"You don't remember me, princess?"
...
Adora opened her mouth to call out to Tyrus, the man who stood by her side no matter the circumstances, the man who had cradled her to sleep after the nightmares that plagued her mind woke her up and the man who she thought she would end up marrying despite their differences. Instead of a cry of joy passing her lips, a scream of pain escaped just before she came crashing to the ground. Pain rocked her body and Adora felt her eyes roll to the top of her head, her knees giving out from under her. Arms going limp, the young Queen collided into the marble stairs below her, blood leaking out of her body. The world around her started throbbing, her head pounding with every labored breath she took. The young woman's vision went fuzzy and Adora stuck a hand out, only seeing her fingers through a blurry lens.
"Tyrus." His name slipped off her tongue as Adora desperately tried to get herself back onto her feet. But her body was paralyzed, utterly numb. Clawing at the air above her, she gasped for air that would not enter her lungs. Twisting her head, her fingers touching the shaft with alarm, Adora felt her lunch rise up in her throat. Her stomach twisted onto itself and Adora rolled onto her stomach, retching sounds leaving her lips. "Tyrus," she called out again with a panicked voice. But the General who's touch provided such warmth was nowhere to be seen. "Tyrus!" Adora was desperate now, tears brimming her eyes from the pain washing over her body. "Tyrus."
Adora managed to lift her head, crying out in pain as she took in the courtyard around her. Dead bodies from fallen Zylan soldiers that she'd slain laid around her like a patch of flowers. The place reeked of death and decay, smoke coming from the burning fired mixing with the horrible stench. Her eyes found the castle behind her, anger boiling inside of her when a large beast with blood red wings tore through the large towers. Rumble flew from the sky, dust and debris raining down on the fallen Queen. Coughing, Adora let out another cry of pain, hearing a roar in the distance. Her eyes were still pinned on the crimson dragon flying above her and she bristled with fury as it opened its jaw to spew fire. Red, scorching hot flames tore through her palace and Adora felt her heart crumble as her heritage was destroyed with one breath of fire.
Pain, not only from the arrow stuck in her but from the sight of her home being reduced to ash washed over Adora. Her hand gripped the ground, tears spilling down her cheeks. The beast flew down from the sky, tearing through the fountain in the center of the courtyard. Water came gushing out of it, spilling down the stairs, soaking part of Adora's fighting leathers. The headpiece of the dragon statue that had sat in the middle of the fountain landed next to her, taunting her. The horns had been broken off but the eyes of the dragon painted blue still bore holes into the young Queen.
Despair built in her throat and Adora crawled forward, crying out for help. The city she had once known was now surrounded by a barrier of flames, fire slowly closing into Adora. Dust, ash, blood and muck whirled together, trapping Adora and confining her to the large courtyard littered with bodies. Fingers tapping the ground, Adora soon found the hilt of a golden hilted sword, the feeling of the hilt being all too familiar to her. Unlike the swords the Kyree soldiers were equipped with, this sword's hilt was twisted and crafted with pure gold coming from the northern mountains. The jewel adorned in the center of it had been chiseled with perfection and had once been used to summon and control oceans.
It was her father's sword that now lay in the palm of her outstretched hand. Looking towards the wall of flames, Adora whispered a small thank you to Tyrus who must have thrown the sword towards her in a last attempt to save her. Or at least give her a small chance against the dragon that circled above her.
Twisting her body, she heaved herself into a seating position, facing the large pillars of flames and smoke before her. Her eyes found the broken fountain again, her fingers touching the small stream of water rushing down the stairs. Oh how she wished they had waited to attack. Perhaps then she could have defended her city and Kingdom from the raging infernos the Zylans had unleashed upon them. Magic ripped through the courtyard again and Adora watched as the Dragon before her shifted back into his human form. Her throat tightened, heart clenching and her body tensing up as she prepared for the arrival of the middle-aged Red King. But to her surprise, it was not the King who shifted before her, but rather a young man, with piercing golden eyes.
He ambles over with a confident pace, shoulders relaxed. Contrary to Adora's trembling figure, he walks with ease and calm.
"It's been a long time, Adora of Kyree." The stranger said, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt. He rolls them up past his elbow, red tattoos similar to hers coming into view. Although he spoke the common language between the Zylans, Kyree, Khagans and Elyrians, his native Zylan accent was still audible. For a split second, Adora wondered what her Kyree accent sounded.
