All the questions rampaging inside my head skittered to a halt when an expensive carriage drawn by six beautifully maned horses sprung up to the Damaran House followed by a stream of the Duke of Lurris's servants. I knew Mother had seen the carriage while she waited with Father in the sitting room when I heard a flurry of oohs & ahhs travel up to my room.

I carefully arranged the layers of my grey dress. I had picked one of my older outfits to wear, with a chaste high neck, and summer sleeves to make a respectable appearance. And after a brief look in the mirror, decided to wear the emerald studs - one of the Duke's engagement gifts that had arrived at our place a few days ago. They weren't the most impressive jewels of all, but I possessed no expensive gowns or dresses that could suit his gifts.

I pulled on my lace gloves and hurried downstairs.

"There she is!" Mother announced as I entered the sitting room.

Father seemed to be in the process of pouring out a drink, which he stopped immediately as our guest rose to his feet at my entrance.

"Good afternoon, Miss Damaran," he said.

His voice was striking and laced with a self-assured confidence that came from power. I let my eyes survey him as I curtsied and watched Father offer a drink to him. He was wearing a dark green suit tailored in the latest fashion, cut from expensive fabric, I smoothened my dress self-consciously. An emerald pin shone in his breast pocket and a long emerald drop hung at his left ear glittering in his pale hair.

"We must take our leave, Your Grace," I said.

He offered me his arm, and I took it as we walked out to his carriage. I could sense the people living around us, and occupying the street, looking curiously in our direction, after all, the gentry were allowed to have four horses per carriage, and here was a carriage with six fine ones with glossy black hides.

"Are you interested in horses?" he asked once we had climbed into the luxurious carriage, where even the seat leather was soft and well-made.

"A little, Your Grace," I smiled, "These are imported horses, are they not?"

"Quite an eye," he said, "They are Heritilian horses."

"That would have been quite expensive, Your Grace,"

"They were a gift from a successful trade deal,"

I could think of nothing to say in response, and suddenly I found myself being surveyed discreetly, as he leaned back into his seat and faced the window. I adjusted my skirt folds and bit my lip wondering what to say, and more importantly, how to get inside his head and understand why he had professed to marry me and when he would be breaking the engagement when he spoke again, this time, leaning forward a little. His perfume filled my nose.

"The emeralds look good on you."

"Thank you, Your Grace,"

Evidently pleased with his compliment, he smiled, probably to himself, just as the carriage teetered to a halt. Judging by his face, this was not a planned stop.

"Your Grace," one of his staff tapped the window, "There's a bit of trouble,"

"With the horses?" The Duke asked, as he opened the door and stepped out, holding up a hand indicating that I remain seated.

"No, please look, Your Grace,"

The men moved ahead to the front of the carriage, and my view was obviously obstructed. All I could see were the pearly grey skies bedecked with posh houses, near Orira's center - where a statue of the Great Unending Dragon curled glistening in gold. Whatever the commotion was - I could see a string of people gathered around something - seemed to be occurring near the statue.

I counted to five before getting up to my feet and leaning from the door clutching my grey hat. I wanted to at least see what the fuss was about. Was there an accident ahead?

I could only see people past the horses, agitated, whispering, noisily crowding around the large golden structure. It looked like an accident all right. Or maybe someone prominent had publicly embarrassed themselves, and the crowd was the audience?

"Miss, please stay inside -" one of the servants petitioned, but I ignored him.

Since I couldn't raise myself to see from the top, I stepped down the carriage and sauntered to the noisy crowd, the servant stumbling behind me asking me to return to the carriage. It wasn't until, I pushed myself through the crowd, that I caught a glimpse of the Duke's fair hair.

And in front of him, kneeling inside the little fence around the statue was a little boy.

The boy was probably nine or ten years old. His fists were clenched into the ground and his expression was full of pain. His clothes looked expensive - a beautiful grey coat, glossy black shoes, and a red brooch glistened at his neck, definitely an aristocrat's child.

The strangest thing was not that there was a little boy kneeling at the statue of the Great Unending Dragon, the strangest thing was that there was a little boy kneeling at the statue of the Great Unending Dragon and golden light was streaming from his eyes and mouth.