Quintessence

After the little fiasco in the throne room, everyone gathered in the dining hall where my father immediately ordered left and right to prepare. Everyone was running around the halls and the castle kitchen in and out to prepare delicious foods that are still highly unfamiliar to me, some of the dishes have names I don't even bother memorizing, and they looked different from the food I got used to back on earth. I wonder if the pandemic finally hit.

"Princess Rhiannon, it's time to change your clothes." said the maid I saved from execution. I found out that her name was Katharina and she has been taking care of me since I was a baby. "Please choose your outfit." she was holding a red and gold dress, and the other was a yellow one. I chose the red and gold by pointing at it with my tiny hand. I have a bandage on the finger I punctured earlier. Though there was no need, my father still insisted.

He's incredibly overprotective.

They put on the dress on me and a pair of gold shoes to match. Did I forget to mention that I have a whole section of the castle for myself? I guess my father really does dote on me too much. My brother never showed any jealousy nor remorse towards me because he too dotes on me too much.

After the clothes, they opened up the vault to where all my jewelry were kept hidden. Yes. Jewelry, and a lot of it! I wonder how the minds of the people in this world think. "You look incredibly beautiful princess Rhiannon!" I think Kathrina dotes on me too, because whenever I asked for sweets she would always prepare a whole table full of delicious desserts, despite the fact that I wasn't allowed too much.

She became in charge of taking care of me ever since I was a baby, and I think she grew attached which was incredibly fine, I noticed that she took more care of me than my own mother which is understandable, since she is busy with her queenly duties.

I stood in front of the large mirror in my bedroom, I still couldn't fathom how incredibly different I looked, that whenever I saw my reflection, I get this sensation of oneirataxia like I was still dreaming, "Let us go Princess, your guests are waiting." I took one last look before smiling at her and grabbing her hand.

When we reached the banquet hall, I saw a lot people and how they were all dressed lavishly, wearing all different colors of gowns and armor. The men were all wearing armor like my father, though I noticed that they had different signs and symbols on their chest. When I walked in, all eyes were on me. It felt weird and uncomfortable but that was on the inside, on the outside I kept my eyes forward and walked as properly as a toddler could. My father awaited for me and then lifted me up when I reached him, smiling.

I don't know if it was just instinct but I found that I truly loved my parents and my brother, like how I loved my family from my past. I shook my head. This is my life now and there's no use going back to a life I regretted until the end.

"I give my thanks to you all, for attending the celebrations of my one and only daughter Princess Rhiannon. I have gathered you here to announced that my daughter has already received her aptitude of Fire Gramaire at the age of three!" when he said that an eruption of shock and whispers spread all across the room. "I could not believe it myself but it was the first time I have ever witnessed flames as red and crimson as the one I saw this morning and it was from none other than my daughter, rejoice for the birth of a quintessence!" and everyone applauded. Cheers and excitement made their way to the halls.

"Here, here!" they shouted in unison. After that they gathered at the banquet table where all sorts of food and delicacies of this world was spread out. I heard all sorts of chatter, gossip and whispers.

My father was sat at the head of the table whilst my mother sat by his righthand and my brother at his left. I was seated on a high chair between my mother and father, Katharina was feeding me, I would've ate by myself though it would seem unusual for a toddler to do so properly so I let her.

I yawned, oops it's past bedtime for this lady.

"May I go to sleep?" I asked with my voice. I may not talk much but I can assure you I am fully capable of doing so. My tiny voice is still making me uncomfortable though it is adorable for others.

"My, my little princess is already tired," my Father lifted me up from my chair, he turned to the guests on the table, "I shall only be but a moment." he stood up and walked away from the table. I waved goodbye at the people and I heard a few gasping in awe.

My father walked me all the way to my bedroom with my maid, Katharina in tow. He used his Gramaire to lighten the torches in my room. "Change her in her night gown." said father. He sat down on the chair beside my bed and grabbed a fairytale book on top of my nightstand.

After Katharina changed my clothes into my night gown she bowed her head and excused herself. My father helped me climb on my queen sized bed and tucked me in, "Tomorrow my love, your lessons shall start. I know that you understand me, and it still confuses me how but I will leave it at that." he opened the book but he stopped and dropped it slowly on his lap.

I watched him, every emotion and movement. My father was confused because of my actions. Did he find out? My eyes widened at the thought, "You are young my princess, and in time you shall be a queen but until then, I hope you can still be my little princess." then he gazed at me with earnest, and held the side of my face with his left hand. I smiled so brightly and genuinely for the first time.

My father wasn't confused for my actions that are clearly unusual for a three year old, he was worried that I might be growing up too fast. Gosh, I wanted to cry but that would be even more unusual. "Alright father." I said whilst smiling and he hugged me tightly because of that.

"Now let us read your favorite story." he opened my favorite story book, but it's actually the legend of the continent. This continent, "The Realm of Draconia," he began, "a land of nature and beauty ruled by what we call Dragons. Before humanity existed, there lived creatures that transcends all others, capable of power and Gramaire that no human can possess. Centuries and years passed when humans arrived at Draconia. All was well, the Dragon's though hesitant and wary of the humans, they did not bother them and lived amongst them peacefully. They merely observed, they took the forms of humans themselves and lived amongst them in secret."

