Conquered by the Dragon King (A Twisted Romance)

Chapter Four- Milagro

Renata

Milagro had to be by far the most enchanting man I had ever been in the presence of; even in my own Kingdom and I had been brought into the world by the Shaman. His presence gave off an air of superiority and a power that had met no equal. It confused me why he served the King when he could rule a kingdom of his own. Yet, he was a conundrum in human form.

He looked wicked but virtuous.

Dark but light.

Soft and hard.

Two opposite emotions reflected in his handsome features all at one time, all the time. His aura confusing and frightening. I couldn’t tell if he was angry or content. Happy or sad. For some strange reason, his aura reminded me of a glass chandelier that reflected multiple colours all at the same time, as if he could not settle on one mood.

For a moment he became surrounded in just a purple haze; the colour associated with a strong intuition, sensitivity and mental depths. Then in a blink of an eye blue enveloped him; a sign of a powerful mind. Before I could look away, black engulfed him.

A dark, troubled aura.

His eyes fixed on me as he observed me closely, I tried to bow lower to let my blonde hair curtain my face. My mother had once called me beautiful which I now detested. Being beautiful is a curse for a slave.

Beauty only brought you trouble.

If any of my features had not be marred by my harsh life, I hoped I covered them adequately in a layer of dirt and grime.

I scurried forward and slightly to the left of Milagro, just like a slave should, he followed at a leisurely pace. Milargo had been allocated chambers on the west wing, nearer the Duchess. That wing being lavish and full of beautiful trinkets gifted to the Duchess over the years. Many by admirers and others by possible suitors. Rooms filled with flowers and the most expensive future for the most important guests. There being no doubt in my mind that Milagro would have the Gemini suit, so I headed there. Apart from the Duchess suit and that of her parents; the Gemini suite was the most exquisite.

On entry through the twin hand crafted wooden doors, a pristine marble room welcomed its guest with vined walls and white twin statues of naked women and men who frolicked freely. Lavender enveloped you and soothed your senses. At the centre lay a large circular bed, one that would fit at least ten slaves easily, covered in soft pastel blankets and high goose feathered pillows. Golden rimmed mirrors scattered the walls and at the far end large glass doors opened out onto the veranda that held one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen over the Duchess’s domain. Now that I had shown him to his room, I quickly tried to leave. Head for the safety of my own quarters but he stepped into the room after me and closed the door.

Now I knew I was in trouble.

“Interesting.” I continued to look at the floor and bow down further.

I wished to melt into the walls or that he would let me leave. “Even marked you are quiet beautiful. Not like the Duchess of course. For she has dragon blood. Still, beautiful nonetheless.” Milagro stalked forward.

Conjurors were creatures that created the most beautiful magical mysteries in the world, only to take great pleasure in destroying them. I had heard of all the stories. The tales told at bedtime of the magical men that haunted the darkest of minds. They were the black knights called upon to slay the boogie man. I tried to figure out how something so beautiful as the man before me could contain so much evil.

“I’ve never had a Lioness before, let alone the Queen of the Pride, a Queen should never bow.” His warm finger traced down my arm as I flinched at his knowledge, giving away more than any words could. “Tell me, little lioness, do you taste as sweet as you look?” I tried to remain calm, not to encourage or offend him. “How did they not know?” His rhetorical question seemed to puzzle him. “You can speak freely here. No one is listening.”

He was wrong, so very wrong. If he hadn’t already given away my secret I knew the walls would soon pick up on his revelation and the rumours would start.

For ten years I had managed to hide my true identity. One man could risk it all. My anger boiled deep down in the pit of my stomach. If he kept up the ‘little lioness’ pet name I was sure to erupt like a fiery volcano. I had come too far, there were others that depended on me and my plan to make it out of here alive.

Lost in my anguish, I didn’t realise that Milagro had circled me. His front almost touching my back, the heat intensifying between us. His warm hand pushed my dirty blonde hair off my shoulder to one side. I felt his head dip low as his lips brushed my ear; his tongue snaked out and licked my lope. The sensation made me sway, the heat too much to handle. I didn’t want this, why couldn’t I move?

“Don’t worry, Renata, I have bigger plans for you.” I tried to protest, to speak or utter a sound but nothing came forward. My tongue twisted as Milagro circled into my eye line.

“You are a funny little creature. This should be fun.” He muttered aloud as he ran my matted hair through his hand, slightly brushing my swollen bosom in the process.

I locked eyes with the wicked Conjuror in shame and humiliation. I did not want to be touched. Not by a servant of the Empire, not by this man. He smiled lecherously down at me. Afraid to think of what he had in store for me I tried to step away but my feet were just too heavy.

A large thud vibrated through the room and the door swung open, the spell he had cast on me broke and I moved away. My back colliding with the cold marble wall as I involuntarily yelped at the contact. The Duchess waltzed in, followed by an entourage of servants. For a brief moment, the Duchess’s eyes landed on me and I hoped that she did not witness Milagros advances.

