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-Enzo
Kaida smiled from ear to ear after reading it. There was no way that Enzo could have come in here without someone finding out. The castle was heavily guarded with Guardsmen posted outside every door. Even though Enzo was the prince, she was told by her parents that the king and queen would not accept Enzo and her having any sort of sexual contact before their mating ceremony, so him coming into her bedroom would have been unheard of as well.
He must have had my mother put this in here.
She did not waste any time and got herself ready as quickly as she could. The only shoes she had that went with the dress were a pair of black flats. It was not the shoes Kaida thought would be best for walking around all day, but everything else was too much for a simple dress. She shrugged her shoulders and put them on.
The castle was a maze to navigate. Kaida must have gone down the wrong hallway at least five times as she attempted to find the main one that led to where the carriages were stationed. Thankfully, a Guardsman noticed how lost she had become and pointed her in the right direction. Just as she walked through the main doors, she found her parents waiting by a horse-drawn carriage talking to the King. It made her a little nervous to see the King talking to her parents. For all she knew, he was asking about her dragon. The ceremony was approaching, and it was only a matter of time before they would ask about it. Kaida did her best to push the thoughts to the back of her mind as she walked over to them and greeted them with a smile.
Kaida made sure to give the king a slight curtsy and a bow of her head as the distance closed to only a few feet. “Good morning, King Gemar.”
The king glanced in her direction but did not return her smile. “You are Kaida, my son’s betrothed.”
It was a statement said with a flat tone. King Gemar did not seem impressed by her at all. Kaida kept her composure, knowing that if she did anything to seem uncomfortable, the king would use it against her.
“Thank you for graciously allowing my family and myself to stay here for the time being.”
The king’s face was void of any emotion. Only his power seemed to emit from him, reminding Kaida that he was, in fact, standing in front of her. There was something off about this man, and she had no idea where to even begin to put her finger on it. His gray eyes stared her down in such a menacing way that it made her feel uncomfortable. Kaida tried to look away but found herself unable to do so.
The only thing that made her feel like she didn’t have to run in the other direction was the fact that he looked so similar to Enzo–same hair and eyes, same height and build. The only difference seemed to be his menacing nature, and his face had much harsher lines around his cheeks and jawline. He was the true embodiment of what everyone thought a dragon should be.
“I must return to my quarters. I have a meeting to attend shortly, and I need to tidy up a bit. It was a pleasure to see all of you,” Gemar said, the flat tone still present.
Once he walked away and was completely out of earshot, Kaida looked over at her parents. “Is it just me, or did the king seem… off?”
Her parents looked at each other briefly and made dismissive faces before answering. “I don’t think so. That is how he usually is,” her father told her.
“He barely acknowledged me. He even ignored my thanking him.”
Now her parents’ faces were twisted in confusion. “No, he didn’t. He remained completely pleasant with you! Why would you say such a thing?”
Her mother’s words left Kaida completely confused in return. She did not think the king’s behavior was at all pleasant.Did they see the same interaction that I did?
“Uh, okay,” Kaida quickly changed the subject, “where are you two off to?”
“Oh, we are just coming back, actually. We went out to have breakfast at our favorite little restaurant. It’s tucked away in the market district.” Kaida’s mother’s voice returned to her normal tone.
How odd for her to sound so off like the king. Maybe I didn’t get enough sleep or something.
“Are you going somewhere?” Dracul asked Kaida as he looked down at her dress and then back into her eyes.
“Yes. Coincidentally, the market district,” she said with a laugh. “Enzo left a note with this dress to meet him there.”
“How cute! Have a wonderful time! Be sure to tell any salesperson to send the bill to us so you don’t have to carry a bag of gold with you,” her mother told her as she pulled Dracul toward the doors of the castle. “And I want to hear all about yesterday when you get back!”
“Why are you pulling me away! I wanted to know what happened on that date last night now!” her father yelled at her mother as they ascended the staircase.
“Like she wants to tell her father about her date. Honestly, dear, you need–” was the last thing she heard before the doors closed.
Kaida chuckled at her parents. She couldn’t remember a time when they were not like this, and it was what kept her dream of finding her mate alive. She dreamed of having a relationship with her mate like her parents had. Their relationship was the epitome of everything Kaida wanted in her future. Thinking about her future, Kaida smiled and turned toward the carriage; there was already an older gentleman holding out his hand to assist her into it. Once she was seated, she told the man to take her to the Market District. Within seconds, the wooden wheels were wobbling along the cobblestone road. It didn’t take too long before rows of shops came into view.
I wonder why mom and dad never came here. This place looks bigger and better than the one we have at home!
Smells of various spices hit her nose first, some sweet and some savory. The combination of them both had her mouth salivating. As she looked out the window, she saw beautiful and vibrant fabrics, perfect looking fruit, and even a few shops with various trinkets and jewelry. The driver called out to her and asked where Kaida would like to be dropped off. Kaida had no idea, so she asked him what his favorite shop was. Next thing Kaida knew, the carriage had stopped in front of one of the smallest stone shops on the block. It looked to be painted a chocolate brown and had a reddish-brown terracotta roof. Kaida thanked the man for the ride but then had to ask what kind of shop it was that he had brought her to.
“You’ll see. I promise it is worth it.”
Kaida pulled out a few gold coins from the small pocket within her dress and gave themthem to the driver. He asked if she would like to set up a time for him to return for her, and she told him that she might already have a way to return home. The man bowed his head and then had the horse moving along down the road again.
