(Zairyn POV)

My head still pounded by the time I reached some semblance of consciousness. But I couldn’t tell if it was because of… that weird episode thingy or the fact that the loudest rattling I had ever heard was right next to my ears. Flicking them in annoyance, I tried to call out for Katelynn.

“... Lynn…?” My voice was scratchy with sleep and disuse. I sounded like shit, but apparently, I was loud enough for someone to hear me.

“Holy shit. You’re awake,” a voice said. 

‘Not another voice in my head. Gods no, please.’

“Katelynn, he’s awake!” Katelynn? Why did this person know Katelynn?

It didn’t matter though, because the next thing I knew, Lynn’s arms were wrapped around my neck, and her shoulders were heaving in silent sobs. I rumbled in distress, trying to lift my head and lick her face in comfort, but my head was tied down.

Tied down? Wait, what the fuck?

My rumbles turned into growls as I grew more frantic, trying to escape the thick leather bonds that kept me still on a large wood palette.

“No no no, Zair, just calm down, calm down, let me explain,” my sister hurried to soothe. “You’re on a cart right now. We’re bringing you to the Alinvelle castle to help treat your wounds. But we had to restrain you because you’re coming into the kingdom under the guise of capture. The guard escorts were convinced to scout ahead by a few miles, but you still need to be careful and stay quiet, okay?”

“Captured…? Why are we going to the castle to patch me up? That’s… that’s where that kidnapper prince is, isn’t it?” I asked, still very confused. I heard snickers from my left, and I turned as much as I could to see a large man and a smaller woman trying very hard, and failing, to stifle their laughter. Another person didn’t even try to hide it.

“Oh, Gods. Congrats Ric, you’re the Kidnapper Prince now!” he -they?- said, doubling over. So they were Royals?

“Shut up Kalde, I didn’t kidnap her, I saved her from the Dra-” The boy cut off, glancing at me and wincing. “Uhm. Nevermind. Anyway, I never meant to leave that impression on you, Zairyn,” the Prince said to me. 

“How the fuck do you know my name?” I growled, trying to shift my tail around Katelynn for protection.

“Relax, I told them. These are the Royal siblings, Kieran, Jillan, and Ric. That is Kalde; they’re Jillan’s knight and lover.”

Princess Jillan smiled at me politely while Kalde waved, still wiping away tears from their laughing fit. Prince Kieran beamed at me, while Asshole Ric just shuffled his feet around, looking awkward as hell.

“Cool. Why do I need to know that? And why are we going to Alinvelle? We need to go home!” I tried telling Lynn again, pulling at my restraints to make a point.

She just looked at me sadly and reached down to pat my nose. “There are better healers at the castle, and I’m technically Ric’s fiance. Or wait- wife now, right? No, we still didn’t complete the Eternal Promises, we’re not married yet. But we will be. Either way, I can’t just up and leave now. It’d leave a bad impression. But I’m going to make sure you have a better life from now on.”

Wait. Wait wait wait wait! What is happening? Since when was she engaged? To a prince? Why? What did she mean ‘my life is going to be better now’? All these questions made my head pound again, and I could feel the migraine starting back up, but I could only come out with one question. “There are Dragon healers in a Human kingdom?” I asked weakly.

Katelynn pursed her lips and looked away, guilty. Kieran froze at this, and rubbed the back of his neck. “Technically, no. But I travel to the Mistlands often and I’ve seen their best healers treat their patients. I’ve never seen a Dragon, but I saw a Basilisk get stitches once? Besides, the castle will be more likely to have what we need instead of just a random first aid chest. Katelynn told me about your medicinal supplies, and I don’t think that’ll cut it for your wounds,” he explained. Lynn nodded in agreement.

I was still hung up on the part where I would not be getting professional, or even licensed treatment, but help from an untrained prince who has only seen a Basilisk get stitches. Once.

My body flinched and shook in instinctual fear for my life, and at this point I gave up on trying to listen to my sister. I just wanted to get away from these lunatic Royals.

“Zair, stop, please. Listen, I know it’s not ideal-”

“It’s really fuckin’ far from ideal Lynn!”

