The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

LARA

The gerdian princess looked at me expectantly and for some reason, I felt broken. It was more painful than listening to those girls discussing Demir just a moment ago.

“So?” the fiery redhead shot up her brow, “Aren’t you going to thank me at least?”

“Thank you so much, your Highness,” I curtsied again and she frowned. It was as if she could read my mind.

“You don’t look too happy,” she sighed and waved her two maids to step aside, which they immediately did, “Did you change your mind?”

“No,” I protested at once and then added quietly, “Not really. It’s just… A few things changed since the last time we spoke.”

“Lara, as a person who helps you I want to say something,” the princess slipped her hand over my elbow and pulled me further into the garden for a walk, “You and Demir… It’s only good if it is temporary.”

I wasn’t naïve. I knew pretty well that Primrose only wanted to help me since she needed me out of the picture. I wasn’t sure why but her intentions were clear. On the other hand, that was the way I preferred it. At least she wasn’t pretending or lying to my face. She was honest and respectful with the exception of how we met each other for the first time. And I had to admit that in spite of everything, I still liked the gerdian Princess. But it was interesting why she opposed us being together so much.

“Could you please elaborate on that, Your Highness?” I looked at her, trying to catch her reactions. But she gave me none. Her perfect face still remained perfect as if we were discussing pastries and not her beloved brother’s love life.

“You see Lara,” the girl gave me one of her most charming smiles, which I was sure made men turn their heads over heels every time she mastered it on them, “There are things that we gerdians do not share with the outer world. I’m sure a girl from the White Archipelago could understand that better than anyone. You have your secrets too.”

That was true so I just nodded, feeling slightly disappointed. But she squeezed my hand lightly and I looked at her again.

“A gerdian cannot have children with just anyone,” she sighed, “Our reproduction is very complicated.”

I felt my insides clench at her words. This wasn’t something that I was expecting.

“What do you mean?” I asked her bluntly.

“Except for other gerdians, only a few people can give birth to our children. Almost no males can make a gerdian woman pregnant and only certain girls can bear a child for a dark one. You see, gerdians are creatures of dark magic. It’s in our veins and everything in our life depends on it. Sometimes we find girls in other races who can become suitable to become a life partner for a gerdian. We give them dark marks and invite them for The Dark Selection. It is an annual event where gerdians who are looking for a couple meet girls that could potentially become their brides.”

“Only girls?” I snorted, “How about boys for the Gerdian females?”

She got my sarcasm; I could see it in her eyes. Yet she just gave me a vague smile and continued, “Gerdian women are rare and usually marriages for them are arranged while they are still young.”

“You seem to be of age,” I noticed, “Why aren’t you married?”

“I’m different!” She cut me off, the sadness in her eyes did not escape me, “I am a Princess and a dragon! A golden one at that!”

“And what is the difference?” I insisted even though she looked slightly annoyed.

“You are off the topic, Lara,” Primrose rolled her eyes and dragged me into a more secluded area of the garden, “The thing is that only a girl who is capable of accepting dark magic into her body and soul can give a child to a gerdian. In all other cases, there will be no offspring. In some rare instances, the girls die at labour and the children don’t live that long either. So guardians don’t practice that anymore. A girl who cannot accept dark magic can only be a mistress, nothing else.”

“Demir never told me any of this,” I said quietly.

“He is infatuated, Lara,” the Princess looked at me with some kind of newfound pity, “He likes you a lot and at the moment may even think that what you have might be enough. But in the long run, he needs an heir. And since you are a creature of pure light, you will not be able to give him one. Ever!”

Her words felt like a slap even though she clearly did not intend it this way. She looked at me with sadness, which was sincere. Yet there was also something else in her gaze which I didn’t miss. Some part of her was glad to see that I took her words to my heart. I guess she really wanted me gone …

The thought of me and Demir never being able to create a normal family felt like a stab in the back. Maybe I was cursed and never would be able to have that. The only family I knew did something horrible to me and now the last hope that I had also was shattered.

“But,” I wanted to say something, to oppose what she just told me in some way yet I couldn’t think of anything… The other thing that worried me was that we wouldn’t even be able to marry properly. According to the laws of the White Archipelago, I already had a man. And that man was Gideon. I swore my love to him in a temple and we received a blessing from the Goddess of Light. There was no going back from that. So, no matter how I looked at it, my relationship with Demir was doomed from the very beginning …

I did not remember how I came back to my room. I did not remember if I even said goodbye to the Princess. And to be honest I did not care.

But when I saw the wings lying on my bed, I felt like crying. I took them and pressed them against my heart, going to the balcony. Once a symbol of freedom for me, now they felt like the end of everything. I wasn’t sure that if I left now I would ever be able to get over what I felt towards the Emperor. But maybe it was for the best…

I felt tears running down my cheeks and didn’t even try to stop them, letting all my pain out.

Just then dark flames appeared right in front of me and Demir stepped out of them with a smile on his face which faded as soon as he saw what I was holding.

“What the chaos, Lara?!” He growled as his eyes filled with dark magic.