Dragon King's Brave Mistress

***Willow’s POV.***

I look up at the clear blue sky and feel a slight breeze flow through the fields. For a few seconds, I close my eyes and feel it. This is a place which I really like. Even though it isn’t much, it has one thing which I needed for a long time. Peace.

“Lola! Lola!” And here comes the peace breaker.

I open my eyes and see Ben stumble down the small step. I shake my head and rush to him. When I reach, I see him on his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath. He must have run here quickly. But why?

“What happened?” I ask Ben and shake some dust from his clothes.

“There are some men on horses. They are coming towards our house. On their way, they are calling everyone to bring out every girl for them to see. Mama said to inform you and give you this.” He says as soon as he catches his breath and hands me a big bag of food.

“Good boy, Ben. Now off you go.” I say.

“You are going, aren’t you?” Ben says. His eyes are getting wet.

“Yes. I have to.” I say as I tuck his hair.

“Will you be back soon?” He asks.

“I don’t know.” He looks down when I say that. I bend down on his level and say, “I will try to come here again. I promise.” After closing my eyes and taking a moment, I get up and run across the field to my treasure.

“That is good. Because I know you never break your promise.” He says and kisses my cheek.

He ran away before I could respond. After closing my eyes and taking a moment, I get up and run across the field to my treasure. I dig the ground behind a tree where I planted my stuff in case I need to run. Then I put the food satchel inside it and went off on the run again.

This has been my life ever since I turned 5 and got to know who I am.

I am a Seer.

In the beginning, people considered Seers the highest being as they not only used to see what’s coming but they also used to help people with their powers a lot. They would predict how much rain there would be? What calamities would we face? What could we do to prevent unfortunate events? Along with that, they could help people find the criminals too by looking into their past.

But nobody knew their true power until one greedy seer for money sold valuable information. The Queen of Seers knew that her kind would soon face destruction but not total extinction. Five Kingdoms of Ethereal joined hands together to overpower Seers, and they did at the cost of killing innocent children.

Last was the Seer Queen, who stood in front of the five great Kings of Dragons, Vampires, Fairies, Werewolves and Humans. She took out the dagger made of silver and plugged it right into her heart. The Kings looked at her in shock as the blood started soaking her beautiful white dress.

She looked straight into their eyes and said, “I, the descendant of the first Seer, Sybil, the well-wisher of the Ethereal Kingdom, curses you all. You all took the life of my innocent children. I begged and begged to stop it all and yet my pleas went unheard. Blinded by power, you all couldn’t see someone more powerful than you all exist. My children faced their death with dignity and a smile on their face so the Great Queen would reward us all. But you all will face this curse of mine. Hear you all Kings of Ethereal. There would come a time in the future where your heirs' seeds would be nothing without the warmth of my blood’s womb. Your line would be over without us and when you accept the fate, a new kingdom would rise, which would be ruled by its Queens like it always should. In the name of the Queen of all, the Goddess Philomena, I hereby give my life in return for this curse.”

With those last words, the Queen gave her life. It was said that even in her death; she held her head high and looked up at the sky with a smile on her face. Her curse was taken lightly as the Kings already had their heirs and soon they had their own heirs. They all still are alive and think that curse was nothing but a facade to distract the Kings.

Only a few people knew about the Seer Queen's secret daughter. Nobody knew where she had gone or what had become of her over the centuries. They made the few seers who were left their slaves. They would stay with the Kings and help them achieve their goals. But they are seers. One day they die too. So they get replaced.

Now, where do I come into this equation? I was five when my father told me about this story when we were gone on a hunt one day. The next day I woke up in my Grandma’s cottage with no memory other than that. It was like everything else was erased on purpose and someone put specifically only that story in my mind. I wished to go back but Granny said that I have lost my home and I can’t go back.

I didn’t realize the meaning of it until I turned 8 and finally braved out of the cottage to my house, which has turned into nothing but destroyed rumble. Confused and hurt, I came back home only to find Granny on death bed where she again told me this story and told me that I am a Seer.

“Run, dear Willow. Run until you find your destiny. They left only a few of us and to maintain the balance of this world, you all have to stay alive. Don’t worry, your powers will make you reach your goal. You would be fine. Use what I taught you and visit me when you can, will you?” She said with a smile.

With a last kiss on my cheek, she smiled and closed her eyes to embrace her death. Granny was a healer who taught me many things, but her most beautiful lesson was life. She showed me how to live life. And her life inspired many people. That is why the entire village gathered for her funeral. Many offered to adopt me, but I picked up my bag and made a run.

Because I saw them coming. Coming for me.

I walk into the deep woods and close my eyes. Then open it and take the right side. I covered many distances until I reached a clearing with a stream. The night will close in soon, so I have to find a tall tree to rest. I don’t want to find myself face to face with another wild animal again. Last time was too close.

I gather some branches and make a fire to cook something. As I do that, I try to find my next destination. But I get nothing other than ways to escape those knights. Every seer's powers are a little different. I don’t know how many of them are left and what their powers are. But mine is that if I touch someone, I can get a glimpse of their future or something related to them. Not only that, I can also see which path would lead to what.

Over the years, I trained myself. I made myself aware of my surroundings and came to a decision through which I can see where my future would take me. Sometimes I see nothing and sometimes I can, to some extent, which assures me enough that I would be safe.

Seers can rarely see their own future. That is why I take time to evaluate everything and everyone around me. To know that none of them would have any ill intention for me in near future. I have to be careful as it is hard sometimes.

Maybe I should take a chance and move somewhere else where no one would recognize me, but that would create another problem. People are getting suspicious nowadays and rarely trust someone from outside their own kingdom. But I have no other choice but to take risks. There is no place left at Mortalian, the Human Kingdom anymore that I haven’t been.

So I have to choose between four other kingdoms. There is Florence, the Vampire Kingdom in the west. Then Thunder Banes, the Werewolf Kingdom in the east. Then Caindale, the Fairy Kingdom in the south. And last, the Dragon Kingdom in the north, Ashenalp.

I eat some bread with broth as I decide where to go. By the time I remove my clothes to take a dip in the stream, I narrow it down to two kingdoms, which are close to where I am. I sigh as the water envelops my tired body. Being seer can also tire you as it drains you. But being a healer is a good thing, as you can also heal yourself with the knowledge of herbs.

Where was I? Yes. I was thinking whether to go to Thunder Banes or Ashenalp. Thunder Banes has lots of herbs. It is like a gold mine of herbs and a heaven for a healer. The green fields are tempting too and the ocean would be a welcome sight, as I have never seen one. But werewolves are very unpredictable and suspicious of outsiders. My life there would be more difficult as I have to watch my back every second.

On the other hand, Ashenalp is a chilly place. I could see snow there and I have heard during my travels that even though it is cold there all year around, the people’s warmth is amazing. They are welcoming to outsiders to an extent and appreciative if you know the skills that they don’t have. Their population is sparse, as dragons can give birth to one child or, if lucky, two.

Before I could decide, I felt it. The water’s temperature is changing. I sit up in the stream and look everywhere to find its source. I close my eyes to see who is here and what will happen in the next few seconds. But before that could happen, someone burst out of the water and I slipped under water. My head bumps into a stone, and before I could do anything, I lose my consciousness.

Never have I thought that this was not the end. That it was just the beginning of the new chapter of my life.