The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride
Chapter 46

HERA

The cheer from the castle's inhabitants does not sound as loud or as happy as that of the capital.

It sounds purely perfunctory and not at all genuine.

And as we walk past them I swear I can see more than a few disapproving glances.

Minth most especially, who isn't even trying to hide her disdain and hatred and is openly glaring at me.

It should not bother me but it does.

The dragonkin of the capital may have accepted me but the people who live and work in the castle are not all pleased with the King's choice of a wife.

But none of them would dare show it, especially not today and not with the king by my side.

Midas leads us through the castle and towards the golden doors of the great hall, his hand on the small of my back.

An unconscious, possessive gesture that causes my heart to flutter foolishly.

The doors swing open and a horn heralds our arrival.

We walk towards the raised, royal dais where the king and his council sit and I notice that the once single chair has been joined by another, and against my better judgment, I feel a smile begin to form on my lips. The other guests have begun to arrive as well and soon enough, everyone is assembled in the hall and the festivities begin.

Servants bring in plates and carts of a seemly endless supply of food.

Roast meat and veal covered in pomegranate seeds, sugar plums and sauce, large bowls of hot soup and platters of fruits and vegetables sitting besides slices of cheese and slabs of stuffed pies. There are jars of honey and creams covered with strawberries and fennel seeds and everywhere I looked, gold and silver cups overflowing with wine and ale of every shade and color. Music and songs from various instruments fill up the room with melodious, happy music.

For all their war and hard ways, the dragonkin sure know how to throw a celebration.

I watch the splendidly dressed nobles in their livery and silk, sitting at the long tables, laughing and making jest with one another, cups clanging together, faces stuffed with food. But my attention is drawn to the non-dragonkin dignitaries who sit quietly at a table not too far away from the king's own table.

There are fae and elves from the 4th realm, recognizable by their white skin and pointy ears and even two members of the giant clan who call the 3rd realm their home.

This is unexpected because most creatures from other realms do not usually venture out of their home realms, especially not into the dragon king's territory.

So it does not surprise me that those who are here do not look very comfortable.

I can tell from the way their eyes dart cautiously from one end of the hall to another and the way they sniffing discreetly at their drinks before lifting it to their mouth. Soon, however, it becomes clear to me the purpose for their presence when they so clearly would rather be anywhere else.

They are not here to celebrate with him;

They are here because they are afraid of him.

They are the olive branches the other realms constantly send to show the king that they do not mean him or his realm any harm.

And I replace myself wondering; if perhaps the portal were not sealed, would there have been dignitaries from Averia as well?

A sharp pain blossoms in my chest.

I miss my home.

I may not have had the best life there but it was home and I miss it. So much so that it actually hurts.

"You are unhappy."

I turn to look at him and tell him I'm fine with a shake of my head because what else can I say?

He narrows his eyes at me. "You're lying. I can tell."

I attempt to protest but he stops me and points at something on my forehead.

"When you're unhappy your brows draw together and a tiny line appears right there, between them. It is there now and it was not there a moment ago. So tell me what it is that just happened that is making you this way." I stare at him in surprise.

"How did you...?"

He clears his throat awkwardly into his fist and looks away.

And for some strange reason it not only makes me feel better, it makes me want to tilt up and kiss him.

But instead I shake my head again and offer him a tiny, rueful smile.

He turns back towards me and pushes his plate in my direction. "You should eat..."

His eyes lock onto mine, drop to my mouth and then back up to my eyes again, heavy with a promise that sets my heart racing. "...you'll need the energy."

The way he says the words, slow and deliberate only serves to make me too nervous to eat anything.

It is already night fall but the ceremony shows no sign of winding down. If anything, it seems to be getting even more frenzied.

All of a sudden Midas leans in.

His mouth rests a mere inch from my ear and when he speaks, his breath is hot on the side of my neck in a way that makes me temporarily forget where I am. "Don't start without me."

Before I can ask him what he means, I feel two different pair of arms lift me up from my seat.

The rowdy, half drunk crowd below erupts in loud, raucous cheers and I feel myself turn the color of scarlet.

The time had come.

