Trapped in Another World With No Magic Chapter 225.2: Bonus Chapter: Sir Dragon, First of His Name

Boom! Scree-krak! Rumble!

Though distant, this is the chorus of sounds that have defined the weeks and months as they’ve passed.

Princess liarte has gotten used to them, since the tower is under siege. But, she wouldn’t know it since not a single attack has reached the derelict fortress she’s in. She turns the page of her book, snacking on pastries while she studies the magic grimoire in order to improve her own magic.

“My Lady, it seems Sir Larven has proven victorious once again.” Jinca, a forr scullion maid of the Imperial Palace, has been made liarte’s personal lady in waiting and trusted confidant. Because Larven can simply walk into the Imperial palace with his magic, he was able to find a young maid who was being harassed by staffers BEFORE the kidnapping incident, and with the Palace in turmoil as a result, her life only got harder. Larven offered her a chance to be free of the tornt, and he brought her to the fortress to help liarte, who has been a pampered princess all her life, with exception of being sold off to a foreign noble.

The door bursts open, and a man who looks like a monster because of the furs and armor rushes in. “Your Highness! Co quickly, I’m here to-...!” Krak. A swift sound cos from just over his shoulder, and the man drops like the contents of a sack that has just given out.

“Apologies, ladies,” states the more familiar man’s voice as he appears from thin air. “I was aware that he had entered the tower, but spent extra ti to drive off the stragglers.”

The grey-haired man is actually a dragon using powerful magic to simply change his form into that of an apparent demi-human. He wears simple robes in this form, but easily switches into various disguises to infiltrate the castle for his research on magic.

“Sir Larven!” exclaims Princess liarte as she runs to him. “Are you alright!? Are you injured?”

The dragon chuckles and replies, “I should be asking you that, liarte.” Regardless, she lifts his arms and inspects every inch of him for even traces of blood. “You’ve seen it with your own eyes, haven’t you? If I were so inclined, I could probably conquer this whole continent, judging by what I’ve seen as the best your empire has to throw at us.”

“Yes, but I won’t accept it if they do find a way to harm you! They won’t rest until you are destroyed!”

“Then, it looks like they are looking at a very long ti of sleepless nights,” jokes the grey dragon-man. liarte sighs in exasperation, while he turns his gaze to Jinca, stating, “Miss Jinca, please forgive the fright.”

“Not at all, Sir Larven,” replies the lady in waiting. “Her Highness is right to be more worried about you. After all, they are trying to force their way in to rescue her, not kill her.”

“Yes, it seems Lord Bahla isn’t so keen on giving up on my hand,” remarks liarte as she cups her chin. She flinches when she notices crumbs on her sleeves, and a quick inspection reveals she has gotten quite slovenly with her snacking. “Ah! Forgive my appearance, Sir Larven!” She whirls away from him, frantically brushing the crumbs off of herself. Her heavy duty dress is nearby, but it’s too heavy and uncomfortable to wear normally, and it’s technically what Larven was after when he kidnapped her.

Larven and Jinca both chuckle at the Princess making herself decent, since they both know she all but literally lazes around all day reading books and studying. She is still well-versed in her etiquette, since she’s nearly twenty two years old and spent her entire formative years learning to be a proper princess. The only reason she isn’t married yet is because the Emperor was holding out for the best possible ‘deal’ to be made by selling her hand.

Once she has brushed herself clean, she spins to face Larven once more. “Forgive , Sir Larven. But, as I was saying, I think there might be more to this than I originally thought.”

“You need not worry about , liarte,” replies the dragon. He returns to the dragonslayer he just struck down in a single blow, unconscious and alive. “I am neither your husband nor your fiance. As long as you are comfortable during our arrangent, I could care less how you look or behave.”

Jinca looks at the Princess when she puffs her cheeks out a bit childishly, pouting that he was so dismissive of her. But, a sudden thought hits the young woman, and she scurries back to her bed where books are scattered around. She pads through them as Larven hefts the hulking man onto his shoulder like little more than a sack of potatoes.

“Sir Larven, before you go, how much did you say you know about Dawnseeing?”

