Lord Seventh watched Oleandra flee, memorizing every feature. "Black hair, fair skin, and a blue pendant." He mentally noted.
Lord Seventh stood naked next to a stone wall with ancient symbols carved into the weathered stone. His only cover was his long, white hair, the tips of which were bright red. The sudden change in size caused his mind to spin, but he easily dominated the feeling with his will.
He stared at his strange human hands and whispered. "That flash… it turned me into this."
Changing his attention, Lord Seventh looked over at a misshapen stone. "It turned Little Seventh into stone!" Lord Seventh said out loud before unknowingly placing his fingers together. He was lost in thought when a warm wind softly kissed his naked backside.
His body's hands moved on their own, instinctively covering his heart and lower region. Catching himself in such a vulnerable state, a feeling foreign to all dragonkind entered Lord Seventh's human heart. Like a trained killer, Lord Seventh remained calm, observing and studying the instinctual intelligence within the human body.
"How pitiful," he concluded. His dragon nature was more assertive than whatever human instincts tried to influence his mind.
Looking down for the first time, Lord Seventh was pleasantly surprised. "This is new; my tail is now on the front,"
Lord Seventh grabbed what he thought was his tail and swung it around like a caveman swinging a snake. Immediately, a feeling of warm blood rushing to his tail filled him. Lord Seventh's eyes were open wide as he realized what he was holding wasn't a tail. Whatever it was, he didn't have it as a dragon.
"Something tells me this thing is going to be a nuisance." He slowly stopped, and blood rushed to the other end of his body. His face became rosy pink. He was starting to feel a strange feeling of disgust at his naked body. "Is this… Am I feeling shame?" he speculated.
Remembering the dozens of dead bodies of explorers who had ventured too far within the ancient ruins.
Moments later, he was walking out of the ancient ruins. He was no longer naked; he wore dark silk robes and an exuberant amount of jewelry. His white hair was tied with a red ribbon.
"It was only momentarily, but I felt a powerful magic exit her blue pendant. It somehow turned me into a man and Little Seventh into stone," Lord Seventh thought as he decided what to do next.
Miles away, Oleandra had returned to the castle. She had made it safely back to the castle. Sir Roderick was nowhere to be found. Castle guards had greeted Oleandra and escorted her towards the castle's court.
Her dress was stained with muddy streaks, and her hair was disheveled. Her heart was still racing after her narrow escape from the dragon she had encountered in the ancient ruins.
The guards opened two 20-foot iron doors. On both doors hung a red flag with a lion eating a flower. Walking into the court, Oleandra first saw her father, King Aster Victormont. He was sitting in the center of the room in an intricately decorated chair.
"You missed a very important appointment that took a lot of deliberation on my part! You also betrayed Lady Amanda's trust. All for what!" King Victormont's voice echoed throughout the chamber.
Queen Rosci Victormont, Oleandra's mother, was seated to King Aster's right. She nodded in agreement. Queen Rosci didn't say a word to her daughter.
Lady Amanda was also present. Seeing her name mentioned to rebuke Princess Oleandra brought a heavy sadness to her eyes. She made eye contact with Oleandra briefly, who returned the look.
Oleandra struggled to swallow her saliva. She felt her body tense as she looked up at her father and shouted, "Father... I do not mind doing as you wish. But please, do not place your wishes over mine." Oleandra's voice softened as she continued, "I tried all season to get blue morning peaches, but it proved impossible. This morning was one of my last chances!"
Hearing his daughter, King Victormont could see the immense pressure her princess responsibilities were causing. His silvery brows wrinkled. Her struggle was his pain.
Before he could help his daughter, his wife, Queen Rosci, shouted, "Enough, Oleandra. You are a woman now! Your crown carries only one responsibility: stop behaving like a spoiled brat." Oleandra gritted her teeth as she listened to her mother. Deep inside, she knew her mother was right.
King Aster looked at the two women he loved the most and changed the subject: "Rosci, the girl meant no harm. She knows her duties. We are done with this." He then turned to Oleandra and asked, "I assume you found your little blue flowers?"
Oleandra saw her dad's bright, cheerful eyes, and her tension slowly eased. She took a deep breath in and out, "Actually, yes, I collected more than enough. But that is not the reason why I am so dirty." The king looked at Oleandra with a curious smile.
