《Ashura, King of the Dragons》


 Chapter 1: If It Were Any Other Day, I Wouldnt Have Said Yes

    It''s not every day that monsters visit the castle.


    They approached this morning from the west, three snake-like figures in the sky, a peculiar carriage flying between them. I watched them through my window, tracing the stone sill restlessly with my fingers.


    Up close, the carriage appears to be made of living wood. The branches are twisted and wound together to form the wheels and outer walls, which are painted with vibrant green leaves. It''s normal in every other way and looks right at home in the castle courtyard.


    It''s not every day that dragons come to ask a favor.


    That''s what these monsters are¡ªdragons. I spotted them first in their humanoid forms when they were escorted through the castle halls. They towered over the other princes, the two who entered both over six feet tall. Even in this form, they retain their long tails, deer-like antlers, animalistic ears, and patches of fur around their wrists and claws. As the two bow in front of me now, the reality of how different they are from humans creeps into my mind.


    It''s not every day the dragons announce their queen would like to take the hand of a human for marriage.


    If it were any other day, I wouldn''t have said yes.


    One of the dragons lifts from her bow. She''s short for her species, but that still places her at my height or an inch taller. Her fur is dark brown, and her antlers almost black. They protrude out of her neatly braided hair. My eyes are drawn to a set of peculiar crystals strung around her neck. They seem sharp, but they''re positioned perfectly to not dig into her umber skin or indigo mage''s cloak. "Are you sure you would like to leave so soon, my prince? We are in no hurry."


    The dragon next to her stands up straight with significantly less finesse, stretching his arms high above his head. His leather armor and powerful heavyset physique contrast with the other dragon, who is petite by comparison. His fur and antlers are also lighter, and his skin is closer to mine in hue, pale but more sun tanned. "Why wait? He seems plenty enthusiastic!"


    "Yes," I manage to say. My voice comes out flat. "Of course."


    "I didn''t expect we''d find someone so fast," he continues as he picks up my suitcase and piles it into the carriage. He glances back and gives me a mischievous grin. "You can be honest with me. Do you have a thing for dragons?"


    "Jayle, have some grace," the other one deadpans. She sets her eyes on me. "Don''t mind him. He''s done this every time."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I scratch my stubble uncomfortably. Some words from the other men in the castle after the announcement still echo in my mind.


    "A monster wife?" Verick, an acquaintance of mine, looked sick at the notion. They had gathered just about every unmarried man in the castle to discuss the terms, both from the royal family and the extensive caste of nobles. "How would that even work?"


    "They have humanoid forms," my brother, Terrin, responded. He glanced at me. His face was a mirror of the uncertain look he gave me when I snuck into the meeting room with him. I wasn''t exactly invited. "But I hear they''re still fairly large."


    "It''s just wrong," Verick declared. "You''d have to be some kind of freak to want that."


    At the time, I didn''t disagree. But that didn''t stop me. The looks the other men gave me when I volunteered were a mix of pity and embarrassment. But only Terrin''s reaction sticks in my mind, like a burr against wool pants.


    His shock. His concern. His onslaught of questions. "Are you sure you want to do this? You''re really leaving? What are you going to do about¡ª"


    I wipe the memory away. Did that all really happen yesterday? It feels like an eternity ago.


    The dragon in mage''s clothes sighs, bringing me back to reality. "I suppose we should properly introduce ourselves. My name is Alcina, and I am the archmage of the dragon court. This buffoon is Jayle. He is the head of the royal guard."


    "Buffoon?" Jayle scoffs, and his long tail flicks. "Who needs to ''have some grace'' again?"


    Alcina ignores him and walks to the front of the carriage. The third dragon, an ordinary guard I assume, stands at attention. "We depart as soon as you''re ready."


    It takes me a moment to realize she''s talking to me.


    I climb into the carriage, settling among the plant-fiber seats. The scent of cut grass wafts through the air. Jayle closes the door behind me. "I''m ready to go," I call. Every second we spend dawdling here makes me more anxious. Makes me worry somebody could try and stop me, or my fear could overwhelm me enough to back out.


    Alcina nods. Her form shudders and shifts. The claws on her hands grow long, and her appendages almost unfold into massive legs. She grows and grows, human form falling away, until she towers over the carriage. This species of monster is long, furry, and wingless in its natural form, retaining its coloration and antler shape. Jayle and the other guard transform the same way.


