I hit the stone ground hard, but the fall was shorter than I imagined, even the pain was lesser than expected. I thought I will be in terrible pain as I hit the ground. Surprisingly, I am not.
I slide my hand out and run them along the smooth stone ground as I try to make sense of everything. I can still hear him above me, his wings beating gently.
Where am I?
I know, in theory, I was to be brought to the Land of Dragons. But am I really here, or have I been taken someplace else?
I dare not move, not knowing my surroundings or what is going on. I can still be very high off the ground as strong winds are causing my dress to flap around. These are not being caused by the beat of his wings disrupting the air.
The stone under my fingers feels extremely hot, just like his scaly flesh. It feels like a fire is raging beneath just like the fire within each Dragon and the sun. A fire I feel I cannot escape from.
This place must be the Land of the Dragons.
I hear him land. It is loud as his body is massive, the ground quakes underneath him. I can almost see him in my head again. The scary Dragon is a shining mass of darkness, or what my mind tells me is black. This is the Dragon King.
I stay lying in the same position, too scared to move or say anything, in case I somehow anger the temperamental Dragon. All I can do is listen.
I tremble, hearing loud crackles and snaps, noises that a raging fire would make. I feel the air vibrate. Is the Dragon King shaking his head? Then comes the hissing and spitting like a tea kettle left on the fire too long.
I feel hot burning pellets hit my arm, which stings painfully before cooling down quickly enough. A sizzle informs me the pellets hitting my dress are burning holes into the fabric. They are bouncing everywhere.
I reach to touch the one that burned my skin only to feel the pellet disintegrate under the light touch of my fingers. What are these things?
The next thing I hear is of something melting and hitting the ground in splats. It frightens me as it feels like the skin and flesh has been carved away from the body. I imagine it is the Dragon shifting back to a man.
Then there is silence, and I hear the whisper of bare feet drawing near.
I sit up slowly, straightening my back as I face the man who I believe to be the Dragon King. I am prepared for just about anything in my thoughts yet for nothing in reality.
He is so close to me now his body feels like a smoldering fire, the warmth just as impressive as the land itself. The heat does not radiate off his being like the first time I met him.
Is it from shifting?
The feet stop, and I curl my fingers into my dress. Which is now probably frayed after the pellets. I hold my breath again.
“You are no longer in the Lands of Mages, Yulor,” he states, his voice indifferent.
“Am I in the Land of Dragons?” I ask, unsure. I have a good idea where I am from how hot it is, but I want confirmation.
“Yes, my Kingdom, Grand Oria. You are in the capital, Viss,” he replies, “A place you won’t ever be leaving unless it is by your death.”
His words chill my bones. Many, like my father, have threatened my life before, but somehow the Dragon King makes it even more intimidating.
What will it be like to die by his hands? The hands of a powerful Fire Dragon…?
I can only guess that it will be extremely painful, the worst pain one can feel before death. Our powers don’t mix - ice and fire. I’ve heard horror stories about Ice Mages torturing Fire Dragons with their magic, the ice and cold slowly killing them, sometimes even from the inside out.
There are so many tales of Ori, the Fire Dragon, and Kari, the Ice Dragon. Many stories told of when they were children, how they would hurt each other. Then there are other tales of how Kari would accidentally hurt other Dragons when he played.
I remember one story spoke of Ori having a permanent scar running down his face from his brother lashing out at him, using ice over a petty argument.
If there is something Kari and I have in common, it is the fact that neither of us can control our magic very well.
I can’t help but imagine the Dragon King torturing me in the future. I imagine he will use his fire to get revenge for his people by slowly burning me alive. My flesh will bubble, and my insides will boil until they melt. My hair will be gone, long turned to ash, my eyes will get so hot they will run down my already melting face.
I don’t want to die so horribly. I stand on my feet, my balance wobbly. He can do anything he wants to me. And there is no way of escape.
Anything… I can be some toy he can break over and over without any consequences.
There is nothing I can do. Nothing. Even If I were to protect myself from the Dragon King, others are sure to kill me. There is no hope in my situation.
