The Dragon’s Throne 1

Chapter 5

Anna hurried away from the dance floor, desperate to get away from the prying eyes of the villagers that were still milling about the edges of the dance floor.  Eleanor was standing in the booth, a shocked expression on her face as Anna hurried to her side. 

“You were dancing with the Prince,” Eleanor whispered, shocked.

“I know,” Anna said.  She began throwing her dresses into the trunk and locking the trunk.  “I’m done for today.  I need to go home and regroup.”

“But it’s only lunchtime.  We have hours to go before Festival is done for the day, and so much more money to make.”

Anna crooked her finger, motioning Eleanor to get closer.

“Eleanor, he paid me three hundred dollars for that dress.  I already made two hundred today selling some dresses and some of my dolls.  I never make more than four hundred in an entire weekend and I already have five hundred, which is enough.  I’ll come back tomorrow.  I can’t deal with everyone staring at me.”

“Anna, you’re looking at this all wrong,” Eleanor said, pulling a chair out in front of the booth and climbing onto it, facing the crowd that was still gathered close to where they were.  She cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted to the villagers.  “Come and see the dressmaker that has the Dragon Prince flying all the way from his home in Northern Aman to buy a dress for his mother, the Queen.  The Queen wears dresses by Anna, and you should, too.”

Looking pleased with herself, Eleanor jumped off the chair and went back into the booth, putting the chair beside the trunk and smirking at Anna.

“It isn’t going to work,” Anna said. 

“Excuse me,” a voice came from behind Eleanor.  “How much for that blue dress you just put in the trunk or is it sold already?”

Anna looked up, shocked to see a woman she recognized from the village. 

“It’s fifty dollars,” she said, taking it back out of the trunk and holding it out so the woman could get a good look at it.

“It’s beautiful,” she said.  She slid one finger over the bodice, admiring the details.  “Do you have another like it?  I think my daughter would love one in pink or green.”

“I do,” Anna said, digging in the trunk and pulling out a lovely pink dress with chocolate brown detailing that Anna had loved so much she’d almost kept it for herself.  “Who is your daughter?”

The woman handed Anna one hundred dollars, then took the dresses and held them in her arms after Eleanor wrapped them up.

“Charity is my daughter,” the woman said.  “She’s going to love that dress, thank you.”

Before Anna could say anything, the woman was gone and another woman had taken her place.  The dresses were gone within minutes, and a small crowd stood close by, listening intently as a woman talked with Anna about custom making a dress just for her. 

A murmur went through the crowd as it parted to reveal an angry, white-haired Ted Freeman standing in front of Anna’s booth, glaring at her icily. 

“Is it true?” he said, his tone accusing.

“I beg your pardon?” Anna said, holding the money from the rush of purchases.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

“You were socializing with the Dragon Prince?  Are you insane?”

“I didn’t socialize with him,” Anna said, indignant.  “He came to my booth and bought a dress, then he all but demanded that I dance with him.  I wasn’t given a choice in the matter, and I thought we were subjects of the king.  Isn’t doing what the prince asks in the best interest of the village?”

The Mayor reached out, grabbing Anna roughly by her arm and dragging her away from the booth.  The crowd dispersed in an instant, and Eleanor stood in the booth, her mouth wide with shock.

“What did he say to you?” Mayor Freeman hissed under his breath.  “What are you hiding?”

Anna yanked her arm out of his grasp, taking a step back so she was out of his reach.

“I’m not hiding anything,” she said.  “He asked me to dance, I didn’t know that I could say no, so I said yes.  I danced with him.  That’s all.”

Mayor Freeman shook his head in disbelief.

“Do you know how much danger you’ve put us in?”

“Danger?  How?”

“What if the prince decides that he enjoys being here?  What if he falls for you and comes into our village, pillaging like WereDragons are prone to do?  Do you know how hard I work to keep our people safe?”

“They’re fine when they come for Festival.”

“That’s two times a year in the Neutral Zone.  But we know our place, and we don’t go around enticing the prince with ourselves either.  You’ve put us in danger.  You’ve made a huge mistake.”

He turned and stormed off, his face so red that Anna could see it peeking out from his hair as he stomped off in a rage.  Anna was left standing there, arm still hurting where he’d grabbed her so roughly, her hands trembling in a mix of anger and fear.

What had she gotten herself into?  She almost wished that she’d never thought to sell that dress.  Maybe then, the prince wouldn’t have noticed her, and she wouldn’t be standing there in the middle of Festival, all eyes on her as the crowd slowly returned to the dance floor and resumed the festivities.

Eleanor was still standing there, a look of incredulity on her face as Anna dragged herself back to the booth, head down in agony.

“Are you alright?” Eleanor asked softly.

“I’m not, but I will be.”

“I’m so sorry that happened.  I’m going to have my father talk to him.  He’s crazy if he thinks that you had a choice to dance with the prince.  If you had turned him down, what if he had burned everything to the ground?  He’s known for his temper.”

“I wish I’d never thought to sell that dress.”

“Don’t say that.”  She was smiling now, and Anna wanted to ask her what could be worth smiling over.  “You’ve sold everything.  Even the dolls and the men’s clothes.  Their fear doesn’t stop them from wanting what the prince wants, and that something is your merchandise.  You don’t even have anything else to sell.”

“Are you serious?  That’s amazing.”

Eleanor handed Anna a stack of bills. 

“You made more today than you made the entire weekend in Spring,” she said proudly.  “Almost double what you made before.  I think your winter is going to go better than you imagined.”“What about the tax?”

“I already took that out, just in case.  I don’t think my uncle will dare come after you for the tax when my father is done with him, but just in case, here it is.”