The Dragon King's Bride

Trust

The massive blazing fire burned brightly, high up several meters into the sky as thick black smoke rose even higher above it into the air for miles around.

Castle Veenah was now burning to the ground off in the distance as the Dragon King’s procession rode over the hill at a rapid pace away from it.

Lord Blaine, the treacherous snake, was dead.

Having been burned alive by some unknown force, their host had met his maker and as punishment for his betrayal King Draxus had commanded that his home was to burn; to become nothing but ash and rubble along with its master.

He had his dragon see to that on his behalf.

The gigantic, shadowed winged creature could be seen off in the distance circling around the rising smoke, as if revelling in the glory of its created c*****e.

It was the same black dragon that had paid them a visit on the night of their wedding, back at Castle Woodsend.

Lillian didn’t know much about dragons, in fact she knew nothing about them.

But she had a feeling that this particular dragon was linked in some mystical way to her new husband, somehow.

One day she would ask him to tell her why he was called the Dragon King.

The servant women under Lord Blaine’s command were all freed and allowed to leave unharmed, but every single hired mercenary was hunted down and slain for their betrayal.

Draxus wanted to make a statement for this crime; one that would show his power and lack of mercy for betrayal.

Having only her torn crimson gown to cover her exposed body, Lillian now had a large, thick blanket draped over her shoulders to conceal her breasts from the view of others.

She felt abused, physically and mentally from her unfortunate ordeal.

Lillian currently sat inside of the carriage as it bobbed along from side to side, making its way down the rocky road.

General Shasharan sat on the chair opposite her.

He was there to keep her company after such a horrific experience.

It was the King’s command before their departure; that he remain with her for her own protection and peace of mind.

At least until they reached their next destination.

Like everyone else in attendance during the attack on Blaine’s forces, Shasharan had witnessed the treacherous Lord bursting into flames as if by magic and wondered how such a thing was even possible.

How had it happened and what had caused his death?

Shasharan had also seen the glow of Lillian’s eyes when it happened, only for a brief moment, but long enough to be noticed.

He wondered whether the two were connected in some way, though he did not know how.

“You can stop staring at me like that!” Lillian suddenly announced, breaking the awkward silence between them.

She looked at the General as she casually rested her back against the interior wall of the carriage while it continued to bump along.

He raised a brow in question.

“Like... what?”

“Like I’m going to suddenly sprout horns or something... I told you, I don’t know what happened.” she explained.

“What do you remember?”

“I remember he had a dagger held at my throat!” she replied sternly, clearly unimpressed by it.

His lips pressed tightly together as he nodded slowly.

“Yes, as do I. But do you remember how you got free of his grasp?” he continued to calmly interrogate her.

She sat in silence for a moment trying to recall the events leading up to Lord Blaine’s unfortunate demise.

Glancing down at her right wrist, she hesitated for a second and the General could see this.

He needed to try and earn her trust to learn more.

“It’s alright. You can tell me what happened.”

Lillian wasn’t entirely sure whether she could trust him; she didn’t know who she could trust anymore.

The world was a lot more unforgiving, violent and traumatic than she had ever believed it to be.

But she trusted her gut, and her gut had always told her that Shasharan had a kind heart.

That he was one who genuinely cared about her well-being.

When at last she spoke her voice was softer, more vulnerable.

“He was holding onto me so tightly, I could feel the blade as it began slicing through my skin... I panicked.”

He moved to sit beside her, in an effort to comfort her as tears began to form.

“You’re safe now... go on.”

She blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek.

“I noticed the marking on my wrist... it was glowing. And I don’t know how it happened, but... I closed my eyes and...”

She paused, seeming to feel great shame for what she would say next.

“...I willed him to burn. To light on fire.”

Shasharan’s eyes narrowed in thought as she continued.

“It was as if I had somehow commanded the fire to appear and burn him, and it did. It doesn’t make any sense, I know.”

She looked at him now, her eyes filled with tears.

“How could I do such a thing? I killed a man!”

Seeing his Queen in such a vulnerable state before him the General didn’t know what to believe.

However, he did know that she needed comforting, to help her gain a better understanding of what had happened.

But he was unsure of how to do it.

She was after all his Queen.

He knew what his own eyes had seen during the attack, but could he believe it to be true?

Bravely placing a hand on top of hers, he smiled warmly.

“You did what you needed to do in order to survive, my Queen. Any of us would have done the same, had it of been us in your position.”

She furrowed her brows with obvious concern as he went on.

“That man, he betrayed you. He betrayed our King, and now he has paid for his crimes with his life.”

Lillian looked down in shame.

“I can’t believe this is happening. I still don’t understand why Draxus chose me to become his Queen in the first place.” Lillian said shaking her head.

“He could have any woman he wanted, anyone else in the entire world...”

“But instead he chose you. Why do you think that is, hmm?”

Shasharan tilted his head to the side, his brow raised in question.

“I have absolutely no idea.” she replied dryly.

The General gently took both of her hands in his as he spoke.

“He chose you Lillian, because of how special you are.”

“Special?” she asked in surprise.

“Everyone keeps saying that... but I don’t understand, what’s so special about me?”

Shasharan frowned for a moment.

“Wait, who’s... everyone?” he asked.

Lillian rolled her eyes as she replied.

“You, the King, that woman I met in the carriage on our way to Castle Veenah this morning...”

Shasharan’s expression changed instantaneously.

“Wait, what woman?”

Not only had his demeanour suddenly changed but his grip on both of her hands had become tighter as he stared directly into her bright emerald eyes.

“You met a woman? In this carriage? When?”

She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders as she replied.

“I don’t know, she was there one moment and then gone the next.”

He seemed extremely worried now.

“This woman, what did she look like?” he interrogated calmly.

She closed her eyes for a second as she tried to recall their encounter, though it was hardly one she could think to forget.

Opening them again, Lillian began to report aloud her memories of the strange woman who had visited her.

“Uh... black hair and oh, she had the strangest white eyes I’ve ever seen...” Lillian began, but stopped as Shasharan visibly tensed up.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“We need to speak with the King immediately.” he announced, reaching up and banging hard against the roof of the carriage three times; a signal to stop.

General Shasharan didn’t know what was going on, but one thing he did know was that if it was in fact the sorceress Rayvinn who had snuck into the carriage to visit Lillian, there had to have been a reason for it.

Seconds later the carriage came to a halt and Lillian could hear several men shouting out.

“Halt! Company halt!”

“General, tell me what’s going on!” she demanded as he turned to face her for a second in thought.

He let out a short sigh.

Honestly, he felt for her. She had no idea of just how deep she was in the middle of a mystical war which dated back over a thousand years.

But he would not be the one to explain things to her.

Instead, he would leave that unfortunate task to his King.

“Remain here. I will have a quick word with the King and return shortly.” he explained vaguely, intentionally dodging her question.

“But I-”

“-No, you must remain here. Please, it’s for your own safety.”

He opened the carriage door outward and climbed down the three stairs, stopping at the bottom and turning to face her one last time.

“I’ll return shortly, I promise.”

With a forced smile he closed the carriage door as several soldiers marched across to him, intent on finding out why their procession had been stopped so suddenly.

General Shasharan was gone from view a moment later as he marched off accompanied by those soldiers, toward the head of their procession to speak with the King.

Leaving Lillian alone… yet again.

Who was that woman who had visited her earlier on that morning?

The one with the long black hair and glowing white eyes... the one so interested in her marking.

And why did the General seem so frightened about her visit?

What was Lillian missing in all of this?