I have killed, I have injured, I have sentenced people to their last dying breaths. I have dealt with uprisings, unhappy peasants. Everything...but a woman crying.
That was one thing that I had never encountered. Sure I encountered upset women, but I did not care for those women. They were of no importance, but Estelle was.
She was my wife now. She could do absolutely no wrong in my behemoth's eyes, but she could do wrong in my own eyes...
I could not coddle her. She had been smothered by all things good all of her life. She did not realize people had ill intent, that people were malicious. She did not realize how much her words meant to certain people.
That is why I had to do what I had to do to Iona. If she succeeded in leading our forces into Histania, it would be a direct blow to Estelle, to me. I could not have that. That would turn the council against us, and when we begin our reign they would always bring up this one minuscule moment in our lives. I was sure the General knew what I was up to, but she drank the tainted wine anyway.
She needed to think with her mind not her heart and that was a lesson I did not know how to get into a thick Fae's skull. Even though we were both not happy with one another right now my behemoth was still bent on getting back to her. And ravishing her. Smelling her.
As we flew towards the kingdom it took all of my strength not to fly back. He wanted to be with her, I wanted to be with her. But it was not like Estelle wanted to see our face as it was. I had upset her beyond belief.... I had acted in such a way that Alazar would beat me to a pulp if he found out.
"Your highness, we are here."
I glanced beside me. The man that was my father's advisor was a coward. He had no backbone and it annoyed me to no end. But it made sense, why would my father have a strong advisor? He wanted to do whatever he wanted without any push back and this spineless man was perfect for the task.
We flew into the kingdom and were met with horses to escort us to the castle gates. No one met us. Just horses and an elderly shop keep who told us the way. Which highly annoyed me but I had to be...diplomatic. What kind of people greeted royalty with horses? Just horses. Despicable.
I was not supposed to be here at the Kingdom of Izain. I was supposed to be lying in bed with Estelle. Teaching her about my country, kissing her lips till they were red and swollen, feeding her fruits from my hand...but instead I was here. After making her cry like I have never seen her do before.
Mate Fae, make Fae happy.
I am sure if I were to go back this instant and try to bed Estelle she would pass out. Not from anger but probably confusion. Since last night I was not entirely sure she knew how intercourse worked. I thought Winona had explained it to her thoroughly but she must have left things out for Estelle to react the way she did...
As we approached the large gates, a group of men appeared from seemingly thin air. That was not the case though. I heard the Vampyr were fast...but I never imagined this much.
"What is your business here?!" One shouted. They all wore dark crimson and black. Furs outlined some of their cloaks. Weapons of scythe's and swords adorned their shaking hands.
Before the weak advisor announced me, I announced myself. "I am Prince Loche from the Draconian kingdom. I am here for a meeting with your King. King Talon."
I looked to see a man approaching within the crowd of guards. He harbored swords all over his body. Two on each side of his hips. One strapped to forearm, and some on his back I could only see the hilts of. He had no hair, and scars marred his face and exposed skin. One particular scar ran from the top of his head to below his right eye. He seemed intimidating to most, but his tough stance and look had no affect on me. The advisor for one, seemed petrified.
Did he forget we were dragons? We could tear them apart with ease?
Kill. Bring back to Fae. Mate.
I was sure that my behemoth did not realize that Estelle would be mortified if I gave her the head of a Vampyr to forgive us. Then attempt to get under her dress.
"Your King is supposed to be here not you," he spat as I felt the need to tell the advisor to go home. Why was he here again? To watch over me when he could not even take care of his quaking knees.
"Plans change. Will you let us in or have we made this trip for nothing?" I questioned watching the man look me over carefully before ordering a few of the men to open the gates.
Soon we were following the well equipped man, while the bunch of guards were trailing behind us. The advisor was always jittery but he seemed especially jittery today. My father most likely threatened him before we left.
As we made our way inside of the castle, I could sense that these Vampyr were prepared to die for their King. It was all in their eyes, the way they gripped their weapons as if they would have no problem killing us two if we made any wrong move.