But darkness had taken over the courtyard, the sun just barely peeking above the Allasian mountain range to the north of Corelia and the stranger still stalked over menacingly.
"Who are you?" Adora gasped, attempting to hide the pain in her shoulder. Whether he knew of the arrowhead plunged into the flesh of her arm, he made no show of it. From where Adora stood, she could only make out the silhouette of a tall man with broad shoulders dressed in lavish clothing.
The stranger let out a raspy laugh. Then he crossed his arms, approaching Adora, almost circling her as he'd done in his dragon form.
"You don't remember me, princess?" The nickname sent a shiver down Adora's spine as she racked her brain for a memory containing the stranger who stood before her. But her mind was flooded with panic and images of fire, pain, and smoke mixing with the memory of her mother's corpse soaked in blood.
Thinking of her mother was an old habit Adora picked up whenever she felt uncomfortable or grew aware of the presence of fear. Unfortunately, fleeting thoughts of her mother's blood would flood in and disrupt the happy ones.
"No, I don't recall meeting a bastard like you." The man took another step forward, his cruel smile coming into view.
"Still feisty and as stubborn as ever." the man mused, placing his hands behind his back. He bent over a bit, leveling his head to about Adora's level.
Adora felt her breath waver, her heart beating faster as a golden eye came into view. The stranger's curly, brown hair hung over his right eye, obscuring his second golden eye. Adora felt the world stop for a second.
She'd seen those eyes before. But she failed to recall where she'd seen them.
"Where's the Zylan King? After destroying my castle, hurling me out of my throne room, and unleashing hell upon my people, you don't think he would make an appearance to mock my defeat?"
The man chuckled darkly, his golden eyes lingering on the horizon for a second. Adora furrowed her eyebrows, detecting a hint of remorse in his eyes. It wasn't pain, more like regret dancing in his flame-filled eyes.
"You seem to know the Red King well," He commented with a flat tone.
"I've spent all my life loathing him, of course, I know him well." Adora sneered, a small knot forming in her throat. The Red King had slaughtered her parents. Now all she wanted was to see his eyes go wide as she plunged a knife into his chest.
Adora unconsciously groaned in pain, fingers tapping to see how far deep the arrowhead was. From what she could feel, Adora guessed that her attacker had shot her right into the muscles of her shoulder to prevent her from using it.
Fortunately for them, it was working damn well. Adora could barely feel anything on her shoulder. She'd lost a deadly amount of blood and it was only a matter of time before she passed out. Preferably after she escaped the ring of fire surrounding her.
"Why do you loathe him so much?" The man asked, unsheathing the large sword strapped on his back. It was twice the size of her father's sword and most likely required two hands to control.
"He killed my parents, murdered them in cold blood." The man paused, eyes flashing with fury.
"Then you'll be delighted to hear that he's been stuck to his bed for the past week, struggling to overcome a poison he ingested."
Adora felt her mind grow blank. Poison? She had only met the king once in her lifetime but one time was enough for her to understand the Red King was not easily knocked down. The vicious deed had to have been accomplished by someone close to him. No stranger could poison a Zylan King so effortlessly.
Strangely, Adora felt no happiness with this information. Instead, she struggled to grasp the fact that it had not been her neutralizing the King.
"The Red King's army was preparing to leave the palace when he suddenly collapsed, eyes wide and pale. The doctor quickly announced that he's ingested a heavy amount of Dragonbane," Adora's blood went cold. Could the arrow in her shoulder also be lathered in Dragonbane? The thought made her tremble.
"Leaving me to pick up the pieces of his shattered court and to tame a bloodthirsty army." He finished.
Adora frowned, meeting the stranger's golden eyes. By now, the numbness from her shoulder had spread down to her shoulder blade, rendering her right arm useless.
"Leaving you in charge?" A smirk appeared on his face.
"Why of course he did princess, who else other than his son could manage such a big task?"
Adora froze. His son? This man was the Princ-
Adora reeled backward, scooting far away from the man who stood before her. It all made sense. The dragon form, the red tattoos on his tan skin, his eyes. He was almost the mirror image of his father, the King of Zylan.
The Queen of Kyree cursed under her breath. How could she be so naive? The Prince of Zylan had been toying with her all this time. She should have known.
"What do you want, Wyld of Zylan?" Adora growled, baring her teeth. She crouched down, fingers reaching for her father's sword but a blast of magic knocked it away from her, leaving her defenseless once again.
