Chatper 5

"Leave us," my mother commanded after all but dragging me into her personal study. It was a lovely room, really. I spent a lot of time here with my sister, listening to Mother reading us many beautiful stories. But I had reason to think that this would be the first negative memory of the room.

The Harkonnen guards obeyed without hesitation and left the room. The door slammed shut behind them as they resumed their vaunted guard duty, leaving me alone with my mother.

Even now, with that carefully schooled smile on her face, my mother had an obvious rising fury in her that was just waiting to explode.

"Now, I know what you're thinking…" I attempted to head off any possible anger, not even sure what I really wanted to say.

But she had other ideas.

"Sit."

The coldness of her voice made it clear just how false that smile was. I complied, of course, grateful to finally be able to relax my legs. "Have you any idea how worried I was? Or your father, or sister, or anybody in this house?"

"I know that—" Again, my mother cut me off.

"No, you don't," she added icily while I shrank into my seat. "You just flew straight into a storm without even any thought behind it. For Meraxes' sake, you are a child!"

At this point, she wasn't even that angry anymore, just concerned. The puffy cheeks and teary eyes were a clear indicator of that.

"I'm sorry, Mother," I said quietly, trying to meet her eyes but failing. "I didn't mean to worry you."

She sighed deeply, her anger giving way to exhaustion. "Kaelarys, I understand that you love flying with Ancalagon, and I know how important it is to you.We were the same when we were your age. But you must understand that flying into a storm is suicidal—risks that you are not always aware of as it seems."

"I promise I'll be more careful next time," I said, my voice small.

"There won't be a next time for a while," she replied sternly. "As punishment, you are not allowed to fly Ancalagon for a few months. I need to know that you understand the gravity of your actions."

My heart sank, but I nodded. "I understand."

She softened, her expression turning to one of concern and love. She pulled me into a hug, kissing my forehead gently. "Promise me you'll never do this to me again."

"I promise, Mother," I whispered, hugging her back tightly.

"How about some food?" she asked with a gentle smile after having calmed down.

I nodded, feeling a bit relieved. Just then, Seraphine poked her head into the room, her curiosity piqued by the sudden quiet.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, looking between Mother and me.

"Everything is fine, my dear," Mother reassured her, reaching out to pat her head. "Why don't we have some cake and I'll read you both a story?"

Seraphine's face lit up with excitement. "Cake? And a story? Yes, please!"

We all settled around the low table in Mother's study, a servant soon bringing in a tray with a delicious-looking cake.

Once we were settled and enjoying our cake, Mother reached for an old, leather-bound book from one of the shelves. She opened it to a page marked with a delicate ribbon and began to read aloud.

"Thousands of years ago there lived a dragonlord named Arthan the Wise. Arthan was known not only for his Dragon but also for his profound knowledge and wisdom. He possessed a special bond with a magnificent dragon named Arrax, who was said to be the largest and most powerful dragon in all of Valyria.

Arthan and Arrax shared a special bond. It was said that they could communicate without words, understanding each other's thoughts and emotions as if they were one.

He was meant to marry a beautiful woman from the lands of the Far East. The most beautiful woman in the world, it was said. But it just so happened..."

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I woke up groggily, blinking at the soft light filtering through the curtains. I must have dozed off during the story, I realized. It was, admittedly, a beautiful story, but one meant for children nonetheless. It taught valuable lessons and gave us role models aside from our parents, but I wasn't a child and had already formed my personality and ideals.

Looking around, I realized that Mother must have brought me and Seraphine to my chamber. I chuckled softly, she apparently dozed off too.

I turned to see Seraphine lying next to me, her face peaceful in slumber. Gently, I shook her shoulder. "Seraphine, wake up," I whispered. "It's almost time to break our fast, and we need to bathe and get ready."

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Hmm, what time is it?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Late enough that we need to hurry," I replied, helping her sit up, but she didn't move at all. "Mother must have carried us here after we fell asleep."

Seraphine yawned and stretched, then nodded. "Then this means she wants us to sleep," and promptly fell back into the bed.

-.-

"Seraphine..." I said slowly.

"Not here."

"Where is she then?" I asked, amused at her wanting to avoid getting up.

"Dead," she mumbled.

"Is that so? Well, I had a nice present I wanted to give her today, but it seems I will give it to Aelora then. She would love it for sure."

At that, she was up in a second. "Present?" she said with wide eyes.

"Only if you get up and take a ba—" I didn't even get to finish my sentence before she was out of bed. She really is easy to trick.

We made our way to the washroom, where a servant girl, Mira, was already preparing the bath for us. The large tub was filled with warm water and an abundance of bubbles. Mira greeted us with a smile, though she seemed well aware of the chaos that was about to ensue.

