Chapter Twenty Eight

The following days in Draconia were filled with training, manna manipulation lessons, and my homework from great papa Nylamu. Although my schedule wasn't as busy as it had been when I was staying in the mountain of Nagaria, the lessons were a little more difficult for me. Manna manipulation, or magic as it was known in the human realm, was the hardest. That's because I had two manna stones and streams flowing through my body. So I first had to get them to flow in unison before being able to attempt to manifest a simple flame.

My cousins only had one manna source and had been training their manna since they were five, so in spite of them being younger than me, they were far more skilled than I was. Grandma Belinda, who insisted that I call her Bella, told me that I was progressing at a great pace, but I couldn't help but feel anxious. After all, I was behind in everything and 9th grade orientation was only a couple of months away.

I was sitting in my room, trying to get an orb of manna to form in my hand. I had just gotten a few drops of manna to flow out of my palm and flow together when the door of my room opened, breaking my concentration. I frowned as the manna dissipated into mist and flowed back in my palm. I looked at the doorway as Michaelis stomped in my room. "What the heck, Michael? I was practicing!"

He walked over to me and quickly grabbed my arm, pulling me up from the edge of my bed. "I've had enough of you and your negative vibes disrupting my peace!"

"What are you," I started to say when he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. "Hey! Mike!"

He moved, his speed so fast that it caused the surroundings to blur. When he stopped, I found that we were in the garden. Before I could comprehend what was happening, he picked me up from his shoulder and placed me on the ground. I was surprised to find several of the princesses from the other clans sitting at a white table, smiling at me. "Princess Annanyla, so glad you could join us," princess Elizabeth, AKA Mrs Brown, said as Michael stomped away.

"What," I said, completely confused.

"Ny-Ny, come sit down!" Antyna said cheerfully.

I raised an eyebrow. "Ny-Ny?"

"It's my nickname for you! Isn't it cute?"

The corner of my mouth twitched. "It's definitely something."

Princess Aria giggled and Antyna smirked. "Just come sit. I made you some tea. You like honey in yours, correct?"

I sighed and walked over to the empty chair beside her. "Yeah. Thanks." I said as I sat down. "So, is this a tea party or something?"

"It's an intermission," Princess Gianna said as she sat down her cup.

I was just about to pick up my cup but froze when I heard the princess using an English word. I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You are coming from play?"

She looked confused. "Huh?"

Princess Elizabeth lifted her cup to her lips as she chuckled. "She means intervention, Annanyla."

"Oh, I see," I said before I glanced at Antyna.

Antyna frowned. "It wasn't me!"

"Your mom asked us to speak with you," Princess Gianna said. "She knows that you are stressed and wanted us to speak with you."

I couldn't help but be a little dumbfounded. "I don't understand. Why didn't she just say something to me? She didn't need to bother you all with something so simple."

"That's where you are wrong. This isn't simple at all," Princess Elizabeth said as she placed her cup down. "I know that you are used to living amongst the humans, princess but this isn't the mortal realm. This isn't even Seelie. This is Draconia, the realm of the dragon gods."

I couldn't help but feel a little awkward. "I know that."

"I know you know that, Nyla, but do you understand? We are the gods of the dragon and dragon kin throughout the lower realms and various dimensions. What we do not only affects us personally. It affects our clans and the mortal beings connected to our clans. And, in your case, it affects your cousins."

I smiled awkwardly and tilted my head to the side. "That's why I'm trying so hard."

"And that's the problem," princess Asia, the only princess of the Roudrake clan and Prince Damien's older sister, said as she grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "You don't have to try so hard."

"But I'm years behind," I said.

"The only one who cares about that is you. We understand the circumstances and you just got back. Besides where has being so stressed gotten you? Have you improved by it or has it gotten worse?"

I couldn't help but groan before I looked at Elizabeth. "But I'm supposed to be ready for school by orientation."

Elizabeth frowned. "What?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't Dean DeAngelo tell you? She said that I needed to work hard during this summer in order to be prepared for the upcoming semester. I needed to lose weight, learn combat skills, and socialize more."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and sighed. "Nyla, you misunderstood. Queen Hannah didn't mean that you needed to be at the same level of skill as your cousins or the other students. That's impossible. She just wanted you to be motivated and do your best."

"And haven't you already done all of those things?" Princess Gianna asked.

I blinked as I realized that she was right. I had already lost all my excess weight and had made quite a few new friends. "But, I only know a few basic sword moves."

"You have just started training. Do you expect to be a pro or something?"

I couldn't help but chuckle in embarrassment. "I'm not that naive. I just want to be one before orientation."

Elizabeth looked at me with a stoic expression. "What?"

I put my hand up. "Kidding!"

Everyone laughed.

We spent an hour talking and laughing about various things. I felt a little awkward when the conversation turned to boys and all of the ones that the girls found attractive. A part of me felt like I was listening in on a conversation that I shouldn't be apart of. Princess Gianna smiled at me and asked, "What about you, Nyla? What type of guy are you into?"

