The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride
Chapter 42

HERA

They call it the Bedding Ceremony.

When they told me about it, I had not exactly taken it in the best of ways.

And as I lay in bed, unable to fall asleep, the entire scene from that afternoon plays itself in my head until I can recall every sentence by heart.

The seamstress' voice... muffled by the pins she holds in the corner of her mouth...

"...and after you swear the sacred oath before the Fire gods and the dragonkin, the Kingmaker Arydian, messenger of Clotho the present will place the crown on your head and you would officially become the King's wife and queen consort to the dragon realm." I glance at both women.

"That's not all is it? I can tell from the way Henette keeps looking away."

The seamstress, not quite meeting my eyes, goes back to poking me as she attempts to pin a piece of cloth in place.

"Oh, just... the bedding ceremony your grace. Nothing at all to worry about."

"The bedding...ouch" I start, accidentally flinching and a pin pricks me, draws blood. "...the bedding what?"

The woman sighs and dabs at the wound. "The fires of the dragon gods burn in many ways your highness. The King and his new wife not only have to prove the fires of their loyalty but the fires of their passion as well."

My eyes widen in horror and my legs nearly give out beneath me.

I laugh quietly in the darkness now as I remember the startled look on the seamstress face as she watched me wobble on my feet, my face drained of all color.

"Oh dear you've gone pale as a ghost. Sit...sit."

I sit, not really even conscious of the action.

Surely she can't mean that my first time with the king or anybody for that matter is to take place with thousands of dragonkin eyes watching me...watching us? "Are you okay your grace?"

"Of course I am bloody well not okay!" I say, leaping quite dramatically to my feet.

Everyone gasps at my outburst.

The seamstress most of all who steps back, hand flying to her chest. "Goodness gracious darling. Shall I have the maids bring up some calming salts?"

"Calming...I do not need calming salts."

"But...but you are pacing around the room."

"Of course I am pacing around the room. You mean to tell me that the first time king and I.... make love it will be with all of you watching?!"

Her eyes watch me cautiously. "The first time...does that mean...?"

I whirl on her. "Not the point!"

She approaches me like you would a dangerous animal, carefully pats my arm and makes me sit again.

"After the binding ceremony, when you and the king leave the dragon's temple, you will return to the great hall for the festivities..."

"That does not..."

"Let me finish your grace. It is during the festivities that you would be led up to your chambers, the both of you. Two guards will be placed at the foot of the tower and the festivities shall continue in your absence. Neither one of you must leave the room before the break of dawn. If you do, the ceremony will be considered unsuccessful."

"But... how would they know if we actually..."

The woman stares at me from above her half moon glasses, gaze unflinching. "Oh but you must your grace. For if you do not, you risk bringing bad luck not only upon your marriage, but upon the entire dragon realm as well."

And now, as I blink up at the ceiling, her words echo in my ear, drowning out the night's sounds from outside my window.

Bad luck.

What bad luck could the gods possibly bestow on me that has not already in some way befallen me?

What more could they possibly take from me?

Me who has lost everything I ever cared about.

I have nothing left to give them. Nothing else to lose.

What I cannot decide however, is if the nervousness pooling in my belly is from trepidation or excitement.

My eyes are only just finally beginning to drift shut when the bell sounds for the break of dawn.

No turning back now.

I sigh and rise from my bed the same time I hear the knock on my door.

"You may enter."

Like she has every morning since my arrival in the dragon's castle, Henette walks in, hands clasped in front of her and head bowed.

Except this time, she is not alone.

There are about four more maids with her and leading the train is the woman who I had not seen since that first time I awoke in this room; the stern looking woman with the tightly packed grey hair and stiff, high collared dress with all the buttons. She must be the one in charge of all the castle's maids.

She frightens me, the way her mouth seems to be set in a perpetual frown of annoyance.

I am not surprised by their entrance.

Henette has told me this would happen.

It did not matter that the ceremonies would not begin till high noon.

The binding ceremony of the dragon king is a very... very important and rare occasion that most dragonkin, and I am quoting the seamstress here, 'most dragonkin did not expect to see in their lifetime' and as such, preparations must begin in earnest from the first light of day, me included.

It takes time.

Way more time than I would have thought imaginable but when they are finally done and I stand in front of the mirror, I almost stop breathing.

Because for a full minute, I do not recognize the woman staring back at me.

I let out a shaky breath and run my hands down the cinched waist and full skirt that hugs my hips before flaring out to pool at my feet, flowing out a good length behind me and ending with a broad train.

I don't know what to say, because what do you say when you've been transformed from a simple slave into this ethereal, beautiful being decked in a dress of soft, fine silk colored in deep jewel tones of ruby red and covered with thousands of tiny crystals that catch the sunlight from my window and cast luminescent sparkles on the stone walls with every step.

A dress so beautiful and regal it makes your breath catch and your eyes feel with tears.

Especially when deep down inside of you, you know you really do not deserve it.

