5. Wedding Gift.

~DAHLIA~

The dungeons of Drakarith are unlike any prison I have ever seen or imagined.

There are no rusted bars, no damp stone dripping with the stench of decay.

Instead, the stone walls have molten lava flowing through the black cracks. The heat here is unbearable, forcing sweat to spill out everywhere on my body.

Even the very breath I take is hot and it burns.

But the worst part isn’t just the fire.

It’s the silence. A kind of silence that makes me fear and wonder if I am the only living soul here.

What I am beginning to understand in this place is that just because I was brought here as a Queen Tribute, doesn't mean things will be easy for me.

Right now, I am seated in one of the cells, faraway from the walls.

The guards chained my wrists, and the metal cuffs are searingly hot against my skin. The moment those cuffs were locked into place, I felt a strange sensation that instantly paralyzed my body with weakness.

I can still feel the weak sensation. Something from these cuffs is suppressing me.

My body is also aching a lot. My wrists are red. My throat is parched and dry, but I keep reminding myself that I am not a prisoner here.

I am a princess, and even though I am a dethroned princess, I will not die like a rat in Drakarith.

I will regain my rightful place in Velmira when the time comes.

And Andessa, she will wish she never underestimated me and killed my father.

Resting my head between my forearms, I struggle to breathe through the pain and heat. The cruel events of yesterday replay in my head.

The betrayal. My disgrace and banishment.

At that moment, the doors of my cell groan open. I hadn't heard anyone walk in until that moment.

I tense up, lifting my face.

Azraelyrs.

Even in the smallness of the cell, his tall presence is largely intimidating. His golden eyes reflect the fire that surrounds us, but no longer seem slitted like they were before.

He isn’t wearing his armor this time, only a simple black tunic and dark pants, yet he still looks every bit the powerful warrior king that he is.

“You look comfortable,” he sounds amused.

“Then I guess you have poor eyesight, your Majesty.” I roll my eyes and cannot even bear to move my body at the moment.

“You’re defiant, even in those chains.” He steps closer, and I swallow hard, hating the way his presence fills the room. “Tell me, was your Queen Andessa threatened by you?”

“With all due respect, Andessa is not my Queen.” I shoot back. “Do you enjoy caging women? Does it make you feel powerful, your Majesty?”

He crouches down before me. “I don’t cage things that interest me.”

My breath hitches.

“So you mean I don't interest you?” I scoff. “I'm not a thing, your Majesty. I'm a living being. Your Queen Tribute. You said I'm not going to be executed yet. Should I be expecting my head on a spike very soon?” I ask, my voice coming out stronger than I ever thought it could at this moment.

Azraelyrs studies me closely, his eyes trailing over me and giving away nothing for me to grasp onto. When his attention drops down to the shackles around my wrists, slowly, he reaches out.

My body stiffens for a second, expecting more pain, but instead, his fingers trace the metal lightly. That strange sensation of weakness intensifies inside me.

“These are not ordinary chains,” he murmurs.

“My guess is you already know that.” A low hiss of pain escapes my lips, “I feel so weak and whatever you're doing to these chains just keep making me weaker.”

He chuckles, but his eyes stay on the chains a while longer.

Without warning, the chains snap open.

Instantly, I collapse forward, unable to catch myself as I fall into his arms.

Phew.

His arms are so damn strong….

I draw in a deep breath into my lungs. Azraelyrs doesn’t move to push me away. He doesn't move at all.

He is so still like a breathing statue, as if he is watching me and waiting to see what I will do next.

Taking in another slow deep breath, I begin to feel the weakness fading away from my body. He smells so good that I almost forget all the pain I am still feeling in some parts of my—

“Are you trying to make a bed out of me, princess?” he asks, and I feel the power and deepness of his voice drench into my bones.

“Sorry,” I mutter quietly and force my body to unglue from him. Then, I lift up my eyes out of mild embarrassment and instantly meet his eyes boldly staring back.

Molten gold has never looked so beautiful like these man's eyes.

Just one look at them is enough to bring anyone to their knees.

But I am not just anyone.

However, I can't deny this strange effect this Dragon King has on me.

Slowly, I rub my wrists where the shackles had burned into my skin.

Azraelyrs freed me.

Why?

“You unchained me. Was that supposed to make me grateful?” I ask.

He frowns, and even with that look, he is still the epitome of intoxicating desire.

“No.” His hard reply comes. “Unchaining you was supposed to make you aware.”

I squint my eyes. “Aware of what?”

“That you are more useful to me alive than dead.” His luscious, tempting lips curl into a slant that is neither a smile nor a smirk.

A chill creeps down my spine, followed by an unwelcome flutter inside my belly.

“Dear princess, you are my Queen Tribute. I thought you were unworthy to rule beside me the second you arrived in my fortress. But I'm having doubts now. Do you know why?”

I hold his stare. “Because you enjoy playing with your food?”

A sharp laugh escapes him.

“Because you're not a spineless princess at least, and I don't want a spineless queen who will be devoured by my Court.” he admits. “We are going to get married,” he says, taking my hand gently. “You and me.”

My heart pounds, but I keep my face blank. “And if I refuse?”

“I highly doubt you will,” he sounds so confident. “There’s anger in your eyes, Dahlia, but I'm sure that anger is not because of me.”

A sudden strange sensation curls pleasantly inside my veins at the sound of my name easily rolling off those perfect tempting lips….

He is right.

I have been angry since yesterday. Since the moment I realized I have lost my father and everything I have has been stripped away from me by Andessa.

Me being here in Drakarith isn’t just about survival.

This is a move I can convert into a necessary strategy to reclaim back all that is rightfully mine.

And Azraelyrs Vasileios here is the mighty piece on the board I want to partner with.

I will be his Queen who cowers to no one.

For years back in Velmira, I have being pushed down and treated like a pawn in my father's own palace.

But here, face to face with this Dragon King, I see something else.

An opportunity to make everyone that ever wronged me pay dearly.

Starting with Andessa.

“I want to make a request, your Majesty.” I speak up, intentionally making my voice to be soft. “One I'd love you to consider for my happiness.”

His face turns concerned. “What do you want, Princess?”

My voice turns softer. “I know I hate my stepmother, Queen Andessa, but according to Velmiran wedding customs, it is only right that my family be brought here in Drakarith to be present at our wedding ceremony. Most especially my step siblings.”

“You hate them, yet you want them to attend our wedding to fulfill your customs?” He asks incredulously.

“Yes.” I answer coldly. “However, as a wedding gift to me, I humbly ask that you help me ensure my step-siblings never leave our wedding alive.”