After my midnight stroll in the gardens with Ad, the mysterious man I’d met at the ball, I returned to my guest room at the palace of Gathe. As I opened the door I was greeted by Beatrice, my lady-in-waiting. She sat in the tastefully decorated room utop my bed with a plate of biscuits and tea in front of her.

“I saw you sneaking off with quite a handsome man earlier, and assumed it was a story worthy of tea. Now, sit down and tell me _everything.” _I grinned. Beatrice was my closest friend, we shared all our secrets. Or, at least the ones I could share. There where some things only my royal family knew.

“Well,” I started as I sat beside her and picked up a steaming tea cup. “I was in the far corner of the ball room, away from everyone, when he came up beside me.” I told her everything. From our conversations to the look he had in his eyes. Oh, and the rose. I was still giddy from our goodbye.

Beatrice smiled. She looked good when she did. Her eyes warmed and crinkled at the sides, complementing her dark hair. It was the face many men and women had fallen for over the years. “It sounds like you really like this man.”

I blushed. “I barely know him, Bea.” I suddenly became very interested in the biscuit I was nibbling on.

She shook her head. “You don’t need to know someone in your mind for you to know them in your soul. Plus, it sounds like he really likes you too.”

I sighed. Maybe she was right, but my emotions where to frenzied right now to think much of anything. I was also exhausted from the ball, socializing was hard. “I think I’m going to get some sleep.”

She nodded. “Me too. I’ll see you in the morning!” She picked up the empty tray of biscuits and tea and walked out.

I kept replaying my evening with Ad over and over as I readied for bed. I still wondered who he could be. One suspicion I had was that he was the King Adrien, but that couldn’t be true, could it? The King would have been busy with political and courting matters, not running off into the gardens with a lowly Princess of Milsglade. The kind eyes and handsome, boyish looks of Ad couldn’t be that of a King. I ruled that suspicion out. No, Ad wasn’t the King, only a Lord or even Prince of some far off kingdom.

It didn’t take much for me to fall asleep, because as soon as my head hit the soft, downy pillow, I drifted off into the land of dreams.

——————

The Ball was only the beginning of a week of celebrations and Games. Each day was a different Game, a new opportunity for kingdoms to prove their superiority over others. Today was dragon riding, and I was beyond excited. Milsglade, as the northern most kingdom, housed an abundance of dragons. I had grow up learning to care for and ride them. I was the best in my kingdom, and ready for the challenge of testing myself against others.

I dressed in riding leathers of my kingdom. They were soft leather trousers, matching gloves, and a ice blue tunic, down with beautiful embroidery. Usually it was all covered with thick layers of wool, but Gathe was a warm kingdom, so I had skipped out on that part. I pulled on my boots and opened the door. Outside, sitting on the ground, was a letter. I opened it curiously.

_Dear Ismae,_

_Meet me in the stables before the Games. I’d like to see you again._

_Your newest friend, Ad._

I couldn’t believe it. Ad wanted to see me again, so soon! I knew that he had said we’d meet again, but this almost didn’t feel real. And he had addressed me as his friend! Part of me took that as a win, but the other part of me was slightly saddend. Did Ad only want to be friends? We had just met, I rememinded myself. I was overthinking it anyways.

I hurried outside to the stables I had seen when I first arrived in Gathe. As I walked in, I took in my surroundings. Carved stone walls with large windows letting in the morning light. _Oh_, and the dragons. They where magnificent. Some with scales, some feathers, some both. They ranged in color from the deepest purple to blues so pure they were almost white. A few even had horns! I walked over to an ice blue dragon with feathered wings but scaly body, and horns curling over his ears.

“Hey there pretty boy. What’s your name?” I read the plaque on his pen. “Kilieus. Do you want a snack?” I took a few twidner berries from my tunic pocket and offered them to him. I always carried a few dragon treats on my riding clothes at all times. He looked at me with big, golden eyes. Sniffing my hand for a moment, then he quickly devoured the berries.

He looked up at me, eyes pleading for more. I laughed. “Sorry, that’s all I have on me.”

“You have a pretty laugh.” I heard a voice whisper from the other side of the stable. I turned quickly. _Ad._

“And you certainly have a knack for sneaking up on me. What’s this, the second time?” I tried to act normal, but I was really frenzied inside. He thinks I have a pretty laugh, I thought over and over. He likes my laugh.

“I suppose it is.” He walked over to where i stood petting Kilieus. “You like dragons?” He asked.

“Very much. Their just such fascinating, beautiful creatures.” I said with wonder.

Ad smiled. “They are.” He began stroking Kilieus also, which the dragon didn’t seem to mind. We settled into a peaceful scilence. However my heart’s beating was anything but peaceful.

His hand slowly began to move upwards, towards where I was petting Kilieus on his neck. Me breath caught as I watched, then felt, his warm hand brush across mine. It’s deep bronze color was a stark, yet wonderful, contrast to my pale own. I looked up at him, only to find him staring down at me. We stayed like that for what felt like eternity, just looking into each others eyes. Oh, his eyes. Dark pools so deep I could dive into them, swim for eternity, and still never find the bottom. They held so much warmth, kindness, and a bit of sadness that made my heart ached. His gaze drifted down to my lips….

As horn blew in the distance, startling us both. He quickly removed his hand from where it still rested on mine. “We should, um, be getting to the Games. They-they’re staring soon.”

I nodded, but disappointment filled me. What had just happened between us? But I also secretly smiled at how flustered he seemed now, with his hand behind his flushed neck and stuttered words. “Yes, I suppose we should. I’ll see you out there?”

He nodded, then quickly walked away towards another section of the stables.

