The breakfast was served in Demian's room as Seraphina started to devour it and the delicious taste lingered on her tongue. She moaned as her belly stopped flipping as soon as she fed it. 

"Where have you been?" She asked as she chewed on her food. 

"In my study room." Demian said as Seraphina thought next time she would visit him there. 

As if Demian read her thoughts he added, "And don't you dare come there as well, for I'm very busy with the approaching conference and I can't entertain you now."

Seraphina glared at him, "I wasn't going to come." 

"Good to hear."

Seraphina chomped on her food in a grumpy manner and in a very unladylike way that if Celia had seen her she would have smacked her head with the bowl she had finished her soup with. 

She peeked at her husband as he took small bites and chewed on it in a very aristocratic manner. 

"What is the meeting for?"

Demian looked at her, "What?"

"You said that Casian had come regarding the unrest in the Northwest. What is happening there?"

"Well, the Duke there, Lord Heartstone is terrorising his own people. He raised the taxes there while buying the crops, goods with lower budget and I've been informed, if the common class people couldn't pay the taxes in time, they had to give their lands and sometimes all the goods without getting anything in return."

Seraphina halted as she heard this. "Why would he do that to his own people?"

"Wealth, power or it could be a political influence," Demian looked at her and shrugged, "Men are cruel, Seraphina, they find it entertaining when other people suffer otherwise, it won't show off their power."

"But," Seraphina placed her spoon on the bowl, "that's not the right way to show your powers. That's—that's cruel."

"Indeed. It is. But that's why people will fear you like they fear us, the Salamanders." Demian said as he was finished with his meal and tilted his head toward Seraphina, "but sometimes, you can just spread rumors to make people always wary of yourself."

"So..." Seraphina had heard the rumors about Demian from Celia and she asked, "The rumors about you were actually fake?" 

Demian gave her a smile, a genuine smile, "No. They were all true."

Seraphina nodded as she returned the smile, "Ah, well, then." She stood up almost ready to leave, "I shall go to my room. Now that I have finished my—"

Demian grabbed a hold of her hand and jolted her against him as she sat down where she was seated before, their faces became close as a smirk played on his lips, "Why, are you, perhaps, scared that I'll turn into a cruel Prince as the rumors said?"

Seraphina diverted her eyes as her heart thumped and she said, "What! No! You and scary!" She laughed nervously and added, "You can never scare me away."

"Even if I turn into a monster?" He asked and Seraphina looked into his eyes. As the deepest sea held many secrets in its womb, his deep blue eyes held something of their own. It was mysterious, yet alluring. 

She wanted to ask what will happen when he turn fourteen. Would he go berserk and kill her? Would his curse consume him whole? Would he forget her, their days spent together? Everything? 

Seraphina took a breath to say something but a knock set them apart. Demian retreated himself as he loosened her hand. 

"Your Highness, now we shall go to the study as I have come across all the details of the meeting," Master Valentine said as Demian nodded while taking his coat. 

"Alright! Let's see what we have," he wore his cape as Seraphina sat there still contemplating what she would say. She hadn't answered him and from his eyes she could tell he didn't want an answer either. Because he knew she would get scared away and everyone would leave him in the end. Seraphina chewed on her lower lip as her face hung low. 

Seraphina reminded herself that Seraphina Flameheart wasn't a girl who could be easily scared and certainly not one to be defeated by a curse. 

"Seraphina," Demian called, "go back to your room and don't wander around the castle as some lords and princes will be coming from different cities. And they might see you in different ways or could insult yo—"

"I don't care."

Demian's brows twitched as he hissed, "Let me finish at least!"

"I wouldn't go away." She muttered. 

"What?"

She looked at him with determined eyes as anger danced on top of her nose. She fisted her palms at side as both Master Valentine and Demian saw her with wide eyes and gaps in their mouth. 

"You better listen, Prince Demian Salamander! The day when you cloaked me with your protection and I vowed that I would always be by your side in health and sickness, I meant every word of it." She put a devilish grin and added, "Try how much you want to scare me. Turn into a monster or not, that would never make me go back on my words."

She huffed as soon as she had finished making both Master Valentine and Demian stunned and dashed away. 

"Err, Your Highness?... Did you say anything to Princess Seraphina to get her angry?" Master Valentine asked. 

Demian opened his mouth then closed again as he mumbled, "No..." And he left the room but Master Valentine saw the redness on his cheeks. 

****

"What was he thinking?" Seraphina grumbled as she was nearing her room. But she didn't want to go into her room and do nothing but watch the dawn become dusk. She cursed under her breath as it was because of the attacks, she was now confined. 

As she took a turn, she realized she just shouted over Demian, in front of Master Valentine. Her cheeks reddened and sweat formed on her forehead as she didn't have to growl at him. However, that midget always got her tongue on fire. 

"Your highness!" A sing-song voice called out and Seraphina jolted awake from her thoughts as she found Alonzo approaching her. She looked everywhere finding any chance to sneak away from him otherwise, he would not leave her side. 

However, it was too late. He reached her in five long strides and breathed heavily. 

"Alonzo..." She weakly smiled, almost an exhausted one as the steward bent over to catch his breath and his moustache fluttered with his long heaves. 

"Alonzo, you are getting old, why don't you just take a day off?" She asked as Alonzo stood up right within a second and even if he was sweating, he shook his head and said, "No! I'm not that old yet to retire from my work!"

