The Dragon King's Hated Bride
Chapter 51: Other Matters

Chapter 51: Other Matters

>>Aelin

I was sitting on the bed, the cosmic book open in my lap as I worked my way through its dense script. Draegon had given me an old demonic dictionary, and though I wasn’t fluent in the language, it made translating these passages easier.

I ran my finger along a line of text, sounding out the words softly. The book spoke of creatures of darkness.

’When the world corrupted it was always because there were two types of darknesses.’

"There are those born from the darkness," the book read, "and those who crave it."

’And those who crave it bring it forth.’

The latter seemed far more ominous. The text described them as creatures whose hunger for darkness drove them to unparalleled violence and chaos. Their minds were corrupted, their actions unpredictable.

"And there is a different spell to defeat them," I murmured, my curiosity piqued.

Flipping the page, I found an intricate spell, one that seemed more complex than any I had seen before. Its structure was daunting, but there was something oddly familiar about it, as though I’d instinctively know how to wield it if the time came.

I was just about to start deciphering its incantations when a soft knock interrupted me. I glanced toward the door, reluctant to leave my reading, but then called out, "Come in."

The door creaked open, and a maid stepped in, her hands clasped in front of her. She was young, with a neatly pressed uniform and a nervous look on her face. I could see the droopy brown dog ears and her round eyes were adorable. She had short brown hair, reaching up to her shoulders and she was about my height.

"Princess Aelin," she said, her voice quiet but steady. "I’ve been appointed as your personal servant."

I blinked in surprise, closing the book. "My personal servant?"

"Yes, Princess. Prince Draegon chose me personally."

That caught me off guard. I tilted my head, studying her. "I’ve never seen you in the palace before. Where did you come from?"

She hesitated for a moment before replying, "I was assigned to another part of the estate, but His Highness requested me specifically."

I frowned slightly, unsure what to make of this sudden arrangement. "Why now?"

She glanced down briefly, then met my eyes again. "Prince Draegon dismissed many of the staff. Those who ignored or disrespected you... they’ve been relieved of their duties."

!!!

The realization hit me all at once. So that really was why the servants had suddenly begun bowing and greeting me in the hallways, their previous hostility replaced with visible fear.

"Ah," I said softly, more to myself than to her.

The maid remained standing, awaiting further instructions. I waved her off with a small smile. "You may go. I’ll call for you if I need anything." She curtsied quickly and was about to leave when I stopped her, "Wait,"

"Yes?" She tilted her head as she looked back at me.

"What’s your name?"

"Uriel." She answered and I nodded

"Okay, you can go..." She left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Setting the book aside, I leaned back against the headboard and instinctively reached for the pendant around my neck. The cool metal felt reassuring against my fingers as I clutched it tightly.

As I sat there, clutching the pendant Draegon had given me, a warmth spread through my chest. Thinking about everything he’d done for me—the way he had taken swift action ... it made my heart flutter. It was... nice, knowing someone cared enough to stand by me, even in a place that had been so hostile.

I froze, my fingers tightening around the pendant. A strange, fluttery feeling lingered in my chest, making me pause.

Did my heart just flutter for him?

The realization was followed by panic. I understand why he would do this for me, it’s because of the promise he made to me but-

Would we be getting closer?

Draegon had been so busy lately. Ever since he killed Ruoxy, his schedule had been relentless. There were countless meetings, all of which seemed to demand his attention. I knew Ariston had been with him as they explained to the army and his family how to deal with the Abyss and its growing threat.

Draegon held a lot of power now—so much that everyone was forced to listen to him.

I could see how it had changed him. His presence had always been strong from my perspective, but now it felt... different. More commanding. His aura was heavy with authority.

I exhaled, shaking my head lightly. Maybe I was overthinking things. Maybe these were just the consequences of his growing responsibilities. And yet, that fluttery feeling refused to leave.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of knocking again.

