The Dragon's Kiss

"Please take us to the newly opened dress boutique near the city square," Kel heard Lucy instruct the coachman as she was climbing into the carriage.

Pausing with her foot on the step, Kel turned toward the two. "No. I'd like to go to Madame Mae's."

"Are you sure, Princess?" Lucy questioned. "I remember you having some.. complaints.. about the dress you received there last time."

As the maid spoke, she subtly mimed a v shape across her chest with one hand, in case Kel had forgotten the uncomfortably exposing neckline of her most recent ball gown.

"I'm sure," Kel responded flatly, stepping inside.

Lucy was right behind her after taking a few moments to clarify things for the confused coachman.

After departing, the two women bumbled down the road in silence for several minutes, each watching the scenery fly past as they traveled farther and farther away from the palace.

"I have some news about Sir Barclay," Lucy piped up once the trees surrounding the castle grounds began to give way to gray and brown buildings.

Kel nodded for the maid to continue, keeping her eyes peeled out the window.

"His body has already been cremated it seems. I believe the current plan is to send his remains back to his home country," the maid explained.

Her tone was as bubbly as ever, but Kel could tell the woman was anxious about how she would react to the news.

"Alright," Kel replied nonchalantly.Â

After several more minutes of scenery-watching silence, it was Kel who spoke up.

"Do they know who killed him?" she mumbled.

Her torn nightdress from that night still hung in her closet. It would have been exceptionally easy to match the pieces left carelessly in Barclay's cell with the ripped hem.

That is, unless some kind of outside interference prevented even the most basic investigation from taking place.

"What do you mean?" Lucy cocked her head to the side. "Both of the men responsible have already been disposed of by His Majesty."

"No," Kel continued. "Who killed him before he could finish his trial?"

Lucy stared at her in bewilderment for a few moments before answering.Â

"I'm not sure what you mean," she replied hesitantly. "He passed away from the effects of the amatoxin. There was no indication of any sort of foul play."

When Kel didn't respond, she timidly added, "D-does that help?"

"Very much so," Kel grinned.

Though he probably didn't do it himself, Kel couldn't hide her amusement as she pictured the Dragon Emperor crouched on the floor as he painstakingly retrieved every single blood-stained fiber she had scattered.

Lucy studied Kel's uncontainable smile with a puzzled look on her face.Â

The maid wasn't simple minded enough to believe the reason the princess was overcome with joy was due to her relief that her friend's life hadn't been targeted a second time. But for both of their sakes, she moved on without bringing it up.

Around the time Kel had leached every last drop of enjoyment from her fantasization of the emperor cleaning Barclay's room like a grimy janitor, the carriage came to a stop.

"We've arrived," the coachman informed the two women, carefully opening the door.

Lucy exited first before turning to offer Kel a hand.Â

Kel placed her hand lightly in the maid's but put no weight on it as she stepped down. To everyone watching, it looked like a maid helping her mistress from a carriage. Lucy and Kel, however, both knew that Kel hadn't actually used the maid's help as she gracefully descended to the ground.

If the uncomfortable conversation hadn't already strained the mood between them, Kel's display of indignant self reliance certainly had.

"Look who it is!" Mae's sugary bell-like voice greeted the pair as they entered the shop.

"Good day, Madame Mae," Kel curtseyed politely, Lucy echoing her pleasantries.

"What can I do for you today?" The large-chested woman smiled warmly as she showed Lucy and Kel to a nearby sofa.

"We'd like to look at some dresses," Lucy answered brightly.

"Of course, of course!" Mae squealed excitedly. Turning to Kel, she continued, "Luckily we already have your measureme- Eek!"

Caught off by Mae's screech, multiple shop workers came running.

"What's wrong, Madame?!"

"She-she," Mae's finger trembled as she pointed at Kel. "She's so skinny!!"

A series of gasps followed the woman's exclamation as the shop girls turned to inspect Kel's bony frame.

"We need to fatten her up, immediately!" Mae commanded, grasping one of Kel's hands in hers. "You poor darling! What snacks would you like?"

As the workers ran to prepare a tray of sweets, Kel pretended to ponder the question.

"Truthfully," she remarked sheepishly, "I've been craving one of those delicious meat skewers I once had at the night market."

"Street food?" Mae gawked. "No matter! I'm sure they sell it during the day too!"

Kel smiled shyly. "Ah, shall I go get some and come ba-"

"Absolutely not!" Mae cut her off. "Kelsey! Go get some meat skewers! They should be selling them in the square."

"The square?" the girl named Kelsey blurted. "That's almost a two hour walk from here!"

"Take the mule then," Mae demanded. "Just bring this poor girl some food!"

"Oh! I couldn't possibly ask you to do that!" Kel jumped in, waving for Kelsey to halt.

Ignoring the women's protests, Kel whirled around to Lucy and picked up both of her hands.

"Lucy, do you think I could trouble you to go get some?" She pleaded pitifully. "You can take the carriage and make much better time."

"M-me?" Lucy stuttered. "I can't just leave your side!"

"Oh please," Kel begged, clutching Lucy's hands underneath her chin. "I'll just be here looking at dresses."

"Still.." Lucy trailed off, glancing around nervously. "I don't think I can just leave you alone."

Kel sighed heavily, releasing the maid's hands. "If it's too much, I understand. I just don't know if I could bring myself to eat anything else."

Kel's pleading look was soon joined by Madame Mae and her workers. They stared until Lucy couldn't hold out anymore.

"Alright, fine!" She conceded, standing up. "I'll bring your skewers quickly, so stay put!"

"Thank you!" Kel called gratefully as Lucy rushed out of the shop.

Only when she heard the sound of the carriage departing, did Kel turn back to Mae.

"Excuse me, Madame," she said softly.Â

"I actually had another favor I wanted to ask of you."