The Dragon Princess (Crystalosias - Saga - Book One)
Chapter Sixteen: Give Tashia to the Enemy!

Two hours later, Sahrah was in her chambers with Dan and Suelette, with a clean bill of health for her and the baby. Derk was still dealing with their prisoners, and Trey was counting their citizens, for the dead and missing. Tentah and Bentin were discussing a title for the brave Austen. And the Crystal was replanted in its planter, and back in the sunlight.

“What a crazy day.” Suelette said as she sat on one of the couches in the chamber.

“You’re telling me.” Sahrah said with a sigh.

“Tashia.” Dan said as he looked at her.

“Yes, Dan?”

“Tasheen will be another hour, they are preparing the prisoners for their punishment.” Dan said.

“He can keep in contact with you?” Sahrah asked.

“Yes.” Dan said with a nod.

“Sorry it took so long for me to upgrade your watch, Tashia. It’s very hard to do things without you seeing it, you’re always noticing everything.” Trey said.

“Does this mean I can contact you; when you are in your robot form now?” Sahrah asked.

“Yes.” Trey replied.

“Great, could have used this a long time ago.”

“Yes, I know. But everything had to be perfectly lined up...”

“You don’t have to explain anything to me, Trey. I wouldn’t understand it anyway.”

“Maybe I should go back to the City.” Suelette said as she started to stand.

“No.” Sahrah said as she looked at Suelette.

“But my job here is done, Tashia.”

“Actually, we could use you for a lot more, Suelette.” Bentin said from the door.

They all turned to him.

“What do you mean, Bentin?” Suelette asked as she stood.

Bentin walked over to her. “I mean, we could use someone like you, in the Palace.”

“Oh, now everyone wants me around.” Suelette said with a frown.

“I have always liked having you around, Suelette. I just wasn’t royalty and couldn’t invite you in. You have always intrigued me.”

Suelette laughed.

“So, I take it, you two know each other.” Sahrah said as she watched them.

“Oh, we knew each other alright. Once upon a time.” Suelette said as she looked at Bentin. “Then he was sent away to the stars, to another planet.”

“And I didn’t look for you when I got back.” Bentin said with a frown. “I should have. But I thought you hated me. We didn’t exactly leave on nice terms.”

Suelette laughed. “All is forgiven now, Bentin. But I don’t think I should stay...”

“I think she should get paid for her services.” Sahrah said as she watched them.

“Oh no.” Suelette said as she shook her head.

Bentin smiled. “Good idea, Tashia.”

“It is already in the workings.” Trey said.

“You saved us, Suelette.” Sahrah said as she laid her hand on her stomach. “It’s the least we could do.”

**

“It’s good to see you again, Trey.” Sahrah said with a smile when her companion walked into the chamber.

“It is good to walk around again.” Trey said with a smile. “They fixed me up really good, didn’t they?”

Sahrah smiled. “Yes, they did.”

“A week as a computer, reminded me why I asked Tasheen for a body.” Trey said as she looked at her arms and stomach.

“So, what do you want to do today?” Sahrah asked.

“I have missed the gardens.” Trey said.

“Okay, but I’m too fat to go for a walk.” Sahrah said as she headed out the door.

“We will sit under the tree and you will eat, and we will talk about the birds and the bees.” Trey said as she followed her Tashia.

Sahrah laughed. “Trey, do you know what that saying means?”

“No, but it sounds like fun.” Trey said as they sat under the tree in the garden.

Sahrah laughed. “Talking about the birds and the bees; is a way of saying, let’s talk about sex.”

“Oh.” Trey said as she looked up at the tree limbs. “Why would you put it that way?”

“It’s an easy way to say it, in front of kids, without them asking what sex is. Or to prepare them for the sex conversation...”

“Why would you talk to children about sex?” Trey asked, appalled.

Sahrah laughed. “Because sex is a very big thing. And how will your children know what to expect, if you do not tell them about it?”

“I see.” Trey said with a nod. “Then how about we talk about the wind and the willow.”

Sahrah laughed. “You upgraded your jokes, didn’t you.”

“I am not laughing, Tashia.” Trey said as she looked at Sahrah.

“Okay, let’s change the subject.”

“How about we talk about nothing, and just listen to the earth.” Trey said as she closed her eyes.

Sahrah sighed as she closed her eyes. “That sounds peaceful.”

“Tashia, I need to speak with you.”

