Lisandra was standing by the door, looking with great interest at a random detail on the wall, while Lú was talking to the guards. Then the sound of something breaking caught everyone's attention.
The legionnaires' reaction was intense, with the closest ones drawing their weapons and pushing open the door, but before they could enter, someone stood in their way.
"Ma'am-" The legionnaire began to speak, urgency in his voice, but was interrupted.
"Wait here, I'll call you if I have to," Lisandra said, entering the room.
"My lady, our duty-" A legionnaire said, trying to follow her.
"I told you to wait, so shut up and wait!" Lisandra's tone did not allow for any questioning, and the legionnaires stood in silence watching the door close.
Lisandra looked around, seeing a broken vase on the floor and a trail of blood towards the balcony and her future husband on the floor, unconscious.
'What's this useless bastard trying to do? I just hope he didn't piss on his clothes... no matter what my father says, I won't subject myself to that...' Lisandra thought angrily, clenching her teeth so hard she wondered if they would break.
Lisandra looked at the pathetic boy lying on the floor, his right hand drenched in blood. 'That's great, all the work I've done has gone to waste...'
She regretted entering the room alone. At first, she had acted to try to preserve her future husband's dignity, but now she saw that it had been a mistake. She was about to ask for help, when the body moved and slowly stood up. She watched as he crawled out onto the balcony and then gazed out over the city. 'He wanted to see the landscape? Don't tell me he's going to pee over there?
As Lisandra tried to understand her guest's strange actions, she saw him shudder and then lean his body on the parapet. And with growing horror, she saw him propel himself forward.
Lisandra's eyes widened, and she ran to stop this madness, but she stopped before she had even completed the first step. 'If he kills himself, I won't be obliged to marry him, but... would it be my responsibility?' Lisandra paused as her mind created various scenarios in which her omission would not be severely punished.
Meanwhile, the boy's body bent over the ledge, and before Lisandra could make her decision, a dark red shadow passed by, its small claws latching onto the boy's shoulder and somehow pulling him back.
"Do you need help?" Lisandra approached, drawing the gaze of the night and the little dragon to herself. The dragon stared at her with yellow eyes, and the knight looked at her with moist, shiny eyes, as crystalline tears streamed down his face.
'Is he crying?' For the first time, Lisandra saw the boy not as the shabby beggar she would be forced to marry, but as a broken and frightened young man, wounded beyond belief. For the first time, she thought about how much pain he must be and how confused he must be about the whole situation... Lisandra felt empty, realizing belatedly that she had lost something in those brief moments.
Lisandra had no answer, and waited while the knight got up and dried his tears with his hand, not realizing that his face was now stained with blood. The little dragon flew over her rider, landing gently on her shoulder.
Lisandra saw the gleam disappear from his eyes, replaced by a dark, impenetrable mist. His expression of pain and sadness disappeared, giving way to a cold indifference.
"I would like to speak to Lady Ayla or Duke Arius. Now, if possible."
His voice still sounded hoarse and dry, like a weak whisper, yet it left no room for refusal.
"They've both already been informed, we should receive their response shortly." Lisandra replied in the same tone, making it clear that she was no mere servant. The boy ignored her and turned to look at the landscape. Lisandra took the opportunity to take a closer look at the pair.
The young man had shaggy dark brown hair, much longer than would be acceptable. His skin was light brown, burnt by the sun, full of scars and countless bruises. He wasn't so tall for his supposed age, being a little shorter than herself.
There were also certain 'imperfections' in his body, as if parts had been broken off and put back in the wrong place. A few crooked fingers, a slightly wrinkled nose, a left leg that he seemed to drag as he walked... Lisandra wasn't sure if all these imperfections came from the recent fight or were older, and it didn't make any difference, really. The boy was nothing more than a patch on what a human should be.
The little dragon, however, was the definition of perfection. Scales in intense shades of dark red, resembling obsidian in some parts and blood in others. The horns, spines and claws were matte black, with wings following a darker tone on the top and a lighter tone on the bottom. A long spiky crest ran from its head to the tip of its tail. The dragon looked sharp and aggressive, but its bright yellow eyes watched the world with an almost childlike curiosity and innocence...
Lisandra silently followed the knight and his dragon as they gazed out over the city, wondering what could be going on in his head. With a little hesitation, she struck up a conversation: "What is your name, my lord?" She decided to use a more respectful tone, but if he minded, he didn't show it.
"Volsung"
"Sir, that word belongs to an ancient dialect and means 'horrible', I beg you not to use it as a name. It was a bad joke, I ask you to forgive me for that..."
"Volsung is almost a compliment compared to some names I've used... I think it's a good name to use between you."
Lisandra didn't know how to respond, so she decided to change the subject: "Sir, your hand..."
Volsung raised his hand, seeing the blood-soaked cloth. He untied the knot in the bandage with his teeth, seeing the cloth unravel and fall to the ground, revealing the wound on his hand. The cut on his palm was deep, reaching all the way to the bone, and all four fingers were also cut.
Volsung shuddered as he recalled the desperate scramble for the old knife. The cold metal slipping from his grasp and opening a bloody gash in his hand as he tried to stop the wretched dog from stabbing him again.
At that moment he accepted that he was going to die, while his enemy was still clinging to life. This allowed him to win the fight.
A knocking sound brought him back to the present. Looking towards the door, he saw one of the women pushing a small food trolley inside.
The overwhelming smell almost knocked him over, but he held on and moved towards the cart with the little strength he still had. The little dragon sensed its rider's eagerness and flew up to the cart, growling menacingly at the woman pushing it.
Volsung ignored the frightened woman, picking up a piece of bread and dipping it into the broth, then putting as much as he could into his mouth. The hot broth burned his mouth, but he ignored the pain and repeated.
"Wait outside, Beth" Lisandra led her frightened friend out of the room, as they were followed by a small, angry dragon. Then she closed the door and sat down in a chair, watching Volsung frantically devouring his food.
Lisandra began to go over the conversation with her father, seeing a certain sense in everything he said... Marrying a draconic knight would be no sacrifice, especially one with no parentage...
'He knows nothing about our world, nor about magic... I can teach him. He's not the man I'd like to marry, but in time I can turn him into my ideal.
Volsung didn't notice Lisandra's intense gaze on him, being too busy devouring as much food as possible in as little time as possible. His injured hand was a big obstacle, but fortunately, his hunger was far greater than the pain he felt.
Volsung ate as much as he could, even though he was already full. When he had finally finished, Lisandra approached him.
"I need to redo the bandage on your hand, my lord."
Volsung sat down on the bed and stretched out his right hand, watching in surprise as a strange light blue energy enveloped his hand and turned into a sphere of cool water.
"House Arius is famous for our affinity with lightning and water, and to a lesser extent with wind. My brother Marco specialized in lightning, while I chose water and wind." Lisandra began to speak as she cleaned the wound, then took a vial with a thick liquid and spread it over the cuts, finally she took a curved needle and a fine thread and began to sew the cuts together.
"A draconic knight usually possesses the great magical potential, with a high affinity for the basic elements. If you like, I can teach you a few spells after you've recovered..."
Volsung listened in silence, but if Lisandra had raised her head and seen his eyes, she would have stopped talking immediately.
'One of the first things I learned was how to spot falsehood... I don't know what you're hoping to get out of me with these lies, but I guarantee you won't get anything.