The dragon turns as Jinca moves to open the door for him. He replies thoughtfully, “I know of it as a practice, and I have t individuals who could reliably use it to see into the future. And, though the future can apparently be changed, I have seen events play out exactly as foretold. Events that are beyond our mortal control. So, while I’m cautious of people alleging prophecies in general, I know that it can be done with accuracy.”

“I see, thank you!”

“I’ll be back shortly. Jinca, there’s very little chance, but if soone did escape my notice, rember what we’ve discussed.”

“Of course, Sir Larven,” replies the maid. All three of them know he’s referring to an ergency back up plan, where Jinca is responsible for ensuring even a small scratch is made on liarte, such that it starts bleeding. As long as there is blood, Larven can track them with ease, since human blood apparently has a very distinct profile. But, with that risk of possible infiltrators that Larven missed, he has instructed them never to speak of the actual plan out loud since sharing it with them in the beginning.

“Hurry back, Sir Larven!” beckons the Princess. “I intend to show you my baking skills today!”

The dragon chuckles, departing from the room. This leaves liarte and Jinca as the maid approaches her.

“Jinca, please wake if Sir Larven returns before I’m finished.”

“Finished, your Highness?” asks the young woman as she tidies up the dishes.

“Yes. I’m going to attempt it. Sothing struck as odd, and I feel the need to try this spell.” She holds up the book she settled on, showing a couple of pages.

“M-My Lady, I’m afraid…”

“Oh, right. Sorry, Jinca.”

“N-No need to apologize to a maid like ! I am happy to be able to serve you peacefully. I… I will be sad… when the day cos for us to return…”

liarte smiles softly, knowing exactly what she ans. But, if Dawnseeing really can see the future, then perhaps there is a chance to change her fate once and for all.

***

“Pardon for interrupting,” starts Sundenelle, and Larven politely pauses his story. “How do you know what was going on while you were fighting and after you left?”

The dragon chuckles. “You two are very much alike, my Liege.” Walliskah gives a small laugh as well, this ti pouring one of the Empire’s specialty drinks, a sort of spiced fruit drink that has a tangy taste to it, but lacks alcohol. Given what little Larven knows, he suspects it will make a fine base for a fernted drink just as with grape juice to wine. But, that will have to wait for now.

He explains, “Duke Walliskah asked the sa thing earlier. And, it’s simple. Princess liarte and Jinca were both more than happy to recount their own perspectives to .” He gives a bit of a sardonic shift in posture and tone as he adds, “At length, so days….”

“It sounds like this Princess liarte was absolutely smitten with you,” replies Sundenelle playfully. “What princess doesn’t fantasize at least once about being ‘whisked away by a brave and strong hero, taking her on grand adventures to see every beauty the world over’?”

“Your Majesty,...” grumbles Walliskah, which prompts her to laugh. Her union with the Fievegal, and if not stopped, her formal betrothal and marriage to Daniel are more of what she just described than the political ans to an end it is at face value. The Fievegal is unorthodox in almost every way, which is part of what makes them so difficult to predict, strategize against, and ultimately, counteract. Just like Neith in his story of the Lorih’nimbael Empire, which seems to be significantly weaker in magic in general, let alone its dragon slaves, the Fievegal could likely conquer the entire continent already, with their only true drawback being its small size right now. But, with the swift prosperity even small changes made by the Fievegal can bring, they would likely quickly build support from the conquered populace of each nation, aning their conquest converts the size difference to their favor, rather than old loyalties proving to be an obstacle.

However, both humans notice sothing else. Neith has gone quiet as he stares at his cup in silence. He replies when he realizes they’ve gone quiet as well, “You’re right. And… that too, was an honest mistake…”

His voice goes quiet, and Sundenelle says gently, “Sir N-, er, Sir Larven… You need not continue…”

He shakes his head. “It’s not that. Even after everything was said and done, we were good friends and allies. I was just reminded how easily I let good things slip away… such as those very sa friendships…”

***

The scraping thunder of tal armored boots fills the world, and screams of ‘Traitor!’ ‘Witch!’ ‘Devil-wife!’ surround her. An all-too-familiar voice cries out, “No! I didn’t kill him! I would never kill my father! Please, you have to believe !”

