The Dragon Prince

Fated

Aideon

I watched as Arya tossed and turned in her sleep, obviously plagued by nightmares beyond my imagination. I'd been keeping an eye on her for a while now, even before she'd stepped foot into Faerie.

I'd first spotted her one night in the human world. I'd finally managed to slip away from my Court, the pressure of soon being crowned King of the Ice Court weighing down on me heavily. I'd never been particularly keen on taking the position, but with my parents having passed, and my older sister now unfit for the throne, I was the only suitable Heir.

In the form of a great white eagle, I soared over the old lush forest at the base of a small mountain range. I reveled in the feeling of my temporary freedom, the strain of the court being whipped away in the icy wind.

That was when I felt the pull.

I let my wings guide me, sending me swooping down to perch on a high branch of an aging oak. I scanned the forest floor for whatever my senses had drawn me to, the heightened vision of my current form picking up movement below.

Then, I saw her.

My heart stopped as I saw her curtain of long black hair and lithe figure traipsing through the forest beneath me. The pulling sensation intensified, it was all I could do to keep myself from soaring down in front of her and shifting.

I tried desperately to reign in my scattered thoughts, my mind racing.

I'd heard plenty of stories of Fae finding their mates, the most famous of which coming from the Dark Court and their Queens. But I'd never sought mine out, choosing instead to keep to myself. Being prince of the Ice Court was already tiresome enough, dealing with the mate bond was the last thing on my mind.

The tugging sensation came to a c****x as she passed right below where I was perched, causing me to falter. I decided that I had to at least catch a glance of her face, if nothing else.

I flew down to the forest floor a good distance into the trees behind her, shifting into a small white rabbit and landing on four feet. I took off in the direction she'd been heading, following the sensation of the bond, knowing it would take me straight to her.

I found her seated on a large boulder, her face buried in a book. She seemed completely at ease in the forest, almost blending in with the scenery around her. I watched her for a moment, building my courage, then hopped out of the foliage towards her.

She glanced up from her novel, a heart stopping smile erupting on her beautiful face. Ice blue eyes met my own and I knew.

This is my mate.

She dropped down on her knees in front of me, a delicate hand outstretched in my direction. She cooed at me quietly, coaxing me to come closer.

"It's okay little one, come on." I took a few hops forward, my nerves lessening as I came within reach of her fingertips. She stroked a warm hand down my soft fur, sending shockwaves of warmth through my small body.

"Well aren't you sweet, you must be someone's pet. Come on, I'll take you home." She reached to grab me, causing me to panic. I jumped away quickly and darted off into the forest, hearing her let out a sad cry behind me.

I ran deep into the forest, not stopping until I felt I'd put enough distance between myself and the girl I knew was still somewhere in the woods. Choosing to shift back into my Fae form, I sat against a tall pine.

I was visibly shaken, my heart pounding in my ears as I tried to clear my thoughts. I could still feel the tug of the bond, steadily pulling me back in the direction I'd just fled.

She didn't feel the bond.

The thought occurred to me abruptly. I could feel it clear as day, but she hadn't reacted. I was puzzled, to say the least. It wasn't unheard of for a Fae to have a human mate, but humans mated to the Fae typically felt the tug of the bond long before their mate did, causing them to search for ways into Faerie, or dabble in magic. They usually had no idea why they were drawn to such things, that is, unless they met their fated partner.

There were ways for humans mated to Fae to be changed, their lives lengthened, or even turned into Fae themselves. But turning a human was generally frowned upon by the Courts, the process being lengthy and dangerous for both the human being turned, and the Fae involved. Most of them resorted to giving their partner drops of their own blood mixed in with powerful herbs, lengthening their short lives.

But this girl... she seemed human, but she had a strange aura around her. She didn't feel the bond, yet she was at home deep in the forest.

I was stunned.

From that day forward, I decided I would keep an eye on her. I needed to know more about this strange human I was mated to. I told myself it was for her own safety, though that wasn't the whole truth.

Suddenly, Arya sat up straight in her bed, breaking me out of the fond memory. I saw a shadow enter her room and let out a growl as the wolf appeared next to her bed. I clenched my fists at my sides, my knuckles turning white at the pressure. I strained my ears to try and hear their conversation, but it seemed the castle had protective wards that blocked out even my advanced hearing.

I watched as he held out a hand to help her up, motioning towards her bathroom. He gave her a kiss on her crown before turning and leaving the room. She stood, walking over to the window. I took in a sharp breath as her gaze wandered to where I was seated in one of the high branches of the glowing tree. She paused for a moment, seemingly searching for something, then turned and went into the other room.

I let out the breath I'd been holding, the mate bond begging me to go after her, to take her with me.

I shook my head at the feeling, the plan I'd yet to enact swirling through my thoughts.

"Not yet." I whispered, before shifting into the enormous eagle and sailing into the perpetual night.