The Dragon King’s Bride

Chapter 6 - First Encounter

"This is not a negotiation, Elara," Chancellor Rorik stated as he walked alongside her across the Royal Assembly Hall's main hall. His employees made last, echoing clicks against the marble floor. You've resisted long enough. The Dragon Prince is waiting, and the council will not put up with any further delays.

Elara turned to face him and paused her steps, her silver hair swinging. Rorik, you have already decided my fate. Allow me to breathe before you link me to a stranger; what will happen?

"The damage," Rorik said, his voice harsh, "is wasting precious time. This marriage is the kingdom's last hope. You may not trust Kael Drakos, but you may believe the prophecy—or at least the stakes.

Elara took long breaths to maintain her calm. Ahead was the Royal Assembly Hall, its soaring doors etched with pictures of past battles and bloody treaties. She'd gone along these halls many times before, but tonight, they felt heavier and colder. Her heart hammered as she approached the door, and her hesitation felt like a physical burden.

Kael Drakos stood at the far end of the hall, taking a royal and austere stance. He wore traditional dragon shifter attire, a black, heavily embroidered coat that sparkled gently with power. His demeanor was mysterious, but his penetrating amber eyes followed Elara's every movement as she entered the room.

The council members sat on the sides of the hall, gazing between the two figures as if waiting for the storm to break. Rorik's voice broke through the silence, formal and direct. "Elara Ravenscroft and Kael Drakos—Your marriage is more than a prophecy; it is a matter of necessity. Today, you represent the hope of the kingdom, not individuals.

Elara's eyes turned to Kael, and her jaw arched in outrage. "I don't need hope prescribed to me."

Kael's mouth moved to create a faint smile. Neither do I.

The room remained quiet, and the tension between Elara and Kael was evident. Elara moved forward, her silver eyes penetrating and unwaveringly fixed on him. "Let's not pretend this is anything else than what it is—an obligation forced on us by a council too afraid to admit they've already lost control."

Kels lifted an eyebrow, his remarks cold and sharp. I anticipated the Moon Weaver would act more diplomatically in this scenario.

Elara said, "Diplomacy is for those who are asked, not ordered." Her power surged around her, leaving a silvery glitter trail around the borders of her shape.

Kael's vision narrowed somewhat, with a faint trace of his power buzzing around. "then I suppose we will have to maximize this 'obligation.'" Unless, of course, you decide to leave and let the kingdom fall.

Elara's jaw stiffened, and her hands tightened into fists. "Don't assume you know what Dragon Prince likes."

Their words felt like a sharp, dangerous sword suspended in the air. The council members shifted awkwardly about them, their voices scarcely audible. Rorik cleared his throat with a harsh tone. "That is sufficient. Your involvement determines the kingdom's survival. Personal grudges must be set aside.

Elara and Kael both stared, locked in an unsaid battle of wills, with neither reacting. Finally, Kael retreated, his visage frozen into something unimaginable. "Very well," he said quietly. "Let us do what is necessary."

Elara's mind raced as the council continued to discuss the union's boundaries. She anticipated Kael to be arrogant, cold, and unyielding. Even if her conclusions were true, she was unable to pinpoint anything else.

Every word he said had a weight to it that felt strangely familiar as if neither of them quite understood. Now, the peculiar, magnetic pull she felt during the raid on Dragon's Keep was nearly tangible, like a thread uniting them.

Kael was also nasty. Elara's defiance was piercing, but her presence was stronger. Though he had anticipated opposition—even hostility—her words had a far greater influence than he could have predicted. Her remarks radiated strength, reflecting his own dissatisfaction with the prophecy and council manipulation.

"Enough," Rorik muttered as his staff pounded the floor once more. "Your marriage has final terms." The event will take place this week, with preparations beginning immediately.

Elara's head shot up, and her expression hardened. "For the next week?" You expect me to give up everything for this nonsense of a fix?

"This is not a farce, Elara," Lord Darius Drakos responded, his tone icy but forceful. "After the sanctuary crumbled, we didn't have much time to spare. The wards are weakening by the day, and the renegade groups will not wait for us to resolve our differences.

And how about our grievances? Kael pointed silently before asking abruptly in low tones. "Are they useless?"

Before speaking, Darius looked at his child with a surprised expression. "Your complaints don't matter, Kael." The prophecy extends beyond individual needs.

Elara responded, "Convenient," her tone tinged with fury.

The hall changed before anyone could react. A deep, repeating hum permeated the space, resembling the temple's heartbeat. Elara's silver magic burst forth, surrounding her like a shield. Kael's amber eyes widened across from her as his own strength elicited a response.

The hum intensified, and magic hummed through the air. Unquestionably, some invisible thread connecting their forces in ways neither of them could predict brought them together. The council members halted their faces, a mix of surprise and unease.

"What is this?" Elara muttered, her voice quivering as the fury surged. Her gaze met Kael's, and for a minute, the conflict between them changed. It was more than just dislike or disobedience, and none of them could articulate it.

Kael pressed on, his voice hushed and low despite the anguish in his chest. "That is the prophecy."

The hum subsided as swiftly as it had begun, leaving the area utterly peaceful. Elara's magic faded, and she staggered back, looking carefully at Kael's. What had just happened had severely affected both of them.

Rorik interrupted the silence with a low but powerful voice. "The prophecy has been delivered. Your union is now a must rather than an option.

Elara averted her gaze, her expression unreadable. She left the hall, but the lingering influence of Kael's strength followed her, reminding her that their destinies were decided regardless of her resistance.