The Prince clicked his tongue mockingly.
"Have you come to kill me? To mock me while my kingdom burns behind me?" Her words were like venom dripping down her tongue.
The Prince titled his head back and let out a wicked laugh. His golden eyes were filled with amusement as he stalked closer and closer, closing in on the young Queen. He was so tall, towering over her petite figure. It was only a matter of time before his large hands would wrap around her neck and squeeze the life out of her.
"To mock you? Quite, on the contrary, I need your help."
It was Adora's turn to laugh.
"You need my help?" she bared her teeth at him, ignoring the feeling of numbness spreading to her lower back. There had been some poison on that arrow.
"Quit playing around and get to the point!" She growled, the Prince backing her up against the crumbled fountain.
she was trapped and defenseless. The predator was closing in, hungry for blood. Adora unconsciously winced and whimpered as a piece of rumble pressed the arrowhead deeper into the flesh of her shoulder.
The Prince paused. "What's wrong?" He questioned, his eyes searching her face. Adora bit her lip, wiping blood on her torn dress.
"N-nothing" she stuttered, cursing herself for shaking vulnerability.
"I may be the villain in this equation and some hot-headed super soldier but I'm not stupid. There is no need to hide what's bothering you, princess."
"I said it's nothing." Adora hissed, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Let me see." the princes insisted, stepping closer.
"Don't come any closer!" Adora cried out, throwing a hand out to stop him. she pressed it against the partially open tunic feeling the warmth of his chest. Please take a step back."
"Let me see." the Prince insisted with a softer tone. "Please," He added as if it would make the situation better.
Reluctantly, Adora slowly turned around, letting the Prince see her shoulder and the piece of metal wedged in it. Adora shut her eyes awaiting his malicious laugh.
Instead, she heard him curse.
"Who did this?" the Prince demanded through gritted teeth.
"One of your men," Adora responded, confused as to why he sounded surprised. And angry.
"No, it couldn't have been one of my men. I order them specifically not to hurt anyone."
Adora frowned. What in the world was he talking about? It was without a doubt the Zylans who'd slaughtered her men.
"but my men..." Adora trailed off, eyes lingering on the dead bodies scattered across the courtyard.
"No, no, no you've got it all wrong." The Prince said, his hands shaking ever so slightly. But in a blink of an eye, he went still, composing himself.
"Wyld what's going on?"This was the first time Adora used his name. It felt foreign, almost forbidden to speak the Zylan's name with her Kyree accent. She hoped it would be the last time it ever went past her lips.
The Prince bit his lip and whirled around on his feet, the flames around him dispersing. With a flick of his wrist, the wall of fire disappeared, the image of her city coming into view.
Only the city was still intact and her people were still alive. It was Adora's turn to whirl around in surprise.
"W-what?" She looked at the Prince flabbergasted. The Kyree citizens were corralled by Zylan soldiers into a small area. Like shepherds watching over their flock of sheep, the Zylan soldiers encircled them, leaving them untouched. To her relief, none appeared injured. There was a pile of weapons belonging to the Kyree Royal Guard yet Adora only focused on the good. They were alive.
"My people," She breathed, joy filling her poor shattered heart. "they're still alive."
Tyrus was with them. Adora exhaled a long-held back breath. He stood tall in the center of the crowd, arms wrapped protectively around two children. From where they stood, Adora could make out the outline of his worried face, her legs aching to run to him. But she had lost the feeling in her right leg long ago, the Prince seeming to notice too.
"Wyld what's going?" Adora finally asked, her eyes pinned on the black-haired general. She felt the urge to call out to him but he was too focused on the Kyree people around him to notice his ruler staring at him.
Suddenly, the flames shot upwards again and she was cut off from her people again.
The Prince turned towards the Kyree queen, crossing his arms. "As I mentioned before, I require your help."
The Kyree female remained silent.
"There is a darkness growing in the northern mountains, darkness so powerful it'll destroy us all." He gazed warmly at the flames as if he found comfort in them. Adora wondered if she would find peace in her magic.
If she ever yielded.
"You're familiar with the feud between the Khagans and the Zylans?" He questioned with a calm tone. The Kyree female nodded, settling herself down on the edge of the fountain. Adora did not doubt that in a few minutes, she would lose sensation feeling in her hips and second leg.
"A few months ago the Khagan King launched an attack against Isria." Adora paused, realizing that there was so much she was unaware of. How could she be so naive?