Antyna giggled. "Gianna, Ny-Ny still thinks like a boy. She is probably more into girls!"

"Really?" Princess Gianna said as her eyes lit up.

"Gianna, she is too young for you," Elizabeth sighed in exasperation.

Princess Gianna frowned and I chuckled. "Honestly, I'm not really interested in anyone at the moment."

Princess Asia giggled as Gianna's face fell. "Too bad. I could have,"

"Gianna!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at them.

We finished our tea and decided to walk around the garden. The garden was large and had many unique species of flowers planted in the beds lining the path. As we came around a turn in the path, I was surprised to find Michael and Shawn sitting on a bench with prince Damien. The prince was dressed up in a gorgeous red robe that matched his fiery red hair and eyebrows. When they noticed us, they stood up. Asia seemed to be just as surprised to see her brother as the rest of us.

"Brother? What are you doing here?" She asked in shock.

He looked at her with a stoic expression and Gianna giggled. *He obviously didn't trust you to behave yourself and came to check on you!"

Asia looked at her with the same stoic expression as Damien and I couldn't help but chuckle. Damien sighed and rolled his eyes. "Actually, I came here to speak with princess Annanyla."

The girls seemed to be just as surprised as I was and they all looked at me. "Me?" I asked.

He looked at me, his light green eyes locking onto me and causing a chill to zip down my spine. "Yes, you, princess. I hear that you are leaving to return to Nagaria tomorrow morning."

I was a little taken aback. "Oh! Yes."

He raised an eyebrow. "Were you not intending on informing me?"

I was a little confused. "My apologies, but I'm a little confused."

He folded his arms and said, "you are a student of my class. Do I not deserve you informing me that you are going to be missing my class?"

I was completely shocked. "I'm not missing class!"

"Hm?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Learning how to properly use a sword is very important to me, your highness. I wouldn't dare even be late much less be missing from your instruction," I said as I placed a hand over my heart.

He pursed his lips together and scanned me from head to toe. "So, you intend on flying here every morning? No offense, princess, but I have seen your flying. I don't think you could make it halfway through the heavens with that skill."

The corner of my mouth twitched. "Must you cut me so deep, prince?" Antyna covered her mouth and chuckled and I sighed. "My great papa has taken me under his wing so I have morning meditation at his place. So I was intending on coming to practice before heading back to Nagaria."

He raised an eyebrow. "Your great papa?"

"Mn. On my mom's side."

"Wait! Do you mean the Serpent God Nylamu?" Princess Elizabeth asked in shock.

I frowned. "Yes."

"You actually met him?"

"Oh my gosh! What does he look like? Is he scary with long fangs dripping with venom like in the stories?"

"What the hell kinda story is that?"

I gasped at the sound of the familiar voice. I spun around as papa Ry and great papa Nylamu appeared from around the hedges. "Papa!" I said as I rushed over to them.

Great papa chuckled and picked me up. "Ah! Look at you! Such an adorable little girl!"

I giggled as he kissed my cheek several times before placing me on the ground. "What are you doing here?"

He smirked. "I've come to see your progress. Have you been doing your homework?"

"Mn! Every night when the moon is high. Just as you instructed!"

"Good girl," he said as he patted my head. He looked at the princesses and raised an eyebrow. "Now what is this story about me having long fangs dripping with venom?"

Princess Gianna quickly stepped behind princess Elizabeth, who was staring at him in shock. "Are... you really the Serpent God?"

"I am."

"Whoa! You're so handsome!" She sighed.

I covered my mouth and giggled. "Great papa, you have a fan!"

Great papa tussled the top of my hair with his hand. "Silence you!" He smiled at them and said, "Thank you, little one."

Antyna rushed over and stopped by my side. Looking up at great papa she smiled brightly and said, "Uncle Ny, I think you are very handsome too!"

He smirked and poked her nose. "Just for that, I have a treat for you and your friends!"

He waved a hand and a large black cake box appeared in his hand. I gasped in shock. "Cake?"

"Mn! My newest creation. Dragonberry and cream."

"Waaahh!" Antyna sighed as she cupped her face and started to bounce up and down.

Papa Ry rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Nylamu, my friend. You have to stop spoiling my grandkids!"

Great papa frowned. "I'm not spoiling them. They are being my taste testers." He looked at everyone and said, "Let's go, kids! To the kitchen!"

"To the kitchen!" My cousins and I repeated in unison.

Papa Ry sighed. "Come on, you four. We'll just blame the serpent God if you go home in a sugar rush."

Prince Damien cleared his throat. "Actually I,"

I stopped and looked back at him. "You're not coming?"

He looked at me in shock and princess Asia smirked. "Brother, princess Annanyla wants you to come. Don't be rude."

He closed his eyes and sighed dramatically. "Fine. I can't disappoint my students."