Chapter Text
The king's office had always made Mira uncomfortable.The heads of past hunting trophies lined the walls, and the air reeked of smoke mixed with the musk of unwashed men. Even without all of these traces of masculinity, this place held no fond memories for her - just the past experiences of being berated for her many faults.
Mira made a point of avoiding the place as much as possible, but even as a princess, when the king summoned you, there was no choice but to answer. So as spring began, while the common folk celebrated the First Blossom Festival, Mira was trapped inside with her father and brother, waiting for whatever trite thing she'd been summoned for.
She didn't have to wait long, outside of the usual ten minutes of standing in silence while the king pretended he was busy. Just the usual posturing from an impotent man.
"I have arranged an opportunity for you." The king said, not even glancing up from the documents he was examining. "You are now twenty-three, and have no suitors. You have chased away every eligible man of your age in this kingdom and those of our allies."
He finally looked up, just in time to see Mira's stifled smirk at the mention of her spurned suitors. His expression, already dour, darkened further.
"You will be marrying Lord Gwi-Ma in the first week of summer." He told her. "He is a good match for you, with prosperous lands and a rich dowry. He is also the only man left who is willing to take you."
Mira's face twisted in disgust. The so-called lord was a sorcerer who had arrived ten years prior, when she was still a child. Even through her limited interactions with the man, she had always felt unsettled in his presence.
"Perhaps you shouldn't have chased off every man that looked at you." Minho chimed in, smirking at her. "Though I suppose you've always had… different preferences."
"I would rather be kidnapped by a dragon than marry that old man." Mira snapped at her father, ignoring her brothers comment. "He is twice my age, and the people in his lands are in tatters under his rule. And that's not even going into how he treats the maids-"
He laughed derisively.
"Not even a dragon would want you." He told her bluntly. "You have shirked every lesson that didn't please you, learned none of the skills a princess should have. You are defiant, crude, and a shame to my name. Any dragon that took you would surely devour you within a day."
Minho stifled a laugh, and Mira felt her face go white with pure, incandescent rage.
"Dragons only kidnap the fairest of princesses, with manners and delicate features." Her brother told her condescendingly. "What do you have to offer? A poor temper and unnatural tendencies?"
"Better to be devoured by a dragon than be stuck in this castle with a pack of misogynistic men." She snapped, turning on her heel and moving to storm out of the office.
"Mira." Her fathers voice didn't raise in volume, but it was firm, stopping the pink haired woman in her tracks. She reluctantly turned her head back to face him. "You will do this. I have given you enough leeway the last twenty years. Or do you not remember the last time you defied me?"
Mira stiffened, briefly thrown back to the past. To being sixteen years old, trapped in that dark, musty room for hours-
She forced herself to shake the memory off, glaring at her father defiantly.
"I'm not a scared little girl anymore Father. I think you'll find that I'm harder to cow."
Min-ho snorted disdainfully.
"Perhaps she needs a reminder?" He suggested, a cruel glint in his eye. "Women always learn slow, by my experience."
The king eyed Mira carefully, and she schooled her expression, forcing herself to wipe away any hints of defiance. Better not to tempt fate, despite her bold words.
Whatever he saw seemingly satisfied him. With a smirk, he leaned back in his chair, waving her away dismissively.
"You have the rest of the season to resign yourself to it." Mira turned away stiffly. "And Mira?"
She paused in the doorway, hand on the knob.
"I suggest you remember what I said."
Mira gritted her teeth and scowled as she strode through the hallways, forcing herself not to start swearing. Past punishments or no, if her father thought she would meekly follow along with his demands, he had clearly forgotten the past twenty-three years of dealing with her.
Perhaps she would be better off finding a dragon. She'd certainly prefer a beast over a man whose servants whispered of dark magics and blood on his estates. The worst a dragon would do was eat her.
Maybe it was time to talk to Zoey. The young witch always had solutions for her, and might even know where to find a dragon. If not, at least Mira would have the pleasure of her company.
“Oh, that’s an easy one!” Zoey told her cheerfully, removing one of the room’s many cats from a lumpy armchair to give Mira somewhere to sit. There were dozens of the things prowling around, and generally being a nuisance underfoot - her mistress insisted that they were familiars.
The things were everywhere, and it felt like they multiplied every time Mira came back to visit. She was convinced that the witch just couldn’t bear to let the mangy things starve during winter, and they always refused to leave come spring.
