Beauty and the Dragon

by Melody Rose

  I angled my blade toward the now mindless mass of demons, inviting my comrades to charge forth and tear our enemies apart. This time, we didn’t even bother to morph into our impressive draconic forms. We did not need to boast or prove the depth of our strength to the Drikkende. Motivated only by the desire to keep the realm safe, we executed the bane of our allies quickly and efficiently.

  Once we mowed down the hollow beasts, leaving a pile of corpses in our wake, it was time to put a definite stop to this madness. The sinister energy that had seeped up from the Abyss would never taint this realm again.

  I grasped the hilt of my sword tightly, willing it to transform into a majestic staff topped with an uncut emerald. I slammed the bottom of the rod into the ground, creating a vortex that ripped the demons out of this and every other dimension.

  “I, Lady Rosalind, formerly Queen Zielona, demand that the Drikkende are sent into the ether where they once sent me and where they belong. They will never be able to abuse these lands again!”

  Though dragons may have been feared in the human dimension, they were now revered in this realm. Letters had poured into the stronghold by way of carrier birds, a beautiful selection of owls, ravens, doves, and hawks. Each of them was from tribes that hailed us for our heroism, thanking us for salvaging their former glory. The number of missives was so overwhelming that I had to devote an entire room in the castle just to store them all.

  Since all of our newfound allies were begging to celebrate our accomplishments, I decided it was best to welcome them all to the Jörmungandr castle to meet us properly. I vaguely recalled them, some snippets of memories from my past lives and excerpts from history books coming to mind, but that was a poor substitute to a real connection. I also thought it would be refreshing to host a banquet after fortnights of training and battles. I reasoned that fostering goodwill and spirits would be important since I was sure we’d all face more challenges even with the Drikkende gone.

  On the Hunter’s Moon, when the heavenly body was bright red and suspended in a starry sky, all the kingdoms of the realm gathered in our ceremony hall. Of course, there were so many guests I needed to accommodate that I needed to perform an expanding spell just to make room for each of them. It was well worth it. The mead poured freely, and the laughs rang throughout the extravagant room. All our bards cozied up to each other, toasting goblets and reveling in the turn of an important chapter. They wondered what else would be in store for the Jörmungandr clan.

  While I was the most spoken-about queen in the realm, I was still an introvert through and through. After I mingled to make an appearance, a cost of mana in itself, I retreated back to my throne. Troy picked up the slack, tapping into his charisma and chatting boisterously with others. I smiled gratefully, folding my hands on my lap as I watched him. I was glad to have a Fated Mate to balance out my social anxiety, someone more than willing to perform his role as an outgoing king. Really, I had arranged this as an opportunity for everyone in the realm to learn about one another. As for myself, I preferred to keep mostly to myself. At least as much as I could as a royal.

  I blushed with downcast eyes, lost in thought about how much presence Troy had, completely smitten with his command over himself. Once the festivities were over and our guests had been escorted to their lodgings, again requiring some magic on my part, I looked forward to indulging in my king. With the lunar energy to draw from, our tryst would be wondrously sensual. To distract myself, I studied the assortment of gifts by my feet, still all paling in comparison to my companion.

  After what seemed like centuries, as I busied myself with nursing mead, Troy finally returned. I grinned gratefully and set my goblet down on the ornate end table next to me. He knew exactly what I wanted, sitting next to me in his throne and grabbing my hand. With a knowing wink, he squeezed my hand and purred into my ear.

  “Are you ready to get out of here?” he teased, taking advantage of how my tumbles of black hair concealed his actions. I closed my eyes, savoring how he nibbled at my ear.

  “More than ever,” I answered, letting him work out the specifics of a graceful exit.

  Months passed by, and eventually, the exhilaration of conquering the Drikkende waned. This was bound to be the case. Not all that resided in the realm were good-hearted innocents, and it would have been naïve to expect otherwise. As a Queen, I was not afraid of the challenge, and as a librarian to the core, I knew any story worth its salt needed conflict.

  So here I was, winding and twisting as I parried blow after blow. I stepped deftly to the side, gritting my teeth to save my skin. My mock opponent really gave me a run for my money, every ounce the fighter that I was.

  I pounced to the far side of the courtyard to grab my breath, nearly panting. As a dragon, I was usually able to possess mastery over my body, even in my unturned state. I grumbled at not coming out with a distinct advantage and wiped the sweat off my forehead.

  “Damn!” I cursed. “I don’t know how you wear me out so easily! It’s not fair!”

  Troy chuckled darkly, tormenting me with his gravelly voice. He hadn’t even broken a sweat and was perfectly composed. I hate him for it, and I also wanted to rip off his clothes. His poise and his fighting finesse continued to be such a turn on for me.

  “Oh, this certainly isn’t the first time,” he replied more than a hint of playfulness. “And it won’t be the last, I assure you. I’ll refresh your memory about how much I can truly expend your energy if you like…”

  My cheeks burned at the prospect. It didn’t matter how many times I was able to enjoy Troy, I was never satiated, and I never stopped feeling incredibly lucky to be doted upon by the Champion of the clan. Every time I brought him to my bed, he reminded me how heated his passion was. It was no wonder his soul found mine even with the Drikkende’s trickery.

  I smirked and sheathed my sword. I then sauntered over to him and shook my head.

  “Will I ever reach your level one day?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  He took my wrist and kissed the back of my hand. “You already are, my Queen. Not all strategies require obvious displays of might. Not only are you a fine shot with the bow, but I will always be at your beck and call.”

  I paused, considering and savoring his words. As he watched satisfaction cross over my face, his eyes lit up.

  “Perhaps you would enjoy a midday flight to take your mind off of the demands of ruling a castle?” he suggested, knowing I’d bow to the temptation.

  I nodded and stroked his dark hair with affection. “That’s just what I need to do the trick.”

  Troy nodded and knelt down, his entire body transfiguring into a noble black dragon with sleek scales like finely polished obsidian. He then lowered himself onto his belly, allowing me easier access to mount him. I steadied myself, opting for a position between the ridges in his back. I preferred this to a saddle since I didn’t want to treat him like a beast of burden. Riding him was truly an honor, a beautiful way to take in the realm. Once I was balanced, he gradually lifted himself from the ground until he was hovering leagues above the stronghold.

  I screamed with a rush of joy once he started flying in earnest, beating his wings to gain speed. As he tore through the sky, I placed my palms on his back, willing myself to stay upright.

  We were the perfect pair, a true Fated Match, a dragon and his spellmistress. Who else would be able to handle such raw power? I marveled at this as the realm below me was blended into a picturesque blur. I was a blessed woman to experience lifetimes of this pure, untarnished love.

  A Note from the Author

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