The Dragon Prince's Beloved

2.

He never said a single word. I watched him while the cold winds blew through us, causing me to wrap my arms around myself. I waited for him to speak, but not a single word crossed his lips since he asked my name. All he did was stare at me, his silver eyes piercing through me. The intensity made me feel vulnerable like he could see through my soul. They were a darker shade of grey, bordering on becoming pitch black. I’d never seen eyes that color before, or come across anyone who stared at me like I was a cup of Ambrosia, the fabled nectar of the Gods. I tried to hold his gaze, but whenever I looked at him, all I wanted to do was drown in those beautiful, dangerous eyes.

It was cold; way colder than I was used to. I remembered a time when my mother told me the tale of the elves who lived in the Forest of Crasmere, what she called the kingdom, I can't possibly remember. According to the tales, they were capable of altering the temperature of their blood at will. Hence, during the winter, they could remain relatively warm even when the thick snow fell over the lands. In the summer, when the heat rose to a near boiling point, they could freeze their blood so it became near icy-cold, keeping them cool at all times. I wished I possessed that ability. The cold was so chilling that my toes were beginning to grow numb. Whatever this place was, it was definitely different from what I was used to.

“We should get you out of the cold,” he said finally, c*****g his head as he studied me. “You look frozen half to death.”

For a brief second, I simply watched him. Did he perhaps possess mind-reading abilities that he hasn’t disclosed yet? I assessed the situation and logically deduced that that was highly unlikely.

As he led me through the castle, my eyes wandered around in awe. There were three large stone buildings, all in all, built in a semicircle so they faced the gates when one stepped in. Great stone statues were built along the tall walls, their bleak eyes following us as we walked. Multiple guards marched around as we walked, all of them standing up just that bit straighter the moment their eyes met my avid escort.

The largest of the buildings was directly in front of us, a great stone edifice with multiple towers and turrets. Several poles lined the rooftop, with flags blazing in the wind. They were too high up to see, but I could roughly make out the fire drawn there, and somewhat like a bird.

The two guards stationed at the door immediately straightened up as we climbed the short flight of stairs. Wordlessly, they pushed the door open, bowing their heads as we walked past. We stepped into a large hallway, plush carpet rolled out down the middle, leading to a tall archway. Several paintings lined both walls as far as the eye could see, with dozens of smaller statues standing in front of them. They were made in different positions, some raising their weapons over their heads while others allowed them to rest beside them. The spears were tallest, there were swords carved into the waists of the other statues while some carried crossbows or maces.

As soon as we stepped through the iron doors, three women dressed in red gowns approached us quickly. One of them had very long and dark hair, her low curls falling over her forehead. The other two both had identical blond hair. They were probably twins, the resemblance between them was far too uncanny.

Their long and wavy locks caught my eye, and I briefly tugged at my grey locks, feeling inferior to them. I’d always hated the color of my hair, secretly wishing it were sandy-brown, just like my mother’s.

The girl with the dark hair approached us.

"Your Grace," she breathed, dropping to her knees while the others simultaneously joined her, all three bowing their heads in absolute respect.

I was awestruck by the sudden display of obedience. All three looked as docile as trees bowing in the wind. I knew their display of respect was surely not meant for me. Could it be that the man standing beside me was an authoritative figure? A royal figure perhaps? With the way the women fell to their knees at the sight of him, there was no doubt that he was definitely a man of high position. Perhaps that was exactly why he felt he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it.

I turned to look at him once again. He certainly didn’t appear as pampered as any member of the monarchy ought to be. There was a certain ruggedness about him, a carefree self-confidence that told everyone he couldn’t care less what they thought of him. Besides, the scars along his arms were certainly unbefitting of a nobleman.

"Take her to the servant’s chambers and have her changed into something warm." His voice was steely as he issued the order to the three maids.

He turned to stare at me, trying to gauge my reaction to his obvious display of power. He wanted to flaunt his authority in front of me, I realized. He wanted me to understand why I had to bow down to him, but I wasn’t going to give him that pleasure.

"Apologies, my Lord," I said, feigning obedience. "I may be a nobody in this place, but I at least deserve to know why I must change my clothes," I said, trying to sound confident. "If I change my clothes, will I then be allowed to meet with my brother? I need to know if he is safe."

He raised his dark brows in amusement, casually taking a slow step towards me.

"Are you proposing a deal, my sweet little Pigeon?" he drawled, the heat from his body causing me to tense up. "And why should I strike a deal with a lowly slave like you? Have you forgotten that while you’re here, you're beneath me? Or," he moved closer, causing me to instinctively move back a little, "do you want to be something more?"

I flinched at the suggestive tone in his voice, and my cheeks flushed angrily.

"I am not a slut!" I snapped, my temper flaring.

"I never said you are, did I?" A smile was already curving the edge of his lips, and it frustrated me that he was finding this amusing.

I looked up at him, refusing to look down or away. My mismatched eyes locked in a fierce staring contest with his silvers. Mustering as much courage as I could, I spoke up despite my heart beating loudly against my ribcage.

"I do not intend to let a beast like you order me around, My Lord. I might've agreed to call you 'My Lord' as you wanted, but I'm no one's servant, and I don't intend to be one!"

The audible gasp of one of the maids did not cause me to break eye contact. I stared him down, pushing my anger down and daring him to do something. His hand moved towards his blade slowly, fingers flexing dangerously close to the hilt. I refused to look away.

"You do not speak to me that way, and you bow your head when you address me!" The intense harshness in his voice sent shivers down my spine, enough to scare me and bring me back to my senses. Now was not the time to be stubborn. I was in a strange land, surrounded by strange people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill me in a single second should the need arise.

I took a step back until I was pressed against the wall behind me, keeping my eyes on the ground. He moved towards me again, danger seeping through every ounce of his being while a sudden wave of exhaustion shuddered through my core. I was tired. So tired.

Noticing that I had no way out of the tangled mess I had created myself, I closed my eyes, waiting for a smack on my face or anywhere, like I had been reading in some of the books at home, where noblemen maltreated their servants just because they have the power to do so.

Surprisingly, I felt nothing; only warm breathing fanning my face, and warm fingers caressing my cheeks lightly. My toes curled at the feeling, and although I tried to prevent it, an audible moan escaped my lips. I was glad that no one could hear me. The heat from his body was beginning to warm me up, and I suddenly wasn't cold anymore.

"I suppose I'm being too lenient with you, Pigeon," he whispered into my right ear. "But I like that you're feisty, and it ignites something in me; a fire I can't possibly control. Now," he took a strand of my hair and twirled it with his right finger, his left still caging me to the wall. "If you don't want me to do something I'll definitely regret, do not provoke me any more than I already am. Is that understood?"

"Y..yes." I hated that my voice shook, but what was I to do when toe-curling emotions were making my stomach churn in fear and excitement?

"Have her washed up and changed before bringing her back to me," he commanded, as he stepped away so suddenly that my eyes sprung open.

I exhaled a breath I had no idea I had been holding back and followed the three maids. If I was going to learn to obey him, I’d better start at once. It was the only way I could stay alive long enough to find Alan. After that...

Well, I’ll figure it when I find him.

As I turned around to walk away with the maids, I heard soft footsteps approaching. And even without turning, I knew those were a woman's footsteps. No man walked that lightly.

"My Prince," I heard a voice say from behind. "How nice to have you back. I missed you so much, my Dragon Prince."

My heart stopped beating for a moment. I must have heard incorrectly.

A Dragon Prince?

I turned quickly to look at the man again. His eyes turned to me as well, a guilty smirk on his handsome face.

What. In. The. Ever-loving. f**k?