《Dragon Ship》


 Chapter 1

    "Morthia, Morthia. Please wake up." Tina, her little sister whined. "Morthia, I am hungry." Morthia sighed loudly.


    "Tina how old are you?" Morthia asked, not even opening her eyes. "Thirteen, so are Andrea and MJ. And do you see them here in my room. Do you hear them whine like a toddler? No you don''t, you know why?" Tina didn''t give her an answer. "Because they have opened the fridge and have seen the breakfast I prepared last night." Morthia knew that she was walking on thin ice, because if their father heard her talking like that to one of his children. But Tina was old enough to heat up a meal in the microwave. But she always talked to a dragon steel wall, when she talked to him. All she wanted was to sleep in, for one day of the year.


    "I will tell daddy." Tina said. Morthia sighed, well that was great, her little sister was a brat.


    "Ask Andrea to warm your plate up, Tina. All I asked is for one day to sleep in." Morthia said. "And thanks to you, I have to wait a whole year for that moment to arrive again." She pushed off her sheets and stood up. "I am going to take a shower and I will see you downstairs."


    "Morthia!" There he was, her stepfather. He came into her room. "How dare you, talk to my child in that way." Morthia sighed and rolled with her eyes.


    "Micheal, she is not a baby. She is thirteen, there is breakfast in the fridge, the only thing that she needs to do is take it out and heat it up. Or ask the other thirteen-year-olds, to do it for her." She said, moving with her hand. "Which they can, because they are not here." She said. Micheal looked around and sighed.


    "You have only one job." He said.


    "And I did, last night. I cooked breakfast, and all I am asking is to sleep in. You agreed that I get to do that one day of the year. That day is here, but instead of sleeping, I am being woken up and arguing with you. So Tina, please go downstairs, ask one of the others to heat up your breakfast. I will be there is ten minutes, and no Micheal, I do not want too ague with you about this! I am tired, you promised my mother that you would take care of me. You are not taking care of me, instead I take care of you and the kids." She said, while walking away. "I cook, clean the house, take care of the small garden, I watch the little brats, although they are the same age when I started to do all of these things. So in my opinion, they could take some of the workload off me. But no, they are not and do not tell me that this is for my own good. I can''t see why this is for my own good, I never leave the house. I never have time to even read a book for dragon''s sake."


    "Morthia I am warning you." Micheal said.


    "That is all you do, but go on. Go to work, I am up now and will go to work as soon as I have my shower." Morthia replied. She turned around and walked into her own bathroom, hating the fact that this was her life. She has taken care of everything, ever since her mother died. Back then, she was a child herself and now she was twenty-seven and still took care of everything. She got herself undressed and stepped in the cabin, pushed on the button, and water slammed against her body from all sides. This only took two minutes, and then a warm red light filled the room. Drying her up, she knew that this might not be the latest form of Dragonfire technology, but it came close. Sometimes she wondered how a simple mine worker like her stepfather was able to afford this, but in times like these she was glad that she was able to use it. This was a moment for herself and she treasured every second of it. The red light faded and the program was done, it was time for her to get dressed and brush her fire red hair. She sighed, grabbed the clothing out of the cabinet. A gray t-shirt with a gray skirt that reached her ankles. The same old clothes she wore every day, what wouldn''t she give to wear something else for a change. But Micheal couldn''t afford new clothing, not for her and not for the triplets. She brushed her hair and tight it up in a simple braid. Micheal was already gone when she came downstairs, Tina was sitting at the table with her plate in front of her. Andrea smiled at Morthia, she was the only one of the triplets with red hair. But she had her father''s hazel eyes, Tina and MJ were exact copies of their father. And Morthia, she looked like a younger version of her mother.


    "Good morning, Morthia. I am so sorry about Tina. I offered to warm her plate up, but she wanted you to do it." Andrea said, Morthia opened the fridge and took out her own plate, placed it in the microwave.


    "It is not your fault, Andrea. But there are some things going to change around here. And I do not care if your father agrees with it or not. You three are going to help me in and around the house. Tina and Andrea, you two are going to do the laundry and MJ, you are going to help me in the garden." Morthia said. MJ and Tina started to moan. "He, he listen. I do not have the energy to argue with you. You all can thank Tina for that. But I want to be able to read one of mom''s novels today, before I need to start dinner." Andrea nodded.


    "Can I help you with dinner?" She asked. And Morthia gave her a smile. At least one of them was not acting like a spoiled brat, she blamed Micheal for the behavior of the other two.


    "Of course you can." Morthia replied. The microwave beeped and her breakfast was ready.


    *******


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    Tina and MJ complained as if their lives depended on it, but they still did their part of the chores, and Morthia had finally time to sit down and ready a book. It was something she wanted to do for years, but with all the work she needed to do. There was simply not enough time for it. Andrea came to her when it was time to start dinner, which was almost done when Micheal came home.


    "Smells good. " He said, he nodded towards her as a greeting. But his attitude changed when he saw Andrea. "Why is she here?"


    "She is helping me. I put them to work today." Morthia said, Micheal was about to say something. "How old was I when I started to do all of this? Yes, they are children and you didn''t have another option. But they are now old enough to help with a few simple chores, and Andrea offered to help me inside the kitchen." Micheal looked at Andrea.


    "Is this true?" He asked her, and she nodded.


    "I wanted to help Morthia, so that she could sit down and read. Tina and MJ will complain to you about all the ''hard'' work they needed to do." Andrea said. "Which in Tina''s case was putting the laundry inside the machine and afterwards placing it in the respective cabinet. In MJ''s case getting rid of some weeds and watering the garden. I helped Morthia with cleaning the rest of the house, which was done in no time." Micheal looked from her to Morthia and back. "Dad, we are indeed old enough to help out. Morthia desiverce to sit down and read."


    "You two are indeed two peas in a pot." He said with a sigh. Andrea simply shrugged.


    "I am just stating a fact." She replied, turned around and grabbed the stack of plates. And left the kitchen with them, leaving Micheal and Morthia behind.


    "Which book did you read?" He asked.


    "Summer star." She replied, while grabbing the pan. "Mom loved that book, and I now know why." Micheal nodded, and left her alone. She thanked Andrea silently for her werds, her little sister had her back and that was good to know. Tina and MJ indeed complained about the work during dinner. "Good to know that you two found it so hard, after dinner MJ is going to fill the dishwasher and Tina is emptying it." She said and looked at Micheal. "It is only fair, Andrea helped with prepairing dinner." Actually she wanted to get back to her book.


    "I am not going to do that, that is your job." Tina said. "Am I right daddy?" She asked. But her father shook his head.


    "It was her job, your sister is right. The three of you are old enough to help with this kind of things." He said, MJ and Tina looked shocked at him. "And I do not want to hear about how unfair this all is. Your sister has being doing these task for years now, and that is unfair on her. Besides that, tomorrow you will have simple bread for breakfast, because your sister gets to sleep in. And I do not want to hear that someone gets to ruin it for her again." Morthia didn''t know what to believe, but she was glad that he was about to turn around. Which was a huge relief. She gave him a smile and whispered a thank-you. After dinner, MJ placed the dishes in the dishwasher and Morthia went upstairs to her room. Which was filled with bookshelves, which in turn were filled with books. Her mother had left her with a nice collection, and Micheal had added some more after she passed. She packed up the book that lay on her bed and started reading. Suddenly, her door slammed open and the triplets entered the room. She looked up, all of them looked shocked. She closed her book.


    "Dad said that we need to hide here." Andrea said. A hard sound came from downstairs, loud voices filled the place. She stood up and motioned the children to come to her. She stood up and they gathered behind her on the bed. Just in time because a man in dragon guard armor entered her room. She spread her arms to make herself bigger than she was, not that it would matter if he shot her with his Dragonfire gun.


    "Princess Brialea?" The man said.


    "No, no, leave them alone, they are just children!" Micheal''s voice echoed through the house. "Leave them be." Morthia didn''t know why the dragon guard, the army force of the Empire, was here onValeron the smallest moon inside the Empire, better yet why they were inside her house. But Micheal knew why and he was begging them to leave her and the triplets be. But the soldier in front of her just said princess Brialea which made no sense, her mother was no princess. Tina started to tear up, Morthia couldn''t turn around and comfort her. She was the only thing standing between them and the soldier.


    "General Derock, you have to see this." The soldier said. Morthia could hear Micheal scream and beg, but it did nothing because the general still entered her room.


    "Ahh, princess Brialea, we finally found you." The older man said. He had long gray hair, but his blue eyes were clear. Morthia shook her head.


    "I am not the princess, I am Morthia." She said. "Please, leave me and my siblings alone. We have done nothing wrong." The general started to laugh.


    "Do you really think that I was born yesterday, you grace. We have grown up together..." The general said.


    "Um father." A young man with also blue eyes appeared behind the general.


    "Stop calling me that, when we are on duty. Captain." General snapped at his son, who didn''t seemed bother by it. He shrugged it off and then nodded towards Morthia.


    "I think she is speaking the truth. If she was the princess, you might ask her which kind of dragonfire tech she is using." The captain said. "This girl those not look older then eightteen."


    "I am twenty seven." Morthia shot back. The captain raised his hands as if he surrendured. The general nodded slowly.


    "But that those not explain why she looks like the princess." The general said.


    "People say that I look like a younger you, all the time. How difficult can it be to say that this is her daughter." The captain said with a sigh. He now looked at Morthia. "Are you Princess Brialea''s daughter?"


    "No, Derock. It is me that you want, leave my children out of it." Micheal entered the room, interupting her. "They have nothing to do with my betrayel. My oldest is twenty seven and she can take care of the younger once. So there is no need to bring them along." Micheal was afraid, why was he so afraid.


    "Your time of giving me orders are long over, Micheal. You made that desision twenty seven years ago." General Derock replied. "Where is the princess?"


    "She passed away. Some time ago." Micheal replied, defeated. "Her grave is behind the house." Morthia looked shocked, so her mother was a princess? "But please, I promised her to keep the children safe."


    "You shouldn''t made any promises." General Derock said. "Take those children. I want to leave this Moonlover''s paradise."

 Chapter 2

    Morthia didn''t know what to make of this.


    "Wait, where are we going?" She asked. "Are we even allowed to pack some of our stuff." She wanted at least to bring some books along. They all had the empires'' seal so they were not illegal. And the triplets might want to pack some stuffed animals. But the general shook his head.


    "No time to waste. We are leaving, now." He said. She quickly grabbed the book that was laying on her bed. The soldier who entered her room first stepped forward and grabbed her by the arm. He started to drag her, and she knew better than to fight against him. The triplets followed, but shot inside their rooms to grab something. Andrea her dairy, Tina and MJ, one of their fast collection of stuffed animals.


    "Wait, captain." She said when they entered the living room and she spotted the last picture of her mother. It was taken a few days before her death, with the inter family. The soldier who had dragged her off the stairs stopped. "That photo." She pointed at it. "Please, it is all we have left of her." The captain grabbed it and looked at it.


    "One happy family." He whispered, before giving her the frame. "I understand why you want to keep it." She nodded and hold it tight against her chest, together with the book. After this small interruption, the soldier started to drag her again. This time he wouldn''t stop until she was inside a space shuttle, this was the first time she had seen one from up close. She had seen them high in the sky, taking the dragon steel to the Dragonship. Wait a second, were they going towards the Dragonship? The general hadn''t answered her question. So that was still in the realm of possibility, she didn''t dare to ask the soldier who dragged her in here. And she did not see the captain who was so nice to her and her siblings inside the house. But he would be back, she hoped that he would be back. Tina and MJ were now clinging to her. Andrea was standing be herself, but she was still in an arm''s reach. That was right then that she decided to be stronger, and not to show that she was afraid as well. She strengthened her back and raised her chin up. The soldier noticed the change inside her stance, and let go of her.


    "Now you look just like her. The princess, I mean." He said. "Right before she bailed." She wanted to ask what he meant by that, but he turned away from her. The door of the shuttle closed and the whole thing started to move.


    "Lets sit down." She said to her siblings, and they did.


    "Where are we going?" Tina asked, with a small voice. There was no trace of the spoiled brat, from a couple of hours ago. The one that refused to clean out the dishwasher. But Morthia shook her head, she didn''t know either. But she was afraid that her voice would betray her fear. She took her book and opened it on the page she was at. But the dragon knows that she was not able to read one page during this flight. Still, it calmed the siblings somewhat. A door opened, and the captain came in with some drinks.


    "Space, can be a dry place. So you need to drink." He said, and he passed down the drinks.


    "Thank you." Morthia said, and the siblings followed her example. She took a sip, of the water. It was simple water, and still it was welcome.


    "Mister, where is our father?" Andrea asked. Her voice was rather soft and was almost was not audible, above the sound of the shuttle.


    "Your father is on a different ship..." The captain said.


    "This is Andrea, the others are Micheal Junior, better known as MJ and Tina." Morthia said. "And I am Morthia." She added. He nodded slowly, then repeated the names one by one while pointing at them. When he came to her name, he stopped for a second, smiled a huge grin.


    "Morthia." He said. "I am Dryak, and my father is General Derock. Who is currently with your father."


    "He is not mine father, he is their father. Not mine." Morthia said. "I do not know who my father is, I never met him." Dryak looked shocked.


    "You said that you are twenty-seven. Your mother run away twenty-seven years ago, so it can be that she was already pregnant." Dryak said. Morthia shrugged, that was indeed a possibility. But that did not tell her who her father was. She did not know anything about the Dragonship, only that it was the largest ship in the fleet and that it was home of the Dragon King and the Dragonship court. Dryak looked at her. "You indeed look so much like her pictures. I did not know her personally, of course. I was not even born when she ran away. But I have seen pictures of her, she was quite beautiful." Morthia looked at the photo on her lap. She was indeed beautiful and so full of fire, even when she became sick. Refusing to give up until the very end, it had broken Morthia''s heart to see her so weak and broken when she finally gave up the fight. "You are missing her." It was not a question, it was an observation. Morthia nodded.


    "I was ten when she passed, they were five." Morthia pointed toward the triplets. "I have taken over, when she passed away. Cooking, cleaning and such. But I was never able to replace her." She sighed and pinked a tear out of the corner of her eye. "She was our mom." He nodded and took her hand.


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    "I am so sorry. I can tell it still hurts." He said, and now it was her time to nod. He knew how she felt, maybe his mother, or a close relative passed away too. But she was not going to ask him about it. She placed her head against the wall, and closed her eyes.


    ******


    She didn''t know how long she had slept, but he shook her awake, softly. He placed a finger on his lips and then pointed at the siblings who were fast asleep. It was an adorable sight to see, Tina and MJ were clutching their stuffed animals and Andrea was holding them both. Morthia wished that they had time to pack some more stuff, then she would have got Andrea a stuffed animal, just like the others. But that was wishful thinking and that never came true.


    "Morthia, we are almost there. I need to warn you. People will stare at you, I do not need to explain why." His voice was barely louder than the sound of the engine, but she was still able to hear him.


    "Is that because of my mother?" She asked, and he nodded. "Was she so important?" He sighed. "Sorry, my mother never told me and my siblings and I didn''t go to school. I believe the reason behind that, is hidden in your answer." He nodded.


    "That makes sense, I do believe that she ran away for a reason and now only Micheal knows why. But I am not allowed to speak to him, my father is afraid that he will cloud my mind." Drayk said, maybe his father also knew the reason why her mother ran. But chooses to ignore the truth. "All I know is that she ran, and I believe she was pregnant with you at the time. Which makes you not only her daughter, but also the daughter of prince Carlos, the Dragon King himself." He said. "And I do not doubt that my father has come to the same conclusion." She nodded, but she didn''t dare to think about what this all meant. The mystery of her father might be solved in a short manner of time and she didn''t know how to feel about that. Her father might be the Dragon King, but that would make her royalty. She sighed and looked at her siblings. They were also her mother''s children, what will happen to them.


