--For VioxShadow's Contest--- The Dragon and the Dove

I sprinted across the castle hall, wincing as my footsteps echoed loudly on the flagstones. I could not afford to get caught here, not now. Not after I had already betrayed them once. I was the thief girl, a shadow that no one cared about. It had been that way ever since my parents died in a fire when I was three years old. It was all a mistake; me, my life, everything. If I got caught that little loose end called me would be tied up without a second thought. Without a care..... My name is Tear. I named myself, after all the pain I had been through. I am thirteen, and I am going to get the kingdom back for all the pain they had given me. Little did I know this would be harder than I thought. I hurled myself off the turret, flailing through the air and hitting the ground hard. Winded, I got up and kept running, the bay of the hunting dogs right behind me. I could just feel the mutt's hot breath on my heels when my ankle gave out. I fell to the ground, howling. The dogs pounced on me immediately, slobbering all over my tattered dress. How disgusting. The footsteps of my pursuers slowed to a halt, and I could tell they were right behind me. "Well, well, well. Look's like we've finally caught our thief." To my astonishment, the voice of Jaden, crown prince of the kingdom, echoed right behind my ear. What was he doing all the way out here, hunting down a nobody like me? His breath was warm and he smelled like lilac. Stupid fancy rich boy, actually able to buy scented soap. Unlike me, a street urchin. I was lucky to be able to bathe in a cold river now and again. But that didn't explain why he was here, so no reason do dwell on that other than to ignite hatred into my being. Jaden flipped me over roughly, and studied my face. He didn't seem overly surprised. He dragged me to my feet and bound my arms to my side. "Let's go, thief girl." He shoved me towards his entourage of well-armed guards. That also did not surprise me. What did surprise me was being pushed onto a large black dragon looming behind Prince Jaden. One huge blue eye examined me, then turned away without a care. It growled, a deep musical rumble, and Jaden swung up onto it's back. He perched lithely just behind the dragon's great head, and motioned for the guards to hand me up. With a flap of its wings, the dragon rocketed into the air. The momentum would have hurled me off had Jaden not thought to grab me. The castle grounds appeared below, and I watched as thousands of doves took to the air, their wings much more frail then that of the dragon's. "What is his name?" I asked, my voice rusty with disuse. "What?" Jaden sounded startled. "The dragon. What is his name?" I asked again, wincing as my voice grated through the air. Jaden didn't appear to notice. His storm gray eyes narrowed, and his short black hair rippled as the wind tore through it. "That doesn't concern you." I shrugged off the icy remark and watched the doves fly. They were graceful and free, much more than I could ever amount to. I wish I was a dove.... I would spread my wings and fly out of this place. As a thief, when we got to the castle, I knew I would be branded. The dragon swung towards the ground, and landed with a reverberating thump. Quickly, Jaden flung an arm around me, and hopped off the dragon. He put two fingers to the dragon's brow, communicating silently for a moment. "Thank you." Jaden whispered, and then started dragging me along behind him. The dragon took to the air again, and the last thing I saw before I was pulled into the huge castle was the dragon's jaws closing around a helpless dove with a snap. I couldn't help but flinch. Jaden cast me a sideways glance and smirked at my reaction. He pulled me through the wide hallways, and led me into a damp, musty smelling place. He threw me into a cell, and slammed the door. Jaden grasped onto the bars and smiled evilly at me. "Have fun awaiting your trial, thief girl." Then he pulled back and glided away, up the stairs, leaving me alone. His last words echoed in my mind as I pulled my tattered dress closer around me to retain at least a little warmth and tried to fall asleep.