Dragonborn: Mated to the Dragon king

The Rumbling roar grew louder and seemed to echo from every direction. Rodric maintained a stoic expression, but his daughter Sybilla was visibly frightened even though she tried to mask it. She swallowed hard, her pale face fixed on the horizon. The people to be offered were equally terrified.

In the distance, they sighted four figures in the sky. As they approached, their size became alarmingly clear—Behemoths of unimaginable size.

"The dragons are coming..." Rodric murmured under his breath, his gaze fixed on the sky.

Sybilla and the people to be sacrificed watched with eyes fixed in terror. They had never seen a dragon before, only illustrations from ancient books and old tomes. As the four colossal beasts descended, their powerful roars tore through the skies, sending shivers down every spine. They were massive and horrifying to look at.

The four dragons landed a short distance away, their sheer weight causing the ground to quake violently.

Emberclaw, the first dragon was a deep red with maroon accents and rough, crocodilian scales marked by black streaks on its neck and tail.

Muscular and robust, it had a broad chest, a wide wingspan, curved bull-like horns, sharp talons, and a spiked tail. Its bright amber eyes radiated a predatory intensity, making it a fearsome sight to behold.

Steelhide, the second, gleamed with metallic gray scales tinged with bluish undertones, its sleek build and whip-like tail built for speed and precision.

Verdanscale, the third, blended with its surroundings in muted green hues, its sturdy frame and earth-toned speckles exuding an aura of primal strength.

Obsidianwing, the fourth, was jet black with charcoal-gray streaks. Its lean, sinewy form and massive, translucent wings created a hauntingly elegant silhouette.

The dragons' icy breath shrouded the air in mist. The 'offerings,' initially calm with heads lowered, now gazed upon the creatures with wide, horrified eyes, shaking uncontrollably. A few of them began to sob aloud. Sybilla remained frozen, her hands trembling as a cold sweat crept down her back. Her mind screamed to run, but her body refused to move.

"King Rodric of Eldoria..." Emberclaw spoke with a deep, guttural and hoarse voice that sent shivers down their spine.

Sybilla's eyes grew wide with disbelief. How was it speaking? Its mouth hadn't moved. The jaws just hung open. The voice seemed to come from within the dragon.

Before their eyes, Emberclaw's form shimmered and cracked, scales shifting and folding inward as his enormous dragon shape melted away into a man's form.

He was tall and imposing. His sun-kissed skin mirrored his fiery dragon scales, while his intense amber eyes held a predatory gaze. He had long, dark and slightly wavy hair with red undertones, framing sharp, angular features including a strong jawline and straight nose.

His rugged, dark attire featured maroon and black accents, complementing his lean, muscular physique. His broad hands, tipped with sharp, claw-like nails, revealed his draconic heritage, and he was adorned with dark earrings and silver rings on his middle fingers.

Their faces froze in shock, except King Rodric. He knew that a dragonborn was different from a normal dragon. They were extraterrestrial beings with the ability to transform into one.

"That's more like it," the dragon-turned-man said in a smooth, deep voice, cracking a small, almost casual smile. "My wings were aching from all that flying."

Sybilla stared at him in disbelief. Though she had read about dragonborns having the capability of taking on human and dragon forms, she had never imagined one would look so unnervingly human.

"Now, Rodric. You know why we're here." Emberclaw, now Emrys (his human name) spoke sharply as he walked closer to the group.

"Of course, we have the offerings for your king," Rodric responded, his face stoic, and his eyes narrowed.

Emrys looked at him for a moment and chuckled deeply.

"Not just for the king, for all Dragonborns." He corrected.

Rodric nodded once, barely hiding his hatred this time, as he gestured for the guards to bring the special box. It was quite heavy that it had to be carried by four men.

The guards placed the box before Emrys and he looked down at it for a moment, his grin never fading away. Then he crouched down to its level and opened it to inspect the mineral.

It was a huge chunk of Drakoryte, a mineral shimmering faintly in hues of silver, purple, and green. It weighed approximately eight stone and eight pounds and stood about one yard in height. (120 pounds or 55 kilos and three feet tall)

This special mineral resource was like a fuel source for the dragons to harness their dragonfire efficiently.

"This is all you could get?" Emrys inquired, rising to his feet.

"Yes. My men worked hard for this. It was all they could find this time." Rodric explained curtly.

Emrys narrowed his gaze as he stared at him.

"I hope you're not lying to me, or else..." His amber eyes gave a sudden, subtle fiery glow that frightened the group behind the king, but Rodric himself was unshaken.

"You have my word," Rodric assured.

There was a brief, intense silence.

"Are you forgetting something, Rodric?"

Rodric waved his hand once, a silent order for the guards to bring forth the people to be offered. Their sobs became louder as the guards urged them forward. The three dragons behind Emrys lowered their massive heads, studying the humans as though selecting livestock.

Emrys chuckled deeply.

"Rodric, I'm afraid these people will not be accepted by our king." He said, and Rodric raised an eyebrow.

"What more does your king want?"

Emrys turned, his gaze falling on Sybilla. He walked toward her slowly, circling her as though appraising her. Sybilla's heart raced, each step he took tightening the knot of fear in her stomach. She forced herself to hold his gaze, but her resolve wavered under his piercing amber eyes.

For a moment, the others thought that Emrys wanted to take Sybilla, and their eyes widened as they watched, uncertain and afraid of what might happen next.

"The dragonborn king wants your eleventh daughter." He finally announced after a tense silence, and Rodric's face contorted in horror. His mind raced, torn between protecting his daughter and saving his kingdom.

Everyone else, including the guards, was shocked by this sudden and unexpected demand.

Rodric's fists clenched at his sides, his face darkening with rage.

"You dare demand one of my blood?!" He thundered, his voice shaking with suppressed fury.

"You heard me, Rodric." Emrys looked at him with a sly smile.

"Our king wants your eleventh daughter, the one called... Aria."