    "Captain, promise me one thing. No matter what happens, make sure that my brother and sisters are safe. My mother asked my stepfather the same thing before she passed and I believe that if your theory is correct that she ran because I was in danger." She said and he nodded.


    "I can only promise that I try." He said and she nodded. Knowing that he promised all that he could give her.


    "Thank you." She said, and a tear ran over her cheek. His hand shot forward and pinked the tear away. "I am sorry about that. It is just..."


    "You are scared and now that your siblings are a sleep, you are able to show it." He said and she gave him a thin smile. He saw right through her and he didn''t even know her, so maybe she was not fooling anybody not even her siblings. She sighed, and looked him straight in his blue eyes.


    "I am told that the Dragon guard is part of the Dragonship court, so if I am the daughter of prince Carlos, then I need to know all about the ins and outs. What to say and what not to say, how to act. Can you help me with that?" She asked and he wiggled with his head.


    "I can, but there is a lot of ground to cover." He replied. She nodded, she expected that much.


    "Then teach me the bare minimum, to start things off." She said and he started to tell her all she needed to know for now. How to act, what to say when spoken too. He even showed her how to stand and how to bow.


    "If you are the daughter of the Dragon King, then you only need to bow to him. And for no one else." He pointed out, she sighed even the bare minimum was a lot. But she was willing to do her best, they can''t ask more of her, can they. She was born and raised on a moon, and she knew the slur that was used to people that were, Moonlovers. In other words slaves, because they were slaves. Slaves that went into the mines to collect Dragonsteel and Dragonfire crystals for Dragonfire technology. They got paid the bare minimum and their houses were more like shacks on a piece of rock. "Morthia, do not worry about it." He brought her back to the here and now. He looked up. "Time to wake the little ones, we have arrived." He stood and walked toward Andrea. While she took care of Tina and MJ.


    "We are here." She said. She motioned Andrea to come to her. "Now listen to me. I do not know what will happen when we get there, but promise me one thing. Be on your best behavior do not act like spoiled brats." They nodded and she sighed. Wrapping her arms around them for an embrace.


    "But Morthia, if mommy was a princess. That would make us royalty too, right?" Tina asked. Morthia sighed.


    "I wish that it was that simple, brat. But I am afraid that it is not that simple." Morthia replied. Tina nodded as she understand what Morthia tried to say, which is surprising because she didn''t know herself. "Mom told use that we needed to brave. Do you all remember?" This was a lie, her mother didn''t want the triplets to see her in such a state. But they nodded anyway. "Well let use be brave." Drayk gave her a sign that they had arrived and she stood up and took her sisters hands. MJ stood close behind her and she swallowed. The doors of the shuttle opened and they were faced with a large crowed. Some of them were in fancy clothing, others were wearing a dragon guard uniform. And all of them looked at her, she could see some of them whispering her mother''s name. Drayk motioned her to move and she did, with her head held high and her siblings in toe. One man stood in the middle of the crowed and his face was the only face she knew. The Dragon King, prince Carlos and most likely her father. She stopped infront of him and bowed, like Drayk had showed her.


    "My king." She said, and rose up. He looked at her and hummed.


    "You look so much like your mother when she was younger." He said, soft and calmly. "How old are you, girl?"


    "Twenty-seven, my king." She replied. He nodded and touched his unshaven chin, his brown eyes took her in for a second time. If he was her father then she had nothing from him.


    "What is your name?" He asked, and she told him. "Morthia, this is not a name I would choose. But it was your mother''s grandmother''s name, so it make sense." He then looked at the triplets. "Let me guess, this is Micheals spawn?"


    "They are indeed, my king." Drayk replied instead of her. "But they are also princess Brialea''s children. The girl with the black hair is Tina, the boy is MJ and the girl with the red hair is Andrea." Prince Carlos nodded again.


    "I see, well bring them to the palace and we will see what we will do with them there." He said and diseapered into nothing. Drayk leaned towards her.


    "Prince Carlos barely leaves the palace, so we were talking to an hologram." He explained. She nodded, not surprised that it seemed so real.


    "The things we can do with Dragonfire Technology."

 Chapter 3

    Morthia was not able to see much from the city inside the ship, because they were transported in a shuttle with blinded windows. For her own safety, at least that what Drayk told her. She didn''t know if this was true or not, she knew that he was nice to her and her siblings and for now that was all she needed to know. The shuttle stopped, and the doors opened, the first one she saw was Drayk. He reached out a hand to her and she took it. He helped her and her sisters out of the shuttle.


    "I brought all your belonging to the palace." He whispered in her ear, she nodded. Glad that he had noticed them, because she had forgotten them. She looked around and they were inside a closed off building, the doors on either side were closed and it was filled with military personnel. And an older man that was dressed in fancy clothes.


    "Miss and children, please follow me." The man said, without an inch of joy. "I can take it from her captain, the Dragon king and your father are waiting for you." Drayk nodded.


    "Thank you for pointing it out, mister Crux. I will leave them in your capable hands." Drayk said and he bowed towards Morthia. "I think we will meet again, rather soon too." She bowed her head slightly and he took his leave.


    "That unwashed trash panda." Mister Crux muttered under his breath. "No ounce of respect, and he is only were he is now because of his father." Mister Crux clearly didn''t like Drayk, and Morthia didn''t know why that was the case and she really didn''t want to know that either. Mister Crux composed himself and brought his focus back on the triplets and her. "Like I said, follow me." She nodded and they entered the palace. The whole building was made from Dragonsteel and the lights were simple Dragonfire Crystals. It was cold, and dark. No carpets on the floor, no art on the walls. The staff rushed around, they didn''t even stop to look who was passing them. "The three children will share a bedroom, miss. But you have a bedroom of your own. I have brought some of your mother''s old clothing to that room. You can select what you want to wear for now, but a dressmaker will come for you all tomorrow." He pointed to one door. "The children are being watched by madam Charlo." The door opened, and an older woman appeared in the door opening.


    "There they are, miss do not worry I will take care of them." Madam Charlo said, Morthia nodded.


    "Thank you madam. Guys introduce yourselves." Morthia said, and the triplets did with a slight hesitation.


    "How lovely to meet you, well come in. There is a shower waiting for you and then some comfortable beds." The woman said, the triplets followed her in the room. Morthia was not sure how to feel about this. Madam Charlo seems to be a nice person, but she didn''t know her.


    "Miss, you do not have to worry about those children." Mister Crux said.


    "Those children are, my brother and sisters. Mister Crux, I have taken care of them from the moment my mother died. Of course, I would worry about them." She said. He bowed his head slightly.


    "I am sorry that I offended you, miss. But let''s get a move on. The Dragon King is expecting you inside the throne room and I hate to keep him waiting." Mister Crux said. "I am getting too old for this. She might be the daughter of the princess, but deep down she is still a Moonlover." He muttered under his breath. But she still heard him loud and clear. She wanted to trow some chosen words in his face, but she didn''t do it. Drayk had told her that this would happen and of course she herself already knew that. He started to walk away and she followed him, until he stopped by a door. "Your room, miss." Her bedroom seemed to be miles away, from the triplets room. He opened the door and let her enter. It was large, but still dark and cold like the hallways. There was no carpet on the floor, no art on the walls. There was a large bed, a wardrobe, and a door that probably led to the bathroom. She opened it and indeed it was the bathroom, with a shower and toilet. A vanity mirror that told the time, and could be used as a touch screen for some reason she has yet to discover. She sighed and undressed herself and jumped under the shower. It was a later model then the one she had at home. So she pushed the buttons, to select a program, one other than her morning shower program. The jets were much softer and contained soap, hair products. The red light not only made sure that she was dry, it also got rid of some unwanted hairs. It took some time, but she knew that it was worth it. She got out and wanted to grab her dirty clothing, but they were already gone. She looked around the room, but she saw nobody. That was strange, it could be a robot who was programmed to pick up laundry. She grabbed a bathrobe and put that on instead. It was only for a short period of time. Mister Crux has told her that he had filled the wardrobe with her mother''s old clothing, and that she was free to choose whatever. She wanted to open the wardrobe, but the door did not butch. That is when she noticed the touchscreen, she touched it and a light blue light started to shine upon her. Which lasted only for a second, then the door of the wardrobe showed her own image. With a complete outfit, she shook her head, another piece of Dragonfire Tech. She used the touch screen to scroll to the outfits, her mother had beautiful clothing. One dress was even more breathtaking than the other. She finally settled on a dark blue dress, with golden accents. The door swung open, and the outfit was handed to her, crazy technology. It didn''t take long to get dressed, and she was not at all surprised how nice it fitted. She was indeed her mother''s daughter, she now turned around and walked over to the vanity mirror in the bathroom. Her hair was still in that make shift braid, quickly she untangled it. That is when the touchscreen on the mirror started to light up. A picture of a hairbrush became visible, she touched in and a drawer inside the mirror slide open. There was a brush inside it, she took it out and brushed her hair with it. Her mother always loved when her hair had the natural waves, right after she got it out of a braid and so did she. There was a knock on her door, and she placed the brush back in the drawer. Mister Crux stood in front of her door. "I see that you menaced to get changed. I hope that the level of Dragonfire Tech was not too advanced for you."


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    "No it was not." She said. "As you can see, but thank you for your concern." He looked at her again.


    "You clearly didn''t find the jewels." He said. She shrugged.


    "You said nothing about jewelry so I didn''t look for them." She replied, he walked past her to the wardrobe and pushed a button on the touchscreen. It now showed her all the pieces of jewelry. "Wow, I really wouldn''t have found that on my own." She said and started to scroll through the items. "Were all of these, my mother''s?" She asked, he nodded. And she let her hand hang on a simple set.


    "This was her favorite set." He said. "She wore this all the time." It was a simple neckless with a blue crystal, a matching set of earning and a tiara. She selected it and the door opened for a second time. This time it gave her the jewels, she put the earnings in, and hung the neckless around her neck. Mister Crux was so kind enough to help her with the tiara, and this time without muttering insults.


    "Do you think that the tiara is not a bit too much?" She asked, and he shook his head. "Thank you for your help and getting a piece of my mother, I didn''t know that I was missing." Her hand went to the crystal around her neck. He looked at her and sighed.


    "How old were you, when she passed?" He asked.


    "Ten. I was ten years, the triplets were five." She replied, she already told Drayk this and she was sure that this piece of information was passed down to the Dragon King. "But there is not a day going by that I do not miss her." She turned around and saw the picture and the book on the nightstand. His gaze followed her and he walked towards the picture.


    "She looks so happy." He said softly. His moment of weakens was however, brief. "The Dragon King is waiting for you, and he has waited long enough." He straightened his back and almost pushed her out of the door.


    ******


    Morthia waited by a closed double door, also made out of Dragonsteel, what was not made out of Dragonsteel? The doors swung open and she was able to enter, luckily Drayk came towards her and reached his hand out again. She took it once again, and he guided her to the other men who were waiting for her. One of them was Micheal Senior.


    "Morthia were are the triplets?" He asked, of course first his own, then her.


    "They are with madam Charlo, Micheal." She replied. "And before you''re going to ask me, yes I am fine." The last one was a jab and he knew it. The Dragon King started to laugh.


    "That is my girl, there is now no more doubt in my mind, you might look like your mother. But you have my character." The Dragon King said and Micheal shook his head. "You might wonder why they are still here. Well the answer to that is simple, captain Drayk here told me that he was responsible for your lessons on the shuttle, and I think it is wish to appoint him as your personal guard." Drayk next to her stiffened, was this because this was so unexpected, or did he have other plans?


    "My king, although I value his company. I do not want to be responsible for keeping him away from his duties." Morthia said.


    "His duty is to protect you, and that is final. Now gentlemen and traitor, I want to spend some time alone with my daughter." The dragon king said. But Micheal shook his head.


    "You are nothing more then a donor, Carlos. I am the one who raised her, fed her and gave her clothes. And yes that was by choice, a choice Brialea gave to me. But you know full well why she made that choice, and if you don''t want to admit the truth to yourself. Well that makes..." Micheal said before commander Derock knocked him out. Morthia let out a high piched noice.


    "He is fine, princess. He was about to spuw out some fool lies and I do not think, my king would have let him life after that." Commander Derock said, Morthia nodded and Derock took the unconcess Micheal away. Drayk stayed for a brief second, bowed towards her and also left her.


    "The boy is captured by your beauty." The dragon king said. When the doors closed behind Drayk. "And I wouldn''t blame him, I myself was captured by your mother''s. But let me quickly inform you about me. After that, you can tell me all about your life. My parents, your grandparents, were from Empyrea bloodline, which is one of the two royal bloodlines. They were descant parents, I got everything I wanted. Toys, food, clothes, even a robot pet dragon. But I was raised by nannies for the most part of my life. When I became fourteen, my parents put me in military service. ''It would teach me some live lessons'', that is what my father said. That was a year before they were killed in a freak accident while traveling in space. However, I stayed in service until I married your mother, that is where I met my former best friend Micheal. You might think to know how deep the betrayal went. Coming back to my marriage with your mother. We didn''t have a choice in the matter, it was decided by our parents from the moment she was born. It also helped that she was part of the other royal bloodline, Hemera''s. But I thought she was fine, but I was wrong. She left me one year in, with you in her belly. Something I did not know at the time. So that was a quick summary about mine life, tell me about yours." And she did, she told him about the moment the triplets were born and about the events of her mother''s death. About how she raised the triplets and took care of the house, she told him all. He was her father, he had a right to know everything about her. Or was he just fishing to know more about Micheal''s and her mother''s betrayal. But at this point in time she didn''t mind, she just wanted to share this all with him. When she was done, he simply nodded and sighed. "So that easy life that Micheal was just preaching was not that easy at all. I do not know what to do with him to be honest, normally I would send someone like him to one of the moons or planets for forced labor. But if I did that, I would just send him home. Without his children, that might be some kind of punishment. And here in the empire we do not believe in the death penalty, so what to do. Of course, this is not a matter that concerns you. It will be after mine death, and that will not be for quite some time." She nodded. "And one more thing, forget all the formalities. My parents didn''t believe in such a thing, and neither am I." She nodded.


    "As you wish, my kin... I mean father." She quickly corrected herself. "May I go and lay down for now, father. It has been a long trip and..."


    "There is no need to explain, go and rest. I will see you for dinner. Oh, and wear this, it suits you." He said she nodded and bowed. Drayk waited for her by the door and guided her back to her chamber.


    "So, from captain, to your personal bodyguard. I don''t know if this is a promotion or a demotion." He said with a smile. "However, I might learn to live with it." She gave him a smile.


    "I think that I need some lessons in table manners" She said and he sighed. "He invited me to dinner." He nodded and sighed again.


    "Take a nap first, I will teach you the basics when you wake up." He said, he took her hand and kissed the back. "Princess." He let go and opened the door. She smiled when she entered her room, he closed the door behind her.

 Chapter 4

    Morthia didn''t know where Drayk was so patient with her, she was holding her utensils wrong. She hung what in her chair, all that strange stuff that was not how it was done. But he corrected her over and over again. They didn''t practice with actual food, she didn''t want to be full. But she started to panic slightly when the time to dinner came closer with every second.


    "Do not be so stressed out. No one will pay that much attention on you." He said.


    "That is a lie and you know it. Everyone''s eyes will be on me, and not only that, but they will be on me all the time." She replied and he nodded.


    "You are right about that. Now put out your arm." She did and he placed a bracelet around her arm. "This bracelet detects more than 1,000,000 types of poison and if you are allergic to something, like nuts. He detects that too. It is something I invented myself and I am rather proud of it. Gone are the days of food poisoning or allergic shocks." She looked at it, in her eyes it was nothing more than a bracelet.


