The Palace

I slowly crossed the town. A long stream of water rolled down from above, splashing against the ground. I covered my face to stop the splatter from getting on me while a group of townspeople rushed toward it. They put little wooden buckets under the water, collecting what of it they could. This was always a difficult process, and water that spilled would quickly drain away or get mixed in with the acid river. Mr. Gab threw Madame Piff to the ground to steal her bucket once it was already full. She fussed and yelled for me, but I ignored her. She hadn’t knelt properly when I saw her earlier.

What once had been the town hall of a small village in the Northern Wastes sat on the far end of the river across the broken stone bridge. It had a wide, thatched roof, which I’d adorned with what jewels I could get my hands on. It was the largest building in Dragontown, and Bubbles promised me she wouldn’t swallow any larger buildings. That wouldn’t be unfair to me as the princess.

I was shocked how many of my subjects found the palace impressive. The whole longhouse was barely larger than my single bedroom back home. Home, no, it wasn’t that anymore. Sometimes I wished I could show the villagers what had once been my home. Sometimes I wondered if that’s why they were lazy around Dragontown. They just had never seen where I’d really come from.

So, I stacked more garnets and rubies and golden coins around the inside of the longhouse, what I called my palace. All the townspeople needed was to see what real civilized life looked like, after all.

The roof slowly dripped. The damp straw was still one of the best-smelling things here, the best after myself. I took four buckets and filled up a wooden bathtub. I pinched salts into the water. Water here was always lukewarm, heated slightly by the constant heat of the fire glands.

I splashed the water through my hair before fully submerging myself. The tub was just large enough for me to lie down in it comfortably. I pressed my arms to my sides, and let the water cover my face for a long moment.

The door to my restroom opened suddenly. Lady Hen jolted backward, pressing the palms of her hands against her eyes, “Your Majesty, forgive me!” Her face turned redder than the walls with blush, “I thought ye was decent.”

I lifted myself out of the water and wrung out my hair between my hands. “What do you need?” Lady Hen had been a mayor’s cook before. Now, she was my only handmaiden, something she hadn’t quite learned the ropes of yet.

“Well, Pikeman ran ta me, and he said Mr. Gab had fallen down the river while collecting water. And, other folks been saying Mr. Gab fell. His arm melted clean off before we could save him, and he’s saying he been pushed! We don’t know who did it.” She shook her head, “Your Majesty, this is awful.”

“It’s a river of acid, Lady Hen,” I said sagely, “remind Mr. Gab that it’s not a place for swimming, and see if Mr. Uh… Mr- The surgeon guy- to make sure the wound doesn’t get infected.”

“The river is rising, Your Majesty,” she flinched, “more people are going to fall in.”

“Well, that’s just foolish,” I pressed my lips together. I knew I wouldn’t set foot near it until it rose to a point where falling in could no longer be avoided. I forced a reassuring smile, “It’s important to stay calm, even when times get tough. I haven’t eaten caviar in three weeks, and you can see I’m just fine.” I stopped myself, “Oh, maybe I’ll ask Bubbles to deliver us caviar when she’s able!” I clapped my hands together, quite pleased with myself.

Lady Hen shut her eyes, “Well, if ye must. I been always told li’l lairds an’ ladies know right best.”

“Well that’s why I made you a lady, Lady Hen. You’re one of the nobles here now, too.”

“I ain’t born noble. I don’t feel like no noble.”

I nodded, “We have to make do with what we can get. And, I said you’re a lady, so you are one. If anyone tells you otherwise, you could just throw them in the river.” I teased.

“W-what?” She stumbled backward, “Your Majesty… If that’s how bein’ a lady is, I dunno if I wants ta be a lady!”

I held my hand in front of my mouth and giggled, “Being,” I said, “to be. Lady Hen, it’s pronounced that way. Besides, I was joking, you don’t need to cut their tongues out at all. Just tell them you’re going to.”

“Bee-ahng,” she forced herself to say. “Oh, but I dunno. I think it strange to tell them you’re going to do that if ye don’t mean ta… to…” She looked down, brow furrowed, “To be…”

“Better,” I stepped back into the bath. I watched the water raise slightly as it was displaced below me. “Do you think I’ve lost weight at all?” I looked at myself. I’d never been heavyset, nor even close. I had been sickly when I was little, that I never told people. I was often too thin.

“Oh, we all have,” Lady Hen looked down at her belly. It was swollen and wide, “I just been hoping my babe will come out okay.”

“She’ll be a beautiful little lady,” I promised.

“But, I thought I’m the lady.”

“A lady’s daughter is also a lady.”

“And if it’s a son?” She asked.

“The first lord of Dragontown,” I thought out loud, “Lord Buck? Lord Stag?”

“Buck? Stag?” She thought out loud.

I raised my arms up wildly, splashing water out onto the floor, “Well I was thinking I should name him either of those!”

“Well, shan’t I name him?” Lady Hen rubbed her hand softly on her belly.

“Oh… I thought you’d just want to name him what I thought would be good.”

She leaned against the side of the bathtub, dipping her fingers into the water, “They’re nice names, really, but I’d like to think of something myself. Maybe if he’s having my hair, or Falcon if he’s having his father’s.”

“Do you think count would be a better title for him than lord? Count Falcon?” I thought out loud, “You never told me you were married.”

“The dragon took me and left him behind, Your Majesty,” she slowly braided my hair, “I imagine his face every night before I sleep. I’m just glad he’s not stuck here with us.”

“Well I quite would have liked to meet him,” I said sharply, “even if that meant him being stuck here.”

“I don’t want him ta die here,” she sighed. “I’m glad he’s not going to. He must think I’m already gone.”

I held my breath, watching the little ripples in the water expanding away from wherever I moved. “But, you’re not gone. You’re going to have a baby.”

“I’ll be having a baby here.”