Daughters, Swords &Dragons

They sat in the great old library of secrets, the awkwardness between Valdis and Serafelle didn't go unnoticed as Danishey Moontar the old professor taught that days lecture.

"A dragon is a superior being."

"A dragon can only be summoned by a true blood."

She looked over the rim of her glasses "One of you or all of you might be able to summon the dragon or dragons."

Eris sighed "No one has seen a dragon in the last hundred years Mrs Moontar, I don't see why you still teach this course."

The old professor shot her a look that made her seize to speak "If you search deep within your heart. You'll find the secret to summoning a dragon or a beast any beast will do."

They all stared at the woman like she spoke in another language "Well everyone look within yourselves tell me what you see."

The room was quiet except for the sound of her boots on the polished floor.

Neera raised her hand suddenly "Yes dear do you feel the dragon in you?"

She smiled the flicker of warm candle lights in her bright eyes "No but I do feel something."

The professor curiously came closer, with high expectations of what was to be discovered "And what is that my dear?"

"Hungry, I'll take my leave now I need to visit the graves." She said merrily.

Eris shook her head doodling on the scriptures on her desk "You are one creepy girl."

A look of distraught crossed neera's features "What is creepy about graves?"

"The fact that you talk to them." Eris sighed "It's scary."

Neera scoffed folding her arms on her little chest "Says the one who hunts her servants for sport."

The professor cleared her throat "No one is going anywhere, your highnesses."

They all stared at her outburst "And who is going to stop us?"

She drew a long sword from its sheath and they simultaneously drew theirs pointing it at her "I must warn you my sword is blood thirsty." Eris sneered then swiftly launched an attack on her with a dramatic summersault in the air, parrying her sword.

Their swords clashed in an unforgivable dance, as they harshly battled attacking her all at once.

Professor Danishey stood her ground and honour withstanding the precise strikes of Eris sword, the swiftness of Serafelles blade.

Their swords were huge taller than they were at a height of 186cm, width of 5 and a weight of 50kg one could only imagine the heaviness and girth of the sword yet the princesses swung it like sticks.

Like they have been doing since they were six years of age.

The professor twirled slanted in midair to avoid the clash of Emery and Neera's blade only to be caught by the neck by Serafelles blade and on the heel by Valdis.

Eris' sword slashed the silk fabric of the professor's cloak grazing her thigh, the slight scratch bled and the professor broke into a cold sweat "I surrender that is all for today's class."

"You hurt her!" Neera snapped at Eris.

A grimace darkened Eris's features "I warned her."

"Let me take a look." Valdis offered moving towards the professor.

The professor shook her head "I'm fine my lady it's just a scratch."

Valdis got on her knees placing her hand on the professor's ankle, she caressed the red scratch on her ankle.

In one quick movement she scratched the graze with her nails and the professor hissed ready to snap at her only to see the wound was gone as if it never was.

The professors eyes widened "What sorcery is this?"

"You're welcome." Valdis said warmly and Serafelle's lips pressed in a hard line as she stood up and left the library.

In all this the young princess Deyanira slept soundly.

Dinner time soon arrived and sera was dreading having to deal with her over dramatic family.

She'd rather watch the woman in the mirror comb her hair "You have lovely hair." she said, humming.

Her claws combing through the thick long waves of brown hair.

"Thank you, I've never really liked it. My sister's have much prettier hair." Sera sighed and the woman grinned showing her sharp teeth.

"Would you prefer to be bald like me?" the woman questioned and Sera's eyes moved to her shiny scalp.

Sera sighed "No I guess having hair is better than nothing."

The woman nodded "Yeah you have beautiful eyes give me your eyes."

Sera stared into the sockets of her eyeballs, the woman had no eyes only empty hallow sockets. "What happened to your eyes?"

The woman sighed "I sold them."

Nervously sera reluctantly asked "To who?"

The woman looked at her through the mirror her sharp teeth smiling at sera "To you." she said.

Just then the door to sera's chambers opened

"Who are you talking to my lady?" her maid Opera asked a worrisome look on her face.

Serafelle forced a smile "No one."

Opera cleared her throat "Okay my lady it is time for dinner, I must prepare you for it."

Exhaustion weighed sera's shoulders "Of course."

Dinner came and as usual they recited the oath of Alcon before they ate :

"I pledge my life to the emperor

To serve and be loyal

To live for the emperor

To die for the emperor

To protect his family from harm

To fall where he falls

To stand were he stands.

To die were he dies.

I pledge my life to the nation.

To protect it as long as the Emperor breathes."

They said this oath every bloody day serafelle groaned innately.

They all sat at the dinner table eating a hearty meal, Garth and Eris were chatting away about myths, Emery and Neera were chatting about the latest dresses the tailor had designed.

Deyanira the eight year old princess was in her own world eating.

She and Valdis ate with mild conversation.

"Your father is going to see the emperor." their mother said all of a sudden and they were suddenly quiet.

Emery slammed her fork on the table making the dining room shake "Don't go!"

Regasus wiped his mouth with a napkin "Why not?"

"It's a suicide mission." Neera growled in annoyance.

He smiled "I understand that you are all worried."

"Everyone knows that the emperors court is a burial ground of course we are worried." Valdis yelled.

Weria threw her a look "Do not raise your voice."

"Can you not hear what father just said? he is going to a slaughter house, I forbid it!" Deyanira exclaimed "Does that not worry you mother?"

Weria smiled reassuring her youngest daughter "Your father will be fine he is just meeting with the emperor to discuss the strategies of war to come, he has gone many times. I'm sure all will be well this time too."

"The battle is already lost what more is there to discuss!" Emery spat and their father cleared his throat to gain their attention.

"Fear not my princesses. I can assure you nothing will happen to me I shall return to you all safely." he pleaded with them.

Heartache was a meal served on a plate of silver "Please return to us father promise?" serafelle said with so much worry in her heart.

"You will die." Neera said enquiring the wrath of her family.

"If you go father you will surely die, I have seen it." Neera warned him.

Eris instantly raised a knife to her neck "Speak nonsense again and I will surely end your life."

"Enough!" Regasus exclaimed "even if I die you must never fight amongst yourselves, you are the Pilar's of this nation. If there is war amongst you then the nation, the entire six kingdoms will be doomed do you understand?"

They nodded.

"I shall be back in two full moons until then be good."