Part 5:

The dragon closed its jaws, and then spread its wings, while Rai fell to his knees.

“I won’t let you escape!!!” I yelled.

“REINFORCEMENT: OCTAHEDRON!”

A large diamond shaped semi-transparent barrier materialized around the dragon, imprisoning it.

I turned to face Rai.

“Observe, prince. I will—“

The words stopped in my throat, as my eyes widened. He wore a uniform underneath the breast plate similar to the one Anthony had. But the issue wasn’t with the uniform. He… well… he had… impressive proportions.

“You… you were a woman?!” I exclaimed.

Rai glared at me gritting his (?) teeth, grabbing both shoulders with their opposite hands, in a cross.

The dragon roared as it crashed its body into the barrier, to no avail.

“You seem to have your reasons for hiding your identity” I said.

I let out a sigh and turned to the dragon.

“Dragons are peaceful by nature, but those who are greedy use forbidden magic to control them…” I said, raising my hands.

“Someone… is trying to make you unavailable, but not kill you, as I see it. Probably paving way to deposing you later” I guessed, as my hands glowed in a light blue color.

“Purification!” I yelled.

A bolt of lightning flashed from my palms and hit the octahedron making it flash with a radiant light-blue light. The light started to pulsate brightly, then diminish with the octahedron and the dragon fell to the ground with a thud that echoed throughout the mountain.

“This purification method can break the spell on the dragon…”

I heard the footsteps of Rai coming towards me. But I couldn’t take my eyes off the dragon, just in case.

“If I may be straightforward, I developed myself.” I said, scratching my nose.

The footsteps became louder as Rai approached me.

“You must conduct an investigation for dealings with forbidden magic… your—“

I could feel the cold blade of Rai’s sword pressed against my left side of the neck.

“That wasn’t… reinforcement magic…” Said Rai.

I remained silent, still looking at the dragon. I felt the wetness from a small blood stream coming from the welt caused by Rai’s blade.

The dragon moved slightly, which alarmed Rai causing… her to gasp.

“Don’t worry. Observe…” I said.

The dragon raised its head slowly, then got up on its feet and looked at us.

I waved my hand at the dragon, and smiled. The dragon stretched its wings, once again, and took flight away from the plateau.

“See?” I prompted.

“You know a lot about dragons… who are you?” Asked Rai, still holding the blade.

“My name is Roland… Roland Bluemar—“

“Roland the dragon slayer, huh? I should have known” said Rai.

“Huh…? Why do you know that as well?!” I asked, frantically.

“Sir Anthony told me, how else would I know?” Scoffed Rai.

“That blasted Anthony!!!” I yelled.

“You know my secret, Sir Roland. I, simply, can’t let you be…” remarked Rai.

“And why is that…?” I asked.

“A power struggle within my family… no one shall know I was a woman until the coronation ceremony is concluded… I have lied about me being a man for 24 years, and will not let you or anyone else stop my coronation…” she said pressing the blade more firmly against my neck.

I let out a deep sigh.

“Women don’t succeed the throne in Hanir, do they?” I asked.

She went silent for a few moments.

“You are an only heir as well… I know that much” I said.

I could hear her drawing a breath.

“You have fought hard, haven’t you?” I asked.

My words were met with more silence from Rai. And now, I fell into silence as well.

The wind blew swaying the grass blades in front of us. A nice and cold breeze that carried the smell of the earth and grass.

“You are hesitating…” I noted.

“Didn’t you want to silence me? So what is stopping you from that?” I asked.

“I… can’t take a life… I feel my heart will become corrupted if I did that” she finally answered.

“Thank you… I guess I am corrupted, then?” I scoffed.

“I know your story… private investigator” she said, mockingly.

“That is private investigator AND tea connoisseur thank you very much” I retorted.

“I have a proposal for you…” She said.

“One might be willing to accept anything when one has a blade against the neck” I scoffed, once again while shrugging.

“Hah!… I always negotiate from a position of power, mind you” she said.

“You will work for me… as my Royal Guard Captain, only then—“

“No… I won’t” I interrupted.

Rai went silent.

“I can’t… my king died, and I should have died along with him. It was by his sacrifice that I lived… I can’t swear loyalty to any other” I said.

“I see…” she said.

“Then… a contract?” She proposed.

“I am listening…” I said.

[to be continued in part 6]