    "How does it work?" She asked.


    "You simply wear it and it will notify me when there is something wrong with the food." He said while pointing at his watch. She nodded and sighed.


    "That is at least one less problem to worry about." She said, with a sigh. And leaned in her chair. "Now I need to survive dinner." He smiled and laughed.


    "You will be fine. I will be there, if you need me." He said. And he took her hand once again. She didn''t know why, but it felt nice. Him holding her hand, his presence. The fact that me made her feel normal, when her whole world is upside down. She was preparing to have dinner with the Dragon King, who is her father and she is not just a normal nobody. She was the princess of the empire, the product of two royal lines, heir to the throne. Tears welled up in her eyes, this was not the first time she wished her mother was here. But this was the first time in a very long time, she wanted to ask her why she ran away. She wanted to ask her about boy''s and this strange feelings she was having. Drayk didn''t say anything, and sighed. "He, there is no need to be emotional." He whispered.


    "I am not crying because of this dinner. I am crying because, I want my mom." She said. He hung his head. "I am sorry." She whipped away her tears.


    "Never feel sorry about that." He said. "There will always be times that you would want her by your side. Like on your wedding day, when you give birth to your first child. Or, like right now, your first royal dinner." She needed.


    "Why are you so sweet to me. My father says it is because my beauty captured you." She said, she tried to smile while making that comment. He shook his head.


    "It is not only your beauty, but the fire that burns inside you." He said. "Back in the shuttle, you were scared, but you acted strong to comfort your siblings. And I admire that. I can even go further back, when you asked me for that photo." He pointed towards the photo on her nightstand. "You already had a book in your hand, your siblings all chose a stuffed animal or a journal. But you wanted a piece of your mother, something to show your sibling when they get sad. Or to show your own children. It just shows how much you care about them."


    "She died a week after that photo was taken." Morthia said, and hung her head. "She got bitten by a dragon head viper, and we didn''t have an antidote at hand. She got sicker by the day, and still cooked, still cleaned the house. Showing me how to do curtain things, knowing that I would do the dragon share of the housework. Micheal was at work in the mines when she passed. I was all alone, and nobody who supported me. That evening, Micheal expected me to put my grief aside, I was ten remind you. And to cook dinner for him and his children." She shook her head and another tear escaped. "Back in the throne room, he told some lies. And I am grateful to your father that he shut that one down." He lowered his head.


    "I do not think that he did that for your sake, but it is indeed a nice by product for the action." Drayk said, and his hand went through is blond hair. He was a younger version of his father, if his father at one point had blond hair. But she was not sure about that. There was a knock landing on her door, and he stood up. "I think that is mister stock in his ways, I mean mister Crux." He said with a huge grin. He opened the door and it was indeed mister Crux.


    "Why are you in the princess''s bedroom?" Mister Crux asked rather loudly, his voice didn''t hide the disapprovement.


    "Well I am her bodyguard, mister Crux and her teacher." He said, like it is nothing. Crux entered the room and was surprised to see the dishes and the table. "She is not raised in this world, and her mother died when she was young. So there was probably not much time to teach her how to do things here at court." Crux nodded.


    "That is true, I heard that princess''s grandparents have arrived. Lady Hemera, has expressed her desire to meet her granddaughter as soon as humanly possible." Mister Crux said. "I placed the princess and her grandparents at the same table as you and your father, captain Drayk." Drayk nodded.


    "That is a good thing, did you ask the Dragon king if he agreed with you? I''m imaging that he wants to spend as much time with his daughter as possible." Drayk pointed out.


    "I informed the king, that this was his mothers-in-law''s wishes and he knows how stubborn that woman can be." Mister Crux said. "I see you paid attention to the king''s wished." This was directed towards her.


    "I am also not used to change multiple times a day." She said and he nodded and he sighed.


    "That is indeed true, captain Drayk if you do not mind. I would like to educate the princess from time. You have a fast knowledge of the protocol, but I am basically an export." Crux said and Drayk nodded.


    "You indeed are an expert, but you ask this to the wrong person. I believe it is up to the princess." Drayk replied. Crux nodded. "But now it is not the time to talk, the princess has an appointment with Lady Airce Hemera and we do not want to be rude." Drayk once again offered his hand. "Allow me to esscort you princess." She took his hand and stood up.  He guided her past Crux and she gave him a smile.


    "Mister Crux, I would be honored if you would help me navigate this world." She said, he looked shocked at first, but then bowed his head.


    "You are welcome princess. It would be my honor." He said and he started to follow them closely.


    *******


    The walked and nothing in the hallways changed. It were all the same cold walls and floors. Even the stairs were made from dragonsteel. She didn''t know how to feel about that, because knew how much work it was to mine the ore. Micheal has told her many times, and she believed him. She was met with a lot of gasps when they arrived at the top of those stairs.


    "Bless the dragon." An older woman, rushed towards her and took her in her arms. "Seeing you like this makes an old woman so happy." Morthia didn''t know what to make of this, and the older man who appeared behind the woman picked up on it.


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    "Dear, let her breath. Remember we are strangers to her." He had a pleasant low voice. The woman let her go and tucked away a stray string of hair.


    "Oh, I know that. Brundo, but she looks so much like our little girl." The woman said, Morthia looked at Drayk who clearly enjoyed himself. But decided to jump into action.


    "Princess, allow me to introduce me to your grandmother and grandfather, Lord and Lady Hemera. Lord and Lady Herema, allow me to introduce you to Morthia Empyrea." He said, while bowing towards them. The woman nodded and pinked away a tear that had appeared in her eye.


    "Morthia, like my mother. O dragon, bless my daughter''s soul. She kept her promise." Lady Hemera said. "Your mother promised mine mother that she would name her firstborn daughter after her." Morthia nodded, with a smile.


    "I am sorry that you were not able to say goodbye to her." Morthia said. But Lady Hemera shook her head.


    "Our daughter did what she thought was best. And I as a mother can respect that. I was struck with grief when I learned that she was no longer with use, but I am glad to know that she had a child." Lady Herema said.


    "She had four, Lady." Morthia said. "She had my brother and sisters when I was five years old. Tina, Andrea and MJ." Lady Herema placed a hand over her mouth, but Morthia could see that the woman was both sad and happy to learn that she had more then one grandchild. "It would be my honor to introduce you to them." The lady looked at her husband.


    "Morthia, I am at a loss for words. You made this old woman very, very happy." She said. Morthia looked at her grandfather and he nodded. "You are a dragon send, and I would love to meet my other grandchildren. But please tell me, who is taking care of them right now?"


    "Madam Charlo." Drayk answered in her place. "I visited them at the beginning of the afternoon and they were fed, cleaned and in bed." Lady Herema sighed a sigh of relief.


    "That is good to hear that they are well taken care off." She said and she turned around to her husband. "It takes every inch of my self-control not to run towards them." He smiled, in their short interaction Morthia learned that he was a man of a few words. And that her grandmother was a woman of many words. Which made a funny contrast. The doors of the dinning room opened and they were allowed to go inside. Her father was already sitting at the main table, Drayk guided her towards one that was further in the back. Lady Herema and Lord Herema sat down, and she followed their example. Everyone looked at her, but no one said something. Drayk sat down next to her, his father then entered the room and sit down next to his son.


    "It is an honor to dine with you, princess." He said, and he bowed his head towards her and gave her a smile. "Son, is that one of your toys." He pointed to the bracelet around her wrist.


    "And what if it is one of them, what is it to you?" Drayk replied coldely. This was the first time she heard him talk like that. His father looked at it.


    "Well explain to use what it does, I think Lord and Lady Hemera like to know as well." His father said with a huge smile. Morthia saw that her grandmother narrowed her eyes to the commander. But then focused on Drayk.


    "Please, I want to hear about it." She said. Drayk melted his stance a bit and bowed his head towards her.


    "It will be my pleasure Lady Hemera, as you might know the king has appointed me to her royal highness securaty." He said and she nodded. "Well there is always a concern that there is something inside the food or drink that those not belong there." Her grandmother nodded again. "So this little piece of tech detacts these things, it also detacts food the princess might me allergic too."


    "That is a good thing, but those it work?" Her grandfather asked. Drayk nodded.


    "It those, Lord Herema. I have tested it with more then thousand types of poision and my own food allergies." He said. Her grandfather nodded and smiled at him. He wanted to say something, but the Dragon King stood up from his chair.


    "Dear members of the court, may I have your attention. Many of you might have heard, but we have learned that Princess Brielea is no longer alive." He said, and he focused his attention to Lady and Lord Hemera. "I am sorry for your loss, Lady and Lord Hemera, your daughter was a Dragon send." Morthia saw that her grandmother rolled with her eyes. "But on a happier not, I learned that she gave birth to my heir, Morthia. Please stand up daughter." Morthia stood up and took a deep breath. A server came with a dragonsteel cup, with some kind of liquid in it. "Let me raise a cup to your health." He said, while picking up his own cup. He took a sip, Morthia pick her own cup from the plater and raised it to her mouth.


    "No don''t!" Drayk said. He stood up and took the cup from her hand.


    "What is the meaning of this!" Commander Derock shouted. Drayk gave him the cup.


    "Poison." He said, and gave the cup to his father. Who sniffed at it and nodded. "To be more exact dragonhead viper venom, the princess wouldn''t have felt the effects of it right away. But she knows full well the outcome." Morthia looked shocked to the cup, as everybody else in the room. Dragonhead viper venom, that was what killed her mother. "Do you still think of it as a toy?" His father said nothing, but focused his attention on the server.


    "Did you do this?" He asked, the server shook his head. "Who did this." Was he really suspecting a solid answer from them? Morthia was new to all of this and even she knew that this wouldn''t be the case. Her gaze went from the raging commander to Drayk.


    "It at least worked, thank you." She said. He nodded, also Lady and Lord Hemera were standing, and her grandmother lay a hand on Drayk''s shoulder. Her grandfather nodded and smiled, but Morthia also could see that he was as angry as the commander. She focused on her father.


    "Sorry about that, father. But my drink was not safe for consumption. But I am honored by your words, I hope that one day I am worthy of such praise. The Dragon knows that I have a lot to learn." She said and her father nodded. Why was he not as ticked off about all of this, she was about to drink poison. Maybe he saw no need of also getting angry, that area of emotions was well covered. She sat down and took a deep breath, her grandmother also sat down. But she didn''t look at her, instead she looked at her father. Did she know something, probably? But she didn''t voice it.


    "Are you alright?" Drayk asked and she nodded with a not so confining smile. But she knew that she was not fooling him, instead she leaned towards him.


    "Don''t you think it is strange that it is Dragonhead viper venom?" She asked, this pulled the attention of her grandmother. And Morthia quickly told her about her mother''s death. Her grandmother shook her head in disbelieve. The dinner was served, and the topic was laid to rest.


    "Do you look forward to your dress fitting tomorrow?" Drayk asked and she nodded. She then focused on her grandmother.


    "Do not get me wrong, my mother''s old clothing are the most beautiful once that I have ever worn. But I have worn her clothing ever since I grew into my body. Since then, I never had something that was mine." She explained, but her grandmother shook her head.


    "There is no need to explain yourself, I can''t say that I understand I never had to share my clothes with another woman, not even my own daughter." Her grandmother said. "Do your brother and sisters also get new clothing?"


    "I believe so, at least that is what I gather from mister Crux." She said.


    "Then we will be there when the dressmaker is busy taking your measurements, to make sure that they do." She said, after that she leaned towards her husband to whisper something in his ear. Something that was not shared with the rest of the table.


    "Grandmother, if you do not mind. Can you tell me more about my mother, what was she like when she was younger? Which books did she love to read?" Morthia asked. "Her whole life before she had me was so different." her grandmother smiled.


    "I believe those stories are better told when your siblings are with use. She was also their mother." Her grandmother replied. Morthia nodded, this was true, but she couldn''t wait until the morning. There was so much she wanted to know about her mother''s earlier life, she knew a little about her father''s and if he permitted she would ask him more about it. The dinner ended, and the court bled out of the dinner room. Commander Derock hadn''t returned to their table, most likely he was in source of the one who put poison in her cup. Outside the dinning room her grandmother took her hand. "Watch yourself, I believe this was only the first attempt on your life. Drayk, please give my other grandchildren the same device." She pointed to the bracelet.


    "They already wearing it, Lady Herema. Morthia has asked me to do my up best to protect them." He said. "I gave madam Charlo, the watch linked to their devices. Of course." He tapped on his own watch. "They are also linked to mine." Lady Herema nodded.


    "That is good, well we will see the two of you in the morning. Rest well." She said, and then she let go of Morthia''s hand.

 Chapter 5

    The morning came and Morthia was sitting on her bed, already dressed. Her nose inside the book she had brought with her from Valeron. A knock landed on her door, she looked up and sighed. Was it already time, she was not even half past the book.


    "It is open." She said loud enough and the door opened. Drayk entered her room.


    "And I find her on her bed with her nose inside a book." He said, in his hands he had a tray with food. "Breakfast is being served, and no need to worry about poison I made all of it myself." He placed the tray next to her and pointed towards the book. "Is it any good?" She nodded, while grabbing some toast. She took a bit, surprised that the bread was a perfect combination of sweet and salty.


    "This is excellent, if you ever want to rethink your carrier inside the guard, you always fall back on science or cooking." She said, and he started to chuckle.


    "My father wouldn''t allow it." He said and he looked at the closed door. "Speaking of him, he is really on edge ever since the attempt on your life. He still hasn''t found who was behind it, and he already wants to blame it on The Blackmarket. But they never tried to poison to someone."


    "The Blackmarket?" She asked, he nodded.


    "A criminal organization that is held bend to make our lives difficult. But an attempt on a life of a high ranking court member, is really a step too far them. And that is even besides the type of poison that was used, I believe that there is no coincident. The one who did it, knows the details of your mother''s death." She nodded agreeing with that part, she however still didn''t know the Blackmarket personally. Still she wanted to trust his judgement. "Eat the rest you really need the strenght, those dress fittings can last for ages." She smiled and placed another piece of toast inside her mouth. Another knock landed on her door and this time her grandparents entered the room.


    "Well good to know that this room is just like the other''s." Her grandmother said, mockingly. "Would it kill our king to house our oldest granddaughter in some warmth." Morthia closed her book, and climbed off the bed. Walking into her grandmother''s embrace. "Hello darling, and of course. Hello Drayk, why those it not surprises me to find you here." Drayk bowed his head. "And do not tell me that you''re here to do your job." Her grandmother stepped back and pointed her finger at him. "Do not worry." Morthia smiled.


    "Grandmother, we do not know each other long for that." Morthia said and her grandmother started to chuckle.


    "Keep telling yourself that. The sparks are flying between the two of you. And the pairing of you wouldn''t be outside the realm of possibility, Drayk is a member of the Herema family." Her grandmother said. Morthia looked shocked towards Drayk, who simply looked away. His cheeks redder then her hair. "But enough, about the two of you." She turned around. "The dressmaker, is always a few minutes early and I have talked to Crux and we both agreed that it would be better that we do this inside the triplets room." She took Morthia by the hand and marched outside the room. The walk toward the triplets'' room was not as far as she remembered. She knocked and madam Charlo opened.


    "Good morning, princess. They are having breakfast and they are overall well-behaved." Madam Charlo said with a smile.


    "Let me guess, Tina." She said and Madam Charlo nodded.


    "Not that I can blame her, their whole lives have been uprooted. They are in a strange location and the only family they knew is outside their reach. Not that I blame you for that, princess." She added the last part quickly. "From what I have heard is that you were busy." Morthia nodded and smiled.


