"State your purpose for trespassing our lands", the red dragon spoke in a deep almost demonic voice. Their small bodies seemed to vibrate when it spoke. The majestic creature did not leave them out of his sight, his posture straight. He radiated power and as Krystle looked around, she noticed how stunned everyone was. They were still trying to fathom the situation.
"We have come from the Eira kingdom up at the north. I am Prince Luca and this is my sister, Princess Krystle." Krystle walked up next to her brother, nodding at the mention of her name.
"We have come in peace to speak with the Dragon Lord on behalf of our King and Queen." Luca's words still stung inside Krystle's heart, knowing her own mother was deceased and out of the picture made her feel a pinch in her chest but she respected her father's decision.
The dragon pondered on their words for a few seconds before nodding at them. He turned around and turned his head to the humans.
"I'll fly above you and guide your way. When you see me land, stop and wait for me to come to get you; otherwise, your scent might be too close for the guards to sniff you out." He did not wait for anyone to agree. It was an order and they were to acquiesce to his command.
They were in uncharted territories and had no choice but to comply and be aware of their surroundings. Who knew what menacing creatures roamed the area, besides the dragons of course.
The dragon took off to the air and just as he said, he was flying right above them, every now and then he glanced down to make sure they were keeping up. The humans had to do their best to endure the fast-paced dragon above.
They have had almost no rest and were basically drained from the long quest. They were basically at their destination, they only had to make sure that their leader accepted their humble request.
Krystle looked up at Luca once more and felt a tiny throe in her heart. She admired him for being everything she wanted him to be for her up until that moment. There had been times that had confused her on sudden behaviors of his, such as showing sudden indifference to her affection or those brief moments where she swore she thought she had seen him give her a fearsome stare.
She shook her head at those sudden thoughts. She smiled secretly at him; those moments only lasted seconds which made her wonder if she was just imagining things. He was always so busy and she wondered if he ever envied her freedom of doing what she pleased. They grew up together and got the same treatment from their father. Although, almost five years ago, their father announced that Luca would be the next in line to be king. She had somewhat expected it but she still held hope for herself. She was the royal descendant both by blood and by law she was meant to wear that crown.
Thinking about it at that moment, she gave it another deep thought. If Krystle became queen, Luca's mother would have to step down as well as her father, but if Luca became king, his mother would still be considered the queen until Luca married. The king's royal bloodline would basically end with Krystle since she would never step into the throne, she will end up as a princess, only if she married off to another prince of course.
Krystle envied that about her brother the most, she always dreamed about being queen and having her bloodline continue on the same throne as her father for thousands of generations more. By law, firstborns were destined to be on the throne, unless a male was born and the firstborn was a female. In that case, the son would have the privilege to rule, even if they were younger, just like Luca. It was unfair on many levels but she had no choice but to accept.
Krystle, lost in her thoughts, bumped into Viatrix. She turned around as the princess mumbled an apology. She looked up and in fact, the dragon was nowhere in sight. Everyone's nerves were on edge as the dead silence made everything more foreboding. She realized no one spoke and wondered what was on their minds.
The bright stars above were the only source of light for them. If it weren't for the mighty dragon to guide them, they would probably be lost. They had encountered some curves and paths that lead to unknown places. The map did not show the way after they entered the cave. The space was blank and only the name of the kingdom was written in the middle of it, the Demir Valley.
"Prince, will we go back immediately? Shouldn't we rest after everything is settled?" Hunter dared to ask after what seemed hours of silence.
"We will see how things turn out, but if things go as planned, we can rest inside the cave until dawn. That seemed to be the safest spot." Luca seemed to have everything planned out, after all, he and the king had designed the alliance with full detail. Worst case scenario, the Dragon Lord denied them and they went back empty-handed.
"Yes, your highness", Hunter had to obey him regardless of Luca's orders. The King was not here but Luca was next in line, so there, his words were valid. They were both siblings but Luca felt almost unreachable, he was on a different level from her now. He took care of political and financial affairs and recently he started dealing with treaties and strategies for war. He was doing all that their father used to do. He was basically considered their king but without a crown, that's what the rumors said.
