It was the season of Summer, the sun was supposed to be at its peak glaring below, the sky should be blue, children should be running around, the farmers should be planting the seeds of their crops, Cows should be grazing the grass fields... Yet there was no sun, just the gloomy sky. Dae knows that any moment now, the rain would pour. It was as if the Gods mourns with her.
No one died that day, but her, and what pains her the most is that... She cannot leave the mortal realm, not when her heart is still beating and she's still breathing, but for a moment she felt like her own soul left her body making her feel cold and small inside the fancy carriage. Outside she could see her father's army marching towards the green Fields where they would meet the king of Solivira. the Man who rules half of the Gaia.
Her father wanted a peace treaty with the king, as he grew tired of countless war being fought over his claim of the land In the west. Dae bits her lower lips and looked in front of her where she could see her father sitting.
"I don't want this." She finally spoke to him after days of silence. Dae never grew close to her father, in fact he was never present in her life, he never acted like a father to her except when he wanted something.
"No one wants this." Her father grimly replied, he had his eyes closed while one hand pressed against his temple.
"I want to go back to the tower." She told him, her father finally opened his eyes to look at her. His cold blue eyes bore against her emerald one.
"Isn't this what you want? To be out of that tower? You told me so many times when you were young, that you wish to leave the premises of the castle and explore the land just like your savage of a mother." His harsh word made her flinch. It was true, she did wish to leave that tower but not at the cost of her hand. Dae grew up in the tower in a secluded forest away from her father's castle and away from the eyes of his people. She was raised from there by different maids, her father locked her up there because of the fact that she was a bastard, she was born from a Sakran mother.
Her father's people were called Lysian, they are born with dark brown hair and fair skin and blue eyes, her mother on the other hand is a Sakran. Sakrans are a group of nomadic people that roams freely in every land, they were people born with dark complexion and red hairs, there people are known for the color of their eyes which are vibrant green or deep emerald colors and they were also known as wielder of dark magic, but they're kind were looked down because of their looks they were chastised, they were called seeds of devils and witches who plague the land and causes for the crops to die during mid summers. They were considered a taboo, and was often hunt by the royal families for sport.
Dae was born different from everyone else, she has a darker complexion that separated her from her father's people, her eyes too is different, but compared to her mother's people she is light skinned... She never quite blend with the others.
"I changed my mind." She whispered as she fiddled with her thumb, she nervously bit her bottom lip, afraid of what her father might do.
"You don't get to change your mind. I raised you, I fed you, I gave a roof over your head. I kept you warm. I gave you things your mother could never give you, this is all I ask of you... So be a good child and do what you must do." Dae swallowed the thick lump in her throat and nods her head, she didn't dare argue with her father anymore. It would only end up with him hurting her.
A sudden flash of light followed by a loud clapping sound and rumbling made her flinch. She looks outside once again just to see the rain pour. It was heavy, and a bad omen.
Rain in mid summers are considered bad luck for everyone, it is a sign of a year full of misfortune. Crops would not grow, there would be plague or war. Families would meet tragedies and many lives would end, that's what she been told by the maids who took care of her. Dae remained quiet and started to bite her lip, pulling at the dead skin making it bleed, she was left on her own thought.
Marriage is something she once dream about, she longed for a prince to come up to her tower and swept her off her feet and take her away from the lonely place, she wanted that, because she thought in marriage she might have a chance of freedom.
When she found out that she was betrothed to someone she felt happy and quiet relieve. She thought that it was alright even though she didn't know who she is going to wed as long as she get the freedom that she wanted. But her dreams soon shattered in front of her as she learns of the reality, of who she's going to marry and the nature of their marriage.
The carriage abruptly stopped almost making her fall face first, if it weren't for her father catching her. Dae looks outside the window once again and saw the horses of the knights began to be agitated, even their carriage shook, men were trying to calm the horse that was pulling their carriage.
"Father? What's going on?" She asked him looking at him worriedly, her father didn't reply, when the horses finally calmed, a knight knock on their door.
"We have arrived your grace." He announced, Dae looks at her father who's face remained stoic, he slowly let go of her and sat up straight. He didn't speak and just stare at her, his cold gaze made her feel uncomfortable. Dae looks outside once again when she heard another loud thundering sound that doesn't sound like it came from the thunder. It was something else, something that made her shiver and her guts quiver in fear.
"You remember what we have talked about in your room, am I correct?" Dae returned her gaze to her father who remained calm.
"You are to be married to King Kalisto Helios. You are to be his concubine, you will wed him as soon as you arrived at the city of kings. You will live in the sunspear Castle and will have a lavish life." Dae kept her gaze at her father, he reached for her hand and placed a vial on her palm, it was warm, very much like her father's palm.
" But you are not to spend your day there on your own free will. Make sure to climb the ladder, make sure you became close to him. Bore him a son that will be his heir, but that will not be possible unless you kill his children, the golden seeds as they like to call them." Dae stared at that vial as tears began to form in her eyes.