"You're trying to tell me it's easy to find a dragon?" Mira asked skeptically, dropping into the armchair with careless grace. "I was under the impression that they tended to avoid humans on account of not wanting to be slain by knights."
"That's actually a common misconception! It's incredibly rare for a human to manage to kill a dragon, they're just too powerful." Zoey chirped, maneuvering her way through the cramped den to settle on the couch opposite Mira, squeezing her way between a fat calico and some sort of hairless creature that looked more like a rat than a cat. "My mistress told me more and more kingdoms have been making alliances with their local dragons over the past two centuries. Something to do with the current Dragon Queen being fond of humans."
"What, so all these kings are offering up virgin girls and piles of gold in exchange for their kingdoms not being razed to the ground?" Mira snorted. "Seems like a great deal for the dragons, less so for the kingdoms. And what happens when some dragon does steal a princess? They seem to be kind of known for it."
"No actually, a princess being stolen is seen as a sort of status symbol, for both the dragon and the kingdom the princess is stolen from." Zoey paused, thinking back on conversations with her mentor. "So, dragons like hoarding beautiful things right? Gold, jewels, books, you name it. And kings like when their daughters seem even more valuable than they actually are. So, there's a bit of an informal agreement between the dragons and the human kingdoms that have made alliances. A princess is taken occasionally, maybe stays 'trapped' in the mountains with the dragon for a while. A few rescue attempts are made, giving the young dragon some practice in combat. And after a suitable amount of time, the king sends up his preferred suitor with tribute in exchange for the safe return of his daughter. In the meantime, the princess keeps the dragon company."
Mira eyed the witch skeptically.
"And what exactly does keeping a giant lizard company involve?"
"Depends on the dragon! My mentor knows a story of one princess who helped cook and clean, one who played music. I've even heard of a princess who told stories all day because the dragon was just bored."
Mira grunted consideringly. Seemed a little odd, but-
Zoey beamed at Mira, pure mischief on her face.
"And in the end there's no harm done! Well, except maybe to a handful of expendable knights nobody liked anyway if the dragon loses its temper with them." She paused, her smile faltering."But, uh, I don't think your father would go for it."
Mira snorted, leaning back in the armchair and slouching more comfortably.
"That's a bit of an understatement. And where would we even find a dragon?"
"My mentor mentioned one settled in the nearby mountains on the border to the north, but considering how that black-scaled one raided a village in the east a few years back… your father probably isn't thinking too kindly of dragons currently." Zoey made a disgusted face, her nose wrinkling. "Plus you said he wants you to marry that awful sorcerer. Whose idea was that anyway?"
Mira hesitated briefly, catching on the important bit of information Zoey had casually thrown out in the midst of that ramble.
"Wait, a dragon attack? Didn't you just say they don't really do that anymore?"
Zoey's expression darkened slightly, a flicker of distaste crossing her face.
"That was a rarity. From what I've heard, that particular dragon isn't a good example of the rest of the species. My mentor told me the one settled nearby is perfectly calm!"
Mira hesitated. Zoey seemed so convinced that the dragon wouldn't hurt her, and then in the same breath mentioned a dragon attacking a village only a few years ago…
And why didn't I hear about that, anyway?
She shook away the thought. It wasn't uncommon for her father to not bother informing his daughter of things.
No, what was important was the question at hand: Did she trust Zoey's judgement? Enough to run off into the mountains chasing a fire breathing lizard?
Honestly, it was barely a question at all.
Mira grinned fiercely, looking rather dragonish herself for a moment.
"Well, it's not like I tend to ask his permission anyway. I'll just go up there and convince the dragon to let me stick around for a while. There's no way any of father's knights can kill the thing." She said firmly, pushing away the thought of potential consequences if she was caught. "Now, you tell me where this dragon your mistress told you about is laired, and I'll tell you the plan-"
Zoey watched Mira leave, twirling the lines of the Honmoon between her fingers absentmindedly. She'd been waiting for years for Mira to finally get fed up enough to actually be willing to escape. She pet one of her mentor's many cats, leaning up against the railing of the porch and considering what she'd need to pack when she followed Mira.
"You really sent her off to Celine's daughter?" A musical voice behind her asked. "It's a bit of a journey for a sheltered princess. And last I heard, Rumi had little interest in these games the Dragon Kingdom plays with the human realms."
