Secret Dragon

Chapter 7

Cadmus

Father taking to Wyvern so well has surprised me, but I knew dinner was too suspicious. When I saw her faint, I grabbed her head so she wouldn’t hurt herself. I growled at my mother knowing this had her idea all over it.

“You gave her a sleeping potion!?” I growled at mother and father too.

“Well, it was either that or killing her so for your sake I just put her to sleep long enough for you to realize that Princess Kindra should be your princess!” Mother glares at me and I growl at her

“WYVERN IS MY MATE! AND IF YOU DON’T VALUE THE MATE BOND GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!” I growled and yelled at my mother. Princess, what's her name, is crying and already calling for her carriage but I couldn't care less about her. I grabbed Wyvern into my arms and I carried her to my room. Father trailing behind us.

“Get a nurse or doctor to the Prince’s room immediately!” He screamed at a poor servant nearby. I put her down gently onto my bed and as much as I want to be by her side I immediately head to the alchemy room to find out what potion was used. I got there as quickly as I could and I saw the potion book was still open.

To brew a deep sleep potion, gather the following ingredients and stick to the recipe below as much as you can.

- 4 pinches of Sour Angelica

- 4 bits of Ash Peppermint

- 3 tablespoons of Shimmer Pepper

- 3 batches of King's Borage

- 2 handfuls of Mud Celery

Squash the Sour Angelica until you're done and put it in a container. Add a dash of liquid steam to turn it into a lumpy paste, then add the Ash Peppermint all at once.

Fill a pan with water, elemental water, add the mixture and turn up the heat, then turn on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it imbue for an hour or so before adding the Shimmer Pepper and King's Borage, in reverse order.

Gently warm the currently disgusting mixture, mix in the Mud Celery, and let everything cool down, but don't let it become too cool, like 'too cool for school' cool.

Pour the mixture through a very fine sieve to remove impurities. Your potion is ready to be used. Only a small sip is needed for the potion to be effective, but it tastes fantastic so a big sip is more fun.

I heard her say at dinner that she liked the peppermint in her drink so this had to be it! I looked frantically to find an awakening potion, and it felt like all was lost. I suppose I could try the cliche of true love’s kiss, but I barely know her! How would that even work!? I finally found it and I’m relieved when I find it.

To brew an awakening potion, gather the following ingredients and follow the steps below, but feel free to add your own twist.

- 1 handful of Mountain Hyssop

- 1 dash of Rain Oregano

- 3 pinches of Venom Mustard

- 4 pinches of Thorn Herb

- 1 sprinkle of Sapphire Sassafras

Beat the Mountain Hyssop delicately at first, then with unleashed fury at the end. Put the result in a cup. Add a dash of liquid steam to turn it into a lumpy paste, then add the Rain Oregano one half at a time.

Fill a pan with molten ice, add the mixture and freeze it, then let it melt and bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it reduce until a thick syrup before adding the Venom Mustard and Thorn Herb, in that order.

Reheat everything and let it simmer, mix in the Sapphire Sassafras and let everything rest for an hour, you could do something else in the meantime, like make a potion.

Stir the mixture a final time, if it sticks you know it's right. Your potion is ready to be used. A good gulp is needed for the potion to work.

I gather my ingredients frantically, but I do as the recipe says. I hope this works… I want a long life with my mate; I want to see where she came from, get to know each other, live our lives together… I don’t want that princess that’s only using me to get more money and power… Once the potion is done I run back to my room carefully trying not to spill it. Wyvern looked so peaceful as she slept. Father is with mother screaming at her in his study, which is not even close to my room, for going against the mate bond when she had her mate. I hear the door slam and look up to him as he enters my room.

“Sorry, you had to hear that son… I have no idea why your mother is doing this… did you make the antidote?”

