The Mateless Dragon King

Open Court

Valen's POV

As the dawn’s light filtered through the heavy golden drapes of my chamber, Edric knocked on my inner chamber door precisely on schedule for a Tuesday. His punctuality was both a comfort and a reminder of the day's responsibilities.

“Enter,” I called out, already shedding my nightshirt as I moved to my wardrobe to dress for the day. A clean and pressed shirt and trousers made of fine linen were hung on a clothing rack next to the wardrobe, placed there by my butler, Reginald. I donned the trousers before opening the wardrobe door to use the mirrors on the inside of the doors to dress and groom myself for the day.

“Good morning, Your Majesties,” Edric greeted, bowing as he stepped inside. “I trust you slept well?”

“Well enough,” I replied, though we both knew it was a polite lie.

I turned back to my mirror, intense bronze eyes staring back from my reflection. My flowing golden blonde hair that went past my shoulders in disarray. A strong jawline and high cheekbones gave me a stern appearance, similar to that of my father. Defined muscles rippled through my chest with every movement I made, a testament to the hours I have spent training throughout my two centuries of life.

'Mate will be pleased.' Vehiron purred, sending images of a faceless woman running her fingers down the hair between my pecs to my abs.

'It's time to get to work, Vehir.' I needed him to stop before I completely lost focus. Since we didn't have our mate yet, personal indulgence took a backseat to my duties. I threw the shirt over my head and grabbed my hair comb just as my butler entered my bedchamber from the antechamber.

Reginald was average height and slim Caelorian in his middle age, whose black hair and mustache were flecked with gray. He was always groomed to perfection, with his tailcoat, shirt, trousers, and white gloves. He held himself and all my valets to the highest standards.

When he appraised the room and saw I was awake, he motioned to someone in the antechamber, "Come, bring the tray in here."

A young valet, carrying a silver tray with covered dishes, stepped into my bedchamber with his head down. He took the tray to the small round table by the glass door to my balcony, uncovered the food, and poured a glass of water from the carafe already sitting on the table. Once he was finished, he quickly and quietly exited the room. I vaguely heard Reginald giving the young man additional instructions as he exited.

“What does today’s schedule look like?” I asked as I put my comb down and crossed the room to my breakfast.

Edric handed me a neatly written parchment, detailing the day’s schedule. He didn’t need to write anything down, as an elephant he had an impressive memory. Whenever he did write anything down, it was for my benefit, not his own.

“This morning, you have open court in the throne room, followed by small council reports. In the afternoon, there is a training session scheduled with the King's Guard, followed by lunch with the Dowager Queen to review plans for the Bonding. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is open for you to do whatever you wish.”

“I will be in my office after I meet with Mother. Please have my dinner sent there and tell the kitchen staff not to wait for me to serve dinner in the great hall tonight.”

I scanned the list before setting it down to shovel my breakfast into my mouth. It was going to be a long day, open court days always were, but I welcomed the distraction.

“Very well. Let’s not keep everyone waiting.” I told Edric, who was writing in his folder as I ate. He closed the folder and joined me as I entered my antechamber, where my golden armor sat on its stand. Reginald and Edric both assisted me with donning my armor.

After securing my sword to my back and Reginald had pinned my cloak to clasps on my cuirass, Edric and I made our way to the throne room.

The throne room was designed to reflect the power of the dragon kings who have occupied it over the millennia. Massive candle-lit chandeliers hang from above, casting a warm, golden light that illuminates the entire room.

Along the walls, there are ornate tapestries and banners bearing the family's crest in my colors. The banner colors depend on the color of the scales of the sitting dragon king, but the crest remains the same over the millenia. During my father’s reign, blue and silver lined the castle walls. Vehiron’s scales, however, shone golden with a light gold, almost white, underbelly. His horns were bright gold near his head and grew darker until they were almost black at the tips.

At the far end of the throne room stands the king and queen’s thrones, elevated on a dais made of polished stone. Behind the thrones, the walls are lined with tall, stained-glass windows that depict the various dragon kings in their dragon forms.

A massive door, large enough for a dragon king’s head and neck to fit through when in dragon form, was in the center of the windows. Outside the door was an enormous, open balcony, large enough for a dragon king to comfortably fit in dragon form. My ancestor who was king over a thousand years ago had the balcony and doors added because he preferred to hold open court in his dragon form.

The thrones are masterpieces of craftsmanship, carved from the finest wood and inlaid with precious gems. The armrests are shaped like dragons and the seats cushioned with rich, velvet fabric, also changed to golden from my father’s blue at the start of my rule. I did my best not to look at the queen’s throne to the right of my own as I approached to take my seat.

One by one, the petitioners stepped forward, presenting their cases and seeking my judgment. Some requested land disputes to be settled, others sought aid for their villages, and a few sought counsel on trade agreements. I listened carefully, offering solutions and decrees where needed.

“Next,” Edric called, as the last petitioner stepped back, looking satisfied.

A young woman stepped forward, her hands trembling as she clutched a scroll to her chest.

“Your Majesty, I am here on behalf of my village. We have been plagued by a series of attacks, and we seek your aid in defending our homes.”

My brow furrowed as I leaned forward, placing my elbows on my thighs. I signaled for Edric to retrieve the scroll in her hands.

“Have the attackers identified themselves or expressed any demands?”

She shook her head.

“No, Your Majesty. They strike without warning, and we do not know their motives. Our village soldiers are used to holding back the occasional human raiders, but in the last two attacks they had Caelorians and even a couple shifters among their ranks.”

I exchanged a glance with Edric, who nodded subtly, then looked back down at the parchment he retrieved from the woman, that contained more details about the attacks from one of the village soldiers.

“I will dispatch a contingent of royal guards to your village. They will assist in repairing damage from prior attacks, defending your homes, and investigating these attacks. We will resolve this matter swiftly.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the young woman said, her relief evident. She bowed deeply before stepping backwards three steps before turning around to leave, as was court etiquette.

As the court session continued, my thoughts kept drifting to the attacks. Our kingdom has been at peace since my brothers received their dragons. Four royal dragons were a formidable force which deterred most who would dare cause problems.

'I am the most formidable,’ I rolled my eyes at my competitive dragon.

‘Not everything is a competition.’

By the time the session ended, I was both physically and mentally drained. Edric handed me a goblet filled with water, which I gratefully accepted and drank at once.

We then made our way to the council chamber that was adjacent to the throne room.