A princess is being dragged away by knights, and shortly after, she is beheaded for treason.

Ti is unclear, but it doesn’t seem to be long before the Empire is being invaded, and even the dragons are struck down. At the head of the procession is none other than Bahla’theulsk, who bears the Crown Prince’s Imperial signets and crown. People are slaughtered as the rciless conquest reshapes the Empire, and in the last monts, he studies the head of a woman, eyes still open.

The face is all too familiar, since it is a face seen in the mirror. “Good work, My lovely wife…”

~~~

Princess liarte screams as loud as she can. She imdiately clutches at her neck, all but clawing at it to verify that it is still attached to her body.

“Highness! Highness, are you alright!?” exclaims Jinca, wrestling with liarte to keep her from hurting herself.

liarte cries out, “J-Jinca!?”

“Yes, your Highness! I’m here! I’m right here!”

The door bursts open, and Jinca clutches the Princess protectively. However, it is Larven, the Princess’s dragon ‘kidnapper’.

“Sir Larven!” cries out the Princess as she scrambles to her feet with Jinca’s help. She sprints across the room, all but diving against the confused dragon, who ca back in a rush when liarte started screaming.

The Princess sobs into his chest when he catches her, and Larven asks urgently, “What happened? I was only gone for a few minutes.”

“Um… I…” Jinca fidgets, and the dragon replies, “I do not care about her actions. I want to know what caused her to scream. If it is a psychic attack…”

“N-No-no!” urges the maid. “It’s… She…”

“Sir Larven!” cries liarte. “I-I-I… I p-p-peered into the future! And… Oh, please! Please don’t let it happen! I beg of you! Take far away from here! Please don’t let go back!”

“Future…?” asks the dragon, glancing at the open book on the floor where he first saw liarte. “Dawnseeing?” asks the reptilian man.

“Yes,” replies Jinca. “A-At least, that is what she was doing…”

“It was horrible!” cries the princess, hiding her face in Larven’s chest as she continues sobbing.

“You saw your own death, didn’t you?”

liarte flinches, and she clutches to him more tightly.

“Look in the eyes, liarte,” Larven slouches a bit so that he’s at her eye level, and when she finally manages to make eye contact, he says in a different language that neither liarte nor Jinca know, “{Sleep.}” With that one word, liarte goes limp, and she loses consciousness instantly.

The Princess awakens with a start, and she frantically looks around. “S-Sir Larven!? Jinca!?”

“Calm down, Princess. I’m right here,” replies the reassuring man’s voice.

Jinca rushes to her side with water and a simple al already prepared. “Your Highness! Are you alright? You’re still safe, your Highness. Please calm yourself. Sir Larven has protected us all through the night.”

liarte does sll the familiar tangy sourness of dragon fire, aning he likely showed no rcy at all in order to keep the battle as brief as possible and return to her side to watch over her.

That alone gives the Princess so comfort, in spite of what it undoubtedly cost.

“I… I saw… my death,” reaffirms the Princess. “But, not just that… I saw… so sort of plot. Lord Bahla betrays the Empire by using … A-And, I was… I think I was accused of killing the Emperor.”

Larven nods calmly as he listens, casually replying, “Yes, that does indeed sound plausible.”

“Plausible!?” exclaims the Princess. Jinca tries unsuccessfully to calm her, and Larven doesn’t even flinch, since he’s sitting on the floor near her bed.

“Yes, plausible. Either tricking or framing a royal family mber is a rather easy way to get to a sovereign, all things considered. Well, I suppose it might take years or even decades of careful planning, which would be a long ti for humans. But,...”

“Dragons live shorter lives than so humans, don’t they?” asks Jinca.

Larven scoffs. “Perhaps your dragons do. But, among my kin, so have lived for over ten thousand years. I, myself, am around… Six? Perhaps almost seven hundred years old or more. I honestly lost count when I set out on my revenge.”

“I-Impossible…” murmurs Jinca, since the only dragons she knows, other than Larven, truly are weak compared to him.