He huffed some more and added between his breaths, "I can... I can still follow princess Seraphina and... And protect her..."

Seraphina gave him a blank stare and nodded and found he had a stick that was wrapped in a leather cloth in his hands. 

"What's that?"

"Oh! This..." Alonzo stretched his hand to Sera. 

"It's for you Princess... It was sent from the dwarf nation you as a gift and the message said it was specially made for you."

Seraphina spiked a brow as she took the object and the weight settled over her hands. And she knew what it was as a grin formed on her face. 

She unwrapped the cloth and saw the beautiful carving on the sword's scabbard. The dwarf smith certainly excelled at his work as each pattern and carving was done with professional hands. 

"A sword?" Alonzo asked. "Why would they give you a sword?"

"Because I had asked them."

Seraphina pulled out the sword as the hilt settled in her hand perfectly. As the sword came out, she noticed the dwarf had placed a fire stone on it just as she had asked him privately. It glowed as if responding to its owner. She smiled, feeling the wave of power radiating from it. 

She swung it in the air carefully avoiding Alonzo as the steward watched her with wide eyes and his moustache stood up straight. 

"Yo—your highness! That's too dangerous for you to hold!" Alonzo said as Seraphina answered, "No... It's not dangerous at all if you don't cut yourself with it, that is."

"Has his highness given you permission?" Alonzo asked at which Seraphina gave him a broad smile, "No. He has no knowledge of it." 

Alonzo nodded before looking straight at her with a horrified face, "What!"

Seraphina put the sword back and while singing a merry tune, strode to her chamber leaving the shocked steward in her wake. 

****

The sun had almost touched the horizon as dusk announced its arrival, Casian left the castle for a little stroll in the nearest city of Dragon's Land. 

A few guards of his trailing behind him in horses as they trotted to there. His black stallion neighed as they entered the city after an hour of riding. Honestly, why would anyone want to go out to another city when Dragon's Land was already fine for an information exchange. Well, it might be because of their dragon's guard. 

He wanted to go to the human nation for his investigation however, with the urgent conference around the corner suspended him from going. He wasn't bluffing when he said he wanted to go for a change in the air. His father was getting old so most of the responsibilities were on him and he had to work for longer hours to convince his father for his succession. 

The city had sets of houses and buildings on each side of the cobblestoned roads. Signboards hung from the shops, diners and taverns. Lanterns were placed for illuminating the roads on dark nights, suspended by a good distance from each other while a few lamplighters toured to light each of the lanterns. The fine settlement of the city allured Casian. The Salamanders certainly had wealth and knew how to use it. The people were busy even when the night was fast approaching as if the city didn't know to sleep. 

He turned his eyes everywhere as he motioned his hand in the air to stop.

The guards halted as he turned to them, "I want all of you to scatter, now," he came down from his stallion and gave the reign to one of his soldiers and added, "and don't follow me."

They gave a curt bow and left immediately as soon as their future Duke gave them the order and vanished in the crowd. 

He started to walk toward a narrow road and followed it as it led to a diner. It was two storeys and the dim light of candles illuminated the windows faintly. He entered and was invited by the song of a bard singing the tales of knights, dragons and wizards. He raked his eyes as he found a man near a corner sitting in darkness where the candle lights couldn't reach. Casian knew it was him. 

He went there and took his seat as the man ordered fine beverages and meats. His face was covered in the hood of night as he smiled mischievously at Casian. 

"My Lord, what can I do for you?" He asked as Casian narrowed his eyes. 

"Don't jest me, Franq. I am sure, I have asked you for a portrait of the princess of the human nation." His voice was deadly calm however, it had no effect on the informer, Franq Almer. 

He put a piece of meat in his mouth, his eyes never leaving Casian as both of them stared at each other until the bar boy came with another glass of beer and the bill. 

"That would be 20 silvers." The boy said rather in a flat voice and Franq looked at Casian with a grin. 

"Pay him, my Lord." He said in a sly voice at which Casian rolled his eyes. He knew Franq was a miser. He would never spend a penny if a client was in front of him for a negotiation. 

He pulled out his leather purse and gave the boy a gold coin as he didn't have a silver coin. "Keep it, or feed him more..." Casian said as the boy looked between both of the men. 

Franq laughed and said, "Well, I'm full and now we can discuss the matter." He dismissed the boy. 

"So, My Lord," Franq tapped his fingers on the table and raised a brow which said he wanted the payment first. 

Casian put a leather bag in front of the informer which jingled with coins and Franq's grin broadened at its sound satisfied him and he gave a nod. He took it immediately and the bag vanished within his long dark cloak and he took out a paper scroll. 

Casian's eyes glinted as it was time to see if his assumptions were right or wrong. He could not wait any longer. 

The informer was about to give him the scroll when he said, "Remember my conditions, My Lord. Don't ask anything that would harm our relationship."

"I know that already. Now give it to me." He almost snatched away the scroll and spread it out. 

The faint light from the burning torches illuminated the portrait and Casian's green eyes roamed all over the features of the princess which the paper held. At first his eyes went wide and jaw almost landed on the ground but then his eyes sharpened and his lips curled up in a devilish smile.

"Well, well, well... Now this calls for a game." He spoke slyly and Franq smirked as he left the table holding his hood over his face and disappeared into the crowd without anyone noticing.