Elira sat by the window of her chamber, staring at the kingdom bathed in silver moonlight. The kiss—the intimacy they'd shared—still lingered on her lips, but so did the confusion it left behind. Zareth, the ruthless Dragon King, had pulled back when she expected him to take what he wanted.
Why did he stop? she wondered, her mind swirling with contradictions. If he was as cruel as the world claimed, why show restraint? Why did he hesitate when he could have shattered her defenses completely?
The river shimmered in the distance, a picture of serenity that clashed with the storm inside her. Her thoughts drifted back to Kaelion, the Wolf Prince. His golden eyes and steady presence felt like a distant memory now, one that only deepened the ache in her heart.
A soft knock broke her reverie. A maid stood at the door, her head bowed.
"Princess, you are summoned to the main hall," the maid said, her voice polite but devoid of warmth.
Elira nodded, brushing off the fog of her thoughts, and followed through the palace corridors. The Dragon King's castle loomed grand and imposing around her, every inch a monument to power. Yet, its cold beauty seemed to swallow the life within its walls.
As she walked, the hushed voices of two passing maids caught her attention.
"Did you hear about the attack on the Wolf Kingdom?" one whispered urgently.
Elira stopped, her pulse quickening.
"They say the Prince won't hold out for long," the other replied with a sigh. "It's the Dragon King's doing. Who else could orchestrate such destruction?"
Elira's breath hitched. No. It can't be.
Her mind flashed back to Zareth's assurances—his claim that he hadn't attacked the Wolf Kingdom. But now doubt slithered into her heart. Had he lied to her?
Her steps slowed, and the maids' words echoed in her ears as she made her way to the hall. She kept her expression neutral, but turmoil brewed beneath the surface.
Unable to shake the maids' words, Elira roamed the quiet halls until she found herself near the servant's quarters. She spotted an older maid—a woman whose lined face spoke of years spent in the palace.
"Excuse me," Elira called softly, stepping into the lamplight. The maid turned, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I need to ask you something about the king."
"The king?" The woman's voice held a note of caution. "What could you possibly want to know about him, Princess?"
Elira hesitated before answering. "The stories about him… they don't match what I've seen. People say he's ruthless, but…" She paused. "Is that truly who he is?"
The older maid's face softened, a shadow of sadness crossing her features. She exhaled, as if gathering memories long buried.
"The king you see now is not the boy he once was," she said, her voice quiet and wistful. "Zareth wasn't always like this. He was kind, once. He cared for his people, for us. But…"
"But what?" Elira pressed gently.
The maid shook her head, a distant look in her eyes. "Something happened. Something broke inside him. After that, he hardened, closed himself off from the world." She looked at Elira, her gaze searching. "He wears the mask of a monster now. But perhaps you see glimpses of the man beneath it."
Elira frowned, her questions only multiplying. "What happened to him?"
The woman didn't answer. Instead, she turned away with a small, tired smile. "Be careful, Princess. Curiosity in this palace can be dangerous."
As the maid shuffled back into the shadows, Elira stood alone, the weight of her words settling over her.
Kaelion stood on the balcony of his castle, his golden eyes fixed on the dark horizon. From the southern borders, the faint glow of fires reflected against the night sky. The second attack in a month.
The air was thick with tension when his trusted advisor approached, a grim expression on his face.
"The southern lands are burning, my lord," the man said. "The pattern is undeniable—it's the Dragon King's work."
Kaelion turned sharply, his jaw tightening. "And you're certain?"
"Everything points to him," his friend said firmly. "Strategic fires. Borders weakened. Who else could it be? The Dragon King has already conquered others—now he turns his eyes to us."
Kaelion's fists curled at his sides, a spark of fury igniting in his chest. "He promised peace," he said, his voice a low growl. "If this is his doing, then he's betrayed that promise."
"Promises mean little to a man like Zareth." His friend stepped closer, his tone urgent. "We must act now, before his flames consume more of our lands."
Kaelion stared back at the horizon, torn between anger and disbelief. For years, the Dragon King's name had brought only fear to his people, but now… now it brought war.
"Prepare the troops," he ordered finally. His voice was steady, but the fire in his eyes burned brighter than the distant blaze. "If Zareth wants a fight, we will give him one."
As his friend left to carry out his orders, Kaelion's gaze lingered on the flames dancing in the distance. This means war.
Back in the Dragon King's palace, Elira sat on the edge of her bed, her thoughts a tangled mess. The maids' whispers, Zareth's words, the attack on the Wolf Kingdom—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle she couldn't solve.
Zareth said he wasn't responsible. But if not him, then who?
Her mind flashed back to the look in his eyes when he denied the attacks. There had been no malice in them, no arrogance—only a cold certainty that he spoke the truth.
But could a man like Zareth truly be innocent?
The question gnawed at her as she lay down, the moonlight spilling across her chamber floor. Outside, the kingdom slept, but inside, Elira wrestled with the growing realization that her place in this war was far more complicated than she ever imagined.
And the Dragon King?
She wasn't sure if he was her captor, her protector, or something far more dangerous.