Hearing that, Alice felt as if someone was grabbing her by the neck, choking her until her very last breath. Lady Scarletborn next to her, barely an inch away from her face, had a large smile on her face, overwhelming her to the point where her hands began to shake. She clenched them, breathing through her nose quietly.

“What do you mean by that?” she stepped back. “What I think of her?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I just asked,” she crossed her arms, tilting her head in confusion “Can’t people make small talk anymore? You’re being really rude, you know!”

“I,” she struggled, unable to see a way to get out of this, “Well, she’s just another brat. I don’t see any reason why we’ve kept her here for so long. Letting her go already wouldn’t change anything.

“... Really?”

“Y-yes!”

The lady looked back at the dragon, still trying to break its way out, “Can’t say I disagree with you there. I would have gone through it differently myself, but we are after following the orders given by the emperor. So, what can you do?”

Alice was confused. “The emperor decided this?”

“I wasn’t expecting you to know. When the council got the report that she appeared in front of the prison unconscious. While the council suggested bringing her over to us, he decided that General Benedict and his guard should watch over her for an indefinite amount of time.

“I see.”

This doesn’t make any sense. Rue brought me there. Why? And why was I separated from mom? There’s something missing, but what? Maybe… hope this doesn't cause any suspicions.

“That’s all very confusing. Was she really brought here all alone?”

“Well, except for a letter signed anonymously, there was none else but her unconscious body covered in snow, although…”

“Hisss!”

Before she was able to finish, the dragon growled. Several steps were overheard by the entrance. The two women stood still as they watched several guards enter the place, and an elderly man wearing silver armor and a cape made of bright red fur, looking at them with a stern expression.

“Ah, General Benedict,” she bowed down, “We have been waiting for you!”

“My lady, where have you been? I told you to stay with the knight of-”

“Oh, don’t worry, he’s fine. I just needed to be sure that everything was well and ready before the ceremony started! I brought this young sir to watch over me, so I was in safe hands!”

“Graham? This is where you have been?”

“O-f course! Where did you think I was? Locked in a cell snoring through the entire day? Heh…”

They were all quiet to this attempt at a joke.

“Well, whatever the case. Soldier, don’t do tasks like this unprompted without permission from higher officials. As for this…”

They all look at the dragon, clenching it's teeth upon seeing the elderly man.

"Sir, I am astounded," Lady Scarletborn said, "That you have captured an actual dragon."

"It's still unbelievable. I couldn't believe it my eyes when I first saw it. I wish I was like the general." the guards gossiped amongst themselves.

"Oh please, it's just another military pet, nothing jaw dropping. He'll be back in that cage when we're finished with this. So don't pay it much attention."

I can't believe I've never seen it before for all the years I've been here. And all these guys knew about it too??? Since when was it here? And for how long...is it going to stay here?

The more he steps closer, the more enraged the dragon gets. It tried to shout through its tied down mouth, clawing through the sharp bars. Just as the elderly men appeared right in front of the cell, it had jump out, trying to claw through the man's face. Everyone else flinched, but he stood still.

“Oh, calm down, you pest,” he pulled out a small bottle, a gray substance inside it, “You should have gotten used to this already!”

As he opened it, a weird aroma began flowing through the air. Despite having no sort of smell to the people inside this large room, the same could not be said for the dragon. One sniff alone caused the small creature to change. Its eyes were half open as he suddenly dropped to the ground, almost fainting.

“That should be enough,” he opened the cell, immediately putting the leash on this now exhausted being.

“Good boy,” the general dragged it outside, “With this, we should now be able to start the ceremony! You may call upon the young lad Lady Scarletborn.”

“Of course, sir,” Lady Scarletborn clapped her hands, a cheery smile just like before, “I shall tell him to get ready fast! See you all there!”

“Good, soldiers! Come with me! We already wasted enough time as is with that one man, so get to it.”

“Yes sir!”

“...”

“All of you,” he looks at Alice in disguise, stunned by what she had just saw.

“Of course, sir” Alice followed along, her eyes unable to look away from the dragon as she felt like puking.

***

They arrive inside a large and elegant ballroom. The difference between it and the rest of the prison was so stark, it almost felt they entered a completely new place. The walls were covered in gold, windows showing off the shining sun and tall trees, were covered in all sorts of jewels. Despite the place’s grandeur, Alice, standing alongside other guards, only looked at the small now husk of a dragon.

“Stopping messing with me, pet!”

The general’s shout echoed through the entire room as he carried a wooden torch in his hand.

“Have you become deaf?” he pulled the leash so tightly the dragon whined, “Shoot out your flames this instant!”

The dragon, squeamish in his steps, split out the smallest of sparks, leading the torch to begin burning

“Finally, it wasn't so hard, was it?”

He proceeded to kick the dragon’s in its stomach, wincing without and strength to fight back.

Seeing all of that, Alice tightly gripped her own arms to restrain herself.

That guy… what’s wrong with him? It did just as you asked him to do and you still treat him like that! No, Alice, calm down. You can’t disclose your disguise at this moment. Be patient. Just wait till the ceremony ends, find Mister Miroslav and then… I’ll deal with him.

“Not that this is done with,” the general appeared before a group of maids, their pure white clothes covering everything other than their faces, “Spread this.”

The maids with torches in their hands all picked off the first’s flames, spreading across the walls of the room, holding the torches tightly against their chest

“Now,” he pointed out his sword towards his hive mind of guards, “It shall begin!”

One of the guards pulled out a trumpet, as they all began forming two straight rows in front of the golden entrance. Slowly opening, Lady Scarletborn reappeared, her hair now tied in a bun.

“It is my pleasure to announce that the time of the sunblaze ceremony has arrived,” she reached her hands to the sky, “And now, without further ado, come on in, Knight of Miracles!”

***

And that’s chapter 3!!! This took way longer that I’m willing to admit, not as long as Alice was imprisoned for though. Am I right??? (I'll see myself out with that one)

The rumored knight has finally arrived! What does Alice think of him? What’s the ceremony for? What about the dragon? Will Alice and Miroslav find each other? And will they finally have a chance to escape? Find out in two weeks, when chapter 4 starts! Thanks for reading and goodbye!