The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride
Chapter 90

HERA

"Do you trust me?"

Those had been his last words before he stepped unto the window ledge, turned around to smile at me and then proceeded to traumatize me by falling off. I do not even have time to scream.

I grip the edge of the window and look out into the midnight sky and the darkned floor below.

And then...

If I had thought Leo's dragon to be the most magnificent terrifying thing then it is only because I had yet to see Er'gan.

"Skies above..."

While Leo's dragon had been nearly twice the size of Meirsul, Midas' dragon is almost three times the size of the dragon I met in the cellar.

If I did not know it who it was, I would have been utterly terrified.

But sitting high within the sockets of a bony skull so large I can only see a part of it from the window, are his eyes.

And even though the pupils are now thin black reptilian slits, I would recognize those eyes anywhere.

The bright warmness of liquid gold.

And that is why I do not back away.

But even though I am not afraid, I am also not unfazed by the sight of the rest of it.

Covered entirely in scales that appear to fade from bright blood red to a midnight black just before disappearing under the thick skin of his belly, Midas' dragon posseses a single central horn that sits atop it's head just above thick angular ears.

Ever moving long, black, tendrils run along it's chin and the sides of it's jaws and four powerful limbs that while they would definitely allow the creature stand dignified and sturdy would also doubtlessly allow it to be able to crush buildings beneath it's feet. And it's wings.

The colossal largeness of them starting from the point above it's shoulders and ending in the middle of it's back.

I have seen them before.

The mesmerizing luminescence that makes it look like there is a multitude of colour swirling around in the blackness of it's nearly transparent membrane.

But now, attached to the rest of the dragon who owns them, they look almost completely different.

I am unsure if I wish to scream or laugh.

I replace myself wishing that there is some sort of text that states how one should react in the presence of fearsome beasts beyond gaping stupidly with my mouth quite nearly touching the floor.

But even then I feel like it would still not be enough.

I step closer to the window, wanting to reach out and touch it but unsure if I can.

And as if things are not already strange enough as it is, I hear it's voice in my head. The deep, gravelly, ancient tone of it.

"Human."

My eyes double in size but I do not stumble back.

"How are you..."

"Do not try to understand it. Somethings are beyond your... human capabilities."

"I can hear you! In my head!"

"Oh cease your theatrics.The dragon king has asked that I transport you across the castle gates and into the capital."

I almost laugh at the offended way it says the words.

"Am I right in assuming that this does not please you?"

"Of course it does not. I am a five thousand year old dragon. The very first to walk the seven realms. Yet he would have me reduced to ferrying people on my back like a common horse or a beast of burden." "Well if it makes you feel any better, I have no intentions of riding you."

"And why ever not?"

"You do not really expect me to climb unto your back while you fly thousands of feet in the air do you? What am I supposed to hold unto to, your scales?"

Now the dragon in my head sounds offended for a whole new reason.

"Are you by any chance implying that I am incapable of delivering you safely across the castle gates and into the heart of the capital?"

"Yes Er'gan that is exactly what I am implying. What if I fall off or....or..."

Before I can finish speaking Er'gan flaps it's wings once, lifting it's body up in the air so that all I can see now is a view of it's pitch black underbelly.

Then it turns around, it's large tail ending in aclub like mace cutting through the air in one smooth single motion.

I lean half way out the window. "Are you leaving?! That is no way to...Ah!!"

I see it too late.

The dragon had reoriented itself so that it's head is now facing directly towards me and before I can stop it or move out of the way, it hooks it's horn through the underside of my cloth and drags me out the window. Then before I am even able to recover from the horrow of being snatched out of my window by a five thousand year old dragon, I am tossed into the air like nothing more than a piece of stale bread.

I am not even aware how loudly I scream or of the fact that I am still screaming even though I did not fall tragically to my death but instead am now sitting on the back of the most frightening creature I have ever seen. I grab unto it's horn with both hands.

"By Hades and Zeus, Er'gan what in all the realms?!!"

"You were being irrationally stubborn and I...no I will not apologize to her, she was wasting precious time not to mention calling me incapable of ensuring her safety."

Even though I can still hear it's voice in my head. I feel like it is no longer speaking to me.

"Fine I will...Human..."

"My name is Hera."

"I understand that it might have been less than pleasant to be dragged out a window and tossed in the air."

"You don't say."

Silence and then...

