III ||| Do All Dragons Use iPhone?
Believe me when I tell you, the maniac was happy to lose to me.
At least, after spending such a long time with him I was able to read him like a book and I could tell he was glad. Though I doubt grandma dearest noticed it, as she only see what she wants to see. But by the look I saw in her dark pink eyes, she was satisfied that her "secret weapon" had been sharped and honed to perfection.
"Of course, she would pass with all marks. She has my blood!" She exclaimed arrogantly, with the most vicious grin I've ever seen on her face. As if she hadn't just tortured me to insanity for two fucking thousand years. "Now, Wilhelmina Rosalind Miralanthor," it's the first time she called me by my full name, as she always called me Rosa, which I hate, "your training is done and the classes will start tomorrow morning!" Classes?
I turned to Cosmos with puzzled eyed and he grinned, "Not with me, Hel," now, that's my favorite nickname, by which my mom called me. "I have nothing else to teach you, you've mastered everything."
When I turned my eyes to grandma dearest, she raised her eyebrows amused with my confusion, "As the Supreme Queen of the Ministry, I have a saying in the admissions into Belladonna Academy Boarding School, the private school for the strongest and most promising supernatural beings in the world, directly connected to all the Royal and Noble magical families of earth," she played with her hair, clearly proud of her grandiosity.
"Her Majesty recommended you to be admitted in the last year of Belladonna Academy," Cosmos continued, and I turned to her, my face blank but full of joy inside, as Naël had told me to go to this place. "You'll be an outsider, as they don't normally get new students in such an advanced time of school, but you'll be fine."
A nod from Meredith, "You have to be the best student there."
"Yes, Your Majesty," I looked down, feigning subservience.
"I want you to dethrone all the other races of the top stops of the Academy, and show them that they aren't as good as they believe. However, keep your distance from my grandchildren!" Grand… what?
"Grandchildren?" Did Philippa have children with my father?
"1st Prince Agost Balthazar Bloom, who's 354 years old, and 2nd Princess Nicolette Louisa Bloom, who's 217 years old. But physically they are both 17, he's from July and she's from November," I'm from April, it makes me older than both of them in physical age, and in actual age.
Hah, to think I have two half dragon siblings… I don't like it. The idea that father actually had children with someone who wasn't his mate, with the female who killed his mate at that, disgusts me. Agost being 1703 years younger than me, and Nicolette being 1840 years younger doesn't help. They may not have any idea of what happened, but I'm still disgusted.
"How do I recognize them, so I can stay away, Your Majesty?" As if I would stay away from these two bastards.
She clicked her tongue, "You will know. They live in the east tower of the Castle and are both the strongest dragons in Belladonna. They are known. All the heirs of the Ministry are known there, Wilhelmina. What you need to know is that B.A.B.S. is in the phantom island of Frisland, in the Arctic Ocean, between Greenland & Iceland, in the north pole of the globe. It's only visible to supernatural beings, thus you won't have a hard time finding it."
Oh? I thought she would send me there. "How do I get there, Your Majesty?" I asked, still with my looking down.
"You have two weeks to start. Starting later than the other will be good, it'll guarantee you have their attention. So, I believe you will figure it out how to get there on your own. Today's January 6th of 2024, so you have to be there by January 20th. Be it sooner than it if you want to, but when that day comes, you have to be there. I'm giving you two weeks to do whatever you want to in the time being, but do not even think of running away, because I'll find you even in the confines of the world. Do you know how?" The same way she found me at first.
A nod, "Because Your Majesty's blood runs through my veins, and Your Majesty has the special ability of blood manipulation, being able to track anyone who shares the same bloodline as you."
"Then you are warned, sweet granddaughter. Remember that our blood relation must be kept the utmost secret. If I learn that you told any one the truth, and the Goddess will let me know," damned Maden, "I'll get you, and I'll make you beg for death, then I'll throw you in the 9th Circle of Hell where you will never be able to get out," she held my chin with her sharp and long polished golden nails, making me meet her dark pink eyes. "Do you understand me, Rosa?" Ugh.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."
Her nauseating grin grew wider, "That's my sweet girl." She took her hands of me and I clenched my jaw when she turned to look at Cosmos. "Cosmos, dear, make sure she's clean of all this dirt. Feed her once more and open a portal to the Himalaya Mountain Range," she turned her vicious eyes to me. "She must be dying to go to her dirty lair before leaving to the Academy. Don't worry, Rosa, we didn't touch anything inside that hole of disgust your mother called a lair."
Control it, Hel, control your temper. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Cosmos will be the one responsible for you in the Academy, like an adoptive father," well, he did raise me, and teach me everything. "When anything happen there, he'll go as your parent. We'll meet again in June 1st, at the Annual Lights Festival of Belladonna. Only kill someone if necessary, and if there's no one around. Then use your green flame to burn the body to dust." With that, she teleported herself away from the crypt.
