Dragon Lords 4-Warrior Prince (7 page)

Frowning, she carried them inside. Zoran was still sleeping, so she went back to the table and laid the clothes out on a cushion seat. She found a tunic shirt and breeches, obviously made to fit Zoran. There was a pair of leather boots in the stack, also his. On his tunic shirt, a red dragon was embroidered with fine hand-stitching.

The second outfit was a long dress. Pia frowned. If she was going to be staying, it was time for their little custom of women in dresses to change. The gown was finely made, but very heavy. The black material would fit tightly to her body. Red trim parted the front to show more red beneath the split in the floor length skirt and a red dragon was embroidered on the center of the chest to match his. There was also a hairpiece. Looking at its ribbons and straps, Pia frowned. She had no way of knowing how to work that contraption.

Eyeing Zoran, she grinned. The servant handed her the clothes, so it was only right she got first pick. Dropping the fur around her ankles, she slipped his tunic shirt over her head. It was a bit large, but with a roll of the sleeves, it worked just fine. Next, she pulled on his breeches and tucked the waist, before making herself a belt out of the hair piece. She rolled the legs up and smiled. There, much better than a dress. His boots were too large so she decided to go barefoot.

Now, didn’t the servant say something about her presence being requested by royalty? Oh, that’s right. She had to go before them with Zoran to proclaim her marriage. The imaginary gremlin on her shoulder did a little jig of mischievous pleasure.

Going over to Zoran, she knelt down and touched his shoulder to shake him awake.

"Zoran," she said softly, waking him gently.

Her imaginary gremlin giggled.

Instantly, Zoran’s eyes were open. Seeing her face, surrounded by the waves of her blonde hair, he smiled.

"The King and Queen wish to see us. I’ll be right outside." Pia stood before he could react and was out of the tent.

Zoran sat up, scratching his stomach. Seeing a pile of clothes on the bed beside him, he absently grabbed them to tug them on. Blinking as tried to move the shirt, he realized it wasn’t a shirt at all but Pia’s dress. Frowning, he saw his boots on the floor and none of his other clothing.

"Pia," he began, keeping his fur loincloth on as he crossed to the tent’s opening. His armband sparkled in the sunlight as he ducked his head outside. His little bride was nowhere to be seen. "Pia!"

* * * *

Pia smiled and kept walking, hearing Zoran yell her name. A light bounce entered her step. Heading toward the campgrounds, she ignored the other tents. Soon, she was where the giant bonfire had burned so brightly the night before. Its flames were low, almost out.

Grinning like she didn’t have a care in the world, she ignored the stares of awe she received. Somehow the adverse attention was comfortingly familiar to her. She was at ease under the obvious scrutiny and wonder.

Pia saw the platform in the front of the crowd. Councilmen stood to the side of the royal couple, who were seated in the middle. King Llyr and Queen Mede’s crowned heads shone pleasantly. They were dressed in matching purple tunics.

Seeing her attention, the King stopped in mid-sentence and bowed his head regally at her. His eyes clouded in confusion as he took in her attire. Soon all the council was staring at her too. Pia slowly stepped up the stairs and curtsied in her oversized breeches. Her bare feet poked out and she tapped her toes absently on the wooden planks.

"Where is Zoran?" the Queen asked, after taking in the woman’s masculine attire.

Pia smiled and gave an impish shrug. Her voice clear, she said, "In bed. I guess he overslept."

The crowd laughed. The King gulped in discontentment. The Queen stiffened, her brow knitting ever so slightly in worry.

Pia’s smile wavered at the sound of amusement. She expected to be funny, but the sound of the crowd’s laughter was growing on mocking. She glanced behind her at them and then back to the King and Queen. The crowd grew quieter, edging closer to hear anything she might say. "I was told I was to come and--"

"Excuse me," Zoran announced, giving a quick wave to the crowd. They cheered him like he was a hero, even as they laughed in good humor. He stepped arrogantly up behind his naughty wife.

Pia shut her eyes, suppressing the grin that tried to spread over her features as she heard the crowd reel in amusement. She wondered if he wore the dress.

Zoran, still wearing his fur loincloth, bowed to his parents. The King’s eyebrows shot up and Zoran shrugged dismissingly.

"We will be back to report in just a moment," Zoran announced clearly. The crowd laughed louder, enjoying the great comedy of the morning event.

