VIII
Hospital Dreaming

"Pluto, don't hate me." I hear a voice and the following action has me screaming in pain. My sister pulled the arrow out of my thigh and I cursed out every God known to Eclia.

"What the hell are you doing?" I roared at her and she had that same mischievous look in her eyes, but at the moment, she was an inch closer to meeting my fist.

"You had a poisonous arrow in your thigh, now stop being a baby." She snapped at me, fangs flashing at me and I had half a mind to do it back but then I reminded myself that she commands a legion of my dad's armies. I just grumbled in response and my father was picking me up, placing me on his dragon. I can barely stay awake as we fly to the Castle once again. I hear yelling from my father and that I'm being passed to my older brother.

"Just because I am close to death does not mean that I like you again, keep that in mind." I said to him and he laughed at me, shaking his head at me.

"I wouldn't expect anything else, Prince Pluto." My brother dryly told me and if I wasn't hurting, I might've laughed. Maybe.

The pain felt hot, a burn that hurt more than when I lit on fire. My head was killing me. My limbs and body were aching that every little movement felt like they were falling apart. The pain was almost too much to bear but I needed to stay awake. I needed it.

"Medic! My brother has been poisoned. He needs attention now." My brother announced and let me on an empty bed, nurses and doctors were in my vision. "Pluto, I'm right here!" I heard my brother speak again and he was, I could see him behind the crowd of help.

"We need a clean slate, we can't see anything."

"Sedate him."

"He's already in bad health-"

"Sedate him. The infected area is gonna hurt for him-"

"Doctor, he's the Prince-"

"I damn well know who he is. Sedate him."

Next thing I know, is that I'm being hooked up to an IV line, medication and fluids. My brother is standing off to the side and is giving me that brave face that he is probably used to. He said he didn't want to lose me and this probably wasn't helping. I wasn't ready to die. Not yet. Not without telling Jaejin how much I loved him, and how much I wanted a life together with him. That we were Mates and nothing makes sense except for when we are together. Remembering that bond, that bond that had formed over years of being each other's friend. He was there for my first heartbreak, when I erupted into flames the first time, and when I found out that I was adopted. I couldn't help it, I tugged on that bond and remembered every little thing that made me love Jaejin Cha, Crown Prince of the Black Soul Kingdom.

So when sleep called my name, I obliged.

I was six years old when I first met the boy with the almond eyes and the gentle smile. It was my first time visiting the Castle of Black Soul. The kingdom I would learn to love and love everybody that roamed the black marble halls. The Castle doors opened with two warm smiles, King Minjun and Queen Haeun.

"General Hyunshik," The King smiled and shook my father's hand, "Come in. Come in. The boys can meet, we can go to my office, and the wives will do what they want." My father smiled, kissed my mother and smiled down at me. "Pluto, Jaejin is in the playroom. That door on the right, okay? I'll come get you when we are done." I watch my father walk away and then I do what my father asked, when I get older, it's expected of me to become the next High General like my father is. I knock on the door before I walk in and that's when time stills.

This Jaejin was playing with his Black Dragon, it stood as tall as him, Jaejin stood at 4 feet while his dragon was a foot taller than him. The horns had barely started to begin to form; when his dragon went to adulthood, his horns would stick out from the top of his skull, slender with backswept tips; it was their signature look of a Black dragon. Other than their tail of course, females usually had sword tails, while males had a spiked tail. Jaejin's dragon was a male. Not to mention they didn't have a breath weapon of fire like a Red, their breath weapon was a stream of acid. Hence, the nickname that followed the Black Soul Kingdom, the House of Acid. Dragon riders could also wield their dragon's breath weapon out of the palm of their hand, but that took years of practice.

"Nor zara?" Who are you? My mind translated and I nearly pissed myself. That was Draconei, and I shouldn't be able to understand it, only Royals have it wired in their brain, and you have to want to learn the complex language at higher education.

"I don't understand-" I stuttered and he smirked at me, his dragon watching me with his beady yellow eyes.

"Who are you?"

"Pluto Kwon. You?" His dragon took steps towards me as I stood still, letting the dragon circle me and it eventually rubbed its body against mine, the dragon giving his owner a purr in approval.

