“Angel! There you are! Where have you been?!” Silas exclaimed as Liam landed in front of the manor house.
Angel groaned inwardly and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Just out flying, Uncle.” She said, sounding slightly exasperated. “What’s with the urgent meeting all of a sudden?” She flipped her hair impatiently.
Silas smiled. “Just like her mother…” he murmured. He ran a hand through his violet hair and sighed. “It was actually your brother, not I, who called the meeting.”
“That’s right, sister.” A voice said from behind them. Angel whirled around to face the speaker. “Alex.” she said, not surprised. “It’s been a while.”
The tall, light-haired young man behind her flashed a smile. “It certainly has, dear sister.” He agreed. “How’ve you been, Angel?”
His sister shrugged. “I have to say being a village elder is no walk in the park.” She almost whined.
Alex pat her on the head. “Yeah, I know. But since our parents went to work at the imperial palace, it’s been up to us to keep the village in order.” He explained, sounding like he had said it a few times before.
Angel pursed her lips. “Yeah well, doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She grumbled.
Alex chuckled and started walking toward the door. “Well…if you really don’t want to come to this meeting, you don’t have to.” He said after a moment. “I’ll handle things this time. You go have fun.” He looked back and flashed another smile. “You don’t need to dabble in the affairs of us elders.”
Angel smiled back. “Thanks, brother.”
Alex waved a hand. “Don’t mention it.” He replied dismissively.
Angel nodded and ran off.
Silas came up behind Alex. “You’re letting her go?” he asked, surprised. “Was it not she that this meeting was about?”
Alex sighed and turned to his uncle with a rueful smile. “All the more reason for her not to be here, wouldn’t you agree?”
***
“…And three fish.” Angel said, finishing her fairly long list of food to the shopkeeper.
The blonde haired young man at the counter wiped a hand across his forehead in mock amazement. “Feeding an army again, Lady Van Zephyr?” he teased.
“Not quite, Oliver.” she replied with a smile. Although, Dragyn certainly eats enough for an army…she thought with a sigh.
The shopkeeper laughed from the back of his storeroom. In no time at all, he returned with several bags balanced in his arms. “That’ll be ten gold scales then, Milady.” He said, placing them on the counter.
Angel placed the coins on the table. “Thanks, Oliver!” she chirped, practically skipping out the door with the food in her arms.
“Hello, Angelcake. Where’re you off to?”
Angel groaned as she recognized the voice. “Not him again…” she muttered under her breath. Reluctantly, she pasted a false smile on her face and turned to face the speaker. “Hello, Lyle.”
Lyle Deradros, a high standing noble’s son with long jet black hair and green eyes was leaning casually against the shop wall, a crooked smile on his face. “Doing errands again?” he asked lightly. “Don’t you have a maid to do that?”
Angel resisted the urge to glare at him. “Yes, but this isn’t for my family.”
Lyle’s smile widened. “Ohhh. For your outcast friend?” he teased.
This time, Angel did glare at him. “His name is Dragyn.” She shot back. “I don’t know why I ever told you about him!”
Lyle chuckled. “You didn’t, remember? I found out on my own.”
“Through your underhanded tricks, as usual.” Angel muttered, loud enough for him to hear.
“Perhaps. But, you wouldn’t have me any other way.” He replied.
“Actually? I would!” Angel snapped.
“Alright then.” Lyle called as she walked away. “Go and see that outcast. I still don’t know why you bother with worthless losers like him!”
That did it. Angel stooped down, dropped her bags, whirled around and smacked Lyle so hard his head snapped back out of the impact. “Don’t you ever talk about him that way!” She half-shouted. Then she leaned in and hissed. “And if you breathe a word about this and Dragyn gets in trouble, I will know who to blame!”
Lyle merely shrugged, still smiling. “Whatever you say, Princess.” He agreed lightly.
Angel glared at him before spinning on her heel, picking up her bags and walking away.
Lyle chuckled again. “But you didn’t say anything about who not to tell, Angel…”
***
“Okay, Liam.” Angel said after finally getting everything onto her dragon’s saddle. “Let’s get this stuff to Dragyn.” She climbed into the saddle. “No matter what he says, I’m sure he’s hungry by now.”
Liam fidgeted nervously. “Milady, I don’t think it’s a good idea…” he started, but Angel cut him off.
“And you say that every time we go, and does anything ever happen? No. So hush. Everything will be fine.”
“Very well, Milady.” Liam agreed with a sigh, taking off toward Dragyn’s mountain.
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