Dragonborn: Mated to the Dragon king

The entire kingdom mourned the loss of the king's eleventh daughter. The Eldorians painted their doors black as a symbol of their sorrow. King Rodric sat in his throne room all day, mourning the tragic loss of his child. It was a sad moment for everyone.

Many believed that she would be killed in the worst possible ways when she arrived at Scalethorne. Burned at a stake, or worse, fed to wild dragons that roamed the land.

Aria's sisters were devastated. They didn't eat or drink anything as they mourned the loss of their beloved sister. Livia wouldn't stop crying, and Sybilla, the eldest of the princesses who was married to a noble, had to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of her own family while consoling her sisters.

That evening, Livia had snuck out of the palace to meet her childhood sweetheart, Samuel, who worked with his parents at the palace as a stable boy. It had been love at first sight when they met. Although their relationship was unconventional, they loved each other so deeply.

Samuel was the only one after Aria who understood Livia. He loved her wild, adventurous spirit and that was one of the qualities that attracted him the first time they met. Samuel admired Livia's adventurous spirit, and her exceptional skill in horseback riding; standing on a galloping horse was a feat only a few in the kingdom's army could perform, yet she mastered it effortlessly.

"I can't believe Princess Aria took the blame for me," Samuel muttered as they sat behind the stable under the moonlight. "It was I who shot the dragon, not her... I'm truly sorry, Livia."

"It's not your fault, Samuel. It's mine. That dragon spotted us because of me. If Aria had been alone that day, none of this would have happened," Livia replied, her voice heavy with guilt. Samuel gently patted her back to console her.

"What's done is done," Samuel said with a heavy sigh. "But who knows what those monsters have done to her by now?"

The duo sat in silence as they imagined the worst possible scenario.

***

Aria's face turned pale as she stared at Rhysann.

"W... What does this mean for me?" she muttered, her voice seizing from the shock.

Rhysann turned away, unable to meet her gaze.

"It means... Your soul and mine are intertwined as one. We belong to each other. I know it's a lot to take in, but I promise, when the time is right, I will explain everything."

Aria couldn't believe her ears. Intertwined souls? Belonging to each other? Never.

Aria's disbelief turned into anger.

"I will never belong to a dragon!" she shouted. "Not after what your kind has done to mine. Do you expect me to accept this madness and move on? What do you take me for?!"

Rhysann faced her, and the moment she saw his eyes, Aria felt weak. Despite the sharpness in her tone, he showed no sign of anger or frustration. His gaze remained soft and his demeanor calm and gentle, as if he was unbothered by her furious outburst.

"Princess, I understand that you're upset and afraid, but I promise to keep you away from harm. All I ask is for your trust and faith in me..."

Her heavy breathing became calm as she reluctantly met his gaze.

"... Please," he muttered, his voice dropping to a lower, velvety tone.

Aria's shoulders slumped in defeat and she let out a deep sigh, her gaze falling to the floor. Rhysann, sensing that her anger had simmered, turned toward his wardrobe and rummaged through it for a moment before retrieving a long piece of white cloth.

"I'll use this to cover up the mark nicely. The other dragons must not find out about it," he said and she looked at him with a puzzled countenance.

"Why not?"

Rhysann's face grew serious.

"Because you're a human girl bearing my mating mark. This... is truly rare. It has never happened before. Dragonborns were taught to believe we couldn't bond with humans because we were a superior, higher species. I don't know why my dragon chose you, but... here we are," he explained slowly, his rugged accent blending with the soothing timbre of his husky voice.

Rhysann talked with a gravelly tone, as though the very act of speaking required effort, yet it was undeniably magnetic, with a power to soothe and effortlessly draw people in.

"What would happen if they found out?" Aria asked curiously as she extended her right arm toward him.

"They would lose their minds and spread unnecessary chaos across the kingdom," he replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Aria couldn't help but let a subtle smile slip as well.

"Your life would be in danger. You could even be... killed." He added, his tone growing somber and heavy, and Aria's heart skipped a beat.

"Don't worry. As long as they don't find out, you'll be safe, and I'll be here to protect you." He assured as he tied the cloth around her arm and secured it with a tight knot.

Aria's gaze followed him as he rose to his feet and walked to the wardrobe again. He picked an ensemble and began removing his black tunic. Her breath caught as his back came into full view.

A swirling, dark blue tattoo-like marking snaked down the center of his back, stretching toward his lower waist like an intricate, mystical design.

Good heavens. This man was so...beautiful. His broad shoulders and chiseled torso tapered into a lean, sculpted waist. A deep line traced his lower back and accentuated his powerful form. His raven-black hair, glossy and long, cascaded over his shoulders and added to the heart-stopping sight before her.

Aria's eyes widened, and she held her breath as he slipped on the navy blue and black ensemble. Once dressed, he turned back to face her.

"Are...you going somewhere?" she asked him in a whisper.

"The nobles in the land will be gathering for a feast here at the castle. As their king, I must attend. I am certain that was the reason Raiken came here earlier. I despise these gatherings. They disgust me." His tone became serious again, and his face was etched with a frustrated frown.

"But why?"

"It's hard to explain, Aria, but you'll find out tonight."

"So... You're just going to leave me in here?" Aria questioned, a little panicked.

"No. I will send a maid to come to you shortly. She will get you ready."

Aria thought hard for a moment and nodded once in agreement. Then he left her alone in the room.

In the stillness of the chamber, Aria paced for a moment before sitting on the edge of the grand bed, her eyes fixed on the door as she waited impatiently. Once she was certain Rhysann had walked far, she hurried to the window and attempted to open it, but it was locked tight and refused to budge. Desperate, she searched the room for any hidden passages, including Rhysann's bathroom, but found none.

'How could a king have no secret passage in his bedroom?!' Aria thought in frustration.

Exhausted and infuriated by her situation, she settled at the edge of the bed, arms folded. Suddenly, there was a gentle knock on the door, and before she could answer, it opened and a young girl dashed in.

She quickly checked the hallways before shutting the door behind her, panting heavily. In her hands was a small wooden box.

She turned her back to the door, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Who are you?" Aria questioned defensively.

The girl, after catching her breath, cracked a gentle smile that reached her eyes.

"Hello, Princess Aria. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Constance, and I'm here to be your assistant," she beamed, her cheeks briefly taking on a subtle, red shade.

"How...did you know my name?"

"His Highness told me about you. He specifically asked me to come help you get ready."

Aria scrutinized her for a moment and nodded once. Constance had a friendly appearance. She was quite skinny, with a small frame, and a pretty, narrow face. Her dark brown hair was loosely braided and draped over her shoulder. She was dressed in a simple black-and-white maid's uniform.

"Are you—"

"Human? Yes, I am, don't worry." Constance smiled widely.