An Arranged Marriage With A Dragon!?

Chapter 3

The next morning, I awoke and found a necklace box on top of my pillow with a note attached, I thought it wise to read the note first. The note was from Drata, I’m honestly a little nervous because I’m starting to develop feelings for him. I really, he didn’t put any kind of spell on me to make me feel this way about him, well lets read the note:

 Jeanette, I thought this would look beautiful on you. I’ve been feeling rather bad about how I first treated you when we met, and I’d like to tell you that I’ve thought of you every day and I couldn’t find a way to express how I feel about you hopefully this necklace will be a good starting point. If you feel as I do, please where it for our date in tomorrow. ~Drata.

After reading the note that he left for me I felt touched, it’s hard not to feel the same way he does. But do I love him? Do I care for him? How do I truly feel about him? Just as I was thinking this my maids came in to help dress me and to also tell me that my father wished to see me this morning after breakfast. Well, no good can come from this, the last time father summoned me was a month ago to tell me that he agreed to an arranged marriage with Drata, I only hope father hasn’t found a better offer I’d hate to have to leave him. Drata is quite nice when he’s not in a bad mood and I like that.

After I finished breakfast, I went to the study, when I walked in, I was quite surprised to see father with a mysterious woman a woman with light gray blue eyes just like Drata’s, but her hair was different, it was fire red with white tinge. “Good morning Jeanie” my father said “Good Morning Father” I said politely “I’d like to introduce you to Drata’s Mother, Lady Fira Dynia” my father said finally introducing the beautiful stranger, “it’s a pleaser to finally meet my son’s future betrothed, I offer my deepest apologies that I didn’t greet you last night I had rat to kill so to speak” Fira said Drata’s mother is so beautiful and she seems quite nice “No I should apologize, I came there last night with no prior notice and for that I am sorry.” I said bashfully I didn’t even hear her get up from her seat, but before I knew it, she took my hand and held it tenderly “It’s quite alright, I’d rather you come to him as opposed to someone else, so please no need for apologies besides my son finally has a smile on his face. You see he hasn’t smiled for quite some time because of the rat I had to deal with last night as I said, whatever you did I’d like to see this smile on his face more. I think that I should ask her if you don’t mind Sir Castin?”  my father thought for a moment then nodded in approval while saying “very well Lady Fira” “What I as about to ask you was, if you would like to move into the castle with my son? and if you prefer you can have a separate from him until you marry?” Lady Fira said while looking into my eyes almost as if she’s trying to find something maybe she’s trying to see what Drata sees. After thinking about it for a moment “I hope that you don’t mind me asking for a little more time on deciding that I’m still trying to figure out some things before I do consider that” after I said that I started to fiddle with the necklace that he has given me, when I looked up, I saw her smiling at me almost in a coy way. “Maybe you and I should talk in private my dear” she said while still smiling I wonder did I say something that made her angry? Is this the calm before the storm? Nevertheless, I agreed “alright we can go to the rose garden is that private enough Lady Fria?” I asked her “Yes dear one, that will do very nicely besides I could do with a walk amongst some flowers” I bowed to my father and led Lady Fria to the beautiful family rose garden where we have numerous types of wonderful roses but my favorite amongst the family roses was our blue roses. As we entered the rose garden Lady Fria was in awe at how beautiful they all were, as she began to smell some flowers, I couldn’t help but carefully pluck one of my favorites to put into my room. “what’s that one dear? Oh, my what a beautiful blue rose! Is this one your favorite?” Lady Fria asked me I nodded and said, “yes this is my favorite rose amongst all of the roses that grow in our garden, but Lady Fria what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?” she looked almost taken aback but quickly bounced back to her what I believe to be her usual self  “I asked to speak with you in private because I wanted to ask about the necklace that your wearing? And if your having trouble deciding because your not sure how you feel about my son just yet?” she asked me I took a deep breath “Lord Drata gave me the necklace I found it once I awoken this morning, and as for why I’m having trouble deciding is because I do believe that I may be developing feelings for him but I’m not quite sure yet. I’m hoping after our date tomorrow night that I’ll be able to decide if I wish to stay near him or not” I said she smiled and nodded her head then she said, “alright then I’ll let him know of what is happening dear one, I cannot wait until the day you join our family, Jeanette oh and sweet one please don’t forget to hold your skirt.” With that she transformed into her dragon self and her dragon was just as beautiful as her human counterpart scales as red as blood with a beautiful mane of white and to top it off her eyes were crystal gray. She began to walk away from me and flap her humongous wings I was still dazed with her beauty that I didn’t notice that my dress began to flap up luckily, I remembered to hold onto my skirts.

