The Cruel Prince's Wrath

The dragon’s had won the battle and Cauladra’s army was seen to leave their sands completely. This had concerned King Neron since Ievos had been nowhere and that had been Cauladra’s goal to get her son back. After he had expressed this concern, Tolanda felt that he had returned to his mother of his own accord, he was in a bad state after what she can understand to be seen by him as a betrayal. It was a betrayal in a sense, and she hated herself for it. Tolanda had spent the first month after the battle sitting in darkness in her room; dwelling on what had happened and still grieving the death of her father but Iefyr had finally managed to coax her out, he tried his best to lift her spirits and it had worked. It had now been three months since the battle and the dragon kingdom was beginning its recovery after the expense and the losses at war. Many had died and many were injured but the worst was the grieving hearts. They were the only injuries far from healing. Tolanda had been given more permanent chambers in the palace as had Iefyr and they were still close to one another; these chambers were even more grand than the guest ones. Some servants had brought her a selection of flowers and arranged them in her rooms, they were often replaced with new ones. She had insisted they leave the flowers where they found them so that they can grow and flourish, but it seemed they did not listen. She sighed as she watched some of them wilting. They were strange looking but beautiful and she looked over to the spiked plant gifted to her by Ievos, it seemed to thrive on its own in the pot and the blue flowers were still bright and beautiful. Tolanda was not used to servants doing things for her and she felt rather awkward about it, she looked down to the dress she had been given to wear another beautiful garment. The dress was laid out upon her bed of which was a grand four post with golden gilding in the bed posts. Tolanda walked over to the dress and ran her hand over the material. It was fine material and in green, a dark green with some gold in its lining which flashed through the skirt of the dress and it had some gold detail along the neckline with beads of gold and green. She smiled. It was truly magnificent. She decided she would put it on, she had already had a bath after servants prepared it for her so now, she would slip into the dress provided her. She lifted it and then a clang sounded, and she looked to the floor to see a gold bangle of sorts had fallen from it, she picked it up, holding the dress in one hand and the bangle in another looking at parts of the dress wondering where it was supposed to go and then she heard a knock on the door. “Come in,” she called, and it opened to Iefyr. He stepped in smiling at her softly, he had adorned his given clothes, clothes of a prince and his hair was pulled back into a golden clasp. “This is all rather strange isn’t it? You’d think I’d be used to all this by now but I am not,” he said as he walked to her. “Yes… do you know where this thing goes? It fell from my dress as I lifted it,” she said holding up the large golden ring. He smiled. “It is not part of the dress, my love, it goes onto your arm,” he moved closer to look at it, “oh… it is an armlet of bonding… you see this swirl at the end? That particular shape is there to tell everyone that you are bonded but you do not have to wear it,” he said seemingly embarrassed. “Is it like an ownership sign?” she asked. “Oh no! The dragon’s see their women as equal and not something to be owned or possessed,” Iefyr informed her and she smiled up at him taking the armlet back. “Then I shall gladly wear it,” she said, and he leaned in to kiss her. “Oh! I should have known what it was! I still have the one Neron gave to Ievos for us. I never did wear it much,” she said, and he smiled. “So much has happened, my mind is still not focussed, and I still do not feel well.” she muttered but then she shook away the bad feeling and smiled up at him. “You look so handsome, dragon prince,” she said changing the subject. “You are always telling me I am handsome, if you’re not careful, I might become overconfident,” he teased. “I always say it because I always think it, and I don’t think we are in danger of you becoming too full of yourself that isn’t really in your nature, is it?” she replied as she moved to the dressing screen in her room. She disappeared behind it and began to change. “Your flowers are wilting,” he noticed calling over to her. “Yes, I have asked that they refrain from bringing them in here, I feel constantly picking them so only I can have them and see them will take away from the beauty of them naturally from wherever they are gathering them. I used to pick flowers but it was so I could put their petals amongst our clothing once I had cleaned them to keep them fresh but to have them taken from their natural place of growth to allow them to wither and die after only a short time to admire their beauty is quite sad,” “Yes… I had not thought of that,” he replied, “I asked them to bring you flowers,” he said, “I thought it would cheer you up, I will ask them to stop.” “Oh, so that is why they did not do as I asked,” Tolanda said peeking her head around to look at Iefyr. “I thought women were equal here?” she questioned in a light-hearted tone. He laughed. “Yes, they are,” he replied, and she stepped out from the screen. “Beautiful,” he said seemingly in awe as she walked to him holding the armlet. “This goes on the arm,” she stated remembering more clearly now. “I should be the one putting it on you anyway,” he said and took it fastening it to her upper arm. “There,” he stood back. “What should I do with my hair?” she asked him. “Whatever is most comfortable,” he replied, and she smiled deciding to leave it in the plait she already wore it but pulled the length over her shoulder. “My father requested we meet with him, it sounded important, we should go, but after that he is holding the warriors feast hence our fancy attire.” he said offering her his arm and she took it. “If you wish servants to bring me flowers… there is a spiked variety that do not seem to wither so quickly… some have beautiful flowers on, I am quite fond of them.” she said thinking of Ievos and remembering when he had given her that blue one. “I shall inform them of this and request they bring you more resilient plants in the future,” he said, and she laughed but she felt sombre once more as the guilt descended upon while her thoughts were with Ievos. She hoped he was alright; she had followed the golden streams to Iefyr her true dragon soul bond and she did not regret it, she only regretted the hurt that it caused Ievos. They left her chambers heading for the hall to meet with King Neron.