Edgar couldn't stop pacing the balcony of the Dragenar mansion after his interaction with Jax. His body was so tense that even the clothes on his body were stiff against the wind. He stopped in front of the balcony and looked out into the city then walked back to the corner of the balcony. He wasn't lost to the conversation going on in the dining. They were waiting for him to arrive to continue to welcome the Styrax family. He should be inside greeting them yet he couldn't seem to get himself through the doors of the dining.
There was movement behind him. Without looking back he said, "Aaron, what are you doing out here? You should be attending to the guests."
Aaron stopped behind his master and bowed slightly. "You should be inside too, sir."
"Well, I would be." He turned to face Aaron. "But do you know what Jax said to me?" without waiting for a response he walked to where Aaron stood and spoke in his face so that his next words were clear. "He wants me to marry Jaerys and Sarah!"
Aaron narrowed his eyes as he began to understand the reason for his master's agitation. "Does he know about.. "
"Exactly! He knows Sarah is the only crystal dragon left and he wants to have her in his family."
Aaron thought about that. "To have the crystal dragon in one's bloodlines," he said out loud. "Means power and the blood of creation. As one of the noble families of the old world, there is nothing wrong with Jax's suggestion."
"Do you know what he said to me?" Edgar asked, fighting the urge to raise his voice. "He said you have something worth more than protection that we want. What sort of man makes a marriage proposal in that tone of voice and with such words? I don't trust that man called Jax and his motives for wanting my daughter's blood in their bloodline are not pure."
"But eventually Sarah would have to marry and whoever she's married to will take advantage of her bloodlines. That's why the mother gave it to her."
Edgar began to pace again. "Anyone with the Crystal dragon's power in his control has the power to control all dragons, you know that as well as I do. If there's any man I'll entrust with that power it will not be Jax of Styrax. He was among those he wanted me dead when Attor drew his sword against me."
"Can you blame him?" Aaron said.
He was one of the few who could speak to Edgar freely without losing his body and neck. Edgar Dragenar was a benevolent man but he was sworn protector of the Drakai and therefore commanded respect from his men. Yet only Aaron could speak to him with such familiarity.
"You never told anyone why you murdered Alina all those years ago. The mother of dragons would not have spared your life if you were guilty but as far as I know, if you weren't guilty neither was Attor for demanding your head when you murdered his bride. Many of the lost dragons who have come to you for protection now were among those who called for your head yet they've only learned to trust you because you have protected and provided for them. Maybe Jax needs the crystal dragon's bloodline as a symbol of trust."
Trust?
That was a word whose meaning he didn't know anymore. He had betrayed his own friend and claimed it was for his good. He had wanted Attor to trust him yet over the years he knew that if the case was reversed he would have demanded Attor's head if it was his bride that was killed.
"You can't keep Sarah's identity hidden forever. If Jax figured out that she's the crystal dragon then it wouldn't be long until word gets out and suitors come running in for her hand in marriage. After all, it is every dragon's wish to create a strong alliance with the strongest family and marriage is the best way to do that."
Edgar knew all that Aaron said was right. Marriage was the common way to create a strong alliance because stronger offspring were guaranteed. He was also right about the fact that Sarah's identity could not be kept hidden forever still in order to protect her at all "For now Sarah is safe and that's because I have her guarded 24 hours to ensure she's safe."
Aaron gave him a critical eye. "Sir, your daughter is a Dragenar, she's going to grow restless eventually. What happens when she figures out that all her life she has been lied to about her identity? She will hate you and rebel."
I would rather have her rebel, Edgar thought, than expose her to this dangerous world of power-hungry dragons.
Suddenly the balcony door was thrown open. Jax had the biggest smile on his face as his eyes stared deep into Edgar's. Beside him was Jaerys, tall and handsome bearing every striking noble feature that his father before him had. He stood proud and tall with his muscles defined and strong. He would no doubt sire strong offspring but Edgar was still on the edge about Jax's motives.
Aaron bowed.
Jax ignored him and faced Edgar who already knew what was coming.
"My men expect an announcement, Egan. There's only so much stalling you can do. There aren't many noblemen to whom you can marry your daughter."
There was nothing he could say. His aim after all was to build a family of dragons where peace reigned, to deny Jax a member of the family of Styrax was to declare war. For all he knew Jax had announced to the other members of the family and to whoever was willing to listen that a joining of hands was going to bring an alliance between both families.
Edgar watched Jaerys closely. He looked responsible enough. He had the eyes of someone who hadn't seen a battlefield. Edgar was a battle champion himself. He did not doubt that he held the upper hand in battle against the family of Styrax if it came down to that but he wasn't about to test that theory.
Instead, he pasted a smile on his face and hoped that Sarah would forgive him when he told her the news of her betrothal.
"Come," he held his hand out to Jax, and the old man's eyes sparkled. "What are we waiting for? Let the hand of my daughter be a sign of appreciation to the Mother that your family survived the war." As he entered the dining where the guests talked, waiting expectantly for him to come so that they could begin the feast he announced in a loud voice, "My daughter Sarah Dragenar and Jaerys of the house of Styrax are to be joined in marriage."