" Become the queen, do whatever means it is you have to do, and by that I mean kill whoever it is in your way. A single drop is as lethal as a golden vipers venom, it will be enough to kill your enemy in the spot." Her father grip her chin and tilted her head up so she was looking at him.
" Use your cunt to entice the king, make sure he lays with you... Visit his chambers as often as needed until your womb is filled with his seed and until you bore him a son with golden hair and blood and the eyes the color of a molten gold. Give him the true Golden heir, something that he desires the most."Her father's grip on her chin tightens making her wince.
" Give him as many as he wanted, when he names your son his heir... Kill him like the rest of his miserable family." Tears started to pour from her eyes and her father made the gesture of wiping her tears.
" I... I don't know if I can do this father." Before she knew it, her father's hand strike against her cheek, before he grab her by the cheeks.
" Then you will die. Or suffer a fate worst than a whore's fate in the city of flesh." Dae sobs at her father's harshness... She didn't know how to kill, she doesn't have any experience and she isn't a cruel woman to do such a thing.
"You look very much like your whore of a mother." He murmured drawing her face closer to him.
"You got everything from her... Even your eyes. Be like your mother for once, I'm sure if you showed him your cunt just like your mother did to me you will have him wrapped around your fingers." He pushed her back against her seat making her whimper, her father straighten his coat and pushed his hair back before sighing.
"If you fail this one... you will die,you hear me? if the king doesn't end up killing you, I will make sure I will." It was threat that Dae knew her father meant. He will really kill her if she fails
"Get yourself together and meet me outside." He ordered before he stepped out of the carriage. Dae remained seated inside the carriage for a while, she wanted to escape at that moment but she thinks it was already too late, if she try to flee she wouldn't get far, she's surrounded by her father's thousand army, on top of that it wasn't just her life at stake, if she try and escape war would probably ensue, it will kill everyone around her... And it would put her father's Kingdom at risk. Swallowing down her fear, Dae wipes away her tears and tried to compose herself once again before she opened the carriage door and steps outside. Outside she was greeted by her father's knight, they were waiting for her. She looks at each one of them, it was only Sir Durin who bows his head and smiled at her, it made his rough figure look less menacing, his half burnt face suddenly look less intimidating.
"Princess." He acknowledged her before pointing her the way, she nods her head and quietly walks beside him, Dae looked around her and saw her father's army, the cavalier where beside their carriage, the archers stood in front of them. Men who holds the spear stood behind the men who held their shield. Some knights only held their swords, their red armor glints beneath the sun, her father's black banner with a red lion stood tall. Her father had brought all his force in front in case things didn't go as planned.
A roar shook that ground that made her stagger, if it weren't for sir Durin she would have fallen down her feet. The horse were frightened and started to go against their riders wishes... Looking in front of her where the roar had come from her breath got stuck in her throat. She stared at the golden beast that stood in the fields. Dae Opened and closed her mouth trying to form a word but she was too stunned to even form a word. The beast is as beautiful as it is terrifying, so this is the beast that they call dragons! This what their people fear. This is the fire breathing beast that her father is obsessed in killing.
"Princess? Are you alright?" Sir Durin asked her as he help her to steady her footing. But that Golden beast wasn't alone, two others could be seen circling above, the other one has the same color as the gigantic beast that stood in the plain, while the other has a bright purple color, she didn't know if they were as big as this one, but the two are equally terrifying to see.
"Princess?" She looks back at sir Durin who looks at her with worry in his eyes, Dae nods her head and took a deep breath trying to calm her shaking knees. They began to walk again and the closer she gets the terrible her trembling. Sir Durin was kind enough to offer her comfort, he would once in a while squeeze her hand. A sign of encouragement. She already saw her father, he wore his black cloak with the emblem of his family, he wore no armor, though many of his men argued that he should wear his armor. But he just reasoned with them that it is a peace treaty that they are having not a war, so he should not wore an armor. As they near them Dae finally saw the man he was talking to, he was seated a top of a golden chair, wearing a robe an armor made of gold, he wore a red cape with white fur around his shoulder... The man had a golden hair that are starting to turn grey atop his head, he had a long thick beard... And he... Was old.
"Is he... The man that I'm supposed to be married to?" She asked him.
"Yes, he is king Kalisto. The current monarch of the Kingdom of Solvira." Dae nods her head as he keep her eyes on the old Golden king who's in a deep conversation with her father, they seem not to notice her approaching.
"Beside him is his son. 9th Prince Kaspian, he is the current crown prince, though he wasn't supposed to be, but his 8th son and heir died leaving him with no other choice but to name him crown prince." Dae's eyes then went to the young man that was standing beside the golden king. He looks Angelic, the only beautiful man that she had seen. But he does not poses the golden hair of his father,his was a dull blond but, his eyes were the color of molten gold, he was tall, taller than her father, his armour match the elegance of his father. And he looks so Regal, so strong, to his right, he saw another guy, this one has a platinum blonde hair that doesn't glow... He too wear an armor, but his was a silver one with golden cloak.