Pia finally got the courage to look at him. He was eyeing his tunic on her. With a grunt, he threw her over his shoulder. Pia screamed, her shout of displeasure causing the crowd to fall in on itself. The laughter grew by leaps and bounds.

King Llyr looked at his wife. Mede’s eyes widened and she tossed her hand. She shook her head, at a loss for words.

Zoran didn’t say a thing as he carried Pia back to his tent. Even under the tunic, he felt the slender press of her hips to his shoulder. If he turned his head, he could take a playful bite of her tender hip. It was hard, but he refrained.

Before Pia knew what was happening, he dropped her to the ground and stripped the tunic off of her back in one swift movement. His eyes gleamed as he looked at her naked breasts. Pia frowned, turning to hide them from him. Zoran instantly pulled the loose breeches from her hips to bare her backside.

Pia gasped in outrage. She would’ve run, but he grabbed her to him, causing her to shudder. He was naked and pressed intimately against her backside. The hard length of morning arousal burned into her flesh.

"I’ll have to punish you publicly for that stunt, wife," he said darkly into her ear before biting the tip. She trembled. His nearness was stirring and heating her blood. "It’s a matter of honor."

"Do and I won’t finish the ceremony," she swore, forcing her tone hard to hide her body’s reaction to him.

"Oh, you’ll finish it wife," he promised, bending his knees and nestling himself to press hard fire into her very firm derrière. "Then, we’re going back to my home and we’re finishing what we started last night."

"I would rather die." She was frightened by the power in him. Pia had seen his anger, barely constrained beneath his simmering surface. "I’m not going back out there with you and I’m not putting on that dress. I hate dresses. I want my own clothes."

"Either you put that dress on, or so help me I’ll drag you out there naked," he swore. Zoran set her away from him. Despite his affectionate caresses, he was furious.

When Pia peeked over at him, his face was red with contained anger. She shivered and hurriedly put on the dress. Zoran took the tunic for himself.

"Come," Zoran ordered, as he pulled on his last boot. He dared a glance at her. Pia stood insolently in her black dress slippers, hating her outfit. She looked positively miserable in it. Her jealous eyes looked at his feet and he saw her jaw stiffen.

"No." Pia was outraged as she thought of what public humiliation he might plan. Suddenly, she saw that thin ties were in his hands. "I don’t want to and you can’t make me."

Zoran leapt, pouncing on her as he tackled her to the bed amidst her screams of protest. Within seconds, he had her bound and gagged. She cursed him, a muffled sound full of fire and vinegar. He ignored her, smiling down at her with a terribly aggravating sweetness.

"You must be punished," he said by way of an explanation. "I’ll not have my reputation destroyed because you hate dresses. I’ll not be humiliated by my wife."

Zoran threw her over his shoulder and carted her out of the tent. Pia tried to kick and jerk. Zoran was glad he’d gagged her, for her words were heated as she muffled curses to his head. Her arm hit into his temple, trying to strike him any way she could. His head leaned to the side, out of her wrath’s way.

Time had passed in quiet murmuring at the platform, as they waited for Prince Zoran to return with his bride. The crowd was most anxious to see what he would do with her, and they were not disappointed. A tittering laughter resumed amongst them.

Zoran came through their depths carrying his bride. To their merriment, they saw she wore the gown he’d ordered for her, a gag, and ties around her wrists and ankles. A smile shone widely on his face. He waved politely to acknowledge the crowd before turning around to wink at his mother. She shook her head in maternal disapproval. The King chuckled despite himself, causing the Queen to turn her look on him.

Pia glared at the crowd. They laughed back and pointed.

Her hair bounced and flew as Zoran took the stairs as if she were no heavier than a leaf. Then, with a firm toss, he set her down before the watching Qurilixen.

"Queen Mede. King Llyr. May I present Lady Pia of the Earthen people," Zoran introduced loudly, twirling her about to face them. To much merriment, Pia tried to bounce away across the platform. Zoran grabbed one of her ties to keep her still. Her body jerked to a stop and she growled.

The Queen waved her hand regally for him to proceed, at a loss for words.

Slowly, Zoran reined his bride back to his side, twirling the tie in one hand. Pia growled and shot him daggers with her eyes. He winked merrily back at her causing a long, muffled string of curses to be thrown at his head.

