by Ivy Clyde
My fingers slipped inside her wet and dripping core, her inner muscles clamping around my digit as I pushed them deep.
“Aahh, Norvin!” She gasped, closing her eyes. Her back leaned against the wall for support as she ground her hips to rub her swollen clit against my hand. Her flushed cheeks and lust-glazed eyes fanned the flames of my own hunger.
I removed my fingers from her core, getting an immediate retort from her. “I want to be inside you,” I told her, placating her so she would stay still. She released my shaft and I was able to position myself at her entrance.
Daria clung to my shoulders and parted her thighs for me to enter her. Angling my hips, I drove deep inside her with one hard, satisfying thrust. Her slippery folds sucked me in immediately. Daria gasped out, digging her nails into my skin.
The wall behind her helped support her weight and allowed her to stay standing while her knees threatened to buckle. I thrust deep inside her, reveling in the feel of velvety tightness around my cock.
Desperate grunts escaped my lips, my ass muscles bunching as I plunged inside her. My hand came to grasp a breast while my lips latched onto her gasping, open mouth.
I continued to move inside her. My thrusts were short and powerful, impaling her with my cock. Placing my mouth against her neck, I bit down on the soft skin. I didn’t mean to hurt her but couldn’t control myself. Daria cried out, so I swept my tongue over the angry red mark, soothing it for her.
I held her firmly, like I was making sure she wasn’t getting away.
I pistoned my hips faster, slamming my balls against her ass. She felt so good, her walls clamping tight around me. By now, I’d forgotten we were reaching the moment where we’d both be bound by the magic of the sacred chambers. As her core tightened, I knew it won’t be long before we both reached our climax.
Everything inside me coiled into that moment of pleasure, ready to explode. Desperate moans escaped Daria’s lips as she clung to my neck for support. Just looking at the expression of pain and pleasure on her pretty face was enough to make me lose control.
“Fuck! Daria, I’m coming,” I grated out from between gritted teeth.
Her pussy tightened impossibly around my cock. “I’m close,” she bit out. “Don’t stop yet!”
I drove in, fighting against the moment of pleasure. Just as she shattered around me, I held her tight and let my own climax take over as I exploded inside her. My mind swam with pleasure as she pulsed around my throbbing cock, her body trembling and breathing ragged. Stream after stream of my seeds gushed in her womb, filling her completely and spilling over.
I leaned back slightly to look into Daria’s face. I loved seeing her like this. Her lips were swollen from my kisses, her cheeks flushed a deep pink, strands of her dark hair stuck to her sweaty face, and her green eyes glazed with a combination of wild abandon and utter satisfaction.
I gently pulled out of her and rested my forehead against hers as we both panted breathlessly.
“What now?” I whispered.
“It’ll happen any moment,” she said through her pants.
23
Leaning against the wall for support, I stared at Norvin. I knew the magic would take over him soon enough. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, he choked, his purple-hued eyes widening. He stepped away from me, clutching at his chest and I knew it was happening.
In my mind’s eyes, I could see blue-tinged flames beginning to engulf his body. I still felt boneless after the intense session we just had, so I remained leaning against the wall to keep myself on my feet.
“I am burning!” he shouted, falling to his knees. His voice was ragged from screaming. “It’s too hot…too much! Daria, help me!”
My heart ached to hear his anguish. I stumbled forward, falling on my knees beside him. His skin was searing to the touch. If it wasn’t for my newfound powers that kept me safe from heat, I would have needed to channel magic to even be close to him.
“It’s the moment of transformation,” I said, rubbing his back, realizing every muscle was held rigid as he gasped out with pain. He fell to the ground completely, shrieking with agony. My eyes watered to see him in so much pain but there was nothing I could do. The first shift from human form to dragon was mercilessly excruciating.
I clapped my hands over my ears, desperate to block out the animalistic shrieks escaping Norvin’s throat. I whimpered, remaining on the ground as he thrashed before me.
And just as suddenly, it stopped.