“Milagro, I was worried.” The Duchess hissed.

There was a hint of jealousy in her tone not being at the centre of Milagro’s attention. Now I knew that I was going to be punished for certain. It may even be by the Duchesses own hand.

“Worried? Whatever for, Dear Lissandra.” The man instantly mocked the wanton woman who swayed her hips in his direction.

Milagros eyes had yet to leave me, I could feel their calculating gaze. She smiled, just as I looked up, I knew that smile. It was a fake as the plastic flowers in her handmaid’s hair.

“You may leave, slave.” The Duchess dismissed me.

Thank the Lion God, the faster I was out, the quicker I would be away from imminent danger. “Are you happy with your room, everything to your satisfaction, Milagro?”

“No.” My heart sprang into my throat. There were going to be dead slaves in the west wing tonight. I could feel it in my bones. “It is a magnificent room but too much for me Lissandra. Can I have one of your smaller guest rooms?” It was a question but the tone was more of a demand. If I was brave I would have stayed to listen and see whether Lissandra would attempt to argue with the man. I knew she hated being told what do. She had personally chosen this room for Milagro, this was a great offence and any other guest would feel the wrath of the Duchess.

I was almost at the door, the handle just at my fingertips.

“Girl. What wing do you cover?” There were two other slaves in the room and I knew they were the west wing slaves. They had come to help the personal servants with the mundane tasks like scrubbing the toilets and taking the beatings.

“The East wing, Duchess.” I practically whispered.

The Duchess smiled evilly.

“Milagro, I will have the East wing prepare you a smaller room but you must join me for tea in the West wing parlour. It has some extraordinary views of the gardens. The slave can take your personal belongings to your new room.” Milagro nodded in agreement and he was ushered out of the room. I cowered into the corner as Milagro eyed me one more time before leaving. Part of me was relieved that the man had left; the other half now feared what the Duchess had in store for me.

As sure as the sun rose every morning, I knew she would punish me and within moments of Milagro’s departure the Duchess was on me. Her slender fingers gripped my face tight as she slammed me up against the wall. My heart beat increased tenfold as the pain from my last punishment burned my skin. I tried to keep my eyes cast down as her face inched towards mine. Her hot minty breath fanned my skin. Her hitched breathing told me she was mad, seething. Seconds ticked by rolling into minutes as the Duchess just stared at me. Inches away from my face. Her nails digging into my skin. I was sure there would be puncture marks. For a moment I thought she had cooled down as she backed away.

There was no warning. No indication.

Her arm raised quickly and slammed down. I felt the pain before I knew what had happened. A stinging sensation cover my left cheek. For a moment I thought it I had just been slapped hard but then there was blood. I landed on my knees with a thud. The blood gushing down my chin onto the white marble floor.

‘Where the hell was all this blood coming from?’

In a moment of panic, I tried to gather the blood on the floor into my hands, not wanting to be punished for making a mess.

“Stupid. I should remove your head from your shoulders but instead I will give you to Milagro. If that is what he wants.” She clicked her tongue in annoyance. The blood continued to flow and I started to feel light headed. “Move.”

For a millisecond I looked up, only then noticed the small dagger in the Duchesses hand. Her personal weapon carved from the Onyx Mountain, gifted from the Dragon King for Lissandra’s coming of age party a couple of years earlier. I had only ever seen it once. It was an unusual weapon with a purple handle and a black dagger instead of the normal silver you see on any other.

“Let’s see if he likes you when you look so grotesque.” The Duchess threw her head back and laughed. “When I’m Queen, Milagro is the first to go.” I knew what she had in store of Milagro.

Death.

With only me and the two servants left in the room, even if I told anyone of the wicked soon to be Queen’s intentions; they would never believe me. It wasn’t only the slaves that had targets on their back, Milagro would be the Duchesses new pet project. She had many. Assassinations of high ranking females. Plotting against rising members of the Dragon society. Anything that would gain her more power was set as a target.

No one was safe from the Duchess.

Part of me hoped that she would kill the King, the one that had instigated the wars with the Tribes but I feared that it was better the devil you knew and the devil who was meaner. I tore a section of my dress and wrapped it around my face in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The dragon servants worked around me; neither bothering to help or ask if I was alright. They had their own chores. They were less likely to be killed if they completed their chores. Why would they risk their lives to help an expendable slave?

The walk back to the East wing was long and tiresome. Milagro had packed light, at least I hoped as I dragged his one trunk through the cold corridors.

A figure approached and as always, I moved to the side, curling into the walls, hoping the dark would engulf me. A man strolled along the corridor from the East wing guest rooms, whistling.

Bero, the oaf had a jump in his step. He looked happy. I spotted the reason. The front of his shirt had spatters of blood. My stomach churned, it was likely blood from a slave.

A member of my family had bled for him.

Nesta and Marcus were too weak to take beatings let alone anything wicked that man could think up. Millie was stronger but I knew she was down in the kitchens helping out.

‘Please don’t let them be dead.’