4. The Chilled Milk

Leila startled awake as a loud bang resounded from somewhere downstairs. She felt her heart jump from the sudden noise.

She quickly got to her feet, put on a plain cotton dress, then rushed out to the door. It had been three days since Leila returned to her aunt’s house. Unsurprisingly, not a single day had she ever got her peace back.

Just as Thorn told her, the house was completely emptied by her family; not even a single pot was left behind for her. Leila guessed that her aunt must be hiding somewhere far away from the capital now, and that she wouldn’t return until things cooled off. It was better this way though. She could rest for a few days and use that time to think about her future. Staying with her cruel family was the only thing she wanted to do now. But apparently, the prince couldn’t even let her have that.

Leila rushed downstairs and spotted a pile of black and blue fabric, ripped to shreds, at the end of the stairs. It was the third time she had found a pile like this, and they were clearly Thorn’s. Why did he always rip up his clothes? He didn’t look like the type to walk around naked. But for days, she had an unwavering feeling that had troubled her; she was unable to repress it. 

Leila had sensed that someone was in her room while she was sleeping, and she believed that person might be Thorn. But, as a matter of fact, Leila still didn’t know anything about the royal dragons. They rarely appeared before the public and hardly anyone knew anything about them, so Leila had no idea what he was up to. Leila held her suspicions in the back of her mind as she came to the ground floor.

Half a dozen workers carrying huge chests containing all kinds of things were moving in and out of the house, like a trail of ants building a nest. She went to the kitchen, which was undergoing a major overhaul, and finally found the source of the noise.

“Um… Hello?” Leila tapped on one of the worker’s shoulders. He was wielding a huge sledgehammer and slamming it into a non-bearing wall. “Excuse me?”

The man stopped swinging and looked down at her. His face was sweat-soaked, his eyes glassy.

“May I ask why you’re knocking the wall down?” Leila said politely.

“I don’t know. A guy paid me to do it. So I’m knocking it down,” the man answered matter-of-factly, “And I have five more to take care of. The clock’s ticking.”

He then turned away from Leila and picked up his hammer again. It seemed impossible to interfere with his determination to destroy her house. All Leila could do was get out of there to avoid losing her hearing.

Fortunately, she saw Ben walk in to count the chests. Just as she was about to ask about the renovations, she heard a familiar voice calling out her name from the front yard.

“Leila! Leila? Are you in?” The voice belonged to a healthy-looking young man, a grey dragon who lived across the street. He made his living by delivering milk to the citizens in the Grey Below.

“Hi Arthur!” Leila greeted the man, “How are you?”

“Same old.” The young man blushed. “I just got back from fetching some fresh milk in the Grey Above.” He pointed to a small carriage parked out on the narrow street. “It’s still chilled… I thought I’d give you some first.”

Arthur’s milk had been a lifesaver for Leila over the years. Often times, he would give her an extra bottle without letting her aunt know. She’d seriously doubted she would have survived without the nutrition.

“Thank you,” Leila smiled at him, “as always.” Her voice was quickly drowned out by another loud clang.

“Is the house being renovated?” Arthur raised his voice and stared at all of the workers coming in and out.

Leila didn’t know the answer to that question nor how to explain the situation. Instead, she said, “Let’s get the milk first.”

“Alright.” Arthur nodded and smiled back as they walked out together. “Where’s your aunt and uncle? Are you allowed to come out now?”

“That’s a long story… They’re not here,” Leila sighed, “But yes, I think it’s perfectly fine for me to come out now.”

Leila stepped through the front gate and glanced around. The street she had been living on all her life somehow looked foreign to her. It was a run-down street, with ramshackle houses strewn along it. The entire Grey Below was the rock bottom of King’s Harbor, like a long-ignored cellar. Its residents were the poorest in the kingdom as well. Even the knights rarely came to patrol, but when they did, they would always capture a few lawbreakers for stealing from the city’s other districts.

“Only the freshest of the freshest milk.” Arthur whipped off a thick layer of moistened straw and dozens of bottles of fresh chilled milk were revealed. “Take your pick!”

Leila smiled brightly and began to admire the carriage full of delicious, creamy liquid. But before she had the chance to choose, a group of wild neighbours gathered around.