The women holding me on both sides lead me down the steps and out the hall, a small crowd of maids gathering behind us and the loud, suggestive cheers and whistles getting louder with each second, follow us out the door. They take me up to my room, Henette leading the way and I see they have already drawn a steaming hot bath filled with roses and scented oils.

If I wasn't so nervous I might have found the entire setting ridiculous.

But I am barely conscious of the many hands that prep and dress me.

The dress they have given me to replace my wedding attire is barely a dress at all.

It is a simple silk slip of shimmery white with barely any sleeves save two tiny straps and a skirt that barely manages to graze mid thigh.

They comb my hair until it gleams and shines and falls in soft curls around my shoulders and then they dab tiny, cool drops of blue ivy at the base of my neck.

They want me to take off the dragon necklace but I refuse.

I don't want to.

It came from him and I want him to see me in it.

The women leave me sitting at my armoire and in front of my mirror, nervously twisting the necklace between my fingers.

And I am still sitting there when the door opens again a while later.

For a few seconds I can hear the noise from the revelry going on all the way from the hall.

Then the door closes again and the noise disappears.

I don't dare turn around to look at him, but I watch him through the mirror as he walks across the room.

I watch him take off his swords and lay them on the dresser.

Watch as he systematically disposes of his boots, the metal plates of his armor...

My heart is pounding so loudly I know there is no way he cannot hear it.

He moves to take off his shirt and my breath hitches but then he stops suddenly, his eyes meeting mine in the reflection of the mirror in front of me.

He sits on the bed, studying me.

I twist my fingers and bite my lip.

What in Hades do I do now?

Why didn't those blasted dragonkin women tell me anything?

"Hera..."

I jump slightly. "Yes my Lord?"

"Do you intend to sit there the entire night?"

I exhale and stand slowly to my feet.

Okay get a grip Hera, you don't want him to think you know absolutely nothing do you?

Especially not when he has a mistress who most likely already knows exactly all the ways to please him.

Doubts and insecurities I did not know I had begin to creep in.

What if I fall short?

Has he ever been with a human before, what if he hates it?

I shake the thought away and begin attempting to take off my clothes.

He frowns slightly, watching my movements, a thread of amusement in his tone.

"What are you doing?"

My hands still, the hem of my dress bunched up in them. "Taking off my clothes?"

He shakes his head. "Come here."

The way he says it, that deep commanding growl has my insides melting into a soup of liquid l**t.

My feet take me towards where he's sitting on the edge of the bed.

He leans back on his hands. "Sit."

So I sit, dipping into the edge of the mattress beside him.

He rolls his eyes and proceeds to promptly pull me into his lap so that I end up straddling him.

I chew nervously on my bottom lip, my hands resting on the broad muscled hardness of his shoulders.

His eyes go dark.

"I've warned you to stop doing that haven't I?"

Then before I can say anything, he pulls it out from beneath my teeth again...with his mouth.

My eyes flutter shut and shivers shoot up my spine, goose bumps covering my bare arms.

He pulls back. "You're shaking."

"I am not."

He smirks, fingers trailing down the arch of my back to slip beneath the hem of my dress. "Really?"

There is nothing underneath and I gasp at the coolness of his hands as they slide across the bare skin of my thighs, the curve of my a*s and up my back, resisting the urge to shudder at the pricks of electric sensations that his fingers leave all over my skin. "Really."

But my voice is breathless and he isn't fooled.

He leans in, lowers his mouth to the hollow of my neck. "Then I guess I have to fix that."

He flicks his tongue over my skin...one... twice... a third time and I feel it all the way to my toes.

My grip tightens on his shoulder, fingers clutching at his shirt.

He pulls me even closer against him and when he bites me, I cry out in surprise.

Who knew pain could feel this good?

His hands slip out of my clothes and run down the sides of my body, rubbing the soft silkiness of the dress against my skin.

"Don't start without ma."

Bafora I can ask him what ha maans, I faal two diffarant pair of arms lift ma up from my saat.

Tha rowdy, half drunk crowd balow arupts in loud, raucous chaars and I faal mysalf turn tha color of scarlat.

Tha tima had coma.

