The Dragon Emperor's Slave Bride

I Accept My Fate

The arguing was rabid. Shirina could feel her head pounding. The ministers were discussing her fate passionately like she was object to be gifted or hoarded. And her own father was looking over the proceedings with an almost dispassionate gaze and her stepmother was flirtatiously leaning against him.

“My King, we cannot let Empire this! We cannot give away the Princess to them like that!”

“Why not? If Princess’ marriage brings peace and stability to the Kingdom than this is not wrong direction to move towards.”

“I agree.”

“Have you forgotten the most important thing?! I believe no one remembered the fact that Princess is the sole heir to the throne of Nishak?!”

That one argument stunned everyone to quietness. Shirina raised her head to stare at her Uncle, her mother’s older brother.

“Princess is His Majesty’s only child and also a shadow dragon. Her Highness Shirina is the heiress to his Majesty and she cannot be married off to someone outside this country in any circumstances.”

She felt gratitude bloom in her chest for him because he was standing up for her with valid points for rejection of Emperor’s proposal.

“Marquis!” A shilled voice boomed and her stepmother who had been sitting and casually having fun at her expanse yelled, “How dare you say something like that when I am right here! I can and will definitely give my dear king many heirs. My children-“, she gave Shirina a look of disgust, “-will be of much higher capabilities than this failure of a child born from her.”

A dreadful silence settled over the room. Nobody had ever before seen the Queen insulting the Princess openly and by extension, the beloved former Queen like this. And the only one higher in authority and who could scold the woman for her honestly appalling behavior was the King.

Shirina waited, and waited for her father to defend her. Even the council members who wanted to marry her off fell silent, feeling intense pity for her.

That is when Shirina made a decision for herself for the first time in a long while.

She stared a minute dark spot on wood in front of her table and then broke the silence.

“Her Majesty is right.” Her cold voice reverberated through the walls of the chamber. “Nishak does not need me to be their Princess or the heiress anymore. I sorely lack any qualifications to become the crown princess. And the only way I can be of any use to my country is by marrying the Emperor.”

She raised her head and looked straight at her father, meeting his eyes, she declared, “I accept my fate.”

 A moment of silence enveloped the room before everything erupted in chaos. Some ministers were yelling for her to consider her decision and others were applauding her for it. She did not hear them. Her eyes were only focused on her father’s emotionless expression in wake of her declaration and it confirmed her that there was nothing left in this place for her. As the ministers continued yelling, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then stood up. The room fell quiet once again.

“Please,” She requested, giving a small nod to her uncle, “I understand your feelings, my lords, but this decision is not up for debate. The fate of Nishak and its people rests on me accepting Emperor’s proposal. There was no other answer but to say ‘yes’ to him. With our dwindling economy we cannot exactly afford to pay to the taxes Empire has forced on us without going bankrupt. And my mother, who would have wanted the very best for this country always would agree to this decision as well.”

“I do not think she would have been happy about it.” Her uncle said.

Shirina gave him a tiny sad smile. “I know. But this for the best.”

“Thank you, everyone, for all you have done for me, my mother and this country. I wish you all the very best for your future.” Those were her last words to them as she took off and exited the room without a second glance.

For the first time, she actually felt that she was breathing. It was an almost sense of freedom. As soon as she crossed the confidential area of the palace, Emily, who had been waiting for her joined behind her.

“Emily.” She addressed her personal maid.

“Yes, your highness?”

“I want you to do two things for me.”

“Of course, Princess.”

“First of all, gather writing supplies for me so I can immediately write a reply to the Empire’s proposal. I want you to deliver the message I give you directly in the hands of the ambassador. No one else. Is that understood?”

“Yes, your highness.” Emily nodded.

“Secondly, I want you the spread the information that Nishak has accepted the Empire’s proposal of marrying off their Princess outside the Palace grounds, to the common folks. And do not get caught.”

“As you wish, Princess.” Emily gave her firm nod and went about doing the business. The nobles were supposed to be informed by her father, the king, so Shirina strayed away from the court and took a long path around towards the exit to her palace to avoid people.

