The Dragon’s Throne 1

“We can run back to your house and get the money.  You have enough, and it would be worth it.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You can afford it and still have enough for the winter and your savings.”

“And if something happens over the winter and one hundred dollars is the difference between heat and cold, I’ll feel really foolish sitting in the freezing cold with my beautiful necklace.”

“Anna, that’s not going to happen.  You made plenty yesterday.”

“I can’t, Eleanor.  It’s too big of a risk.”

Anna grabbed Eleanor’s hand, pulling her away from the booth. 

“I can’t just stand there and look at that,” Anna said.  “It’s not in the cards for me, and I’m alright with that.  Maybe I’ll sew a dress with embellishments that look like butterflies for myself.”

“Or, you can have the necklace you deserve and not worry about trivial things,” a man’s voice said behind her.

She felt the weight of the necklace settling on her throat as the man spoke.  Closing her eyes, she didn’t bother to turn around.  She would never forget the silky caress of this voice, and she knew without looking that it was Eli.

“I can’t accept this,” she said, her voice soft, the pendant cool against her collar bone.

“I didn’t ask you to accept it,” he said with a bemused tone.  “It’s a gift from your king.  I don’t require your approval to give it to you.”

He let go of the cord, resting his hands on her shoulders for a moment, then leaning close to her so that his breath tickled the back of her neck.  She felt his hands tug on her hair gently, then his fingers threading through her hair, releasing the braid and handing her the ribbon she had used to tie it.

“I prefer your hair wild and free,” he said softly.  “You look beautiful.  Green suits you.”

Anna’s eyes were locked on Eleanor’s, whose face was a mixture of amusement and terror at being so close to the Dragon King.  Anna’s hair fell in loose, wavy curls over her shoulders, the wind picking up the tendrils and swirling them around her head. 

She turned, ready to tell him that he had no say over how she wore her hair, but he was already gone. 

She looked around, searching frantically for him.  Not because she missed him, but because she wanted to know where he was so he couldn’t sneak up on her again.

“He’s over there,” Eleanor said, pointing.  “He’s talking to my uncle.”

Anna followed the direction she was pointing and sure enough, Eli was talking with the Mayor.  The Mayor’s face was flushed, his head close to Eli’s as Eli spoke to him.

“He looks embarrassed,” Eleanor said.  “I wonder what Eli is saying to him.”

“I don’t know,” Anna said.  “They’re leaving now.”

“We should follow them.”

“No way.  I don’t want to know what they’re talking about.  I just want to go home.”

“But it’s still so early.”

“It is, and I want to get home before something else happens.”

“What are you going to do with the pendant?” Eleanor asked, reaching out and touching it gently with a single finger and smiling.  “It is beautiful, and it would be wrong to shun such a gift.”

“It’s expensive.”

“And he bought hundreds of dollars’ worth of expensive, well-made clothes from you yesterday.  Did you see his mother? She looked phenomenal.  I think a necklace is fitting thanks for all you did for him.”

“I wish I could think like you,” Anna said.  “But really, I just want to go home and get as far away from Eli as possible.  Maybe now that Festival is ending today and he’s had his ceremony, he’ll go back to whatever it is he does in Aman.”

“You don’t think he’ll keep coming around?”

“I hope not,” Anna said, watching Eli and the Mayor disappear around the corner.  “I hope I never have to see him again.”

Eleanor looked at Anna, but Anna was already gearing up to leave.  Anna smiled weakly, then said goodbye to her friend and left.  She hurried down the hill and through the grass, wishing Eleanor had never knocked on her door.  She should be just now greeting her day, not walking through the field with the weight of the king’s gift on her neck, and the heat of his touch still burning her skin.