A blinding haze of light engulfed Norvin. Brushing away the tears clinging to my lashes, I stared as a magnificent creature emerged from it. Getting to my feet, I stared up at him.
Unlike Cain’s fearsome form, Norvin’s dragon was like a long snake with beautiful, glittering blue scales. He rose up in the air, his lithe body coiling as his full body unfurled. Long horns of white stone crowned the front of his forehead. Jagged spikes lined the length of his back. The dragon’s large purple eyes stared down at me haughtily.
“It’s you, Naya!” I cried, jumping up and down with tears running down my eyes. “But you’re not a snake. You’re a freakin’ dragon!”
The dragon, if you can believe it, rolled its eyes at me.
I laughed through my tears, still as naked as the day I was born. Norvin’s dragon took a nose down dive towards me. His length coiled around me, but none of those lethal spikes on his back touched me. I was admiring the glitter of his scales that caught the light of flames burning in the brackets but an overwhelming darkness was suddenly falling over me.
This time, I didn’t fight against it. I let the black veil fall over me, sweeping me into a deep corner of my mind. Once again, I stood before the mirror, gazing out into a scene with the child I’d seen yesterday.
She was sitting in the lap of her mother, Queen Eibhlin. A maid sat beside them, holding a platter of cut fruit pieces and with a start, I recognized her as the woman who served Jifa, Adal’s mother. Kora was much younger here, smiling along with her lady as they talked and fed the child.
“Daria is growing up to be more like you every day, My Lady,” said Kora, taking the child’s pudgy hand in hers.
The air in my lungs whooshed out. I’d noticed the similarities between me and the child before but…she was supposed to be me? I was Queen Eibhlin’s daughter, the one who was supposed to have been killed off by Emperor Ivan years ago.
“Daria will be strong like her father,” said the queen. “She is our eldest child and the heir to the Drakhaven throne in the future.” An anxious look came over her beautiful features. “She needs to grow strong quickly. There are vultures circling around her already.”
“Are you talking about Prince Ivan, My Lady?” Kora’s voice sounded fearful too.
“He…he approached me the other day,” said Queen Eibhlin. “He is being too forceful, Kora. I don’t know what to do anymore. Should I tell my husband?”
“You have to, My Lady. Prince Ivan shouldn’t be disrespecting the queen of this great kingdom. You have the power to have him arrested.”
“And then what, Kora? I’ll be forced to tell the world how disgustingly he’s been behaving towards me. It will bring so much shame to our family and the king. It’s too much for me to bear!”
The child thrashed her arms playfully, but the motion upturned the platter of fruit in Kora’s hand. Pieces of fruit tumbled onto the floor, followed by the shocked gasps of both the queen and her maid.
Black fog chased away the scene, leaving me shocked to the core. Before I could let any thought form in my head, another vision opened up before me.
King Helmut and Queen Eibhlin were dressed in exquisite robes of black silk. Dragons were embroidered in gold threads along their long, wide sleeves. Crowns, studded with glowing red rubies, graced their brows. I’d never seen anyone look as magnificent and imposing as them. The young child was just as awe-struck as me when she stared up at her parents.
“Why can’t I go to the feast, Royal Father?” she demanded i
n her lisping voice.
“You’re too young, child,” said King Helmut in a surprisingly patient voice. “You won’t even be able to seat yourself at the table. As a princess, you must always look dignified. Otherwise, you skip the public festivities.” He chuckled at the grumpy expression on his daughter’s face. “It’s not as amazing as you think, child. It is boring and you’d want to run back to your chambers. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you grow up.”
“Royal Mother said I am going to grow up to be as strong as you,” said the child in a self-important tone.
“Did she now?” The king glanced at his wife with a cocked eyebrow.
“Women should be strong enough to defend themselves,” said the queen, her voice grim.
King Helmut stared at her a moment longer, his expression turning thoughtful.
“Your Majesties,” said a voice from behind the child. “The court is ready to receive you.”