Fucking psychopath. Sadistic maniac. "Relax," Cosmos winked, "It will be fine in Belladonna. I've studied there too, it's a cool place. You have a pleasant appearance… if you cover all the scars… it'll be an extra."
I arched my eyebrows, "Do I have a pleasant appearance?"
"Of course, you do. Meredith's blood runs in your veins, after all."
This time I could help rolling my eyes, "I doubt I look anything like her, master Cosmos. Especially after she said so many times that I'm like a copy of my mother, though I used to have black hair."
"You had black hair?" He sounded shocked.
"That's what I said, is it not? I don't know why my hair changed so drastically, but I believe it must have been because of time. You've taught me that it's a common things biologically-wise, that when you age your hair becomes silvery white no matter it's natural color," I shrugged.
Again, he seemed stunned, "But you've been in stasis, Hel."
"My body was in status, master, not me. I was awake during every second of it. My mind never slept no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fall asleep, but my body could. Thus, my mind is two thousand years old, and that must have played a part on the change of my hair, no?" I tilted my head softly to the right. "Or it could be the times Her Majesty plucked all of my hair from my scalp by force when torturing me, that happened so many times that it must have started to grow differently," I said it all with the most blank face of all, just to make him uncomfortable.
It worked. "Whatever happened, you look great with silver hair, Hel. Silver hair and midnight blue eyes. It suits you!"
"So, my eyes went from baby blue to midnight blue?" Now that's surprising. "Mother had midnight blue eyes too, though she said father had baby blue, that's why she thought I took it from him. I'm glad I took it from her instead." Taking a deep breath, I looked at the handcuffs still binding me and turned my wrists to him, "Can you take them off now, master?"
Nodding, he took four different emerald keys from the front pocket of his black leather pants and unlocked them. Then he held my wrists softly, "Do you feel pain in here?" He pointed at the permanent marks left by the shackles on both my wrists, ankles, and waist, courtesy of grandma dearest.
"Not anymore," I said softly, with no sarcasm this time. "I got used to it a long time ago, master," as he released them, I caressed the marks on my wrists. "What do I do now?" It's an honest question, I don't know how to even start this.
Pressing his lips together, he snapped his fingers and a black rectangular box with a bitten apple on the center appeared on his hand. I recognized it from the billionaire tech companies he taught me about, that's how I know it's from a brand called Apple. "I bought it for you a month ago, but let's keep this our secret because Her Majesty doesn't know. I've configured it already, and add my number in it as 'Master Cosmos Duncan, the Gracious and Greatest Silver Dragon Alive'," hah, of course he did. "I've also saved your number on my phone."
"Egocentric as always," I grinned.
"Well, you know me. I'm the best."
I arched my eyebrows, "I think I'm the best now, as you lost to me."
Blushing, he rolled his eyes, "The pupil is bound to overcome their master, you simply did what you had to. And I would be disappointed if you hadn't defeated me after mastering everything I taught you, even better than I did. And given the short time you had, it pretty much makes you a prodigy and you should be proud of that."
He has a point, but I'm not going to admit that. "Thank you, master Cosmos, for everything. For all your teachings and your advices," I held the smartphone in my hand, "and for this too. It means a lot to me that you went out of your way to get this for me," and without grandma dearest knowing at that.
"Not just the phone," he smirked. "I also downloaded all the songs you liked the most for you to hear when you need," then he took another Apple package out of his jacket. "These are the copper ear pods I told you about," with a snap of his fingers, more two things popped in his hands. "This is the copper headphone I also got for you, and the three phone cases. As your favorite books are Song of Ice and Fire, Lord of the Rings, and Dune, I managed to get my hands in one case of each."
I stared at him dumbfounded, speechless, which made him laugh.
"Come on, you're not going to cry, right? I don't know how to deal with tears. Especially not coming from you. So, do you like it?" Like is an understatement.
Gathering all my courage, I hugged him and even though it took him two seconds, he hugged me back. "T-thank you, master. Thank you. It means a lot to me, genuinely. I loved it. I'll cherish it with all I have." It's the first genuine present I won in more than twenty centuries, and I never thought I would get anything at all. To think he did this without Meredith's knowledge means even more. Means he cares, that's enough for me. "It's weird to say this," I scoffed when I put space between us, "but I'll miss you, master. Not the bad side of this last years, but the time we spent together."
He petted my hair, "I'll miss spending time with you too, Hel. I'm aware of everything that happened to you, but I'm sorry for what our Queen did. And between us," he whispered like sharing a secret, "you are way more powerful and trained than both the Prince and the Princess together."
That took a good laugh out of me, "Are you sure?"
"They would never be able to defeat me as they are now, so, yes! Besides, like the other heirs, they went to Belladonna at 10 years old."
