A maiden is expected to marry into nobility to uphold the family name's honour. However, come the night of her wedding, the mysterious dragon shifter she encountered in the forest has other ideas, starting by invading her carriage.
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《· of fate's muse ·》
~°~
Audrey streaked through the woods, recalling the various peculiarities the woods seeded to trail back to the dragon-hybrid man. The claw marks slashed through a tree. A soft streamlet weaving through a cluster of moss-furred rocks. Finally, the glowing fungi which sprouted through a deer's cracked skull.
Shadows cowered back from the lantern's hue as the woman mounted a familiar fallen log. The moisture from its mossy coat cushioned her raw feet. For a moment, Audrey stilled. A pleased sigh coxed out of her as the streamlet trickled down her ears.
Closer now.
"Do you know where you take us, miss?"
Approaching from behind, the subtle clatter from his carrier signalled the blacksmith's movements. The question laced his tone with blatant scepticism; he doubted her.
"I do," she mumbled, more concentrated on spotting the next seeded peculiar.
"Oh?" The blacksmith hauled himself over the mossy log. There he stood in front of her, brows risen as an expression for her attention. "Then why do we stop?"
Audrey peered down at him, silent for a moment. She wasn't about to confess the agony of her feet, having no desire to be looked down on. Instead, the woman boldly crossed her arms as she clearly had the higher ground. Literally.
"You doubt me?"
The man stayed as was. Unbothered. "I said nothing of the sort."
"You needn't."
Dropping to the ground, Audrey winced at the sudden intrusion of a broken twig against her sensitive foot. At her discomfort, the blacksmith gave a questionable eye, but Audrey merely cleared her throat, striding off again. She would like to think her limp wasn't noticeable.
Side by side, lanterns in hand, the pair sauntered the sleeping trees. Though, the woman knew nought of what prowled between the moonless depths, which made it that more disturbing.
Livia was always the more daring one whom most likely went dashing through the omnibus trees without a care for the consequences. If Audrey had to guess how her sister encountered the dragon man, her reckless run through the woods would be Audrey's first and most confident assumption. I wouldn't believe anything else.
Lifting her lantern, the woman caught sight of soft radiance in the near distance; the glowing fungi. A sense of ease breathed past her lips, which earned her another questionable brow arch.
"You never said what your name was," Audrey spoke gently—partially to distract him from her obvious limp. Stupid twig.
The man breathed a soft hmph. "That's funny, considering the lassie ran off before I had the chance."