“We must leave now, Daria. Be good and play in your chambers, okay?” He turned towards the queen. “Let us go, my love.” He extended his hand towards her. With an assured smile, she took it, sweeping out of the room with the king.
“Don’t go,” I whispered, feeling my throat choking with emotion. “Mother…father…please don’t go!” Tears ran down my face. No matter how much I begged, the king and queen disappeared from the room, leaving the child behind.
Fear clouded my heart despite knowing the outcome of the royal banquet that night. They would be poisoned along with the royals of the other three kingdoms. Ivan would kill them all tonight.
Brushing away the tears from eyes, I looked at the child. She walked out of the room and headed somewhere in the palace. I watched her crossing corridor after corridor, moving without any restriction throughout the vast palace of Drakhaven. As I watched the corners unfold before me, recognition bloomed within me.
“You are going to the throne room!” I gasped, suddenly remembering the directions to it. “Don’t go there, idiot!”
The maids moving to and fro with platters of food ignored the child. She just wanted to peer out to take a look at what a royal feast looked like, see her parents preside over the other royals and cheer on.
The child hit a solid barrier and gasped, rubbing her forehead. Looking up, she saw a tall boy staring down at her. His silvery gray eyes were painfully familiar.
“Who is this?” Another boy of the same age came to stand beside him. He had beautiful sapphire-blue eyes and locks of sunshine-gold hair. His gaze was kind as he placed a gentle hand on the child’s head. “Are you okay, little one?”
The child stared at them. “You are both so pretty!” She smiled shyly, playing with her handkerchief while she watched them from under her long lashes.
“Hey! You haven’t seen pretty until you’ve looked at me, princess,” said another voice. The child turned around and gaped at the handsome boy with purple-hued eyes and long, wild locks of midnight-blue hair. “Am I not the best among them?”
The child stifled a giggle and nodded. The boy sank to his knee and handed her a single lotus blossom. “For you, my princess,” he said.
I clutched at my heart. Norvin, Cain, and Adal…we’d already met each other years ago and our meeting was the same as now. I liked the three princes from the moment my gaze fell on them. The child’s dazzled expression as she looked at each of the princes was proof of that. While it was easy to talk to Norvin with his open personality, she still had a crush on Adal and Cain.
“Where were you hurrying off to?” asked Cain.
“I am going to peek into the banquet hall,” said the child. “Just peek,” she repeated.
“Better hurry up then,” said Adal. “I think it’s already started.”
“What are your names?”
“I am Prince Cain,” said Cain, pointing to himself. Gesturing to his left, he said, “This is Prince Adal. And the one who gave you the lotus is Prince Norvin.”
The child gave a nod. “I will find you later!” she cried and ran off down the hallway. She didn’t even have the patience to tell them her name. Maybe, if she had, they would have remembered the little princess of Drakhaven whom they’d met. I must have seemed like a random child belonging to a maid, running wild through the palace. Norvin was simply jesting when he called me princess.
The child was near the corridor leading to the banquet hall but something made her pause. There was a horrible sound of shrieking. Armed guards marched past her to enter the hall. She stood, wondering what was going on. Her hands shook as she slowly approached the threshold.
Peering through the doorway, she stared out onto a scene of carnage. The guards stood motionless, gathered in the center of the hall as they looked around themselves. Every guest sat around the long table was slumped forward. Thick streams of blood and saliva drooled from their mouths while the world was reflected in their wide, lifeless eyes.
The child looked to the head of the table. Her father was in a similar state, slumped onto a plate while blood gurgled out of his mouth. The queen was screaming and tearing at the crown on her head.
A man rose from the table to walk towards Queen Eibhlin. The child hadn’t noticed him before among the sea of men who lay slumped onto the heavily laden table. Reaching the queen, he shook her hard and then slapped her face.
“Shut up! Crying won’t bring them back from the dead.” The man had the same dark hair as King Helmut. He was tall and well-built, but the expression in his deadpan eyes was cold and cruel. I knew who he was. And so did the child, but she was frozen at the scene unfolding before her.
