The Dragon Princess (Crystalosias - Saga - Book One)
Chapter Twenty-Three: Lord Redstone’s Punishment

“We’re here for support, Tashia.” Trey said as she, Suelette and Temmy, stood behind her.

“Thank you, girls.” Sahrah said with a smile. She’s going to need all the support she can get.

They entered the throne room and Trey helped her to sit on one of the chairs in the back.

“Your Uncle didn’t fare well, challenging us.” Derk said as he stood in front of Redstone, who was fuming that he had lost the fight against Derk.

“My Uncle was an idiot.” Redstone said. “He thought that war, would get him what he wanted, but what we want, belongs to you, not the city. I still plan to...”

Something flew through the air and hit Redstone in the back of the head.

Everyone turned to the women in the back row. Suelette and Temmy stood against the wall, their eyes opened wide and Trey laughed from behind Sahrah, who was fuming at the men.

“I am not a piece of property, to be bartered, won, or sold! Do not anger me!” Sahrah said with rage.

“Sahrah...” Derk started to say.

“Uh Tasheen, she’s not Sahrah at the moment.” Temmy said as she looked at the red eyes of her friend.

“Spitfire.” Derk said as he walked up to his mate.

Spitfire blew a puff of smoke from her mouth. “I will not be talked about, as if I’m property, Derk. I am with you, because I love you, but I can leave any time I want, you told me so...”

Derk pulled her into his arms. “You could leave right this minute, Sahrah. With our child, and I would not stop you.”

That seemed to calm her, some, but she was still angry.

“What kind of Warrior lets his mate talk to him like that?” Redstone asked.

Bentin snorted. “A true Warrior.”

“Not to mention, one with a fire breathing Dragon, as a mate.” Austen said with a laugh.

The other men in the room laughed with him. Except for Redstone, who doesn’t believe in Dragons, he only wanted the fire top, for her blazing hair and beauty. The rumors alone of her being a Dragon; would cause fear in his enemy’s hearts.

“I love you, Sahrah. You know that.” Derk said as he placed her back in the seat.

Sahrah puffed as her eyes changed back to green. “Please retrieve my shoe from the front of the room, Derk.”

Derk turned to look at the shoe on the floor, beside Redstone and burst into laughter.

Austen saw the shoe and laughed as he picked it up and took it to his best friend. “I remember when you threw, your shoe, at the teacher.”

She snorted as she took her shoe from him. “The woman didn’t know bionary from craidenary.”

Austen chortled. “No, she did not.”

“This is a story you must tell me about, later.” Derk said with a grin.

“Maybe.” She said as she smiled up at him.

“Son, can we finish this, please.” Tentah said with exasperation, from his throne.

“Sorry, Father.” Sahrah said as she looked at the Kentrei.

“It is alright, Daughter.” Tentah said with a smile.

Derk moved back to the front of the room. “My mate has given her answer, she will never go with you.”

“Not willingly, but...”

A shoe flew through the air again and Derk caught it before it hit Lord Redstone.

“Sahrah.” He said as he gave her a warning look.

“I’m leaving.” Sahrah growled as she got to her feet.

Trey held up her hand and Derk threw the shoe to her.

Once out of the room, Trey helped Sahrah put her shoe back on.

“The nerve of men.” Sahrah grumbled.

“You have good aim, Tashia.” Temmy said with a laugh.

“Yeah, well, I was a pitcher on my home planet.”

“A picture?” Suelette asked, confused.

Sahrah laughed. “Pitcher. It’s a position on a game called, baseball. It was taught to my people, a long time ago, by an alien race, who visited us once.”

“You will have to show us this game, baseball.” Temmy said with a smile.

“Trey. See if you can replace it in my planet’s old database. It should be there. Then after Conner is born, we’ll put together a couple of teams, and play.”

“Yes, Tashia.”

The women moved out of the way as the men came out of the room.

“Don’t think I won’t challenge you again.” Redstone said as he walked out of the room.

“Stay behind me.” Sahrah told her companions.

With wide eyes, the women complied.

“Redstone!” Sahrah hollered.

Everyone turned to her and when they saw her companions all behind her, the men started to back away from Redstone.

“Sahrah.” Derk said in a warning voice.

“He cheated, Tasheen.” Sahrah accused.

Derk paused. He knew there was something his mate had seen.

“That is a big accusation, without proof, Tashia.” Derk said as he watched his mate.

“I could have you lashed for that.” Redstone growled.

Sahrah’s eyes flashed red and Derk moved to stand between his mate and Lord Redstone, why, he wasn’t sure, the man wasn’t worth his protection.

“Please don’t anger my mate. She is with child and has a temper...”

“Derk, do not make up excuses for me.” Sahrah said from behind him.

Derk turned and sighed with relief when he saw her green eyes. Maybe there won’t be a barbeque today, after all.

Sahrah moved around Derk before he could stop her and she stood directly in front of Lord Redstone.

“Since I discovered who I truly am, I have found myself less and less afraid of things. But to hear those words again...” She fought to not tear his head off his shoulders.

“You have nothing on me.” He said as he stared into her green eyes. She really is a fiery woman, no wonder the Tasheen likes her.

“This will be proof enough.” Sahrah said as she leaped onto him and pulled his head down to her level.

“Spitfire!” Derk hollered.

“Relax love, it is me.” Sahrah said as she fought with the man, until she yanked his necklace off his head, then let him go. “This is all I wanted.” She said as she held up the necklace.

