Chapter 35: CHAPTER 25.5: A Chance Meeting

A middle-aged woman answered the door. “Oh. I didn’t expect any visitors. Can I help you?”

“I live on the outskirts of the town. It’s the house outside of the woods but close and there aren’t any houses near it. You’re the closest thing I have to a neighbor, so I thought I’d say hello.” I smiled.

“That’s nice, I’m Betty. Would you like to come in?” She stared at the feather Konn gave me since I wore it as a necklace.

I walked in. “This is a nice place.” I put my sketch book down.

Betty sat down on the couch and gestured for me to sit next to her. “Where did you get that feather?”

I covered it. “A friend.”

She got up. “Don’t worry I’m not going to take it; I have plenty dragon feathers and scales.” She leaned over the side of the couch and pulled up a small chest and opened it.

I gasped. “Wow.” I looked at my feather. I knew it had to be Konn’s dragon feather. “Why are you showing me?”

“Because you have one and you said you live close, I just moved in this morning. I’m not stupid, you’re not stupid. If I saw there was a house close, I wouldn’t have magically moved mine here.”

I chuckled nervously. “Yeah, it wasn’t here yesterday… My friend gave me this… I’m not sure why.”

“Dragons gift their feathers and scales for all kinds of reasons. Some do it as a thank you because they’re valuable. Some do it because they’ll want something in return and for some it’s a token of affection.” I wondered which one applied to me. “Humans are very rarely gifted dragon feathers and scales. Do you come from a family of witches?”

I shook my head. “I wish.”

“I can teach you witchcraft.” Betty offered.

“What? Why?” Could I really learn magic just like that?

“If a dragon trusted you with his feather, then I trust you. Us witches have a good sense of judgement.

Come back in a week for lessons.”

For the next four years I learned witchcraft under her. She taught me all about the magical world and its history. I felt like I belonged there.

When I turned eighteen, I moved in with her, I was a live-in apprentice. I learned a lot and when I was nineteen, she was ready to take me to the hidden world that was full of magical beings. “Mae, we need to be careful here as humans.”

I laughed. “You say we need to be careful in the outside world as witches too.”

Betty shrugged. “Exactly, we need to be careful in both worlds.” She looked at my feather necklace.

“Don’t get your hopes up, the hidden world is vast Mae.”

I looked down at it. “I know…”

We spent the next few days visiting different magic shops. We stayed in a hotel in a mage kingdom. I saw a few dragons flying but at a distance. I didn’t think any of them were Konain because I was sure when I’d see him, I’d know.

I stared out the window. “Is Konain an average name for a dragon shifter?”

Betty sighed. “You want to look for him, don’t you? Konain is a name of high status, not the highest but a noble name. Do you remember anything about him?”

I thought back to that afternoon. “He was with his father and grandfather. I think his grandfather had some sort of power because he was able to see me hiding with what he called his third eye. He was also able to find my house even though I gave poor instruction. They were looking for a gemstone, and I think. Konn said his best friend was a prince.”

Betty sat down in a chair. “It sounds like his grandfather was a holder and that would make their kingdom the first Dragon Kingdom Wilwar. He should be still living in the castle.”

My eyes lit up. “Is it far from here Gram?” I called Betty Gram because I saw her as family. She did more for me than my own family. She taught me not to knock my humanity. I would always say I wanted to be a fairy or a mage, but she made me feel pride in being human.

“It is but you can portal there. I try to take as little portals as possible in my old age. You should go on your own,” she suggested.

So, the next day I took a portal to Wilwar. There were a lot of places that would open portals for you, and they were called portal stops. I took the portal to the central city and walked the rest of the way to the castle. I walked to the gates. “Do you have a written statement that you’ve been invited?” A guard asked.

I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a problem. “No… but I’m here to see a friend.”

“They’ll need to be present with you or you need to have them call ahead so your name is on the list of approved guests,” The guard explained.

I walked away then stopped and sat at the gates. I was surprised no one asked me to move. I waited and watched everyone who went back and forth. I didn’t see Konn.

The next day I came back and this time I brought lunch. “Mrs.” A guard walked to me after a while. “I overheard you yesterday, who’s your friend?”

I stood up. “Konain, he goes by Konn.”

She definitely knew who I was talking about. “The Prince’s aid and son to the adviser?”

I nodded. “That’s him.”

“I can see if I can get him for you, he’s usually really busy but I promise I’ll come right back.” She rushed off.

I was excited, if it weren’t for her, I’m not sure what I would have done. I waited around for another half an hour. “Mae?”

I turned to see a man who was definitely the boy I spend an afternoon with as a little girl. “You didn’t forget.”

Konn looked concerned. “I said I wouldn’t but why are you here?”

“Yeah… I’m sorry if this is weird. I’m visiting from the outside world and I thought I’d come to see you since never came back.” He probably never thought of me. “I can go, I just thought-“

He cut me off. “I’ll give you, my number. If you’re still around on my next off day we can catch up. I’m working now and I don’t want to rush you.”

I took my phone out and gave it to him, so he’d put my number in it. I smiled when he handed my phone back to me. “I’ll see you soon.” I walked away and kept looking back. Each time I would look back I could see him watching me leave.