Sahrah opened her eyes and looked up at Suelette. “What’s the matter?”

Suelette joined her on the grass. “Lord Rynstone wants our Dragon. As soon as his men told him what they ran from, he coveted the Dragon, that roared so fiercely.”

Sahrah frowned. “Aren’t we ever going to be rid of that man?”

“He can’t have our Dragon.” Trey said without opening her eyes. “I will hang him out to dry; before he can touch Spitfire.”

Sahrah groaned. “I don’t know what’s worse, Trey. The strange way you’ve been talking, or the fact that I still don’t know why you guys call me Spitfire, or how I was able to roar like that.”

“It will happen.” Trey said, then she was quiet for a moment. “Tasheen and Dan are coming out to talk with us.”

“Suelette.” Derk said as he joined them. “Dan tells me that you have heard something important?”

Suelette told Derk what she had overheard in a bar, between here and Silverstone, and what she had seen in a vision, the same night she had heard the news.

“Alright. I will bring it up with my father. Thank you.”

“Keep Tashia in the Palace grounds.” Suelette said as she stood.

“I plan to.” Derk said with a nod.

**

“Your mate is becoming more bothersome then is worth keeping.” One of Tentah’s men said when Derk gave his father and the others the news that Suelette had just given him. “I say you wait for your son, then get rid of the woman. Let Lord Rynstone have her.”

The fist came so fast, the man had no time to respond. Derk hit the man in the face so hard, the man flipped out of his chair and the chair retreated into the floor. Derk went after the man, but his father took hold of his arm.

“Sir Ransen, you are dismissed. I will discuss later if your rank will be removed.” Tentah said as he glared at the bleeding man on the floor.

“I was only saying what others have been saying.” Ransen said as he got to his feet and wiped the blood from his face.

“Who else thinks we should give Rynstone the Dragon?” Tentah asked as he looked around.

Thinking they were getting somewhere with their Kentrei and Tasheen, on the issue, those who agree with Ransen, raised their hands.

“You are all stripped of your titles and dismissed from this room.” Tentah said as he glared around the room. “Guards!”

The men started complaining and asking why he had asked; if he wasn’t going to give up the Dragon...

“Because the Dragon is your Tashia, you idiots!” Bentin answered for them.

The men stopped arguing, for they knew they had lost.

“I’m sorry, Father.” Derk grumbled as he sat in one of the chairs.

“For what, Son?”

“For bringing Sahrah here, for falling in love with a Dragon, when I knew what she was. For bringing war and chaos to our city.”

Tentah chuckled. “I must admit. This isn’t what I had expected when I told you to search the stars. But I knew it was going to happen, you forget son, this was foretold, a long time ago.”

Derk snorted. “I just wish they had foretold the troubles, having her here would bring.”

“Would have helped too, if they had foretold the fact that she has no clue who she is.” Bentin said with a laugh.

“I always suspected something was different with Sahrah.” Austen said from his seat.

The men left in the room; turned to him.

Austen looked at Derk. “I will tell you, but it will be a family matter.”

Derk nodded as he stood and walked to his father’s office. Tentah, Bentin, and Austen, followed.

Once they were in the office, Derk studied Austen. “Is this something Sahrah knows of, or another thing she knows nothing about?”

“Oh, she knows about it, all right. She calls it her, Warrior mode. But I’ve always known it was something different.” Austen said.

“Does she have a tail or something?” Bentin asked with a laugh.

Austen snorted. “When she goes into “Warrior mode” she has almost no control over her actions. I have only seen it a couple of times. It only comes forth when she believes her life to be in real danger. I’m sure when she was captured two years ago, that is how she had put two of your Warriors in the hospital, so easily. She fights fiercely and her strength is something no man can compare to. Not even you, Tasheen.”

The three men stared at Austen.

“Why has she not used it since being here?” Bentin asked.

“She is pregnant, she won’t chance hurting her son. As I said, during this time, she has no control over her actions. So, who knows what would happen if she goes into it while pregnant. Will it know there’s a baby to protect? Or will it not care, and just do what it knows best, hurt and kill.” Austen said.

Derk started to laugh. “Let her continue to think it is a Warrior thing. When it is time for her to know, she will figure it out, on her own.”

“Well, we know not to piss your mate off.” Bentin said with a laugh.

“I want Dansotein and Treyauhna to get with Victorious, and replace any, and all citizens, who do not want the Dragon’s protection, and want her gone. They may try to trade her in, for peace.” Tentah said as he headed for the door.

