The Dragon's Queen (Dragon Lords) (20 page)

She breathed heavily
, shaking and cold. “Llyr? Are you burned?”

He lifted his arms and first one bare leg,
then the other. She’d scorched his pants so they hung about his waist like a silken loincloth, but his skin was unharmed.

“
It actually kind of tickled,” Llyr said. The crystal glow radiated over his beautiful face as he held the stone toward her. “I told you, my lady, you are my fate.”

“
How did you get that?” She rushed to him, so very glad she didn’t injure him. The stone wasn’t his broken one, but it did glow brighter when she came near him.

“
It’s mine. The gods gave it back to me. I wasn’t lying when I said you make my crystal glow. I’m sorry I tricked you by wearing my servant’s stone. I wanted you to get to know me first. I really did break my arm trying to trick-ride ceffyls, but not my stone. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth from the beginning. I promise I’ll explain everything once we’re to safety.”

“
I knew it,” Saben yelled. He jumped up and down excitedly while covering his mouth. Between his fingers, he said, “You
can
fly!”

“
Why didn’t you shift and free yourself sooner?” Llyr asked, trying to ignore Saben.

“
I tried. I couldn’t.” She still shivered with cold. The fire had taken her body heat with it. “My mother put me in that stupid corset again. It was too constrictive.” She wrapped her arms around Llyr and hugged him tightly, burying her head in his chest. “I was so scared you wouldn’t find me. That lunatic tried to say I was his half mate.”

“
He claimed you?” Saben asked, gasping. He lifted his hand and let a talon grow on the end. “You have to let me go after him and kill him. I will do it. Your hands will be clean. She cannot be married to two—”

Mede picked up the bloody piece
of material Attor had shredded from her gown. She lifted the material and held it over to Llyr’s eyes to symbolize the mask he had been wearing at the ceremony. But since it was dirty, she didn’t touch him with it. “I choose you, Prince Llyr, as my husband.” She pulled it away and dropped the material on the ground.

“
Huh.” Saben looked at them both and then gave a small shrug. “Looked binding and official to me.”

The ceremony was hardly tradition, but she didn
’t care. “You’re mine, Llyr. And I’m yours.”

“
Uh, you two might want to hurry things along.” Saben walked over to where the noble had begun to stir. He leaned over and punched the Var hard to knock him back out. “Someone is bound to notice if the dragon prince doesn’t show up tomorrow morning to announce his marriage. I don’t know how many more of these damned cats are out roaming tonight, but the fire spouts are bound to have drawn some notice.”

“
He’s right,” Llyr said.

“
Kiss me, Llyr. Now,” she demanded. “You don’t want to upset a dragon female.”

Llyr
obliged. She moaned into his mouth, letting his tongue roll past her lips. His body heat warmed her chilled skin. She heard his whispering in her mind,
I love you, Mede, I want you.

Forever,
she answered.

“
Seriously, we have to go now,” Saben prodded.

“
Can you run?” Llyr asked.

“
Just try to catch me.” Mede shifted into her normal dragon form and took off into the forest. The tattered pieces of her dress dangled around her legs as she ran. Llyr and Saben gave chase.

“
Mede,” Saben yelled in excitement as they darted through the woods. “You looked just like the dragon tapestries. You had wings and a tail. And you spit fire! Oh, do me next? Set me on fire. Please, Mede. I want scorched clothes, too. Can you shift into the full dragon again?”

Mede ran faster.

“Hey, can you at least fly us home? That might be quicker.” Saben tried to keep up.

“
Sorry, Saben,” Mede answered, “there’s only one dragon who lights my fire.”

Mede did
not want to wait to seal their fate. When they made it back to the encampment the sun was just starting to lighten the morning. It was early yet and many of the wedding couples still slept. However, the festival raged on and the drunken crowd was only too willing to stare after the tattered trio as they emerged from the forest. Llyr wore his silken loincloth and nothing else. He held the crystal stone minus the leather strap that had withered to ash. Mede had a bracelet and partial veil tied to one wrist, a scorched male tunic that barely had enough material to hang over her breasts, and a very revealing skirt of cat-shredded strips. Saben was just missing his shirt. He’d taken it off and rubbed dirt on his skin so he’d look as battle-worn as the bridal couple.

Queen Lorna dozed in her chair and the king talked with one of the elders. At Llyr
’s approach, he instantly stood in worry. The crowd quieted. The strums of the
gittern
tripped to a stop. The queen’s head came up at the silence. She blinked heavily.