“Of course I did. I just wanted to wait for you, father.” He smiles at me and sits on the end of the bed, giving Wyvern her space. I sit her up so I don’t spill and try to get her to drink it. I gently opened her mouth a little, and I half wished it was to kiss her, but not with father in the room. When half the goblet is gone, I put it down and we wait for the potion to do what it’s supposed to. I just hold her in my arms wanting her to be close. Hours go by and nothing… my heart feels like it’s breaking and I’m not sure if I made it in time. I slept near her, respecting her wishes, but it wasn’t very comfortable. 

A full day has passed and still nothing… I sit her up to finish the potion to see if that works. It said a good gulp would work so maybe the whole thing will work. Another day has come and gone and I’m losing hope… I see my mother smirking from the doorway and growl at her.

“Is this what you wanted?! To harm an innocent?!”

“Innocent!? She probably said she was your mate to get a title!” Not a bad theory, but I know she’s wrong.

“Then why would I have felt it too immediately as we went outside the jail? I had my suspicions for the past year, but it was dull and I never said anything because I didn’t want to scare her and you to come up with some scheme, but I guess I only kept her alive for this long so you could harm her as soon as she got here!” I pushed her out of the doorway and slammed it in her face. I quickly think fast, and I rush back to the alchemy room for any healing potion if it wasn’t a sleeping potion.

To brew a health potion, gather the following ingredients and stick to the recipe below as much as you can.

- 2 tablespoons of Pygmy Rue

- 2 dashes of Red Fenugreek

- 2 bits of Earth Creeper

- 3 pinches of Cinder Licorice

- 2 sprinkles of Autumn Turmeric

Break the Pygmy Rue as you'd do with your enemies and put the result in a container. Add a dash of pre-boiled water to turn it into a cream-like paste, then add the Red Fenugreek, all at once, then take it out again and put it back in.

Fill a pan with rainwater, add the mixture and freeze it, then let it melt and bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer until it has darkened in color before adding the Earth Creeper and Cinder Licorice, in that order.

Quickly bring everything up to a boil, mix in the Autumn Turmeric, and let everything rest until the mixture has a thick consistency.

Stir the mixture a final time, if it sticks you know it's right. Your potion is ready to be used. A small, but very cold amount is needed for the potion to be effective. Mixing it in a milkshake could work, but be wary of brain freeze.

I scramble for ingredients as fast as I can. Hoping I still have time. And if this doesn't work I have another one ready, but I don’t want to make it. I grabbed the other potion but by the time I made it I heard… soft moaning…

“Wyvern! I’m here!” I ran to her bedside and grabbed her hand. Her eyes fluttered awake, and she smiled at me as if she woke up from a nap.

“You look troubled, Charming… are you alright?” I breathe a sigh of relief as she smiles at me.

“My mother… she put a sleeping potion on you and I thought I lost you. I was about to give you a healing potion, but I suppose we’ll store this for later, should we need it?” I gave it to my father who put it in my personal kitchen. She caresses my cheek, and it calms me and my dragon… I lean into her hand and take it into mine. “I was so worried about you.”

“Well, I know where I stand with your parents…”

“Yeah, that’s a safe bet, but having father’s blessing is harder than mother’s so I think you’re safe. Right now mother is on thin ice for what she did to you.” I don’t even want to think of her right now. Father comes back from putting away the potion and sits on the other side of the bed.

“You gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling, my dear?” I was so worried that I’d have to convince my parents that Wyvern is truly my mate, but father believes us at face value, why can’t mother?

“Honestly, it’s as if I woke up from a goodnight’s sleep, and seeing Cadmus… I didn’t realize how it’d make me smile. So I’d like to take you up on… sharing a room, if that’s alright with the two of you.” Her little tint of a blush on her cheeks made me chuckle, and I took her hand. Looking into her icy blue eyes.

“Of course, I’d love to have you, but for now until you feel up to walking around. We can keep you company here. We’ll have words with mother and princess what’s her face later. Their punishment will be dealt with.” I kiss her cheek and she lies on my shoulder for the first time and we just relax into each other. Father gently gets the hint and gives us some privacy.