    A bolt of clarity strikes me. This is what I''m trying to marry?


    Alcina''s eyes begin to glow, and all three dragons rise into the air. The carriage lifts off the ground with them, supported by the magic of the archmage.


    It rocks at first, and my suitcase crashes directly into the fresh bruise on my shoulder. I clutch it and wince, squeezing my eyes shut.


    I know I should glance back at the palace. Perhaps take in its winding stone paths and elegant towers one last time, imprinting the color of the walls in my memory for years to come.


    But I don''t. I keep my eyes closed and settle against the door. I didn''t sleep at all last night, and exhaustion is starting to take over. At the time, my mind was eating itself alive with her words.


    As much as I hate to, I can''t help but trace the diamond ring hidden deep in my suit pocket, much too small to fit on any monster''s claw.


    It''s not precisely relief I feel. More like a transfer from one set of paralyzing fears to another. But at least now, I should be free. Maybe now, my life can start correcting itself in a way I understand.


    Or maybe I''ve walked into another gilded cage.

 Chapter 2: The Queen

    "¡ªSeriously wearing that¡ªred suits you better¡ªwant to look¡ªit''ll be¡ª"


    Words and memories swarm around my mind, clouding my thoughts.


    "¡ªperfect¡ª"


    "¡ªforg¡ªa lot¡ª"


    "¡ªh¡ªprince¡ª"


    "¡ªcan''t tell¡ªfrom a¡ª"


    "¡ªpri¡ª"


    "¡ªAsh¡ª"


    "Hello? Prince? We have arrived."


    I jolt awake, rubbing my arm. I''ve been leaning on it for hours, and it''s begun to ache fearsomely.


    Alcina''s huge brown dragon eye peers into the window. We''re still flying. She falls away from the carriage.


    Jayle''s voice booms from somewhere nearby, "Look! The castle!"


    I blink the last of the grogginess out of my eyes and lean toward the window. I''m not sure if it''s the height or the view that takes my breath away.


    It''s not like the palace back home at all. A series of trees are wound together to form the main structure, growing larger and taller near the center. Vibrant leaves highlight balconies and towers constructed from stone bricks. Surrounding the palace, I can make out smaller abodes built into the forest, half hidden by the thicket of deciduous trees. A snowcapped mountain towers over it all.


    Although beautiful, the unfamiliarity of the architecture makes my skin crawl. These disconnected balconies, stretching towers, and huge doors weren''t built for humans. Weren''t built for me.


    Jayle circles the carriage, momentarily blocking my view. "What do you think? Better or worse than yours, huh?"


    I''m not sure what to say. "It''s prettier," I offer.


    "Pretty doesn''t cut it. I''d call it magnificent!" He does a flip in the air while we descend, his long body forming a near perfect circle as his tail brushes his snout.


    "Don''t feel pressured to give your opinion." Alcina floats in front of the window again, peering at me. "Not everyone is as pushy as he is."


    Truthfully, I''ve had my fill of loud, boisterous men. I''m pretty sure I can handle Jayle, even if he is a dragon. At least it''s one thing that hasn''t changed.


    The palace looms over us as we land, and the carriage hits the earthen floor with a thump.


    When I look at Jayle and Alcina, they''re humanoid again, though the third dragon remains in monster form. Jayle opens the door, and I grab my suitcase and climb out.


    Alcina leads the way. "As you can see, this is our outer court." She gestures to the land around us. Although there are only a few pathways of scattered stone, the ground is kept even and soft with well-tread clovers. There is no wall keeping this court from the outside world, only seeming to end with the dip of the hill. Patches of bright flowers line the walls ahead of us, filling the air with overpowering sweetness.


    "Here we make announcements, have festivals, greet visitors, and more." She begins walking toward the palace, and I follow. Jayle trails behind me, his head held high. He seems more like a guard now that we''re in dragon territory.


    The first walls of the palace are formed from tree trunks woven together, and its round doorway sports huge open gates constructed from their branches. We walk through.


    Most of the ground is still covered in clover and grass, but the pathway is defined with cut stone. Thick leaves line the inside wall, stretching high in their fight for sunlight. "Here is the inner court," she continues. "It''s not very large, but we still use it for a few things..."


