Dragon Harem: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance

by Rains, Nina

  I slipped into my coat and walked to the entrance of the cave. I looked out from the eye of the mountain. It was already dark when I came to the mountain. It was still dark. How long have I been asleep? I wondered.

  My eyes caught a glimpse of Elastin. The torches were lit and dark smoke covered my kingdom.

  “Renisham! Latias! Ampharos!” I called, but no one answered.

  I looked down to Elastin again. My dragons were in Elastin. The war had begun and they intended to fight King Apollyeon and Dratini without me.

  I ran back to the room and grabbed my clothes. I changed into my robes as I headed to the pathway down from the mountain. The mountain had become confusing. I could not locate the pathway. Those dragons! They had cloaked it.

  “So, you really claimed the prophecy?” A familiar voice arose from the walls.

  “Nyxia?” I uttered as I looked around.

  Nyxia appeared in one of the walls. Her eyes still showed hatred towards me. “Help me leave this mountain,” I pleaded. “I have to help your sons and my sister.”

  “Do you think that because you changed your destiny, the Queen’s destiny would also change?” Nyxia asked.

  “I will change it if I have to,” I replied.

  Nyxia laughed. It annoyed me. I wanted to smash the wall to get rid of her. However, she spoke, “That man needs to have your sister’s heart. That is the only way you could kill Dratini.”

  “Why would I believe you?” I countered. “Why would you tell me how to kill Dratini when you never wanted to lose him?”

  “A mother would sacrifice a child for the sake of the other three,” Nyxia answered.

  I fell silent. Nyxia pointed at one of the walls. The ice wall melted and revealed the pathway to the mountain. I looked at her, dubious.

  Nyxia read my doubt. She explained before I could ask. The spirits of dragons do not die. The heavens only take them and turn them into stars. However, they have to die as humans with cleansed hearts.

  “Cleansed hearts? Minhyeon had become a vampire,” I told Nyxia.

  She shook her head and answered, “His brother could not turn him into a vampire while he has my son’s heart.”

  Nyxia added that Saicin would have to give Minhyeon the other part of Dratini’s heart. If she would, I needed to strike Minhyeon in the heart. It might kill Saicin.

  “But, there is no telling what would happen,” Nyxia said.

  “You are the guardian of the prophecy. You must know what would happen,” I replied.

  “For two thousand years, Dratini lived with hatred in the underworld. He might choose to remain with that side,” Nyxia explained. “I changed his destiny, but I was not allowed to correct it. He could return with wrath.”

  My palms closed into fists. I understood Nyxia, but I still blamed her for everything. Then, I thought of my dragons. I would not have met them, had she not changed Dratini’s destiny. However, I would thank her later – after I turned Saicin's and my dragons’ destinies.

  * * *

  “Where have you been, your Highness?” Cynara asked as I arrived at the entrance of the castle and jumped down from my horse.

  Two maids approached me with my armor. I removed my gown and changed, ignoring Cynara. I entered the castle and looked around. It was still intact, but everything was dark around the outer castle walls.

  “What is the situation?” I asked.

  Cynara frowned a little before she explained, “King Apollyeon is attacked with all his vampires.

  “Did the traps work?”

  “Yes. But, there were too many of them,” Cynara answered. “Also, a dragon betrayed us.”

  I looked out to the dark battlefield behind the walls and saw a large dragon appear from behind Apollyeon’s legions. It was made of solid ashes. It had furious dark red eyes and looked like a demon, raised from the underworld.

  “How about the other dragons?” I worried. “How are they?”

  Cynara took a while to answer. I looked at my dragons. They kept using their powers, but a strong wind countered them. It was so strong that it flipped Ampharos. My heart jumped in fear when Ampharos almost fell hard to the ground.

  Cynara hastily explained that they had been having a hard time stopping the army. The power of the evil dragon was too strong for them.

  When they blew fire on the enemies, Dratini blew it off quickly. When they created solid ice walls to stop the enemies, their brother would blow them down with his power.

  Ampharos was the weakest link. His power could not withstand Dratini. He was the most vulnerable among them. I finally understood what he meant. Dratini’s power strengthened Latias' and Renisham’s power, but it could overpower Ampharos' easily.

