Gifted To The Dragon King

by Hollie Hutchins

  "Still..." Venna began but then thought better than to say what she was thinking. Ria could see that she felt for her, and it strangely seemed to make it even more difficult to share him with such a perfect creature.

  Venna changed the subject, "Tell me about the Onoatiga," she said, frowning slightly.

  Ria grimaced too. "Oh, they are the creepiest characters I have ever met! And, between you and me, they seem to be controlling King Xagrun like a bunch of master puppeteers. They're the ones that insisted that King Xagrun approach your father for your hand."

  "They enforce all the laws and protocols in the galaxy, don't they? And they decide the king's itinerary, and every other detail of his life, right?" Venna said, sitting up straighter, her eyes widening.

  "Yes! How did you know?"

  "Because we have some very similar characters doing exactly that in our galaxy," Venna said, biting her lip thoughtfully. "I've never been able to get a good look at them though, because they are forever draped in these long, black cloaks with hoods. Father calls them, 'the Black Council'."

  "What do they sound like?" Ria asked, feeling like they were about to uncover the conspiracy of the millennium.

  "Very raspy and creepy," Ria could have said it with her, "And they don't allow anyone to speak to them unless they are first spoken to by them. A handful of Hautians lost their heads that way before the word got around."

  "Do you think..." Ria began.

  "... the Black Council and the Onoatiga are one and the same thing?"

  Ria stared at her new friend and then something occurred to her. "But I don't see any black cloaked Onoatiga around here?"

  "That's right," Venna confirmed, "My great-grandfather ousted them when he was reigning. They haven't been able to get a foothold since, but they still managed to weasel their way into the other solar systems in our galaxy. Very controlling lot, the Black Council."

  Ria took in this new information. "Are they evil, dangerous? Do you think they want to take over the universe?" she asked, thoughtfully.

  Venna shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine, sister." She shrugged and winked. "Now, help me finish these pastries, or Cooky will take a week to forgive me for not appreciating her hard work!"

  Chapter 12: Polarity

  Conspiracy theories on Earth had always fascinated Ria, although she had never put much store in them. They were, as the name suggested, merely theories. As fascinating as they seemed, they never really could be proven to have an effect on society at large.

  But the conspiracy theory that was brooding in her mind, seemed more real than anything she had ever experienced. Before she had treated the Onoatiga as most Dragona citizens did, with a detached respect born more of fear than honour. Now, she saw in them a threat to the entire cosmos.

  If Venna was right, and they had lost their grip on Haut, the capital planet of the Hautian galaxy, then they would be eager to get it back again. What better way than through a marriage alliance between one of their most faithful puppet king and the Hautian crown princess? It was a slam dunk! Ria almost wanted to congratulate them on the simple brilliance of their plan.

  And she might have if it hadn't been so diabolical and completely callous towards real people and their feelings and their lives. Xagrun's and Venna's and, she had to admit, hers.

  It went without saying that, as the ambassador to Haut, she had a responsibility to inform King Xagrun of her conversation with Venna and her resulting conspiracy theories. Still, she baulked at the idea. First of all, she didn't even want them to get married, and that would mean exposing the Onoatiga would be serving her own agenda very nicely.

  On the other hand, she had grown mightily fond of Venna, and, of course, Xagrun - the thought of him brought an indulgent smile to her eyes - and she wanted the best for them. Plus, she still felt homesick for Earth and her loved ones there. As backward as her planet was, it was her home.

  So, really, pairing them off, especially once she had taught Xagrun the right way to love a princess, was actually in everyone's interests, even if it did come at a high price. The price of a kingdom, in fact. Holding the fate of a galaxy in her hands didn't feel nearly as great as she might have envisaged.

  Venna seemed a little naive concerning the Onoatiga, so she would probably acquiesce to their taking an advisory position in her galaxy once she was Queen. And if Ria didn't warn Xagrun, he might also merely continue on as he always had: a prisoner of the protocols imposed upon his clueless self by raspy-voiced dictators.