    Her words fade in and out as she explains. The deeper we make it into the castle, the less like my home it is. Bigger, plant-like, filled with magic. I focus on the scenery, tracing my eyes over each and every crevice in the wall, memorizing the path we take to distract myself.


    Finally, we reach the last set of thick doors. These ones are closed. A pair of armed guards in bipedal form wait for us, though I can see the wide stone platforms they would stand on as dragons. They nod to Alcina and Jayle before opening the doors.


    The inside of the palace is dappled in sunlight, though mostly lit by what appears to be bright yellow bulbs growing from alcoves in the walls. The ground is entirely stone now. I look at the trees above us, seeing how their canopies meet one another to form a sturdy roof, albeit with gaps.


    "Here we are," Alcina says. "The inner castle. I''m sure you know the kind of business that happens in a place like this."


    I manage to nod.


    She looks at me and tilts her head. "Do you have anything you''d like to say? You''ve been awfully quiet."


    Jayle butts in, "Come on, give us your thoughts!"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Um..." I look around again, as if searching for my words. The castle is huge, and some might even call it grand. But for me, it''s large in a way that makes me feel like a gnat that wandered in. "The plant architecture is impressive."


    Alcina beams, her professional attitude falling away for just a moment. "Our mages are responsible for that. My grandfather designed this entire section of the palace." She waves a claw. "Right now, I''m building a tower on the east side that will become our new bathhouse. I''m experimenting with redwood!"


    "Sounds lovely."


    As soon as it left, Alcina''s professionality returns, and the tour resumes. We continue down the hallway, passing rooms and navigating forks, everything large enough for a full-size dragon.


    Guards and servants pass us, speaking to one another in draconic, the native tongue of this land. Most are in their small forms, which I find odd, though a couple in dragon form emerge from rooms and hallways. When they see us, they quickly transform, then bow before scurrying away.


    "Looks like we have some slackers," Jayle comments.


    I give him a questioning look.


    He covers his mouth. "I-I mean, everything''s normal here! We definitely stay in this form all the time, yes."


    Alcina sighs and turns to me. "The past few times we''ve brought a human, our queen has instructed us to stay in our bipedal forms to help them feel more comfortable. It seems not everyone expected another so soon."


    I look down. So, I''m not the first human who has volunteered. I wonder briefly about the others. What they were like, where they were from, what got them sent home, then I shut down the thought before I can ruminate. "S-she didn''t have to do that. Being around dragons doesn''t bother me at all." There''s only a small chance I''ll get stepped on, or flicked by a stray tail, or mistaken for an animal and eaten.


    Has a dragon ever eaten a human? I''d better not ask, or even think too much about that.


    "Well, she is a bit of an overachiever," Jayle says. "But that''s okay. It makes her an excellent queen."


    The hallway stops at a grand door. It''s formed out of wood and attached to the twisting trunks by thick metal hinges. Guards are stationed on each end. I stare at the mural carved into it. It depicts two different monster species, some from the forest and some from the sea. Two monsters with crowns meet at the center. Their heads are elegantly bent, snouts touching and eyes closed.


    "Here is the throne room," Alcina explains. "She should be in here. Are you ready?"


    I realize I''ve been staring at the mural for a long time now, and they''re both looking at me. "I suppose."


    "Why are you still carrying that?" Jayle grabs my suitcase. "You should have nothing in your hands when you enter. That way she can bound elegantly into your arms!"


    "Jayle, you are being most inappropriate," Alcina scolds. "Please ignore him." She looks at me again. "Now, I present to you, our wonderful Queen Lantana."


    Alcina pushes the door open.


    A scroll crunches beneath her foot, and she pauses. I peer past her, trying to look in. There''s a massive throne in the back of the room adorned with flowers and built from living wood, but nobody sits on it. The ground must be made of stone, but I can''t tell because the floor is completely covered in paper. There are scrolls, books, and documents of all kinds. Some are human sized, but others are taller than me and large enough to fit in a dragon''s claw.


    I catch a flash of gray somewhere in the back. "Just a moment!" A voice calls. "Oh dear, where did I put¡ª? Was it here?" I hear papers shuffling. "No, no, no! Misplaced again?! Skies above..."


    "Perhaps this is a bad time." Alcina looks at me apologetically. "My Queen? We have arrived."