“I hope the rest of the empire continues to assu everything I do is impossible,” replies Larven. “It makes this siege quite easy for .” He then returns his attention to liarte, “As I told you, your Highness, the very world itself can deceive us inadvertently, from what I’ve heard about Dawnsights. You must not act as if they are certain. You must act with caution. Actions you take could just as easily spark a future as prevent it.”

“S-So you’re saying… my being here could cause that terrible future?” asks liarte. She clutches her neck and her belly with separate hands, feeling nauseous at the thought.

“Perhaps,” replies Larven unhelpfully. “But, from the sounds of it, it’s unlikely. I imagine for Bahla to have any claim to the throne whatsoever, you sohow have to move up the ranks to Crown Princess as his wife, aning your elder siblings will have to die off. Or… Does this Empire adjust succession based on rit?”

liarte shakes her head as she thinks quietly. She’s still sick to her stomach and horrified by that vision, especially since it was her very first one.

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Larven can tell she’s struggling, and he sighs, laying down on his back. “Listen, liarte, if you wish for to prevent that specific future, I can go and kill Bahla right now. He hasn’t shown himself on the mountain yet, so I can only assu he has either gone to retrieve better weapons or his army. The Empire is also probably desperate for the reason you said yesterday; Bahla may be threatening to abandon negotiations if you aren’t presented to him.”

“But, it has already been several months,” replies Jinca. “Actually… A-Almost a year, even.”

“Has it?” muses the dragon, seemingly uninterested in ti itself, since he also practices his magic against the siege forces to slowly further his own plans for revenge.

“I… Do you not know how long we’ve been here?” asks the maid as she helps liarte drink so water at least.

“You’re right, though, I would have to go back into town to figure out the exact date. Unfortunately, the army is pretty well established at the base of the mountain. It is only the treacherous terrain that keeps them from reaching us in force. The Emperor does have them trying to break down the terrain to move the army through, but there’s a reason this fortress has been abandoned. It’s pretty much the perfect defensive position… as long as it is the only place you’re trying to defend.”

Larven climbs to his feet after that, and he puts a hand on liarte’s shoulder, claiming her undivided attention with ease. “The future can be changed, liarte. I have and will always believe that. So, don’t mind that future you saw. Take it as a warning. Keep practicing the Dawnseeing, and you’ll start to see clearer pictures and more reliable futures. You might even see hints in what you need to do in order to achieve a more desirable future. Because, even though I can kill Bahla and prevent one future, there’s no telling what your fate will be as a result. And, I appear to be reaching the limits of what I can find for my own ends. She may never forgive , but my sister is in the hands of my enemy. She’s all I have left in this world of my family, so I intend to ensure she is free if it costs my last breath.”

“Sir Larven…” murmurs liarte softly, finally looking down in disappointnt.

The dragon lets out a soft sigh. “But, ti is on my side for now, I can feel it. So, we’re probably looking at a couple more years I can spare, but I need you to figure out what it is exactly that you want to do to try to avoid your tragic fate. And, if you can see sothing promising in the Dawnsights, I will trust you. No matter what, even if it is my death, please don’t lie to about whatever it is you see. If it is my death, then we can prepare to avoid it. And, if it’s sothing further in the future, let us worry about that then. Alright?”

liarte nods, and the dragon stretches. “Very good. Now then, you two are welco to bathe. I heated so water already.” He heads for the door, rolling his shoulders and back a bit.

“S-Sir Larven? Where are you going?”

“Where else? I’m still the Princess-stealing rogue dragon.” He smirks, saying deviously, “I’m going to continue spreading rumors throughout the land that the tower is overflowing with gold and jewels that I’ve amassed over the centuries, and that every felled soldier that I’ve slain has been turned into more gold.”

