Dragon’s Breath
Chapter thirty-one

Taking one last look in Flavius's direction, I strip out of my clothes, stuffing them into my bag. Stretching my body, I take off into the sky at full force my wings cutting through the air. I've been so busy recently that I had completely forgotten about the butcher who I've left poisoned in the dungeon for nearly two days. I can't believe I've allowed myself to leave him down there for so long. What if Gwen has gone looking for him? My mistake could cost us greatly.

I land swiftly in front of the castle, letting out a huff of air, and fazing back into human form. The guards eye me up as I change back into my clothing once again. I shift my eyes in their direction, making eye contact with one of the guards. He coughs uncomfortably and looks away.

I walk quickly through the halls of the castle. A weight presses down on my body as stress fills my entire being. How could I allow myself to become so forgetful during such an important time? Things are moving quickly so I should as well.

Reaching the large doors of the dungeon, I shove them open, the hinges groan loudly echoing down the stairwell. I descend down the stairs my boots slapping against the cold stone. That same sick feeling washes over me, the smells of this place once again making me weak at the knees. The rancid smell of death down here is like walking through a large village of comets who dump their sewage in the middle of the street. Along with the smell that's so similar to feces there's a pungent sweet smell mixed in that makes my stomach churn. My nostrils burn with every intake of air and my stomach twist with a sour feeling. Heightened senses can be a great advantage in most situations but also a great downfall.

I pinch my nose to try and block out the smell as I spend a few seconds on the stairs trying to pull myself together before I continue down. I see a guard stationed down at the bottom of the stairs. His body is clad in scratched up steel armor, and he looks down the hall with a bored expression, stroking his long black beard.

Hearing me coming down the stairs, he looks over at me curiously.

"What is your business?" he questions gruffly.

I suppose it must be a surprise me coming down here without warning.

"I'm here to see the prisoner Adam Blanc," I state.

At my words, the guard's face fills with understanding.

"The king said you'd be down here sooner or later. Follow me, I'll show you where the prisoner's being held," he motions for me to follow him.

I nod, gesturing for him to show me the way. He begins to lead me down the hall and he stops when we reach another guard.

"Richard, I'll need you to take my post while I show the princess to one of the prisoners," he speaks to the other guard, quickly.

"Yes sir," Richard says, walking off down the long dimly lit hallway.

As we continue down the hall I can't help but shrink away from grimy, rusted walls. The normally gray stone is tinted a deep orange color and covered in a coat of dark mold. This place looks like it hasn't been cleaned in ages, it's completely disgusting.

We spend the next few minutes walking down the hall in silence, the only sound that can be heard is the clanking of the guard's armor and the smacking of our feet against the slick stone floor. That is until we reach a large iron door at the end of the hall. The guard pulls a key from his belt, unlocking the door.

The other side of this door is a whole new place. Rather than regular cells, the walls are lined with iron doors, and the sound of torture echos in the walls.

The farther we walk down the hall, the louder the sounds become. My ears are filled with agony, with each new plea for mercy echoing in my mind. The maniacal laughing of the torturers bounces off the walls hurting my ears.

I hope I don't have to spend too long down here, the noise is quite obnoxious.

I try to block the noise of torture as we walk farther down the hall but I find it exceedingly hard to do so. Reaching a few cells from the end of the hall, the guard points to a door marked twenty-seven.

"Adam Blanc is just behind this door, I'll wait outside. If you need anything, just call me," he says unlocking the door.

The guard holds the door open as I step into the dimly lit room. Looking around my eyes land on the butcher who chained to the back wall. He's shirtless and his hairy chest is covered in chunky yellow vomit and crusted blood. As I step closer, I see his long greasy hair hanging in a matted mess in front of his face. His breath is coming out in loud shaky huffs, along with spurts of blood and vomit. The putrid smell coming from him has me stop in my tracks for a moment. Holding a hand to my mouth, a try and suppress my gag reflex.

Under different circumstances, I might actually feel bad for him. But considering what he's done, I don't even have an ounce of sympathy in my veins. Everything that's happening in his own doing.

Walking over to Mr. Blanc, I grab his hair, pulling his head back so he's looking at me. I cringe as my finger slide through his greasy hair. He lets out a low groan, staring up at me, his eyes sagging with drowsiness as large beads of sweat roll down his face.

"Please just kill me already," he coughs out, spit flying from his mouth.

"No," I grumble lowly.

"Please, I'm in so much pain. Just make it stop," he begs with tears in his eyes.

And he said he wouldn't beg me. What a pathetic man.

"I'll end your suffering if you beg me. And not a word to anyone as to what has happened," I offer cynically.

He stares up at me with his pleading bloodshot eyes.

"I-I won't say a word, please...please just make the pain go away! I'm...I'm begging you!" He croaks.

A triumphant smirk makes its way up my lips. Without saying a word, I drop his head. His body slumps once more causing the chains binding him to rattle. Taking a deep breath, I allow my nails to turn to claws, and dig my nails into the palm of my hand, making a deep cut. Once again, I grab Mr. Blanc by the hair and pull his head back and he grumbles in protest to my rough treatment.

"Open your mouth," I demand.

He looks up at me horrified as I hold my bloodied hand over his face. He clamps his mouth shut turning his face away from me.

"W-Wasn't it your blood that made me this way in the first place? I thought you weren't going to kill me. You lying bitch," he sneers out fearfully.

I lock my fingers tightly into his roughly yanking his head back. How dare this lowly human speak to me in such a manner, I think heatedly.

"My blood is the poison, but also the cure. Now hurry and open your mouth before I change my mind," I snap.

Without further arguments, he opens his mouth. Squeezing my hand, I drop some of my blood into his mouth. Bits of my blood fall into his mouth and onto his chin trickling down his face.