"He's Alastair, another one of the King's many sons and he's the commander of the silver knights." Sir Durin filled in for her, the two of them stops a couple of steps away from her father and the king. She tensed when the beast lowered it's head... It could swallow the king whole if it chooses to. It's eyes were the same colors as it's scale. She could feel the hot breath of the beast from where she's standing... She watches as the king run his hand on the beast head, petting it like he would pet a dog.
"The king's beast is called Aureus... He's the biggest one there is, next to the the red fury." She looks at sir Durin.
"Who is the red fury?" She asked him, sir Durin smiled and looked at her, showing his half burnt face.
"I believe it's name is Wildfyre, she's the princess dragon. She's the one who gave me this scar." So that was the reason behind his burnt face... He must be lucky to survive the flame of the dragon, there was a screeching sound above them. When she looks up she saw the Golden dragon and the purple one that continues to circulate around them like a hawk waiting for it's meal.
"That one is Sunstar, the prince dragon, it's still small compared to the King's dragon... The purple one is called Pyrha, she belongs to the King's knight." They were such a magnificent creatures, she only heard about them and read about them in books, they were depicted as humongous, and monstrous creatures capable of chaos, powerful enough to obliterate a kingdom with it's fiery breath. But no one had told her that they are also beautiful creatures.
" Please, let me introduce you to my daughter." Her father's voice had snap her out of her own thoughts. She looks back at him and finally to the king who's looking at her. Dae quickly looks down and courtesy low to show respect. The king did not speak, he and his beast just stared at her. Finally sir Durin let go of her and allowed her to walk closer to her father.
" This is princess Dae, my youngest daughter." He took a hold of her hand and presented her to the king, now up close Dae noticed just how old the king is, he is already frail, his cheeks where a bit sunken, his fingers almost close to the form of skeleton. And he looks small in his big armor.
" Your daughter... Is beautiful." And when he finally spoke, Roshan saw his crooked and yellowish teeths. She swallowed and just stared at him.
"More beautiful than my lady wife, don't you think boy?" He asked his son without taking his eyes off her. The prince only smiled at his father before looking at her, he show his smile at her but something about it looks sinister. A squeeze on her hand made her look at her father, he gave her a sharp look the reminded her to speak.
" You honor me your grace." She speak, like a woman bound to a spell. But a miracle seems to struck them as the king laughs, it even startled his son and the knights that stood close to them. With a little difficulty he stood from his chair and walked closer to her. He looks like he'll fall any moment, Dae held her breath and awaited for him until he was near her.
He reached out to her and touched her hair, she sucked in a breath when his bony fingers touched her hair.
"Such beautiful lady." He murmured seemingly mesmerized by her. He pulled a couple of her hair strands before he place his lips against it.
"You will make a fine wife to me." He murmured once again before letting go.
"A fine wife fit for a Great king. Give me a son, with golden hair and eyes, and I will name him my heir... Give me a daughter who looks like you and i will give her the world, you shall be the happiest woman to live." He then turn to his father, and finally smiled, showing his crooked and yellowish teeths that made her shiver. She looks as the two converse more, she didn't listen though, her mind was too preoccupied with the thought of what her fate would be now that the king had accepted the alliance through marriage that her father offered. She knows nothing about this Dragon Lords except that they are cruel, it would be more of blessings to be be killed by a savage rather than them. Her eyes then went to the golden beast who's eyes were on her.
This beast is what made them closer to a god, this powerful beast that they claimed and ridden and used for destruction is what made them a formidable beings. If her people has this king of beast, maybe conquering them wouldn't be so easy. If the black magic of her people and her father's magic could match this beast, maybe she wouldn't have to marry this sick king.
"Then I shall see you in a week. The wedding is to be held when she turns 18, which I believe is three weeks From now." She heard the king stated to her father getting her attention once again. She watches as her father nods his head before looking at her. She couldn't see any emotion in his eyes, she couldn't know what's brewing inside his head. All she could see is his want for her to do as what she is ordered to do.
" Princess?" Dae looks to the knight who approached her, he seems to be around her age, young, he has a soft blue eyes and blonde hair, pretty much everyone who lives in the central kingdom has blonde hair. It was a trade mark of the solviran people.
She took his offered hand and allowed him to guide her, she walks and didn't dare look behind her... But she could feel the eyes of the beast following every step she takes.
A/N
Please before you continue reading the rest of the chapter. I would just like you to know that I will be posting 5 chapters every update, but the updates would not be daily nor weekly. It is monthly, since I am also a student and I am very busy with school works
writing is just a hobby for me, I do this when I am stressed and need to relax. I am writing this so I wouldn't let your hopes up expecting weekly and daily updates. If you love the story, please just bear with me. If it takes long to update.
Thank you, and happy reading