    The shuffling stops. "WHAT?" her voice booms across the room, and I can''t help but flinch. Is she angry? Or just surprised?


    Alcina steps aside, revealing me, and revealing her. The Queen stands in the back of the room in her dragon form, a scroll in each claw. Unlike any of the browns and blacks I''ve seen from dragons so far, her fur is a shining silver. And rather than delicate antlers, she has a pair of cobalt blue horns, one of which has another scroll impaled on it. A small silver crown sits on her head among her spines, nearly lost in her reflective fur.


    Jayle steps forward, grimacing at the mess. "We had the throne room cleaned when we left! What happened? Did you summon a hurricane?"


    "I¡ªI''m so sorry!" The Queen throws down her scrolls. Instantly, she begins to shrink, and the scroll stuck on her horn goes fluttering to the floor. She paces toward us, then stops a few feet short. "I thought I had more time. You''re so early!"


    Her eyes lock with mine. The first thing I notice is how tall she is. Even compared to the other dragons, which are only a little taller than I am, she seems huge. She must be at least seven feet.


    Her ears and tail retain their silver fur, though her skin is muted and gray, like fall clouds just before rain. She keeps her blue horns, which stand out against her long and wavy hair. Her clothes are far from fancy, a simple blue tunic and dark pants.


    So, this is her. This is who I need to marry.


    Jayle breaks the silence. "Well, this one couldn''t wait to meet you! Isn''t that right?" He nudges me.


    "Ah...um...yes...your majesty..." I can''t quite hold her gaze, and I look away. Her piercing blue eyes still stay in my mind. The Queen is undeniably beautiful, bar the dragon qualities I don''t know how to feel about yet. My awkwardness comes from more than just being intimidated.


    She puts her claws together. "Well, I apologize for the mess. It''s very nice to meet you. My name is Lantana. What''s yours?"


    "Ashura."


    "What a lovely name!" She places her claws behind her back professionally, yet her tail whips behind her. The Queen bows. "It is an honor to have you here, my prince."


    "It''s an honor to be here," I parrot. Desperately, I try to gauge the tone of her voice. Is she friendly? Kind? Expectant?


    She stands up straight again. "I know what this calls for! Jayle, ready the cooks. We''re having a feast! And make sure they prepare plenty of food a human can eat this time."


    He salutes, "On it, My Queen," then dashes down the hall.


    "A feast?" I look up at her. Has she done this for every human? "Oh, you really don''t have to."


    "But I want to," she counters. "I like feasts!" She leans down to my eye level and tilts her head. "Or would you rather celebrate in a quiet manner? I''m terribly sorry, I''ve gotten ahead of myself. I can call it off if you''d like."


    "No, no. It''s fine." I wave my hand. "I just wasn''t sure my presence really warranted this."


    "Of course it does! If all goes according to plan, we are to be married, after all."


    "But what if you decide you don''t like me?" I cringe at my words. What am I doing? I should agree with everything she says! She can''t send me home, not like the other humans.


    She tilts her head, processing my words. Then, she grins. "Well, a feast is worth it by itself, isn''t it? Besides, this is how we get to know one another. I can''t decide I don''t like you if I don''t know you." She passes by me, and I back away. "Until the feast is ready, we''ll show you to your room. Come along, Alcina."


    Alcina had picked up one of the books from the ground and begun skimming it. She drops it and follows us, grabbing my suitcase.


    In draconic, Alcina asks, "Are you sure we should leave Jayle in charge of the feast?"


    In Suthic, the language from my castle and the one everyone''s addressed me by so far, The Queen responds, "Jayle will do splendid, I''m sure!" Her accent is thick. She must be trying to correct Alcina for speaking the "non-human" language around me. I''m not sure anyone realizes I can understand draconic.


    I don''t really want to correct them.

 Chapter 3: Ashura, Not Ash

    We travel down the winding hallway, past more open and closed corridors. No matter how much I try not to, I can''t help but glance at The Queen. She has the regal stride down to a science. And yet, she doesn''t look down on her subjects. Not like she does. She greets them by name and spreads the word of the feast herself.


    Alcina leans down and smirks at me. She whispers, "Impressed?"


    "What?"


    "The Queen knows almost everyone in the castle by name." She rises to her full height again. "Also, you were gawking."