Once he's done drinking my blood, I pull away from him and head to the door. Opening it up, I turn to the guard.

"Could you please have someone bring me a man by the name of Daniel, and ask him to bring two cloaks?" I order.

"I'll have someone do that right away, Your Highness," the guard says.

Going back into the room with the butcher, I grab a chair from the side of the room and take a seat. I wait for all but a few minutes until the cell door is pushed open. Daniel walks in with two cloaks bunched in his arms, and the guard closely behind him. Silently, Daniel passes me one of the cloaks. A few seconds later, a maid comes in holding a bucket of freshwater.

Daniel turns to Mr. Blanc, looking at him with a face of stone and disgust shining in his eyes.

"Wash up and put this cloak on, then we'll take you back home." Daniel tosses the cloak to the floor and walks briskly out of the room.

The maid walks over to Mr. Blanc unlocking his chains with a slight clank. The butcher falls the ground laying there for a moment before slowly standing up. I turn away from him and follow Daniel out of the room.

A few minutes later the butcher comes staggering out of the room, clad in the black silky cloak.

"You will stay close to us and keep your face covered the entire way back to your home, and if you try and run I can't guarantee your safety," Daniel tells him coolly.

"I understand," Mr. Blanc says breathily.

It would seem his time here in the dungeon has truly broken him. And to think that he was here only a few days. How pathetic.

As we walk through the dungeon, it hits me that I may have disturbed Daniel's work. With all the things going on right now, he should be pretty busy helping Gregory.

I turn to Daniel, "I hope that me calling you here isn't keeping you from performing any of your duties," I say.

With a smile and a light laugh he replies, "No not at all princess, I'm not as busy as you might think," he replies.

We continue through the dungeon and I make light conversation with Daniel. Talking to him is a good distraction from the sounds and smells of this place.

Finally reaching the dungeon exit, I fill my lungs with a breath of fresh air. The fresh air fills my burning lungs and nostrils. Being down there is truly nauseating.

Daniel, Mr. Blanc, and I make our way through the castle, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. But as we make our way through the halls some maids and other castle workers stare on at us. When we reach outside there is already a carriage waiting for us. We all board in silence.

We sit in a drowning silence for what feels like forever until we finally come to a stop and the coach calls out to us, "We've arrived."

We all step out of the carriage and into the bustling city. In front of us sits Mr. Blanc's little butcher shop. It's a little brown store with the name Mr. B's Butcher written in bold black letters. The three of us approach it. When I push the door open, the chime of a bell rings through the front room.

"Just a minute," a woman's voice calls from the back.

A few seconds later an older woman, maybe in her forties, with chubby red cheeks, and curly brown hair comes in holding a young child in her arms. The women's eyes are hanging low with dark circles and her body sags with drowsiness. Looking over us, her full blue eyes land on Mr. Blanc, then fill with tears.

"Adam! Where in God's name have you been? I was so worried," she cries out.

She must be our dear butcher's wife.

"No need to worry, Mrs. Blanc; your husband has been with us during his absence dealing with some work-related things," I say with a honeyed smile.

She turns to her husband with worried eyes, "Is that true Adam?"

"Yes, dear, it is," Mr.Blanc replies.

"Could give us a moment Mrs. Blanc; I need to have a few words with your husband," I ask with an arched brow.

Nodding nervously, Mrs. Blanc leaves back into the other room. I turn towards Mr. Blanc a dark look falling over my face.

"Just a warning Mr. Blanc, if you speak of anything that's happened to you with anyone then I may be inclined to kill your entire family leaving you completely alone," I drone.

His whole body trembles at my harsh words and he nods his head fiercely. His eyes dart to the ground as he takes a few steps back from me.

"I'm glad we're on the same page, I do hope to never see you again," I say, as I and Daniel walk out of the shop.

Once we're out of the shop and into the safety of the carriage, Daniel turns to me with a horrified expression.

"You wouldn't actually kill Mr.Blancs family, would you?" Daniel asks tentatively.

At his words, I can't help but laugh, "What kind of monster do you take me for? I would never do that."

"Then why did you tell him that?" He asks.

"It's an empty threat, but as far as Mr. Blanc is concerned it's true. What I said might be a blatant lie, but fear will keep him from saying anything to anyone," I explain.

Daniel nods.

"I see, quite smart," he comments.

We ride the rest of the way back to the castle in silence. The carriage rocks and thumps under us rhythmically as the soft sounds of the city play in the background. When we finally reach the castle, I hurry back in and head straight for the fitting room.

I almost forgot that I have more wedding planning to do today.

I head into the fitting room where I hope Evalene will be waiting for me. She never exactly told me where to meet her. Walking in, I am greeted by Evalene, sitting impatiently at a table covered in many different jewels.

"Took you long enough. Come, now, help me pick out your jewelry for the wedding. When we're done with this, someone will come and measure you for shoes," she tells me.

***

After several houses of arguing with the queen about jewelry and shoes, I'm finally getting to go back to my chambers to rest.

On my way to my quarters, however, I run into Soren. As much as I want to sleep, there's something I need to ask him. I stop him as he's passing, grabbing his arm.

"Hey, I need you to do something for me. I won't be able to meet up with Flavius tomorrow morning. Apparently, it's the bride who has to make the menu for the wedding so I'm stuck doing that," I tell him.

"Don't worry, I'll let him know," he says.

"Thanks," I say, and without another word, turn on my heel and head back down the hall.

Finally, in my room, I throw myself into my bed with a groan. I'm ready for this wedding to just be over and done with. I turn on my side, and pull my blankets over me, snuggling deep into their warmth. I think after a good night of sleep, I'll be able to handle the rest of this wedding planning.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter don’t forget to like and comment.- Ray

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