“I know it’s not ideal, but it’s the best we can do. Do you even realize how bad your injuries are? The one on your leg is infected, and you were out with a cold for days! You need to at least get your body temperature up and the cuts closed; we just barely got them to stop bleeding an hour ago!” Her scolding tone disappeared into one laced with worry and fear, and I realized just how much she had worried about me. It wasn’t fair of me to fight this when all they wanted to do was help, despite one of them having kidnapped my sister and the other wanted to patch me up with no medical experience.

“Fine,” I huffed, slowly laying back down on the pallet and sighing in resignation. If going to the castle would make her happy, then I’ll do it. But I won’t enjoy it, and as soon as I’m done getting fixed up, we’re going home. And this fucking Ric person sure as hell wouldn’t get the chance to marry my sister.

Lynn thanked me, then moved to walk alongside Kalde and Princess Jillan. Prince Kieran went back to guiding the horses that were pulling the cart I lay on. I tried to settle down and get comfortable since a bunch of wood planks wasn’t exactly soft. But I caught the youngest prince, Ric, staring at me. And not very discreetly either.

I lifted my lips in a warning, showing off my sharpest fangs. “The fuck’re you looking at!”

He quickly yelled ‘nothing’, and looked down, shuffling a bit further from the cart and away from my mouth.

But then he started staring again. ‘This asshole…’

He was looking at my tail this time, flicking in annoyance and anxiety. The underside of my tail, which I used to iron out pieces of metal, was a slightly darker shade than the rest of my underside, and much rougher, filled with years worth of calluses and burns.

The intensity that he was focusing on my tail with made me self-conscious and pissed off.

“Oh my Gods, what?!” I finally snapped.

“Huh?” he said, seemingly surprised that I caught him staring.

“Why are you staring at me like a creep?”

“I’m not!” he said loudly, sounding indignant.

“Yes, you are! You keep looking at my tail. You trying to burn holes in me or something?”

“No…” It seemed like he had something else to say, maybe to try and explain why he was being so weird. I raised an eyebrow, a silent ‘go on’. He hummed, then started explaining himself.

“Your tail… the bottom of it looks different. Like it was hurt? I was just wondering what happened,” he admitted quietly.

“I’m a metalworker. But there are no tools large enough for me to use. So I use my tail to shape the metal. They’re burns and calluses. Happy? Now stop looking and leave me alone.” I turned my head the other way to stop all further conversation. Tucking my tail into my body as far as it could go, I closed my eyes.

With my eyes closed I could focus on my other senses much more. I heard the breathing of the Humans around me, the quiet snorting of the Horses. I could feel the vibrations from the cart, and smell the forest path around us. Focusing even more on my sense of smell, I honed in on the distinct scents of everyone. Every person had their own scent; different combinations of different things. I picked up the unmistakable smell of ‘home’ and warm soup that Katelynn had, the softer smell of grass and stone from Princess Jillan, the thick sweat-and-sugar odor from Prince Kieran. Kalde smelled lightly of metal, Princess Jillan, and cherries. Ric smelled of… 

‘Cinnamon, apples, pine trees’

He smelled good. Which was creepy to think about, but it was a really nice scent. Never smelled anything like it. Except for Mom and Da’s apple pies. Those were amazing. I missed that scent so much…

Before I knew it I was trying to lean closer to the warm and comforting smell. And I would have gotten even closer if I didn’t start smelling the surprise, confusion, fear, and happiness mixed in with the cinnamon. I opened my eyes and noticed how close I’d gotten to Ric’s stomach.

“Uhh…” he hummed awkwardly, and I shot my head back from where it was straining against the leather with the Dragon equivalent of a squeak.

That was weird. That was really weird. He smells nice, yeah, but that was creepy! 

‘You don’t just go and smell someone,’ I internally chastised myself. It was just because I was so tired… That’s why it’s been so hard to control myself lately. I just needed to get some food, some sleep, and get some stitches, then I’ll be fine.

‘Yeah, I just need to recover…’ I laid my head back down and tried to fall asleep.