"Jaejin Cha, Crown Prince. Seung likes you. He doesn't trust a lot of new people." He tells me and I nod, letting my hand pet the black scales of Seung.

"So you're the Prince that nobody can shut up about, huh? The Heir that is going to change the World and the Prince that has been the strongest one yet?" I asked him, crossing my arms over my chest and Jaejin's eyes narrowed at me.

"Jealous, future general?"

"No, I almost feel bad for you."

"Bad? What is wrong with being the strongest and prettiest?" He grins and I nearly slapped the seven year old in front of me. He was too confident for his own good.

"It's lonely, you won't know who your true friends are, and will have to question who really cares for you."

"I guess it's a good thing I have you as a friend then, huh?" He questions and I look at him with wide eyes, tilting my head to the side.

"Who said me and you were going to be friends, Jaejin Cha?"

"You didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes that you are someone who is gonna be really important to me."

I was 14 years old, and starting my first year of secondary school, a freshman if you will. Jaejin was a grade above me, and that's when my makeover began. I had braces from the time I was 10, and got them off the day before my fresh meat year. I changed the thick glasses to contacts, and I changed my whole outfit. A pair of slacks, a nice white button up shirt and the blazer we were forced to wear with the school emblem on the right breast pocket. I hated school uniforms, with a burning passion, but that's what you get when you go to a more private school. It was all the children of the Court or even the Generals, hence why I am in the private school. Something about us kids are targets with how important the role of our parents are, I stopped arguing when I realized JJ also went to the school.

I was wanting to fit in with Jaejin and his crew so when he decided to throw a party when our parents were gone, and with their permission, he told me I had to come. I couldn't say no to my stupid best friend, not to mention, I was told by his mother to make sure her son stayed alive this weekend. I told her I would do the best I could. At night, the Castle was filled with all of his stupid, popular friends, and a girl that thought she was dating him too. I don't know why but it felt like my veins were on fire, and my fingertips felt like they were about to catch on fire. I went to the bathroom and splashed my face with cold water, taking a deep breath. Count to ten, Pluto.

"Pluto, c'mon! We're gonna play a game." I hear JJ from the other side of the door and I follow him with a deep sigh. I followed JJ into the kitchen where there is a wine bottle, and a group of us, and I immediately pale. Spin the bottle? Really?

At first, some kids spin it and kiss each other for a solid minute. One couple has already left to go have sex somewhere I'm sure. Jae's wannabe girlfriend spun the bottle but ended up kissing one of Jaejin's popular friends that I don't really care for, I think her name is Olivia. The crowd begins to die down and there's only five of us left; including Jaejin and I.

Jaejin reached for the bottle and spun it. I wasn't paying much attention while it spun, but then it landed right in front of me. That's when the others left and didn't care to see if Jaejin would reject me or if he would do it because he was tipsy. He looked at me with that smile, that smile that got him out of trouble with his mom, my mom, and me. He grabbed the back of my head and I felt my eyes widen, I looked at him with an exhale.

"JJ, what are you doing? What if your father-"

"I don't care what my father says, Pluto. Now give me, my spin the bottle kiss." He demanded and if it wasn't so damn hot, I might've told his bossy ass to find someone else to kiss. So when he cupped the back of my head, and wrapped an arm around my waist, I didn't argue. I placed my hands on his chest and let him kiss me. I let him kiss me like it meant something, like he loved me. That's when my world came flying down, I was in love with Jaejin Cha, and I didn't even feel sorry for it.

I was 17 years old when the flames inside my veins awoke. I was in the forest, not far from the Kingdom, where I usually did my homework. I felt the anger inside of me, growing and growing till I couldn't hold it down anymore. My body was engulfed in flames and I was tempted to scream, but nothing came out other than, "What the fu-" The heat didn't bother me, not one bit, it felt like coming... home. It was a new feeling, but a feeling that didn't feel out of the ordinary. The fire was a mix of orange, red, and yellow, my whole body wouldn't calm down though. How was I to stop a power that I didn't even know that I had? I heard someone walk into the forest and thank the Gods that it was my stupid best friend. He looked at me with wide eyes and then the bastard threw his head back, laughing like it was the funniest joke he ever heard.

"Seriously? You are laughing at me!" I yelled at him and that just seemed to egg on his freaking beautiful laughter.