"Come in," I replied and glanced up to see Uriel come in again. She took a step inside and stood near the door, her hands folded neatly in front of her, "What is it?" I asked her.

"My lady," she began cautiously, "I wanted to inform you that there will be a meeting soon... and people from Heavenmoore will be attending."

!!!

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart dropped, and all the warmth I’d felt just moments ago vanished in an instant.

"What?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded, her expression calm. "It seems Prince Draegon has arranged for their attendance. You’ll have the chance to meet them."

I went pale. I could feel the blood draining from my face, leaving me cold and light-headed. My family. Heavenmoore. The very name sent a wave of dread crashing over me.

"I-I see," I managed to say, though my voice trembled.

I looked down at the cosmic book, my vision blurring slightly as panic clawed its way up my throat. I hadn’t seen my family since my wedding day. Since they had handed me over to Draegon and left me to fend for myself in this unfamiliar, terrifying world.

And now they were coming here?

My hands began to shake, and I quickly clasped them together to steady myself. Uriel tilted her head slightly, watching me with mild concern, but I forced a small, stiff smile onto my face.

"That will be... interesting," I said, though the words felt hollow.

"Princess?" Uriel noticed something off.

"You can leave, I told her."

She hesitated for a moment, but in the end nodded and left

Inside, my mind raced with questions and fears. What would they say? What would they think of me now? Would they mock me, belittle me, as they always had?

The room suddenly felt suffocating. I needed air, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing with the sound of my family’s disapproving voices.

***

>>Draegon

Ariston and I stood in the strategy chamber, going over the final arrangements for the meeting with the envoys of Havenmoore. My mind lingered on the names on the list—one, in particular, stood out: Reagan Heavenmoore. Aelin’s older brother.

Will Aelin be happy to see her brother?

I didn’t know what kind of relationship she had with her family, but considering she’s the youngest, her brothers must have doted a lot on her.

Some movement caught my eye and I looked to the side. Ariston was looking through the documents. I paused as I thought about the whole situation.

"Thank you for coming to the palace, Ariston," I said, glancing over at him.

He paused and looked at me in confusion, "What?"

Though I hate to admit it, it’s a fact. "Your presence is what tipped the scales. Ruoxy was agitated because she knew you were on her trail."

"Well...." Ariston gave a half-smile, his sharp eyes glinting. "I can’t leave a mystery unsolved, especially one as suspicious as hers."

I nodded, the memory of Ruoxy’s manipulations flashing through my mind. She’d slithered her way into the palace, into my life, right after the war.

"She came out of nowhere," Ariston continued, crossing his arms. "And the way she latched onto you, and it didn’t sit right with me." He paused, his gaze turning distant as if he was replaying those moments in his mind. "Do you remember when I came to see you that last time before I left for Havenmoore?"

I frowned slightly, recalling the moment. "I do."

Ariston’s expression softened, though there was something almost reluctant in his voice when he said, "That day... when I saw the two of you together. Princess Aelin crossed my mind. But I didn’t know what to make of you and Ruoxy at the time, but something about it stayed with me."

I tilted my head, curious. "What do you mean?"

He let out a quiet sigh. "It made me feel... odd. Uneasy. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it stayed with me, even after I returned to Havenmoore. I couldn’t let it go, and eventually, I came to Dravos." His gaze met mine then, steady and unwavering. "I came for answers, yes, but I also stayed because of her. Because of the Princess." His red eyes met mine, "Because I felt sorry for her, since her husband was having an affair."

!!!

Those words struck me harder than I expected. Shame twisted in my chest, sharp and unforgiving. I looked away, my jaw tightening. "I..." I couldn’t bring myself to say anything about it. "I don’t have any words to defend myself with."

Ariston stepped closer, his tone firm but not unkind. "Prince Draegon, leaving wasn’t your fault. You were fighting a war. You had no choice."

"If I had more power in the palace then, I could have done something." I replied and his tone got serious.

"The past can’t be changed," Ariston said, "What matters is how much you can do now to make it up to her."

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