“Wh-Why would you do that!?” asks Jinca, as if it’s the stupidest thing she has ever heard.

“Two main reasons, really. The first is simple, if a dragon is untouchable to the might of the Empire, hoarding gold, it’ll ensure virtually all of the dragonslayers co to take it, while many of the innocent civilians will be more likely to avoid us entirely out of fear. The second is that, if the Empire is taking and spending so much of the taxes it is already taking from the commoners, all to steal more gold from the evil dragon on the mountain, which sounds like a fairy tale in your lands, they won’t exactly be happy to be funding such a farce. The aristocrats will also slowly start to shift their opinion, most likely, because the resources going into trying to stop could be used to simply conquer the places they hoped to buy with your hand in marriage.”

“S-So you an to trick the Empire into conquering Lord Bahla’s territory, making the marriage aningless?”

“It won’t go that far,” replies Larven. “I’m just one person, and I can’t spend too long away from the fortress. But, if it trickles upwards enough, then it will make whatever we do in the end easier, I think. But, I’m just a dragon. I care not for the affairs of humans.” Larven waves his hand dismissively as he walks out of the room, and liarte watches him until he is completely gone behind the door.

Liar… thinks the human Princess to herself. She smiles gently as she holds her hands in front of her chest. If that was ever true… you wouldn’t have helped this much.

***

In a pub sowhere, a rcenary slams his mug down. “Taxes to enter cities, taxes to register jobs. Taxes on our taxes! Pfah! This Empire is disgusting.”

“Be careful!” exclaims a fellow rcenary nearby. “You’ll get dragged off by the soldiers if you keep that chatter up.”

“Hah! And so what? Will they tax for that too? Guh!” The man drinks down his watered-down sweet juice, since it’s one of the few things with any flavor at all.

The volu and tone of conversation shifts as a drifter walks into the bar. He has tallic silver horns and a long reptilian grey tail, but most of his other features are human otherwise.

“Tsk!” hisses the rcenary. “Demi-humans?”

The drifter glances at him with silvery-grey eyes with strange pupil shapes, but it doesn’t matter. “One pint of kaelim please,” replies the drifter in a low voice.

The bartender growls, “We don’t serve your kind here.”

“The rich kind?” asks the drifter, tossing a chunk of pure gold on the counter the size of a child’s fist.

The pub falls completely silent.

“Where did you get that?” asks the bartender, scowling at the hooded man.

“Where else?” asks the drifter. “I’m one of the few survivors of the last raid on the Demon Tower.”

“Bullshit!” shouts one of the rcenaries across the room. “I’ve been to the siege lines! The Empire ain’t payin’ no gold! Least of all to demi-human scum like you!”

The drifter is quickly surrounded, and one of the n instantly has him by the collar. The demi-human holds his hands up, trying to be diplomatic. They are scarred and burned grievously. “I told you, the raid. The raid into the tower. That’s why the Empire is so desperate.”

“What?”

“I thought it was so princess they’re tryin’ to rescue.”

“There’ve been recruitnts sent out all over, looking for dragonslayers as well.”

“I was in the capital that day! A monster that even dragons couldn’t catch snatched the princess right up!”

“That much is all true,” adds the drifter. “But, the creature is said to be a shapeshifter and sorcerer. In addition to taking everything on their person, any man slain in the tower becos one of these…” He points at the gold chunk. “This wasn’t one of my allies, but I saw it with my own eyes. And… the tower is full of many more just like this.”

“That sounds like a lie to .”

“I don’t much care what it sounds like. I know none of us have seen gold this pure before.” He takes the gold chunk back in his hand, but the bartender’s hand slaps down to stop him.

“Not so fast, demi-human.”

“You said you don’t serve my kind here,” retorts the drifter. The other rcenaries start to reach for their weapons.

“Consider it a tax,” growls the bartender. “A tax for stinking up my pub with your nonsense and your putrid sll.”

