27 The Castle and Catalie Lise Leavi

Uncle Dior and Arrora felt like they stepped into heaven itself the castle was not even close to what it looked like in their inferior imagination.

In between these grass-covered mountains, surrounded by trees and flower plants, rises the Castle of Dragon King. It's so massive and artistic that it's highest cone-shaped towers were covered in clouds. The milky white old stones from which it was made are somewhat covered in moss and some vines while golden barred windows in each tower.

the watchtowers of the castle that reflect the blue sky, it had arched doors that point to the heavens, elegant rainbows encircled it with appreciation to the craftsmanship of the castle, surroundings of the castle were nestled in a nest of trees in the valley of deep while green grass spread across the acres of empty land.

Hearing the little girl calling him "brother", Don's gaze was on the little girl and was just as surprised as Arrora and Uncle Dior.

"Who are you and do you know me?" Don asked with a confused tone, he never saw this little girl before yet this girl behaving like they were close friends or something.

"I am Catalie Lise Leavitt" the girl cheerfully introduced her and made a little curtsy touching her white skirt.

"Catalie?" Don was a little surprised to hear such a name and guessed whoever named her must have some sort of weird sense of humor. ( the author hides his head lol)

"Ahm ok, I'm Don and who are you again?" Don questioned the little girl as she answered with a bright innocent smile, to Don it seems the little girl's smile was almost too innocent.

"Oh silly me" the girl pinched her cheeks

"I am the guardian of the castle you know keeping the bad guys away from it" the girl clenched her little fist and made a punching action.

"Oh, I saw everything including father went overboard on beating you brother" as she said she stopped smiling and stared at Don with a concerned look.

"Father? you mean the Dragon King" Uncle Dior asked in surprise from behind Don.

"Yes Dragon King is for others for me its father" her previous joyful face turned replaced by a sad face.

"Hey are you alright?" Arrora asked the little girl who was now looking very troubled.

"Yeah but now I have a brother now so I don't need that smelly old man" she said while pouting.

"Don't look confused brother, father said you would come and you did, I saw you battle with him"

"Anybody could have battled with him" Uncle Dior said.

"No father said only the one worthy can wake him although I didn't know what he meant by worthy. I'll ask him when I see him again" the girl said and started to think about the worthy matter for a while.

When she said that, Arrora and Uncle Dior looked at each other, they didn't have a soft approach to tell the girl that her father is dead even though she was just a projection.

"Catalie your father is not coming back he's dead" while Arrora and Uncle Dior thinking about whether to tell the girl or not, Don calmly broke the little girl's heart.

At the moment she heard Don, the girl's eyes went wide, her face turned red they could see the tears forming in her eyes as she violently shook her little head

"No no no father is not dead why would you say that brother I just saw him with you" the girl started to cry while Don let out a sigh and said

"You said you saw everything right? Then didn't you hear him saying that it was just a piece of soul he left behind"

Catalie heard everything Dragon King said but she didn't want to admit or rather she couldn't.

"Don why did you tell her that she's just a little girl" Uncle Dior got a little angry at Don for telling her that her father died like a simple matter.

"Catalie when did you last see your father beside not with Don a moment ago?" Arrora asked with a sweet motherly voice seeing the crying little girl.

"It was...when father put me to sleep"

"And how long ago was that?" Arrora asked as the little girl thought about it but she shook her heads showing she was unable to tell.

"Uncle Dior how long ago since the Dragon King you know?"

Arrora didn't say the word died to not hurt the little girl further.

"Nearly seven hundred years give or take"

when the little girl heard Uncle Dior her eyes went wide in shock

"You were sleeping all that time Catalie? I thought you were guarding the Castle" Arrora stepped forward and stood beside Catalie and asked.

"I don't know I was only supposed to wake up only any intruders broke the defense parameters" Catalie said as she was still crying and weeping.

"But we didn't break anything and why did you call Don as brother?"