    "May we come in, the dressmaker will come over not all to long and the triplets are going to have some more family." Morthia said. Madam Charlo nodded and she stepped out of the opening. Morthia stepped inside and was directly attacked by Andrea. She wrapped her arms around her waist. "Hello Andrea, did you sleep well?" The girl nodded and let go. Tina and MJ were sitting at a table, they looked up for a moment.


    "You look like a princess." Andrea said. "Are those moms old clothes?" Morthia nodded. "They are so pretty." Morthia smiled at her little sister.


    "Alright, Tina, MJ. I want you all to be on your best behavior, because you have guests." Morthia said, and she motioned towards the other two to come. That is when her grandmother and grandfather entered the room. "These are Lady and Lord Herema. They are the mother''s parents." Andrea''s eyes widened. Her grandmother placed her hand in front of her mouth like she had done the day before.


    "By the dragon." She whispered.


    "Grandmother, grandfather. Allow me to introduce you to, Andrea. Tina and Micheal Junior." Morthia touched the heads of the siblings while introducing them. "Better known as MJ." Andrea walked towards their grandmother.


    "All you alright, madam? Do you want a huge?" She asked, and her grandmother nodded. Andrea wrapped her arms around their grandmother''s waist and this is when Lady Herema broke down.


    ******


    The dressmaker came and went, they all would have a whole new set of clothing at the end of the day. Of course the man would use Dragonfire tech to make the clothes, so now they were left to their own. Lady Herema started to tell them stories about their mother''s childhood. The books she read, the mischief she pulled. Lord Herema didn''t say much and Morthia was able to see that these memories were painful, knowing that he was no longer able to share them with his daughter. Morthia took his hand, and he gave her a small smile. There was a knock on the door, interrupting a good story. Morthia looked over her shoulder and saw that her father was standing in the door opening. Nobody moved, which made things a bit awkward.


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    "My king." Her grandfather then said. "We were just telling our grandchildren stories about their mother''s childhood." There was no love, no respect in his voice. Morthia wondered why, he was their son-in-law. Or rather he was, their family ties broke on the day her mother died. Her father nodded.


    "I was able to gather as much. Morthia do you have a moment for me?" He asked. Her grandmother stood up from one of the triplets beds.


    "Carlos, I want to take the triplets to our estate. They might be the product of the betrayal of Micheal and our daughter. But they are innocent and besides that Morthia those not have time to look after them, and their father is locked up." She motioned to her husband. "They are our grandchildren." Morthia looked at her father, all what her grandmother said was true. They were the only family that was free, besides her that the triplets had. But her father shook his head.


    "No. They stay here, were I can keep an eye on them." He said.


    "Why, so that you keep reminding yourself that she ran away! You know damn well why she ran ..." Her grandmother snapped at him.


    "I said no, Lady Hemera. And do not forget who is the king here." He said and this was the first trace of anger that Morthia saw in him. "You are free to visit them, but you really should hold your tongue." He now looked at Morthia. "Shall we have that talk?" She wanted to shake her head, not sure what to think right now. But instead she nodded, this was her father, he might be angry at her grandmother. They walked out of the room. "I am so sorry that you needed to witness that." He said. "Your grandmother, is not the easiest woman to be around. And specially when you are not of their bloodline. But I did not come her to talk about your grandmother, I came here to tell you that you are free to decorate your room. I know that the palace is a bit empty and cold, and right now your room is too." He said and he sighed. She nodded and wanted to thank him. "I will let Crux know that he needs to help you with it." He walked away after that. She frowned for a moment, and look at his back. This became stranger, and stranger. Drayk came into the hallway, he was also frowning.


    "Drayk..." She started, but he placed a finger to his lips. He pointed towards the walls and then to his ears. Pointing out that he thought about the same thing, she nodded. She walked into the room and her grandmother was in tears. Her grandfather was consoling her.


    "I can''t believe this all happening over again. First with Brialea and now with our grandchildren." She said between tears.


    "Lady Hemera, I know that this is hard. But please think real hard about your next words." Drayk said. He made the same motion that he did a few seconds back.


    "Don''t you think I already know that." Her grandmother sniffed, Morthia walked towards her and gave her a huge. "I just want to hold something of my daughter close." She motioned to the children.


    "Drayk do you think we can duplicate the photo that is inside my room?" Morthia asked and he nodded.


    "I will grab it. Morthia stay here with them." He said and she nodded. He left the room and she didn''t know how to feel about all of this. Her grandfather took her hand and squized it a little.


    "There is so much that we are not able to tell you right now, but know that if you need use..." He didn''t finish his sentence because the door of the room opened and Derock entered. He looked at and sighed.


    "You two know better, I am doing everything in my power to keep this Moonlovers a live and you two almost ruined it with that stupid request!" Derock snapped. "Do you even think that they would be safe, if you take them away from here!" He pointed at the triplets. "And do not get me started on the princess." He now looked at her and now looked shocked. "Oh I am sorry." She shook her head.


    "Don''t be sorry, I am glad to see that you care about me and my siblings." She said. The door opened again and Drayk entered.


    "I have a copy of the picture." He handed it to her grandparents. "It is not much but..."


    "It is more then we ever hoped for. Oh, look how adorable they were. Morthia even then you looked like your mother." Her grandmother gashped. She placed the photo against her heart and sighed thank the Dragon for this gift.


    ********


    Morthia sat in her room, listing to a lecture about the history of the Dragonship Empire. Given by the one and only Drayk when Mister Crux entered the room.


    "The Dragon King told me that you wanted to change your rooms'' decor. I can understand why, it is too dark and gloomy. But not my castle, not my rooms to decorate." He said and he handed her a tablet. "Here are some designs I made in my spare time." She looked at the designs, they were all tasteful but they didn''t call home to her. She grabbed the tablet Drayk had given her for her homework and started to share pieces of Crux designs to her own tablet.


    "All right this is a nice carpet, and this seems like a good working desk. Ohh that is a large book cabinet, I do not have a lot of books here. But I always can start to collect them again." She said.


    "Your room on Valeron was filled with books." Drayk said and he looked at Crux. "Is there away to get all of these to here, so that she those not have to start from scratch." Crux frowned.


    "Did all those books have the royal seal?" He asked and she nodded. "Then I can''t see why not. Maybe we can collect some of the toys and stuffed animal from the triplets. If we are on it, I think we can get that done. Your father wanted to send some troops to that house to source for evidence."  Crux looked at the design and nodded. "This looks like a solid plan, do you have a color you want for the sheets?"


    "Green, and royal blue. That are my favorite colors, I ordered my dresses in the same color scheme." She said and he nods. "If it is possible, I want the carpet also in the same color." And he nodded again.


    "Alright, I am going to do my job." He said, he grabbed his tablet, and left the room.


    "So can we go back to our lesson?" Drayk asked, but another knock landed on the door. This time a maid entered the room, her hands were filled with boxes. Drayk shot forward to help her. "Never mind, your dresses are here."

 Chapter 6

    Drayk didn''t know what to think, but everybody clearly knows what is going on. Everybody except Morthia and himself. He hated the fact that he was grasping at straws, but his father was not willing to tell him anything last night. Only that it was saver for him not to know. How can it be saver, knowing that there is some secret and maybe even a plot to kill Morthia. A plot he didn''t like in the slightest, and not only because he liked her. He didn''t like that it was happening under his nose. He sighed and kicked against a piece of something, not knowing what it was and didn''t care either.


    "You seemed to be in an excellent mood." A woman in her late thirties stepped out of an alleyway.


    "I am not in the mood for games, Omega." He snapped. "What are you doing here, you know full well the risk you are taking." She nodded and smiled. She had some blue bags under her eyes, once again she didn''t sleep that well. How could she sleep, always on the lookout for members of the Dragon guard, other members of the Dragon guard. But that was the life she had chosen for herself.


    "I heard a rumor." She said. "About that my gang is responsible for an assignation attempt." She shrugged.


    "And were you?" He asked and then shook his head laughing. Although there was no trace from that laughter in his voice. "Oh wait, I forgot who I was talking to. You are the leader of the Blackmarket, Omega. Don''t you think I know that you would say anything to safe your own skin."


    "As if your record is so sparkling clean, or do I need to remind you about the loads of poison you bought through the Dark Web." She snapped. "Do not think for one second that I didn''t wonder why you needed those."


    "I already told you about the tech I created. I needed to test it to make sure it worked." Drayk said, but she was right. He had ordered that stuff through the Dark web, he had broken the law. But his father didn''t allow him in the lab so how else could he... He shook his head and sighed. "I gather, that you and yours are not responsible." She smiled.


    "Come on we are not that stupid, besides that we do not have any type of beef with the princess. At least not yet." Omega said, and she quickly looked around to make sure that they were alone. "No I think that the guilty one, is much closer to home."


    "My father?" Drayk asked and Omega shook her head.


    "No the royal prince himself." She snapped. "I was alive when princess Brialea ran away and from what I heard she had a damn good reason to do so. I only do not know the reason, but everybody that those know has some sensitive to keep their mouths shut. Lady and Lord Hemera have their grandchildren, the old commander is in the same shuttle as them and your father has you." She placed her finger on his chest. "That is why nobody opens their mouths, that is why nobody is willing to spill the beans. Because prince Carlos hold them on a tight lease." She makes a lot of sense, that was why Lady Hemera was so upset when Prince Carlos didn''t allow the triplets to live with them. That was why his father didn''t want to talk about it, or shut the ones op who were about to run their mouths. Like Micheal Senior the other day inside the throne room, he was protecting not Micheal but his children. "Also I heard that I might like the princess, she grew up like the rest of use. Poor." Omega looked over her shoulder. "Quick grab your gun." She said and he did, she grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. He could taste the blood in his mouth, he wanted to ask what the hell got into her.


    "Halt." Someone screamed. That was why, more Dragon guard. He wanted to curse them, but they were just doing their job. Something he should have done, but he couldn''t. "Are you alright Captain?" The same Dragon Guard asked. He nodded.


    "A brushed ego, that is all." He said, which was not far off the truth. "Go after her, I wished I could join you. But my services are required inside the palace." The Dragon Guard nodded and he sighed. He watched as the one started to chase Omega, and he rubbed painfully his head. She needed to do that, he already knew that much. But why did it have to hurt? He started his walk towards the palace. Which was quiet, it was still early in the morning. Even some staff members were still a sleep, expect mister Crux of course.


    "Captain Drayk, everything the princess wanted for her room is delivered. Even her fast collection of books." Mister Crux said. Well he was in a good mood this morning. "I only hope that the book cabinet is big enough."


    "If it is not big enough, we will just order another one." Drayk said and he sighed. "I am going to see if she is awake or not." He left Crux behind, the man was clearly puzzled. But he didn''t care. He slipped into her bedroom, she was still fast asleep. Some strings of red hair were hanging in front of her face. He knelt down, and softly whipped them from her face. She was even beautiful when she was a sleep. He smiled to himself, yes he was falling for her and hard too. Maybe she would become his string that Prince Carlos would pull. He wanted to shake his head, she already was and there was no point in denying that. In her sleep she grabbed his hand and lay it under her head. He bowed towards her. "Morning princess, it is time to wake up." He said softly into her ear. She opened one eye, and then smiled at him.


    "What time is it?" She asked, and he gave her a time. She closed her eyes. "By the Dragon, you are early. Even earlier then the triplets." She suppressed a yawn, and he smiled.


    "I am sorry." He said. She gave him a smile.


    "I dreamed of you." She said. "It was a nice dream. We were dancing." He shook his head, and sighed.


    "I do not know if that would be fun, I have two left feet." He said and she started to giggle. A harmonious sound, yes he had fallen and landed face first. Something he did not mind at all. "Crux told me that everything for your room has arrived, even your books." She nodded and yawned again, it was indeed too early. "I am so sorry that I woke you up." She moved her whole body to the side.


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    "I made some room for you." She said and he didn''t think twice he moved himself on the bed, after kicking his boots off and placing his gun inside her closet. She lay her head on his chest and it only took them a few seconds to fall back asleep.


    *******


    "I am sorry, Lady Hemera. But I didn''t know that this was happening." Mister Crux voice was soft and full of terror.


    "Don''t be sorry, they are fully dressed and asleep. There is nothing to see here." Wait that was Lady Hemera''s voice what were they doing inside his bedroom. "Besides that they are two adults." Wait a minute, why is she talking about them? That is when he felt her head on his chest. He was not inside his own room, he was laying on Morthia''s bed and he had fallen asleep. "Aren''t they a cute couple?"


    "Cute is not the word I would use, Lady Hemera." Crux replied. Drayk slowly opened his eyes. "Good morning captain. Welcome back, to the planet of the awake." Drayk didn''t look at him, he looked at Morthia how also was waking up. She gave him a warm smile.


    "Good morning, you might have guessed, but we are not alone in here." He said, and she nodded. Wow, this was the first time he really looked into her eyes. They were a beautiful mixture of dark green and a dark blue, he was sure that he would drown into them. If he did not get interrupted by Crux.


    "Alright the two of you, it is time to break it off. Princess, please take a shower and get dressed. Captain you come with me." Crux grabbed him by the sleeve and started to pull him out of Morthia''s embrace. He quickly grabbed his boots and gun, before Crux pulled him completely out of the room. "What in dragon''s name were you thinking. No on a second note, do not answer that."


    "To be fair Crux, I need to say I didn''t think at all. She wanted to use me as her pillow, who am I to refuse her?" He said with a huge grin on his face. "And I think that I was just as tired as she was. Because I can''t even remember of me falling a sleep."


    "You are the captain of the Dragon guard." Crux sputtered.


    "Easy Crux, nothing of the sorts happened. She wanted to cuddle and we fall asleep. That is really it." Drayk said. "We did not kiss, we did not..." He stopped when the Dragon King entered the hallway. "Good morning, my king." He said with a bow. Crux jumped up and also bowed.


    "My king, the princess is just taking a shower and after that we are going to decorate her room." Crux said. "I have ordered everything myself and even went the extra mile to get the princess her own book collection. They all, have the empire seal so..."


    "I know what you have done, Crux. Do not think that I am blind or deaf." The Dragon King said. "I want to make her life as happy as possible. That is why I am organizing a ball for the end of the week." He now looked at Drayk. "You better learn how to dance, soldier. Your two left feet will not save you from dancing with my daughter." How did he know about the joke that he made to Morthia. The Dragon King started to laugh. "And Crux, please light a bit up. Those two are young and from what I heard in love." Drayk got a tight knot in his stomach, her whole room was bugged. And they bugs were tuned in to record even the softest of conversations. If he had done something to Morthia, her father would have heard it. He didn''t know how to feel about that, no that was not true. He knew exactly how he felt about it, disgusted, no rather violated. Thew door of Morthia''s room opened, and her grandmother stepped outside.


    "Did I hear the king?" She asked. Both men nodded, but didn''t say anything.


    "He came to tell use that there is a ball at the end of the week, to celebrate the princess homecoming." He said, with a fake smile on his face, although that one was short-lived when Morthia appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a dark red dress, with golden rings inside her ears. A small red crystal was hanging around her neck. She was breath taking, his fake smile made place for a real one. He hadn''t seen that dress among her new ones, so this must be one of her mother''s. Was this important, no. "I really need to learn how to dance." He said to Crux. "The Dragon King is right I can''t not refuse one dance, because of my two left feet." Lady Hemera and Morthia started to chuckle, and Crux looked a bit uncomfortble.


    "Alright, but I will not be your trainings partner." Crux said. "And it have to wait until after the decorating. Lady Hemera. I brought all the items form their home to here, not only the book collection of the princess, but also the many toys and stuffed animals of the triplets." Lady Hemera nodded.