  Her head hurt with all the thinking, and she really just wanted to fall asleep and wake up on Mars, with the happy realisation that all this was merely a dream. But a very real voice and the bleep of the intercom at her door pulled her back from the brink of oblivion.

  "Ambassador Ria? So sorry to disturb you, your Highness, but the Dragon King requires your presence in his chambers." It was the high pitched, nervous voice of the Hautian lizard butler. It was strange how quickly she seemed to be getting promotions wherever she went.

  "Thank you, butler. Please inform the king I shall be there in twenty minutes."

  "Very well, your Highness."

  Yes, she would have to tell Xagrun about her promotion to an adopted member of the Hautian Royal Family. She wondered if Meghan Markle had felt the same way she did right now when she became a royal. Completely clueless about what was going to happen to her life. She felt almost as if she had become someone else's property, which, to be honest was not an altogether unfamiliar experience by now.

  As the butler ushered her into the king's quarters, she noticed the absence of guards and Onoatiga. The guards posted on her balcony and by her chamber door were still firmly in place, even when she wasn't there. The one who had accompanied her and the butler from her quarters now stood watchfully outside Xagruns suite.

  "Good afternoon, your Highness," Ria began.

  "Did I not tell you to call me Xagrun when we are in private?" His voice was terse, his back rigid with tension.

  "Yes, Xagrun. My apologies."

  He ignored her beg-pardon. "You have a report back for me from your last visit with the princess?"

  It struck her how he never referred to Venna by her name. "Yes, I do, your... I mean, Xagrun."

  He seemed suddenly so detached and distant. Ria wondered if she had imagined his tender, passionate kiss. His face was troubled as he turned to face her, his scales darker than she had ever seen them. As she looked into his eyes, she thought she saw a glimpse of longing in them, but he quickly turned away, motioning her to sit at the table as he took a seat opposite her. "Debrief me, Ambassador."

  Whatever was troubling him, it was evident he was not going to share it with her right now. A small seed of fear began to germinate in her mind. Had she displeased him in some way? Was she going to be his venting bag again once this meeting was over? His disposable stress reliever? Had all their progress been lost?

  Ria swallowed hard, pushing the thought out of her mind and focusing on what was really more important. The future of Dragona and Haut. She laid her 'adoption certificate' on the table. Xagrun didn't even look at it.

  Plunging into her debriefing, Ria began, "The last meeting with Princess Venna was successful," she said, staring at the far wall, "She and I have formed a close bond of comradeship, I am happy to report. We had an excellent discussion which has raised some concerns of another kind in my mind."

  Xagrun looked at her sharply. Aware that she now had his full attention, she looked him full in the face, desirous to prove that she was on his side, that his safety and sovereignty was her greatest concern.

  "Venna told me of a group that calls themselves the Black Council. By all her accounts, they seem to be uncannily like the Onoatiga. In fact, I believe they may be one and the same race."

  Xagrun was taking it all in, his focus wholly directed at her every word. He said nothing, and Ria continued, "She says they were ousted from Haut by her grandfather, when he was king, but that they still operate as advi
sory councils on many other planets in their galaxy. I believe the only reason the Onoatiga have chosen Venna to be your bride is so that they may gain a foothold once more in the capital planet, Haut, and so gain more comprehensive control of the galaxy."

  Silence descended with Xagrun still staring at her. Ria wondered if he comprehended what she had just said. She had never picked up any real kind of loyalty towards the Onoatiga from his side. But then, he was a mystery to her in many ways, as her own poetry had testified. Suddenly she couldn't remember what had happened to that folded up bit of paper with the 'wrong' words on it.

  Xagrun's voice brought her back from her musings. "I have never had any reason to doubt the Onoatiga's motives, but I shall take what you say and think on it. Your loyalty to the king's interests is noted, Ambassador."

  The edge in his voice seemed to have softened ever so slightly. Ria picked up the certificate, placing it squarely in front of him. He read the ornate script slowly and then used the same words she had when she read it the first time. "What does this mean?"