“Let me go,” cried the queen. “Guards! Search the castle. Find the one who committed this atrocious act. Find them now!”
The guards gathered there bowed low and hurried out of the hall. Ivan started laughing, proceeding to grab the queen around the waist and force a kiss on her.
“What are you doing, Ivan?” shouted the queen, throwing him off her. “Have you lost your mind? Do you know what will happen to Drakhaven? The royals from the three kingdoms are dead!”
“I know they’re dead,” said Ivan in a soft voice. “It’s time you and I took over the four kingdoms.”
“Have you gone mad?” she asked desperately. Her face was deathly pale and a haunted look came over her eyes. “How could you be thinking that right now? Your brother is dead. My husband…” At this point, she got too choked to speak.
Ivan stepped forward to grab her around the neck in his thick fingers. “I am your husband now, Eibhlin.”
“Let go!” she shouted, clawing at his hand.
It only infuriated him. He slapped her hard, the hit so powerful the queen went limp in his hold. As he loosened his grip, she slumped forward. Before she could fall to the ground, he picked up her body in his arms. He swept out of the room, not even noticing the child who stood behind the door.
The young princess walked inside the massive banquet hall, her wide eyes taking in the lavishly laden table with gold and silverware and the men and women slumped over it. I could feel her heart thundering in her chest, sending waves of icy cold water through her veins. She stood beside her father and shook him with her tiny hands.
She cried, pled, threw a tantrum, but the man wouldn’t move.
He was dead to her. And the world.
It didn’t occur to the sobbing child but it felt awfully odd to see the palace so quiet. There were no guards or palace maids coming in at all, like someone already barricaded the banquet hall to all outside presence.
At long last, the child walked away. I could feel her heart breaking, the first sighs of fear whispering in her mind as she made her way through the empty palace corridors to her mother’s chambers. Uncle must have taken her there when she fainted. She hated the fact that he hit her but at least, she would be there to comfort her.
She reached the queen’s chambers and was surprised to find it empty. No one was there. Normally, Kora would be around, supervising the flowers to go into vases or preparing h
er mother’s gowns for the day, but no one was there.
Time passed. Both the child and I waited.
We both jumped at the sound of shouting. It sounded like a woman was shrieking and crying as she struggled against someone.
The child hurried away to hide behind a massive vase.
Ivan entered the queen’s chamber, dragging her by the hair. Her royal gown was in tatters now. Dark bruises marred the pale skin of her face, neck, and arms. Her eyes were wild as she shouted for Ivan to die and burn.
“That’s no way to talk to your new husband,” he roared over her crying.
He threw her onto the bed as she wept pitifully.
“You are my queen, Eibhlin,” said Ivan. “My seeds burn in your womb now. I may have even left an heir inside you today.”
“No…no…”
“You’re mine now. Once you get over the shock, you’ll see the blessing that’s come your way. You will be queen to the four kingdoms, not just Drakhaven.”
“I’ll never be your queen,” said Eibhlin, sitting up on the bed. Her eyes were cold as she stared at him resolutely. Streak of tears, bruises, and red scratches marred her beautiful face. “I’ll never be anything to you other than your brother’s wife whom you raped tonight. I’ll be the victim of your hunger for power. Nothing else.”
She got to her feet and slowly back towards the open casement in the room. The child watched, her heart pounding with fear. She’d never seen her mother look this way. Her usual beauty and calmness were gone, replaced by a horrified woman who’d been torn and shredded to nothing. The girl wanted to reach out to her mother but sheer terror paralyzed her.
The velvet curtains of the casement blew around the queen, like formless hands coiling around her trembling body. For the first time, Ivan looked scared.
“Come this way, Eibhlin,” he said shortly. “Come away!”
“I am nothing to you other than your brother’s wife,” said the queen. “Nothing.” Her feet left the ledge. Throwing out her hand, she let her body fall away. Ivan ran after her but a dull thud sounded before he’d even gotten close to the window.