After Lady Fria left, I decided I wanted to get a new dress that Drata might like so town I must go, I decided I should go to town I asked Zira to go with me thankfully she agreed, and I promised her that I’d make it quick poor Zira she absolutely hates dress shopping. Maybe I should go to the village witch dressmaker I’ve always heard that she can make dresses that would please the eyes of both the wearer and their intended and if I go to her that’s just one place and Zira should be alright with that. “Zira? Do you know anything about the witch dressmaker?” I asked her hoping that she might know where the witch might be, she was deep in thought then suddenly remembered “yes milady I know exactly where she is as well as who if that’s what you were about to ask me her whereabouts?” Zira said, luckily she likes witches “can you take me straight to where she is please? So that way we wont have to shop around for a lovely dress” I said to her. “I’ll take you straight to her milady!”

After about thirty minutes we arrived at a cozy little cottage just outside of town we dismounted our horses and made our way to the cottage when we arrived at the door the witch must’ve sensed us or possibly saw us coming for the door opened and a moderately beautiful older woman came out. “May I help you Lady Orian?” she already knew my name? I suppose I shouldn’t let that surprise me too much “Yes, I’d like to buy a dress from you, I’ve heard from others that your dresses are quite beautiful and that you can make dresses that don’t just suit the woman but her intended as well is this true? Ms.?” I said to her trying to learn her name so I don’t have to address her as witch which that can be quite rude, and I want to avoid that if necessary. “My name is Rika Crones milady, and yes everything you have heard is true I can do that for you, would you please step inside? Would you like to come in as well knight?” she said I went inside, and Zira just decided to stay outside, and watch Rika understood and got her a nice chair to sit on while she waits for me to finish “we shall start with the measurements milady could you strip down to your undergarments so I may get an accurate measure?” she asked me I nodded and did as she asked me. I didn’t realize it was almost late, but I was glad to hear that we were done with the measurements, and she began on the dress using magic to guide the needles “the dress shall be done in twenty minutes milady” she said to me “thank you very much Ms. Rika!” I said to her with a big smile excited to see what the dress would look like. I decided to ready the money that I brought hopefully it will be enough for the dress I have forgotten completely to ask her what her fee for such a unique dress was.

Twenty minutes passed quickly, and she asked me to try the dress on before we left, and I did luckily the dress she made didn’t require any help I got into it very quickly. It was an extravagant red with white undertones and fit my body very snugly. It was a sleek mermaid styled dress with a beautiful short silk shawl that was white as well. After I confirmed this was the kind of dress, I was looking for my date with Drata I asked her “how much is this beautiful dress? I love it very much” after she configured the pricing of the materials, she used she came up with a figure that wasn’t that bad for this type of dress. “The dress is 17,000 wix milady” Rika said I heard Zira gasp from astonishment and horror “That’s fine I’ll pay it since you did a wonderful job and gave me the dress is seek” as I took off the dress and put back on my garments she packed it into a beautiful box and said “the box is about of the fee milady and I already put it into the configuration and just rounded it up for you.” I nodded and handed her the money and Zira took the package and readied our horses but before we left, I decided that if my date tomorrow goes well, I want Rika to make my wedding dress. “Ms. Rika can you make wedding dresses?” I asked her she raised a brow and said, “but of course milady, is the wedding soon?” I shook my head and said, “no but the wedding is a few months after my birthday in late October” she nodded and said then in October I shall visit you milady and take new measurements, good day to you both and ride carefully!” she said as she waved us goodbye and went back inside.

We rode hard back home and when we arrived, I was met a lovely bouquet of blue roses with babies’ breath in them plus a note attached “Jeanette, I heard that your favorite flowers are blue roses and I couldn’t help myself, I can’t wait for our date tomorrow ~love Drata”

I can not believe I’m having such a wonderful day today first the beautiful necklace then the lovely visit from Lady Fria and the wonderful dress I got from Ms. Rika and now a beautiful bouquet of flowers from a beautiful man. What more can this joyous day bring me!