    "I can hear you two!" The Queen looks back at us, stern but amused. "It is most improper to whisper behind your queen¡¯s back."


    My face flushes red. Was I looking too much at her body? I didn¡¯t even realize, but I suppose my eyes were lingering. So stupid. I can¡¯t disrespect her like that.


    Alcina¡¯s expression turns serious. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, your majesty. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s okay, Alcina. I was kidding.¡±


    Alcina stares at The Queen for a beat. ¡°Oh.¡±


    The Queen shrugs, like this happens often. "Here we are!" She stops in front of another tall door. We''re in a quieter part of the castle, where the halls are almost too narrow for multiple full-size dragons to pass through. The sky still shows through the leaves in the ceiling, casting light to complement the warm glow of the bulbs.


    The Queen waves a claw. "Alcina, guard the door."


    The archmage bows. "Yes, your majesty."


    I fight an uptick of alarm. Even though I don''t know Alcina any better than The Queen, the thought of being alone with her makes me nervous. Regardless, when she opens the door, I tentatively follow.


    The room is huge. Too huge. The ceiling stretches upward, high enough and wide enough for a dragon to fly up and down. Empty wooden platforms hang on the walls, reminiscent of shelf fungus. Sunlight dapples the soft, moss-like floor. I''m not sure what the carpet is made of, or whether or not it''s living.


    A single king sized bed sits in the back of the room. It¡¯s awkwardly small compared to everything else. The human-sized desk, dresser, and couches have the same problem, dotting the far corners of the room.


    The door shuts behind us. "What do you think?" The Queen asks, her tail twitching excitedly.


    "It''s¡­very big."


    "Well, yes, all our rooms are like that. We imported human furniture to make you feel more at home." She gestures to the bed and couches. "And, you won''t believe this, you have your very own bathroom and walk-in closet!"


    I don''t have the heart to tell her that I can absolutely believe that. As I look around, a realization strikes me. "This isn''t your room."


    She tilts her head. "Well, of course it''s not. We figured my suitors would be more comfortable here until the marriage is finalized. Did you want to sleep in my room?" She gives me a sideways look.


    "No," I say automatically. Was that response too quick? I add, "unless you wanted to, of course. I''m open to anything, really." Heat rises in my face despite how drafty the room is.


    "I don''t have a human sized bed. I''m afraid I might accidentally crush you."


    "If that''s what you''re into," I blurt out, then instantly regret it. Skies above, I''m supposed to make her like me, but that was NOT the right thing to say. The other humans probably weren¡¯t that stupid on their first day.


    Her ear twitches. Then, she bursts out laughing. I force a stilted chuckle.


    "Ah, I can already tell we''re going to get along." She sets a claw gently on my shoulder. Her brow furrows a little, and her hand stays there for a beat too long. I finally step away on impulse.


    "I will let you unpack in peace," The Queen says. She gives me a bow. "And I will send someone to retrieve you before the feast. Please, make yourself comfortable." She smiles again and steps out the door, closing it behind her.


    As I stand there, alone in the huge room, the reality of what I''m doing hits me all at once.


    The room is too big. Unfamiliar. I¡¯m so exposed. Heat builds in my chest, and anxiety knots in my stomach, threatening to spill out of me. Why am I here? What have I done?


    I turn my eyes to the bathroom door, which is slightly ajar, then sprint toward it.


    It slams behind me. The stone pattern on the floor isn''t as complex as my tiles were back home, and it doesn''t distract me like those ones did. The stone bowl sink, the bathtub that¡¯s too large¡ªit''s wrong, all wrong.


    I don''t belong here.


    Bile rises in my throat. I crumple to the floor, taking deep breath after deep breath. My thumb traces the diamond ring in my pocket, and I dig it out. It glints in my sweaty palm. If it weren''t for this, I wouldn''t have made such a stupid choice. I wouldn''t be here, a human in a land of monsters, trying to marry a dragon queen. Trying to fit into this unfamiliar place, a weed in a flower garden.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I clutch the ring. It has to be worth it. It has to be, I didn''t have another choice. I can¡¯t go back home, no matter what happens. No matter how The Queen treats me, no matter how compatible we are, no matter if I love her or not. I take deep breaths.


    I can''t blow this. I need to marry The Queen. If she sends me home, it''s all over.