  Ampharos flew back to the sky. Renisham and Latias covered him. They spread their wings as wide as they could and shielded him.

  I was surprised when the ground shook. Cynara grabbed me near to a pillar in the castle. She told me that Ampharos had been shaking the ground to stop the enemies from advancing.

  Of course. It was the only way their powers could get past Dratini. A strong wind blew again. It hit Ampharos. The smallest dragon flipped and fell down to the ground.

  “Ampharos!” I yelled in fear. I wanted to run to him, but Cynara pulled me back.

  “General Amara ordered that I should keep you here with the Queen,” Cynara said.

  Saicin. I reminded myself. I turned to Cynara and asked, “Where is my sister?”

  “In her chamber, your Highness,” Cynara explained. “We believe that she has gone mad.”

  “Gone mad?” I pushed Cynara and drew my sword at her.

  Cynara bowed and seemed unhesitant and ready to die. She refused to withdraw her statement. She told me that Saicin had been speaking absurdity.

  “She wanted to meet the evil dragon,” Cynara added.

  I withdrew my sword and said, “I will deal with you later.”

  I looked at my dragons. They were doing everything to stop Dratini. Ampharos had taken a hard hit. Tears flowed down my cheeks. I still wanted to run to him, but I stopped when I saw him rising to the air again.

  * * *

  “Saicin!” I called as I rushed into the Queen’s chamber.

  My eyes glared in rage when I saw what the soldiers had done to my sister. They had tied her on her bed, like a lunatic. I ran to the bed and cut off the silk cloth that held her down.

  “Aurora,” Saicin said in a weak tone. I helped her rise from the bed and hugged her tight. She kissed me on my cheek and whispered, “I know how to stop the dragon.”

  I pulled away and looked at her in confusion. Saicin smiled and touched her chest. She nodded and repeated her words.

  “You don’t have to do this,” I insisted. “I will help stop him, but you do not have to give up the heart.”

  “If we denied it, many more would be killed,” Saicin argued.

  “I don’t care!” I yelled. My voice shook as I was about to cry.

  Saicin’s palm landed on my cheek. I was overwhelmed. She glared at me with disappointment. The tears I tried to hold back flowed without pause. Saicin wiped them and explained, “I am the Queen. You might only care for me, but I have to take care of my people.”

  “B-but,”

  Saicin hushed me before I could object. She looked out the window and turned to me. “A man came to my dream last night. He begged to be saved.”

  “D-Dratini?”

  “You know him?” Saicin asked with a tiny smile on her lips. “He said I could save my people by helping him. He is that dragon.”

  I shook my head. Dratini played with her mind! He tried to trick her into surrendering the other half of his heart.

  Saicin stood and walked towards the window. I looked at the maids and ordered them to grab her. She resisted them. She looked at me with begging eyes, but I avoided them.

  “He is not an evil dragon,” Saicin said to me. “He is only trapped by evil. He begs to be saved, too.”

  “Tie her again,”
I ordered. “And close all the windows.”

  I bowed to Saicin and walked away.

  “Aurora! You have to listen to me!” Saicin yelled. “He does not want to hurt his brothers!”

  I stopped. The brothers loved each other. Dratini loved my dragons before, too. However, there was no telling what would happen. I remembered what Nyxia had said.

  “Let me die with an honor of a queen,” Saicin cried.

  I looked at her. She looked desperate, but I remained selfish. I wanted her to be with me, just as I wanted my dragons to stay with me.

  The floor of the castle shook. The maids panicked. Cynara ran into the room. My heart banged my chest hard as a strange worry overwhelmed me.

  “One of the dragons was badly hurt,” Saicin uttered. “He, too, is hurt for harming the one he loves the most.”

  I ignored Saicin. My stubbornness kept me thinking that my sister had become mad.

  “Your Highness, a dragon was badly hurt!” Cynara announced.

  “Which dragon?” Another warrior asked.

  I did not need to know. I quickly ran out to the castle grounds. Renisham and Latias were still in the air. They kept on preventing the vampires from getting near the castle. I looked around for Ampharos. He was nowhere to be seen.

