Skor leaned against the entrance doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes scanned the scene before him, before a small smile spread across his features as he spoke calmly,
"Need help?"
Valmira and Arisa turned their heads to face the unexpected guest. Valmira's lips pressed into a thin line as she registered the new presence interrupting her conversation with Arzoth.
Skor pushed himself off the doorframe before he stood straight on the polished floor. He entered further and stood before the enormous dining table. He bowed deeply, one hand placed behind his back, and the other placed on his chest, "Greetings, Your Grace." He lifted from the bow, yet his hand refused to leave their posture of elegance. "I apologize for the sudden intrusion; it was very rude of me." The ice dragon's presence cooled the air in the room significantly.
Valmira's eyes widened; her once-sparkling gaze now seemed dull in comparison to Skor's. He smiled almost too gracefully. The empress felt a sudden loss for words; her throat went dry before she regained a flicker of authoritative façade. Meanwhile, Arzoth blinked as if coming out of an unknown haze, finally registering Skor's presence.
"And who might you be? Another demon, perhaps?" Valmira asked, her voice deprived of the irritation Arzoth expected.
She didn't question Skor's presence, nor did she lash out, catching Arzoth off guard.
Skor's smile only widened into an even more charming one, if that was possible. "I am not a demon, Your Grace," he said smoothly. "I am merely a dragon. An ice dragon, if I may specify."
Arzoth's breath got caught in his throat. His jaw was nearly on the floor as disbelief washed over him, mirroring the astonishment imprinted on Valmira's face.
"What is he doing?! Why reveal his real identity? To Valmira, no less?"
Arisa, who was still indifferently picking at her food, muttered in a low voice, only audible to Arzoth, "Maybe like myself, he too had no trust in you."
Arzoth looked down at Arisa with a frown, "Huh?"
"Ice dragons are considered more powerful than demons for a reason. Maybe he sensed that you were messing up," Arisa whispered.
"Who said I was messing up?" he whispered back.
"Didn't the empress just shut you off in less than a minute? Now let him handle it, he will do a better job." Arisa murmured.
Arzoth opened his lips to protest, but decided to close them again. He looked up, listening intently to the conversation unfolding before him.
"A dragon?!" Valmira exclaimed.
"Yes, Your Grace. I am an ice dragon." He said, emphasizing the last words. "I am merely here to accompany the demon princess for her safety. I hope that is not unwelcome?"
"What is he talking about?!" Arzoth thought to himself.
A slow smile spread across Valmira's face as she said, "Certainly not, Lord Skor. It is our utmost honour…" Her voice remained polite, but her mind remained elsewhere as her fingers rhythmically tapped on her fist in her lap. "… To host a magnificent ice dragon like yourself."
She glanced at Arisa and Arzoth for a brief moment before she again looked at Skor with an unsettling smile plastered on her face, "Please feel at home, I am sure Arisa would love to stay at her new home as well." She lifted the soft cloth placed at her side on the table up to her mouth before settling it down. She stood up gracefully and turned to face Skor, "Please join the prince and our dear demon princess for breakfast, Lord Skor. I have to take my leave for some matters at hand. Excuse me." Valmira left the room with purposeful steps out of the room.
Arisa took another slow bite of her mashed fruits with a satisfied sparkle in her eyes.
Arzoth watched in stunned silence, his jaw dropped to the floor as he witnessed Valmira's easy acceptance of Arisa and Skor.
"What on Earth was that?!"
"Wait! Did I hear her correctly?"
Skor's smile never left his face, nor the glow it brought to his features. He approached the chair beside Arzoth and Arisa's before he took his seat. He served himself with equal elegance and poise as he carries himself.
Arzoth followed his every move with a crucial eye, "What was that?"
Skor continued his meal as he said, "What?"
"How did you know I was here?"
"I sensed it and thought I would drop by. Seemed like you needed help. For your kind information, I have keen senses."
"And you knew what I was doing?"
"And also what the Empress was doing," Skor added.
"What did you do? She didn't just accept everything so easily."
"I didn't do anything; it was her greed that opened up doors for us."
Arzoth frowned. "Her greed?"
Skor looked at Arzoth, his icy eyes bore into his with a thoughtful look, "Greed makes people do things we never imagine them doing, Arzoth. They get ready to take up any number of risks. It eventually leads to their downfall."
"What greed could be more tempting than the throne to the Empress?"
Skor looked at the Arzoth and said, "Ice dragons have a special strength in us; our scales are magical, Arzoth. For humans, dragons, especially ice dragons, are rare to catch a sight of. Getting to see us, let alone getting their hands on our scales, can only be imagined. It is only valid that she wants my scale as well."
"Why would she believe that you will give her your scales?"
Skor chuckled. "I possess the skill of manipulation level 120. That helped a lot to convince her that she can at least try. To conclude, she won't let us go until she gets those scales."
"Dragons have a system, too?"
Arisa rolled her eyes at Arzoth's unstoppable questions.
"Yes, they do," Skor replied.
After finishing his meal, Skor stood up, fixing his waistcoat, and said, "Shall we now start Arisa's training?" he gave out a predatory smile, his eyes intense and focused on some distant horizon.
Arzoth nodded, "That would be great."
"The sooner she starts her training, the better."
The prince felt Arisa tensed up in his arms, her hands paused at the mess she created with the mushed fruits, making Arzoth frown.
"Is she…. scared?"