Ch. 3: Meeting Him Part 2 (The Celestial Garden)

***Officially Chapter Three***

---Rainer's POV---

As my brother, two sisters and I followed Princess Athena to the Celestial Garden I couldn't help but feel how luck I was. Even before she walked into the Throne Room I could smell her sweet scent. It was a mixture of vanilla and something smokey. The moment she walked in to the Throne Room I knew she was destined for me. The word MATE kept ringing in my head. My dragon Callan couldn't contain his happiness. All he wanted was to for me to let him take over and show his true self to her. But I couldn't do that. Not right now. It wasn't the right moment because even though we are mates we need to strengthen our bond. It is rare for a dragon to find his mate this early in his life. My father had been nearing two hundred years old when he found my mother. A few months ago, I had just turned twenty-two. When the king announced me as her future husband I was thrilled. At first, I thought he would pick my older brother Kendrick who just turned twenty-four two months ago. At first, I thought he was the perfect candidate and that thought crushed me. But then my father asked me if I was willing to marry the princess. I was immediately ecstatic, but I couldn't show it. I calmly replied I would. Then we were presented to each other. I was able to see her more closely. I couldn't help but be enchanted by her beauty. She has wavy brown hair. Her heart-shaped face was beautiful with hazel eyes that burned with fire, her small straight nose, dark eyebrows that were perfectly shaped, and full lips. She was short probably less that 5'5. Her body had just the right amount of curves in the right places.

Now we were following her to the Celestial Garden. As we walked down several halls I noticed that on her left arm there was a bruise. Seeing it made me burn with rage! I could feel Callan wanting to be release to track down whoever did this to our mate. By the time we reached the garden I was in a sour mood. But at the same time, I wanted to go to my mate and comfort her. Find a way to heal her wound.

"Oh, Mandy. I am so glad to see you here. Could you please run down to the kitchen and grab some refreshments for my father's guest?" I hear the lovely voice of my mate as she speaks to a maid that was walking through the garden.

The maid's eyes were full of adoration as she responded, "Yes, My Princess. I will get that for you right away."

Then I hear my mate say, "Thanks Mandy. You are a dear."

Then the maid left with a big smile on her face to do her mistress's biding.

I come up to her then. "So, do you know all of your servant's names?" I ask her full of curiosity.

She then turns to me and gives me a glare that could burn the whole palace down. "They aren't servants. They are my people." I almost wince as she replies to me with a voice so cold she could have literally frozen me.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I was just asking a simple question." I say in my most charming and apologetic voice.

Then she turns her back at me and replies, "No, I don't know all of their names. But after living in this place so long you begin to see the same people over and over. Even the ones who no longer work here I still remember them. Once I see a face I never forget it and that goes with their name too."

Before I can say something, she begins to walk away. In shock I stand there. But then I feel a bit angry and annoyed at her. How can she just walk away in a middle of a conversation? Suddenly she turns back to my siblings and me. She motions us with her hand to follow her. I couldn't help but feel happy. She wasn't leaving. She was simply showing us another part of the garden.

---Athena's POV---

I couldn't help my anger. I was angry at the fact that I had to entertain them. All I wanted to do was go up to my room and start planning my people's freedom. I knew it would take me a while to do it, but I had to. I made a promise to free them. But for now, I would have to lay low and do what the Tyrant orders me. Otherwise I would begin raising suspicions. In the garden there was several mazes, trees, flowers, two green houses and three gazebos.

But many people only know of two gazebos. The third one I had found when I was a child. At the time it was old and looked abandoned. There were several places that needed repairs. Over the next few months I secretly fixed it up. I repaired parts of the roof and railings. I also painted it white. Then over the years I added a few of my favorite trees, plants and flowers around it. It had become a safe haven for me. There I could truly be myself. I had named the gazebo Heaven. At first no one new of it, but over time five people who I trust came to know of its existence. They knew how special this place is to me and only come here when they need to find me.

My personal maid, Luna was half white witch and half werewolf. Her wolf was beautiful. It was grey with white on her face and paws. She was twenty-three years old. My personal guard Jaser who was a werewolf. He was a year older than Luna. When Luna had turned eighteen she had realized that Jaser was her mate. Soon after they presented themselves as mates to the Tyrant, my father. For centuries if mates found each other within the palace they had to present themselves to the king and queen. It was rare for the king to deny the bond. Luckily for Luna and Jaser the Tyrant accepted their bond. I don't know why he did. At the time I thought that he would reject the bond because of me. However, I didn't question him. I wasn't that stupid. Since then they have been inseparable and our friendship deepened. I am glad they have each other. They don't have any pups yet, but I hope they will one day. They both know of the gazebo. They had smiled when I told them I had named it Heaven.

