The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

LARA

“Gideon Artes can be persistent,” the gerdian emperor looked at me, waiting for my reaction.

I did not expect to hear Gideon’s name today. In all honesty, I wasn’t even thinking about him at all lately. And the realization made me feel guilty.

What was wrong with me? He must have been so worried there, looking for ways to get me back, trying everything… And here I am, enjoying life at the Gerdian Palace, reading questionable books and thinking of the man who practically kidnapped me!

“Lara,” Demir stretched his hand and covered mine with his calloused palm, “Your brother requests a meeting with you on the border in the mountains. If that’s what you want, then…”

“Will you let me?” I looked at him in surprise, not even realizing how our fingers entwined.

“Yes,” he sighed and closed his eyes before saying, “I’ll take you there myself if that’s what you want. I don’t like it but I will do it. For you.”

“And if I’d want to go back home with him, what will you do?” I raised my brow.

“I’ll be a very sad dragon,” he looked at me with surprisingly big eyes in which dark flames were dancing sadly, “And Smoke will be devastated…”

“I thought your dragon’s name is not Smoke,” I chuckled, and he smiled a bit with the corner of his lips.

“If you stay with me, you can call him whatever you want,” his grasp on my hand got a little bit tighter but I didn’t mind.

“Well, I promised to stay here for a month, remember?” I smiled and felt his thumb caressing my skin, making me feel all kinds of things that I wasn’t supposed to feel.

“And what if I want you to stay longer than that?” he asked me carefully as if he was afraid to scare me off.

“How long would that be?” I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.

“Ideally?” he snorted, “Forever. You are my soulmate, Lara. I want to live my life with you.”

This was too much, and I felt how my cheeks turned red. Yet I wasn’t scared. If anything, I liked his words.

“How about this,” I took in a deep breath, “I’ll stay for that month and I will tell you my decision at the end.”

“That’s… something,” he smiled and brought my hand to his lips, kissing it gently.

“I thought that you aren’t supposed to touch me,” I smirked and he returned the favour.

“I am just being polite,” he looked straight into my eyes, “But if you don’t like it, just tell me to stop.”

We sat there, staring at each other. And I said nothing. Which made him grin at me and this time he placed my palm on his cheek, brushing his short stubble over my delicate skin.

“I want to meet with Gideon,” I said out loud and the magic spell between us was broken. Demir let go of my hand and leaned to the back of his chair, exhaling heavily.

“He wants to meet you tomorrow at sunrise,” he sighed, “I’ll take you there.”

“Thank you,” I smiled as our food arrived, “I would really appreciate it.”

“Yeah,” he stabbed his meat to the point that I was afraid his plate would c***k. The dinner continued but the conversation died a slow and painful death. The Emperor of the Gerdian Empire was far away from me and I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

After the meal, he offered to walk me back to my room. We strolled in heavy silence and when we were almost at my door, I stopped, forcing him to look at me.

“Demir”, I bit my l*p, “I need to talk to him. To give him peace. You love your sister, right?”

“Not the way your brother loves you,” he chuckled darkly.

“And still, if she’d even be kidnapped or disappeared, would you be able to stay calm and happy?” I asked.

“Lara,”he brushed a lock of hair behind my ear, “If someone ever kidnaps Prim, I would send him my deepest condolences. That girl is a menace.”

“I am being serious here!” I jabbed him lightly with my elbow and he caught it, pulling me closer.

“I… I also need him to explain a few things to me,” I confessed, “You know what I am talking about.”

“I do,” he agreed, nodding, “But I still don’t like it.”

“Gideon is a good man,” I tried to persuade him, “Trust me.”

“I really hope that you are right,” he leaned lower, so low that our faces almost touched.

“Brother!” we heard a voice behind our backs and turned to see princess Primrose, glaring at us with her eyes glowing gold, “Would you spare me a minute or two if your precious time?”

She tapped her tiny foot in a golden shoe and her hands were crossed on her chest. There was no chance in chaos of her leaving us alone.

“Siblings!” Demir sighed in annoyance, “Aren’t they great?”

He gave me a wink and a little giggle escaped me.

“Good night, lady Lara,” he kissed my hand instead, looking me in the eyes the whole time. And in those eyes I saw dark fire dancing wildly.

I went to my room and closed the door behind myself, leaning over it and closing my face with my hands. There were too many feelings and I had no idea how to deal with them.

All night I tried to fall asleep but I just couldn’t. Thoughts were circling in my mind about Demir and about Gideon. One thing was for sure, Deon would not be happy that I was staying in the Gerdian Empire for a month. And when he’d learn that possibly I’d be staying even longer…

Restless, I stood up from the bed and decided to get ready. I chose a beautiful white dress to wear with golden detailing and the most luxurious fabric. I wanted to show my brother that I was treated nicely here.

“My lady,” Lisa appeared in dark smoke next to me even though it was the middle of the night. She was the responsible one. “Let me help you with your hair,” the girl got the brush ready and got to the job after my approval, creating another simple yet elegant masterpiece.

I felt him arrive without anyone needing to tell me. It was as if his dark flames were tickling my skin even at the distance. When I walked out of my dress room, he was already standing at the balcony in his armour.

It was the first time I saw him wearing something like this. Shining black metal made him look even bigger and I noticed a helmet with two horns reminding of a dragon’s head that, I was sure, was sending a terrifying message to his enemies on the battlefield.

“Do you feel that this was necessary?” I asked, my hand touching the cold plates on his chest as I couldn’t help it.

“That’s a requirement made by my sister,” he chuckled, “Prim is worried.”

“She probably hates me for all of this,” I sighed.

“She doesn’t hate you,” he smiled and brushed his palm over my cheek, “It’s just… complicated.”

His eyes wandered up and down my body when he breathed out, “Chaos, Lara, you looks so beautiful!”

“You don’t look too bad yourself,” I blushed as he pulled me closer. It was so strange to feel the cold metal through the thin fabric of my dress. Yet I still felt comfortable.

Demir put on the helmet and closed me in the ring of his arms. Dark flames surrounded us and in a blink of a moment, we appeared on top of a mountain, where the sun was already rising over the horizon.

“Lara!” I heard Gideon scream and turned to see him, still trying to adjust to all the light.

He was in his battle attire as well, the golden armour of the Commander of the Warriors of Light. His wings spread when he saw me in Demir’s arms.

“Let her go!” he growled and his handsome face contorted in a grimace of anger.

Behind him, other Warriors of Light stood. I recognized Fabian and some of the others. They all were ready for battle. And Demir was alone. Yet, in just a few seconds, clouds of dark smoke started to appear behind us and I saw gerdian warriors appear. Ryker, who played the role of the ambassador was there as well.

The gerdians looked relaxed while the Warriors of Light were tense.

“I said let her go!” Gideon didn’t look like himself and I glanced quickly at Demir, who removed his helmet with a smirk on his face…

“I don’t follow your orders,” he informed my brother, “And I suggest you stop throwing them at me, boy!”

I cringed at the words. Did he really have to do this?

“Demir,” I hissed at him, “Just stop it. I want to speak to him.”

He looked at me softly and a vague smile touched his lips as he brushed his palm over my cheek and then let me go.

I was about to step away when he took my hand and moved it closer to his face for a k**s.

“I am only doing it because my soulmate wants this!” he threw at my brother who already seemed furious enough.

“And may I ask who the hell you are?!” the young Artes demanded.

“That you may,” the gerdian chuckled, “I am Demir Darmerion Derwood, the Emperor of the Gerdian Empire and the one who your SISTER is destined to be with.”