Zoey smiled and shrugged, humming a little song and flicking her fingers in the direction Mira had gone. The glowing blue lines that had been wrapped around her fingers shivered and flowed like water off of her hand, rapidly flowing after the pink-haired princess. She turned her bright, beaming grin towards her mentor.
"Rumi's nice! Even if she's not interested in hosting a princess, I don't think she'll turn Mira away." She said cheerfully. "I'm sure they'll get along great once they have time to get to know each other. I'll follow along later to stay with them for a while once I see what the kings reaction to his daughter running away is."
The woman standing in the doorframe snorted, the faintest hint of magic flickering behind her.
"And you don't think she'll get upset when she realizes you lied?"
"I didn't outright lie!" Zoey protested. "I just…. didn't tell her everything I knew about the dragon."
"That's called meddling, sweetheart. Speaking from experience, it generally doesn't go well when you do it to loved ones. Wouldn't this all be easier if you just told them how you feel instead of playing these games?" Zoey hesitated, considering her mentor's words.
"…I don't think either of them are in a good place for that right now." She said finally." I'll be a good friend and make sure Mira has a way to get out. I've got a bad feeling about that sorcerer she's getting betrothed to. And Rumi would never admit it, but I know she'll be lonely all by herself. I'll see where things go from there."
Without pausing again, she let a quiet note fall from her lips, holding the melody for a brief moment. With a blur of magic, her form shimmered and faded from sight before following along in the direction Mira had gone.
Left behind, Zoey's mentor rolled her eyes.
"Gods save me from the dramatics of young women." She muttered, heading back inside to feed the cats.
Rumi hummed to herself, watching the shining lights of the Honmoon swirl around her as she paced around her garden, carefully maneuvering her bulk through the well-manicured paths that twisted between the trees and flowers. She paused in front of the centerpiece of the glade, an ancient oak that had seen more years than she could count. The dragon took a deep breath, reveling in the smell of greenery and fertile soil, digging her claws into the ground to feel the connection to the earth.
For a creature of fire and sky, Rumi had always had a surprising affinity for the fauna and flora of the forest, much to the bemusement of her Mother. Her Ma had always understood more, her own deep connection to the earth allowing her to understand her daughters fascination with it. She had always encouraged her gardening, and tolerated the mess whenever she dragged entire saplings torn up by the roots to their home cave. As Rumi grew and settled into her magic, she found it always seemed to respond better when she was surrounded by the plants she had cultivated.
Which had led her here. Far from the home cave of her mothers in the southern canyons, this location had seemed to best suit her needs- a network of connecting tunnels and caves, leading from the outer edge of the mountain to a secluded canyon that could only be reached by air or the caverns. When her mothers had found it while visiting their local witch friend, she had known it would suit her daughter perfectly. A little magical improvement and it was a fine den for a young dragon.
Rumi raised her face to the sun, feeling the warmth on her scales as she took a deep breath and spread her wings, lifting her voice in a gentle melody. The Honmoon shimmered around her, dancing along and contouring the world with its iridescent lines. She focused on the ancient oak in front of her, shards of crystal and metal hanging from its branches, shining in the light. She felt its steadiness, the weight of long years connected to the earth.
Her voice shifted up and down in a wordless song, encouraging growth, safety, and good health for the entire grove. The world seemed to sing along with her, and she let herself fall into a trance, swaying gently along with the rhythm, wings and tail keeping time.
For what felt like hours, Rumi continued her crooning to the grove, watching through half-lidded eyes as the plants around her grew and seemed to almost glow with good health, flowers blooming all around her. She only let the song fade when the sun reached its peak, trailing off and letting the last notes of her song trail off into the air.
Sighing happily, Rumi lowered herself back down to all fours, shaking out her wings and stretching like a cat. She yawned, feeling the noonday sun warming her muscles before straightening again. She considered how to spend the rest of her day - she still hadn't unpacked her library, and had been delaying it for a full season at this point. But the idea of taking a nap in the sun-
"Hey! Dragon!"
Rumi's head twisted, her sharp hearing picking up loud yelling off in the distance. Her eyes narrowed, all of the relaxation from the sun and song gone in an instant. She turned, heading for the entrance to her caves. Picking up speed as soon as she was free of her delicate plants, she dashed through the tunnels, claws scraping against stone.
She hadn't had many visitors besides her friends and parents since she'd gotten here. And if they were the ones visiting, they would have warned her ahead of time. Who else would be coming all the way out here?
