Secret Dragon

Chapter 8

Wyvern

Cadmus hasn’t left my side and to be honest it has been so sweet. He and his father have been so kind to me, but a thought came to me I almost forgot about.

“Whatever happened to that visiting princess from the island?” I asked him out of curiosity.

“The guards caught her trying to escape while they tried to hurt you with that potion. Mother has been put on house arrest. The dungeon would’ve been preferable but that might cause chaos in the kingdom.”

“Yeah, I guess putting the queen in the dungeon wouldn’t look good.” We had a little chuckle, and I grabbed his hand. “I want to see the princess. I want to know why she hurt me.” I looked him in the eye and he kissed my cheek.

“You’re such a strong princess.” He smiles at me, but his eyes gloss over like he’s talking to his dragon.

Cadmus

“I hate she was hurt! She wouldn’t hurt anyone! All this about stupid politics! I barely knew this volcanic princess before Wyvern showed up!” I’m fuming! If I could make a storm or breathe my lighting bolts I would.

“Now, now young prince, I know you’re upset but we don’t want to upset our mate.” Volt is a wise dragon for being so young.

“I don’t want to upset or scare her. It hurts that people who are supposed to support me are just tearing me down! What is so wrong about wanting my mate!?” I could feel my claws coming out.

“Cadmus, you must try to control your anger! We don’t want to scare Hayle and Wyvern!” I took a couple of deep breaths to calm down and my claws retracted again. “That’s better, now I know you’re passionate for them, but we can’t let this incident turn us into something we’re not. We will stand up to your mother and this awful princess. We will have our bride and we will figure out what happened in Flurris.” Volt sounded so confident and I could only nod in agreement.

“Agree I want to give her family closure.”

“I can feel Hayle trying to comfort us… her ice feels comforting and it’s not cold.” Wyvern must’ve felt my nerves and anger. “Even after this horrible thing that’s been done to her, she’s still taking care of us.” It made me smile knowing that.

“As much as I like to talk to you, Volt, I'd like to go back to Wyvern.”

“Of course.” He goes back to my subconscious, but I can still feel him there.

“Are you alright? You seem angry?” She grabbed my hand trying to cool me off with her frost.

“I’m just upset that you were caught in the middle of this.” I looked at her with a sad look on my face. She leaned on my shoulder to make me feel better and if I’m being honest with myself it does. We just cuddle together for a while and just bask in each other’s company.

Ario, Cadmus’ father

I hear my wife banging on the door screaming for a guard.

“Let me out of here! I am a queen for crying out loud!” I rolled my eyes and brought her the snack she wanted. Meats and cheese on a cutting board. Even on house arrest she has to be classy.

“You may go, I’ll handle queen Adelinda.” The guards didn’t need much of an excuse to leave and they left in a hurry. Guess she’s been really bothering them. Not surprising. I knock on the door and let myself in.

“About time you got here! I’m practically starving!” She grabs the board from my hands and very dainty eats her snack.

“Somehow I highly doubt that.” I mumble under my breath.

“Why am I even on house arrest?? I didn’t do anything!?” She shouts at me and I just laugh at her.

“DIDN’T DO ANYTHING?! How about our future daughter-in-law being put to sleep!?” She groans angrily at me like a child and puts down her piece of cheese.

“Do you really expect a peasant to understand royal life? She’s not going to fit in here!” I’ve always hated this about her. So judgemental about the lower-class people in our kingdom all because of their wealth.

“I’m sure she’ll learn well from Cadmus and myself. You don’t have to be royal to be kind, loyal, and respect our people! Which is more than what you’re doing now!” She gasps at me like I’ve wounded her.

“How will she act at parties and balls? Royal dinners? When other diplomats come!? She needs to be prepared! We don’t want some commoner playing princess!” She may be my wife but at this very moment I kind of wish she wasn’t. I’m pissed off at her and yet why do I still love her?

“Is that why you asked the volcano princess to come? Is she still here?” I’d have a piece of my mind if she was. I hear the bathroom door open and the darn princess is still here! “What in dragon gods are you still doing in my palace?! I thought you left to go back home crying like the little girl you are!”