    "I will bring those to them." She said and walked away. Just in time, because a whole horde of workers came into the hallway. All had something in their hands, a desk, a chair, a carpet, boxes with books. A whole book cabinet, and some other things but he couldn''t name it because he lost track. All of them entered the bedroom and went to work. Crux also went in to oversee all that there is to oversee.


    ******


    It didn''t take that long, gut they were sitting next to each other listing to the chaos that was currently inside her bedroom.


    "No the book cabinet goes against that wall. The desk boarders that bed, ohh I love those nightlights. Yes, they need there. That carpet needs to go around the bed. Where are the maids, oh there you are. Yes make the bed, and change the bathrobe." Crux''s voice was heard over everyone and everything. Which made it even funnier, at one point all the workers started to pour out of the room and they were able to enter to it. He needed to say that the inside of the room looked a lot better. There was no longer the feeling that they were inside a prison of some sorts. Well they still were in the Dragonsteel cage, but it didn''t feel like one. There lay a soft carpet around the bed, in the color of Morthia''s eyes, the lights had the same color so did the bedding. The desk was standing against the bed and had even some prularia on it, like a fake flower that dances. The book cabinet was just big enough to carry all the book, but barely. All with all, it felt like something to relax in. Morthia took place behind her desk and smiled.


    "It really those feel like home." She said with a sigh. "Thank you, Crux." The butler bowed his head. "Now all we need is to practice how to dance." Crux shook his head. "I never danced at a ball, so I need to learn as well."


    "You are right about that, princess." He said. He looked at Drayk. "No funny business."


    ""I promise, I think." He said, with a huge grin on his face.


    "I take it, alright let''s begin." Crux said and Drayk directly jumped to action. While Crux started to count he started to go over the steps with Morthia.


    "You lied, you do not have two left feet." She said with a grin on her face. He nodded and shrugged.


    "Or you''re the first good dance partner I got." He replied. She shook her head, but in his mind it was true. When he danced with the other girls it was forced. Now he was free and it felt good. From now one he only wanted to dance with her.

 Chapter 7

    Morthia loved the time she was spending with Drayk, but somewhere deep down she knew that something needed to give. Nothing in her life stayed good for a long period of time. Her happy childhood, died the same day as her mother. Her new-found freedom, when she still lived on Valeron, didn''t even last one night. Now she was here, the princes of the Empire, heir to the throne. All sound good, but she couldn''t help feeling this way. Currently, she was sitting behind her desk, reading a history book while taking notes. It was already late, but Drayk was still with her. Normally he would go home around this hour, but not today. She wondered why he lay on her bed with his eyes closed. His Dragonfire gun in arms reach. She sighed while laying her pen down. Why did she feel like her whole world is crushing down on top of her? She again looked at Drayk, he had lied about his two left feet. And she was surprised how easy the different dances came to her. He opened his eyes, but he didn''t look at her. He looks at the door.


    "Morthia, come here." He said. He pointed his gun towards the door. She quickly got up and rushed towards his side.


    "What is it?" She asked.


    "The palace is under attack. Do not worry about your siblings. The nursery shuts down, right after the alarm goes off." He said. She wanted to point out that there was no alarm, but then she saw that his watch was glowing red. And buzzing. He stood up from the bed and with her, slowly backed towards the wall. "Remind me to give you a gun, and some lessons." He whispered. The door flew open and a group of men entered her room. She looked straight in one of the man''s eyes, she had seen him before. She only didn''t know where. They didn''t have guns, only knives. Which was a relief, was it. Drayk pointed his gun at the one closed of them. "I only give you one warning." He said. The man laughed.


    "Do you really think, that your toy scars us? Boy, give use the princess and we will leave you alone." The man said, she lay a hand on his arm.


    "There is no moon inside our Empire that this would be an option." Drayk snapped at him.


    "Look at that, he is in love." The man said. "Only men in love would make such a statement. But alright..." He took a step forward, and that is when Drayk pulled the trigger, a beam of red light shot out of the gun, and hit his mark right in the chest. And as a result, the man fall down, dead. But Drayk couldn''t see what came next, the others tackled him to the ground. And he lost grip on his gun, which landed on the ground. She wanted to scream, but there was no sound that came from her mouth. She ducked towards the gun and grabbed it. Aiming at the first man that was on top of Drayk and pulled the trigger. And she did that again, and again. Until, none of the men that had entered her room were alive. Drayk lay on the ground with a dagger inside his chest, he did not move and his was pale. She knelt beside him, and touched his face. It was warm and sweaty, there were footsteps rushing towards her room. More men that came for her, she aimed the gun at the door. While guarding Drayk''s body. There was no way in hell that they would hurt him even more.


    "Wow, princess." It was Derock. She lowered the gun.


    "Commander, your son is hurt." She said, Derock''s eyes got wide and he rushed towards her side.


    "Drayk, by the Dragon, my boy." He touched Drayk''s face, like she had done a few moments before. "Quick, get a doctor!" He screamed and she could hear someone running away. She wanted to ask if everybody else was fine, if her father was alright. But once again no sound came over her lips, she touched Drayk''s hair and she felt tears well up in her eyes. Yes, she cared for him and she was not ashamed to admit it. "It is going to be alright, princess. He is strong, a small wound like this is not going to keep him down for more than a day or two." She hoped with all her heart that he was right.


    "Morthia!" That was her father, she turned towards him. "Thank the Dragon that you are still alive." He said, and motioned her to come to him. She wanted to shake her head, she wanted to stay with Drayk.


    "Forgive me daddy." She said. "But I am scared that if I leave his side, I am never getting back to it." She had called him daddy, not even thinking if this was alright or not. "I left mom''s side to get her some water, when I came back she was gone." She started to break, her father''s hand were on her shoulders in no time.


    "He is going nowhere, my daughter." He whispered in her ear. "Nowhere." She let herself fall in his embrace, finally letting go of the gun. She cried, something she was not able to do in years. Micheal always berated her for even a single tear, but the fear that she might lose Drayk was unbearable. His strong arms surrounding her gave her some sort of strength. "Hear, hear, let it all out now. It is alright." She was not able to see past his arms, she was not even able to breathe properly. The fear of all of this rushed towards her, and there was only one way to get it out of her system.


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    "I do not want to lose..." She started, while gasping for breath.


    "You will not lose anything." He said, that is when the doctor rushed into the room. "Here, let the doctor do his thing." He picked her up if it was nothing. She wanted to fight against it, but her whole body lacked the strength. What was happening to her, she never felt so weak in her inter life. But as soon as he took her away, she fell into a pit of darkness.


    ******


    "By the Dragon, my king. She was just scared, there was no need to drug her like that." That was Derock''s voice. Although she heard it fagely. "She just was attacked and from what I gather she is the one who took all but one of them down. You should be proud of her."


    "Who says I am not proud of her. But I am not that type of man who consuls a crying woman." That was her father. "Even not my own flesh and blood. But you are right, she is much stronger than her mother. She looked death in the eye and didn''t even blink. She might look like Brialea, but her nerves of steel and her dragon heart are all mine." Her mother was not weak, she was a fighter. "How is your son?"


    "He is well, my king. The knife was not poisoned, so that was a relief. I do not know how these men have entered the palace." Commander Derock said.


    "I do, they were with the company that decorated my daughter''s room. And I do not think the Blackmarket is behind it, they are not stupid to pull something like this. And it is thanks to your son that my daughter is still alive." Her father said, his voice was soft and robbed of emotions.


    "I do not know why he was still here?" Derock said.


    "Then you are going blind, commander." Her father said. "He is clearly in love and wants to spend every minute that he has with her. This morning they were found asleep in her bed, do not worry they were clothed. But the excuse he gave Crux was that he couldn''t deny her request to use his chest as a pillow." This made him chuckle, although it sounded hollow. "I had planned to marry her of to someone of my family, although I hadn''t decided who would be the best candidate. But my daughter and your son have taken the decision out of my hands."


    "My king, we can not choose who to fall in love with." Derock''s voice sounded unsteady, there was something in the air. Even she who was not fully awake could feel it. "If my son knew that you were to give the princess hand in marriage, he would have backed off, I am sure about that."


    "Perhaps, but we will never know." Her father said, and she drifted away once again.


    *******


    Morthia sat on her bed, trying to read a new book she had picked out. She had finished the book, she had taken with her and she wanted to distract herself a bit more. The conversation that her father and commander Derock had while she was ''drugged'' was never far off her mind, neither were her worries about Drayk''s health. Commander Derock had assured hr that he was alright, but she would only believe it when she saw him with her own eyes.


    "I do not care what the doctor says. I need to see her, father. I need to know if she is safe." A familiar voice reached her ears. She closed her book and climbed off her bed. She rushed towards the door, while he opened it. It was Drayk, he was here in her room alive and somewhat well. He was here. Her arms flew around his neck and she lay her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat. He wrapped his arms around her in return.


    "Never, ever put me through something like that, again." She whispered. "I can not bear to lose you." His grip around her became stronger.


    "I will try my best. And I thank the Dragon that you were unharmed." He whispered in return. She took her face off his chest and looked him straight in his light blue eyes.


    "Do a bit more than just a promise." She said. He opened his mouth to reply to her, but she didn''t let him. She pushed herself up and kissed him on the mouth. She could tell that he was startled at first, but he relaxed soon and started to kiss her back. His hand made its way to her head, holding it there. For a moment, and she didn''t know how long that moment was, they were the only once inside this universe. But that moment felt all too short when someone cleared their throat. They broke off the kiss and stepped back from each other.


    "I need to say, son. I agree with the princess here. Never do that again." Commander Derock said. His hand landed on his son''s shoulder, who winched. "Sorry." He lifted his hand.


    "It is not that I had much choice in the matter, did I?" Drayk said and his father. How wiggled his head, and laughed.


    "That is true, and I still hate myself for it." He said. "But lucky for use the princess has a great aim. Even the King was impressed by it, he even agreed that she got trained and she is permitted to carry something that resembles a gun." Drayk nodded and sighed.


    "That is a huge relief." He said, and looked at Morthia. "Father, is it alright if I stayed?" His father clearly wanted to tell him no, but Morthia looked at him begging. She wanted to spend as much time with Drayk as humanly posible.


    "Well I have a feeling that the ball tomorrow is just an excuse to announce your engagment. So why not." Commander Derock said with a sigh. Drayk frowned.


    "Wait the ball is not being moved?" He asked and Derock shook his head. Drayk looked at her and smiled. "I am looking forward to dance with you, a lot." She gave him a smile.


    "I am looking for it too."

 Chapter 8

    Drayk sighed, they were again on her bed and she was fast asleep. While holding him in a tight grip, his father was even inclined that she was so outside herself that she needed to be drugged. He couldn''t believe that for a second, but then again he was out of it. And based on her reaction, he was inclined to believe it in some extant. Today was the big day, the day of the ball and he was not prepared for it whatsoever. And his father said something about their engagement, they didn''t know each other for that long. Which is not strange inside their culture, but everything seemed to go so fast. Besides that he didn''t think that she was ready for such a commitment. He didn''t doubt the fact that she was in love with him, she was the one who kissed him. But she was just scared to lose him forever. He smiled, she was so strong, stronger than she thinks. The door of her room opens and her father the Dragon King enters. Drayk quickly closed his eyes, pretending that he was fast asleep as well. His arm wrapped around Morthia as some kind of barrier. Her father snorted when he laid eyes on the two.


    "Still here, I see." He said softly. "It those not matter, as long as you are in love with her, and she is in love with you." Drayk got goosebumps when he heard that. He was indeed using them to get what he wanted, but what he wanted was unclear. "Sleep tight, my daughter. You are going to need your rest." Drayk could feel the breath on his face. "Sleep and because you have a ball to attend to, from that point I need to decide what to do with you." Drayk wanted to ask what he meant by that, but he was pretending to be asleep and he couldn''t. Instead, he moved a bit and also wrapped his free arm around her. Another snort. "A fool in love, well he is a good soldier. Smart too, maybe a bit too smart for his own good. But then again, his mother was a scientist so no surprise there. It is only the family connection, I hate to see the throne go to the Hemera family." Drayk didn''t know that about his mother, he knew so little about her that it was no surprise to learn something new. His father didn''t like to talk about it, and others do not enlighten him with her past. But her being a scientist, might explain his love for creating new tech. He could hear the Dragon King move and then the closing of the door. This was a strange encounter, but that was what he could expect from a night at his girl''s house.


    ******


    He awoke by the sound of a door closing, was the Dragon King back? Wait where is Morthia? Then he heard the shower, she was the one he heard. He sighed and got up from the bed, his wound was killing him. But he didn''t have his medication with him, he didn''t plan to stay the night. Stupid he should have known that he was not going to leave her, not after the kiss. Not after her begging his father to let him stay. The pain he was feeling right now was his own fault and, he should learn to live with it for now. A knock landed on the door and he got up to open it. His own father was standing on the other side of the door.


    "Here are your meds, and some clean clothes. I will see you and the princess in an hour on the shooting rank." He said, handing him a bag with all the stuff, turned around and walked away. He didn''t even get the chance to thank his father for thinking ahead, and bringing his clothes. Stepped back, closed the door, and he looked inside the bag. There were indeed some clothes, his meds and a note. ''Be careful''. In his father''s handwriting, he already knew that he needed to be careful. And specially after Morthia has shown her feelings for him, and he was not helping either with staying over like this. But his shuttle train of thought, had left the station without him on it, when she left the bathroom in only her bathrobe. He swallowed, and then swallowed again. But his gaze never left her, as she walked towards her closet and started to pick out her clothes for today.


    "Wear something were you can move in. My dad wants to see use in an hour for training." He said, she simply nodded and touched the screen. "I am going for a quick shower." He rushed towards the bathroom and was able to breath when the door was shot behind them. Do not get him wrong, he didn''t hate what he just saw. He liked it a bit too much. He selected a program with cold water, just what he needed to cool off. Why was she doing this to him, maybe she just felt comfortable?  He shook his head, this was going into a dangerous area. And he didn''t know if he was comfortable with that at all. He stepped under the shower, applied his medication and got dressed in the clean clothes his father had brought. Still his blood presser was still up there, but he was calmed down a lot. Still he needed to talk with her about slowing down things. Or they might do something they might regret. He walked out of the bathroom, and discovered that she was still was not dressed. She was laying on her bed, still wearing her bathrobe. Which was a bit more showing than before. "Uhm Morthia." She looked at him and gave him a playful smile. "I think we are going too fast, and this is..."


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    "You do not like it?" She asked, he could hear the hurt in her voice.


    "That is not what I said. I like what I see, but we are going too fast. The Dragon knows that I love you. But this..." He said, he motioned from her to him, "need to hit the brakes." She stood up from the bed, she walked towards him. She laid her hand on his chest.


    "Are we going too fast?" She asked, he nodded slowly. Only his resolve started to fade away, was he going to hate himself if he did this? No he would be the luckiest man inside this empire. But then he didn''t know if he wanted to go there. She pushed herself up and started to kiss him again. Now his resolve was out of the window, and he kissed her back with a passion. She turned him around and slowly pushed him to the bed.


    *****


    "Did I not say, that I wanted to see the both of you, an hour ago?" His father snapped at him. Drayk nodded slowly, his face was still as red as Morthia''s hair. Who knew that those mirror in the bathroom were not only stocked with toilet supplies, but also with curtain protection. But they were at the shooting range fully dressed and with their head in the game, somewhat. He couldn''t stop thinking about what they had done and how far they went over the limit. He did not regret it, as he thought, maybe that was because she was the one who instigated it. "But fine, you are here now. And do not want to think about what would have taken the two of you so long." He handed her a very small gun that she could hide under her skirt. He had seen the dress she would wear to the ball and it had a large slit. "Well, princess, now that you have your gun, it is time to learn how to use it." Drayk agreed with him there, his father pointed towards the dragonsteel targets who were man shaped. These were the ones who stand still, later in the training she will shoot on targets that moved. But let her first aim ad something that was standing still.