“Arthur? What the hell do you think you’re doing, boy?” A toothless old woman yelled, “Why does she get the milk before I do? My house is before this one!” She glanced over at Leila, and discovered her strange appearance. “Oh for heavens sake! Who is this terrible looking girl?”

Another old woman with poor eyesight squinted at Leila while leaning heavily on her walking stick. “Never in my life have I encountered a mongrel! Are you living in this house? Where is that lovely family who lived here before? What have you done to them?!”

More curious neighbors with bad intentions ganged up on Leila.

Leila quailed behind the carriage. Arthur wanted to help her but was overwhelmed by criticism for not delivering the milk in the right order. After only a few short moments, everyone on the street had poked their heads out of their windows or came out to watch.

It wasn’t a wise choice to go out of the house after all. Leila retreated to the front yard as the crowd pressed in on her. Suddenly, she bumped into someone’s hard, naked chest and almost collapsed. She looked up and it was Thorn. He wrapped his arm around her waist and stopped her from falling just in time. Ben was at his side and handed him a new navy blue jacket. Why is he half naked again? Leila thought, And where did he come from? The house doesn’t even have a back door!

He gently pulled Leila behind him and faced the crowd. Everyone was shocked to see such a gorgeous man. Thorn put on his usual cold expression and looked over the crowd condescendingly.

“This house has been requisitioned by the Royal Garrison. No one is allowed to enter without proper permission,” Thorn announced in his iciest voice, “I advise you all to return to your houses and never talk about what you saw today, or punishment will certainly follow.”

As he uttered his last words, a squad of golden knights arrived at the door.

Like marbles rolling on a smooth floor, the crowd immediately dispersed, only leaving Arthur, who was holding a bottle of chilled milk. Thorn peeked at him without turning his head. “Ben?”

“Yes, my prince,” Ben responded.

“Pay the young man for the milk, then politely send him away.” Thorn finished his final order and entered the house.

Arthur never thought he would meet a prince. He gave the milk to Ben and wanted to say something to Leila, but found that he was speechless.

“Thank you, Arthur.” Leila was utterly shocked by what she had just heard and was desperate to ask Thorn what he meant by it. “I’ll see you around then!”

Arthur watched her walk away while scratching his head, dumbfounded and buried in disappointment at the loss of his first love.

Leila ran inside and looked around for Thorn, who was checking on the walls in the kitchen. He knew Leila was coming, but he didn’t want to acknowledge her.

“Um… Prince?” Leila asked loudly, in case he couldn’t hear her amidst all the noise, “Since when was this house requisitioned by the Royal Garrison? Why was I not informed?”

Thorn didn’t answer, moving to the other side of the kitchen to observe a broken wall.

“Please?” Leila pleaded.

Thorn looked at her briefly, then back at the wall. “Since now.”

“Then where will I stay?” Leila widened her eyes.

“Anywhere that pleases you.” Thorn nodded in approval at his men's handiwork, then walked back to the front yard. “From now on, a squadron of knights will patrol this street daily. This district also needs more security. I will come every day as well. As for you,” he slid his mysterious gaze back to Leila, “I hope you’ll try to understand something.”

Leila looked back at him, heart pounding.

“No matter where you intend to live your life, you won’t get away from me again.” Then, he walked out of the gate and left the house with Ben.

Leila’s cheeks were painted a rosy red. She was glad that Thorn didn’t see her face burning because of him. Even though her own suspicions about Thorn’s motivations, she still didn’t dare to ask him directly. As a crossbreed, she had no right to disobey a prince. But his constantly changing moods were seriously confusing her. The prince was clearly angry at her for some unknown reason again.

She walked upstairs and sat beside the window in her room while thinking about him. He had utterly enraptured her. Whenever she was near him, her heart would flutter uncontrollably. But at the same time, she had no idea what his actual intentions were, as his attitude and actions were not always in consistent.

Leaning against the window, she noticed a new scratch on the wooden frame. Shockingly, it wasn’t a regular scratch, but a deep, sunken pit, as if it was made by a monster’s claw. Leila shivered. Now, with every piece of evidence she had observed, she had come to an unbelievable conclusion. Thorn must have fled in through her window! She needed to prove it, and tonight was the perfect time.