At least they have reverence for their King. "Your highness." I could hear the Advisor call me and was quickly pulled from my thoughts. We were now stopped, standing in a room, with paintings and items that looked as if they did not come from this kingdom...but others. I also saw a set of dragons teeth that I will be taking by the end of this visit. This was some sort of...exhibit and my people's bones were not going to be on display.
I glanced to the soldier like man to see him heading towards the door. "King Talon will be in soon.Wait here...enjoy the King's most prized possessions while you wait."
The man slammed the door shut. The Advisor jumped. Most prized? This King was foolish. Why would he let us set foot in a place with his most prized possessions? He has no idea if we are friend or foe. We have an agreement, a trade agreement not a friendship or alliance.
"So...my prince how is your new wife? I heard that she killed a deer and dove off a cliff into-"
"-We are married and she is my wife. That is all you need to know about her." I did not even want to be here, what made him think I wanted to speak to him about my wife. He should know what everyone else knows. She is mine.
The advisor quickly nodded his head, paying attention to something in the corner that looked like an unfamiliar animal preserved. While the advisor occupied himself with this King's prizes, I paced the room. Did this King know I had more important things to do right now?
"Your highness." My eyes shot towards the Advisor as he eyed the door. The door knob was twisting. I waited impatiently for the Vampyr King to enter the room.
I had never seen him with my own eyes, but I do remember my father calling him 'an arrogant bastard.' Which was ironic.
"Ah, the Prince of the Dragons." I watched the man stroll into the room with a smirk on his face. The first thing that my eyes were immediately drawn to were his shoulders. A full pelt of a lycan was resting on his shoulders. It was not a regular wolf, regular wolves were rarely that large and had teeth so sharp. I heard of the problems between the Lycea kingdom and his. I supposed they were just rumors, but apparently not.
He strode over to me, with a grace that was surprising...for a man. His hand shot out of his dark cloak to shake my own. His fingers were covered in jewels. I have never witnessed a man wear this much jewelry. Gaul appreciated the gems that sparkled on his hands.
Steal. Give to Fae.
I could imagine Estelle in all of this man's riches. She would probably see no value in them though and lose it in the garden or something. "King Talon. I am here in place of my father," I told him as we shook hands.
His grip was loose and unimpressive...yet he seemed like a strong man. Not as strong as I am, or even my father. He was tall...his body oddly reminded me of if a Fae man actually took the care and time to gain muscle and become strong.
"I know that, Prince. Come sit," he said as he strolled over to a seat and plopped down. His odd gray eyes boring into my self as I sat across from him. He crossed his leg over the other and laced his fingers together. He smiled a smile of teeth, showing off two ivory white fangs. I could not pin point his age even if I tried. I knew these Vampyr were immortal. He could be twenty some years age to twenty thousand. Us Dragon people aged but we lived considerably longer than any other race. The Vampyr had the ability to stop aging.
"Tell me Prince, where is your father? Does he not wish to gaze upon my beautiful face?" He said in a sardonic tone.
Time to lie as I have always done for my father. Covering his mistakes. "My father is a busy man, he over lapped other important meetings. I should suffice in whatever you want to speak about."
He chuckled, "Of course...you know you are much more handsome then your father anyway. It was a chore to look at him. Your mother must have been ravishing." I would not know, I have never met the woman. Did he just call me handsome?
"What would you like to speak about, King Talon? Is it about our treaty? We are still using your lands to-"
"-You...you are the only son, you have just married recently have you not?" He questioned as I drummed my fingers on the arm of the chair. Did he want to speak like women over tea or get this ordeal over with?!
I took a deep breath, trying to reign in my anger. If I was preparing myself for the throne, I had to keep my anger under control. Alazar drilled that into my head yet it was still hard to maintain. "Yes, just yesterday." This is why I despised diplomatic meetings. I rather be on the battlefield.
"Although I believe marriage is a pointless and Unneeded contract, I will have a chest filled with jewels for you and your wife, by the end of our little meeting."