"A talking bird led me to ancient ruins I had never seen before. In the ruins, I found ancient perfumes. Then, a giant dragon attacked me. I would have died, but I used the ancient relic Grandma gave you, and you gave me. It made the dragon disappear!" Oleandra dramatically recounted her experience.
The people in the court began murmuring at Princess Oleandra's claims.
King Aster's gaze softened, but his voice held a quiet edge. "Oleandra, perhaps you fell and struck your head. We don't even know if your grandmother's pendant is an actual ancient relic or not."
He looked to the guards, signaling them with a curt nod. "Escort the princess to the royal medic. Ensure she rests."
The day concluded, but neither Oleandra nor Lord Seventh could stop thinking about what had occurred. Days later, Lord Seventh was seated outside a cobblestone tavern not far from the castle.
He was drinking a hot black liquid. "Mmmhh, the human body is a trove of pleasure," he commented as he sipped on his drink. He was staring at the flow of people walking from shop to shop.
"High in the sky, humans appeared as ants, mindless and boring. Who knew that each one was in a constant state of chasing euphoria?"
As he examined the small particularities of the people, he saw something that almost made him spit out his drink. "It's her!" he nearly shouted.
He stared at Princess Oleandra walking across the street before she came to a halt. Standing in the flow of traffic, Oleanda extended a parchment with a map: "Heroes, adventurers, seekers of wealth. Come forth and accept my quest." She began yelling at the people walking by.
Lord Seventh paid for his drink and walked over to the area Princess Oleandra was soliciting. King Aster had dismissed Oleandra's request to send guards to investigate the ancient ruins. In response, she gathered some of her wealth and planned to hire a team of explorers.
"I can't believe I was only able to salvage one!" Oleandra brooded as she pulled out a glass vial. It was an ancient perfume she had taken from the ancient ruins. She opened it and took a deep whiff. "Autumn berries, river moss, and canella root!" Oleandra whispered, intoxicated by the smell.
A man in black armor and a giant sword stopped before Oleandra. She quickly put the vial away. The armored man slightly bent over to look at the map she was holding.
"I'm familiar with this area, but I've never encountered such ruins before." A rough voice spoke through his black metal helmet.
Oleandra acknowledged the man's words before saying, "I saw them with my own eyes as well as a dragon. If you know this area, then accept my quest."
The man looked at the princess, rubbing the hilt of his sword. Before he could answer, a loud voice interrupted them. "Excuse me, sir. I'll give you three gold coins if you ignore whatever this woman is telling you and leave right now."
The man in black armor looked at the source of the voice. It was a tall man with white hair dressed in fine linen adorned with jewelry and gold. The tip of his hair was colored red, and his skin was smooth as jade.
Studying his appearance and hearing Lord Seventh's words, the man in black armor moved away from Oleandra. Seeing the armored man comply, Lord Seventh tossed the gold coins to the man.
"Easiest three gold coins I've ever earned in my life! " the man shouted as he marched away.
Oleandra looked at Lord Seventh with an eyebrow raised, but he didn't say a word. Choosing to ignore him, she continued searching for people who would accept her quest.
Five people responded to her offer. In the same manner as before, Lord Seventh interrupted the Princess.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, if you ignore this woman's offer, I'll give the five of you a gold ring. You can sell it and split the money between yourselves," he explained to the group of five.
Oleandra's face soured after hearing the words of the stranger who had interrupted her for the second time. "What the hell is your problem? Did my father put you up to this?" she shouted.
Lord Seventh looked at her before turning to the group of five. He did as he said and handed over a gold ring with a beautiful violet gemstone.
Seeing no one else approaching, Lord Seventh finally turned toward the frowning Oleandra, who instinctively stepped backward. "Such cold and sharp eyes," Oleandra noticed before straightening her back and standing her ground.
Lord Seventh stopped two feet away from her. His eyes slowly descended from Oleandra's face to the blue pendant around her pale neck.
"Problem... I guess you can say I have a problem. But your Father, I don't think I've ever met your father." Lord Seventh's voice was loud yet calm and filled with power.
Oleandra's lip curled. "His voice, I've heard it somewhere..." she thought before asking. "What does your problem have to do with me?"
