The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride
Chapter 97

MIDAS

Their's is a story known throughout most of the 7 realms.

A story of family and betrayal.

For as long as the dragon King's memory is concerned, the Elves and the fae have lived together in peace.

But it had not always been that way.

Before the Fairy queen became who she is now, she was simply the daughter of the Fae king Amarion and his elven wife Demitryn. Princess of the fourth realm along with her identical twin sister..

The elven princess Hermani.

And together the family of four served as the Royal household over the realm of Fae and Elves.

And all was good.

At least on the outside.

What the Royal family knew and every other person did not, was that Hermani had been unhappy.

Deeply unhappy and deeply jealous.

The two royal daughters were treated equally

Despite the sister who would become the Fairy Queen being the oldest by a hair's breadth and the heir to the throne.

Neither one was given preference over the other.

But somehow Hermani manged to get it into her head that was indeed what had been happening.

And so her hatred and jealousy for her sister did not begin with the throne but it had been growing growing gradually, simmering like a slow cooking stew.

Simmering and boiling until after their parents passing, only to overflow on the night of the Fairy queen's coronation.

That had been when she first began to concoct and put her scheme into motion.

She found those disloyal to the throne.

Elves who had always mumbled and grumbled with discontent about having to be ruled over by the Fae.

Her words where like k****e to the fires of tyranny burning in their feverish pitch black hearts

The Last king had been Fae and so would the new queen.

Where the elves just going to sit back and allow themselves be ruled over and over again by the fae?

Soon enough the day would come when the elves would be come nothing but slaves.

Made to bend over backwards and break their backs and fingers in the sun for their Fae masters.

Somehow Hermani and her band of rebels had conviently frogetten that not only had her mother, the queen been an Elf, but the last two kings before King Amarion had been of Elven blood. But overthrowing the Fairy Queen was an act akin to suicide.

The crown of the ruler of 4th realm was one that came with an amount of magical knowledge so great it was impossible for one who was not very gifted, someone like Hermani, to snatch the throne. She needed powers of her own.

And so she turned to the shadows.

Sort for power from the nooks and crannies, journeying to the dark and most secret places of the seventh realm.

The realm of Shadow.

It was there she would meet the one who would promise her power unimaginable, who would give her and her flowers so much magic they would have more than enough.

In exchange, when the time came, she would give to him whatever it is he asked.

And so in exchange for the ability to use dark magic, she sold her soul to the one they called The Fallen.

And she and her army returned to the fourth realm covered in magical runes that writhed and danced beneath their skin, qlive and frightening yet mesmerizing and hypnotic. But had it would turn out, promises made in the darkness are no real promises at all.

And try as she might, in the end, Hermani was not strong enough.

She and her other dark elves were defeated.

But her sister, far too ambivalent to have her executed for treason, had made her an offer.

"Renounce your alliances with the drakness and cease your use of dark magic forever and I shall show you pardon"

Hermani had spat at her feet and told her she would rather die.

So the Fairy queen had her and her followers banished from the realm of Fae and Elves.

Until they were ready to change their ways.

And that was how they had ended up in Midas'realm.

Roaming around his forests and causing havoc.

He understands leniency.

But if someone had betrayed him the way the Fairy queen's sister has, he would not have spared them.

The Fairy Queen leads them through her castle and into her throne room and he glances absent mindedly at their crystals and diamonds and glittering surfaces. But out of respect for his crown, she does not sit.

*Dragon King."

"Fairy Queen."

Her smile is just as red as the dark elven queen and just as unerving in it's perfection. The only difference is when her lips spilt apart, there are no fangs.

"It has been too long Midas. I believe the last time I saw you, you were covered in the blood of your enemies and had the giant King's head beneath your feet."

"It was a message that needed to be passed."

"Of course and we have kept well out of your realm like you asked so why are you here?"

"It is about Hermani."

There is no change in the queen's face but Midas notices the way her eyes twitch slightly.

"What about her?"

"She and her elves brought wolfsbane into my realm."

"It is your fault for granting them asylum."

Midas bristles. "Do not use that against me especially knowing the reason why my father had to do what he did."

She laughs. "Still as prickly as ever I see."

"Look Moria I have not come to jest or trade words with you. I have come to ask for your help. My people need the antidote to Wolfsbane and I have been told it is in your possession."

The Fairy queen straightens the sleeves of her enormous gown, smoothens down the sides. "And why should I help you dragon king. You and I are not exactly friends now are we?"

"No but you do not want to have me as an enemy either. So name your price."

"I want my sister."

There is no hesitation whatsoever in her request.

Midas raises his chin.

"You sister is responsible for the death for the death of the son of one of my chiefs. But if you give me what I ask, rather than execute her, she will rot in a dragon cell which is more lenient than she deserves." Moria shakes her head.

"That is not enough. I want her returned home, returned to me."

"But she hates you."

"That is no concern of yours."

Midas jaw clenches. "Your sister brought chaos and wolfsbane into my realm. If any of my Ryders should die I will kill her. And if the reason they die is because you did not give me the antidote in time, I will burn your realm to ashes around your ears and kill you as well."

The silence that is left behind is deafening.

And then the Fairy queen laughs.

Hard and long until there are tears in her eyes.

The dragon king would have been offended but he knows she is not laughing at him.

Not really.

But like her sister, Moria responds to challenges with jesting.

Even when she knows that he could actually end her.

She smirks and adjusts the crown on her head.

"I see your bargaining skills still leave much to be desired Midas."

"It is a promise not a bargain. Give me what I need or suffer the consequences."

The queen is silent, thinking.

And the Hera steps forward.

The Fairy queen tilts her head in question.

"Ah so the rumors are true. Speak Human."

He watches her rise to her full height, no longer the cowering slave girl he had first met and His heart fills and overflows with pride.

"I may be human as you say your grace. But I am also queen of the human reaom and I will be addressed as so"

The Fairy queen to her credit inclines her head, amusement on her face. "My apologies your highness."

Hera nods. "I believe what my husband is trying to say is our interests are not mutually exclusive your grace. You want your sister, we want our kingdom to remain intact. Give us what we seek and you have my word. Your sister shall returned to you." Again the Fairy Queen is silent.

Thinking.

That is the main difference between her and her sister.

Moria is willing to see reason. To weigh her decisions and arrive at a fairly reasonable conclusion.

She raises her head toward her guests.

"You shall have what you seek."

"Thank..."

Moria cuts her off. "However the antidote to wolfsbane is pure, extremely strong magic. You must prove yourselves worthy of it."

Midas is done. His voice drops an octave lower. "I have no time for games Moria."

He feels Hera's hand on his. Calming and patient.

He watches her nod at the Fairy queen who is observing their engagement eagerly. "What would you have us do?"

Moria claps in excitement.

"Nothing to serious. But to prove you are worthy of welding such magic, you and your company must walk the hall of mirrors"