The walk was long and exhausting.
We had walked all the way up a hill, with many people following behind me. Every time I looked back, more and more people were gathering! Why?
I had recognized the hill from where I had traveled around with Cael...but I did not realize that the ceremony would be on a beautiful grassy hill! As we walked up, The Calitica were directly behind me, but behind them was Juni, Cael, Harkin and a bunch of people I had barely recognized. I did however see a few council members.
Once we reached the top of the hill, I felt like passing out unto the grass...but I could not. Instead I took in my surroundings.
Dark red flowers were scattered all over. Ones that were not there before. Two golden pillars stood in the center with grassy moss covering them.
The King stood in the middle of the two pillars. He had dark makeup streaking across his face. His smile did not look like as nice one either. He had a large scroll in his hands, holding it highly as he looked beyond me. At the Caticala women.
I also saw Winona. She was standing with a man about her age. Holding hands with him. A nervous smile on her lips. I waved at her and she waved back, blowing a kiss to me. The man next to her gave me a suspicious look, pulling Winona closer to him.
"Um...where is Loche?" I whispered to Vesta who stood next to me. She pointed to the sky...and my heart almost fell to the ground.
Two dragons. Flying towards us!
My hand instantly grabbed onto the woman's arms, in fear. Why on earth were these dragons heading directly for us?! Why was no one running?
I watched in fear and amazement as the two dragons opened their powerful mouths. An ungodly noise shattered my fragile ears. I felt myself putting my hands over my ears as the ground seemed to shake with the force of their two roars.
My body was now shaking as I realized they were not going to stop...but they were slowing down in their descent. The black scaled dragon with a familiar set of eyes, began to fall. While the other one stayed in mid air, flapping its large wings. The one dragon was generating so much wind that everyone's hair seemed to wildly whip back and forth.
"That dragon is going to get hurt!" I told Vesta holding onto her for dear life. The dragon would fall and we would all be injured! This was not what I wanted my wedding day to be like! Death by dragon.
I closed my eyes, waiting to be slapped by a tail or claw maybe... "Princess look, please!" The woman stressed as I peeked one eye open.
The dragon was shrinking. The more it shrunk, the faster it would fall. Until it hit the ground with a large thud. The impact it had, caused dirt and grass to fly up everywhere, temporarily blinding us from seeing what was to become of the dragon.
"Oh...my."
What was supposed to be the dragon...was my betrothed. Loche. Completely naked. Muscles covered every inch of his body...muscles and scars. He was also shining with sweat or water I suppose. He did not look much like himself.
Patches of silvery black scales covered his skin. His eyes were completely void of his human self. Instead darkness covered the whites of his eyes and a dangerous gleaming orangish red color glowed in the middle.
Those eyes were glued to my own. I felt my body begin to shiver as he did not blink or look away from me as a man placed a large golden cloak over his body. Thank goodness! I did not think I could continue looking at Loche while...well while nude.
My eyes refused to go lower than his stomach and I was glad of it. I did not need to see what separated men from women...for fear of passing out!
Loche quickly closed the space between himself and his father. His eyes were still on me as the Calicata woman pushed me forward. My heart began to beat wildly as I nervously smiled at him. "Hi Loche," I whispered, my eyes lingering on his large chest instead of his scary eyes.
"Fae," he growled out. I almost jumped when his clawed fingers gently pressed to my chin, forcing me to look up at him. I gulped. This was not Loche, this was his dragon and I gripped my dress nervously, watching as the dragons eyes ate me up.
He smiled. I should be happy that he smiled...but his teeth were now very sharp and his smile did not seem so...warm. It was threatening. As if he was daring me to touch or run. I wonder what would happen if I listened to my legs and did run. I am
sure Loche and his dragon would be furious with me. My throat went dry just thinking about it.
"Enough, Loche. Calm your dragon down," the King spat as Loche or his dragon...snarled back at the King. Who did not seem scared at all at the hostility of his son showed! I on the other hand was shaking like a leaf!
Loche took another step towards me, and my footing wavered, my brain wanting to take a step back immediately. He bent down, his clawed hand cupping my jaw gently.
I bit back a whimper as I felt his warm breath on my ear, before his tongue slid against the sensitive skin. "Loche...st-stop," I whispered as I could hear people whispering.
"Mine."
He said one simple word that scared me. I am not sure why but my legs felt like they were going to give out! Loche finally stepped back from me, and I was thankful for that, I felt as if I could breathe. Well not really...
I watched as the dragon part of him began to calm down. His eyes began to change back to their beautiful human color...although the scales remained.
Loche blinked a few times, as his eyes trailed over my body. Lingering on my exposed skin. His lips pressed firmly against one another as he stared at me closely, his eyes now focusing on my face. What was going on in that grumpy head of his?
"Are you done ogling her, son? I do have things to do after this."
"No," Loche snapped as I felt my cheeks warm. What was wrong with him? His eyes looked me over once more before he looked at his father. "We can begin."
His father smiled at me, his eyes sweeping over my form before he cleared his throat. "We assemble here today to witness a new era. A new life with two beings. May this marriage be blessed by the gods and may no man, behemoth, or Fae tear this union apart or by the gods, you will end your life where you stand," he announced as my eyes widened.
If the marriage did not succeed. We would kill one another? That....did not seem beautiful. Not at all. "Princess of Faenor, Princess Estelle, do you accept to our customs, beliefs, and our gods? Will you submit your body, your mind, your soul to the Prince?"
