Drifting Dragons 1-14

The captain of the second company introduces himself as Zidmar, and tells his lady-in-waiting that he has come to ask her not to be a "princess," but to be "a true princess." He tells her that he will protect her with his life if need be, but warns her that she has been hard at work, and that the prettier she gets, the more "she'll provoke / ire." He says that he looked over for her, and wonders if she is the bastard daughter of the king. She says that she looks all over for him, and he says that they will return before nightfall. The captain says that the only person who knows about the well is the old gardener, who tells him that the king and the queen have fled, and the throne is theirs. He asks her if they are going to execute him, but she says that as of now, she is too useful to them to be killed. He says they will have to fake his death, and they will escape again. The battle is on, he says, and if they don't return fire, they will be sunk