The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

LARA

As if he felt my presence from afar, the dragon lifted his head and turned to look at me with mesmerizing eyes.

“Smoke!” I recognized him at once and ran to him. Somehow, he felt like the closest creature to me in this damn palace. I leaned over his head and stroked him with my hand, resting on his warm rough skin. For some reason, it felt even better than I thought and Smoke closed his eyes enjoying our little reunion too.

“I am still angry at you, you know,” I said to him and clicked his nose. He probably didn’t even feel it. But I had to make a point. “For bringing me here,” I stressed out.

He snorted a bit of smoke emerged from his nose right before I managed to move away.

“Because of you I now have to deal with that arrogant, impossible, overbearing and… and… absolutely impudent man!” I made sure to make my point and the dragon let out a strange sigh.

“When this month will be over, would you be the one to take me back home?” I asked him, placing a hand on one of his wings as I talked. And then I paused, bringing myself to ask what I really needed to know, “Do you think he’ll keep his word and let me go?”

My voice was shaking slightly and the dragon looked at me with pity. Or at least I thought he did. He lowered his wing for me as if he was inviting me and I stepped on it, prepared to be lifted like this time in the cave. He helped me up and I nestled between his spikes, grabbing tightly one of them. For some reason, the dragon growled loudly. The dress I was wearing wasn’t too comfortable for dragon-riding, so I tore it mercilessly to create a slit and clenched my thighs to keep myself in place better. Another growl emerged and it made me laugh.

“I think you like it, don’t you?” I giggled.

I looked at the maid that brought me here and she wasn’t bothered that I was about to fly away. They probably trusted Smoke this much.

He spread out his wings and charged for the sky, kissing the clouds and bathing in the sunshine. Just what I loved to do when I was flying with my wings, so enjoyed it immensely. I still remembered the first time Gideon took me to the sky secretly. Our father was against it but we still snuck out to the mountains and he took me up in the sky in his arms. I wasn’t flying on my own and yet it was love at first sight! I didn’t know back then that I wouldn’t be allowed to become a Warrior of Light and would never have my own wings… And when I learned that years later it was too late. Flying still was the one thing that I wanted the most. So, Gideon made the very first pair of wings for me and taught me how to use them. He was modifying them every time and making them better. And now even the ones who weren’t chosen to become Warriors of Light could still be warriors with wings and protect our Homeland.

Smoke made a twirl as we flew through another cloud and I screamed in excitement. It was the best feeling in the world and it felt like he knew exactly what I wanted. It was also much warmer today. Just as if someone made a barrier around me. But dragons couldn’t do that. Or at least I didn’t think they could.

Hours later, I leaned lower, hugging his spike, and whispered, “Take me home now.”

Of course, I hoped that he would take me back to the White Archipelago. But the dragon took a few circles around the capital and I noticed a few other dragons in the sky. None of them had people on though.

We landed back at the same garden and it got to me that they had this big clearing in the middle of it exactly for those purposes. I was tired but I still didn’t want to get back. And luckily Lisa wasn’t around as well. So, I just clanged to Smoke and stayed like this.

I didn’t realize when the darkness consumed me but today I was dreaming about Demir for the first time in a while. He was carrying me in his arms to my room and placing me on my bed gently, caressing my cheek but not doing anything else. Not even a tiny k**s on the forehead and somehow that left me feeling disappointed when he left.

I woke up back in my room, not really sure if what I saw in the dream was reality or not. Lisa and Sandra walked in and gasped when they saw me and immediately dragged me to take a bath. They seemed to be in a hurry today and I didn’t know why. Nor did I care. I was remembering my wonderful flight with Smoke and how great it felt…

I could swear the maids tried harder today, stressing about my dress and hair. I let them choose what to wear as long as it was something that arrived a few days back from that shop Demir and I visited in the city.

They picked a light lilac dress with golden embroidery all over it. A bit luxurious for sitting in my room one day. And I wasn’t planning to leave it until the month was over. Even though I had no restrictions on my movements here.

A knock on the door made the girls jump and I just rolled my eyes. It was probably lady Lucille with her usual daily visit, checking that I have everything that I need.

“Your Majesty!” I heard Lisa and Sandra say in unison and I almost fell off the chair I was sitting in with my book.

Turning my head, I met with two eyes filled with flames of dark magic. He looked different. Thinner, tired, dark bags under his eyes.

“Leave us!” he brushed his hand through his already disheveled hair and I notice an envelope in his hand. White with a broken silver seal on it. I knew where that letter came from and stood up to my feet even before both servants managed to leave the room.

Smoke made a twirl as we flew through another cloud and I screamed in excitement. It was the best feeling in the world and it felt like he knew exactly what I wanted. It was also much warmer today. Just as if someone made a barrier around me. But dragons couldn’t do that. Or at least I didn’t think they could.

We stayed alone but none of us was saying anything. So we just stood like that for a while, watching each other.

“You,” Demir cleared his throat, “You look so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” I replied dryly as I put my book to the little table next to me, trying to hide how strongly my fingers were trembling, “A visit of the great Emperor after so long! I feel honoured!”

“I thought you hated me and didn’t want to see me,” he replied in a similar manner, “I tried to fulfill your wish.”

“Oh, how kind! I just wish you did it with my other wish,” I chuckled, “The one where Smoke takes me home.”

He looked as if someone just made him eat a lemon, “His name is not Smoke!”

“He responds to Smoke just fine!” I retorted, “What do you want, Demir?”

“I need to discuss a few things with you,” he sighed and went straight to the balcony as if he needed more air. I followed him quietly. All I wanted was to see this letter.

“Actually,” he turned to face me, “I have plenty of things to discuss with you. Plenty of things to tell you.”

“I bet,” I gave out a little laugh, “So, start already.”

“Lara,” he looked at me with his beautiful eyes and for a moment there my heart skipped a bit. But I muffled that feeling and pretended not to care. “Your life at the White Archipelago… it would never be the same. I know that you don’t like me talking about your brother but he is not what your think he is…”

“Oh, please!” I snorted, “And who in the chaos made you the best judge of character?!”

“Do you…”, he frowned, “Do you really want to live him? Marry him?”

He looked as if he was in pain when he asked that and I decided to be honest.

“Gideon is not going to marry me!” I splashed my hands, “He had no choice as to say that to protect me!”

“Is that what you really think?” he looked at me with some kind of new feeling in his eyes, that I could only identify as pity and I didn’t like it.

“Of course,” I said although I probably didn’t sound so sure. The envelope in his hands bothered me.

“Lara, I have so much to tell you. About me, about y country… I don’t want to force you into anything and when our bet is over, I’ll get you wherever you want. But I think you really need to see this.”

He handed the envelope to me and once again I made sure that the seal was real. It was addressed to the Emperor of the Gerdian Empire, so was already opened. And when I got several pieces of paper out but started with the first one. I bit my l*p as I recognized the monogram of the Artes family. I recognized Gideon’s handwriting as well…