    "This gun is much lighter than yours." She said to him, while walking toward the marker. She didn''t wait for any instructions, she just started to aim and shoot. The first two were way off, but after that she hit every target. Maybe she just needed to get used to the weight of the gun, not maybe she was a natural. Drayk looked at his father, who nodded with approval.


    "You are a nice shooter, let''s see how you do it on moving targets." He said, and just like that the targets started to move, and she shot at them. She hit her mark, again and again. The targets quickened their pace, and still she got them all.


    "Are you sure you never went out shooting before?" Drayk asked and she nodded. "Well, you are a natural, it took me a long time to be hit only one. When they moved around at this speed." She didn''t even make eye contact and kept on shooting.


    "Your father would be pleased." His father said. And he sighed. "Alright son, you are going home, apply some more of that medicine of yours and start to get ready for the ball." Drayk nodded, his father had his no argument voice.


    "Morthia, I will see you at the ball." He said. She nodded again, and this time she looked away from the targets.


    "I am the girl in black." She replied. The color of the Empyrea family, as where he was going to wear a red uniform, the color of the Hemera family. "I know you would look handsome in what ever you are going to wear." He nodded and walked off, feeling that his cheeks started to burn up. Man, he loved this woman.

 Chapter 9

    Her dress felt cold, she never liked the color black. But according to her father, this was the color she needed to wear at special occasions. To represent their family, so she did as she was told. She looked at her self in the mirror, the jewelry was holding black crystals. She was wearing golden earnings without any crystals, but the tiara her father had selected for this evening made up for it. That thing was loaded and heavy to boot. With a sigh, she walked out of the bedroom, it was time to make her way to the ballroom. She stretched her back and started the march. Her shoes ticked on the dragonsteel floor, again there were no carpets inside the hallways.


    "Oh my, you look lovely, darling." The voice of her grandmother said. "A bit black, but lovely." Her grandmother was wearing a long red dress, and had red crystals in her jewelry.


    "I am just wearing my house color." Morthia replied, and her grandmother nodded.


    "I know that, but still it is not a color that would suite you. You are already pale as they come and with your red hair." Her grandmother said. "But your father would be proud of you, when he sees you like this. So that will be a win." The sarcasm didn''t escape Morthia, she only didn''t have time to react. Because the moment she came near the ballroom, she got swarmed by all the ladies of the court. Young and old, Empyrea and Hemera. She was asked so many questions that she was not able to keep up with them. "Alright, alright. Give her a moment to breath, ladies." Her grandmother said after what seemed forever. But they didn''t let up, the only thing was that the questions came much slower.


    "Ahh, there she is!" Her father said while walking out of the ballroom. Now the sea of skirts made way and let him through. "Come on, there are other''s here who want to meet you as well. All the members of both sides of the bloodline have come from all over the empire to celebrate you. And some other important people, like Minster. People I need to run the Empire from the shadows." She frowned a little, but her face started to light up when she saw Drayk standing inside the crowed. "And there is of course your man." Her father whispered in her ear. He looked around and sighed. "Well here we go." She looked at him with a smile. "Ladies and gentlemen of the court, before I start let me tell you a story. Legend has it that a mighty dragon, the ruler of the planets and giver of life landed on one of those planets. The mighty beast was pleased with what he saw and was surprised how prospers the people on the planet were. He knew for a fact that there was no other planet quite like this one, two individuals rushed towards the dragon. Pleading with him to not destroy their world, to spare his creation. The two were members of separate families, that had led their people. The Empyrea''s and Hemera''s. The dragon was pleased with their willingness to give their lives for the greater good, so he gave them a gift. A gemstone that was made out of his own breath, and a piece of metal made from one of his scales. He promised that their children will one day rule all of his creation, and he left. Never to be seen again. We do not know who got what and for this story it those not matter. Because both of our families share the trades of the Dragonsteel and the Dragonfire crystal, strenght and a huge temperament." He took a deep breath and he laid his hand on her shoulder. "My daughter, Morthia is a child from the Empyrea''s and Hemera''s bloodline. She embodies those trades, she is staying with use for only a week and right now she has learned all the basics. I know I am going to sound like a proud father, because I am one. But she even proofed herself at shooting. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you, my daughter and heir. Morthia Empyrea the daughter of the black and red dragons." An applause arose and the music started. The father and daughter dance, Crux had told her from the start that this was one of the most important dances she would ever do. He took her hand and pulled her a bit closer. "Do not make a fool out of me." He said. This was her first dance in public, she would try her best not to step on his toes. She led him lead her into the dance, the music started out slowly and then quickened pace. She tried her best and even smiled a little. The music ended and she looked down, she had messed up a few steps.


    "I am sorry father." She whispered, he nodded and looked a bit frustrated.


    "It was your first dance with me. I should have practiced it with you." He said, but she could hear a slight coldness in his voice. He however, pulled himself up and looked at the people in the audience. "I know a lot of you were hoping to pound off your sons, but my daughter already chooses her man. Drayk Hemera this is your moment." Drayk nodded and had a small box in his hands. Which hold a neckless, their engagement neckless.


    "Morthia, your father just gave a speech how you are the daughter of both lines. Well so was I, my mother was a member of the Empyrea bloodline before she married." He said, and then opened the box. The crystal was not all the way red, as Crux told her it would be. It was a combination of black and red, which makes sense now that she knows that also he came from the same bloodlines as she did. She turned around and let him hang the neckless around her neck, she could feel him shaking throughout the whole ordeal. "I am done." He whispered in her ear. Her hand went toward the crystal and she smiled. "I will love you, protect you and follow your lead, once you become the Dragon King. I know normally the man is appointed toward that role, but the Dragon knows, that I have no talent to lead our empire." She looked towards her father, who nodded with a huge smile. He was happy about that, so this was a good thing? The music started to play, and Drayk reached out his hand. "Do me the honor to dance with you." She took it and they were on their way to the dance floor. But as soon they took their position the double doors slammed open and a whole horde of men entered the ballroom.


    "Oh I am sorry to crash this party, but we do not want a woman on the throne." One of the men said, and they started to attack.


    **********


    Morthia grabbed the gun from under her skirt and pointed towards the first men, and shot without a blink of an eye.


    "Cover my back." She said to Drayk. He didn''t reply but he placed his back to hers, while he shot another one. The men were holding knives, just like the once who attacked her in her bedroom. Just like the once who hurt Drayk, that was something that would not happen again. Not so long she was holding a gun in her hands. She shot another man down, and another. Her heart was pounding in her chest, there was so much dead. And almost all were killed by her, and some were killed by Drayk. The man didn''t attack the other guests, which was a relief and also strange. Why were they targeting her, simply because they didn''t want to see a woman on the throne? That was ridicules, the empire had blossomed under the rule of a female Dragon King, which was well documented in history. "Do we know who they are?" She asked.


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    "I do not have a clue." Drayk replied, while he shot another one. The attackers had thinned out, by a lot. Only the leader, the one who had spoken was left. He pulled out his knife and run towards her.


    "Safe that one!" Her father screamed out of nowhere. She nodded and lowered her gun. If they spared one the Dragon Guard could interrogate him. Drayk also lowered his gun and made himself ready to tackle the guy. For a brief moment she wondered were the rest of the guard was. Drayk jumped, but he missed. The man now tackled her towards the ground and she did her best to fight him off. Drayk did his best to pull the man off her. The knife that he was holding was against her throat, the sharp pain of it cutting through her flesh something she hopefully would not ever experience again. Tears were jumping in her eyes, the man was like a block of steel on her.


    "Drayk..." She gasped for air. "Get him... Off me."


    "I am trying!" Drayk screamed. "Father, a little help please!" That is when a second pair of arms were wrapped around the man. But they were still not able to move the guy off her. Her vision started to blur, and she could feel herself losing the fight to stay awake.


    "By the love of the Dragon, shot that man!" That was the voice of her grandmother.


    "No, spare his life." Her father said.


    "Do you not have eyes! He is killing your daughter!" Her grandmother screamed. "He is killing her! Shoot him!" Morthia gasped for air, he was indeed killing her and if she lost concesnes she will die. There was no doubt about it, but she didn''t want to go against her father''s wishes.


    "Spare his life, Morthia." His voice echoed through her head. "Spare his life." She closed her eyes, and then she could hear a shot going off. The grip on her loosened up and she was able to breathe once again. Drayk and Derock pulled the man off her and both looked shocked at her. She looked at the man, the shot came from her gun, but she couldn''t remember firing it.


    "Search him, and control that knife." Derock said, to Drayk. She got picked up by someone, it took her a time to recognize her father. He walked with her in his arms toward her room, there he put her down and closed the door behind him.


    "Which part of keep him alive, did you not understand." He asked in his cool and collected voice. She did a step back, she didn''t know why but he made her afraid. He had not turned around yet, but she could feel the anger. "Tell me, which part didn''t you understand."


    "I did understand, I did my best. I do not even remember firing." She stammered. Her hand went towards her throat, it was bleeding heavily. "I was losing concesnes, I couldn''t breathe." This part she whispered. He turned around and walked with big steps towards her. He grabbed her by the arm, he raised his hand, ready to strike her. Micheal has done a similiare movement when she was little, but none of those landed. This time it was not the case, her cheek was burning heavily. She let herself fall to the ground, shaking heavily from the pain and fear. The door opened and Drayk rushed in.


    "Morthia." He said when he knelt down. He had a serine in his hand. "I need to hurt you for a millisecond. That dagger was poisoned with Black Night, which is a poison that affects your reaction system." He said, placing the needle in her arm. It indeed hurt for just a millisecond. He touched her face after that, the place her father''s hand had landed. Drayk turned around in anger, but she stopped him from saying something. By simply laying a hand on his shoulder.


    "They were members of a new criminal organization, the Cult of the Dragon." Commander Derock entered the room. "They described everything on this note." Commander Derock handed a piece of paper (need to find something tech for that), to her father. Who read it and then nodded. "The reason we couldn''t get him off the princess was because they pumped themselves full, with some kind of tea. Dryak explained that one to me, but I barely understand it."


    "It is called Dragonsteel tea, it is not made from the steel itself, but from some kind of herb that was created with the help of the steel. It makes the drinker of this tea stronger and heavier." Drayk explained through his teeth. He was still angry and she could understand why. She was angry too, angry at her father for striking her. Angry at this cult. "The creation of this tea, is forbidden by law." Drayk now looked at her father. "So is the creation of Black Night."


    "Yes all forms of poisons made by humans, are forbidden by law." Her father replied, calm and collected. She looked away from him, was he also going to hit Drayk? Was he going to hurt someone else she loved? She never could have dreamed that her father could hurt her like that. Micheal only raised his hand towards her, a couple of times. But those never landed, he never hurt her like that. He always swore that he wouldn''t be that type of man. But her father, the man she had dreamed off, was that kind of man. A kind that would hurt her. Now she started to wonder did her father also hit her mother, did he attack her the same way, or maybe even worse. Was that why she ran away? She dared to look at Drayk, he was worried about her. She could see that in his eyes, would be also that kind of man that would hurt her? No he wouldn''t hurt her in any way, shape or form. He would rather hurt himself, before he would do that to her. "Let a doctor bind that wound and after that get some rest. The party is over." He walked out of the room, a doctor shot past him and started to bind her wounds.


    "I do not understand him, that man was trying to kill her and he is mad at her..." Drayk bursted his frustration out.


    "Son, mind your words." His father snapped. Drayk punched a wall and screamed it out. See he would rather hurt himself then others.


    "Then one other question, why were we the only once fighting those cult members? Where were you and the other members of the guard. They could have killed her." Drayk snapped back at his father, who hung his head.


    "You wouldn''t understand, even when I tell you." He said.


    "Try me." Drayk said. "Please try me." But his father didn''t explain, he just turned around and walked away. And Drayk followed him, leaving her alone with the doctor and her own thoughts.

 Chapter 10

    Drayk lost track of his father, he was outside the palace inside a dark ally. It smelled like piss, and death. He rolled with his eyes, one other thing his father was not willing to tell him. The Dragon King just laid a hand on Morthia, his fianc¨¦e, the love of his life and his father was not willing to explain why he did not help them when the attack started. He wanted to scream in anger, but instead he turned around and wanted to walk back towards the palace. After what the Dragon King had done he was not letting Morthia alone in there.


    "Hello soldier boy." Someone said behind him. He turned around and saw that it was Omega. He wanted to sigh and ask what she wanted. But maybe he could learn a thing or two from her.


    "What do you know about the Cult of the Dragon?" He asked.


    "Wow, not even a hello. Well I will not take it personally. Not after the Dark matter you have being through. Well it is a relative new organization and to be honest with you, we do not know much about them. Other than that we do not like them." She said and shrugged. "But it those not surprise me that they attacked the ball, not after you public announced that you wouldn''t be the next Dragon King. Something that those not surprise me." He frowned how did she know about that? "Hello, lover boy the whole thing was live. Everyone in the empire saw it and I have to say that princess has a decent shot. More than decent." He nodded, she indeed had a decent shot. But that was not the point.


    "I wonder why the rest of the guard didn''t help use. My father told me that it was something I wouldn''t understand, even when he explained it." Drayk said and Omega sighed.


    "You are so smart and dumb at the same time. They have being ordered not to help you, he broke his orders when he tried to pull that man off the princess. But that was after you asked for his help." She said. "And it is difficult to explain when there is a gun pointed at the back from someone you love." Drayk frowned there was no gun pointed at his back when they were in Morthia''s room. But there would have being some when he left that said room. He quickly looked over his shoulder. "Oh there is no one there at the moment, my men made sure about that. But we do not have much time, bring the princess to the old commander for more answers. We already have being in the process of smuggling the triplets out of the palace, so he can speak freely now." She gave him a key of some sorts. He looked at it, and recognized that it was the key towards the dungeons. "I need to go, but I have a feeling that we are going to see each other sooner then later." She said and she walked further into the ally. He didn''t know what she meant by that, but there was no time for him to waste. He rushed back towards the palace, Morthia was sitting on her bed. Her throat was covered in a bandage, which was a good sign.


    "I can''t believe that he hurt me." She said, her hand went to her cheek. "I can''t believe it." She whispered. He walked towards her and sat down.


    "Follow me." He said, he took her by the hand and pulled her through the palace. He didn''t stop, not even when she asked where the Dark matter they were going. He placed the key card against the pad and the door of the dungeon. Normally he wouldn''t be allowed to enter, but this time he didn''t care that he was breaking the rules. They, Morthia and he, needed answers. There was only one cell that was filled out, Micheal. Morthia looked at him confused. "Commander, your children are in safe hands. So speak freely." Micheal looked at them and sighed.


    "Well here we go then. Let me start at the beginning. I met your father while we both were in the Dragon Guard, he considered me a friend, I considered him dangerous for everybody around him. He didn''t cry when the news of his parents'' death was announced, he just shrugged it off and went further with his life. That was all before he met your mother, I believe he told you about their marriage?" He asked, and Morthia nodded. "Well, they indeed had no choice in the matter, but it was not as rose colored as he told you. At least not for your mother. He beat her, abused her, and raped her. When she got pregnant with you, you would think he would be overjoyed. This however was not the case, he hit her and when she was down he made the point of telling her that if she dared to give life to a girl that he would kill the child." Morthia looked shocked, and Drayk felt his blood boil.


    "So that is why she ran?" Drayk asked. Micheal nodded.


