's not herself...third day she's been somewhere else mentally...its like she's not even there..." He paused and said "I think its all those princes showing up to buy her hand...she has been like this since the king told her at her coming of age party..."

[Flamelord]

Valtare followed along at a decent clip, to the fenced off area where Serena's riding lessons would take place. There he took up a position, following somewhat as they moved about, yet primarily still, watching as he leaned against the fence. As the hour passed by he watched, a smile returning to his face at the sight of the Princess riding, regal and noble on the horse, just like he remembered, like she should be. She was..precious to him, after all.

Too soon though it was over, and Valtare straightened up as Bane joined him and Serena rode away. He considered what he said, and found that he had to agree with the assessment, somewhat reluctantly though. "Yes sir," he replied, his gaze on her and the stables. "But what can we do about it? As a Princess she has responsibilities that need to be followed. The best we can hope for is that she finds someone who actually cares for her, and not just the title." He sighed and moved towards the stables, unsure of what to do.

"Good job out there," he called out as he neared where Serena was. "Gotta keep an eye out on that third jump though. I don't need you ending flat on your butt all the time."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Serena smiled as she finished brushing her horse down. "I'm getting better...hopefully I get more time to work on it..." She started to walk back towards him when the world started to spin on her and she paused, resting her hand on the wood railing. Bane had followed valtare inside and called "Serena? You alright?"

[Flamelord]

Valtare nodded with a grin as Serena commented, and he was about to respond when he saw her pause, a hand on the railing, and an apparent wooziness in her eye that made to catch his breath, and he rushed forward to support her if need be, a hand on her shoulder. "My lady, you don't look so good. Maybe you should rest," Valtare said, voice tinted fully with concern, a hand rising to her forehead to see if she had a fever.

[MegaraFoxfire]

She was warm when she shook her head, blinking her eyes hard. "I'm alright...just moved too fast..." Bane went down to them, looking at her carefully. "I've seen this state before my lady, you see it with riders going to hard and too far...you need to rest and recover your strength. You have known this with your skill set" it was true, from her mothers side of the family came the magic blood line. But Serena had never felt this before

[Flamelord]

Valtare nodded in agreement with Bane's assessment, his face etched with concern. "Come on," he said, an arm wrapped around to support her. "You need to rest. The other stuff can wait. They'll understand if you're not feeling well." If there was something wrong, if she was working to the point of collapsing from exhaustion, then he would step in and stop her. He wasn't going to allow anyone to hurt her, or her to hurt herself if he could help it.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Serena shook her head and tried to move on her own. "I can't rest now...I have to keep with the to do list for today...or father will be disappointed with me...he already thinks I'm stalling with....finding a husband....even though I really don't want to....to..." She fell forward, both men catching her as her legs buckled under her. Bane felt her cheek and cursed. "She's burning up...."

[Flamelord]

Valtare growled at Serena's stubbornness, a chip off the old block there. He could reaffirm Bane's assertion, and he was not about to let her go on like this, what she had said dismissed as statements from exhaustion that she couldn't really comprehend. "You're in no condition to do anything today. I'm sure he'll understand." He looked over to Bane, concern all the more prominent.

"Can you go inform the King of what has happened? I'll take care of Serena," he said. Once Bane had gone off to do so, he carefully maneuvered about and lifted Serena up, carrying her in his strong grip bridal style as he headed back to her room, and moving with some haste in the process, though careful to not jostle her too much along the way.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Bane nodded and ran off, heading straight for the castle. Bane tried not to lose his control as he booked it to the high hall and burst thru the doors. "My lord! My lady! Its Serena..." He looked up at the king and queen, panting hard

When Valtare laid Serena on the couch in her study she stirred and opened her eyes, blinking hard. "Val...Val what...what happened..." She tried to sit up, her arms shaking badly

[Flamelord]

Valtare walked through the hallways, finding it hard to tear his gaze away from Serena as he carried her. The sight of her so weak, it cut him to the bone, but at the same time he couldn't help himself by getting distracted by her in his arms, her scent. He wanted to hold her close and never let her go, his heartbeat strong and aching with pain for the person he cared for most in the world, and seeing her in this state. Damn it, if only he hadn't been so blind, he could have seen this, could have prevented it. He mentally whipped himself for his failure as he arrived back at the study.

Stepping inside, he walked over and carefully laid Serena down, her head resting on the armrest while propped up by a pillow. he could hardly move from her side, and his heart leapt as she stirred away. "Shhh, stay there," he replied, gently, but firmly, keeping her from rising. "You fainted from overwork. I brought you back up here."

He frowned, sad and angry and a whole jumble of emotions threatening to spill forth. "Serena, if there's something wrong you know you can tell me right? If something's the matter, then as your friend I want to know about it."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Serena moaned and covered her eyes, her head pounding. "I'm just....tired, Val...very tired. I can't sleep lately...and I'm never hungry...all this nonsense of getting married to a man I don't know is making me go insane. But I have to for father's sake...I am his only child and the kingdom depends on me...but how can I do what's best for the people when I keep having rude, stubborn, mentally challenged morons pushed at me every day" She looked at Val and tried to keep him in focus. "I want what's best for the people...and none of those princes want the same thing...ow my head..." She held her head, the room spinning.