"You see dragon king...she refuses to cooperate."

"Cooperate!! Pray tell Er'gan exactly what is cooperative about being tossed in the air like a common rag doll."

"I only did it because..."

And somehow my very first dragon ride is spent arguing with a five thousand year old creature about exactly what it means to be dragged and tossed around. The journey to the gates of the capital takes barely anytime at all.

Infact it feels like Er'gan barely even flapped it's wings more than 3 times.

Too big to land directly on Arydian's street without collapsing a few buildings, the dragon lands in the middle of the capital's deserted square.

I let go of it's horn that I had grabbed unto to keep from falling off and slide down to land in a less than graceful stumble.

I turn around to stare at the beautiful dragon sitting innocently on its hunches.

But before I can say anything a small, bent shadow steps out from between two buildings.

Without meaning two, I move closer towards Er'gan.

"If it isn't my favorite dragon."

I do not hear what Er'gan says in response but the man laughs.

A throaty, phelgm filled sound.

The tiny dragonkin man steps closer and into the light and I recognize him immediately

Except he looks...different.

For one his cloudy grey eyes are now a bright emerald green and the way he moves, there is none of the quiet elegance of Arydian the Kingmaker in this man's jolly steps and wide smiling face.

Yet I could almost swear that it is the same man who had stood before the king mere days ago to announce that a portal had been opened.

He bows low when he sees me.

"Your highness. I do not believe we have been properly introduced."

"But..."

"Ah do not think much about it. Your confusion is understandable and as much as I would love to explain I believe the king wishes to transform back."

He rummages in a bag slung over his shoulder that I had not noticed and am almost certain was not there before and from within it's depths produces a change of clothes.

He places it in my hands, and turns around still laughing at the confusion on my face.

A flash of light beside me and when I turn my head my heart nearly stops.

My cheeks turn red and start to burn.

But Midas completely unfazed by how naked he is simply reaches for the clothes in my hands, smirking when he catches me unable to stop staring.

"You may turn around Arydian."

The man turns and bows. "My King."

"Need I ask how you knew we were coming?"

"Well, let us just say I was given a heads up."

Unable to take it anymore I interrupt.

"Wait are you not Arydian?"

"Yes indeed your highness I am he."

"Arydian the Kingmaker, messenger of Clotho the present?"

"Yes and No."

"I do not understand"

My confusion is directed at Arydian but it is Midas who answers.

"You see the journeys that the Fates send him on, the things they show him, all that knowledge, most times with the inability to so anything about it... It can be quite debilitating. An in an effort to save his mind, his conscious split into two. One became Arydian the king maker while the other is the Arydian you see before you now"

"Master wizard and sorcerer extraordinaire" Arydian smiles wide, doffing the small cap on his head.

"I have so many questions. How do you..."

I feel Midas hand in mine, stopping me before I can get distracted.

"I will explain later. There is no time. Arydian. I believe you know why we are here."

"I do. But I must warn you your highness that to walk the path of memory is an incredibly dangerous task. There are some many things that could go wrong. So many twists and turns. Take the wrong step and you could end up getting lost. Stuck forever reliving the past that could have been."

Midas grip around my hand tightens and I look up to see him watching me.

But I speak first before he can have the opportunity to change his mind.

"We have no choice Arydian. I wish to know the truth."

The man stares at me for what feels like an eternity.

Green eyes boring into my very soul and then he nods.

Sharp and sudden.

"Very well then. Come with me."

He lets us from the square to a small alley between two houses.

"Halt!"

Midas and I stop directly behind him even as he begins to mutter words I do not understand.

Then just as suddenly as he started, he stops.

I do not know what it is that I expected but it certainly was not for the alley to remain the exact same.

Cold and dark and with the faint outlines of a dead end stone wall in the distance.

"Only she may enter"

Midas turns to look at me. "Are you sure you wish to do this?"

"I am not. But I have to. For myself."

He nods and places a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Try not to fall off anything while you're there."

I roll my eyes at him but I am smiling.

Arydian speaks without turning to us.

"Now your grace. It must be now."

I swallow and step around the old man so that I am now standing at the darkened mouth of the alley.

Is it just me or does it suddenly seem darker than before?

"No matter what you see, what you hear, do not stray from the path. The gods be with you."

And with those last words ringing in my ear, I step into the pitch blackness of the path between the two buildings.