"Hey! Dragon! Get out here!" Mira shouted, standing at the mouth of the cave Zoey had told her about."I have something for you!"
Silence. Mira cursed to herself and paced back and forth across the entrance of the cave, angrily pushing a greasy lock of hair out of her face. This entire endeavor had not gone to plan. She had arrived at the entrance hours prior, only to be met by a hauntingly deep melody drifting out from the tunnels. It was hardly unpleasant, but it sent shivers down her spine. She had pushed down her fear, calling out polite greetings, even attempting to knock on the side of the cave with a rock.
"Hells!" She swore angrily. "Zoey said not to enter without permission, but she also didn't tell me how to get the attention of a gods-damned overgrown lizard!" Mira swore again, gripping her improvised door knocker tightly. She paced back and forth, trying not to stomp her feet.
Losing her always-loose grip on her temper, Mira whipped around and threw her stone at full force into the dark entrance. She startled when she heard it hit something with a dull thunk, followed by an irritated hiss.
Mira froze as the creature her thrown rock had hit stepped out of the cave, shaking its head as if to clear it. It was smaller than she'd expected, but it was clearly a dragon. Slightly larger than the draft horses the farmers used to pull their plows, its purple scales and antler-like crystal horns glistened in the bright light of the afternoon. Its head was slender, almost elegant, with glowing golden eyes that were staring at her accusingly. As they met Mira's, it's pupils contracted into slits, staring her down.
The beast was terrifying.
It stepped further into the light, mane rustling in the breeze and rippling down its back. Its spike tipped tail made an appearance, lashing lazily behind the beast as it fully exited the tunnel.
Mira swallowed, taking an involuntary step back. Smaller than expected or not, the claws on this thing had her reconsidering her entire plan. The creature opened its mouth, revealing rows of crystalline teeth the length of Mira's fingers.
"Did you need something?" A shockingly feminine voice left that gaping maw. It (she, apparently) took a step closer, then stopped and sat, curling her long tail around her feet like a house cat. The tip twitched erratically, that sharp spike catching the light. "I don't get visitors often. And when I do, it's usually knights who ended up at the wrong place while on some silly quest. But you'll have to forgive me for not thinking you're a knight. They usually hit people with swords, not throw stones into their homes. They're also generally a little more… put-together."
Mira flushed an unflattering red as the dragon stared judgementally at her torn and dirtied outfit. The journey from her kingdom had only been a week long, but everything that could go wrong, had. The forest's branches had seemed to reach out to tear her clothes, the mountain path had kept crumbling beneath her feet, and pits of mud seemed to be lurking around every corner. And, of course, her horse had spooked and fled on only the second day, leaving her to make the journey on foot.
It had left her looking very un-princesslike. Which, while normally what she would have preferred, was not an advantage when she was trying to convince a dragon to take her in.
"I am no knight. I am Princess Mira of the Sunstone Kingdom." She told the dragon, channeling every bit of royal presence her tutors had tried to force into her.
The dragon blinked, slow and cat like as her gold eyes shimmered. She seemed to hesitate.
"…apologies,but I'm not quite sure I believe you're a princess either." The beast told her, having the audacity to sound unsure. "Aren't princesses usually found in palaces? And, well, clean and wearing beautiful clothing? I haven't met any, but I could have sworn that's what my mothers told me."
Mira felt the red creeping down her neck, more with rage than embarrassment this time.
The dragon saw the look on her face and actually reared back a little, balancing on her hind legs and making a calming gesture with her front claws that looked bizarre on a scaled beast the size of a Clydesdale.
"But of course you're very beautiful, I'm not saying you're not! Certainly pretty enough to be a princess." The dragon blurted out, her eyes wide. "It's just, well, why would a princess walk all the way up here? Aren't they- sorry, you, supposed to stay in your homes or something?"
Mira took a deep, calming breath. She would not yell at a creature that could snap her in half, even if it seemed like a bit of a pushover.
"I'm here to be your princess." She said, projecting as much confidence into her voice as she could. "I heard from a friend that you don't have one."
The dragon stared at her unblinkingly, still in that uncomfortable pose. There was a long, awkward silence.
"I don't think that's how things work." The dragon finally told her, tilting her head to the side like a confused dog. "I'm pretty sure kidnapping is generally involved. Not…" She gestured at Mira's ragged form. "Whatever is going on here."
"You're a dragon. I'm pretty sure you can do whatever you please."
