The Dragon King's Bride

Lord Blaine

Now having heard the unexpected news of the Dragon King’s new bride, Lord Blaine’s smug expression was suddenly wiped clean as he looked between the two in utter shock, his mouth agape and his eyes wide as he tried to allow this to slowly sink in.

“Your... wife, my lord?” he aimed to clarify.

Draxus raised his left brow as he spoke.

“That’s what I said. You have the privilege of being one of the first to address the new Queen of Westoria.”

“My apologies King Draxus, I had no idea you were even married.” Lord Blaine admitted in surprise.

“But of course that’s splendid news, congratulations to the both of you! We must celebrate!”

Entering the room just in time, the servant girls proceeded to begin pouring the crimson red wine into several shiny glass goblets and handing them out across the room, ensuring that Draxus was the first to receive one of course.

As a servant girl went to hand one to Lillian, who was reaching out for it with a gentle smile, Draxus raised his gloved hand to intercept as he spoke with his usually commanding tone.

“No! None for her.”

Lillian frowned, anger fuelling her as she turned to glare at him, then speaking her mind without thinking.

“Seriously, this again?”

Everyone in the room looked to her, including the infuriated amber eyes of her husband, Draxus.

At that moment she realised that perhaps she should have kept her mouth closed, but it angered her that he felt the need to make decisions for her all of the time.

What she was to wear, what she could eat or drink, where she could go.

It never stopped!

What about her feelings, her cravings and ambitions?

Draxus’ voice was stern, as if he were silently fighting the urge to snap at Lillian for her insolence.

“General, my Queen needs some fresh air. Take her for a walk in the courtyard.” Draxus commanded smoothly, taking a sip from his glass goblet and turning away from her.

“Of course.” Shasharan replied, bowing his head and moving across to take Lillian by the arm gently.

He assisted her to stand.

With a subtle huff Lillian walked along with the General as they left the room and made their way out into the small courtyard with the transparent excuse of getting some fresh air.

She didn’t need fresh air; what she really needed was to punch her new husband right in his big, fat, ugly face!

Or at least that’s what she thought.

As soon as they were outside the General quickly turned to face her, grasping her by both of her shoulders and with a worried expression masking his face.

“If I may, my Queen... speaking back to the King in such a way... it was very unwise.”

Lillian’s brow furrowed together as she wondered what he had meant by his comment, it had clearly caught her off guard.

The General looked panicked and his grip on her shoulders was quite firm.

“What are you talking about?”

Shasharan sighed.

“As his Queen you must watch your tongue at all times. Never challenge his word, especially in the presence of others. He will surely punish you for this...” the General trailed off, looking away and releasing her shoulders.

“Wait, what do you mean by punish?” Lillian queried with concern.

Shasharan let out yet another loud sigh.

“The Dragon King is well-known throughout the lands. His reputation is what makes him so powerful, so feared-”

“-Oh, I know all about my new husband’s fearsome reputation. He’s a merciless monster who kills men, women and children... burns down villages and-”

He interrupted her, shaking his head.

“-No, no... I’m afraid you are mistaken, Your Highness. My King does what is necessary to lead his people. Though he is greatly feared throughout the land, he is not the monster you believe him to be. Not... entirely anyway.” Shasharan explained, a solemn expression painted across his face.

Lillian was confused to hear this as she followed along behind him as he began to walk slowly around the outer courtyard to continue their discussion.

“But, the stories I’ve heard. The lives he’s taken, Kingdoms crushed beneath the soles of his very feet... You’re telling me they’re not true?”

“Mere tales, my lady. Concocted by fools. Nothing more than rumours spread like a virus throughout a fear-fuelled world.”

He paused and turned to face her with a gentle smile.

“I serve my King because I believe in him. In what he is fighting to do in such a cruel and unforgiving world.”

Lillian thought to herself for a moment; ‘a cruel and unforgiving world’ - he wasn’t wrong there!

But before she could voice a reply three of Lord Blaine’s servant women suddenly approached them, the one in the middle speaking with her head still lowered and refusing to make eye contact with them.

A sure gesture of respect.

“General Shasharan. We have been given orders to escort the Queen up to the garment chamber to be fitted for a royal wardrobe, as per King Draxus’ wishes.” the servant with the long brown hair announced, still unable to make eye contact as she spoke.

Shasharan seemed uncertain.

He had not been told any of this and his last command from the King was to keep an eye on the Queen... to keep her safe.

And he intended on doing just that.

“I have heard no such command.” he argued sternly.

“The command was given to us only a moment ago, by the King himself. You can check with him if you are uncertain, my lord General.” the servant continued to explain.

“Though he was quite insistent we begin immediately. I would hate to anger him, I fear what he may do to us...”