  “He’s at the infirmary, your Highness,” Cynara told me.

  * * *

  I pushed the nurses away to get close to Ampharos. I stopped breathing when I saw him. He was unconscious. His body had many grazes. Blood flowed from his nose. I touched him slowly. I could not understand. He could breathe life back, but he could not heal himself.

  “Ampharos,” I called softly.

  I slipped my hand into his. He grabbed it weakly. He opened his eyes a little and flashed a cheeky smile. I burst into tears.

  “My princess,” he called softly.

  I did not care about the people around me. I just leaned down and kissed him passionately. “Tell me how to stop this.” I sobbed into his ears.

  Ampharos’ cheeky smile faded as he answered, “The dragon. He is no longer Dratini.”

  I looked at Ampharos. He touched my cheek and explained, “Dratini would never hurt me. He would hurt Latias or Renisham when he was angry, but he would never hurt me.”

  “He has turned evil,” I reminded Ampharos.

  “He is trapped by evil,” Ampharos corrected me. He gave me an apologizing look and uttered, “I’m sorry, our princess. We could not stop him even if we die.”

  I almost fell on my knees as the shock weakened me. Saicin spoke of the same things. Did she really tell the truth? Would I really have to choose between them? I hugged Ampharos tightly and cried aloud. Everything would be lost if I just thought of my heart. I would need to make a choice.

  I walked out of the infirmary. The sky had become darker than before. The screams of the Elastinians had become louder, as they ran to the castle for refuge. My two other dragons were still fighting against their brother with their lives.

  “They have passed the last traps!” A citizen yelled. The people called out for the Queen to help them. They asked why she had abandoned them.

  Let me die with an honor of a queen. Saicin’s words echoed in my mind. I looked up to where her chamber was located. I could not let Elastin fall with people hating her.

  I ran back to Ampharos and asked, “Would you take me to him?”

  “Who?”

  “Dratini. Take me to your brother,” I told Ampharos. “I would stop this. No. Saicin would stop this. Just take me to him.”

  “He would stop us,” Ampharos opposed.

  “He would not,” I insisted. “Trust me.”

  * * *

  We landed outside the castle walls. Ampharos shook the ground. The ground swallowed a part of Apollyeon’s army. Apollyeon's generals shouted orders to take down Ampharos, but a gold wall emerged, covered with thick ice. The wall blocked some of the vampire soldiers.

  I turned around. Renisham and Latias were behind us. We heard loud rumbling and saw how the castle wall crumbled as a strong wind tore it apart.

  “Your dragons are no match to mine, Princess Aurora!” King Apollyeon's low, resonant voice echoed with an arrogant laugh.

  “My queen wishes to surrender!” I yelled aloud.

  Everyone who heard my announcement fell silent. It took a while before Apollyeon reacted with another arrogant laugh.

  “Do you think we would stop only because you surrendered?” Apollyeon answered. “We will conquer Elastin and make you all our slaves. As for you my dear princess, you would make a lovely bride.”

  Ampharos groaned in pain, but I rubbed his back to calm him down. I laughed arrogantly at Apollyeon. My reaction confused him.

  “I will not be a bride to a puppet,” I told him. I turned to the enormous ash dragon, hovering behind the vampire soldiers and King Apollyeon and shouted, “My queen wishes to meet with you!”

  “You shall answer only to me,” Apollyeon ordered Dratini.

  Dratini’s dark red eyes sparked wildly. He looked at Apollyeon ignorantly. He looked at Minhyeon and bowed his head a little. Apollyeon was shocked.

  “The dragon answers only to the one who holds his heart,” I told Apollyeon.

  “You are nothing but my puppet, my brother,” added Minhyeon, who was standing next to Apollyeon.

  Apollyeon growled angrily. He grabbed Minhyeon and tried to devour him. Dratini pulled Minhyeon away from the King and swung him to his back. He roared at Apollyeon. The evil King fell on the ground, frozen in fear.

  Dratini turned to me and said, “You better not betray me again,” he looked at his brothers and said, “Or I will bring such hell to this world that no being can stop.”

  “Come on, my dragon,” Minhyeon said with a wide smile. “Let’s claim your heart and rule this land.”