Derk took the necklace from her, then glared at Lord Redstone. “My mate was correct, you cheated.”

Lord Redstone began to stutter as he stepped away from them.

“What is it, Son?” Tentah asked.

“Rasperous.” Derk grumbled.

“It is a good thing that I like to read. I have read about almost all the herbs and charms on your planet, and I noticed the reaction of the opponent he had fought, before you.” Sahrah said.

“That’s why you asked for the Ratroot.” Suelette said, then closed her mouth.

“Ratroot?” Derk asked as he looked at his mate. “You put that nasty stuff into my juice?”

Sahrah grinned. “It isn’t against the law to use a repellent.”

“But Ratroot?” Derk asked as he made a face.

Sahrah laughed. “It is the strongest repellent. And it worked, didn’t it?”

Derk laughed. “Yes love, it worked.”

“What do we do about his cheating?” Bentin asked.

“Well, since he called Sahrah a liar and she was telling the truth, she should decide his punishment.” Derk said.

“Is it okay if the punishment lasts several months?” Sahrah asked with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Derk chuckled. He was very intrigued.

“You can’t be serious. I am Redmond, Lord of Sliverstone.”

“Who do you think carried out your Uncle’s punishment?” Derk said with annoyance. “Okay love, your choice.”

“Please stand back, gentleman.” She said as she looked at the men who stood behind Lord Redstone. “You will not return to claim anyone from our City. You have been defeated this day, and we never want to see or hear of anyone from Sliverstone, again, Lord Redstone. If anyone comes close to our city, I will be sure they blow away in the wind. Do you get my drift?”

Her companions and mate laughed from behind her, even Bentin and Austen laughed, and she could swear she saw Tentah smile.

“Is that the best punishment you can give?” Redstone asked with a laugh.

“Oh no, that wasn’t your punishment. That was my promise of what I will do, if you come to our city again, or send any of your men. This is your punishment.”

Derk watched his mate’s eyes turn red and grunted. “Flick.”

Spitfire took in a deep breath, then blew a small flame across the distance, between herself and Lord Redstone. The flame landed on the top of his head and engulfed his head on fire.

“Spitfire.” Derk groaned.

“Be patient, lover.” Spitfire said as she watched her flame die down.

Lord Redstone stopped screaming as the flame dissipated.

Everyone in the hall stared at the man.

Redstone touched his tender head and shrieked. “My hair!”

Derk burst into laughter. “That is why you asked for the punishment to last months.”

Sahrah smiled at her mate. “Fits him, don’t you think?”

Derk continued to laugh as he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

“This isn’t the last you will see of me, demon woman!”

Sahrah pulled out of her mate’s arms and moved over to Lord Redstone so fast, everyone gasped.

“I am not a demon! I am a Dragon descendant, and you will be wise to remember that! Now leave my city, before I set something else on fire, that you really need.” She said as she looked down at his crotch.

Redstone looked into her red eyes, then screamed as he ran from the Palace.

Everyone around her burst into laughter, for they have never seen a punishment dealt out so, before.

“You still amaze me.” Derk said as he pulled her into his arms.

“You know what I’m in the mood for?” She asked as she looked up at him.

“Me too.” He said as he kissed her lips.

She giggled. “Later, love.”

He smiled as he held her close.

“I am suddenly in the mood for barbeque.” She said with a smirk.

**

Sahrah watched as Austen tried to start the fire in the barbeque pit. When he tossed the fifth match into the trash bin, she giggled.

“You could help.” He grumbled as he looked up at her.

She sucked in a breath and blew a small flame into the pit, the pit instantly caught fire and blazed up three feet.

“Now, that’s, a fire!” Austen said with a laugh as he jumped back.

Sahrah smiled. “We’re hungry.” She said as she placed her hand over her stomach.

“Well, shouldn’t take too long, now.” He said with a chuckle.

“Austen.”

“Yeah?” He asked as he moved the grate over the pit.

“Do you still see me as the same person?”

He looked at her through the flames. “No Sahrah, I don’t.”

Sahrah frowned as she looked down at the ground.

Austen moved around the pit and took hold of her arms. “You’re not the same person.” He said with a smile. “You’ve changed so much, between being a slave, a mate, a mother to be, a Dragon.” He said the last with a wide grin. “You are not the same person I grew up with.”

She whimpered as a tear slid down her cheek.

He wiped the tear away. “You’re better.”

She looked up into his eyes and saw he meant what he said. “Better?”

He laughed. “You’ve always been amazing, Sahrah. But now...I don’t know, you’re different, in a good way.” He assured her.

She sighed. “Thank you, Cousin.”

He chuckled. “Even if we weren’t distantly related, you’d still be my best friend.”

She leaned into him and he closed his arms around her.

“If I didn’t know better, I would be jealous.” Derk said with a laugh as he joined them.

“Just talking about how great my beautiful friend here is.” Austen said with a grin.

“Oh, a conversation I know very well.” Derk said with a smile as he pulled Sahrah to him. “Are you feeling displaced?”

She shrugged. “I guess a little.”

He nodded. “It’s normal when with child.”

“Food.” Sahrah said as she looked at Austen.

Austen chuckled. “Yes, Tashia.”

She smiled, then looked up at her mate. He smiled down at her, then kissed her lips.

The barbeque was wonderful, and everyone ate until they could barely move.

When it was time for bed, Derk carried his mate to their chambers, and no one saw them again, until the middle of the next day.