4 Chapter Four: Scarlet

Scarlet kept her head down as her grandfather talked. She could hear the annoyance in his voice as he argued with the council. Dinner had been served awhile ago but no one was eating. Scarlet was very hungry but didnt dare to touch her food, she was terrified of offending her grandfather.

"We are just saying that we should take the offence. If we geared up then the other species wouldnt be able to go against us!" The council argued.

"Using weapons and armor is disgracful! We are demons, we will win with our own strength and skills." Her grandfather bellowed. The council continued to argue back. Scarlet wouldnt understand how, her grandfather was terrifying.

"Father why dont we eat and then have the kids leave so we can continue this conversation." Scarlets father asked. Her grandfather turned to look at his son.

"Very well, Ive been wanting to talk to the kids anyway." Scarlet sighed as evryone started to eat, she began to eat as well. Even though she wanted to scarf her food down and leave as fast as she could, she ate very slowly and politely.

"So Scarlet, how long do we have to wait till you get your fire?" her grandfather asked.

"Umm...Im working on it." Scarlet stated.

"Good, all your siblings have been very promising. I expect big things from you." Her grandfather said while cutting up his steak. Scarlet nodded and looked at her plate. She played with her food, her appetite seemingly gone. Her siblings sat around the table eating. They were all so proper. They thought highly of themselves and acted like shitheads.

"As princess I expect you to strike terror into the hearts of our people." Her grandfather said. Her grandfather was the king, her dad would be taking over in a few days. Scarlet knew how her grandfather respected and worshipped the old ways, while her father thought a more modern rule would be better. Her father knew he would have to pretend in order to keep the crown. Scarlet was terrified of her grandfather but even more of her father. She had overheard her father talking with the council. He wanted to start a war, one where we would be the victors and rulers. If anyone disagreed their species would be wiped out. Scarlet wanted to tell her grandfather but was scared of the consequences from her father. Scarlet had heard stories from her older siblings, stories about how her father had killed other children of his that went against him. Scarlet had a right to be terrified.

"Ok kids, why dont you guys go and let the adults talk." Scarlet hurried out of the dining room. Her siblings laughed at her as they got out of the room. She didnt understand why they were laughing when they were the ones in their twenties and being called children..

Scarlet left the house heading to the garden in the back. She yelled at the fairies who were working in the garden.

"Get out! Go do something else." The fairies scattered terrified. Scarlet sat on a swing in the middle of the garden. She sighed and watched the wildlife. She thought about her doctors appointment last week. She thought about how he told her she would never get her fire. She asked him to keep it a secret to which he agreed. Scarlet was terrified that she would get herself killed if her family knew. She was disgraceful. Her horns were quite small and her tail was useless. Her family just assumed she was a late bloomer. The last late bloomer turned out to be the most powerful out of their siblings. That was her grandfather. She dreamed of escaping and living out her life hidden in a different kingdom. Yet she did not leave.

Scarlet pondered how she would escape, she knew her family would come after her but for how long? If she could hide away for awhile they would eventually give up right? She knew that possibly convince her grandfather of a leave but her father. Her father would chase her down till she was dead. At least that's what her siblings said, she thought that maybe this could be another prank that they played on her but she doubted it. She always assumed the worse with her father. Especially after he killed her mother, his last wife. As far as she knew her father hadn't planned on having anymore kids but that could change on a whim. Each of her siblings had different mothers. He killed them all, right after he decided they weren't useful anymore.

Scarlet didn't understand how no one had been outraged yet, sure he was a prince and soon to be king but killing your own kin? Your wife even.

Scarlet then wondered if he had even heard of a divorce. Scarlet was awakened out of her thoughts to her grandfather walking up to her. She quickly fixed her posture and greeted her grandfather.

"Hello grandfather." Scarlet nodded politely.

"Relax princess, I'm not here to scold you." Her grandfather said as he sat next to her. He looked out at the wildlife that scarlet had seemed so interested in.

"I know that we put a lot of pressure on you as princess and youngest of the family, but I want you to know that it's ok to be a late bloomer." Scarlet gazed at her grandfather, sure she was scared of him and rightfully so but she loved him more than her own father. He was kinder and wiser.

