The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

LARA

We were sitting there and staring at each other. Saying nothing as the servants were changing dishes before us. I took several bites of something, feeling extremely uncomfortable under his gaze. He was watching my every movement and it was annoying, considering he was doing it for someone else. So, every time I was starting to feel special, I had to kill that feeling because deep inside I knew that he is doing all that not for me but for his Emperor.

The annoyance got to me as I stabbed the tomato on my plate.

“Easy!” Demir chuckled, “You defeated him, and he begs for easy death!”

“Is everything a joke to you?” I snapped, sighing mentally. That was not the way of the people of the White Archipelago. We were supposed to be calm and reserved in any kind of situation. However, if I was honest with myself, people there never accepted me. So maybe they were right all this time when they felt that I could never be one of them?

“Of course not,” he replied with a serious face, “Lara, if anything is bothering you…”

“You must be kidding!” I put the knife and fork down with a clank, “Yes, Demir. A lot of things are bothering me! Starting from you abducting me to…”

“I already told you that it wasn’t an abduction… In the full sense of the word,” he cleared his throat, “You can go home as soon as the time of our bet runs out.”

“And your Emperor would let me go just like that?” I crossed my arms on my chest, looking at him with a challenge in my eyes.

“Yes, the Emperor would let you go if you would still want it then,” he said with a strange smile.

“Then we are just wasting our time here,” I assured him, “You can just let me go now and be done with it.”

“Nice try,” he smirked, “But I still want to try and…”

“What?” I raised my brow, “Seduce me? You must be crazy thinking that it’s still possible after you are trying to sell me to another man. At the moment, Demir, you are the last person in this world that I would be attracted to in any way.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” he smiled brightly, “Right?”

I didn’t like the feeling in my chest that prickled me when he said that. He was so sure of himself as if he knew something that I didn’t. On the other hand, he was right. I just had to stay low for a month and then go home. Hopefully, he didn’t lie to me. And at least, I was promised peace and quiet during this month. No weddings or anything else. Just the company of Demir. And I could handle him. Of course, I could. Besides, it would give me time to find my wings or to wait for Gideon to come for help. One thing for sure, my brother would never leave me here alone.

“Right,” I stretched my lips into a smile. Staying civil might be a good idea after all.

“Great,” Demir decided to change the subject at once, “Then how about a little walk to the capital today?”

I almost spat my tea out when he said that. Was he seriously going to let me out of the castle?

“Aren’t you afraid that I could escape?” I raised my brow at him.

“In my city, I will always find you, Angel,” he said calmly, “I grew up here, Lara.”

“Don’t underestimate me,” I warned him and wiped my lips with a napkin.

“Why would you run?” the gerdian leans to the back of his seat, “It would take you months to get back home on your feet. And that’s without the consideration of the mountains and the sea… When in just one month a dragon would get you home within a couple of hours.”

“Ah,” I overexaggerated my sigh, “If only I was trusting you!”

“Like it or not but it’s the best option,” he shrugged his shoulders, “If you are done, let’s get going. And one more thing…”

I looked at him through my lashes and I could swear his lips trembled for a second when he caught my gaze.

“What is it?” I taunted him.

“You…,” he cleared his throat, “You can go and write a letter to your brother. It would be delivered. I promise.”

That was an unexpected development, so I let out a little gasp and he smiled. This smile was different. Not his usual smirk but something…sincere. And my heart skipped a bit. But then it remembered why we were here and successfully shut up.

“And you would read everything I write there, of course,” I couldn’t help but take a jab at him.

Demir looked at me for a few seconds and burst out laughing. Then, after he was done and I was annoyed once again, he managed to say, “I think there is no need for that. I can guess pretty clearly what you are going to write to him. I have no illusions on that part. So, do as you like, my lady. No one is going to read it. I give you my word.”

Back in my room, I pace for quite some time while my maids are looking for a suitable dress for the trip to the capital of the Gerdian Empire. I still couldn’t believe that I was here. In all honesty, I always wanted to travel. But with the rules of the White Archipelago travels were only possible for warriors on a mission. Maybe that was why I tried to train so hard all the time. It was this little opportunity to try something new…

I sat at my tiny desk in an unexpectedly good mood and got paper and an ink pen out. I contemplated for a while on what to write to my brother who was probably getting crazy this whole time. A part of me wanted to tell him a pitiful story of me being kidnapped by a cruel dragon and brought to the Emperor against my will… But then again, that wasn’t exactly what happened. I had been here for almost a day and didn’t even see the ruler of the Empire. No one forced me to do anything and they treated me in the best way possible.

So, this was what I decided to put on paper after all.

“Dear Gideon, I am writing to you from the main palace of the Gerdian Empire. I am fine and the gerdians are treating me nicely. There are no dangers to my health and safety so I beg you not to worry about me. They promise to bring me back home within one month, so, please, wait for me. Your loving sister, Lara.”

I folded the letter and put it inside the envelope that I found in one of the drawers.

The maids picked a beautiful navy dress for me. It wasn’t too opulent but you could tell that a true master created it. A thin line of gold was decorating the navy bodice. And looking at the whole thing, I knew that I would be comfortable in it. They paired it with elegant comfortable boots and a dark silver cape.

Sandra started to braid my hair without even asking me what I wanted first.

“What are you doing?” I glared at her.

“Lady… It would be best if we hide your hair,” the girl mumbled, and I felt rage inside of me.

“Why?” I asked spitefully, regretting how I displayed my emotions.

“The colour, my lady,” the poor maid curtsied although it wasn’t necessary, “It’s just…”

This again. What was so wrong with my hair colour?! Why was it so important anywhere that I went? Even here nobody seemed happy about it…

“Leave it as it is,” I commanded her, without sparing her another glance.

When I was ready, I grabbed my letter to Gideon and Lisa escorted me to the exit, where Demir was already waiting for me on his horse.

Surprisingly, there were no other horses in the view.

“Is the trip cancelled?” I looked up at him and he looked at me, puzzled.

“Why would you think that?”

“There is only one horse,” I pointed out but in the next moment, he leaned down and grabbed me by my waist, placing me right next to him in one swift move.

“That’s because we only need one horse,” he chuckled and the gates before us opened…