  I frowned as I watched Minhyeon pet Dratini. He looked at me with his cunning smile. “I will still make your sister my bride. However, she will die once she surrenders her heart. You shall become my bride, then.”

  Renisham, Latias and Ampharos growled at Minhyeon. Dratini roared at his brothers as Minhyeon petted him.

  Laugh now, prince. I will kill you soon. I thought to myself.

  * * *

  Saicin’s maids were ushering her out to her balcony as we approached the castle. Ampharos flew fast. He held me in his arms and shifted to his human form as we landed on the balcony. Latias and Renisham followed and landed beside us.

  Saicin flashed a grateful smile at me. I looked away. I made a decision to follow Saicin’s wishes, but I was still reluctant. I was afraid that I would meddle with her decision again.

  Dratini slowly hovered to the balcony and landed. Saicin stood elegantly and faced the dragon. Dratini’s dark red eyes turned into light pink. Saicin’s reflection appeared beautifully on them.

  Dratini lowered his back and Minhyeon stepped down in front of Saicin. The Queen did not look at Minhyeon. Her eyes were fixed on Dratini.

  "Give me the heart now, Saicin,” Minhyeon ordered disrespectfully.

  I wanted to attack him, but Renisham stopped me. “Let the Queen deal with him,” he whispered to me.

  Renisham could glimpse into the future. He nodded to me and the corners of his lips curved down.

  My hands trembled. I wanted to stop Saicin, but my dragons held me back.

  “I will give you your heart, but promise me one thing,” Saicin said and looked at Dratini.

  “Anything, my queen,” Dratini answered. His voice was different. It did not have a hint of anger.

  “Take my heart with you,” Saicin finished.

  I became worried. I tried to run to my sister, but Renisham kept stopping me. Latias covered my mouth when I wanted to call Saicin.

  “A queen once betrayed you to take your heart,” Saicin told Dratini. “Let me repay it with mine.”

  “Stop the yada yada, your Highness,” Minhyeon cut in. “My dragon will only answer to me.”

  Dratini growled soft
ly, but he could not hurt Minhyeon. He looked at Saicin and nodded his head.

  Saicin stepped closer to Minhyeon. The prince placed his forehead on her. Saicin looked straight into his eyes. She grabbed on to his arms, as she began to shake. Minhyeon held her close to keep their heads together.

  “Saicin!” I called.

  Renisham pulled me back again, but I resisted with all my might. Latias pulled his brother’s hand away to help me. I quickly ran to my sister. However, I was late. It was all done before I got to her.

  Saicin turned to me with a smile before she fell on the floor. I hurried to her side and tried to wake her up. Tears blurred my eyes and rage clouded my mind. I looked at Minhyeon furiously.

  Minhyeon had an elated face. He looked at me with darker eyes. His pupils turned into dark red. I ran to a soldier and grabbed her sword. Minhyeon tried to chase me, but he stopped when the three brothers shifted into their dragon forms quickly.

  “You cannot touch me,” Minhyeon warned my dragons conceitedly.

  Minhyeon laughed out haughtily. I wanted to strike him, but I knew that it would only end in vain. Suddenly, Minhyeon sounded like he was choking. Dark red and light pink flashes fought in his eyes. He trembled and cringed as if someone was trying to possess him.

  Amara and the other warriors entered the balcony to help, only to be shocked to see Minhyeon fighting for his life. Amara saw Saicin on the floor. She looked at me and I shook my head.

  “Then, what are you doing?” Amara asked. “You should kill him now to end this.”

  I looked at Dratini. His dragon form faded slowly. I remembered what Nyxia had said. Dratini needed to possess Minhyeon to obtain a human form.

  “W-hat are you doing?” Minhyeon asked me as he fell on his knees.

  Dratini fainted and fell, as soon as Minhyeon fell. I looked at Amara and told her, “He will end it.”

  “Prince Minhyeon?” Amara and the other warriors uttered with curiosity.

  “Dratini,” I corrected her.

  Dratini opened his eyes. His brothers surrounded him. He pushed them aside and crawled to Saicin. His eyes turned into a rosy pink when he got closer to my sister.