“Because I told her, she could stay with me!” She holds her close as if she was our daughter and not the one laying in Cadmus' room recovering from this attack!

“I should throw both of you in the dungeon! Both of you have threatened our future princess and I should’ve done it myself!” I could feel my dragon, Aeros, stirring within me. He’s just as upset with them as I am.”

“Now, now dear. Let’s not let that temper of yours make you do something you’ll regret.” She says it in a desperate tone, but to be honest I didn’t care at the moment.

“That ‘peasant’ is our son’s mate whether or not you like it. YOU-” I point to the princess sitting next to my wife on our bed. “YOU should’ve left when you had the chance! From now on while you are in my kingdom you will be in my dungeon. Say goodbye to your friend. I will personally escort you to the dungeon myself. I will personally find the most peasant looking dress I can find and you will wear it for as long as you are in the dungeon!” Princess Kindra screams and holds onto Adelinda for dear life, but I pull her off as hard as I could.

“Say goodbye to the cushy life!” Aeros and I growl at her and she continues to cry. I hear Adelinda crying out to her, but I don’t listen. “You can join her! I have no problem ruling this kingdom with Cadmus and Wyvern!”

“Don’t even mention that peasant’s name around me!” She covers her ears like a child and I smirk.

“Wyvern… Wyvern! Wyvern!” I keep on saying her name just to make her squirm. Is it childish of a king to do this… yes. Do I really care at this moment, no!

“How can you stand to be near her!? Just being near the peasants makes my skin crawl!”

“Oh, please she’s our family whether you like it or not! Right now I’m wondering if accepting our mate bond was the right decision!” She gasps at me faking her hurt.

“You don’t mean that, do you?!”

“Yes, I do! Right now you’re a spoiled brat who isn’t getting her way! I may love you, but this is treason that you and your petty friend have committed! You have me and our son in a bind! Do you have any idea what the punishment for treason is!?” She shakes her head no to which I’m not surprised… probably didn’t pay attention in her civics classes when she became queen or didn’t have any! I tried to take a deep breath to calm myself and Aeros down. “The punishment is either… death, dungeon time and a hefty fine, or in your case stripped of your dragon and live life as a peasant.” She let out the most pitiful cry I’ve ever heard!

“Ugh, those are all bad!” She wails between her ugly crying. Her once beautiful makeup now smeared.

“Well, if you’re lucky and you live life as a peasant we have that cabin in the woods.” She wailed louder since she hated it there. Whenever I’d take Cadmus hunting or camping there she’d stay behind and ‘watch over the castle.’ “Also, I’d have to reject you as my mate, wife and queen… and find a more suitable one…” I probably should’ve done that a long time ago, but hey young and innocent love, right? I met her when we were of age to get our dragons at 16 and we were inseparable. Once we were crowned as king and queen she let the power get to her head… but I miss the woman I fell in love with all those years ago… “I must go… Cadmus needs at least one of us to support him! I support his choice because that’s who the dragon gods chose to be his mate and if you don’t like that then too bad! You can’t baby him forever! All these years of arranged marriages, parading Cadmus like a prized bull, and all these girls randomly showing up it’s going to stop!” I growled at her and she winced… she never has before. “I’ll check in on you around dinner… give you a decent meal.” I turned towards the door leaving her with her thoughts.

“Wait! What about Princess Kindra?” Adelinda asked me while my hand was on the door handle.

“As for her… the one who gave Wyvern the actual poison… you may have brewed it, but she gave it to her!’ I growled at them. “She will get what she deserves! Formally you will get a trial, but Cadmus and myself will hand out the punishment!” Aeros and I growl directly in the fake princess’ face. “After all, Cadmus is furious at the both of you for what you’ve done. I’m sure he’d love to take some aggression out.” The ladies cry and I just roll my eyes. “I’ll send a guard for your dinners.” I turn the handle and leave to find Cadmus and Wyvern.