"Y-yes," I said confidently turning towards Loche. His eyes were trained on me. Glancing at my lips, as I repeated 'yes' a bit more louder.
"Loche, crown Prince of this kingdom, do you accept Princess Estelle as your partner. Will you take care of her when she is with child, protect her from any wrath and danger she might encounter? Do you accept her as your wife, to raise and bare you children?"
"Yes," Loche's voice boomed. Almost making me wince. He said it with such assurance. It sounded more of like a roar then an actual voice. It was odd.
Someone handed the King a large goblet. He poured a mysteriously dark liquid into the cup, glancing at Loche. "May the drink of the gods favor you both." The drink of the gods?
Loche grabbed it, drinking down the liquid with ease. Without warning, Loche grabbed me, smashing his lips unto my own. This was apart of the ceremony, I suppose but it did not stop me from fearing this kiss! His teeth grazed my lips, making me gasp. I felt liquid travel from his mouth unto my own tongue and the sour taste had me struggling to break free from him.
The taste made my throat burn, and I felt Loche's strong arms wrap around my body. Forcing me to stay rooted in place and accept this liquid he was giving me. I felt like gagging. My mouth watered as my muscles ached from trying to fight him off.
When I finally relaxed, he loosened his hold on me, separating our lips. "Calm down, Estelle," he murmured as I felt the need to cough, to throw up the contents in my stomach. My throat burned...it felt itchy.
"What is this?" I panicked, as he held me closely, pressing me against his chest.
"The Caticala gave you a serum on your lips yes? Taste it...it will calm down your nerves," he explained to me as I listened to him. My tongue going to my lips. The taste instantly calming my body down.
I craned my neck upward to smile at him, my hands nervously gripping his hardened body. Oh my. Loche is as naked as a newborn sprite under here yet he does not seem to care. Instead, of caring about his nakedness his mouth was nearing my own. Giving me a chaste kiss that warmed my lips.
"Let go of her Loche! It is time!"
Loche's entire being trembled and I was afraid for his father as he bared his teeth and the scales on his body became more prominent. He was furious.
"Hey, Loche. Tis okay. We will spend time together once we are husband and wife," I told him as I pressed my hands against his chest. I am not sure again who I was talking to. Loche or his dragon, but whomever it was, listened.
He let me go, and I stumbled back. I did not want him to let me go. I was so scared, I wanted him to hold me.
"Now that you have verbally accepted one another. It is now time for you to physically do so. Everyone is aware of the ceremony of the chase. The bride will hide from the groom until sundown. If he finds her after sundown the gods have accepted their marriage as truth. If he finds her before sundown their marriage will be null and void. They will not have the gods blessings and will have to go their separate ways."
Everyone began to clap. Some even cheered. My hands felt clammy as I glanced at Winona. She began to come over to me, as the rest of the Caticala women did. "The Princess will have a half of the hour to hide herself. Any one who will wish to help the princess during her thirty minutes is allowed. After you here a loud roar, Princess the hunt is on to find you. No one may interfere. Do you two understand the conditions?"
"Yes," we both said in unison.
"So help me gods," I whispered as I kissed my fingers and brought it up to the sky. Loche began to turn away from me. I was expecting for him to say something...but he did not. As I watched him walk away from me, I was being pulled away from the crowd.
"Winona, I am scared," I told her as she and the Caticala began to strip me of my jewelry. One woman handed me a dagger. And a sack of water.
"I have good faith in you child. You two will marry. Do not be discouraged," the eldest woman announced as I watched Cael rushing towards me on a horse.
Winona hugged me tightly as another woman began to try and slip the many bracelets from my wrists. "I want to keep them," I told the woman pulling my hand away from her.
"It will make noise, Princess," one of the woman chastised me as I turned to Winona who winked at me.
"You will do fine. Remember everything we spoke about!"
I glanced to Cael to see him with his hand out. I was hoisted unto the horse with Cael. "Princess, are you ready?" He questioned me.
I would like to say no and run. Say that I am not sure that I can hide from a dragon prince until sundown. But of course I nodded and secured myself by holding onto him. "Where to?"
I whispered something into his ear and he smiled. He pulled on the reigns and the horse shot off, rushing down the mountain.
Hearing loud roars filling my sensitive ear drums, I glanced back. I could see Loche discarding his robe. He dropped to his knees. As we rode...Loche's frame was supposed to get smaller, but instead it became bigger.
"Princess hold on to me before you fall!" Cael warned me as I held onto him tighter, a nervous laugh bubbling up inside of me.
"Sorry Cael."
We had finally made it to the forest in record time. If I was not in such a rush, I would pat the horse on its snout and congratulate him. Cael helped me down and handed me my sack.
"Please be careful. Your sister will kill me if you do something to get yourself hurt," he told me as I began to quickly discard myself of at least 10 of my bracelets. My hands shook as I handed them to him.
I rummaged through my sack and found the dagger I was given and poured as I took the blade to my dress. Cael watched me closely as I sliced the end of the dress into a few ribbons before wiping my face over them. I am sweating so hopefully that is good enough to confuse Loche!
"Cael I need you to scatter these away from the forest. As far as you can within these next few minutes. Can you do that for me, please?"
He nodded his head, grabbing my bracelets and my scraps of dress. "I wish you luck, Princess."
"I do not need luck with both of our gods on my side!" I lied to him, realizing just how nervous and unprepared I felt...
I did...I needed luck and prayers!
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Hey my hatchlings! 🐣
I'm going to update today and tomorrow! Double update this week❤️