    "That is why she came to me, she asked for my help and I gave it to her." He said. He looked at Morthia. "She ran to protect her unborn child. She ran to protect you." He sighed. "I can''t say that I was overjoyed when you were born, yes you looked like your mother. But I feared that there would be some cruel traces of your father inside of you. That is why I treated you the way I did, so that those treats would never reach the surface." In Drayk''s mind there fall some pieces of the puzzle on their place, not all of it but some.


    "Do you think he wants to kill me now?" Morthia asked. Micheal shrugged.


    "To be honest, I do not know. But I know one thing, he wanted to kill you, Morthia. And I know him well enough, to know that once he got something on his mind, he will not change it. The fact that you have spent some one on one time with him, and are still breathing surprises me." Micheal said and he then looked at Drayk. "I believe we got you to thank for that fact." Drayk lowered his head and breath in deeply.


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    "What makes you think that we would believe you?" Drayk asked. He believed every word, but he knew that for Morthia it was something that was hard to hear.


    "Your mother had a journal, she was not allowed to have one. So she hit it in one of her favorite books, but not the copy you have. This copy is inside the royal library. Drayk here knows where it is." Micheal said. Drayk nodded, he also knew that nobody was permitted to enter it. But that wouldn''t stop them. "Morthia once you have the journal, please broadcast this. I do not know what your father is planning, but I know one thing, he can''t be allowed to sit on that throne for much longer. Also make sure that your siblings are out of his reach."  She nodded again and they left the dungeons.


    "Bring me to the library." She said, he wanted to explain that it was off limits. But he did not bother.


    "You are going in there alone, if your father is in there and he asks you why, you tell him that you heard from someone of the staff saying something about the library. And you as a bookworm, needed to see it for yourself." He said and nodded.


    "I can say that I wanted to see if there were some history books, others then the once you showed me." She said. He stopped in front of the doors.


    "It is here, I will see you back in your room. Be careful." He said, and she went in.


    *******


    The library was well light and she was amazed about how well stocked it was. But other than the rows, upon rows of books the room was empty. Her father was not there, so there was no time to waste. She walked towards, the first cabinet and started to look what contains it. She found a few history books, so she picked up two books. To make her lie a bit more believable, it took her a while before she found the book. She opened it, and saw that the seal was a bit peeled off. She closed the book and quickly hid it between the other books. The door of the library opened, and her father stepped in.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked, calmly. "Don''t you know that the library is off limits?" She shook her head.


    "I heard some maid talk about the library after she saw my collection of books. And you know what kind of bookworm I am." She said. "Besides Crux let slip that he is going to quiz me the day after tomorrow about the history of the empire, so I wanted to see what I could find to read up on the topic. I am sorry if I broke a rule." She looked down. "I will place the books back." He walked towards her and looked at the books. She prayed to the Dragon that he wouldn''t find the copy of Summer Star between them.


    "Those topics are pretty deep, but that goes to show how clever you are." He said. There was no clue that he was on to something, He nodded and frowned. "You will blow that quiz out of the water." He said. "Next time just ask me." She nodded and she almost ran out of the library. Her heart was once again beating in her chest, was this because she lied to her father, or was this still the result of her now knowing the truth. She shot the door behind.


    "And?" He asked, but she shook her head. She pointed towards the walls and then to her ears. He nodded, and smiled. "Where did you get those books?" She smiled.


    "From the library, and you don''t have to tell me that this it is off limits. Because daddy already told me." She said with a half grin, she was so nervous. Now that she had the journal, how was she able to get it to the public? She did not know.


    "Hey this is a book about the ministry of News and Intelligence. That is very close by, if you want to know more about what they do there, I suggest a visit." Drayk said and she nodded, he just answered her question. She didn''t have the chance to meet the ministers and the other members of the court, because of the attack. But that didn''t mean that she couldn''t visit their place of business. "But for now put those books away and come to bed. It is late and you had a long day." She nodded again, placed all the books on her desk, except for Summer Star she placed that one inside the cabinet and took her own out of the cabinet, and lay that one by the rest. So that if her father visits her room during the night, he wouldn''t be able to take that one away from her. She changed into her night clothes and fall asleep as soon her head hit the pillow, Drayk''s chest.


    *******


    Drayk was so relieved when she entered the room, meaning that she was safe for now. Tomorrow he would take her to the ministery, but before that they had a meeting with Omega. Something he had set up when she was inside the library, he wondered if Omega knew what Micheal was going to tell them. He also had checked the triplets room, they were gun and Madam Charlo had told him that they were at their grandparents house. Something he was relieved to hear, meaning that they were protected by Lady and Lord Hemera. But if they were going to pull this off they needed to be off the ship. All of them needed to be off the ship, outside the Dragon King''s reach. He sighed, there was so much they needed to think about for doing this and he hoped that Omega would be willing to help them a bit more. For a right price of course. He smiled at that thought, of course Omega was willing to do almost everything for the right price, except turning herself in. Morthia lay a hand on his chest, right above his heart, he lay an arm around her. He didn''t make himself any illusions. This was going to be dangerous and once they started there was no turning back. He was fully aware of this, like he was fully aware that he was going to give everything for her even his own life. She will never forgive him, when he died during this battle. But if this meant that she got to life, and rule... Yes he was willing to sacrifice himself. He closed his eyes and fall asleep.

 Chapter 11

    Morthia was hopping from one foot to the other, she was so nervous. Today was the day that she was going to hear her mother''s voice after so long. And not only that, but the whole empire would hear it too, if their plan worked. Drayk had told her that they needed to meet up with someone first, before going to the ministry. But who were they going to meet, in this stinking alleyway so close to the palace. She looked at him and then at the book in her hands, it was still the same book and the chip which contained her mother''s journal was still in there.


    "Would it help if I said calm down?" Drayk asked, and she simply shook her head. "Good then I am not going to bother. Crux was a real sport this morning, after he confronted you." Morthia closed her eyes and moaned. She had to lie to her father about a quiz, and her father had confronted Crux. Who in return confronted her, she of course couldn''t tell him the real reason why she was inside the library. But he was luckily willing to make the lie a reality, so now she had a real quiz about the history of the empire. Maybe he will forget about it after all that is going down.


    "So, I am really meeting the princess in person. Do I need to consider this a honer or a thread?" A woman appeared from out of nowhere.


    "A bit of both, Omega." Drayk replied. He turned towards Morthia. "Omega is the leader of the Blackmarket and the person that is going to help use with our mission."


    "Help? I thought you were going to pay me?" Omega said. It was not easy to get a good look, but Morthia was able to decipher a few details. The woman had blond hair, gray eyes and was in her late thirty, or mid-forties. Drayk sighed and smiled.


    "Of course, we are going to pay you." Drayk said and Morthia looked at him confused.


    "I thought we were going to broadcast it?" Morthia said, but he shook his head.


    "Do not laugh, Omega. She is never being inside the ministry and those not know a thing about it." Drayk said, while pointing at Omega. Morthia saw from the corner of her eye that Omega nodded.


    "Listen princess, and listen carefully. I know the building better then anybody else. My grandfather worked for the ministry, and one day he didn''t get back home. My grandmother together with my infant father, rushed towards the building to find that her husband was killed. A beam had fallen down and landed on top of my grandfather and another worker of the ministry. He was taken away, and my grandmother needed to do all she could to survive. Because the ministry and the court did nothing, she didn''t even got his last salary. Because it was being used to clean the street of their blood. This because they needed more then one floor."


    "Don''t most buildings started out as one?" Morthia asked and Omega nodded.


    "Yes they do, but this only states that this one store was already in use when they build the rest. Bringing those who worked there in danger. But hey those were just people, nothing to worry about." Omega said as if it was nothing. Only Morthia could see the anger burning in her eyes. Probably because her family was effected by the build.


    "I thought the building started as a one store, just the computer chamber. But when the Dark web and the Black Market started to rise up the building got their additional nine stores." Drayk said and Omega rolled with her eyes.


    "Is that what they tell you, well that is only part of the story. Those are indeed ten stores, but the building was always designed to have ten. But yes it started out as just one store, when they started using it. However, the other nine are only housing servers, that are powered by Dragonfire Crystals. No human is able to walk there because of the heat those things radiate. But that does not stop use from trying it with spacesuites. But I do not need to tell you that getting to the elevators is indeed difficult, those dragons are holding tight. What no one seems to notice is that the building has a secret basement, which contains the office of the Minister. And if you know the way that one is easy to get to." Omega said, and then reached out her hand. "May I have it? So that I can get to work." Morthia gave her the book.


    "The chip is under the seal." She said quickly. Omega nodded and wanted to leave.


    "One more thing, the triplets and her grandparents. Is it possible to take them off this ship?" Drayk asked, Morthia bit on her lip and Omega nodded.


    "They already are, they are on their way to Valeron. Far outside the reach of the Dragon King." Omega said before she left. Morthia took a deep breath, this was really happening. She just trusted her mother''s voice and her story to the leader of the Blackmarket.


    "She didn''t even tell use her price." Drayk said. "Do not worry, if Omega says she is going to something, she will. She has some code of honer." This didn''t set her at ease, what calmed her nerves a bit was the fact that her grandparents and her siblings were safe. "Come on, they need some distraction." Drayk laid his hand on her shoulder and guided her out of the alleyway towards the large building that was the ministry.


    ******


    The building was in one word massive, a large collection of Dragonsteel and surrounded by Dragonfire Technology. There was no way that someone was able to get close to the building undetected, and Morthia prayed that Omega indeed had a way to avoid all of this. As they came closer an older man stepped out of the building, he was wearing a brown suit and his glasses were shimmering.


    "Ahh, Princess, I didn''t expect to see you in a place like this." The man said, with a honey glaceed voice. "Please tell me why we receive such an honor?" Drayk sighed.


    "Minister Nakos Matter, the princess has a huge quiz tomorrow about your ministry. So this was a good opportunity to see it for herself." Drayk said, and she simply nodded.


    "I am also planning to see the other ministries of course. But yours is featured in the quiz, so we are starting here." She said while giving him a digital note. "My father is alright with this, and gave me his blessing." Nakos looked at the note. "I need to know all that there is to know, when I inherit the throne." Nakos nodded and sighed.


    "Well, there is indeed no better time to learn all that you can, then today." Nakos said. "Please follow me." He motioned them towards the door. Morthia was shocked to see the row, upon row of computer desks, all filled with neatly dressed personal. None of them looked up at them, all their gazes were glued towards their screens. The desks didn''t have any form of decoration on them, there was not one single plant inside the large room. There were however two elevator doors, guarded by Dragon Guard members. She nodded towards them and they saluted her. A small drone started to fly in front of her. "This is our camera, I am going to use this visit to broadcast this tonight." Nakos explained, Morthia gave him a simple smile and again looked at the space.


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    "Please tell me, all about what you do here?" Morthia asked. And Nakos started to tell about the ministry, she on the other hand was not paying much attention. She saw a glimpse of movement behind the elevator doors, but she was not able to show any emotion. She knew that all too well.


    "After the Blackmarket started to set up their business on the Dark web, the other nine stories were added." Nakos said.


    "And were was the base of operations, during this build?" Morthia asked.


    "Where it has always been, princess. Right here." Nakos said, with a huge smile. "There were not many accidents during the build, only two to three workers died when a beam of steel fall down. But that was it." Morthia already knew the story, from Omega, but she was shocked about the fact that he told her that this was just a little accident. There were lives lost that day, and they didn''t see the danger of it all. Nakos nodded. "The families were well compensated." This was a lie. So the man was able to lie to her with a straight face, that was good to know.


    "That is good to hear." She said. "So are all this people collecting information or are they writing the news?"


    "They are writing all types of news." He said. "The intellance part of this operation is upstairs, nine stories filled with servers that are powered by the Dragonfire Crystals. Which means that the other nine floors are so hot that it is not wise to come there." She nodded and then started to walk between the rows of desks. So this was only the front of the operation. She looked at the screens and saw a video playing of the fight of yesterday. But her gaze was not set on herself, taking down one Cult member after the other, her gaze was set on her father''s face. He was enjoying himself, he was clearly enjoying himself. That man that she had called father, and daddy. Her skin started to cruel. The screen started to get foggy, and there was some sort of static.


    "What is going on?" She asked, turning towards Nakos. Who looked shocked as well. Was this her mother''s journal by any chance? The static made way for her mother''s face. Morthia gasped and grasped Drayk by the arm, her mother had a huge swollen eye and a bloody lip. Her eyes looked frantic over the camera, before she looked straight into it.


    "I know that my husband, has forbidden me to do this. But I have no one else to turn to." Her eyes started to tear up. "He made sure of that. My parents are not allowed to visit me, and my friends are just saying that I should be happy. Well, I do not know about that, this..." She pointed towards her face. "Is what he gave me after I refused to sleep with him and this is only my face, I have brushes all over my body. And this is only the first week of our marriage, I am really scared about what the future holds for me." The image faded for a moment and later came back. "He is a sleep now, after he forced himself on me again. This time he did not beat me, instead he beat up one of the maids I became close with. Well he was hurting that poor girl, he was telling me that this was all mine fault. And that I am to blame for her pain. Tomorrow, she would be sent off to one of the moons or planets to work as a slave in the mines. Her family would be informed that she had stolen something and that this is her punishment. I am so scared, to be kind to someone of the staff. I am scared that his next step is that he is going to hurt my parents." The image faded in and out, all of them told a brief experience of what happened to her mother. Then her father became visible, clearly not knowing that he was being filmed.


    "What did you say?" He said, his voice was calm and collected. Like he had done with her, but Morthia could feel the anger.


    "I am pregnant, with your child." Her mother said, her voice was shaking. Her father raised his hand and stuck her mother so hard that she fall to the ground.


    "Well this is your reward, Brialea. And if you dare to give birth to a girl, I will kill the child the moment she comes out of your womb." Her father said. So Micheal had spoken the truth about all of this. He had spoken the truth about the abuse, the rape and the threats. He had spoken the truth about the fact that her father wanted to kill her. The image faded in and out.


    "So I have spoken to Micheal, the commander of the Dragon Guard and he agreed to take me and my unborn child away from here. He is willing to risk his own life for mine, and I am grateful for that. We do not know where we would end up, but all I do know is that I can''t take this journal with me. So this will be my last recording." Her mother said.


    *******


    The image faded out and then another image appeared, this time it was Commander Derock. Morthia looked at Drayk and he was as shocked as he was.


    "Well Princess Brialea and Micheal are gone, and I found this little chip in her favorite book. No worries, I will put it back so that it will never see the light of day again. Or when someone wanted to show this to the wider public, who knows." He said, tears were streaming down his eyes. He looked so broken. "It didn''t come as a shock to me that Carlos started to blame me for their escape. I after all was Micheal''s second in command and I should have known what was going on. I did know, and I agreed with Micheal that Brialea and her unborn child needed to get out of here. What I did not expect was to find Carlos the night after that inside my home, his gun against my wife''s temple. My nine-month-old son in his chair a few feet away, his little arms stretched out to her if he wanted to save her. But as soon as I walked in and laid my eyes on my poor wife, Carlos shot her. He shot her in front of my infant son, he shot her as some kind of punishment. I will never forget the look on my wife''s face the moment that he pulled the trigger. I will never forget my son''s cries. I will never forget Carlos''s next words. ''Fail me again, and your son is next.''" Morthia''s hand shot up to her mouth, now everything made sense. The image faded out and in, and commander Derock showed up again. This time, a much older version of himself. "Hello again, it has been a while." He sighed. "Carlos has informed me a few hours ago that I will be sent to Valeron to retrieve Micheal and Brielea. And that there would be children there, he also informed me that I should bring the children or otherwise my son would never leave that moon breathing. Drayk, my beautiful, smart boy. He is all that I have left from my wife, and I will do anything to protect him. The only thing is that I didn''t find Brielea on there, instead I found her and Carlos''s daughter. And I fear for her life, I fear for the lives of the other children. I fear for my own son, who clearly likes the girl. I am not the same man who I was 27 years ago, not after the death of my wife. Not after the constant fear." This time the screen went blank and everyone started to look at each other, in disbelieve.