"Oh? I thought the Academy was solely for that new-world level of education you called highschool," I blinked. "Do they go there since they are kids? Boarding School is where the students live in, is it not? That means they spend more time on school than with their families while growing up, no?" It's a lot of questions, I get it. But I'm curious.
Naël did told me to go there, after all. So, I need information.
"Yes, that's the idea of a boarding school. And yes, the kids go there when they are physically 9-10 years old. Only leaving at 18-19. The reason why they start so soon in there, is both because there's a whole lot of stuff for them to learn, but also because in this way they will grow up around each other. Forming political connections under the name of having friends, since childhood. Besides, the time they spend there is little when compared to how long all supernatural beings live!" Again, he has a point.
A nod, "So, master, how exactly do I get there?"
Again, he whispered as if sharing a secret, "The Queen will be mad if she knows I helped you out on this, so let's keep between us. You have to go to Vienna, capital of Austria. From there, you go to Reykjavik, Capital of Iceland. Then you will get a plane to the northernmost remote phantom village of Väänänen, only visible to supernatural beings like us."
"And from there?"
"While in the village, you have to find a female water spirit called Hanna Ruotsalainen, she's the rider of the Keskisaari Submarine, the only way to get to the phantom island of Frisland if you aren't using a magical portal. She doesn't give two shites to money, but you'll have to pay her, and well, she loves fancy crafted weapons. Especially bow and arrows, they are here favorite. If you get that for her, plus a bottle of Balkan 176 Vodka, she will get you safely to Belladonna," he winked. "Now, tell me how to get to BABS!"
Ugh, he always does this. "I'll go to Vienna, then to Reykjavik. From Reykjavik, still in Iceland, I'll go to the Väänänen Village located in the northernmost region of the country. There, I'll look for Hanna, and I'll gifted her with a ornamented bow and arrows, and a bottle of Balkan 176 Vodka, to get a one way ticket to Belladonna, in her Keskisaari Submarine. I've got the memo, master," and I already know the perfect weapon for her, one of my mom's creations that must still be in our lair.
"Good. Now," he sniffed me and made a disgusted face. "You need a bath, because you smell like death. A bath of five hours if possible, you really stink, kid, Goddesses above."
I scowled annoyed, "And why is that, uh? I've been sweating for hours and hours and hours. Not my fault."
"Bath. Get dressed. Eat. Then I'll open the portal for you."
"In the Himalaya Mountain Range, right?" A nod. "Good. Do you have any other advices for me, master Cosmos?" It would be good.
"Try not to start a fight in Belladonna, alright? But if anyone pick one with you, and believe me, that will happen, you kick their arses and show them how it feels to have been taught by the greatest master in the supernatural world," he grinned condescendingly. "And Hel, please, chose your battles, alright? Only pick one you will surely win. Stay on your guard, because you may be stronger than Agost and Nicolette, but they are not the strongest in the Academy, and Her Majesty knows it!" Oh? Interesting. "Open your eyes to the vampires, shifters, and witches. We aren't in the best of our relationship with them, and you are going there under direct request of the Supreme Dragon Queen, and under my protection, which is a lot. You will get too much attention, and I hope you will be able to deal with it, darling, because it'll be annoying."
"How do they know you by?"
He passed his long slander tanned fingers through his navy blue dark brown hair, "Cosmos Pascal Duncan, Dragon Knight of Death. Green Flame of Hell, the right arm of the Supreme Queen. They call me by many names, but you will definitely hear these."
It was my time to green, "So, I've defeated the Knight of Death? Aren't I just amazing? Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret not to destroy your oh-so-intimidating reputation," I mocked.
"Ha, ha, ha, you're so funny. Though you're literally the Green Flames of Hel," he joked and I cringed.
"You did not just do that!" I frowned.
But he laughed out loud, "Oh, come on, it was funny."
"No, it was not," my frown deepened, but I grinned softly.
"Now, seriously, Hel. You have to be careful. When you arrive there, as you will be arriving late, you will have a big target on your back and everyone will be watching you. They will definitely pick fights with you to try to measure your strength, so play with that, manipulate the way they see you. Make them underestimate your abilities," like I'm doing with grandma dearest. "And try to make good connections, but take your time. I'll visit you on holidays and on your birthday in April 5th. However, if you find yourself in a situation you cannot get out off, give me a call."
"Okay, I'll do that. Thank you again, master."
He sniffed his own jacked, making a gagging sound, "Ugh, you dirtied me with your stinky filth."
I know what he's doing. Trying to make light of the moment not to feel emotional, and I get it. I'm doing my best too. "I got it, I'll take a bath. And don't worry, master, I'll tell you when I leave for the Academy, and when I arrive there. If anything bad happens I'll tell you too, I know you're dying with anxiety for me," I grinned condescendingly, and before he could throw a tantrum over that, I ran to the bathroom.
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