—————

Wind billowed though my hair as I sat astride Kilieus a mountain ledge. All around me where the royals of all the kingdoms astride their mounts of choice. To my right was Ad, astride a burnt orange, feathered mount with small golden horns and piercing eyes of the same color.

He looked over at me, and smiled. “Good luck, Ismae.” He said it just loud enough for me, and only me, to hear.

“Good luck, Ad. You’re going to need it.” I ginned at him.

He chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”

An older man, who I assumed was the dragon keeper —based on his scaled and feathered attire, along with facial scarring— blew a horn. “Majesties, your attention, if you would.” Anyone who wasn’t already looking now did. “The first Game is about to commence. Now, the course begins with a drop off this ledge. You will dive as far as your skills and mount allow, followed by a fast climb back up in altitude. You will then navigate the narrow walls of the trench, and finally glide as quickly as possible back here. The champion will be chosen not only on the fastest back, but the best performance. Good luck to you all.”

He blew the horn once. I tightened my grip on Kilieus reins, checking my position.

He blew the horn a second time. I steeled my gaze.

He blew the horn a third time, sending us off.

The sound of a hundred wings filled the air as dragons dived down, down, down off the ledge. I could tell Kilieus was a skilled, brave mount, so I had confidence in what we could to together. We fell further and further, as mounts around us banked up with their riders. But we kept on plundging lower and lower, as the scenery whooshed by us. I looked to my right, where Ad still fell with his mount. We where the only two still falling, but I was determined to be last. The treeline came closer and closer to us, and Ad finally banked upwards. Just as Kilieus talons where sure to brush the trees, I yanked upwards on the reins and we were off again, gaining seed and altitude as Kilieus flapped harder and harder.

We had already caught up with the others, yet I urged my mount faster. I felt his strong body flap beneath me as he flew on. We entered the trench, which was a narrow pass of jagged mountain walls. Now we where in the middle of the group, and Ad was just on my tail. We swerved between rocks, turning almost completely vertical at some points. Yet we continued to gain speed, dodging around other riders and mounts. We had now reached the front of the group, where passing them would be much harder due to the skill of our opponents.

We exited the trench and began on the final stage of the course, the race back to start. I could see the ledge we started on just in the distance, getting closer by the second. There where now only two left to pass, not counting Ad, who was still hot on our tail. With more power we passed the first, then second pair of rider and mount. Now our only competitor was Ad, who had now come up beside me. He’d, be hard to lose, but I was determined, along with Kilieus, to win. I urged him even faster, promising twidner berries if we won. With one final burst of speed, we left Ad and his mouth behind before landing on the ledge only seconds later, kicking up dust in our wake. Ad quickly followed.

I dismounted as pride and joy filled me, for I, along with Kilieus, had surely just one the first Game. I praised my mount for his outstanding preformece.

“Well I guess I should have listened. Maybe I did need that luck after all.” Ad walked up to me, leading his mount behind him. “You did good, stranger.”

“You too, _stranger” _I responded, mocking his new nickname for me.

He laughed. “I know Kilieus is a very skilled dragon, but I’ve never seen one go so fast. How’d you do it?”

Kilieus huffed as if to say _raw talent, idiot. _“I promised him twidner berries after.” Now Kilieus huffed as if to say _and I better get them._

“That’ll do it for a dragon.”

The horn blew once more, scilencing our conversation. The dragon keeper began to speak. “Before I announce this year’s champion of the first Game, I’d like to give you a little history…”

Ad leaned over and whispered, “All this man does is talk. Blah blah blah ‘my great grandfather’ blah blah blah ‘the dragons love me’.”

I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Ad grinned at me.

Finally, the dragon keeper finished his speech. “Now, for this year’s champion. I spectated the Game myself, and am pleased to name Princess Ismae Liefde of Milsglade this years dragon race champion!”

I broke into a huge smile as my pride, joy, and overall happiness swelled. I may have even taken a small bow. The only sad part was the clapping. It was polite, exactly as you would expect, but I didn’t have any family cheering for my besides Bea, who was somewhere in the far audience. Ad must’ve realized this, because he suddenly began cheering loudly. I smiled at him.

——————

That night, over tea, I told Bea everything. From the letter all the way up to his cheering, I told her all of it. She squealed with delight most of the time.

“Oh my gods oh my gods oh my gods!” She chanted loudly.

I shushed her. “You’ll wake the whole castle if you keep doing that.” But I was grinning anyway.

She lowered her voice, but only slightly. “He was going to kiss you!”

“I- kiss me? Wherever did you get that idea from?” There were a lot of tender moments, but definitely no kissing.

“Do you seriously not know? He looked down at _your_ _lips” _Bea looked at me expectantly.

I still gave her a puzzled look. I had no idea what she was talking about.

“Have you never read a romance novel? He wanted to kiss you, hence he looked down at your lips!” I really hadn’t, romance novels where more of Bea’s department. I was more into adventure and poetry.

My heart skipped many beats. Kiss me? Had Ad really wanted to kiss me?

I must’ve looked stunned, because Bea started packing up the tea and biscuits. “I’ll let you sleep on this new revelation. Good night!” She said pleasantly, then walked out.

I think I mumbled something along the lines of ‘good night’ but I really had no idea. Already in my night clothes, I slid under the covers and closed my eyes. But I couldn’t get that word out of my head. _Kiss. _When I finally drifted off to sleep, I dreamt of kisses given by a certain man.

————————-

Wow, this one’s like 2,400 something words, so if you read it all, thanks. I really hoped you enjoyed reading as much as I have writing. Keep a lookout for part 3, and if any of you have ideas for more Games, I’d love to hear them because I’m pretty stumped. (Sword fighting is already a thing, but that’s all. The Games will end with another Ball.) ❤️❤️❤️