After a moment of thinking it over in hesitation, Shasharan turned to face Lillian who could see the obvious uncertainty reflecting from his dark eyes.

She smiled to calm him.

“You can go and check, I’ll be fine waiting here.”

“Are you sure?” his voice showed obvious concern as he frowned.

“I’m not alone. Go on.”

She gestured with her head and he nodded, making his way back into the meeting room to receive his orders face to face from his King.

As Lillian watched the General marching quickly down the hall, then in through the doorway she felt somewhat relaxed.

It was the first time she had been allowed to go anywhere unescorted by Draxus and his men since the wedding and it did indeed feel good to have that freedom returned to her.

“My Queen, this way.” the brunette servant gestured with her arm held out and pointing down the hallway in the opposite direction.

“I... Er, I should probably remain here until the General returns.” Lillian reminded, taking yet another glance towards the doorway Shasharan had just walked through.

“I would hate to worry him further-”

“-The General will soon hear the same command we were given, Your Highness. You need not worry. You are in safe hands.” the servant smiled convincingly, lowering Lillian’s defensive walls and apparently persuading her.

Returning the servant’s smile, Lillian finally nodded and began to follow along after the three servant girls.

Soon afterward Lillian had been led out of the courtyard and into another part of the castle entirely.

Meanwhile, King Draxus and Lord Blaine were happily reminiscing of happier times.

The pair were chuckling at something they had said as the door suddenly opened and Shasharan stepped inside unaccompanied.

As soon as the General emerged Draxus caught sight of him and realised that he was alone.

His anger flared immediately as he sat up straight in his seat.

“General, where is the Queen?” he interrogated sternly.

“You were instructed to remain with her at all times.”

“My apologies King Draxus. I was just advised that you asked for the Queen to be escorted upstairs for some kind of a fitting? I have come to confirm this...” General Shasharan queried, seemingly confused as to why Draxus would be acting this surprised.

But the expression on Draxus’ face told him everything he needed to know; he had been lied to!

“General, I have given no such command!” the King announced angrily, rising up from his seated position.

“Now where is she?”

Just as the General was about to turn and run out through the doorway to find Lillian, Shasharan suddenly noticed them and froze.

It was the same three servant women who had relayed the message to him only moments earlier in the courtyard!

They were standing behind Lord Blaine’s chair.

But how had they managed to get from the courtyard to this room before he had?

It wasn’t humanly possible!

He pointed at them with an expression of both fear and surprise as he spoke, trying desperately to explain to his angered King.

“Those three girls... they were the ones who spoke to us! My King, they informed me of your command. But how is this possible?” Shasharan was making no sense.

Lord Blaine frowned, standing from his chair to defend his servants from such accusations.

“Now, General. I’m afraid that you’re mistaken. These three girls have been in our company the entire time. They’ve not once left our sight.” Lord Blaine reminded calmly.

“I don’t understand... I could have sworn it was those exact girls.”

Shasharan was beginning to doubt himself, but Draxus knew better.

He knew just how conniving Lord Blaine could be when an interesting opportunity was dangled so temptingly in front of him.

As soon as his amber eyes fixed on his host, Lord Blaine’s expression gave him away.

His guilt shining through like a torchlight and the slender man simply shrugged with a smirk.

“I guess you got me there...” he admitted, coyly.

“Blaine, you slimy son-of-a-b***h, where the hell is she!” Draxus boomed, his voice deep and commanding as he glared at the cocky Lord and suddenly rose up to his feet.

“Master?” Shasharan was confused.

“What’s going on?”

“It would appear that we’ve all been tricked, General!” Draxus snapped making his way across the room to where his helmet sat atop the silk pillow on the table.

But before he had managed to reach it the Dragon King suddenly began to slow down as his body started feeling extremely heavy.

His vision became blurry and it felt almost impossible to remain standing as he fumbled and fell onto a nearby chair for support with a loud grunt.

“King Draxus!” General Shasharan quickly moved to his King’s side to aid him.

Draxus’ breathing had become heavier now as he turned to look up at Lord Blaine who merely stood watching with a deviant smirk.

Suddenly and without warning everyone else around the room began dropping to the floor like flies, one by one.

Everyone loyal to the Dragon King, that is.

“You treacherous bastard! I’ll... I’ll kill you for this...”

And just like that the mighty Dragon King fell down onto the chair, out like a light.

“King Draxus! Draxus, wake up!”

Shasharan shook his King’s unconscious body vigorously, then glancing around at the floor covered in their soldier’s bodies.

He was the only one who remained and he glared over at their treacherous host, his hand moving down to grasp at the handle of his long sword.

“Oh General...” Lord Blaine taunted, shaking his head slowly from side to side.

“Why couldn’t you just have some wine like everyone else?”