Suddenly the off shoulder lace sleeves with its floral embroidery of the same deep red feels itchy against my skin, and the flower crown of tiny roses with the pearls at their centre, that sits on my head is heavier than it was a moment ago. How much heavier would a real crown feel?

I turn around and the room is empty.

Just as well because I am not sure how long I can keep pretending I do not want to cry.

I walk up to my window.

Despite the constant grey of the sky, there is no denying that it is a beautiful day, the sun is bright but not hot enough to be uncomfortable and I can smell the sweet scent of mountain jasmine.

Down below, in the castle's courtyard, I see the tiny dragonkin all getting ready, running this way and that way, calling merrily to one another.

The carriage that will take me to the dragon's temple where the ceremony will hold is already drawn and set, attached to two proud stallions, the color of midnight, kicking up dusts and swishing their bushy tails.

In a few hours my fate will be completely sealed to that of the man I have vowed to destroy, yet there they are, going around laughing and making merry, utterly unaware of the sorrow they have caused me and my people. Anger, hot and bitter rises in the back of my throat.

"If you keep twisting your fingers like that my queen, I'm afraid your ring might not fit."

I whirl around at the sound of his voice, my hands falling to my sides.

"Chief Ryder."

He bows low till I tell him to rise.

He cuts an imposing figure, tall and handsome in his armor of dark silver and for a minute I actually forget about how angry I am.

He has done something with his hair.

I don't know what it is but it suits him.

Extremely well.

As always his gaze, sweeps around the room as if checking for signs of danger before coming to rest on me.

He starts when he finally sees me, just for a split second, so fast I almost do not even notice it.

"You clean up nice for a human your highness."

"I am unsure whether you mean that as a compliment or an insult."

Those steely grey eyes, cool and appraising lock on mine. "A compliment"

I do not like how it makes me feel when he looks at me like that, so I look away.

"Why are you here Chief Ryder?"

"Many reasons your grace. One, to make sure you are not attempting to escape..."

I sigh. "Neither one of you is ever going to let me forget that are you?"

He smirks and I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Well, you will replace Chief Ryder that wedding gowns make any plans of escaping a rather tedious affair. State you second reason."

He lifts a tiny wooden box I had not noticed before and stretches it out to me. "His highness asked me to give this to you."

As usual just the mention of Midas is enough to set my heart racing.

I hesitate and he raises one dark brow, the one with the scar.

"I would assure you that it is perfectly safe but I have not opened it myself. Do you perhaps want to wear my helmet and shield while you perform this treacherous task?" "Aren't you so funny?" I scowl at him and snatch it from his hand.

The box itself is deceptively light and the woodwork is exceptional. In my nervousness, I fumble with the silver clasp for a moment before it finally gives and I slowly lift the box open. For the second time that day, I forget how to breathe.

I glance up from the most beautiful piece of jewelry I have ever seen to stare up at the face of a frowning Leo.

"You look almost as shocked as I am."

He frowns even harder. "That is because I am. I have not seen that necklace in many years your grace, and even when I did, it was in paintings long gone."

I glance down at the box, at the small black pillow and the necklace laying in it.

Sitting daintily in the middle of a single silver strand is a tiny dragon, its silver wings spread out as if on the brink of take off and tiny jewel rubies for eyes that glimmer and shine in the sunlight. But it is not just the exquisite, magnificent detail with which it's carved that makes it so beautiful.

There is something about it, something that makes it feel almost alive.

Leo is still frowning as he watches me lift it carefully out of the box. "It is the only thing he has left of them. To think he would give it to you..."

"I do not understand..."

He shakes his head. "Never mind your grace. You should put it on."

I set the box on the bed and lift it to my neck fumbling with the clasp. My hands are shaking and I am unable to wear it properly.

After a few minutes of watching me struggle, Leo sighs. "Your grace..."

I ignore him.

If I cannot do something as simple as this how do I expect to be queen over an entire realm, to avenge my people and my family?

It is an irrational thought, I know but I am not exactly in a state of mind to be rational.

"Your grace..."

"What?" I snap, my voice cracking a little at the end.

He beacons me. "Come here."

"No thank you..." I say, continuing to struggle to hook it behind my neck. "I am perfectly capable of doing something as simple as..."

I never get to finish the sentence.

He pulls me suddenly towards him, taking the necklace from my hands. "You are just like him..."

He motions for me to turn and I do making sure to glare at him first.

He steps closer and sweeps my hair to one side, his gloved fingers grazing the skin of my neck.

"...asking for help is not a sign of weakness your grace. It does not make you any less strong than you really are."

The dragon falls just shy of my breasts, the metal cold against my skin.

I turn around.

"How does it look?"

He stares at me a second longer than is necessary and when he speaks, there is a roughness to his voice that I do not recognize. "It looks..."

But instead of completing his sentence, he exhales and straightens, suddenly backing away from me.

"Leo...?"

When he finally speaks again, his voice is cool and expressionless. "The carriage is ready your grace and the king is already en route to the temple. We must leave at once." I nod and take one last deep breath.

Here goes everything.