The Fire in Your Eyes

The dragons of the Dundare line have run amok and are bringing the other dragons into forced submission. It is, in the humble opinion of this dragon observer, that the Dundare line be eliminated. They not only pose a threat to their fellow dragons, but their incredible powers of which we know nothing of their origins will bring all of Dragonia to her knees.

- Anonymous Dragon Observer to the First Royalty Council.

Xander's hands left her waist, and Vinnandra missed it a little too much.

Taking her hands too off his shoulders, she quickly bowed her head and resumed her stance as a slave.

The gods, what had she been doing? Dallying with such a high ranking man like Xander would not get her anything good. Only an unhealthy amount of heartbreak, an unnecessary distraction from her goals… and well, every other thing bad.

Besides, what did Xander mean by he wants her to become his ally?

"Why are you here?" He asks the intruder, his voice as cold and chill as the air in the room.

Vinn raised her head slightly to have a good look at the man and then gasped lightly in surprise.

Judging from his snow white hair, the man too was from a royal family, but that was not what surprised Vinn greatly.

It was the ugly gash on his handsome face that looked to be the handiwork of a dagger. It made him handsome and fearsome at the same time, two lethal combinations that made his smile at the moment look cruel.

The man looked at her briefly, his eyes saying nothing and everything at the same time.

"And she is?" He asks Xander who had not bothered to wear his shirt. So comfortable was he in his bandaged torso that he shot the intruder a dirty look despite the biting tang of the cold.

"A slave," he replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it actually was, "Don't make me repeat myself, what are you doing here Xylan?"

Probably deciding that Xander was in no mood for him, Xylan replied, "Father summons you in his tent."

"I'm sure he sent a guard to get me… why exactly are you here?" Xander's voice was growing more impatient than cold, it now felt like he was speaking to his little brother that he wasn't fond of… except Xylan looked anything but little.

Same towering height as Xander, and even the same side profile as him, Xylan looked so much like Xander, at the same time, unlike him.

If Xander would be described as warm iciness, the kind that makes you admire him from afar but fear you can't get close to. Then Xylan was fierce bruteness—everything about his demeanour screamed hardened man.

Perhaps it was just the huge scar on his face, but something told Vinn that he was someone she didn't want to be in the same room with alone.

"Can we speak…? Privately?" Xylan glanced at Vinn at his last words and she squirmed uncomfortably. She felt like she was in the middle of a volcano about to implode.

"We are in private, besides she's my maid." Something told Vinn that Xander was reaching his limits with the ongoing conversation. As such Vinn didn't bother correcting the assertion that she was his maid. She wasn't his maid, at least not yet, and she never wanted to be.

No matter how attractive she found him to be, Vinn could not afford to be away from the library… it was her only weapon to make something out of herself. And yet, she knew she'd little power over the decision, and that state of helplessness came over her again, causing her to feel anger for herself.

The other man's face twisted in displeasure as he said, "She's the hateful."

Something about Xander's following silence must have said 'well deal with that' because Xylan started to speak.

"I haven't been seeing you in the castle since the academy closed, and I've always wanted to say this to you brother… I didn't mean to take Pratia away from you…." Xander's harsh laughter rang through the tent, cutting off what looked like a well prepared, articulate speech.

"First of all, I'm not your brother," If his voice was cold before, Xander's voice was frozen to the nines now, "secondly, you could never steal, talkless of take anything from me. Never." The last words were delivered like a promise, and looking at the two men again, Vinn sensed a lot of history between them.

And not the good kind.

A guard entered the tent, interrupting the staring contest that was about to ensue between the duo.

"Sorry for the interruption masters. The Lord says change of plans and asks everyone to return back to the castle as soon as possible."

Without a word, Xylan turns and leaves the room, with the swagger of confidence.

Vinn wondered who Pratia was.

"Pack your bags Vinnandra, you would be going back with me." Xander flung the order like it was nothing, and then turned to get fully dressed.

"I'm sorry I can't do that," Vinn throws back with enough confidence to last one man for seven years. "I am a public slave and can't leave my post without du…due authorization." Okay, maybe she stammered the last part a bit, but she was no god now was she? She was still mortal.

A scared mortal at that.

Xander stared at her with the same fury that was left over from his encounter with Xylan.

"Draven!" He called out and a guard entered the tent in answer. "Relay my message to Garrick," he said casually, putting on his shirt and totally ignoring Vinn.

"Is it Garrick the soldier? Or Garrick from personnel?" The guard asks.

"The latter. Have him know that I will be taking Vinnandra the hateful off his hands. If he so much as protests, remind him of that fateful time four years ago when his neck was saved from the hangman's noose, courtesy of my graciousness."

Vinn had doubts about his so-called graciousness, especially not when he was ripping away her chance at self discovery from her.

"Yes sir!" The guards bowed and left the room.

"Why are you doing this to me!" She screamed at him the moment they were now alone. Vinn knew she'd regret it, but she vowed not to grovel again before anyone, and right now having access to the library meant more to her than her life.

She'd no patience to wait for another chance.

Surprisingly, Xander doesn't acknowledge her screams for the matter, instead he said something she wasn't expecting. "Because I was right… there's fire in your eyes. And I need that fire close to me."

Thrown off by his reply, she inquired, "What do you mean?"

"The book…"

"What book…?"

"The one hidden in that hideous corset you're wearing."

"I… what… I don't know what you're saying."

"Should I reach into your dress instead and get it out?" He taunts.

Instinctively covering her chest, Vinn takes a step back. "I…really don't know what you're saying! And I won't allow you to touch me, not even with a ten feet pole."

Liar, but that was besides the point.

"I will give you the short version of the story and give you two choices." Xander starts walking around the room and gathering his things. Knives, bows, booby traps, his clothing… he packed even more organised than any woman Vinn knew.

"One of my dragon's abilities is sensing magic of any kind. And the book you have with you happens to have loads of it… I sensed it since long ago, and felt it press into my back when you were bandaging me up."

Vinn's eyes widened in true fear, was this ability common? If so, she was so dead.

"No, it's not a common ability." He says as if hearing her inner monologue. "Now here are your options." Done with his packing, he stands before in his full length. Vinnandra's 5' 6 figure was so small in comparison with his 6' 2

"You walk away, leave here, and pretend this conversation never happened. You get to whatever it is you want to do in your position as an official slave. Consequence is, you would never realise your dreams, and the fire in your eyes would die forever."

Vinn swallowed, shaking her head lightly at the first option. Xanders' silver iris, once again, held her blue ones captive. Enchanting, enslaving and captivating the entirety of her soul. In his eyes was a darkness shrouded in shadows, it was leashed and reined in tightly, but she could still see it.

"Second option, you take my hands and I promise you, with every power I have, I will give you the opportunity to access all of the resources that would help you realise the fire in your eyes. In return, you will become my ally… forever."

Forever. It was only the two of them in the room, drinking each other in and silently exchanging promises. Vinn didn't ask him what it was that he saw in her, she didn't ask what it meant to be his ally, instead she asked.

"What about the fire in your eyes?"