Chapter 6:
Not Really The Peacemaker And The Dragon Prince
After a few minutes, or so I thought, because without a phone, a watch, or anything to clearly indicate the passage of time, I couldn't keep track. Besides, everything was happening too fast for me to not get lost. In any case, a young girl appeared, at least younger than the princess, and she exuded such a youthful aura that it almost touched me. If she weren't one of the dragon-people -I need to think of a better name for them- and if I were friends with her, I'd treat her like a little sister.
Besides, unlike the crowned head, at least she smiled the entire time and didn't look at me with disgust simply because I was human. She led me to another room, where a wooden tub filled with water awaited me. It wasn't steaming, so I assumed it was freezing, but any bath was better than no bath at all. The maid watched me curiously. She probably didn't expect me to start undressing in front of her, right?
"Your clothes are no longer wearable," she announced without a trace of embarrassment. No, I didn't sense any subtext at all. "I have to throw them away. I'll bring new ones in a moment. Please cooperate, human."
"How kind of you to skip the 'stupid' part," I muttered. She continued smiling, but I noticed she tensed a bit.
I still couldn't bring myself to shed the clothes. I decided to change the subject, simultaneously wanting to expand my knowledge of this world. Since I was already condemned to eternal stay here, that is, until I displeased the princess and she killed me. To be clear, the real world wasn't perfect. I wasn't the best version of myself there, but at least it was mine, understandable and predictable, unlike this one.
"Can you transform into a human too?" I asked conspiratorially, but she rushed over to me, loudly announcing that she would first wash my face and see if my wounds required a visit from a medic.
"I can't tell you much," she whispered, dipping a piece of cloth into the water. It was indeed icy, but I was surprised by how gentle her touch was, though the sight of her claws near my face frightened me a little. "The princess forbade me from answering your questions in detail."
This puzzled me somewhat; I couldn't understand her intentions. If she had agreed to let me act as her spy, shouldn't she want me to learn and understand this world as best as I could? But I remembered that she had already mentioned things I could learn that could significantly impact my judgment. Slowly, I realized that begging for my life was only the beginning of my path to survival. I had to rely on caution and adaptability, something completely beyond my capabilities. I avoided change and avoided opportunities to learn. A heavy sight left my lungs, and I negotiated with the maid to at least turn around until I was in the tub, which didn't exactly invite me for a bath. How much would I give for a good soak in a regular bathtub filled with hot water, but apparently cold water was better for the body?
I couldn't stand it for long, but I scrubbed myself as best I could with something that was supposed to resemble soap, a bar of something gray, only without the lathering feature. The kindly maid had only gone out to get some new clothes and was back a moment later with a loose gray shirt, leather trousers, and a vest tied with strings. I wouldn't consider these items to be tailoring masterpieces.
"What's your name?" I felt embarrassed that I hadn't asked that question first; after all, she was nice to me and not so intimidating after getting to know her better.
"Tifia," she whispered, glancing back toward the door, then smiled faintly. "I'm supposed to be watching you, but someone's watching me too."
I leaned out and recognized the shorter of my polite captors. I nodded in understanding, but she denied that wasn't the point.
"He's my father," she explained calmly, but she felt a little embarrassed when she noticed a flaw in the seam of the vest. "He's making sure I don't find a mate yet, at least not from outside our tribe."
The news shocked me. I didn't know why I'd assumed dragon-people weren't capable of having families, but her father still didn't strike me as someone with much love to give in him.
"And it doesn't bother him that you're just a servant?" I wanted to continue our conversation as long as possible; it gave me a sense of relative normalcy. And I didn't know when I'd meet another person who didn't despise me and genuinely wanted to establish a good relationship with me.
"No, he's very proud of me. I was chosen as the only one from my tribe, and I'm the princess's favorite." She straightened as she spoke. "I don't have to do this my whole life, just five years, and then I can leave at any time. It's an honor to work at the castle."
"I understand," I nodded in appreciation, but another thought occurred to me. And the question that surprised me earlier. "Tell me, if a princess is a princess, then you probably also have a king or queen?"
Tifia would have gladly answered me, but she jumped at the sound of her father's voice. Besides, I reacted the same way; no wonder he was a respected one. He stated in a menacing tone that I for sure was ready and we should hurry
"What's your name, human?" she asked, handing me a pair of high-heeled leather boots.
"Kyo." It touched me that she even cared to know such basic information. And then her gesture, when she placed her hand on mine, literally for a split second, combined with her sad smile, moved me even more.
"It's a shame we can't be friends, but I hope we'll at least meet again someday, Kyo."
I watched her leave with sadness, only then realizing the qualitative difference between what she and the princess wore. I felt Tifia deserved something equally good, but I couldn't give her that. There was so much kindness in that girl that I almost forgot she wasn't human, and I wondered even more what she'd look like as a human. I sighed heavily as her charming father took me under his protection again.
As we headed to yet another room, I caught a glimpse of Tifia talking to someone, clearly preferring to stay out of sight. I also caught a few words: "princess," "dinner," and, most surprisingly, my name, but of course, I didn't notice who she'd revealed it to, because I was pulled by the arm with tremendous force. My meal was already waiting.
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