“
Queen Lorna. King Tared. May I present Lady Medellyn, my true wife?” Confused cheering erupted at the sound. The queen looked over their attire with a stricken expression. The king started to cross over to his son, only to stop when Llyr lifted his crystal.

“
I believe you have some experience with this,” he said, lifting it to Mede. “Shall I find a rock from the forest for you?”

Mede arched a brow. “
How do you know that’s how I destroyed my…?”

“
I saw you that day running in the forest and I followed you,” Llyr admitted. “You were so angry and I wanted to help. When you stopped, I didn’t think you wanted company, so I watched you just to make sure you were fine. My crystal didn’t glow as I was too young, but I knew I had to wait for you. I felt you were going to be my bride.”

Mede gave a soft laugh. “
You and every other boy I came across.”

“
I think this proves me right.” Llyr handed her his glowing crystal.

She took it, dropped it on the ground and stomped on it.
A small sensation worked over her like a shiver. Mede grinned, so very happy. The pain of her long night became more forceful now that the crystal’s glow wasn’t luring her to it like a euphoric painkiller.

“
Welcome to the family, Lady Medellyn. I hope you will enjoy your new home,” the Queen stated loudly so the crowd could hear her blessing. Then she hurried over to her husband’s side, closer to the couple.

“
Thank you,” Mede acknowledged. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to accept your invitation to the palace sooner. I did not mean to ignore them all.”

“
All?” The queen looked confused. “I don’t understand. Have I missed something?”

“
Oh, yeah,” Llyr said with a guilty look. “I might have written those invitations.” He gave Mede a sheepish smile. “I really,
really
wanted to meet you. But that’s it. That’s all I wasn’t fully honest about. I promise no more deceptions.”

“
What happened tonight? Why is there blood on your clothing?” King Tared eyed his son and new daughter with worry.

Llyr motioned to
Saben to come onto the platform and the man jumped up. “He’ll explain everything. As for me, I’m taking my wife to the bridal tent for some much needed sleep.”

Mede smiled as he hooked her arm
and led her away. Drunken blessings and well wishes came from those they passed. As Llyr lifted the tent’s flap, Mede paused and said, “You really don’t think I’m going to let you sleep now that you’re my husband?”

“
Beautiful wife, I am yours to command. Do with me what you will.” Llyr leaned to kiss her.

“
Oh, I intend to, my prince.” Mede grabbed him by his shirt and tugged him into the tent behind her. “Believe me, I intend to.”

* * *

Attor walked the length of the palace hall to his bedchamber. Nothing could lighten the sourness of his mood. He’d lost Mede. He’d lost his only chance at happiness and love. The obsession he felt for her would not lessen, so instead it turned to hatred, and focused on revenge. He would not kill her. No, that would be too easy, but he would take everything she loved. “I will bide my time, Lady Medellyn, and even if it takes a hundred years, I will destroy everything you love. Have your sons with Prince Llyr. Watch them grow. And when they try to start their families you will see your lines crumble. You will watch your sons lose what you have taken from me—their mates.”

“
There you are.” Myrddin appeared, looking as battered as Attor. “Did you hear the news? Your father was found dead this evening. Apparently he’s been rotting in his bedchamber for a few days. The maids thought he was sleeping off one of his drunken stupors and did not want to risk waking him. When the cooks noticed no meals were being requested, one guard ventured in and found him.”

Attor
stiffened, remembering his father’s still body under his hands. He should have known this moment would come, but it hadn’t and so he’d tried to push the reality of his deeds from his mind.

“
You’re the new king,” Myrddin exclaimed. “And after tonight, you have to agree. War can finally begin.”

A small fear that his actions were known fi
lled him and he lashed out. “What did you do to my father?” Attor shouted at the old house noble.

“
Nothing,” Myrddin swore in surprise. “I did nothing. He died in his sleep.”

“
I don’t believe you. You talked of killing him when we were in the forest.” Attor pointed accusingly at him. “Tell me now. Do they suspect foul play?”

“
I swear he died a natural death, my king. I did not have the old king killed. You must believe me.” Myrddin fell to his knees. “I would not betray you, my king.”

The title was har
dly official since there had been no coronation, but it did flatter Attor’s pride, so he did not correct it.

Attor pretended to consider
the noble’s answer. Finally, he slowly nodded. “I believe you. Now stand and go. I want sleep.”