    "I know she had a reason, but I never would have dreamed that it was this bad." An older woman said to a man who nodded.


    "I was working on an article about doctor Ildez''s latest discovery around the time of her death, it was said she passed away from a heart attack." A man said, and this was enough to set them off. Nakos was no longer inside the room, and even the Dragon Guards who were standing at the door were joining the conversation. Morthia''s attention however was on Drayk, he might also have heard the lie about his mother''s death. Now he had heard that she was murdered by her father, while he was there and witnessed it all.


    "Are you alright?" She whispered and he shook his head. That is when the one whose computer screen turned towards him, the employee, was a younger man.


    "I am sorry for your loose, Captian Dryak. To find it out like this." The man shook his head. "That is rouge, but might I suggest that the tow of you make yourself scars. Before one of you suffers the same fate." Drayk nodded, took her hand and pulled her out of the crowed, out of the building and into the streets. She knew where they were heading, toward the palace, the truth was out there and now it was time to cut off the head of this viper. Her father had known where her mother and Micheal were living, he even knew that there were children. So this meant that he knows where her grandparents with her siblings are heading. She knew that none of them were ever safe, while her father was still alive and breathing. The only question she had for herself was would she be able to pull the trigger.

 Chapter 12

    It was quite inside the palace, there were no servants, no members of the guard. There was no soul inside those cold hallways, which was fitting. Morthia feared for what happened to them, knowing what her father had done to that servant girl that was friendly towards her mother. He had sent her to a moon or planet, or maybe not even that. Maybe he had killed her after her mother left the room, this was something she didn''t put past him. Drayk looked at her over his shoulder and nodded, without any words he made clear to her that he thought the same thing. But they were not going to stop now, Micheal was right, he needed to be stopped. Their footsteps echoed through the building, so much for sneaking up on him. It was also not a question where her father would be, the throne room. The doors were already open.


    "Please, my king, I beg you." Said someone inside the throne room, so her father was not alone after all. Minister Nakos Matter was with him. "I will find the person who is behind this, I will find them and bring them to you."


    "They are already here, Nakos." Her father''s calm and collective voice said. Morthia entered the throne room, followed by Drayk. "You see, there they are. Of course, they had help, because how else could they have pulled it off when they were standing right in front of you." Was that pride that she heard in his voice? Was he proud of her, for laying all his secrets out and in the open?


    "But my king, the security of the ministry is the latest Dragonfire Technology, there is no way they could have sneaked the message past me." Nakos started to defend himself.


    "Didn''t you listen, they had help. There was another person visiting the building, before my wife''s journal was revealed to the public." Her father said, with a huge grin on his face. "I am only not going to bother to ask her who it was." He said. "And you just made yourself useless." Morthia barely blinked, but her father grabbed a gun and shot Nakos. The body of the man, fall to the ground. He was dead, there was no doubt about it. Then her father pointed his gun at Drayk. "I see now that I made the mistake of not killing you, before you became a problem." Was he going to shoot Drayk as well?


    "I am your target father, not him." Morthia said, and she stepped forward. He looked at her, but didn''t move his gun. "You warned, my mother, that you would kill me as soon as I leave the womb. Only she ran away before you could do that. She past away before you could take revenge on her, and now here we are." Her father nodded.


    "Yes here we are. And now you know everything. But I wonder where did your mother hid her journal?" He asked, Morthia gave him a half smile.


    "In her favorite book in the royal library." She replied and he nodded again.


    "She was, indeed, too smart for her own good." He said, "and she knew I wouldn''t look inside that cheap version of a story." Morthia wanted to tell him that it was her favorite novel too, but there was no point in doing that. "But you are right, you are my target. But that those not mean that I can not play with you for a little. And I do not want to kill you, not anymore at least." She frowned, according to Micheal, her father was not a man who didn''t change his mind that often. She wondered why this was. "Why would I kill you, you are my flesh and blood, you are strong, unlike your mother." What was he talking about, her mother was one of the strongest people she had known. "You kill without betting an eyeless. I face danger without fear, and the only time I saw you break was when the boy was hurt." He moved his gun, which was still pointed at Drayk and Drayk had also his gun in his hands. "You are my daughter, and my heir. I only need to whip you into shape. What did he mean by that, but then a screen that she didn''t know was there popped on. It was focused on a space shuttle, but then the image shifted towards the inside. It showed her grandparents and her siblings, her grandmother was looking at the pilot, she didn''t trust the man, that much was clear. "Did you really believe that I would let those brats go?" Her focus went from the screen towards her father, who was holding some kind of control. He pushed the button and the image went light blue. "So that was fun." He said, she looked at him in horror. What had he done to her siblings, her grandparents? She could think of only one thing, he had murdered them. She quickly grabbed her gun, pointed at him and shot. He in turn shot at Drayk, who jumped out of the way and fired a shot of his own. Her father on the other hand was not so lucky, he fell down face first. He was dead.


    ********


    She quickly ran towards him. Grabbed the control out of his hands and pushed on another button, the light blue screen jumped back to life. Showing her grandmother and grandfather in front of the screen.


    "Do you really think that I would not have recognized one of your hand man, Carlos?" Her grandmother said. She looked smug, and Morthia let out a sigh. They were still alive, thank the Dragon they were alive. "Carlos?"


    "Lady Hemera, this is Drayk. Prince Carlos is dead." Drayk said. "He just lost his life, when he tried to take Morthia''s life." Her grandmother nodded.


    "He got what he deserved." She said. "Morthia are you alright?" She asked, but Morthia couldn''t get up or was not able to say things. "I know you are trying to get a sense about this all, and I am sorry that I am not there to guide you. As I wanted to guide your mother, your father however didn''t allow me. And now he is again in my way, even though he is dead." She stopped and Drayk bowed down next to her. "However Drayk isIt was quite inside the palace, there were no servants, no members of the guard. There was no soul inside those cold hallways, which was fitting. Morthia feared for what happened to them, knowing what her father had done to that servant girl that was friendly towards her mother. He had sent her to a moon or planet, or maybe not even that. Maybe he had killed her after her mother left the room, this was something she didn''t put past him. Drayk looked at her over his shoulder and nodded, without any words he made clear to her that he thought the same thing. But they were not going to stop now, Micheal was right, he needed to be stopped. Their footsteps echoed through the building, so much for sneaking up on him. It was also not a question where her father would be, the throne room. The doors were already open.


    "Please, my king, I beg you." Said someone inside the throne room, so her father was not alone after all. Minister Nakos Matter was with him. "I will find the person who is behind this, I will find them and bring them to you."


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    "They are already here, Nakos." Her father''s calm and collective voice said. Morthia entered the throne room, followed by Drayk. "You see, there they are. Of course, they had help, because how else could they have pulled it off when they were standing right in front of you." Was that pride that she heard in his voice? Was he proud of her, for laying all his secrets out and in the open?


    "But my king, the security of the ministry is the latest Dragonfire Technology, there is no way they could have sneaked the message past me." Nakos started to defend himself.


    "Didn''t you listen, they had help. There was another person visiting the building, before my wife''s journal was revealed to the public." Her father said, with a huge grin on his face. "I am only not going to bother to ask her who it was." He said. "And you just made yourself useless." Morthia barely blinked, but her father grabbed a gun and shot Nakos. The body of the man, fall to the ground. He was dead, there was no doubt about it. Then her father pointed his gun at Drayk. "I see now that I made the mistake of not killing you, before you became a problem." Was he going to shoot Drayk as well?


    "I am your target father, not him." Morthia said, and she stepped forward. He looked at her, but didn''t move his gun. "You warned, my mother, that you would kill me as soon as I leave the womb. Only she ran away before you could do that. She past away before you could take revenge on her, and now here we are." Her father nodded.


    "Yes here we are. And now you know everything. But I wonder where did your mother hid her journal?" He asked, Morthia gave him a half smile.


    "In her favorite book in the royal library." She replied and he nodded again.


    "She was, indeed, too smart for her own good." He said, "and she knew I wouldn''t look inside that cheap version of a story." Morthia wanted to tell him that it was her favorite novel too, but there was no point in doing that. "But you are right, you are my target. But that those not mean that I can not play with you for a little. And I do not want to kill you, not anymore at least." She frowned, according to Micheal, her father was not a man who didn''t change his mind that often. She wondered why this was. "Why would I kill you, you are my flesh and blood, you are strong, unlike your mother." What was he talking about, her mother was one of the strongest people she had known. "You kill without betting an eyeless. I face danger without fear, and the only time I saw you break was when the boy was hurt." He moved his gun, which was still pointed at Drayk and Drayk had also his gun in his hands. "You are my daughter, and my heir. I only need to whip you into shape. What did he mean by that, but then a screen that she didn''t know was there popped on. It was focused on a space shuttle, but then the image shifted towards the inside. It showed her grandparents and her siblings, her grandmother was looking at the pilot, she didn''t trust the man, that much was clear. "Did you really believe that I would let those brats go?" Her focus went from the screen towards her father, who was holding some kind of control. He pushed the button and the image went light blue. "So that was fun." He said, she looked at him in horror. What had he done to her siblings, her grandparents? She could think of only one thing, he had murdered them. She quickly grabbed her gun, pointed at him and shot. He in turn shot at Drayk, who jumped out of the way and fired a shot of his own. Her father on the other hand was not so lucky, he fell down face first. He was dead.


    ********


    She quickly ran towards him. Grabbed the control out of his hands and pushed on another button, the light blue screen jumped back to life. Showing her grandmother and grandfather in front of the screen.


    "Do you really think that I would not have recognized one of your hand man, Carlos?" Her grandmother said. She looked smug, and Morthia let out a sigh. They were still alive, thank the Dragon they were alive. "Carlos?"


    "Lady Hemera, this is Drayk. Prince Carlos is dead." Drayk said. "He just lost his life, when he tried to take Morthia''s life." Her grandmother nodded.


    "He got what he deserved." She said. "Morthia are you alright?" She asked, but Morthia couldn''t get up or was not able to say things. "I know you are trying to get a sense about this all, and I am sorry that I am not there to guide you. As I wanted to guide your mother, your father however didn''t allow me. And now he is again in my way, even though he is dead." She stopped and Drayk bowed down next to her. "However Drayk is at your side. And this is a good thing. You both are the children of the Black and Red dragon, and I think that this was what the Dragon meant by ''your children will rule one day.''" Drayk nodded.


    "We needed to think how we are going to rule, how we are going to change the empire." He said, and Morthia nodded. She agreed with them there, they needed to find a way to decrease the slave labor. And maybe even change the job market on the ships as well.


    "Contact Professor Adams, he is able to help you two with that. He was a friend of both your mothers and he was hunted down because of two articles that your father didn''t agree to." Her grandmother said.


    "I know the man, and I know where he is." Drayk said, and why was she not surprised to hear that.


    "Omega?" She asked and he nodded. She gave him a smile and she was calmed down enough. So she was able to speak, and most importantly breath.


    "Grandmother, please look after the triplets. I am going to send their father after you, once the dust settles." Morthia said, now the triplets jumped in front of the camera. "You three, and mostly Tina and MJ listen very carefully." The two nodded their heads. "You behave, and listen to grandmother and grandfather." Again they nodded their heads. "Your father, will come to join you. But I can not promise you when that would be." Again they nodded. "Promise me."


    "We promise." They said, and the screen went back to light blue.


    **********


    The door to the throne room slammed open, she didn''t even know that it was closed. Commander Derock and Crux came in looking slightly confused.


    "What the Dark Matter happened here?" Crux asked. Commander Derock shook his head, his confusion made place for frustration.


    "Are you really asking them that? You have eyes, don''t you?" Commander Derock walked towards them. "My king." He knelt down for Morthia. "What are your orders." She took a deep breath.


    "Take care of the bodies, and I want Micheal released." She said, she then focussed on Dryak. "Sweetheart, go and look for professor Adam and tell him that I want to see him." Drayk nodded and left the throne room. Commander Derock, followed his son. So she focused on Crux. "Where is the rest of the staff?"


    "In the nursery, hiding." He said. "I will call them in here, once the bodies are removed. I need to plan your coronation and o dear, there is so much to do." He started to list everything, and she checked out as soon as he started.


    "That sounds great, but first a funeral. My father was the Dragon King after all and needs to be respected as such." She said, Crux nodded.


    "And there is still the matter of your history test." He said. She wanted to moan, hoping that he had forgotten that, but no. "Do not look at me like that your highness. It is now part of your duties."

 Chapter 13

    "So Prince Carlos is dead, and you miss are the new Dragon King? You tell me that Lady Hemera pointed you towards me?" Professor Adams said. He was passing up and down inside the royal library. Morthia figured that this place was more down to ship than the throne room. "Why in dragon''s name would she do that?"


    "Because you were a friend to both our mothers." Drayk replied. "And because of your two articles about the Dark Matter and the Lost planets." Professor Adams nodded slowly. Morthia was at first shocked when the man entered. She had seen a picture of him earlier that morning, only it was a far cry of the man in front of her. His clothes were old and dirty, his gray hair needed a comb. His beard was overgrown and needed a good trim. Under his eyes were beep blue bags, which wouldn''t go with enough rest in his lifetime. But his brown eyes, were shining, so the mind of the man was sharp, at least she hoped that this was the case. The man sat down in one of the large chairs, which were a new edition to the library. He sighed, Morthia looked at Drayk, to see what he thought of the situation.


    "Alright, alright. I still do not know why you need my help, but I at least can share my knowledge." He said, she nodded this much was fair. "The Dark Matter is currently were the lost planets were." He started. "This much is known to the public, which is not known and deducted from the history books is that those planets exploded due to over mining. The other planets and moons are heading to a similar fate, if you do not change it." Morthia was shocked, her siblings and her grandparents were currently on Valeron. A moon where the most Dragonsteel comes from, but there is one other point. They needed Dragonsteel, and the Dragonfire Crystals to survive. Or did they.


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    "Crux." The butler was standing in the corner of the room, listing to every word that was being said. "I want a list of all the Dragonsteel and Dragonfire Crystals we currently have in stock." Crux nodded and left the room. "Now that was the first step, I think we can cut back mining of this stuff. Closing a few mines on each planet and moon. Change the miners into farmers, teachers and all what you need to make a normal living." She looked at Professor Adams and he nodded. "We need to change the laws and the way of thinking. Minister Hemera..." The former Commander Derock stepped forward, she had appointed him to be her minister of news. "Go and spread Professor Adams, original works to the public. Also spread the news that we are working on it, but that changes like this are not made overnight." Minister Hemera bowed and left with his task.


    "Now that is set in motion, sit down and have something to eat." Drayk said. "At least, Crux has pushed back the date of your test." She moaned again. There was so much work to be done, more problems that she needed to solve in one lifetime. But all what that butler could think of was testing her. But this was her own fault, she sat down behind the desk and put a slice of toast in her mouth.


    "The two of you look so much like your mother''s." Professor Adams said. "Both of them were dreamers, but they also worked hard to realize those dreams. And the two of you are right now doing the same thing."


    "I hope I am doing the right thing." Morthia said. "Professor, I am glad to have you here with use. And right now I am feeling guilty of what I am going to ask." He nodded, waiting for her to continue. "Can you look for a small army of bright minded people, like I said to Minister Hemera, the changes are not made overnight. But I want to make them and these people can help use with that." Professor Adams nodded.


    "Leave it to me, my King."