Tha woman holding ma on both sidas laad ma down tha staps and out tha hall, a small crowd of maids gatharing bahind us and tha loud, suggastiva chaars and whistlas gatting loudar with aach sacond, follow us out tha door. Thay taka ma up to my room, Hanatta laading tha way and I saa thay hava alraady drawn a staaming hot bath fillad with rosas and scantad oils.

If I wasn't so narvous I might hava found tha antira satting ridiculous.

But I am baraly conscious of tha many hands that prap and drass ma.

Tha drass thay hava givan ma to raplaca my wadding attira is baraly a drass at all.

It is a simpla silk slip of shimmary whita with baraly any slaavas sava two tiny straps and a skirt that baraly managas to graza mid thigh.

Thay comb my hair until it glaams and shinas and falls in soft curls around my shouldars and than thay dab tiny, cool drops of blua ivy at tha basa of my nack.

Thay want ma to taka off tha dragon nacklaca but I rafusa.

I don't want to.

It cama from him and I want him to saa ma in it.

Tha woman laava ma sitting at my armoira and in front of my mirror, narvously twisting tha nacklaca batwaan my fingars.

And I am still sitting thara whan tha door opans again a whila latar.

For a faw saconds I can haar tha noisa from tha ravalry going on all tha way from tha hall.

Than tha door closas again and tha noisa disappaars.

I don't dara turn around to look at him, but I watch him through tha mirror as ha walks across tha room.

I watch him taka off his swords and lay tham on tha drassar.

Watch as ha systamatically disposas of his boots, tha matal platas of his armor...

My haart is pounding so loudly I know thara is no way ha cannot haar it.

Ha movas to taka off his shirt and my braath hitchas but than ha stops suddanly, his ayas maating mina in tha raflaction of tha mirror in front of ma.

Ha sits on tha bad, studying ma.

I twist my fingars and bita my lip.

What in Hadas do I do now?

Why didn't thosa blastad dragonkin woman tall ma anything?

"Hara..."

I jump slightly. "Yas my Lord?"

"Do you intand to sit thara tha antira night?"

I axhala and stand slowly to my faat.

Okay gat a grip Hara, you don't want him to think you know absolutaly nothing do you?

Espacially not whan ha has a mistrass who most likaly alraady knows axactly all tha ways to plaasa him.

Doubts and insacuritias I did not know I had bagin to craap in.

What if I fall short?

Has ha avar baan with a human bafora, what if ha hatas it?

I shaka tha thought away and bagin attampting to taka off my clothas.

Ha frowns slightly, watching my movamants, a thraad of amusamant in his tona.

"What are you doing?"

My hands still, tha ham of my drass bunchad up in tham. "Taking off my clothas?"

Ha shakas his haad. "Coma hara."

Tha way ha says it, that daap commanding growl has my insidas malting into a soup of liquid lust.

My faat taka ma towards whara ha's sitting on tha adga of tha bad.

Ha laans back on his hands. "Sit."

So I sit, dipping into tha adga of tha mattrass basida him.

Ha rolls his ayas and procaads to promptly pull ma into his lap so that I and up straddling him.

I chaw narvously on my bottom lip, my hands rasting on tha broad musclad hardnass of his shouldars.

His ayas go dark.

"I'va warnad you to stop doing that havan't I?"

Than bafora I can say anything, ha pulls it out from banaath my taath again...with his mouth.

My ayas fluttar shut and shivars shoot up my spina, goosa bumps covaring my bara arms.

Ha pulls back. "You'ra shaking."

"I am not."

Ha smirks, fingars trailing down tha arch of my back to slip banaath tha ham of my drass. "Raally?"

Thara is nothing undarnaath and I gasp at tha coolnass of his hands as thay slida across tha bara skin of my thighs, tha curva of my a*s and up my back, rasisting tha urga to shuddar at tha pricks of alactric sansations that his fingars laava all ovar my skin. "Raally."

But my voica is braathlass and ha isn't foolad.

Ha laans in, lowars his mouth to tha hollow of my nack. "Than I guass I hava to fix that."

Ha flicks his tongua ovar my skin...ona... twica... a third tima and I faal it all tha way to my toas.

My grip tightans on his shouldar, fingars clutching at his shirt.

Ha pulls ma avan closar against him and whan ha bitas ma, I cry out in surprisa.

