Chapter 13: One year

"Miss Lucia."

"Irina?"

"Miss Lucia! You are awake"

The cries of Irina were giving me a headache.

"Where are we, Irina?"

I felt a little confused and my head hurt, however, the dim light of the room was perfect for me. Looking around, we were in a rustic ancient house but clean with simple furniture, the smell of the freshness of the forest, and the pure air from the mountain flowed down the walls. It was truly a feeling of freedom, even my soul felt light.

"Miss, the little dragon child took us here."

"What happened?"

"Miss, you fainted. Then I cured you and the little child turned into a big dragon. He took us to this place."

"But the Duke and the others. What happened?"

"I am sorry Miss… I was so mad that I created an enchantment circle around us to prevent anyone to come near…" I saw her clenching her hands and holding them tightly. "I can't believe he did that."

Her tears disturbed me quite a lot. I had an ominous feeling for what she was about to tell me, but I had to ask.

"What happened Irina? I don't remember."

A bad feeling enwrapped me. I was so nervous about the answer, and my shaky voice was proof. I looked at my wounds but as expected, they were already healed. And just as my eyes fall on the black rose, I notice that only a few withered petals remained.

"The magic inside that rose is also fading my lady."

"Irina, please tell me. What happened?"

"The… the sword that stabbed you was… was his," Her watery eyes made me uncomfortable and sad. "It was the Duke's sword."

"Ho… How?"

"I don't know Miss. The men in white were repelled by your shadow and I couldn't see what happened very well, but the sword with your blood was his," More tears in her eyes, more and more tears.

"Don't cry Irina, please."

"But Miss, your eyes, you are crying too."

I felt moist in my eyes. I touched them and couldn't believe it. Somehow I knew it but I was trying to convince my memories that they were only nightmares, lies from the shadows. I had to take a long breath to calm myself, but it was difficult. Only after a few minutes, I came back to my usual calm.

"Miss?"

"Irina, we should get going. He will be able to follow us."

"Yes, Miss, but… you need your potion, I only have a little with me, the other was in the carriage."

"Mmm…Where is the little kid?" I was expecting the little child to be around at this time.

"He went out to look for food. He will come in a while."

"Alright." I breathed out to calm my growing thirst, but pain invaded my heart again. I didn't want to remember.

"Master! You are awake." The little boy came back with while carrying many things in his arms, many heavy things for his little figure.

"Little guy, you brought us here, where are we?"

"Point Mountain, the very top. No one will be able to come here, don't worry, Master."

"He would be."

"No, Master, his power is only triggered if you are around him."

"…"

This kid knows his stuff. However, I needed blood, the feeling was invading my mind again and my red eyes betrayed my desire.

"I need blood."

"Master, I had captured a few deer from down the mountain, they have special blood."

"Miss Lucia, they drank water from the holy river in this mountain. Their blood is indeed special."

"I can't go outside with this sun, so you will have to bring me some."

We stayed in the mountain for a few months away from the human population. And, I've never sensed him near me, not even once. I was disappointed but at the same time, I felt relief. I wanted to forget him, I had to.

The mountain was inhabited by special creatures, holy animals, and magical beasts. Even some dragons were lurking around the forest and at night they hid in their deep caves in the profound of the mountain.

The one that provided us with food and protection was the little dragon child, he was very dependable. It was a very peaceful life, outside the main plot development. Just the three of us.

"Miss Lucia, are we not going down anymore?"

"… Do you wish to go down Irina?"

"I don't know Miss. You are free now."

She gave me a cute smile, but I knew she was concerned whenever my eyes betrayed the longing and the pain.

"Let's be here for the time being until the rest of the black rose disappears."

"Alright, Miss."

***

A year had passed since that day and the last petal on my chest had already vanished. However, I grew stronger and more resistant to the sun thanks to the blood of the deer from the mountain, and the little dragon's drops of blood in my potion. How much I wanted them. My appearance also retained the same features as in the night and my abilities increased their period.

And, of course, the little dragon finally revealed his name. Not that we forgot to ask… cough. He was Blaze and was from the noble lineage of the Golden Dragons. However, he lost his family when they ascended, I don't understand what was that. Irina told me it was a kind of promotion for the dragon families. The powerful ones could ascend to another dimension, the younger ones should stay and find their way when they grow up. I still don't understand.

We had to leave when the winter hit the mountain and Irina had trouble adapting to the weather, so we came down to a village near the southern frontier of the country of Docrem, Greenfort. There we bought a little house. How? Well, the little dragon was filthy rich. His family left him a tremendous fortune, just for him alone.

Well, the house was not that small, it was a beautiful Mansion near a peerless lake. People of the town called it the Blue Mansion because the lights from the lake reflected on the exquisite windows panes making them look blue, it was a lovely sight.

We lived there happily for the rest of the year. Irina oversaw the hiring of some help. Some maids and stewards. We bought horses and filled the garden with beautiful flowers. Also, we changed our names, I was Lina Kobach, and the little child Blaze Kobach, my little brother. Irina was determined to be my head maid sighs… even though I insisted on making her my older sister, so I called her Mina Silver.

My dear Irina was very knowledgeable, she arranged the Mansion and bought several things for us to live comfortably. She had always looked after me, even in the Count Mansion, as my mother made her promise to never leave me alone, and she never did. She was my only friend, my sister, and my mother. The only one.