Delegates

I groaned as Lady Hen slowly shook me awake. “Your Majesty,” she whispered.

“One more moment…” I rolled over. My bed was one of the nicest things I had. It was delicately carved wood with silk coverings. Most of the townspeople slept on whatever floors were left in the buildings. Which ones couldn’t, slept on the living ground. Sometimes people would wake up with little burns on their skin without knowing what caused them.

Lady Hen smiled to herself, “There are a few people outside for you. They’ve got pitchforks out and torches and they won’t say a bit as to why.”

“Is Mack with them,” I slowly lifted myself up.

“Why, that blacksmith?” Lady Hen mumbled, “He’s leading them.”

“They’re making another escape attempt,” I rolled my eyes, “I should charge them all with treason.”
“Your Majesty!” Lady Hen gasped, “W-well, don’t you think they can be excused? Trying to escape is quite reasonable. And, well, they want you to escape too. You’ll live!”

I grimaced at her. Anything she wanted to say out loud on this matter was useless, Bubbles would simply hear all of it. If Bubbles thought I was in support of these insurrectionists, she may have given me less of the things I asked for. It was a terrible conundrum. I marched downstairs, still wearing my nightgown.

Lady Hen walked out before me. She cleared her throat, “Her Royal Majesty, Princess Fawn de la Mascarade. Grand Duchess of Dragontown and Dragon Whisperer!” She listed the titles I’d given myself. She recited an awkward bow after finishing the words.

Mack had Mr. Love and Mr. Brick behind him. Daisy hung onto one of his legs. I looked at her, “You’re bringing your daughter along with one of these stupid plans, Mack?”

“She won’t let go of my leg,” Mack shook his head, “poor girl has been clingy lately. She’s scared of the shaking, the groaning, the river rising. How can I stop her, Princess?”

I looked away, “W-well, you aren’t making any such attempts to escape today. If you have something else for the royal court…”

Mr. Brick gritted his teeth, “It’s about Mr. Gab!” He yelled, “Mr. Sky said to come’n tell yous when somefolk knew who done it. I saw Madame Piff run back into her bedhouse after it happened. She went back to where the gods won’t look instead of trying to help.”

“She went to her home after seeing something cruel?” Bubbles pondered, “That sounds rather a human thing to do. It is, yet, a meaningful observation.”

“I didn’t ask your opinion, Beast!” Mack stepped outside to grind his heel into the fleshy ground.

“I am also on the side of justice,” She hummed, “That woman is an employee of the night. You may well ask her about her clients- jealousy, debts, petty grievances. There are many things humans like to cause trouble over, as you all like to so ungratefully remind me.”

“Ungratefully?” Mack hissed.

“Almost all of you rank among the most tedious food I’ve ever eaten. Sometimes I think the Princess is the only human keeping me sane,” Bubbles said sweetly, “I don’t even need the lot of you. I just brought you here to keep her company, and I wouldn’t waste all of your time now by letting you go.”

Mack put his arm around Daisy, “My daughter is here, you beast…” He said sadly. The blacksmith shook his head, his pitchfork hung lazily down from his arm.

I stepped toward Daisy, “She’s a resident of Dragontown as much as any of us,” I smiled, “this place wouldn’t be the same without any single person.”

Her father sighed, “I don’t mind much what it’s like today, Princess. It’s disgusting and unpleasant, and it’s hardly worse than anything else. I mind what it’ll be like when that river rises more, in a few months when there’s nowhere more to stand.”

“We’ll worry about that when it’s a real concern,” I promised him. “We have a long time.”

Mr. Brick stepped forward, “You’re compromising with the wrong folk, Princess. She don’t want anything nice for you, neither.” He frowned, “And, I know you’re listening, Wyrm.”

Bubbles gasped, “Such words are only to be spoken by dragons among ourselves!” She went on, “And, if you want my opinion, you’re all doing just fine. This is what’s best for the princess. And you, you’ll live better in my belly for a year- until I’m done with you- than you did on your farms and in your mines and shops.”

Mr. Love pointed his torch at me, “I swear, Dragon, having your favorite is a weakness.”

“The rest of you all tasted worse than rats,” Bubbles huffed, “you should be ashamed of yourselves. Now, if you all keep making drama, I swear you’ll cause me indigestion. Cattle would thank me more. They know their place and their purpose.”

“You’d know of swine,” Mr. Love spat, “that you were spawned from one.”

“Enough!” I yelled. “You came here over Madame Piff, not to spew undue insults toward your better. I’ll speak with her, now go back to your homes. For such words to leave your mouths should constitute treason in any more civilized place. I would have thrown you before the clergy back in Farhaven.”

Mr. Brick scoffed, “Clergy? There ain’t no cherubs here, Princess. Them gods forgot us a month ago.” They started to march away. Daisy waited behind a moment. She bowed to me.

“Princess, I don’t know why everyone’s mad at each other,” she shook her head, looking down at the ground, “Daddy’s sad and Mama won’t leave the house. I’m sorry people made you mad. Can you…”

“Come on, Daisy,” her father called after her, “this is no place for us.”

I put my hand on her head, “People only remember bad things. Lots of people are happier here. Just give your mom and dad some time, they’ll come around,” I smiled to her. She skipped after her father, her pupils shrinking as one of the distant fire glands roared hotter.