The Dragon's Call

Chapter 2

-Laelia-

“M-Married?”

Had I heard my father right? Had he really spoken the m-word? No, he couldn’t have! All eyes turned to him, even my six brothers seemed surprised, but my father did not seem like he was going to take his words back.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head, first lightly, then more forcefully. “No! NO!”

“Yes.”

“But Mother always said I would be allowed to choose when the time came!”

“But your mother isn’t here!” he yelled, his voice echoing through the large room.

I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat. This couldn’t be happening! I wasn’t ready to be married!

“Please, Father… tell me it isn’t true!”

My father sighed, the hard lines in his face slowly softening as he saw the broken look on mine. “I don’t have a choice.”

“I-I don’t understand. I’m the youngest, and yet I’m to be married first?”

“I’m already looking for brides for your brothers.”

“Father!” Samuel, the youngest of my brothers, shouted.

“Enough! Do not forget who the king is here!”

Silence fell over the room as we all stared at our father. He looked more tired than usual. His black hair had more gray in it, and instead of sitting straight on his throne, he was slightly slumped. What had suddenly forced my father to consider marriage for all of us?

“Father, why now? Why me?” I asked, stepping forward.

“The dragons…” my father said in a weary voice, meeting my eyes. “It has come to my attention they are planning to attack the North, forcing the humans to their knees.”

“But the dragons hate the cold! Why would they come here?” I inquired.

“There is a lot of bad blood between us. There always has been.”

“But why are they attacking now?”

“They aren’t attacking yet, but they are planning to.”

“Then why marry me to some stranger if there’s no guarantee they’ll even attack us?”

“Because I cannot wait until the castle is on fire and people are burned to ash to marry you to Lord Keplin!”

“Lord Keplin?”

I had only met the young lord once, and he was not someone I wanted to meet again.

“No! Anyone but him!”

“There is no one else. His family is extremely wealthy, and his father even guarantees me a thousand trained men! They are our only hope to stop the dragons.”

“But he is so rude and so… so…”

“It was three years ago you met the boy. I’m sure he has grown into a capable and kind young man,” my father reassured me, but his words did nothing to ease my anxiety. “They will arrive tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? I’m to be married tomorrow?”

My father shook his head. “Of course not. The day after tomorrow, we will have the wedding. Tomorrow, you two will meet, and we will all have dinner together so you can get to know each other.”

I couldn’t even speak. It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room, and I wanted to throw up. The day after tomorrow, I would be married. Married!

“I-I’m too young!” was all I could manage to say.

“You’re eighteen. The perfect age.”

“B-But…”

“Laelia. You will be married the day after tomorrow.”

“I-I… I HATE you!” I screamed before storming out of the throne room, leaving all the men behind.

I rushed back to my room, my mind spinning with disbelief and anger. I couldn’t believe what my father was forcing me to do, and none of my brothers had stood up for me. They had just stood there, silently listening as our father promised me to someone else. They knew how awful Lord Keplin was, yet they did nothing.

I began pacing back and forth, my frustration boiling over. I grabbed one of my small perfume bottles and hurled it against the stone wall. It shattered into a thousand pieces, leaving a small wet spot on the wall, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care if anyone heard my screams or my cries. They should know how much I was hurting, how angry I was!

My father had given me to a stranger, and he didn’t even seem to care. He and my brothers had always been so protective of me. I was barely allowed to speak to the kitchen boys or any male servants, yet now I was being handed off like a piece of fine fabric!

The thought of it made me feel sick, and my stomach twisted as I rushed to the chamber pot and threw up violently. It felt like it would never end. I hadn’t even noticed one of my chambermaids, Sarah, coming in and holding my hair back, calmly running her hand down my back as I cried and threw up. When I was finally done, she gently led me to my bed.

“It will be okay, Your Highness. You’ll see. One day, when you’re surrounded by all your wonderful children, knowing they are safe because of what your father did, you will be thankful. You just wait and see,” Sarah said as she tucked me into bed with the many soft pillows and the warm blanket. But I didn’t believe her soothing words.