“A tax, you say?” muses the drifter. His own grip is unyielding, and he squeezes the gold, which easily deforms in his grip, due to its high purity. The others watch in awe, knowing for certain that the gold is real, now, and that it truly is pure. “I’ve never heard of such a tax. But, I suppose, if you think you can take it…”

Weapons are drawn, and the drifter flings his cloak off for a distraction. He loses the gold amidst his attempts to escape, dropping it among the rcenaries. That said, the demi-human drifter is wounded heavily in the fight, and he flees without his gold, since it buys him the distraction needed to escape with his life.

And, unknown to the rcenaries as they brawl among themselves for the gold, the reptilian humanoid with grey hair, grey horns, and a grey tail gives a devious smirk.

***

“You can be quite sinister, can’t you, Sir Larven?” asks Sundenelle. “Stealing a Princess’s heart with your gallantry and then turning around and tricking n to go off to battle against you for a gold that doesn’t exist.”

Larven chuckles warmly. “I suppose so. It was a bit of mischief and to test out alchemy magic.”

“No…!” gasps Sundenelle.

“There are many limitations, I’m afraid. For instance, that used almost all of my magic to make, and it required a solid stone about the size of your desk just to make a tiny piece. It’s also one of the fields of magic that can actually consu a person’s mana pool, which is why, traditionally, only the feldroks ever dabbled in it on a larger scale.”

“Do it, Sir Larven! As Empress, I command you to demonstrate this trick to . Whatever the cost, I will compensate you.”

Neith sighs. He looks around and finds an open space. He digs in his void bag to withdraw a large monster’s skull, which stuns the two humans in the room. The dragon casts the magic, and sure enough the mana swirls around it and begins to shrink down the giant mass of bone. It only takes a minute or so for the ritual to complete, and Neith picks up the resulting trinket, walking it back over to the two and setting it down carefully on the desk. He says gently, “It’s pure gold, so be careful, as it will distort very easily.

Sundenelle studies the small figurine in amazent. It is a miniaturized version of a statue of a woman that could be Sundenelle, but given the details that don’t quite match anything she has ever worn, it looks like soone else.

The dragon remarks, “That’s her. I know it’s not detailed enough, but that was Princess, or rather, Empress liarte…”

“Wait wait wait! You can’t just skip to that part!” exclaims the young Empress herself. Walliskah lets out another laugh, and Sundenelle urges, “What happened next?” She admires the statue carefully in her hands, since it’s small and difficult to make out the finer details. Fortunately, gold doesn’t tarnish, so as long as no one distorts or crushes it, it has the potential to last forever.

Neith smiles. “Next, things went on like that for a while, until…”

***

“Weak! The empire has grown weak!” “One dragon tornts the Emperor!” “One beast hoards the gold while the Emperor fritters it away!” “Taxes are too high!’ “We’re starving to death!” “Kill! Kill the Emperor!”

Several more images of riots, and a growing presence of people around the Imperial Palace, easily overwhelming the knights, with no signs of dragonslayers at all. Other kings on the continent are rallying troops. The people are starving. Yet, the tower still stands. Piercing grey eyes that see all stare greedily down at the world. Lies and deceit have grown to epic proportions, all weakening the foundation of the Empire.

And, at the center of it all stands one princess.

Suddenly, the world illuminates, and everyone looks up to the three moons. From it descends a husband and wife, bonded by destiny and righteousness, blessed by the three goddess of the moons themselves, and riding on the streams of moonlight as they descend from heaven. The Empire reverses course, becoming a prosperous nation, and when she can finally see the face of the saviors of the Empire, it is a young woman whose face she sees in the mirror every day.

She is no longer a princess.

She is the Holy Empress that will save the Empire from treason that will destroy it, from the weakness that is greed, and from the very dragon himself…

For, as the Empress stands triumphant, a demonic beast with scaly wings and tallic grey horns lays dead at her feet.

