Dragon Princess

Melody walked into the house, and smiled at her father who was sitting in the kitchen drinking milk.
“Having fun?” he asked. It had been a week so far since she had found out she could turn into a dragon. Everyday since then she had gone back to the meadow and practiced. She loved being a dragon!
“Yes I did! I love the feeling of wind flowing through my wings! I did think of something though. Father, why can I do magic?” Melody said.
“I don’t know. Emily couldn’t, and dragons can’t. I believe it might just be because you have the blood of a magical creature running through your veins,” Marcus said thoughtfully. Melody nodded. Made sense to her.
Suddenly there was a loud knocking at the door. Melody quickly went over to the door and answered it. James was there, panting loudly.
“The P-p-prince is l-looking for y-you!” He stammered. Melody knew he had ran all the way over here.
“The Prince is looking for me? But why?” Melody looked at her father and understanding filled
her.
“He c-came to my h-house and s-saw that I was the o-one to d-dance with you that n-night. He now k-knows you live in this t-town,” James said, trying to catch his breath. Melody looked at her father frantically.
“Melody go hide now!” Marcus demanded.
“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” a voice said, and then James was suddenly flung down to the ground. Melody saw Prince Adrian standing before her. His sword was pointed at James back, who was sprawled on the floor on his stomach.
“Leave him alone,” Melody yelled.
“Ah mystery girl. It’s very nice to see you again. So nice, that in fact, I’m going to take you home with me,” Prince Adrian said, a smirk on his face. Melody glared at him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you!” Melody exclaimed.
“Oh?” Prince Adrian pressed the sword against James back harder so that he cried out in pain.
“Stop it! Father do something!” Melody yelled frantically. Marcus opened his mouth to chant a spell but Prince Adrian just tsked.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. One of my skillful wizards put a spell on me so that any spell aimed at me bounces back and it put on the caster instead,” Prince Adrian said. Marcus stopped and looked at Melody with worry.
“What do you want?” Melody said angrily.
“You of course. Right when I first laid eyes on you, I wanted you. You are so beautiful! You also weren’t like all those other boring bimbos at the ball. I want you as my bride, as my princess,” Prince Adrian said. He took out his hand, expecting Melody to talk it.
“And if I refuse?” Melody asked. Prince Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“Why would you refuse?” Prince Adrian said with surprise.
“I don’t want to go with you. My life is happy as it is. So I will not be going with you today, now good bye, and good day,” Melody said.
“I see we are going to have to do this the hard way,” Prince Adrian said with a glare. He moved the sword harder against James back.
“Melody, don’t go with him. Argggggg!” James yelled.
“James! Stop it!” Melody shrieked.
“You know what you have to do,” Prince Adrian said. Melody looked at Marcus. His eyes pleaded with her to stay. He had been silent all this time, and Melody knew it was because he felt helpless. He felt like he had failed Emily. Melody looked at James, and cringed at the pain she saw he was in. How perfect their night had been. The night she knew she was in love with James. The night she almost had her first kiss. Melody sighed sadly.
“I’ll come with you, only if you leave James and my father alone,” Melody said softly.
“No!” said Marcus and James together.
“I have too! If I don’t, people are just going to get hurt.” Melody walked to her father and hugged him. “I love you Daddy.”
Marcus wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter, and hugged her close. His tears smudged against her cheek.
“Don’t transform,” he whispered so softly in her ear that she almost didn’t hear him. “I love you too Melody,” he said louder this time.
Prince Adrian took his sword off of James back and James quickly scrambled up. He lunged at Melody and grabbed her.
“Don’t go Mel!” He exclaimed. Melody looked away sadly.
“I have to,” she said. Prince Adrian grabbed James and took him away from Melody.
“Take your hands off of my bride,” he said, power dripping from his voice.
“Let go of me! I can walk on my own!” Melody demanded angrily.
“Not a chance. I lost you once, not losing you again. Now come,” Prince Adrian said, leading Melody outside. They got to his horse and he picked her up and forced her to sit on down. Then he climbed up in front of her.
“Unless you want to break your neck from falling off, you might want to hold onto me,” Prince Adrian said. Unwillingly Melody did as she was told.
“MELODY!” James cried from the doorway of the house. Marcus appeared behind him and took hold of him to stop him from running after them.
“Off to the castle men!” Prince Adrian commanded his search party. Melody turned her head and gave one last sad smile to her father, and the boy that had almost given her, her first kiss.
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“Why didn’t you let me after them?” James yelled at Marcus.
“James, dear boy, if you had gone after them they would've killed you! How do you think Melody would of felt then? She left to protect us,” Marcus said. He turned sadly in the direction Melody had left him. How would he get her back? He wasn’t a powerful wizard like the men working for the King.
“I was going to ask her for her hand,” James muttered sadly, and sitting down in a chair.
“He lingers around, his heart all for her. Fate decides, Death or Love? James, that’s it! You must be the key to making sure Melody isn’t used for what they want her for! Now we have to figure out how you do it,” Marcus said, glad that he had a plan, even if just a small one. James just looked at him in confusion.
“James. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get our Melody back?” Marcus asked, looking at James with such seriousness that James stood up and looked Marcus in the eyes.
“Yes I am,” he said. Marcus nodded with approval.
“We have a lot to work to do. Lots of reading and studying...and training. Let’s begin when a woman named Emily stole from my vegetable garden.”
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The drawbridge creaked open as Melody stood next to Prince Adrian in front of the castle. She was sore from three days of riding, and hungry from very little food. Prince Adrian was gripping her arm tightly, and had a smug smile on her face.
