Chapter 2

 

    The guards escorted me to a plain, stone-walled room. It looked as if it was intended for storage, or possibly housing servants. At the present time, I didn't much care. It was empty, but before closing the door on me, one of the guards informed me that a bed and some clothing would be brought down for me the next day. I wondered if they had salvaged any of my old wardrobe when they raided our camp.

    As soon as the door closed and a heard the click of a key in the lock, an overbearing heaviness settled over me. Overwhelmed by the feeling, I let my body shrink into its tiny, four-legged form and, slipping away from my now-unneeded clothing, dragged myself listlessly to a far corner of the stony grey room. Finally, safely wedged into my tiny corner, I let myself drift into an exhausted, restless slumber.

 

    I awakened to footsteps and the creak of the door. I lifted my head and came face to face with my visitor. Much to my surprise, it was neither the queen nor one of her guards. Instead, I was faced with the glowering face of a short, stout, and altogether ill tempered looking badger. She bore striking resemblance to the queen, but she appeared not to be more than a few years older than me. Could she be... the princess? What was she doing down here?

    The stocky badger shuffled her way over to my corner and stopped about two feet away from me, glowering downward, "That's the new dancer? What was mother thinking... a little lizard? What kind of performance are we supposed to get out of that thing?" she sneered, almost as if I were some emotionless object as opposed to a living, feeling being right in front of her.

    Slightly taken aback, I glanced about for my clothes so that I could transform back into my full sized self. They were clear on the other side of the room... past the fowl-tempered princess, so instead, embarrassed and unsure of how to respond, I let my body, all but my hands and face, fade into invisible nothingness and then took my usual form. I was now standing half a head taller than my oppressor, although all but my face and hands were completely invisible. She looked baffled... and perhaps angry. I made a hasty, polite bow, then apologized before scampering around her to grab my clothes. Once I was fully dressed, I let my body become visible once more and gave the irritated badger an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I took my smaller form last night because I was exhausted, and then... I left my clothes on the other side of the room. I couldn't just-"

    "Shut your mouth!" she barked, “and get your titles right. You address a princess as 'Your Majesty.'” I obliged, startled. She began to circle me, glaring me up and down looking a bit puzzled but mostly very angry, "What are you?"

    "A chameleon dragon, ma'am," I explained quietly.

    "A what?"

    "I'm a chameleon dragon. I can change colors, see," I subtly shifted my colors to a nervous array of yellows, "My name is Kostume. I mostly go by Kossi, though."

    She gave an irritated snort, finally stopping her orbit around me and staring straight up at me with disdain, "I don't care what your name is, Dancer; I just wanted to know what you are!"

    I nodded quickly, leaning away from her imposing loudness.

    "I'm Valerie, by the way," she stated haughtily, raising her pudgy nose in the air, "Princess Valerie. Shouldn't be too long until this whole kingdom belongs to me."

    I gave a slight nod, unsure how to respond. She seemed not to be looking for a response, though, because as soon as she finished introducing herself, she turned tail and bustled out of the room.

    "A servant ought to be down with your clothes later this morning. Goodbye, Dancer," with that, Princess Valerie shut my door, leaving me standing there completely overwhelmed and a little bewildered. Finally, I managed to gather up my wits and stroll back over to the corner and sit down, clutching my knees to my chest and wondering what was to come next.

 

    Sure enough, a couple hours later, a servant bustled in with an armful of fine dancing outfits. They weren't my old clothes, but at the very least they were in a familiar style. I couldn't help but let out a disappointed sigh, though, as he stacked the new clothes into a plain looking chest along the wall of my room. He never said a word to me, but before leaving he nodded his head amiably in my direction, a gesture that made me smile.

    It wasn't until after he left that I realized something was still missing... a bed! I groaned, hoping they would have one ready for me by that evening. Outdoors in the soft grass, sleeping without a bed was no issue at all, but the floor of my new room was made entirely of hard stone! Perhaps I could use some of my new clothing as a pillow, at least...

    I didn't have to worry about that for long, though. It couldn't have been more than an hour before I heard the latch on my door creak once more. I glanced up eagerly, hoping the servant was back with a bed for me, but instead I was met with the unpleasant smirk of Princess Valerie. Bemused, I wondered to myself why she was back, again. Then I spotted the large glass box she was carrying in her arms. I figured that must be why she was down here, but the thought of what it was for only served to bewilder me more.

    "Hello, Dancer," she sneered as she slunk over to set her glass container atop the trunk my clothes were in. I watched her, puzzled. She continued her self-important monologue, "Mother was going to send a servant down to set up your bed, but I had a better idea. Why use up all this space when we could just keep you in the dressing room? All we need is a little glass box," she tapped a claw against the top of the see-through container beside her. My stomach dropped. She grinned maliciously, obviously having detected my discomfort, "You see, Dancer, you shrink. All we need to do is keep you in this little box here at night and we'll never have to worry about any... running away. Understand?" I gulped and nodded, completely disheartened. The princess picked her box back up and beckoned to me with the flick of a claw, "Come this way."

    She led me out of the cold stone room and then up what seemed like endless, spiraling flights of stairs. As we navigated upwards, she haughtily described her 'merciful' plan in all its brilliance, "It's simple enough. You'll have free roam of the dressing rooms and living quarters (so long as you stay out of our bedrooms) during the day, and at night when the guards are off duty, you'll turn into that... lizard thing at night and sleep in here," she tapped the box again, "It'll be far less hassle for everyone involved, I think. Of course," she glanced back at me with a menacing glint in her eye, "If you even think about trying to run off, you can rest assured that there will be guards stationed at every corner of your permitted territory. One step outside your boundaries without permission, and you could be following your disgusting little gypsy friends to the gallows." I swallowed hard and nodded meekly, even though Valerie was no longer even looking at me.

 

    At last, we reached our destination and Valerie stopped to open the door to what I figured were the dressing rooms. Once we stepped inside, my eyes were met with lavish marble floors, fine velvet curtains and glimmering mirrors all around. It all felt so... extravagant, yet I still felt so captive. A slave in doll clothes, that's what I was. A subtle shiver ran through my body as I watched Valerie bustle over to the far end of the dressing room and set her box, my bed, atop an ornate marble platform. I hung my head as she scuttled back over to me.

    "Remember, Dancer, the royal family is doing you a favor. One step outside your boundaries, and that favor can come to a very abrupt end. Understood?" she eyed me haughtily. I gave a sincere nod, and the princess bumbled out of the room with her feigned attempt at grace, "I'll be back to put you in your cage, tonight. Mother says she's too busy for such menial matters." I sighed and slumped against the nearest crimson-velvet wall, relieved, at least, to have a moment alone, again.

Reviews

[bluessadmood]

She was taken to like a prison ,one room ,stony walls,somehow she felt at peace to be left alone..
only to be bothered and harassed by a young stupid princess,who seemed jealous of her and wanted
to torture her in her spoiled brat behaviour,she had to tolerate all this to see how thing are going to be..and whats to become of her..
really liked this writing ,very exciting and,like i just want to know whats going to happen to the poor child..
lovely write..