~~~

liarte gasps as she snaps out of her most recent Dawnseeing. As suggested by Sir Larven, she has gotten far better at it, and she can see more clearly and more intentionally. She read over the to carefully, where there were plenty of warnings about avoiding unconscious “illusion-crafting” when trying to Dawnsee, as it could fool an inexperienced Dawnseer into ‘seeing’ sothing that never was an echo from the future.

But, what she just saw was everything she ever wanted, save for one thing. She looks at Larven, who is napping in the window of the tower. It has been over a year now that she has been his ‘hostage’, and the attacks by the Empire itself have mostly faded, with only the occasional hero trying to save the Princess under a lie spread by Larven that any man brave enough to save her shall have her hand in marriage, while the greedy co in greater numbers hoping to find the tower littered with gold, only to be driven off or incinerated by Larven. His defense of the tower has definitively proven and seemingly broken all hope against it that Larven could singlehandedly conquer the Empire if he so desired. He wouldn’t have any imdiate ans to control it after doing so, but there is no apparent force in the Empire, at least, that can stand against him. And, given so of the trinkets he has brought back after a few battles, so foreign heroes and rcenaries found themselves trying to win where so many others failed.

He looks so peaceful, sleeping as he is like so sort of human-cat. His tail slowly sways idly, while his handso face is away from her.

Sothing she knows for certain is that there is no ‘husband’ for her in that future that isn’t Larven. Her heart is certain of that. She may have to plan around an outco along those lines, but no other man will ever have her heart.

Jinca asks cautiously, since there are many tis that liarte has co out of Dawnseeing to a start, frightened or disappointed by what she saw, “Your Highness? Is… everything alright this ti?”

“I… Y-Yes…” murmurs liarte.

“You… don’t seem convinced of that yourself…”

“I…” liarte swallows hard. “I saw… S-Sir Larven…”

“I see…” murmurs Jinca, glancing at the dragon in the window. liarte swore to inform him of the contents of her visions, even if it showed his death. But, more than once, she has hidden them, as it is a cost too great for her to bear. Jinca is her only confidant in the matter.

“Your Highness, I… I believe you should tell Sir Larven. A-As he said… If he knows about it, he could help prevent it.”

“B-... But… what if… What if the only peace I see is… if he dies?”

Jinca is silent for a mont.

A deep sigh cos from the window, startling liarte. Jinca, on the other hand, is distinctly not surprised. Wait! Did… Did she bait into saying it here? How could I be such a fool!?

“You foolish human girl,” growls Larven’s voice. He doesn’t look, yet, but he does swing his tail a bit faster, taking a deep breath and exhaling in exasperation.

“I refuse!” snaps liarte. “I can never, ever allow you to die! I-I can’t take that risk!” Tears are starting to form in her eyes.

“A year ago, you thought dragons were slaves. Or… pets. I’m not sure which one…”

“And, I have regretted that every day since being rescued by you!” shouts the Princess, rushing closer to him. She’s frustrated that he won’t even look at her while her own heart is pouring out of her.

“Then see the scene again. It sounds like you abandon each ti you reach my death, hmm?” He finally turns his face over to look up at her, and her eyes are filled with horror and pain.

“How can you so casually ask to look upon your corpse!? Have you no heart at all!” She starts running for the door, though there’s only a handful of places on the tower’s upper floor for her to go to.

Jinca says softly, “I wish we could live like this… She seems… so happy…”

“She’ll have many regrets if she lives her whole life in this tower,” replies the dragon with a stretch. “One of her dreams is to have a family and children that she can love and see grow up, not just heirs to inherit a chair.”

“Y-You rember that?”

“Of course I rember it. I was there the day she was about to end her own life, and I saw my own helpless fury within her. I have learned over the centuries since that I must be thodical, and when the ti cos, I will lay everything on the line. But, I want to live. I want to be a ten thousand year old dragon, but if that is all it will cost to ensure the freedom of those I care about, then so be it. I chose to seek revenge, and I have many regrets. Seeing that girl reverse course from a hopeless and forgettable droplet of water to soone with a desire to live… I am growing more and more confident that it may be ti for to return ho very soon. Ho and to my own destiny…”

Jinca is quiet for a mont, and Larven’s wings erge from his demi-human back. He says softly, “I’ll handle liarte. Please make her so tea.”

“Of course, Sir Larven.” She smiles gently. “A… And… thank you.”

He smiles and nods, effortlessly stepping out of the window.

liarte sobs in a corner, curled up against the abundance of cushions Larven gave her in her ‘exercise’ room, where she practices her dancing with Jinca and occasionally Larven, practices simple swordplay, and paces around when she needs to think or train with larger spells.

Today, though, it is one of the few places in her new prison where she can just be away from things. True, she chose this prison, in a sense, since Larven would take her anywhere she wanted to go, as he has done several tis when she wanted to go out during a lull in the attacks on the tower.