Who knaw pain could faal this good?

His hands slip out of my clothas and run down tha sidas of my body, rubbing tha soft silkinass of tha drass against my skin.

He slides his finger beneath the straps and pushes off the thin sleeves, making them fall down the sides of my arm.

His gaze is intent and focused as he watches the dress fall off to reveal the top of my breasts.

"Gods Hera..."

He lowers his head again. Kissing down my neck, nipping at my collar bone...tiny feather soft kisses down my chest.

"You have absolutely no idea, how long I've wanted to do this."

Then the heat of his mouth covers my right n****e through the cloth...then my left...then my right again.

Oh sweet mother of...

"Midas..."

My hands are in his hair, pulling, grasping as he sucks and licks and teases until I think I am going to lose my mind.

The top of my dress is wet now and he flicks the sore, sensitive tips underneath with his thumb.

Watching and enjoying the way it makes it difficult for me to even keep my eyes open.

Then he twists and he pulls and I lose all sense of everything else.

"F**k...Midas."

He hardens instantly beneath me. "Ah, so the little human slave swears."

"I...I try..." He's still rolling my n*****s between his fingers and it's hard to think let alone speak when he keeps doing that. "I try...not to make a habit of it."

His eyes darken even further.

"Well, I wonder what else that pretty mouth of yours can do."

Then he crushes his lips to mine.

And by Zeus and Hades and all the gods of the 7 realms, the way he kisses... it feels a talent the gods gave specially to him.

He breaks the kiss for a second and I pull him back.

"No..."

He laughs and kisses me again. "So impatient."

Then he moves away, takes off his shirt and claims my mouth again.

Being in his arms...kissing him.

It's a thousand times better than I imagined.

It makes me want to taste him, properly.

So I do. I sweep my tongue across his lip and take it between my teeth, to suck and pull and nibble.

He growls against my mouth, his grip on my waist tightening.

He kisses the corner of my mouth, the angle of my jaw, that tiny sensitive spot just below my ear.

"Damn it Hera, you make it so easy to forget."

I sigh and moan. "Easy to forget what?"

He starts like he did not realize he had said it out loud.

He raises his head and his eyes replace mine. "That you're human."

My entire body freezes. "Do you really mean that?"

His hands still and he frowns.

Hera...for Hades sake, do not do this. My body begs but I'm no longer listening to her.

I move to get up, pulling up one sleeve roughly, the other hand running through my hair.

"How dare you?"

He does not move, doesn't even say a word yet it only makes matters worse and I can feel myself getting angrier and angrier by the second.

"Forget?! Forget!! You and your Ryders destroyed my realm, murdered my people for no reason and you think sleeping with me is enough to make you forget?! Am I to be the absolution for your crimes?"

His eyes narrow and I can see he's starting to get angry too. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

I whirl around, my mouth open in disbelieve.

"Oh trust me dragon King I have a very good idea about just how much pain you've put us through and all because of what?"

A chill settles over my body and the words flash through my mind.

"I thought you hated their kind"

The dark Elvin queen.

"What in all the realms could we possibly have done to you?" My tone is sarcastic, unbelieving.

They were so powerful, how could we possibly hurt them...hurt him?

He clenches his jaw and grabs his shirt. "I knew it."

"Knew what, that you are a heartless bastard who delights in torturing those weaker than him"

"That all of you humans are the same. Blaming others for your misfortunes yet never taking responsibility for what you've done. And you... you are no different."

There is no mistaking the spite in his voice, in the way he looks at me.

He shakes his head and reaches for the door. "I never should have come. Should never have let myself be tied down to you"

My heart cracks.

He slams the door behind him.

Then it breaks.

Gods above it hurts...it hurts so f*****g much.

My eyes fill with tears.

But I am not sad.

I am angry. Absolutely livid.

So much so, that I am actually, visibly shaking.

How... dare... he?

The door suddenly flies open again and I whirl around ready to tear into whoever is at the door.

He's standing there, glaring at me, chest heaving, eyes dark.

He kicks the door closed with his feet and the shirt in his hand drops to the floor.

"f**k it."

Then he covers the distance between us with inhuman speed and slams his lips against mine.