  "It means I am allowed to look on Venna's visage without having my eyes gouged out." Ria smiled, despite the tension still visible in her royal companion's body language.

  He himself seemed to relax a little more at her words, although the fiery glow in his scales that she loved so much, still did not return. "So you may keep your eyes?"

  "Yes."

  "Good. You wouldn't have been much use to me blind."

  Ria was sure her face showed her horror at his callousness and tried to cover it up, but he gave her a stiff smile. "That was what you Earthlings would call a joke." His eyes had softened, but they were also still dark and brooding.

  "May I ask you what is troubling you, Xagrun?" Ria blurted out, sensing his mood thawing.

  "No, Ambassador, you may not. And since you have already asked, without permission, I believe a penalty is in order. Take off your clothes."

  Ria felt as if he had slapped her. She stood up abruptly, placing her hands on the table and leaning forward, her face set in fiery defiance. "I believe you required of me to teach you how to love a princess, and as such, I am not in a position to obey your command, because no princess will tolerate being told to take her clothes off in such a callous manner!"

  She could feel her ears, her neck, her whole face burning with rage, while her gut churned in abject fear. There was nothing to stop him consuming her in a breath of fire, and yet she could not stand the thought of crude copulation with someone she... Yes, she had to admit it to herself. She loved him. And that was why she could say no.

  Endless seconds ticked by as the Dragon King stared at her impassively, and then suddenly a golden glow swept across his darkened scales and he threw his head back in a roar of laughter. It felt to Ria that her heart had stopped and now resumed beating, like a frantic caged bird. Her knees suddenly gave way and she collapsed back onto her seat.

  "Ria Gallagher," Xagrun's voice was saturated with humour as he held out his hand toward her. "Your bravery and honesty disarms me every time." She took his hand and looked up into his face. Did he guess the motivation for her actions, her defiance?

  "I am sorry if I was disrespectful, Xagrun," she said, herself disarmed by his unpredictable response to her outburst.

  "Not at all. In fact, you were perfectly correct in all you said. Perhaps I might suggest that it is time for one of those lessons you alluded to?" he winked, making her blush again, but this time not from anger. It was clear he desired her, but her body was still reeling from the shock of her own nearly damning boldness.

  Xagrun stood and went around to her side of the table. He lifted her from her chair, taking her into his arms once more and carrying her through to the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and gripped the hem of her dress.

  "No, Xagrun, stop," Ria looked pleadingly into his face, her voice tense.

  He stopped, and slowly released his grip. She could see it was not easy for him to follow instructions, especially in this environment, where he was so accustomed to being in control. That deserved her respect. When she spoke again, her voice was gentle.

  "I didn't say yes to your suggestion. That's the first lesson in loving a princess. Wait until you have her very definite permission."

  He stood back and helped her up from the bed, a bemused smile on his face. Shadows still lingered in his scales, but the warm pulsating gold was gaining strength.

  "Shall we watch the sunset, Princess?" he took her cue, stepping surprisingly easily into role play.

  "Oh, yes! I love sunsets!" Ria exclaimed, joining in the impromptu pantomime.

  He led her by the hand to the balcony, and stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders while they watched the breathtaking beauty of the deepening turquoise sky splashed with orange and yellow and red and a strange purple tinge as the triple sun made its slow descent behind the horizon.

  "Tell me why you love me?" Ria said, still in the role play initiated by the king, but wishing it was a real question.

  "You are beautiful beyond compare, Princess, even more beautiful than this sunset. The most delightful creature inside and out," his voice was hoarse in her ear, his breath hot on her neck.

  Ria drew her breath in sharply. She hadn't expected such romance, such depth. There was nothing about being a baby machine in there. She giggled softly, partly from shock and partly from the delicious feeling of being adored that his words gave her. She felt him wrap his arms around her, and she melted again into his sultry embrace.

  As the light faded and the sky turned dark, he turned her to face him, staring deep into her eyes. He was doing this roleplay thing really well, Ria thought, losing herself in his gaze.