Adora had been crowned queen too quickly. It had happened all too fast.
"As you know Isria is one of Zylan's most productive and advantageous ports. But the Khagans managed to level it to dust within a few minutes." Adora furrowed her eyebrows. Such power was unheard of.
"how? I do not know." His golden eyes were glassy.
"They're coming for Kyree next" Adora's ears perked up, her head snapping to attention at the sound of her Kingdom's name.
"Kyree is the only thing between them and the Zylan city, Adora. They'll stop at nothing until they reach their goal. Even if it means murdering the Kyree people and slaughtering their queen." His hand clenched around his arm, nails digging into his tattooed skin.
Adora looked down at her feet, beginning to understand what the Zylan was getting at. "And you need my help?" His gaze lingered on her face for a quick second before she quickly diverted it back to the ground.
"Yes, I need an alliance with kyree to protect my people. Our people." The girl scoffed.
"Our people are not the same. Kyrees do not butcher innocent villagers. They don't kill innocent Kings and Queens and leave children parentless."
This time, it was the Prince's turn to remain silent. He was well too aware of the anger brewing in Adora from the situation with her parents. It was only a matter of time before her fury reached its limits and she exploded.
They were both aware of how powerful she would be. They both knew that no one would be able to stop her rampage once she snapped.
"You need my help. Then why all of this?" She motioned towards the flames and the rubble. Towards the dead bodies scattered across the courtyard. "You could have proposed a meeting instead of this."
"There's no way you would have let me leave a meeting alive after what I'm about to propose." He faced her, golden eyes gleaming in the darkness.
If it hadn't been for his intimidating aura, Adora would have described him as calming. But he was no different than his father effortlessly slaughtered her mother and father.
"And what is that?" His lips were pressed into a thin line.
"To seal an alliance," He uncrossed his arms, almost seeming nervous.
"We'll need to get married." Adora nearly choked on her spit.
"Married?!" She let out a delirious laugh. "Married to a Zylan Prince? Me?" She mocked loudly, nearly falling off of the fountain's rim. Her hand rested on her bust as she rocked back and forth, snorting as if it was some sort of joke.
But Wyld of Zylan was dead serious.
His jaw was clenched, tongue swabbing the inside of his cheek. The veins in his arms popped as he crossed his arms tighter. If he hadn't been a blood-lusting monster, Adora might have considered him handsome.
"Give me one reason why I should marry you?" She snarled before bursting into laughter again. Tears brimmed her eyes. By the gods, he was crazy to think that she would accept.
"Because if you don't, I'll make sure my men leave no Kyree alive."
Adora froze, eyes bulging. She understood now. She grasped why they were surrounded by fire, why her people had been grouped into one area. It had been all part of his cruel, meticulous plan.
The Prince had been toying with her.
"You wouldn't dare!" She screamed, jolting to her feet. The laughing girl who'd mocked him so feverishly was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an ice-cold, infuriated bitch had replaced her. "Touch one of them and I'll gauge your eyes out with nails!" Adora screeched, lunging for him. But the Prince simply took a step to the side, watching as she fell to the ground.
The Queen let out a groan, murmuring a curse. "you bastard." she growled, swiping at his thigh. He remained silent, staring down at her with a scrutinizing glare.
"Trust me, princess." His eyes flashed red. "I'm not too fond of sharing a bed with a woman who can barely rule a kingdom."
Adora's blood went cold, her heart wrenching. Jackass.
The Zylan knew he hit home for his plush lips curled into a smile. "Since you're not compliant I'll just have to convince you some other way." The flames parted and Adora's heart dropped.
"General!" the Prince called out. "Bring out the green-eyed man, our queen is so fond of," A man with ginger hair nodded before stalking towards Tyrus.
The Kyree General put up a fight but the second the Zylan soldier held his sword up to a child's neck, Tyrus dropped everything and complied. Like Adora, he would sacrifice himself with hesitation for the safety of his people.
"W-what are you doing?" Adora asked, panic rising in her throat. "No, you can't." The Zylan dragged Tyrus over and shoved him down onto his knees. Then the Prince unsheathed his sword again, pointing the tip right at Tyrus's adam's apple.
"Adora, I've told you this before, but you must become my Queen. It's a necessity."
Tyrus let out a snarl of protest.
"Lay a finger on her and I'll rip you to pieces." The Prince let out a laugh, same as the one she'd heard earlier. It made her want to curl up in a ball and cry.
