The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

DERRIEN

Agnes leaves first and I say goodbye to my Mira. Even when we separate just for a few minutes it feels like forever. And I don’t lose my chance to pull her into my arms and to feel the warmth of her body in this incredibly light dress. When my hands slide up and down her curves it seems like she is not wearing anything at all. And although I like it in the bedroom, I don’t like it out in the open. My dragon growls inside of me in agreement and I take off my cape and wrap it around her.

“What are you doing?” she giggles when I close the clasps so that not an inch of her could be seen to anyone, “Rien, I don’t think I would be able to move in it.”

“It’s getting colder,” I say, trying to believe really hard that it’s true, otherwise the magic vow I gave her will bite me in the a*s, “You need to take care of your health. Just sit here until I get back!”

She lifts herself up on her toes and wraps her arms around me, whispering, “Rien, don’t forget to tell him the baby name.”

“What?” I look at her, surprised.

“Just mark my words and do it,” she smiles.

I k**s her nose, wishing for more. But this is not the place and not the time.

Dark flames surround me and I appear in my Grandfather’s personal room even before Agnes gets here. Perks of being a gerdian. Before Agnegard, I thought that all dragons can transport just like me because I transport with the help of the fire of my dark magic, not the dark smoke like the other gerdians. But it turns out, that dragons don’t have an ability like that at all. What I have is the result of mixing gerdian b***d with dragon b***d. I am the new species. And, currently, one of a kind.

“Ah, Rien!” king Orion seems pleased and gives me a warm hug, “Congratulations! I still can’t believe that it’s all true. Agnes told me the prophecy of your son! It’s amazing! A warrior, a king! What a great destiny! I was also fascinated by what kind of dragon he will be and to think that he will be a dark one just like you! That’s incredible!”

“Yes, I can’t quite believe how lucky I am myself,” I smile, “Speaking of which, Grandfather, I’ve never seen your dragon. How about… how about we fly together at least once? You know that I am going to be leaving soon and who knows if we’ll get an opportunity like this again…”

The king looks at me with a bit of sadness in his eyes.

“I would be honoured to fly next to the first Dark Dragon!” he says and runs to the balcony, jumping onto the rail and then just stepping into the air and falling down. But what I see next amazes me as a beautiful golden beast raises right in front of me. He snorts smoke and springs into the sky.

I follow and shift, letting my dragon spread his wings. We fly above Agnegard and it’s the first time I see it from the top, admiring its beauty and size… The city of my ancestors is vast and immaculate!

It seems like we spend hours in the clouds, racing, and simply having fun! I’ve never shared sky with anyone except for Mira. But the way I share it with her is different…

However, it’s still nice to have someone of my kind next to me. What could I have been if I was born here? What would my life be?

But then I remember that if I was born here, I would have lived here my whole life! And I would have never met her… No, that wouldn’t do! Life without Mira is not life…

Grandfather’s beast lowers himself and almost touches the roofs of the houses with his golden belly. A true royalty. He is also a bit bigger than me. But I am definitely faster and move with more ease than him.

I see people of the city and hear their screams, “Agnemir! Agnemir!”

Now what? What is this Agnemir? Grandfather’s title? Another nickname for me? Like they call Mira Agnelind? Everything important here starts with Agne as in the language of ancient dragons that means fire.

When we had enough, we shift back to the king’s balcony. I am in the best mood, chuckling at how grandfather tried to overcome me in a race just now but failed again. However, when I turn to see his face, I see more sadness.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him plainly.

“Derrien,” he exhales heavily, “You remind me so much of your father! You have no idea!”

“That’s a compliment to me,” I smile, “I wish I knew him as well.”

“So do I but gods decided differently,” he chuckles bitterly, “He…He was the flame of my heart, Rien… I never recovered from his loss…”

“By the way, grandfather,” I put my hand on his shoulder, “Mira and I decided to give our firstborn son the name of my father… We are going to call him Demir.”

I look into his eyes and can’t believe what I see! A single tear is rolling down his cheek… He is crying! The mighty dragon king has tears in his eyes! I haven’t even thought that it was possible!

“Come here!” he gives me yet another hug, longer this time and I don’t rush the old man. From the corner of my eye, I see Agnes entering the chambers and nodding at me without saying a word…

“Derrien,” king Orion wipes his tears discreetly and gets serious again, “Agnes and I have been thinking. About your whole situation and this war. Dragons cannot afford to lose you or Mira, or your unborn son! Before that, our main concern was that if we leave Agnegard, then dragons would cease to exist. But now… Now I know that if we leave, if we mix our b***d with others, new dragons will be born! With new, stronger abilities! You are the future of dragons, Rien! And that’s why we decided to help you!”

I don’t even hear that last sentence at once. I hoped, I prayed, I calculated but deep inside I knew that everything is useless! And now they are going to help us?

“I was still hesitant about it,” grandfather admits, “But hearing your son’s name… It brought nostalgia… There must be a dragon king named Demir in the world, Rien! It must happen!”

“Thank you, grandfather!” I exhale heavily, “You have no idea how much it means for me!”

Agnes steps in between us within seconds, elegant as always.

“There is one more pressing matter,” she says, grinning.

“What matter would that be?” I raise my brow.

“Silly nephew,” she chuckles, “Your wedding, of course! You need to make sure that little…Demir wouldn’t be born in sin! I just can’t allow this! You need to marry Mira before we all go to war!”

And hearing all this, I don’t mind… I wanted to change Mira’s bracelet from engagement to the marriage one for a while already…

MIRA

“I have come here first!” the dragoness with red hair cries, stomping her foot.

“And I am here for the first time!” another, with black curls, shouts, “Maidens agreed to share him! It should be done equally! It is my turn now!”

“Ladies, please,” Rick tries to calm them down desperately when one of them starts to literally blow smoke out of her nostrils. Huh! I didn’t think they could do that! Interesting, can Rien do that too?

“Here!” Isidore sits next to me on the sofa with a huge bowl of berries, “They say they are good for pregnant women!”

She says all that without looking at me, obviously too invested in the little show in front of us. I was about to leave myself when it all started. And, honestly, this is the funniest thing I have seen in days!

“Do they even realize that they are fighting for Rick of all people?” I snort as I take a fistful of berries and push them into my mouth.

“I doubt it!” Isidore also helps herself to the red plump berries, her eyes on the two women in front of us at all times, “For them, he is like a…”

She can’t pick the right word and Dereck, who joins us as well says, “A donor!”

“Would you help me finally?” Rick growls at us and we burst out laughing.

“Why would we?” Isidore wipes her eyes from tears that appeared in her eyes after all this laughing.

“This is the only entertainment we’ve got here!”Dereck chuckles.

“Oh,” Rick smirks looking at our team leader, “Be honest, Der, that’s definitely not the only entertainment you have!”

And he looks significantly at both Isidore and Dereck while I can’t hold back another snort.

All of them want to say something else when dark flames appear in the middle of the room. Rien stands before our eyes, even more, handsome when usual and I gulp at the realization that this wonderful man is mine!

“Leave!” he growls to the she-dragons and they both run away without saying anything extra.

And then he turns back to us, smiling, “I come bearing good news!”