"Good evening, young masters," she said. "Let's get you both washed up."

Seraphine and I climbed into the tub, the warm water instantly relaxing our muscles. Mira began to wash Seraphine's hair, working the soap into a thick lather. Meanwhile, I started making a tower out of bubbles, trying to see how high I could stack them before they toppled over.

"Hold still, milday," Mira said gently, trying to keep my sister from squirming too much. "We need to get you clean."

"But the bubbles!" Seraphine protested, grabbing a handful and blowing them into the air, giggling as they floated down around us.

I joined in, scooping up more bubbles and blowing them toward Seraphine, who laughed and splashed in return. Mira sighed, though she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.

"You two are impossible," she said with a shake of her head. "How am I supposed to wash you if you keep playing like this?"

"We're almost done," I promised, trying to stifle my laughter as I sculpted a bubble beard on Seraphine's face.

"Look, I'm a dragonlord with a magnificent beard!" Seraphine declared, striking a pose and making us all laugh.

Mira finally managed to rinse the soap out of Seraphine's hair and began to work on mine. Seraphine took advantage of the moment to create a bubble crown, placing it on her head with great ceremony.

"All hail Queen Seraphine, ruler of bubbles," I said, bowing dramatically.

"And what is your title, dear brother?" Seraphine asked, clearly enjoying the game.

"I am the Grand Bubble Mage," I replied, waving my hands and sending a flurry of bubbles her way.

Mira finished washing my hair and began to scrub our backs. "All right, Grand Bubble Mage and Queen Seraphine, time to rinse off."

We reluctantly let her rinse away the remaining bubbles, though we continued to play with the floating remnants. Finally, Mira declared us clean and handed us each a soft towel.

"Now, dry off and get dressed for dinner," she instructed, her smile gentle but firm.

We stepped out of the tub, wrapped ourselves in the warm towels, and began to make ourselves ready.

These are the moments I cherish the most. It's a wonderful time to be alive once more, to experience the joy of childhood and play with my sister, bringing laughter to her.

There is nothing I have to worry about, no school, college, or homework that is unnecessarily boring and teaches me nothing. I have to learn as well, but really cool stuff. Sure, learning how to be a Dragonlord comes with learning how to rule and how to handle politics, but they are interesting enough. But aside from that, I can pretty much do anything I want.

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"Okay...and why exactly are we here again?"I said while looking at my mother, father, and Aunt Valaena ensembled in my father's 'office'.

The space was large enough to accommodate dozens of people and exuded a cozy and inviting atmosphere. It was adorned with bookshelves that ran along the walls, adding to the warm ambiance. The desk at which my father sat was filled with exquisite detail. It was made of dark wood and adorned with gold engravings. Many stories were also sculpted into it.

When I woke up today, I had expected a great many things, but whatever talk I was about to face, I wasn't sure I was ready for it.

Father took a seat next to Mother. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now," he said." It has come to our attention that you have taken a particular interest in Bloodmagic.

This might be the greatest understatement of our time, but I'll let it slide. In my past life, the Valyrians were renowned for practicing various types of magic, including rituals, runes, blood magic, enchantments, and more. While I already possess fire magic, I want to learn more about blood magic. What exactly does it do? To what heights can I take it?

Aunt Valaena's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she glanced at me, silently urging me to explain myself. Clearing my throat, I shifted in my seat before meeting my father's gaze.

"Yes, I have been studying Bloodmagic," I admitted, trying to keep my voice steady. "But only to understand its history and potential uses. It is just so fascinating"

Mother's expression softened as she reached out to place a reassuring hand on mine. "We know your heart, dear one," she said gently. "But you must understand that Bloodmagic isn't something to be played with. It is powerful, and dangerous without the proper knowledge of how to use it"

She stopped for a second, looking back at my father and Aunt who both nodded with smiles, seemingly giving her the support for her next decision. Mother sighed silently before looking at me once more.

"And this is why we have chosen to let you get taught by your Aunt Valaena. She is an experienced Bloodmage of the Anogrion, and knows her way around." 

At that Aunt Valaena stepped forward, "It will be an honor to teach you, little Kaelarys. It isn't easy, I can tell you that much, but I think you'll make your parents and me proud."

And that much was true. From the many books in our library, I've learned the basics of what Bloodmagic is all about.

Bloodmagic draws its power from blood, the essence of life. By using blood, a mage can perform powerful spells, runes, and enchantments. This type of magic is closely tied to life and death, making it both powerful and feared. Most of the time, they use sacrifices, willingly or not, but I read that willing sacrifices make the magic even stronger, something I need to experiment with in the future.

As Aunt Valaena led me out of the office, she spoke. "Our lessons will begin tomorrow at dawn. I will come to fetch you tomorrow morning".

This will be interesting.

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5th :D