"You're in no position to be making demands right now, Tyrus Ashford." He paused, sneering as Tyrus stared him down. "I'm the one holding a blade to your neck, not you."
Adora only rarely heard her lover's name. Although she had spent days wondering if her name went well with his last name, she had no wish for it to be announced in this situation.
The Prince turned back to the Queen. "Now let me repeat myself."
Adora bristled at his words, making eye contact with Tyrus. His green eyes were pleading, pain etched within them. "Accept my hand in marriage and I'll let your people live." She clenched her fist. "Decline and I'll make sure that the Kyree name is erased from all history books."
The Queen was trembling now, her mind torn. She was desperate. How could she share a bed with a monster like the Prince? On the other hand, Adora couldn't bear the thought of her people being slaughtered.
Panting, she looked away, trying to regain composure.
Adora had to. Behind her, Tyrus was screaming and shouting at her, demanding that she sacrificed him for her own sake. But she couldn't. Adora was paralyzed, frozen in place while her mind ate away at her.
Adora had spent days in his arms, had created so many memories of him, and had even dreamed of spending the rest of her life with him. Hell, the Queen had even fathomed the idea of bearing his children.
But the Kyree Kingdom.
Kyree the land of infinite planes and abundant patches of flowers. Kyree, the kingdom home to the azure dragons, beasts so powerful they could control oceans.
How could she leave it all behind?
"So, shall I cut his throat?" the Prince mused, amusement dancing in his eyes. Flames roared around them and Adora wished she could summon a wave of ice to come crashing down on the stupid Prince. But she was powerless.
And he was the most powerful Dragon Prince on the continent.
"Adora you don't need to do this." Tyrus pleaded, eyes pinned on the blade against his neck. "Please save yourself. Don't do this."
"But what of Kyree, Tyrus?" Adora retaliated, tears welling in her eyes. "What of my people? What of our people? I simply cannot leave them alone to face the wrath of a Zylans fire."
"But you'll have to marry him." Her stomach churned.
Tyrus was right.
But so was she.
"You'll have to bear his children. They'll be expecting an heir." Tyrus continued. But his attempt at convincing Adora otherwise was fruitless. The Prince chuckled, tilting Tyrus's head.
"Any time now, princess" He laughed, eyes pinned on the young woman.
"Don't call her that!" Tyrus screeched, eyes shooting daggers as the Prince. The zylan responded by clicking his tongue.
"I'll call my future wife whatever I want."
Adora looked away. The decision made her heart feel heavy.
"So I guess that's it, I'll just burn your Kingdom the ground right after I slit this idiot's throat."
Adora jolted around, throwing herself onto her knees. "No!" She cried out, "Don't!" She pleaded. The Prince smiled, a hint of surprise on his face.
"Please your majesty, give me one more moment to think over this.
Triumph glinted in his eyes as his title slipped from Adora's lips. He was enjoying this too much.
In the moment of panic, Adora looked up toward the sky, wondering what her mother would have done.
Naomi of Kyree had been a gentle and delicate being, always caring for her Kingdom. Adora took on after her, aspiring to be as caring as her.
Naomi would have accepted the Prince's deal and would have done it without hesitation if it meant saving her people. Exhaling a shaky breath, Adora looked up to meet the Prince's golden gaze.
"I accept." The world shook in response, magic raking across the Kingdom. Tyrus cried out in protest as the Prince broke into a triumphant smile
"I'll be your Queen." Tyrus was shaking now, strings of curses leaving his mouth. Adora looked away, unable to meet her lover's eyes. It was over. The Prince sheathed his blade, striking the Tyrus in the head. The Kyree General groaned, his strength unmatchable to the Prince's.
Then the red-headed man dragged her lover away as he screamed and clawed at the air. His eyes were wild, raging as his Queen grew further and further away from him. Adora bit her lip, feeling the need to hurl her dinner out.
"But you must promise me one thing, your highness." The prince raised an eyebrow, amusement etched on his face.
"You'll protect my kingdom at all costs." He uncrossed his arms, crouching down to level his face to Adora's. His finger came to hook under her chin, tilting it up so she could look at him more clearly.
"Of course I will, your people are now my people, after all."
Adora offered him a meek smile before she collapsed onto him, the arrowhead finally winning the battle against her body.
She had just enough time to hear him murmur the words "don't worry, darling you'll be safe with me" before passing out.