Chapter 5

Human's Kingdom

I always like to watch her as she eats. She enjoys her food every time. It devours it in only a few minutes.

I look at her, and I do not believe that such a creature would radically change the facts of my life, my feelings, and in general of our whole existence, dragons and humans.

We, humans and dragons have always been on opposing sides. Supposedly, we hate each other. It is our destination, our rule. And yet I, without wishing, go against this rule by adoring this creature.

I remember I was fourteen years old when my nanny, with my parents' consent first, told me about her existence and took me to see Libelle for the first time. She explained to me that shortly after he had taken care of me, she found Libelle in the forest alone by not knowing where she was going and what she was doing. My nanny, Aida, seeing her so vulnerable and all alone, approached her gently, without frightening her, and finally realized that she could not fly. Libelle was very young then, and as Aida explained to me, she was much smaller than she is now, and she could easily assess her health. She found out that something was wrong with her wings and that her parents had probably abandoned her to her fate. They considered her as a useless dragon since she could not fly. This by itself and by the parents themselves is tragic. When I first heard this, my eyes filled with tears, and my heart broke for this blatant injustice.

Aida found a cave nearby and led her there, wishing that when she would return to her, she would find her in the cave she had left her. And honest, when she returned to the cave with food and water, she found her there. So, for the first time, this was happening. Aida was going every day to get her food and water. When Libelle trusted her enough, she began to follow her. But no one knew of her existence except Aida.

So, because she did not want to leave her as her parents did, she decided to talk to my father first, get his permission to bring her to the castle. She did not want to do anything in secret. And, of course, a dragon is not something easy to hide. My father agreed, with a bit of persuasion from my mother. The truth is from what I learned later. So, since then, Libelle has lived here in the castle with us, accepted by all.

Aida has been monitoring her wings' condition ever since, and she is applying them as an herbal treatment. It took some years for her disease to improve, and I sincerely admire Aida's patience and perseverance over the years in applying the treatment daily. If was someone else in her place, he might have given up by now. I am delighted that Aida did not give up because she told me that Libelle would fly and soon. It was the best news I had ever heard!

When she finishes her meal, she approaches me, putting her head in my hand. It is a sign that she wants me to caress her. And I do. I start stroking her from the face and move to her neck. Her skin is covered with scales. I feel them hard under my handful, but at the same time so soft. They may become harder and harder over the years. I do not know for sure.

 I have understood that when I touch her wings, she gets a little upset about it, and I learned not to do it. It may feel a little uncomfortable due to the condition of the wings. I'm not sure. She rubs her head on my body, making a sound that reminds me a bit of a purring cat. I laugh because I feel tickled. When Libelle hears me laughing, she rubs her head harder on me, making me realize that Libelle knows why I laugh. I have learned that over time it becomes more and more intelligent.

It is exciting to know a dragon from a young age and watch its evolution so closely and the stable state, which is now her home. It has grown enough too to fit Libelle comfortably inside it.

The sun has started to set, and I have to leave. My heart always tears when I have to leave. I can understand that she feels depressed every time I have to go, and I always assure her that I will come back the next day. I kiss her on the head.

"This is from my mother," I tell her and kiss her again. "This is from me. I love you. So much.  Sleep sweetly. I will see you tomorrow ".

I take the wheelbarrow, empty now, and leave the stable, closing the door behind me. I walk to the kitchen. When I reach out of the door, one of the stablemen comes and takes the barrow from my hands. He will take it for washing from the remnants of cooked meat. Especially now that the weather has started to warm up, it must be cleaned thoroughly. I do not risk Libelle eating a damaged piece of meat.

I go into the kitchen, and Aida is there. I approach her.

"Everything good?" she asks me first.

"Yes, everything is fine. Aida?»

"Yes, my child," she tells me and looks at me intently.

"Will you come to my room when I go to bed? I need something from you."

"Of course, Edith. I'll come"

"Very well. I'll wait. Is there any piece of the desert left? "I ask her, and she smiles.

"Of course," she tells me and puts a piece on a plate.

"A little more?" I ask her looking at her like a puppy. I hear her laughing.

"Absolutely," she says and cuts me another piece, bigger than the previous one, and she puts it on the plate too and offers it to me.

"I remind you that in an hour and a half, dinner will be served." She tells me.

"I will eat dinner too," I tell her, and I start walking towards the exit of the kitchen that leads to the inside of the castle.

Behind me, I hear her laughing, and I smile. I know she has the same question that everyone has. Where do I put so much food?

As I walk towards the small living room where my parents usually sit and read, I put a big bite in my mouth. Nobody sees me now, neither me nor my non-princely ways. So I can eat like a pig and not like a princess.

By the time I get to the living room, steps' slow pace, I have already emptied half of the plate.

I show up at the door, and my parents are there. My father remains absorbed in his book while my mother raises her head and looks at me. Her gaze falls once on the half-empty plate, one on my full mouth, and she sighs. But I can see that she is trying to hide a smile.

"If you continue like that until the ball, you will not fit in any gown," she tells me teasingly. She knows full well that this is impossible. All I do is smile at her.

"Do not worry, Estella. Tomorrow your daughter and I will practice together in fencing," I hear my father say, and my plate almost falls out of my hand of surprise.

This pleasant surprise!