Need Fae.
"That is kind of you," I sighed out, itching to stand and pace. Do something. Except for sit here and stare at this odd King. My behemoth was not making it any easier by bombarding my thoughts with Estelle and putting pressure on every nerve in my body to shift and be with her.
He smiled, "You married a Fae correct? I am surprised your father would allow you to do so. I thought he would want to keep your bloodline pure, not mix it. Your children will surely look-"
"-This treaty that my father and you have made," I spoke, watching him narrow his eyes at me. "What is the point of it again? I will talk more about business then my personal life. We are not allies, King Talon. You and my father might have befriended one another, but I do not know you." And I do not wish to get to know this mocking bastard.
He chuckled, "I am just trying to be hospitable, Prince. I can see you would want to be anywhere but here, maybe back in the arms of your little Fae princess." He was of course correct but I would impale myself with a sword before admitting that to him.
"To let you in on a little secret, Fae women are very sensitive. I can give you some advice when it comes to their delicate bodies,"he explained to me as I glared at him. If he ever mentions Estelle and her body I may cause a war by ripping his heart out and his head off.
Miss Fae. Kill king.
That was something I would learn on my own from being with Estelle, I did not need a pompous King to tell me that. "King Talon," I said through clenched teeth. "My behemoth is holding on to his sanity by a thread. I suggest you carry on with what you were going to tell my father or else this beautifully decorated room will be destroyed when I shift."
My claws began to dig into the arms of the chair as the King looked on in interest, before sighing. "I suppose we will just get down to business, yes? I heard a rumor that you are going to attack Histania. I cannot have that since I have allies there. If you do however decide to attack Lycea you have my full support."
How did word travel this fast? I sighed, taking a deep breath. "We are not going to attack Histania or Lycea. If you would like to carry out your own attack of Lycea you do so alone. We have no problems with the lycan King." The Lycan King and my father never met. We have no trade with them or anything of the sorts. I had no idea why but did not wish to pry while I had my own interests and agendas in mind.
His false smile turned into a true look of disdain. "Do you know what the lycan king has done to me? He has over looked the law of the lands for far too long. He believes he is above the gods and does whatever he wants. How can you attack over speculation? He has wiped out half of Histania over a speculation and the rest of the kingdoms stay silent at such an atrocity," he spat as I chuckled. This man thought I was a fool obviously.
"You could care less about humans," I told him as his eyes began to brighten. "Your concern for them is nothing more than a facade for your hatred of whatever that King did to you so long ago. No one is going to war so I implore you to stop wasting my time and explain to me why else I am here."
He began to clap while chuckling softly. "You are smart, Prince. Yes that demon of a man stole my sister from me while he was a guest at my home. He married her and then impregnated her...do you know what I had to do to free her of him?"
That would make sense. A very personal grudge against the Lycan King and that is why he wanted the king to burn. "What did you have to do?" I questioned, half heartedly entertaining this fool of a King.
"I killed her."
That had piqued my interest. How could one kill who they cared for? It was easy to kill a family member you hate, but one you supposedly love? "Why would you kill your sister when you speak so highly of her?"
"It was the only way," he said through clenched teeth. "She could not have that abomination...a child with him. That Lycan King would go to war, kill all of my men and his to get her back. It was a sacrifice and a gift...her death."
No wonder this man was deranged. "And now he takes another innocent victim to toy around with...that human princess. He is beyond despicable. He needs to be wiped from the earth."
That was his opinion. Although one might think that particular story tragic, it had nothing to do with me, my people, or Estelle. I could care less for this pitied King or the Lycan King. "Well I hope you succeed in whatever plan you have for this Lycan King. Now what else does this meeting entail?"
The King seemed annoyed and I am sure our faces matched in annoyance. He tapped his fingers together while his eery eyes began to brighten. "Prince you realize I have no woman to call Queen, yes?" I nodded my head slowly and gods help the woman he does marry. I am not sure how he would have room for a lover when his pompous attitude takes up more than half the room.