The other three people who know of it is my other guard Alessia who's wereanimal was a white eagle with silver tips on her feathers and is twenty-two years old. My sister Conradina who is nineteen years old and my brother Kareem who is seventeen. All six of us became close friends and confidantes over time. We all wanted to live a simple and happy life. These five people I trusted with my life and they trusted me with theirs.

In our kingdom usually, the first-born son is set to rule the kingdom. There were only a few circumstances were that wasn't the case. Unfortunately, this was one of them. My brother was set to rule my mother's old kingdom. Her brother, my uncle is the king of sorcerers. He does not have an heir. Even though he has been married to my aunt for years they aren't able to conceive. However, they are soulmates and love each other dearly. Even though they do not have children of their own they are happy. They see my siblings and me as their children too. Which I guess helps them not feel bad at the fact that they don't have any children of their own. As soon as my brother was born I had hoped he would inherit our kingdom. I didn't want to rule it. I simply wanted a life out of the palace. But that hope came crashing down when the Tyrant announced that my brother would be the future ruler of my uncle's kingdom. While I would inherit his and my sister would be married off to another kingdom or to one of our nobility. When my brother was fifteen he moved to my uncle's kingdom. Since then I rarely get to see him. But I know he will be here tomorrow since it is my birthday. I will turn twenty-one tomorrow. Many people would be ecstatic for their birthday. For me it was almost a death sentence. The only good thing out of it would be finding out by spirit animal as we call it. Others call it wereanimal.

Since my mother was a sorceress I did inherit some of her powers. But no one knew that except Luna, Jaser, Alessia, Conradina and Kareem. My siblings had also inherited some of my mother's powers. Luna had helped train my siblings and me in the magic arts, but she could only teach us so much. Even though sorceress and witches wield magic it a different type of magic. Her magic is mainly based on healing. She can also talk to animals and manipulate them. While ours consist of the same things as hers but we could also manipulate and bend the elements to our will. We could also do other things as well, but I don't know the full extent of our powers. A sorcerer and sorceress is severely more powerful than a witch. She mainly taught us how to hide our powers. This helped keeping them a secret from our parents. She also taught us how to use our healing magic and how to communicate and manipulate animals. We never used our powers unless it was necessary because we didn't want our parents to find out. That's why I didn't try to free myself from the dark room I was locked up earlier. The Tyrant can never know that my siblings and I can wield magic. We don't know what our parents would do to us if they ever did find out.

My siblings also received the same treatment as I did grow up, but just like me they did have emotions. We taught ourselves feel, but then when I was about ten my father hired a new teacher for us. His named was Hugo he was half sorcerer and half owl. He was a master of the arts of magic even though he was only half sorcerer. At the time, many knew that Hugo was one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world. His power was even greater than my uncle's who was the king of sorcerers. I once asked him why he wasn't king instead of my uncle. He said he had no interest in being king and that my uncle was a good ruler. With his teachings we became stronger. He secretly taught us how to wield our magic. He taught us so many things that I am grateful for. One important thing he taught us was using our magic as a shield to protect ourselves and to use it as a way to hide our emotions.

But he never finished his teachings. About two years ago he went missing. I asked the Tyrant what happened to him and all he said that he was gone. That he was never going to return. At first I thought he had found out about our secrete trainings, but he never indicated that he did know of our powers. Then I thought that Hugo must have done something to cross the Tyrant and killed him. That thought had depressed me for days, but deep down I knew he was still alive. I could feel it because of our master and disciple bond. But also because of my mark on my left shoulder. When he took my siblings and me as his disciples he had secretly marked us on our left shoulder. It was a mark that a master gave to all of those who he accepted as disciples. It was rare in our world to hear of masters taking on disciples. Only my siblings, Hugo and me could see the mark because he had used concealing magic. He told us that he didn't want anyone to know that he was our master and that we were his disciples. No one knew except for each other. Not even Luna, Jaser and Alessia knew of the marks. While our parents simple thought that Hugo was our teacher and not our master. I miss Hugo and wish he was here with us. I plan to start looking for him. I knew he would help me with freeing my people. I knew that with him I could continue my studies on magic and help grow my powers. I just have to find him.