"Sure, and how does what I please involve princesses? From what I've heard, all it leads to is nuisances like hopeful squires and idiot knights showing up to challenge me." She snorted, a gust of warm air reaching Mira. "Doesn't really seem worth the hassle."
Mira took a deep breath. When she'd planned this out with Zoey, she'd assumed that she'd show up and the dragon would be delighted. Zoey had told her dragons enjoyed keeping princesses, or more accurately enjoyed the bribes they got in exchange for returning them. So she'd hoped she would show up, get settled, and wait while the creature chased off whatever pursuers her father sent after her. After enough time her father would give up, as he certainly wouldn't be willing to give up gold or other valuables as tribute. And once the dragon realized it wasn't going to get anything out of her presence, she'd be shooed away to meet up with Zoey and leave the kingdom entirely.
She was beginning to realize she hadn't quite thought this plan through thoroughly enough. Why hadn't Zoey stopped her?!
Mira stared up at the dragon, her breathing picking up slightly. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, the reality of facing a predator that wasn't entirely pleased with her presence starting to hit. Then she took a deep breath and gathered herself.
"Having me here will make you look better to other dragons." She said firmly, not letting any of her doubts reach her voice. Then she lied. Just a bit."My father will give tribute for my safe return. There has to be something you'd like to have. And besides, I'm already here."
Taking refuge in audacity, she stepped forward, ignoring those claws and teeth being a bit too close for comfort. Closer up, Mira realized the dragon's horns were almost transparent, shining with an inner light. Holding herself at her full height, Mira sauntered past the dragon with false confidence, and tried to conceal the involuntary shudder that crawled down her spine as she felt the hot air wafting off the creature.
The dragon lowered her upper half, letting go of that awkward, vaguely apologetic posture she'd been holding. She stared at Mira as she slipped by her large form, her golden eyes unblinking. That slitted gaze showed no hints of whatever thoughts she had.
Mira held her breath and kept walking.
Rumi sighed, staring at the pink-haired woman that had just walked by her without a scrap of permission. She was covering it well, but Rumi could see how worn out she was. And despite her initial doubts, she was more and more convinced that this human was actually a princess. Her speech, mannerisms, the bossiness. Even her clothes, ragged as they were, had clearly been made of fine cloth. And the damage and stains were obviously new.
Rumi could smell the exhaustion and lingering fear on her. Sheer bravado had gotten her this far, but how long could it carry her?
She couldn't just leave her out here. What would Ma say? Sure, Mother would tell her it was the girl's own fault, coming all the way out here on her own, but Rumi had realized a long time ago that Mother could be a little heartless. Better to follow the advice Ma would have given her if she was there.
She heaved another dramatic sigh. She was too nice for her own good.
"Hold on, hold on." She told the princess, who came to a stop and turned back, those sharp eyes staring her down. "My name is Rumi. You said you're called Mira, yes?" The human looked up at her, a confused look on her face.
She really is pretty, despite the dirt and damaged clothing, Rumi thought. Then pushed the thought away firmly.
"Yes, of the Sunstone Kingdom." the princess answered.
"Very well. Come along then." Without offering an explanation, Rumi rose to her feet and slipped past the pink haired woman, leading the way back into her home.
Mira was frozen for a moment before hurrying after the dragons long strides into the dimly lit tunnel. She had said yes? Just like that?
"Wait. What do you want in return?" She asked suspiciously, ignoring the fact that she had gotten what she wanted. In her experience, an easily-won argument meant there was a catch somewhere.
Rumi looked over her shoulder at Mira, a mischievous gleam in those golden eyes.
"You'll be helping me set up the library and keep the place clean." Mira was informed. "I've been putting it off for far too long, and if you're going to be around you might as well be useful."
…Unpacking books and cleaning? That was it? True, she'd never really done any cleaning before, but how hard could it be? And she was certainly familiar enough with libraries. And the request matched the examples Zoey had given her.
"I can handle that." The princess said firmly. She ignored that little voice in the back of her mind that questioned her confidence. "I can start right away."
Rumi snorted at her, ruffling her wings irritably.
"We'll get you settled first." She said firmly. "I'll not have anyone saying I'm a poor host." She slowed to let Mira walk beside her and eyed her up and down with distaste. "I'd hazard a guess that you'd appreciate a bath and new clothes as well. You reek of sweat and dirt."