“
Do you want me to send a woman to ease you?” Myrddin rose to his feet.

Attor thought of his swollen balls
where Mede had kicked him. “No. If I wanted a woman I would have told you to bring me one. Go and make sure I’m not disturbed. I’m going to grieve the sudden shock of my father’s passing.”

“
Yes, my king,” Myrddin backed out of the room.

Mede eyed the new design for a
wedding dress with a look of both horror and amusement. Apparently, her debut as the new princess had caused quite a stir—especially when Saben’s tale of her bravery in the face of a Var kidnapping somehow made it over the countryside. Of course, no one believed him when he said she could fly. Mede could hardly believe that part herself. All she could reason was that her love for Llyr had surged forth to protect him. She remembered the dragon’s feeling of family and protection. She guessed if Llyr’s life ever was in danger again, the dragon would show herself. Until then, Mede’s shifting had resumed to normal.

“
Apparently,” Queen Lorna said with an amused smile as she lowered the paper, “the grooms think this new outfit will be lucky and bless their marriages with strong women like the new princess.”

They were in
the royal office where the family often gathered to socialize away from the eyes of servants. Being married to a prince was hard to get used to, but there were perks—like an incredibly devoted husband she couldn’t keep her hands off of.

“
What about the grooms? If the brides have to be mostly naked, don’t you think the men should be punished as well?” Mede liked her new mother-by-marriage very much. She’d been very welcoming in the many months since her marriage to Llyr.

“
I was thinking loincloths,” Queen Lorna whispered. “Tiny bits of fur and nothing else.”

Mede laughed, gasping as she nodded. “
Yes, please. Saben will be thrilled, though I’m not sure anyone else will be. Only you had better not mention it to my mother when she comes to visit tomorrow. The last time I spoke to her, she had ideas for changes she wanted me to implement now that I have power. She said something about starting a movement to end liquor consumption, fighting in front of women, and the Order of the Dead Dragons.”

“
If anyone can do it, your mother can. That woman is amazing. The way she gets these dragons to do whatever she wants without raising her voice.” The queen sighed in admiration. “That’s a talent.”

“
It’s the sugared biscuits,” Mede said. “Apparently, men will do almost anything for sweet foods.”

“
I’ll remember that the next time the king tries to convince me to go camping in the forest.” The queen stood. “The men should be done meeting with the new commander soon. I’m anxious to hear what they found out. King Attor has been too quiet this last year. I’d like to think that he feels sorry for his misguided attempts at marriage, but I’m afraid this may be the quiet before the storm.”

Mede watched as the queen left her alone in the office. She closed her eyes, trying to beckon Llyr to her side. Within moments, he was running through
the door to her.

“
You called, my princess?” He always had a smile for her.

“
I did, my prince. Any news from the commander?” Mede didn’t bother to stand as she reached her hand up to him.

“
Still quiet. No signs of Var movement in the forest.” Llyr took her hand and kissed it before leaning over the arm of the chair to kiss her properly. “I know you are worried he might try to strike at this next Breeding Festival, but there is no evidence he’s planning an attack. We’ve been vigilant all year. The warriors are better trained than they were last year. Soldiers have been posted along the borderland and there will be a heavy presence around the festival grounds. I’ve even asked that Galaxy Brides does a scan for heat signatures in the forest before they land. It will be safe.”

“
You know, I was thinking, we never got to experience our night in the bridal tent. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed making very tired love to you the next morning before passing out for twelve hours, but I think I want the full experience.”

Llyr began to nod but suddenly pulled back. “
Wait, no. You do remember that couples aren’t supposed to have sex the night before the crystal is broken? They can talk and play, but they can’t find release.”

“
What? Are you scared you’re not up to it?” she challenged.

Llyr laughed. “
Oh, you’re on, my beautiful princess. We’ll see who begs who first.”

Mede moaned softly into his mouth. Her body tingled with longing. A year had done nothing to cool her desires for him. “
Good thing that’s still a few weeks away.”

“
What do you mean?” He stroked her hair back from her face.

She leaned to whisper hotly into his ear, “
Carry me to our room and you’ll find out.”

Llyr swept
her up into his arms before she could finish the sentence. He ran through the palace halls, not caring if the servants saw them.

“
I love you, forever, lady wife,” he said as he pushed through the thick door to their private wing.

“
Yes,” Mede whispered. “I love you, forever.”

The End