Krystle was pushed away from those duties long ago and was only allowed to train with her fellow friends on the fields. She was considered a mighty healer and warrior. Her capabilities were enough for her as long as her father was in her picture. She didn't mind having her brother as her future king. He had attested his worth as their new ruler. As long as her father was content and healthy, she asked for nothing more.
After the loss of her mother, her father had gone into a depressive state that had cost them years to heal. After he met Scylla, Luca's mother, he somehow regained strength and went back to being his old self, almost. He often said part of him left with her mother, and she believed him, for she felt the same way. Yet, she was glad he fell in love again and decided to be happy.
The dragon appeared before them again with the same grace and authority. Were all dragons just as graceful?
"Follow me", were his only words as he led them down the path again, this time, he walked before them, his steps made the ground shake but Krystle got used to them soon enough. After a few more minutes, the path ended and they were being led to an open clearing, no trees surrounded the area, it was big enough to fit fifty or more dragons if scattered around the clearing.
She couldn't see much around because of the darkness, but she saw the enormous gate that suddenly opened just as they arrived. The thick walls that protected the dragons' domain were taller than the dragon before them. It was probably five dragons tall, that was the tallest wall she had ever seen. The walls of their kingdom could not compare to these, they were probably half as tall.
There were four guards at the gate, waiting for them to pass before closing them again after they entered. Krystle found it strange that dragons had Lycans as guards, although, truth be told, they were rumored to be the most loyal creatures. She glanced at them with curiosity as she had never seen one up close. They were probably around seven feet tall or taller, their black royal uniform seemed to blend well with the darkness. If it weren't for their yellow eyes, you wouldn't know they were there.
No one spoke a word, only their footsteps could be heard as they echoed through the entrance tunnel. Questions bombarded her mind, such as what their leader looked like? Would he accept their treaty and alliance? Did all dragons have different colors? What color would he be like?
AS they passed the tunnel, they had no idea that the Dragon Lord was waiting for them at his throne. He was also anticipating their encounter, wondering what they wanted and what he would get in return.
The mortals entered an empty arena, it was lit up by lanterns and torches all around. The place was gorgeous, it left her speechless by how clean and elegant the place looked. The architecture was magnificent, ancient writings could be seen all over the columns and walls. Beautiful scenery paintings decorated the walls of the hallways, the moonlight lit them beautifully.
Their guide hadn't advanced as if he were waiting for something or someone. Indeed, someone was approaching them from the left, another Lycan. He was dressed formally, his attire more formal than those of the guards, meaning he must be something close to a valet.
He vowed in respect before the dragon and then before them. He had a straight composure, as he spoke in a refined manner, his gaze never meetings theirs. He must be aware they were royalty as well.
"I will take you to his majesty from here. Please follow me, your highness." Luca was at the front, Krystle beside him and their guardians at their backs. Krystle followed her brother as she started having an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She took a deep breath as they reached a pair of golden double doors.
The valet knocked and Krystle's nerves skyrocketed leaving her restless. She had no idea why but she had a bad feeling about everything right there and then. She bit her lower lip in anticipation for what was to come. It was as if all negativity had disrupted her inner peace.
She gulped her nervousness down as the doors opened. A bright light blinded her for a second, she had to squeeze her eyes twice to adjust to the new brightness. She created a fist at her side and played with her fingers in anxiety. Luca, on the other hand, was quite relaxed.
The valet held his hands before them, signaling them to walk in without him. Luca nodded and walked in confidently, followed by Hunter, then Viatrix motioned for me to follow Hunter. She nodded and she stared at everything inside. Every single detail was perplexing, the gold and red decorations, red flowers, paintings of mighty dragons and warriors, and a long red carpet that led to the throne.
Luca and Hunter blocked her sight of the person sitting at the throne, so she had to peek her head to the side. She took a deep breath and as she caught a glimpse of the Lord, her breath hitched. She wasn't able to exhale as she took in his rare beauty. He was the most masculine, lavish, and handsome man she had ever laid eyes on.
A question made her look away and wonder. He was the dragon lord, yet he was not in a dragon form. Were all dragons able to do that?