The Dragon Prince Arranged Marriage AU

Tense Feelings

"At least you'll be able to kick his ass."

"Runann!"

Then elven caravan made their way through the border of Katolis and were now being escorted by the Katolin guard. Inside one of the carriages, Rayla and her family struggled to pass the time.

"What? I'm tryin to make her feel better." Runann spoke. Runann isn't related by blood, but he and his husband Ethari had cared for Rayla while her parents served as part of the Dragon Guard. The two weren't originally supposed to go, but Rayla put up so such a fuss, that it was agreed to let them accompany the caravan.

"The idea is to get along, not kill the boy." Tiadrin scolded. Tiadrin and Lain were Rayla's blood parents so obviously they were with their daughter.

"Would you both give it a rest; we haven't even met the boy and you're both jumping to extremes." Ethari cut in.

"I agree, it's not even your opinion that matters." Lain said, looking to Rayla.

"If only my opinion mattered in the first place." She slumped against the window of the carriage, staring blankly to the forest moving past them.

"Rayla, we've been over this. It wasn't up to any of us. Avizandum and King Harrow agreed to it."

"Who gave them the right to choose me? I'm not even royalty."

"Technically, neither is Callum, only through relation to his mother." Lain pointed out.

"Still, I'm just a normal girl form a normal village."

"Whose parents just so happen to be the Dragon Family's most trusted guards." Ethari spoke. Rayla groaned in response.

"Look, regardless of how we all feel, we can't change it. But the agreement only stands if you choose to marry Callum." Rayla was about to speak. "After you have spent time with him."

"How long?" Rayla asked.

"Does it matter? If you don't like him, then you never see him again. Simple as that." Ethari looked around the cart before continuing. "Look, I spent a month here with the family, writing the treaty, and you should know that it was the prince that demanded that requirement be added. He doesn't want to make you feel like your life is being taken away. He knows he doesn't get a choice in the matter, but he made sure that you do. If you don't agree, then Xadia will choose another. But I feel that since he fought to get that for you, then the least you can do is give him a chance. You all will be surprised by who he is." Ever the voice of reason, Ethari's little speech silenced them as the caravan continued along the path to Katolis. As darkness fell, some of the occupants in the carriage slipped into dreams. Ethari was about to follow until he heard Rayla's voice.

"What's he like?" It was barely a whisper, but he had heard her clearly.

"Well, physically he is underestimated. He stands a little shorter than Ru, and isn't as visibly strong, though I suspect there is more to his physique than I was able to see. He doesn't carry himself well. It's far to easy to tell he doubts himself, often he shrinks away from people. But his personality is what really proves who he is. As much as he doubts himself, he has no problem standing up for others, almost throwing a chair at one of my associates when they suggested that we just marry you two without any of this. He's kind, shy, loves to draw, is a tinkerer like me, and is terrified of you." Rayla's ears perked up.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, while you're here fussing over if he's a good person, he's scared he won't measure up to whatever standards you set him to. He's far to selfless to be any kind of evil. Rayla, he is truly too good for this world, please don't allow your current feelings of him to blind you to that."