“Do we listen to those people’s words?” Derk asked as he followed his father out.

“We do.” Tentah answered as he stopped just outside the room. The men who had not been taken away, still sat in the room, waiting for them. “And we start with these men here.”

**

“Tashia.” A woman said from behind Sahrah.

Sahrah turned around and smiled at the woman she had saved, a week ago. The woman had started doing whatever Sahrah needed or wanted, like she had made herself Sahrah’s personal maid.

“Hello, Temmy.” Sahrah said.

“Do you need me for anything today?” Temmy asked.

“Actually, you could do me a very big favor.”

“Anything you desire, Tashia.” Temmy said as she bowed to Sahrah.

“Could you replace Floren for me and ask her to speak with me?”

“Of course.” Temmy said, then she was gone.

“We could have found the Kentra.” Trey said as she looked at Sahrah.

Sahrah shrugged. “I know. But the woman gets pleasure out of pleasing me.”

Trey snorted. “That is because you saved her from that Warrior, even after she had bad-mouthed you.”

Sahrah chuckled. “Yes, well...”

“Spitfire.” Derk said from behind them.

Sahrah turned to her mate and smiled. She noticed the men around him and smiled at each of them. When Austen walked out from the midst of them, Sahrah felt a slice of pride crawl up her spine. Her best friend is a true Dextonian Warrior now.

“You look lovely as always, Sahrah.” Austen said as he smiled at her.

“You should not call your Tashia by name.” One of the other men said.

“Can it.” Sahrah said as she stared at the man. “He is my cousin, so he can call me whatever he likes.”

The man’s face paled and he backed away into the crowd of men.

Sahrah stared after the man, then looked at her mate. “Is he afraid of me?”

Derk chuckled. “Any man here; is afraid of what their Tasheen will do to them; if they upset their Tashia.” He said with a grin.

She chuckled. “So, how is Austen doing as a Lord of Leboriah?”

“Very well, actually.” Derk said with a grin.

She nodded.

“I have found her, Tashia.” Temmy said as she rejoined them with Floren at her side.

“Hello, Austen.” Floren said with a smile when she saw the Warrior.

“Floren, how good to see you again.” Austen said with a smile.

“Such blasphemy, he doesn’t respect any royals.” The same man said from the middle of the group of men.

Derk grumbled as he moved to the man and pulled him out of the crowd by the back of his shirt and pushed him in front of Sahrah. The man’s face became so pale, he looked like he was a dead man standing.

“Um, I guess Derk wants me to tell you, so you understand.” Sahrah said as she looked at her mate. Derk nodded and she took a deep breath. “Floren and I may be the Tashia and Kentra here, but on our planet, Austen, Floren and I, are friends. We went to school together. We never think to call each other by our titles here. Because we never did on our home planet. I am a royal daughter, Austen is a Lord, and Floren is a Lady. But we were and always will be, just plain ol’, Sahrah, Austen and Floren, to each other.” She explained. She hoped the man understood.

“I understand.” The man said with wide, scared eyes.

Sahrah placed her hand on the man’s shoulder. “Don’t fear us, Sir...”

“Hentley.” The man choked out.

“Sir Hentley.” She said with a smile. “We are all on the same side. And the people from my planet, you will replace calling me by my first name, as well as Floren. It is the way of our people and we forget we are not home; because you all make us so welcome.”

Sir Hentley nodded, then Derk pulled him back into the group of men and smiled at his mate.

“Very good. You will make a fine Kentra, someday.” Derk said with a grin.

Sahrah grinned. “Why thank you, Tasheen.”

He chuckled as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

“We must continue on.” Tentah said as he watched his son with his mate.

“I will see you tonight.” Derk said as he kissed her forehead, then left with the men.

“Well, that was strange.” Sahrah said as she watched the group of men leave.

“You wanted to see me, Sahrah?” Floren asked.

Sahrah smiled as she turned to her old school friend. “Yes. I wanted to invite you to come see the Crystal.”

“Oh, I would love to. Let me get Gershaw from Naria and I will meet you at your chambers.” Floren said as she turned and headed back the way she had come.

“Thank you Temmy, for your help.” Sahrah said to the woman with a smile.

“Anything for my Tashia.” Temmy said with a bow, then turned and headed to where ever she spent her days.

Sahrah and Trey returned to the chambers, to wait for Floren.