Lord Seventh kept his eyes on her blue pendant for a few seconds before returning to her face—the wrinkles on the ridge of her nose, the curve of her brows, and the depth in her eyes. Every detail he studied.
Lord Seventh introduced himself. "Makarios Benoni, at your service. I have an eye for rare treasures… and I find myself drawn to that piece around your neck."
Oleandra was briefly taken aback. "He's interested in my grandmother's blue pendant? Does he not know who I am?" she speculated before replying, "Well, Makarios, my name is Oleandra Victormont, and this pendant is a family heirloom. It is not for sale!"
Makarios paused for a second. The air between Oleandra and him grew stiff and cold. "I should just rip it right from her, after all. Who can stop me? But that might limit things for my human identity," he mulled over before remembering the hot, dark drink he had grown to enjoy.
"Oleandra, would you like to have a cup of tea with me?" he extended his hand towards her.
The idea visibly repulsed Oleandra. "I don't have time to sip tea and talk about rocks. Couldn't you tell I was busy before you paid people to get away from me?"
Lord Seventh, who called himself Makarios, felt his chest tightened—a strange, hot feeling that prickled beneath his skin. He took a slow breath, eyes narrowing as he mastered the unfamiliar surge of frustration that her response made him feel. He responded with composure, "I wasn't just going to waste your time. I know about the ancient ruins you are looking for. While out collecting stones the other day, I came across them."
Oleandra almost froze in place. "Did you also see the dragon?" She interrupted him.
Makarios smiled at Oleandra's question and gestured towards the tavern. "Well, please have a drink with me?" he invited her. Oleandra paused as she studied the strange man who had thrown a wrench into her plans.
"The fine dark linen he wears and his intricate jewelry are found nowhere else in the Kingdom of Nidorei. His skin is smooth like a pearl. Is he the prince of some foreign land? No, he wouldn't be traveling outside of his castle unguarded." Oleandra's mind raced as she accepted the invitation: "Sure, I will join you for a cup of tea."
Shortly after, the two were seated at a table together. Other patrons immediately recognized Princess Oleandra and whispered about the eccentric man beside her.
"Before I tell you about what I found in the ancient ruins, can you tell me more about this heirloom of yours?" Makarios asked.
Oleandra, slightly hesitant, began speaking. "My paternal grandmother inherited this pendant from her grandmother, my great-great-grandmother. It is rumored to originate from when the world's kingdoms were united as one; 24 grand wizards and witches created 108 weapons, the pendant being one of them."
Makarios listened to the pendant's lineage Oleandra shared, and his face remained unaffected. "You believe that?" he asked.
Oleandra shook her head, saying, "Whether I believe it or not doesn't matter. Ancient relics do exist, and I've seen them being used."
She softly touched her necklace and redirected the topic. "It's your turn. Tell me what you know about the ancient ruins."
Makarios looked down as if recalling his past and began speaking. "I come from a prestigious family. Our ancestors made their wealth by collecting, translating, and selling manuscripts from different regions. I am supposed to inherit our family industry... but I don't care for it. I enjoy traveling, discovering, and collecting precious stones and minerals."
Oleandra interjected, "What you enjoy doesn't matter! Your inheritance is your true responsibility." Her voice felt distant.
Makarios didn't expect such a response to a story he had fabricated at the moment's notice.
He continued as if he hadn't heard anything. "When I first arrived in this region, I looked for nearby caves or rivers. That is when I stumbled on the ancient ruins you are searching for. However, I didn't see any dragons. I only found a few cases of old perfumes and gold coins."
After hearing of the cases of old perfumes, Oleandra's eyes widened. "If you can get me those cases, I'll gladly pay you your weight in gold." she offered. Having her attention, Makarios gave her a wide grin. "I think you know what I want."
Oleandra flinched at his short answer and touched her blue pendant. "I'm sorry, but I just can't. It means too much to me."
Makarios tried to hide his displeasure by jokingly suggesting, "Maybe you can hand it over for just a few years." Oleandra anxiously played with the pendant as she thought about all the ancient perfumes so close within her grasp.
With a shaky voice, Oleandra said, "Maybe we can work something out." Oleandra stared at Makarios's charming smile, his penetrating eyes reflecting her blue pendant.