"I," He kept laughing and it was like JJ couldn't form a sentence till his laughing fit was over, "Okay, okay, fire really? You just had to be a pyromatic, huh?"

"Had to be? You think I asked for this? Just tell me how to stop it so I can kick your ass without worrying about burning that beautiful face of yours."

"Okay fine, wait, you think I'm beautiful?"

"Jaejin Cha!" I barked, "Answers. Now."

"Okay fine, fine," He smiled, again, "You need to think of the flames as an extension of yourself, like that it's easy as breathing because once you learn to control it, it is easy as breathing and talking. So imagine the fire going out, think of water or something to extinguish it. Take a deep breath and extinguish." He told me and I did that. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and tightened my jaw. I imagined this flame inside of me as nothing more than a spark inside my blood, something I controlled, and watering it down, letting it become white smoke.

"Like that?" I asked him and opened my eyes, seeing that the fire was only at my hands, encasing my wrists to my fingertips. I sighed deeply and that's when Jaejin laughed.

"Extinguish it, my little pyro." He grins and I laugh, getting rid of the fire that encases my hands,

"My little pyro? How are you going to explain that to our families when that nickname slips?" I ask him and he steps in front of me, that same smile on his face, that gentle and all comforting smile that made me fall in love with him every single time.

"Why would I need to explain anything to them, Pluto? It's me and you, my little Pyro. Don't you ever doubt that, for one second."

"He's awake! Get the damn doctor!" So many voices, and was that light always that damn bright? I looked around, I was in the infirmary... again. I looked to see my brother, yelling, and moving his arms around. I watched the doctors come in, checking my eyes and my motor skills. I flipped them all off and that's when Orion laughed.

"Okay, okay. Prince Pluto, you seem to be in good health. I'll grab the rest of your family. Take it easy for the next two weeks, you hear me?" My doctor ordered and I nodded lazily.

"Of course, doctor. Just send the rest of my family, please." I said with a weak smile and my doctor left. My father, my mother, my sister, and my brother were all standing there. That's when my father let out a sob and came running to my side. I was expecting my mother but she just let Nova hug her side as my father fret over me.

"Istenem," My father cries and grabs my head in his hands, "Semea, how are you? You were asleep for a week and I-" I didn't recognize the first word but the second one I did, it meant son, it was an endearment in draconic.

"I'm fine father, did you get the people who did this?" I asked him and I could tell he was still not used to the word rolling off my lips.

"Of course, but-"

"Lucijan," I started, "What the hell is going on? What happened between the two Houses?"

"Pluto, I told you I would tell you when the time is right-"

"I think me almost dying because they thought I'm going to put the two houses together, so the  time is right, aita." I coldly told him, aita meant father and I didn't even have to think twice before the draconei slipped off my lips again. He sighed deeply and looked at me, running a hand through my dark hair. My mother seems to stiffen at the mention of the past but that doesn't stop her from pulling a chair up on my other side. She grabs my hand and just sits there, holding onto it.

"I promise you, I will tell you soon. Nova, talk to your brother about your plan."

"You are going to train on the mountain where I was raised and where all our soldiers get their training." She tells me and I open my mouth to protest but she holds up a hand to silence me.

"Yes, the attack wasn't something we could've trained or planned for but this choice is final. Now that we know the truth is out and that you are a target in this land now, you need to be trained as hard as any other royal born." Orion stepped in and I could tell this was one of the many Heir training my father was letting shine. When Orion found his Mate, my father would step down and Orion would be King. Usually parents didn't step down till they felt the time is right, but I knew, my father knew, he was tired and knew that Orion would be ready by the time he found his Mate. Hell, even I knew to pray for the poor girl, but I damn well knew that my brother was ready for the crown.

"Okay, I'll do it but I have to take two weeks off to rest, doctor orders." I explained to them and they nodded.

"Let's get out of this bed and into your own, okay?" Orion asks and I nod, easing myself out of the bed. It felt weird to use my legs after a week so Orion let me lean on him for support, my sister on my other side, her arm circling around my waist. My father led us to the guest bedroom I've been staying in since I got to this castle. My heart nearly lurched out of my chest as I looked at the people standing in the middle of my bedroom with my father.

"Mom? Dad?"