He has said I am going to be his bride… A bride is someone you love or will come to love. I am not that to him. I will never feel that way toward him either.
The Dragon King can probably feel nothing but lust, and I’m sure the lust he feels for me is very little. My body is thin and boney, my eyes colorless, unable to see, and I lack the intelligence to hold a decent conversation.
But, then again, there is the heir father spoke of. He will probably use me just to get a male heir with the power of ice, to get back what was stolen from his kind. But I also know I will suffer in the meanwhile.
Children, I have never thought about them before. I never thought there is a possibility, but I may be baren. What if I am? What will he do then?
I move back, each step I take on foreign land is slow and cautious. I have no idea where I currently am, other than being in his Kingdom, the Land of the Dragons, and on the stone ground.
He has said we are in his capital called Viss. Is he telling me the truth?
My heart beats madly against my ribs as I hear him moving, walking toward me. I keep getting visions of his Dragon, roaring and threatening to burn me alive until there is nothing left of me but ashes. I see visions of him abusing me, using me to just get what he wants.
I have had enough of abuse.
What did I do to deserve any of this?
To have something stolen from me since birth that I should have had… To be thrown in a tower for most of my life, to have no connection with people either by word or touch, to be given to the Dragons, then tossed away.
Life is unfair.
To be treated like a monster, only to be given to a true monster.
I clench my teeth as I listen to him approach me again. I don’t want to be here, I regret saying anyone at all is better than being alone. I hate how he can see me floundering.
“I wouldn’t run if I were you… It’s useless… You will either die from the cliffs or by the hands of my people. They know I have to take a Mage as my wife, but they see you as an enemy. It’s your choice,” he hisses.
I don’t care to listen. His words mean nothing to me.
I have the sudden urge to flee. I want to survive and to be free.
Freedom is my only wish.
I will only be a prisoner here just like I was in the tower.
I start running and suddenly, I feel nothing under my foot, and I begin to lose my balance. Where is the edge?
My heart stops as I feel myself fall backward from trying to turn on the balls of my feet to go back where I came from.
I cannot see it!
There is nothing I can do!
I fling my arms in the air, desperate to grab a hold of anything, and when I do, I feel a warm hand catch me.
I dig my nails into the arm as it pulls me back onto my feet again. I hear the Dragon King snort. “Didn’t I mention cliffs? Or are you not only blind but stupid as well?”
Once I calm down, I feel a little better having both my feet planted on solid ground. I whisper loudly with urgency, “I just want freedom.”
He is silent as he processes my words, giving me some hope. I hope maybe he will send me off with some money to the edge of his land so I can live peacefully. It’s a very big hope.
“I don’t want to be your prisoner. I don’t want to be trapped,” I explain to him, hoping he will understand, hoping he isn’t as vile as the rumors say.
He laughs, the laugh more mocking than anything, “Well, I am sorry to inform you, Ice Princess, Queens are bound to their lands and husband. You will not be a prisoner, but neither will you have your freedom. No King or Queen truly has a sense of freedom.”
My nails dig more into his arm, and he takes my hand off, applying slight pressure. “And another thing, Ice Mage, to make things clear, if you have any strange ideas, I will never love you or treat you as a real Queen should be treated. You will only be by my side until you give birth to a male heir with the power of ice. Only then, will I think about what to do with you.”
My nails no longer dig into his arms, and only when I wince, does he let go of my hand. I feel a sorrow wrap around my throat, choking me. I can’t find a voice. What am I to say? I swallow.
“For now, I will have a maid come to collect you and show you to your room. Then tomorrow we have a wedding to attend, unfortunately for you and I. More so for myself,” he says before I hear his footsteps travel further away.
“Oh, and until then, don’t try and run. I’m afraid the cliffs here have seen one too many deaths of Mages. I don’t want our soon-to-be Queen to be one of them.” He laughs as he disappears, and I can no longer hear his footsteps.
I feel another strong gust of wind, and I just stand there, knowing one misstep can lead me to my death or a serious injury.
Once again, I feel trapped with nothing I can do. There is always nothing I can do.
Helpless is what I am.
Comments (1)
See all