She froze on the spot when she noticed a figure hulking on the entrance of her castle. She would have turned around and took another path but the figure had already noticed her.

Two large hands gripped her shoulder as she was tugged closer to the person.

“Princess! Is this true? The Empire proposed marriage to you?!”

The person asking her this question was Jason Gray, her childhood friend, who later became one of the mot celebrated knights of the country. He was a capable swordsman and a powerful shadow dragon.

Her Stepmother’s personal guard.

“Yes, that is true.” Shirina answered, shrugging off his grip on her shoulders. Deciding to drop the bomb on him she continued, “And I have accepted it.”

Jason, who was staring her with narrowed grey eyes jumped back, eyes blown wide in surprise. “W-What did you s-say? You accepted it?”

“Isn’t it that what I said?”

He blinked thrice and shook his head like a dog, and glared at her. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?!” He screamed. “You accepted the proposal of that demon?! You are going to marry him of all people?!”

“Yes, I will.” She announced. “I have no other choice.”

“No! There is always some other way! How could you even think like that!”

When she did not respond to anything, he stepped closer to her. “Listen to me Princess. I’m sure we can find a way to deflect the wedding. You do not have to marry him.”

“And throw my country to the wolves?” She gave him a sharp smile. “Sorry Jason. But unlike some people, I will always put my friends and people first.”

He flinched back. Looking almost like she had almost slapped him across the face.

Shirina huffed and went past him to her Palace’s gate.

“You are willing to leave everything you have ever known to become a tyrant’s slave bride?”

Shirina glanced and Jason still had his back towards her, face down to the ground. A part of her was viciously satisfied seeing him like this but to be honest, she did not like the feeling of watching her friend in despair. When had she turned so bitter? Even still, her friend needed to come at terms with the truth of the matter.

“I have never abandoned people first, Jason.” She replied. 

A strong gust of wind blew and a bunch of leaves scattered in the air. They twirled around one another before another gust came and blew away one of the leaves, separating it from the bunch, making it fly high towards the sky. Shirina felt a smile curl upon her lips.

“I have tried and tried and tried so hard to make everyone happy. My father. And my stepmother. My tutors and the ministers. My family. My friends. But it is still never enough. Nothing I do is ever enough.”

She turned around to face him.

“You asked if I was willing to leave everything behind to become the tyrant’s slave bride? The answer is ‘yes’. Because Jason, if my presence was never enough to make people around me happy then maybe my absence will.”

“That’s absolutely not true!” He yelled, whirling around to face her. “You know that! You leaving will not make me or many other people happy!”

For a second she lost her breath. His eyes had never shined brighter with sincerity and desperation than this moment.

“Jason…” She whispered.

“You do not have to leave! Hell, you are the sole heiress to the throne of Nishak! How can they even marry you out of the country?!”

“Me being the only princess and heiress does not change a thing. Queen has just been enjoying her childfree days because, as long as I exist, the court will not pressurize her into having a child.”

She looked straight into Jason’s eyes. “And tell me honestly Jason, do you really think that she would ever actually let me inherit the throne? She will kill me the moment she sees me as a threat to her and her child’s right to the throne. You know that better than anyone else. She has made sure I have no power and support from the nobles by essentially isolating me and monitoring me and my own father treats me as if I do not exist.”

Now that she had started to rant, the words came spilling out of her mouth. The pent up years worth of rage and disappointment came flowing out of her lips. 

“I’ve lived years suffering in silence Jason. But I cannot, anymore. You expect me to sit here and hope that somebody my father gives me the title of the crown princess. But that is me simply waiting for my death. And…I do noy want to die. Jason. You cannot harass me for not wanting to die. I’m done now. And I want my own life. And I do not mind being a slave bride to the demon Emperor to get away from this hell hole.”

He did not say anything after that. They both stood there for a while, unmoving, staring into each other’s eyes, not daring to break the silence.

She smiled at him one last time, a tiny tear drop slid down her cheek, glinting in the sunlight.

“Thank you for being my friend, Jay.”