Catalie looked at Don like she has something to tell but couldn't

"I..I don't know...father told me I have a new brother or sister when I woke up that's all"

For a moment everyone stood silently the only sound they heard was the crying of the little girl.

"Look Cat I'm sure your father had his reasons for not telling you and we all lose something we love you just have to learn to live with it"

Don said to the little girl and started to walk towards the castle, he knew the little girl was heartbroken but she has to learn to live with it if she wants to be around him because this world won't show mercy to anyone it's a cruel place for an innocent girl like her.

Catalie had nothing to say as she just followed him behind with Arrora and Uncle Dior.

After a long walk, they eventually reached the front door of the castle, the arched door was as tall as a two-story building and it was engraved with two Dragons at each side of the door.

When they came in front of the door, it made a heavy rumble sound and slowly started to open as the dust as well as the dirt began to drop down from the cracks of the door.

What was on the other side of the door was a green garden which looked like emerald fields while it was split open by a water pond and top of it was a pathway to the inner castle made of which looked like marble.

The closer they got to the pathway they realized the castle was not maintained at all since the grass fields grew out the shape and the water pond was full of dirty water and leaves and all sorts of specks of dirt floating on it.

Seeing the expression of Catalie Don realized that this was surprising to her just like to him.

Eventually, the four of them reached the inner castle and the doors made the same heavy rumbling and slowly opened to let them into the main hall.

Before them, stood magnificent braziers surrounding each of the fourteen ivory pillars light up the entire throne hall and paint the hall a range of yellows and oranges. The paintings of legendary Dragons on the oblique ceiling dance in the flickering light while memorials and marble icons look down upon the porcelain floor of this marvelous hall.

A delicate red rug runs from the throne down the center and loops back from both left and right while Dragon banners with burnished corners decorate the walls. Between each banner hangs a lantern, almost all of them have been lit and in turn illuminate the artistic depictions of divine beings below them.

Elegant, stained glass windows depicting various designs and drawings are shrouded by draperies colored the same carmine as the banners. The curtains have been adorned with decorated tips and gilded linings

At the end of the hall a grand throne of marble sits in front of a giant painting of the Black and Red Dragon and is adjoined by four similar, but undecorated seats for visiting dignitaries.

The throne is covered in hallowed engravings and fixed on each of the elegant armrests was a sapphire Dragon. The thin pillows are a dark cardinal and these too have been adorned with decorated corners.

Those listening to their King can do so on the few decorated, but somewhat uncomfortable brass benches, all of which are lined up perfectly symmetrical. Those of higher standing can instead take a seat in the extravagant mezzanines overlooking the hall.

"Holy" Uncle Dior dropped his jaw and let out a small yelp seeing the extravagant of the hall.

Don began to walk towards his seat the throne followed by Arrora, Uncle Dior and Catalie but before he gets closer a projection similar to Catalie appeared before him it was the Dragon King's.

"Welcome ta me castle me successor if ye be seeing this I'm probably gone an' ye passed me test unlike tha soul part ye faced this be just a recording so dinna ask questions I made this recording ta tell ye something"

"Father" Catalie reached out her hands towards the projection while others stood without talking.

"being me successor means yu have great power but great power comes with great responsibility like me people said

use this place ta increase your strength an' your army's

ye cant do everything by yourself ye need loyal subordinates, this be why I left ye Catalie Lise Leavitt... don't ask me why I named her that though haha"

The Dragon King started laughing when he said the little girl's name and he looked like he was reminiscing about something in the past.

"she was me greatest creation an' look after her well an' little girl I made ye sleep because i did nae have tha guts ta leave ye alone in this place for so long, tha real guardian job o' yours starts now I'm proud o' ye, help me successor in every way ye can girl an' remember I always be proud o' ye

"

As he said that the projection slowly faded away, however Catalie didn't cry as before.

Hearing the Dragon King Catalie found her goal assisting Don in his path to become King she was going to do just that from now on.

"Don what now?" Uncle Dior asked after staying quiet for a moment.

"It's time to put the plan into action"