Chapter 4 Episode 4

CHAPTER FOUR

AURORA'S P.O.V

I swallowed hard on my saliva, and I noticed Mabel doing the same. She stepped out of the carriage and held out her hand; a gesture for me to get down the carriage. I took her hands and stepped out of the carriage and I huffed sharply, reminding myself of the rituals that shall follow suit.

Two maidens appeared out of the blue and began raining down red roses as I walked down the spread out mammoth skin carpet. A certain rose petal landed on my cheeks, and the feel of the rose so close to my face almost brought me to sneezing. I immediately brushed it off my face, my focus fixated on my father who was speaking with another person whom I despise just as much as I did him: my cousin.

Just like the dragonmen of our universe, what displeased me about my cousin were his pompous attitude as a O'Brien, and his shallow mind that believes a female dragonman is only meant to serve a male dragonman food and sex her entire life. I came to a halt before my father and lowered my head. I didn't know why, but I felt myself fuming doing that.

"Rise, my angel." his irritatingly deep-mouthed voice boomed, making my ears ring.

I raised my head, my eyes greeting his facial features. I didn't care about his crimson red eyes that explains years of undiluted and fierce ruling over the entire universe, or his lips and the multiple scars distributed across his pockmarked face. The only thing I took notice of were the few strands of grey hair on his brows and head.

He might still be the same, but he was definitely growing old.

A smile crept up his lips.

"Let's go in, daughter." he gestured towards the palace doors.

I nodded and followed suit, Mabel sticking behind me. I noticed my cousin waving his hands towards me, but I ignored the gesture.

•••

The awkward silence at the grand dining hall was enough to make me puke. All I wished for at this moment was to be relieved from eating this Godforsaken pie, relieve my eyes from the O'Brien's who were also seated and just go to bed. But that can't happen; not when my Dad was seated.

My father suddenly cleared his throat and breaks the awkward silence.

"I believe my daughter over here," he gestured towards me, "has something to say about her experience being a hunter for two sun cycles." he boomed.

"A hunter? You must be kidding." my cousin commented commented.

"Were you able to hunt down a beast?"

"How's that possible when she obviously can't hunt down a chicken?" another whom I recognize to be my cousin's miter asked and the whole room erupted with laughter.

I kept my eyes scanning the faces of my father. He was laughing too. Laughing at me. I remembered handing over my back pack to Mabel, and I turned to see she's been standing behind me ever since. I retrieved the bag, and I could hear murmurs and snickers behind me, questioning themselves about what I was trying to do. I took out a bow and a dragon scaled arrow, reaching for an apple on the grand table and handed the back pack over to Mabel.

I kicked off the seat I was sitting on moments ago and took a few steps backwards.

"Mabel," I gestured towards my cousin's mother who had earlier questioned my abilities to kill a mere chicken, "throw the apple at her."

I noticed Mabel beginning to shake, so I went further, "and yes, that's an order."

Reluctantly, she lunged the apple at the royal, everyone gasping in shock. This was unlike the hunting grounds, so I didn't see the need to chant the 'accurate attack' spell. I released the arrow from the boar and watched it soar towards the other end of the table where the old woman sat. She cowered in fear and raised her hands in defense. The arrow intercepted the apple, shooting upwards like a projectile before marking its halting point on the center of the grand table.

As expected, gasps and looks of shock erupted across the room, but nothing bested the look of disbelief on my father's face. My cousin's mother slowly removed her hands off her face, her eyes peering to confirm if the arrow was still shooting towards her direction. She jerked right up from her seat when she sees the arrow resting on the table, the apple pinned to the table alongside the arrow.

She points at me, her cheeks shaking, "You better don't try this with me next time. You better don't!" she barked.

She lost her balance almost immediately, and another wave of laughter erupted from the hall. She then got back up and scurried out of shame, my cousin following suit. I turned to face my father, a scowl dominating my expression, "Can I go to bed now?"

Still fazed by what he had just witnessed, he shook his head before responding, "Y-Yes, you can." he said.

I turned to face Mabel, my back facing my father and sighed heavily. I turned to start heading out of the dining hall when my father called me back.

"Mabel," he called out to me, "Do not forget to wake up early tomorrow. Remember, it's your birthday, and you cannot be absent. We also have to discuss something else."

I didn't know when I began to grit my teeth in anger, and I felt my blood boiling violently. I was running a high temperature, and I didn't care. I wanted to transform real bad and lash out at anything in sight, but the decision has already been made.

Tomorrow happens to be my birthday, and I know I cannot escape having the discussion of choosing a mate and of course, the 'Rût' festival. How do I wriggle myself out of this situation?