The Dragon Prince's Bride
Chapter 88. I am not honored.

Chapter 88: 88. I am not honored.

"Thanks for the offer, but I’m afraid I must decline. I do not wish to interrupt your training any longer. I can see your sparring partner is eagerly waiting for another round." She calmly said, forcing a smile to her face as she turned to walk away but her arm was caught and her heart skipped at the sudden contact.

Aria just watched on silently and nervously, praying in her heart that things would not escalate.

"When my dear little wife wishes to see what a barbaric training ground looks like, nothing can be more pressing than that. The entire training can be put on hold for your sake. Come, my princess." He mirrored the fake smile she had shown him only his had more hostility.

"I said I no longer wish to see anything! Let me go!" She ordered but he clearly was not going to listen as his hand slipped down to her wrist and he began to drag her along with him into the training ground.

All eyes were on Neriah, she needed no shaman to explain to her that they didn’t like her. She could even guess the reason why they seemed so hostile toward her. Even now she could recognize about two of them as members of the knights that had been in Avelah with Trago, she was certain that those ones had told their comrades about the entire incident and this was enough cause for them to hate her.

She understood that... But then why did she feel like it was more than that? Why did she feel like they just didn’t accept her? Not like she needed their acceptance or anything, but seeing how they were all chanting the name of that woman so merrily and friendly, and now the same people were staring at her with hostility... it irritated something in her.

She did know what.

""May the peace of Narcissus be upon the crown princess."" They greeted in a tone that seemed forced. Neriah had heard those words over and over from servants and knights as she toured, so rather than understanding their meaning, she just recognized the words and had come to conclude that it was a sort of greeting towards her. So she silently nodded her head in acknowledgement of their forced greeting.

Her dear husband had all but dragged her to the training ground and now she stood there looking out of place, being the only white-skinned creature among shirtless sweating men.

""Bar, what do you think you are doing bringing a pretty precious princess into the training grounds??"" Neriah saw the lady moving closer to them, with a cloth in her hand, drying off her wet long black hair and body.

"She wanted to see what it looked like first-hand, how could I refuse my dear wife?" Barak replied to her words while staring at Neriah. Her green eyes glowed like green fire back into his own. She wished to rip her hand out of his own and walk away that instant, but she held back and controlled herself.

"It is an honor to finally meet you, Your Highness. May the peace of Narcissus be upon you." The lady, Regina... She could speak in the language Neriah understood. And for some reason that vexed her. She didn’t know why, but it vexed her deeply that the lady could speak in that language too.

Somehow, Neriah didn’t know when, but he had let go of her hand and now he was next to the Regina woman, they were both standing before her and Neriah could not help but think they looked good together.

She was tall, unlike herself who barely reached Barak’s chest level, the lady’s head reached Barak’s shoulder, she was slim and curved in the most perfect places. The men’s clothing she wore could not even hide it. It made Neriah wonder what the woman would look like in those provocative Tragonian dresses!

Her hair was packed in a high ponytail but it still touched the back of her knees, and it was as dark as his own. Her eyes glowed like his own, only it glowed more red than gold. Even their skin color was almost matching, she was just a shade lighter.

They looked so perfect that it irked her.

"The feeling is not mutual. I gain no honor in meeting you."

"Neriah!" Barak called and she shrugged.

"What? Just because she finds it an honor to be in the presence of an elven princess does not mean I should feel the same way! She is no princess either so I have no reason to pretend I am honored in—"

"Neriah watch it! She might not be a princess but she is the daughter of a mighty Duke and one of the oldest family in Trago—"

"Bar, stop. The knights are watching." Regina held onto his arm and tried to calm him but he continued.

"No, Reg, she was wrong. Reg is a member of a family as old as the Royal family itself! And besides that she is a commander and above all else she is my best friend! All she did was greet you and you embarrass her by behaving like a child!"

Lords! She wanted to strike him. She wanted to strike him so bad for talking to her the way he was talking to her! And what? Bar? Reg?! They addressed themselves by their names! By pet names!! How disgusting! How belittling of a crown prince.

She was starting to think her entire view of the dragon-bloods were misguided but now she could see it. They were lowlife peasants who just ran a place by themselves! Even him!! How could a prince be addressed by a pet name? And how could he in turn address anyone by a pet name? How undignified!

And the funniest part of it all was she was his best friend! A prince who fought wars still had the time for trivial things like friendship! She was disappointed, deeply.

"Your Highness, forgive him, he does not know how to talk to or treat a lady. He can be a brute at times." The Regina lady said and Neriah could not resist the scoff that left her lips.

"Well, I believe that would mean you are a man, Regina. Seeing that he does not know how to treat a lady and yet he smiles and treats you so well. It would only mean you are a man." She said and she wondered within her what exactly it was she was doing.

"Y_your Highness I do not quite understand what—"

"Well of course you do not. I can assume comprehension will be quite difficult for someone like you."