"Allow me to help you," he murmured gallantly to Pia.

Zoran smiled as he took the crystal from his neck and dropped it on the ground. Then, lifting his angry bride up, he brought her tied feet down on top of it and forced her to smash it.

A fog lifted from Pia’s brain as the crystal smashed. She grew dizzy, falling over to the side. Her eyes blinked as the full force of the sleepless night came over her. Her body ached worse from Zoran’s denied touch. She shivered, swaying on her feet.

The Queen looked at the King, who just shrugged his shoulders and motioned for her to continue.

"Welcome to the family of Draig, Lady Pia. I hope you will enjoy your new home," the Queen stated weakly.

Pia nodded at her the best she could. Suddenly, her head couldn’t control itself as it spun into circles. With a weak moan, she blacked out. Zoran caught her up in his arms and held her by his side.

"She says thank you, Queen," Zoran said with a grin. "Now, if you would excuse us?"

"Certainly," Queen Mede said, still shaking her head at her wayward son. Out of all her boys, Zoran was the most stubborn. But he also had a lot to prove. Being the leader of the soldiers, he couldn’t have his honor or his position called into question--especially not by a woman.

With little effort, Zoran picked up his bride into his arms and took her from the platform. Her eyes were closed and her bound wrists bounced limply on her chest as he walked. He nodded to the crowd. They nodded back, smiling at their leader and his audacious cunning. Zoran carried the motionless Pia to the front gate in the side of the mountain palace and into his wing of the castle home.

Chapter Five

Pia’s eyes popped open with a start, her fists automatically balling in outrage. She swung at the air, causing a great laugh of delight to echo over the bedroom. Her chest heaving with her unspent anger, she pushed herself up on the soft mattress. Her hands were no longer tied and the gag was out of her mouth.

"Where...?" she began, glancing around the bedroom.

There were white, paper thin sliding doors with decorative wooden boxes over the sides. It looked heavily influenced with the Japanese style of ancient Earth. Light shone through from the other room. The bed was low to the ground, covered in fur. There were potted plants on either side of a long dresser. Through a cracked sliding door to her side, Pia saw a walk-in closet. A large dome overhead let the sunlight in, though it was tinted to give the room a soft, comfortable haze. Two swords hung on the wall as decoration, dragons emblazoned on the hilts.

On the bed was a black dragon head emblem on a sea of deep red material. Its color was as dark as blood. The fierce creature stared at her for a moment. She shivered. Then, hearing the laughter lessen to a chuckle, she turned.

Her eyes met with a gaze she didn’t readily recognize. The woman’s movements followed her startled ones. It was her reflection staring back at her through a circular mirror atop the dresser.

"You’re in our home," came the belated answer to her question.

Zoran had been watching her beautiful confusion as she blinked herself awake. At the sound of his voice, her eyes narrowed in on him and she tried to jump up. The gown tangled her feet and she fell back on the bed, kicking and fighting the long skirt as she tried to be free of them.

"It’s only a dress, Pia," Zoran mused wryly, unable to help egging her on. "It’s not attacking you."

"As soon ... as I get ... out ... of ... this...," she threatened, fighting all the harder. With a huff, she finally managed to work her way off the bed. Her chest heaving, she opened her mouth to finish. He held up his hands to stop her.

"I know, you will behead me, skewer me ... yeah, yeah, yeah." Zoran yawned, though he was nowhere near bored with her. He loved her fire, her passionate anger. It was a good complement to his title as a warrior leader. It would serve his honor well to have a fiery woman at his side--so long as he alone could tame her.

"You keep it up," she warned, her voice growing.

"So much talk, so little action." He shook his head.

"Ah," Pia gasped in open-mouthed outrage. Instantly, she lunged at him. The skirts tangled her feet and she tripped. Zoran caught her up in his embrace, subduing her easily.

"Ah, Pia, you didn’t need an excuse to fall into my arms. I’ll open them willingly for you," Zoran murmured annoyingly in her hair. He got the response he expected. She tried to slug him. He dodged her shaky blow.

"I’d tear your arms from you before I’d fall into them," Pia said, trying to kick. To her satisfaction, she hit his shin and he frowned, letting her go. She stumbled away from him, out of breath. "I want to call the royal council! It’s my right to do so."