The Dragon Queen: Runaway Bride

Chapter 16: The Training Offer

“The dragon is here!” The guard’s voice echoed through the throne room, sending tension rushing through the air again. Everyone froze for a second before the nobles who hadn't fully left immediately started speaking over each other.

“What now?”

“How did it get this close?”

“This is because of her!”

I felt every stare turn toward me again.

Valdanus moved first. “Clear the entrance.”

The guards quickly rushed out while King Edric’s expression darkened. Estevan stepped closer to the windows, trying to see outside.

Another roar shook the palace walls. Maria grabbed my arm tightly. “Pandora…”

I swallowed hard. Deep down, I already knew. It came because of me. Valdanus looked at me briefly before turning toward his father. “I’ll handle this.”

The king gave a short nod. “Be careful.”

Without another word, Valdanus walked quickly out of the throne room with several guards behind him. Estevan followed almost immediately. The nobles remained restless, whispering nervously among themselves. Some looked angry while others looked genuinely afraid.

I couldn’t stand there anymore. Before anyone could stop me, I turned and hurried out too.

“Pandora!” Maria called after me.

I heard her footsteps following behind. The closer we got to the palace entrance, the louder the noise became. Guards filled the halls while servants hurried away in panic. By the time we reached the large front doors, my heart was beating painfully fast.

The dragon was there. Right outside the palace gates. Its massive body stood still while dozens of guards surrounded it carefully from a distance. Nobody attacked it, but nobody relaxed either.

And just like before…Its eyes were on me. The moment I stepped outside, the dragon let out a low sound. The guards immediately became tense.

Valdanus noticed me instantly and frowned. “Why are you here?”

“I had to see it,” I answered honestly.

“That’s exactly the problem,” one of the nobles behind us snapped.

I ignored him completely. The dragon took one slow step forward. Several guards raised their weapons immediately.

“No!” I said quickly.

Everyone looked at me. I swallowed nervously before speaking again. “Don’t attack it.”

“Pandora….” Maria started nervously.

“It hasn’t hurt anyone,” I continued carefully.

The dragon remained still, almost like it was listening. Valdanus watched both me and the dragon carefully. “Everyone lower your weapons.”

A few guards hesitated. “That is an order,” he said firmly.

Slowly, the weapons lowered. The dragon let out another deep rumbling sound before finally stepping back. My chest loosened a little in relief.

Almost immediately, it spread its wings. The wind hit us hard as the creature pushed itself into the air. Guards stumbled back while people shielded their faces. I watched silently as the dragon circled once above the palace. Then it disappeared into the distance.

Everything went quiet. No one spoke for several seconds. Finally, Estevan let out a breath. “Well… that was dramatic.”

Nobody laughed. I looked down at my hands, my thoughts spinning badly. This was getting worse. Much worse. Later that evening, the palace finally calmed down again. At least on the outside. Inside, the tension remained. I sat quietly near the window in my room while Maria paced around nervously.

“You saw the way they looked at you,” she said. “This is becoming dangerous.”

“I know,” I answered softly.

“No, Pandora, I really mean dangerous.”

I sighed tiredly. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t control this.”

Maria stopped pacing and looked at me sadly. “I just don’t want them turning against you.”

Before I could answer, another knock came at the door. Maria opened it carefully. Valdanus stood there. His expression looked calmer than earlier, but there was still tension in his eyes. “Can we talk?” he asked.

Maria immediately glanced between us before stepping aside. “Of course.”

Valdanus entered quietly while Maria grabbed a small cloth from the table. “I’ll… go help downstairs for a bit,” she said awkwardly before leaving the room.

The door closed behind her. Silence settled instantly. I looked back out the window. “If you came to tell me more people think I’m cursed, I already know.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” he replied.

I turned toward him slowly. For sometime neither of us spoke. Then he finally said, “You hate feeling helpless, don’t you?”

The question caught me off guard. “What?”

“You always look frustrated whenever someone tells you to stay behind,” he continued. “Even when they’re trying to protect you.”

I crossed my arms. “Maybe because I’m tired of always needing protection.”

Something in his expression softened slightly. “I understand that feeling,” he admitted quietly.

That surprised me. I studied him carefully. “Do you?”

He nodded once before walking closer. “Pandora… things are changing around you quickly.”

“That’s obvious.”

“And right now,” he continued calmly, “you don’t know how to protect yourself if things get worse.”

I stayed quiet because deep down… He was right. I hated it, but he was right. “What are you saying?” I asked carefully.

Valdanus looked directly at me. “I want to train you.”

My eyes widened slightly. “Train me?”

“Yes.”

I blinked a few times. “You mean with swords?”

“And combat,” he added. “Movement. Defense. How to survive if someone comes after you.”

I stared at him in shock for a moment. Back in Adengard, I was barely allowed outside without guards surrounding me. My father hated the idea of princesses learning how to fight.

But now…. Someone was offering to teach me. “You’re serious?” I asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Valdanus hesitated slightly before answering. “Because whether I like it or not, trouble seems to follow you.”

I almost laughed. Almost. Then his expression softened again. “And because I think you’re stronger than you realize.”

My chest tightened unexpectedly. Nobody had ever said something like that to me before. Not seriously. Not like they meant it. I looked away quickly. “I’ll probably be terrible.”

“That’s usually how training starts,” he replied.

That small hint of humor in his voice made me smile slightly before I could stop myself. Valdanus noticed. He smiled too. Not the small quick smiles from before. A real one. It changed his entire face.

For a second, I forgot what we were even talking about. Then I quickly looked away before he noticed me staring. “When would training start?” I asked quietly.

“Tomorrow morning,” he answered.

I didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll do it.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly. “That fast?”

“Yes.”

“Most people at least pretend to think about it first.”

I shrugged lightly. “I spent my whole life trapped behind palace walls. I’m done feeling weak.”

Something unreadable passed through his eyes for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. “Alright.”

Silence settled between us again, but this time it didn’t feel awkward. It felt strangely calm.

But guess what? A loud roar echoed faintly outside. Both of us froze slightly. I slowly looked toward the window. That noisy Dragon again. Valdanus sighed softly. “I’m starting to think it waits until things become peaceful.”

I almost smiled again. But then another sound followed the roar. A second roar. My smile disappeared instantly. Valdanus’s expression changed too. Because this roar… Didn’t belong to the same dragon.