"They soon realized that humans weren't like any creature they have grown accustomed to. Humans lived a very different life from theirs, building these structures they called houses, creating them side by side and calling that a village." he paused to look at me, when he saw I was tentatively listening, he shook his head and continued. "Humans get hurt easily by merely falling down and scraping their knee. They have presumed that humans were weak, they get sick and they die."

"Humans were easily manipulated, controlled and influenced. The seven kings saw this as a chance to rule them, use them and control them. They saw this as a way to entertain themselves and to create that of a new Empire that had them at the top. So the seven of them gathered all the humans and divided them amongst themselves. Each Dragon King went to a part of the continent, which would represent the Kingdoms we now have." he flipped the page and showed me a map of the continent, and each flag had an image of the Dragons though one was missing. I'll ask father about it next time.

"They single handedly ruled the Kingdoms, the humans powerless and unable to fight back the powerful Dragons, until one of the Drago fell in love with a human and had a child, and that Drago was one of the Seven Dragon Kings." he flipped the page and showed me the image of Seven Dragons in a circle each representing the elements we possess in our Gramaire.

This was the very first books I've read in this world, at first I concur that we used a different language, it wasn't anything I recognized but as if it was natural there was something within me that enabled me to understand it. I just assumed that it was a part of Avalons parting gift to me.

"He was Smaug, the Drago of Flames, and the sole ancestor of all Flame Gramaire users today." he continued. "The other's weren't as accepting of humans as he was. They detested humans for their weakness, their lives were fragile and short. "What could your love do, when it is fleeting and impermanent? Asked the others, and he answered, "For that is exactly why we should not push aside their lives, for no matter how short and fleeting it may be, they are able to continue their legacies for all eternity. For as long as they love, that love bears fruits that shall bear their own fruits in time. And so the child and first Flame Gramaire user was born, Smaug named her Targaryen which meant fire and blood, and how she lived up to that name. The first Dracontine, and the very origin of our ancestors." he flipped the page once more to reveal an image of a woman engulfed in red flames but she was beautiful, her familiar red eyes were glowing like embers.

"Red eyes are a trait of the Sekhmet family, and your red eyes my darling," he wiped the part directly under my eye with his thumb, "are the most beautiful red eyes anyone in this family has seen. Cherish it." he closed the book and stood up. "I'll continue the story tomorrow my love, your guests are waiting." then he bent down and kissed my forehead before tucking me in and whispering, "Goodnight my princess. Tomorrow will be the start of your lessons, have a good rest." then he stood and left, slowly closing the door.

"What a day." I said to myself before closing my eyes and drifting to sleep.

* * *

The next day I was woken up by Katharina, "It's time to wake up your highness, it's your first day being tutored by Lord Carvath." with that I immediately got up and literally fell from the bed. "Princess!" I heard the panic scream of Katharina. "Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!" she lifted the bedsheet that fell along with me, I was rubbing my backside. Ouch.

Katharina was in the middle of helping me up when the door bursted open and my brother barged in with a worried look on his face, "Sister?! What happened?!" he immediately ran towards me and picked me up from the floor, also glaring at Katharina. She bowed profusely and began to apologize repetitively.

"Are you hurt?" him and father are way too overprotective. I shook my head, and pointed at Katharina with my small finger while he carried me in his arms. I was still small so he could lift me up easily.

"Not her fault." I said, "I stood up too fast and slipped on my blanket, then fell." after listening to my poor attempt at explaining he laughed and shook his head. He ruffled my head then carefully put me back down.

"You should be careful next time dear little sister, you might hurt yourself. Now for the reason I am here, I came to escort you to the mage." he walked towards the table where my freshly made breakfast was on, grabbing a muffin and biting into it. "I can't wait to see you do your first Gramarye casting." I pouted and sat on the table, picking up my utensils and eating my pancakes.

"I don't know how." I said whilst chewing, Halezander looked at me then laughed, he grazed his thumb by the side of my lip and licked the syrup from it.

"Eat properly little sister," he wiped his hands on the table napkin and sat on my bed waiting for me to finish. "You don't have to know how right now, the mage is supposed to teach you how. I'm kind of jealous that you received your Gramaire at such an early age, but no matter. I shall protect you no matter what." he motioned to the sheathed short sword attached on a belt on his left waist.

I giggled and stood up, Katharina approached me and helped change into a new dress. The dress she put on me was turquoise green, the sleeves were sheer and translucent, with a gold hem. The top was a tube that crossed around my neck, showing my tummy area, with a flowy skirt with slits on each side. It looks like a dress that a desert gypsy would wear.

She made me sit on my vanity table and braided my long black hair, putting beautiful pins with red rubies and gems on them. "Looking lovely as always princess Rhiannon." she smiled through the mirror and I smiled back. She always complimented me after getting me ready for the day, and I could tell it was never forced. It was always genuine.

I stood up from the vanity chair and approached my brother on my bed, reading my favorite story book, "Do you think this is real Rhia?" he asked, calling me by my nickname. I nodded profusely. "If it were, I would love to meet one of them. Dragons." I would want to meet one as well.