“I knew I could count on your to find her,” King Henry exclaimed happily as he walked out of the castle towards his son. He stopped in front of Melody and looked her up and down.
“Hmmm. You definitely have your mother’s hair and grace. Your face is almost identical to how her’s was at your age. Except those eyes. They are the color of your father’s emerald scales. There is no doubt in my mind that you’re Emily and Greenfire’s daughter. So welcome to your new home Princess...ah, what’s your name?” King Henry looked expectantly at Melody. She was surprised that he didn’t know, then realized that Marcus had named her and that she didn’t give her name away at the ball. She kept her mouth shut stubbornly. King Henry just laughed loudly.
“Attitude this girl has. I like it,” the King said with a broad smile.
“Melody father, her name is Melody,” Prince Adrian said, receiving a glare from Melody making him smirk in reply.
“Melody? What a beautiful name!” A woman’s voice called out. Everyone looked to see the Queen walking out of the castle. Melody’s breath caught in her throat. She was so beautiful! She was wearing a blue gown that flowed at her feet and sparkled like diamonds. Her blonde hair was in a fashionable bun on her head, and not a streak of gray was present. There seemed to be no sign of her aging, because her face was wrinkle free. Her blue eyes were twinkling, and it surprised Melody that this woman would marry a man like King Henry.
Queen Ella walked over to her son and Melody and smiled at both of them.
“Well done son on finding your princess,” She said with a loving smile towards her son.
“Thank you mother. Your’s and father’s story encouraged me,” Prince Adrian said, an adoring smile on his face. Melody could tell her loved his mother. Jealousy filled Melody. She sometimes wish Marcus had found someone to marry, but he never did.
“As for you dear girl, welcome to your new home Princess Melody. I will be training you myself on how to be a proper princess. I didn’t know how to be a princess when I first moved in like yourself, so I know exactly how you feel.” Queen Ella said with a smile towards Melody.
“I don’t want to learn how to be princess. I want to go back home,” Melody said angrily.
“I’m sorry sweetheart, but my son wants to marry you, and I would never deny my son something he so strongly desires,” Queen Ella said, looking at her son lovingly again.
Spoiled brat, Melody thought angrily. Queen Ella looked at what Melody was wearing and cringed in horror. It was a simple dress that peasants usually wore, but really dirty from 3 days traveling.
“Henry dear, I’m going to bring in our princess to get changed up for dinner. I’m sure our son and his lovely princess are hungry. I asked the kitchen to prepare them something just for them since we have already eaten,” Queen Ella said, and gently grabbed Melody’s arm and started leading her into the castle.
“Of course Ella. Son, before you change, we need to talk,” Prince Henry said.
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“Very well done son on finding her. I’m proud of you!” King Henry praised his son. Adrian smiled happily, pleased with the praise.
“I’m glad to have helped you father,” Adrian said.
“We aren’t going to take action right away. I’m going to wait a year before I set our plan into action,” King Henry said.
“Why?” Adrian asked with surprise.
“Get her use to living with us. Possibly even like us. If we get her to feel connected to our family, she’ll be more willing to help us. So son, I want you to make sure she falls in love with you. Ella is going to treat her like a daughter. Who can’t love Ella anyway?” King Henry said, smiling at his plan.
“I see. I’ll do my best father. It might take a bit, she is so stubborn. Eventually though, she’ll be mine.”
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“You look so beautiful darling,” Queen Ella said, clapping her hands merrily. Queen Ella had ordered servants to bathe Melody, then gave her one of her old dresses that fit Melody perfectly. Then she had servants brush her hair so that it flowed down her back, curling slightly. Melody had to admit, as she looked in a mirror, she did look pretty.
“Now time to head you off to dinner with my handsome son! You two look so great together!” Queen Ella said merrily.
“I don’t want to,” Melody said. The first thing she had said to the queen since they had walked into the castle.
“Of course you do,” Queen Ella said, and lead Melody to the dinner hall. Prince Adrian was already there, and when he saw Melody his breath caught in his throat. She was more stunning than when he had first seen her at the ball. Her beautiful hair was down, like woven gold. She was wearing a beautiful pale pink dress that hugged her waist, but then flowed around her at the legs. She didn’t look happy to see him, but he was happy to see her. He grabbed a chair and pulled it back. Melody sat in it and Adrian took a seat across from her.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Queen Ella said merrily and left the room. Servants walked in and began to serve the first meal of roasted pig. The two began to eat in silence, until the first course was taken away and the soup was served. Melody hated to admit it, but the food was delicious.
“You look beautiful,” Prince Adrian said, breaking the silence. Melody just continued eating.
“I said you look beautiful!” Prince Adrian said, raising his voice. Melody continued to ignore him.
“You will speak to me when I talk to you,” he commanded. Melody stood up from her chair.
“You will not talk to me like that “Your Highness”. You may think you're all high and mighty, but I will not be talked to like that by you or anyone. You may be used to getting what you want, you spoiled brat, but you won't be getting me,” Melody said, her eyes piercing Prince Adrian that he stood there stunned. No one had ever talked to him like that. Maybe making her love him was going to take more than his charming looks. He cleared his throat.
“You’re right. I’m sorry for commanding you like that. You are going to my bride on day, my princess, my queen. I should respect you, and treat you like my equal,” Prince Adrian said seriously. Melody looked at him with surprise. This was not the response she was expecting. She didn’t plan on becoming his bride, but the respect was appreciated.
“Thank you,” she said softly. The rest of the dinner went by in silence again. Melody kept feeling his eyes on her, but she wouldn’t look at him. She was going to find a way back home. Back to Marcus, and back to James.