There, right in the middle of the yard, a gorgeous purple dragoness lays curled around two small golden eggs with little orange and purple spots all over them. Not the prettiest eggs.

     Usually we are not allowed to turn into dragons while in the palace, but this might be an exception. Dragonesses often turn into full dragons while laying eggs to help ease the pain.

     I run forward, kneeling next to the dragoness. Meanwhile, Douglass waves off the crowd that had accumulated. "Geez, give her some space, let her breathe!" he yells. The servants wander off to their usual chores, grumbling.

     "Congratulations on a successful laying! They look beautiful and healthy." I congratulate happily. "What's your name?" I ask her. "Amethyst...." she mumbles shyly.

     "So, who's are they, do you know?" I ask her gently. "I...uh.....well....." she mutters, glancing nervously in the direction of Douglass several times.

     I reach out to lightly stroke the still-warm eggs, and suddenly I just know. I whirl on Douglass.

     "They're your's!" I snarl at him, glaring. I can feel my teeth grow longer and sharper as elegantly curving claws sprout from my fingertips and barefoot toes. A familiar series of pinpricks tells me that I now have several scales on my back. It takes all my self control to keep the transformation from completing.

     "W-what?" he stutters. "M-my love, where in the world did you get that idea!?" he questions nervously.

     "When I touched them....I just knew." I say, suddenly uncertain at how ridiculous it sounds out loud. 

     He senses my uneasiness and takes advantage of it. "But that's not a dragon skill, you must just be paranoid." he smirks.

     I glare at him, at the same time the Amethyst pipes up "Yes! It was him! But I didn't know he already had a girlfriend, let alone you, princess." she adds.

     "It's okay," I say as I stroke her back with my wing, "he tricked both of us." I turn my glare back to Douglass. He starts backing away slowly, but two other stable boys, much bigger and bulkier than him, block his path.

     "But....m-my love! You are my one and only! She means no more to me than any of the others!" he exclaims,  before covering his mouth, realizing what he just said.

     "OTHERS!?" the Amethyst and I yell at the same time. "There. Are. Others.?" I growl slowly, menacingly. 

     "Well, yes, but-" he starts, but I interrupt him. "BUT!!??? THERE IS NO BUT!!!!! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!!!" I explode, yelling the top of my lungs. 

     I stalk forward and slap him across the face, as hard as I possibly can, using every ounce of strength I have, including my dragon strength. Then, deciding that a slap is too girly, I swing around and punch him in his other cheek. I can hear a bone crack as he falls to the ground. While I'm at it, I bring a heel down hard on his perfect nose. He howls in agony. Hopefully his face will be deformed forever, so his outside appearance matches the demon inside.

     I then march off, my head held high, straight back to my room. I let the scales recede into my back, and my teeth even themselves back into human teeth, and my claws retreat, my anger spent. Now all that is left is sadness. 

     For the second time today, I let the tears fall freely. However, I still manage to clean myself up, changing into a majestic golden gown with blue trimming and brushing my hair to something presentable. I stop crying, pulling myself together, and wait until my eyes are no longer red and my face is back to it's flawless self.

     I then march straight to the throne room where my parents are handling the days problems. I push right through some nobles complaining to my parents, and walk up to stand right in front of my mother. "Mother, I want you to throw a ball for me. And I want it tomorrow night." I state. She looks surprised, but pleased. 

     The rest of the day is a flurry of activity, last minute flowers and decorations, hunting parties, food being prepared, and servants running everywhere, cleaning the palace. For me, it is food tasting, theme discussions, then the cook has something else she wants me to try, then the seamstress needs my immediate attention, dress ideas, back to food tasting, supervising the preparation of the ball room, back to my dress, going on and on about the guest list, some last-minute menu changes, and then listening to my mom rant on and on about how excited she is that I am finally ready for a mate.

     When I finally do get back to my room, I can't fall asleep fast enough.