"It is rather simple for a Vampyr to find his bride but my bride has been missing for over a century now, I believe. I want your permission to roam your kingdom in search of her and if you know of an oracle, I implore you to tell me."
Brides? Oracles? "I thought your brides and yourself will meet by the fates meetings or encounters?" If I was correct in Vampyr ways but then again I do not focus on other cultures as often as I should.
"The fates...reject me. The gods frown upon me. They turn their backs on me, so I am alone in my quest to find her," he spat as I wondered what he had done to cause his gods to reject him. Abandon him. I for one know I have the favor of the gods, they smile on Estelle also. Or so the Caticala tell me. "If I do not find her soon I will die. Without an heir or member of my family able to take the throne!" He said heatedly as I watched the pendant on his neck shimmer. It was...small and iridescent but it shined like a miniature sun when light hit it.
If he dies, his council might take up the throne and ruin treaties, cause wars. It was no telling what a dead man's council would do. Especially a man as insane as this one. "We will grant you permission to roam our land with a group of our men accompanying you, in exchange I want that pendant around your neck and the set of dragons teeth you have on display."
The Vampyr King glared at me, as he fingered the pendant before glancing at the teeth. "The dragon landed on our soil, and died soon after. This was years ago, Prince Loche and as for my necklace," he frowned.
That necklace would look beautiful on Estelle... of course with nothing else on but the necklace... "That is one of my citizens who never had the chance at proper burial and yes your necklace." He should have known not to flaunt jewels in front of a dragon.
Has he not heard of the stories? I have a cove of treasure I will present to Estelle once she is branded with my people's seal, I have treasures for when we have our first child. It was vital that Dragons had something of value to pass down to their loved ones. Alazar gave me my riches, my father gave me nothing except for a title.
The King stood up immediately, his eyes beginning to brighten. "You speak as if you are King, when all you are is a Prince...but I have a feeling that might change soon, what do you say Loche?"
Even if I am just a Prince, those are still my people and we are not as well acquainted for him to call me by my first name. "I am the Prince, my father is king. That will not change for a while," I said through clenched teeth, sick of this man and his ways.
The King moved to come right in front of me, of course I was not going to move. He did not intimidate me at all. "Hmm," the King murmured as he bent down to be eye level with me.
His eyes were unnerving...and as much as I wanted to push this man away for being so close to me without any reason, I did not. "Prince Loche...you do know I am a sorcerer, yes?"
I have heard the rumors but I was not entirely sure if it were true. "Why is that relevant now?" I asked as my behemoth continued to try and fight my dominance to let him free.
He smiled, "The fates...may reject me but they gifted me with visions before they cursed me. I think you should know that trouble awaits your return."
Fae troubles?
My behemoth's interest may have been piqued but not my own. Did he think I believed in sorcerers? All they do is lie and give false hope to broken people. I was not broken and faith and hope are things I did not believe in. Sure I believe in the gods but that was because they have proven time and time again that they are alive and real.
"And what troubles await me?" I would entertain him just to see what he would say.
Fae?
Trouble?
He smiled, his gleaming fangs front and center. I watched as he sat back on his seat, crossing his legs. "I do not know, Dragon Prince. All I know is that trouble awaits you. I could drink your blood and maybe peer deeper," he said with a slight smile.
Was he trying to threaten me or was this really coming from the fates? Our gods derived from the fates but...I have never cared to listen to them.
"You drink my blood and tell me my future?" I questioned out of pure curiosity.
The king smirked, a look in his eyes told me he wanted to do more than drink my blood. What more? I am not entirely sure. "Something like that, yes. It just chance visions I cannot hone in on a specific thing you want to know about."
This was a lie. It was not real, no truth or future would be revealed. He just probably would like to taste my blood because I am powerful. "I see you are thinking about it. Allow me to do it, it will just bring us closer as allies and maybe answer some concerns you have."
Concerns? What concerns did I have? I had no concerns. Other than not knowing what to do with my wife.
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