Mira gritted her teeth and let the casual insult pass. She decided not to question her good fortune for now, focusing instead on the tunnel she was walking through. Large enough to fit three dragons of Rumi's size, the environment wasn't what she would have expected of a cave- instead of being cold and damp, a warm breeze flowed through the air, bringing the scents of grass and flowers to her nose.
As she followed the dragon, the ground beneath her feet began to change, going from rough stone to what seemed like polished marble, creeping along in veins before taking over the entire surface. Quicker than she expected, they reached the end of the tunnel and passed through the entrance into a small cavern.
Mira glanced around curiously, only to find that it looked shockingly normal. It almost looked like one of the sitting rooms in her father's castle. Bright, colorful rugs lined the stone floor, and elaborate tapestries hung from the walls, covering the rough stone surface. A number of closed wooden doors, each with abstract carvings, seemingly led into other rooms.
There was even a sinfully comfortable looking couch up against one of the walls, bracketed by bookshelves that were overflowing with scrolls, books, and loose paper.
It was shockingly domestic for the lair of a dragon. Nothing like what she'd expected when she entered the cave.
"You live here? It seems more like a home for a human than one for a magical beast." She stepped further into the space, drawing close to the wall and running her fingers along one of the hanging tapestries.
The only thing that seemed out of place from what she was used to was the massive pile of dragon-sized cushions piled up in the far corner, and the gently glowing chunks of crystal that lit the space.
Behind her, the dragon snorted dismissively.
"I'm aware you're from a backwater kingdom, but there's no need to be insulting." Rumi told her, seemingly unaware of the irony of her words. "What, did you expect me to live in a bare stone cave? Barbaric."
She snorted disdainfully and nudged Mira forward with her snout. Her scales were shockingly warm through the fabric of Mira's shirt, making her shiver slightly.
"Excuse me for thinking a giant fire breathing lizard wouldn't have a fancy sitting room." Mira muttered, letting herself be pushed toward the door nearest to them.
"You really don't know much about dragons. What do they teach you in that kingdom?" Rumi grumbled, stopping in front of the door. She didn't wait for an answer. "Here. You can stay in the guest room."
There was brief pause while Mira stared at the door before reaching out and gripping the cool brass of the doorknob, gently turning the handle. Much like the sitting room, the interior was surprisingly normal. A canopied bed with white sheets, a fine oak nightstand and dresser. It was smaller than she was used to, but perfectly serviceable.
She took a step inside, looking from side to side. More of those colorfully woven rugs lined the floor, and a giant shard of glowing crystal hung suspended from the ceiling to light the space.
"The door to the right of this one leads into the kitchen. Feel free to grab anything in there, just mind the labels. Some of it is more suited for dragon taste buds." Rumi looked down at Mira, those gold eyes meeting hers as she loomed over the human. "There's various clothes in the bureau. And there's a room where you can bathe connected to the guest room."
The dragon paused briefly, and her nostrils flared as she breathed in. Her face pinched slightly.
"….please do so."
Mira gritted her teeth and held back the rude response she desperately wanted to make. At least she was polite enough this time not to mention Mira's smell directly.
Mira took a deep, calming breath and met the dragon's gaze through the doorway.
"Thank you." She forced out, smiling politely. She was unaccustomed to saying the words to anyone other than Zoey, but casual insults aside, the creature in front of her had been surprisingly accommodating.
Rumis eyes widened slightly, her stiff posture loosening. Mira hadn't even noticed until now just how rigidly the dragon had been holding herself.
"You're welcome. Let me know if there's anything you need." The dragon made an odd chuffing sound, her mouth lifting into a fanged smile. "Feel free to look around. If a door is unlocked, you're welcome to go in."
Mira nodded, still stiff, and closed the door gently. She eyed it, noting the dimensions of the frame.
Why does a dragon have doorways she can't fit through?
Mira sighed and let the question pass, releasing the tension and fear that had been sitting in her spine since she first fled the castle. She had made it. All she had to do now was wait until her father gave up on her.
Letting herself relax, she made her way to the door on the far side of the room. She'd have a bath and then sleep. She could worry about the rest tomorrow.
Rumi settled into her nest of cushions in the sitting room, burrowing herself in until she was comfortable. She generally preferred to sleep in her own room, but there was no way of knowing for sure if anyone had followed the princess immediately. Better to sleep in the room an intruder would enter first, at least for tonight - tomorrow she could adjust her wards to give warning when someone approached.
Better safe than sorry, she thought to herself, and closed her eyes.