  "Princess, you have changed my life. I never want to live another day without you."

  Ria yearned for those words to be prefaced by her name, as his mouth met her upturned lips and that deep kiss thrilled her whole body with wave after wave of gooseflesh.

  She felt him move to lift her up again, and pulled away from the kiss just long enough to whisper, "Not yet..." He kissed her deeper, his passion almost frantic, as he held her tighter, the power waves she had grown so accustomed to beginning to emanate from him. Then he suddenly pulled away and moved over to the far end of the balcony.

  "I can't do it, Ria. I am a poor student, I'm sorry." The waves of pulsating gold in his scales were erratic and discordant. It almost seemed like he didn't want her any more. As if he feared his own desires.

  "That couldn't be further from the truth," Ria said softly, her heart beating wildly, her lips tingling. She moved quietly over to where he leaned on the railing, his body etched with defeat in the gloaming of the evening.

  Taking his face in one hand, she drew him around to face her. "Just remember, every princess is delicate, like a butterfly, even though she seems tough as a rock. See her like that, and you will know how she needs to be loved."

  She knew she was talking about herself, but she hoped her words didn't imply too much. He was staring at her, still keeping himself distant.

  With feather-light fingers, Ria traced a line from his face, over his shoulder, down his arm, and took his hand in hers. In every muscle of his body, Ria could see he had surrendered and was waiting on her touch.

  She raised his hand to her chest, intensely aware of the enormity of his act of vulnerability and placed his warm palm over her heart. Her other hand rested against his chest. "Feel my heartbeat," she whispered, "it is the rhythm of true love."

  He looked at her again, and she smiled encouragingly, longing to tell him that her words were no longer roleplay, in fact, they never had been. He reached out his free hand, drawing her close to him again, into another deep kiss, this time with a new frequency pulsating through his body and into hers.

  Ria struggled to describe it, it seemed to defy mere verbal interpretation. It made her feel the comfort and release of coming home, but, at the same time, excited her beyond anything she had ever experienced.

  "Xag
run," she whispered, between his passionate kisses, "I'm yours."

  He knew instinctively that this was the cue. Without missing a beat, he lifted her up, carrying her through to the bedroom, his mouth still locked on hers.

  Gently he set her on her feet, and she felt his hands reaching in under her dress, lifting it over her head. She followed his cue and peeled his royal tunic off of his powerful body. He completed his own disrobing and lifted her on to the bed.

  There, a new storm raged about Ria. A storm that was so sweet, so fulfilling, a storm that felt more like an exhilarating rollercoaster ride. As thrill upon thrill coursed through her, there were no memories of Brian intruding on their sacred, intimate union.

  Xagrun was all she knew, Xagrun was all she wanted, Xagrun was in her, around her, washing through her in an overwhelming ecstasy that banished every other thought, every fear, every worry, every desire to the echelons of nothingness.

  She had reached the pinnacle of emotion, a place she had never been, and she liked it there; she didn't want to come down. But the hurricane subsided and dropped her ever so gently back into reality, as warm waves of ardour lapped over her in the aftermath.

  Xagrun kissed her again, his limbs wrapped around her as if he wanted to absorb her into his very being.

  "I had no idea kissing could be so good," he said softly, laughter colouring the edges of his speech.

  "Me neither," she confessed, giggling, and kissing him back. Going back to her own room seemed so arbitrary now. She just wanted to fall asleep in his arms and let his face be the first thing she saw in the morning.

  As if reading her mind, Xagrun lifted himself up on one elbow, looking down at her, a strange look on his face.

  "Ria Gallagher, you are a very good teacher. I hope you can give me some more lessons before you return to your home planet."

  His words shocked her. Had he known she was planning an escape?

  "Oh, don't look so shocked, Ambassador," he laughed, "I know you are homesick for your Earth, and your loved ones there, and planning to leave me and find your way back there. That's why you were taking all the gadgets apart, and spending so much time with Dr Nirda in the Royal Laboratory."