But, for Larven to so fearlessly and callously expect her to accept his death as an option…

A figure walks in from the window, which is over a hundred feet up off of the rock that is the mountain, where the ruined fortress slowly crumbles away. She flinches only because it’s unexpected, but it’s none other than the man she loves with all her heart.

And, the one man she doesn’t want to see in this mont.

“Go away, Sir Larven… I need to be alone…”

“The sunlight is warr on this side of the tower at this ti of day. Don’t mind .” He plops down into a seated position on the floor, leaning back against his own cushion in the window’s glowing fra of light.

liarte is frustrated by him refusing her, but a part of it is also charming. If she didn’t know any better, he has co to like being with her, which makes her heart tingle.

“I won’t go along with it,” growls the Princess. “Never in a million years.”

“I’m certain I’ll be dead in a million years,” retorts the dragon. “I don’t even know if I want to live to be a million.”

She huffs and looks away. Now you’re just being obstinate… thinks the Princess to herself.

After a mont’s pause, where Larven says nothing else, as if he’s intent on napping once more, liarte finally says, “I’ve seen it several tis. The exact sa thing.” She sniffles, not sobbing as much, but unable to calm herself completely. “You, the invincible dragon god from a faraway land, dead in front of , who becos Empress at the cost of your life.”

“Mm-hmm,” hums the dragon, not seeming bothered by this at all. He doesn’t say anything further.

Growing irritable, the Princess continues, “I had a husband. A divine husband. Soone stronger than you, apparently.”

“If that’s what it takes…” says the dragon, still hardly giving her a spare thought.

She bolts to her feet, shouting, “I was in love with him, and… and we’ll have lots of babies! And they’ll grow up on stories about how you were a weak and evil dragon!”

“Ooo,” muses the dragon dryly. “Make a scary dragon in the stories. That’ll be fun. Maybe a dragon made of actual bones…”

“This isn’t a joke!” shouts the Princess. “Why won’t you get angry!? I’m saying I’m going to have to replace you in order to have a remotely reasonable outco! I have to marry soone else! Soone who isn’t you!”

Larven finally looks at her, and he asks sincerely, “Is that what you want?”

“NO!” screams the Princess. “No! H-How could you even ask that!? Th-There’s no point if it’s not you! There’s… no point…” She sinks to her knees, heartbroken as that realization sinks in.

The dragon sighs and sits up, facing her while still sitting. “liarte, you knew this wasn’t going to be a permanent thing. I have lived here longer than I originally planned, but I was never going to be able to stay for your entire life. I can’t give you an heir, and I will never be a husband worthy of you in the eyes of your people.”

“That isn’t fair!” cries liarte. “I… I can’t help… that I fell in love with you! I… I truly love you! S-So why!? Why won’t the world let that vision be the truth!? Just for once!? Why can’t I marry you, even for a mont!?”

Larven is quiet. He takes a breath and says slowly and gently, “I an this sincerely. If what you saw in that vision truly was … Observe it again. Observe it closely. I know it’s painful for you, but pay attention to every last second. Watch until they dispose of my body. Watch until the last of my bones is discarded. I am willing to help you get your footing, but I told you long ago that I won’t stay here forever. My own family is waiting for . My own destiny. I’m sure there might be a future out there where we et again, but until then, we will have to part. So, I don’t intend to die here, even for your plans. So, please, watch again. Don’t feel fear. Don’t give into despair. See the truth for what it is. My instincts tell you won’t be disappointed.”

liarte sniffles, wiping her nose and eyes. Larven smiles gently, using a handkerchief to help dab her face clear. “Have a little faith in , liarte. I’m pretty strong. I think I’ll be alright.”

She nods, finally convinced enough to do as he says.

She gets comfortable in a seated position, and she asks as she prepares to cast the Dawnseeing once more, “Sir Larven… Will… you stay with ?”

“Sure.”

“And… will you hold my hands?” The Princess offers her hands to him, and the dragon takes them without hesitation.

“Take your ti, liarte. And, as I said; see the truth for what it is.”

She nods, and she casts the spell to delve once more into the weird world of the visions.

***