"What if...I don't ever get my fire?" Scarlet mumbled while playing with her hands. Her grandfather looked thoughtful.

"I don't think that's possible with our family bloodline, but if it were to happen it would be just the same. We would have the same chats, although you would never receive the crown." Her grandfather said in a soft tone while looking at her with soft eyes.

Scarlet began to tear up and looked away.

"I've been thinking, we have a treaty with the witches and I know from experience that witches can sometimes speed up the process of obtaining fire..." her grandfather stated.

"No offense grandfather, but I don't want a witch to cast a spell on me or make me drink potions or whatever they do." Her grandfather laughed a big hearty laugh.

"No princess they wouldn't do that, just being around one is good enough. Mostly one who is also going through obtaining their powers. I was thinking of having you take a trip." Scarlet looked at her father with stars in her eyes. She had never been permitted to leave the grounds, much less the whole kingdom.

"Now don't go looking like your dying to get away." Her grandfather chuckled. "I want you to be happy princess, and god knows that those siblings of yours along with your father are preventing that for you. I don't know what kind of sticks got in their asses but I'll have the change in heart to pull them out one day." Scarlet laughed at her grandfather.

"See? Look at that smile." Her grandfather stood up and smiled. "I'll take me leave now, but you keep that smile. Start packing too, I'll tell your father about the news."

Scarlet jumped up in excitement and ran to the castle. She had never before had such luck. She ran straight to her room, of course receiving some teasing from her siblings. She started packing, not even knowing what she needed. She only packed things she absolutely wanted, her fairies could pack all the important stuff. She bounced around in excitement.

A guard walked in and bowed to her.

"Your father wishes to speak with you." Scarlets blood ran cold and she instantly stopped in her tracks. She nodded to the guard and followed him to where her father was.

"So your grandfather has granted you leave from the castle." Her father stared at her, she couldn't tell if he was angry or not his face showed no emotion.

"Yes father, for me to gain my fire." Scarlet politely said while staring at the floor.

"Enjoy the freedom while it lasts because as soon as I become king you will be straight back here, do you understand?" Her father glared harshly at her.

"Yes father." Scarlet answered glumly. That was only in three days. Three days of freedom.

"Then if you don't have your fire by a year I will be given no choice." Her father stated.

"No choice...for what?" Scarlet looked up at her father, confused.

"You will no longer be my daughter and as I know leaving would please you, you will either be put to death or locked away. I can not possibly have a disgraceful child. No one will ever hear of you, a disgusting failure." Her father spat. Scarlet shuddered, she would rather choose death than to be locked up for eternity. Not only that but her fathers own harshness towards his own daughter was disgusting and horrifying.

"Of course father." Scarlet managed to state before leaving the room. As soon as the door closed she let out a breath. What was she going to do?

She made her way to her grandfathers study and knocked. When acknowledged she walked in to see her grandfather doing paperwork.

"Hey princess, I have your traveling papers here, you will going to the kings palace in the witches kingdom. From there you will be in his care and he will decide where you go. I won't have a clue where you will be staying and I would like to keep it that way,the less your father knows the better I wager." Her grandfather gave her an all knowing eye. "You will leave in about an hour so be sure to be ready. I will send you off when you are ready to go." Scarlet bowed to her grandfather and left. She was grateful and slightly hopeful about the living arrangements, if her father didn't know where she was staying then she might get away with staying for longer. She knew her father despised all other species and she assumed that was why he didn't want her to go, but even her father can't disobey the king, even if he would be king in a few days.

"Three days.." she mumbled to herself as she made her way to the seventh quarters. She would need the fairies help if she was to be ready in an hour.

When the hour passed she had gone downstairs and gotten in a family car, a smaller one on account it was only her and the driver. Her grandfather did indeed say goodbye and wished her luck. As she had predicted none of her other family had shown up to see her leave, not that she minded. The farther the driver got from her home the better she felt. She felt as this was going to be a new beginning for her. A wonderful new beginning, but she also could not shake the dread she felt for what would happen in three days.

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