    Think about leaves falling. The smell of flowers. I''m in a garden, my hands deep in the dirt, planting something. It''s not hard to imagine when there''s already so many plants around me. Leaves falling in a gentle breeze. I''m planting flowers. I''m okay.


    It''s going to be okay. I''m going to be okay. The mantra repeats in my mind. She can¡¯t reach me here.


    Slowly, I open my eyes. My breathing has steadied, but sweat still pools around my suit, growing colder by the moment.


    I step into the room and grab my suitcase for a new outfit. A simpler one, just a collared shirt and dress pants. I return to the bathroom and run some hot water for a bath.


    When I finish and look in the mirror, I take in my complexion. Between my drying black hair and atrocious 5 o'' clock shadow, I look ghoulish. My eyes are drawn to the ugly bruise on my shoulder. I grab my razor and finally shave, but it takes me forever. It hurts to lift my arm too high.


    Someone knocks on my door. "Prince? The feast will be ready soon." It sounds like Jayle.


    I finish putting on my clothes and come out. "Well, someone cleaned up nice," he jokes. "I''ll admit, I was a little worried my queen may be courting a stray."


    I give him a dry smile as he laughs.


    We walk out of the bedroom, and once more, I follow him down the hall and through the twisting corridors of the castle. It doesn¡¯t take much time for us to reach a busier section. Dragons are running left and right, human and monster forms alike, swiftly bowing to us if we¡¯re even noticed in the chaos.


    The hall opens into a huge room. On the ground level, there are tables everywhere, wooden and set with empty plates. They¡¯re surprisingly human sized. Dragons must prefer to eat in their bipedal forms. The largest table is in the very back on an elevated platform, and a few important looking dragons are already seated. My eyes are drawn upwards, and I can see balconies wrapped in layers all the way up to the canopy. There¡¯s more than enough space for dragons to fly and climb up and down.


    Jayle stops and points to the back table. ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯ll be sitting. With the royalty and Lantana¡¯s inner court.¡±


    I could guess as much. I adjust my collar and nervously follow Jayle on the long trek. I glance up at the platforms again, spotting more rooms and entrances connected to this space. Based on its positioning and the amount of time it took us to walk here, it¡¯s probably the central hub of the castle. It¡¯s big enough for a good amount of dragons in their full forms to mingle and chat, so the people and furniture still seem strangely small at this size.


    I cross my arms.


    Alcina is among those at the table, seated near the right, her ears flicking restlessly back and forth. On the left, half a dozen grayish dragons are seated. They¡¯re speaking in low tones to one another, whispering draconic. Between them and the right side of the table, there¡¯s two more old dragons, a dragon with his nose buried in a scroll, and another elderly dragon dressed in robes similar to Alcina¡¯s. Like everyone else at the small tables, they¡¯re all in human-like form.


    Something catches my eye on some of the dragons¡¯ necks. A tattoo of sorts, mostly on the older dragons, black and patterned like a tight necklace. The tidbit of dragon culture dances at the edge of my mind from a draconic book I helped localize years ago. I think it has to do with their marriage customs.


    Jayle leads me to the left end of the table, just by the head. He sits next to Alcina and across from me. I don¡¯t like how my back is to most of the room now, so I study the huge tapestry on the wall to distract myself. It¡¯s some kind of oceanic scene, expertly stitched to show a view gazing up for miles from beneath a sea of deep blues and purples. Embroidered in the corner, I can barely read the name, ¡°Aegean.¡±


    I take a deep breath, still trying to come down from my anxiety earlier. Whispered draconic carries across the table, despite the commotion of the room.


    ¡°That¡¯s him? The newest human?¡±


    ¡°¡ªhow long do you think he¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªlooks a little like¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªback so soon! What could have¡ª?¡±


    I shift around in my seat as a hush falls over the crowd. The Queen arrives in dragon form, strutting elegantly with her snout held high. She draws near to the platform, then stops and turns to face the room. Her silver tail coils neatly around her.


    "Dragons of Lereon-Siv," her voice booms. Lereon-Siv is the name of the land we¡¯re in. It loosely translates to ¡°dragon heart,¡± as in the ancestral homeland of all dragons. "We celebrate today on behalf of Ash the human!"


    The room cheers, but my stomach drops. Ash.


    ¡°The bravest and most open-minded human yet,¡± she continues, ¡°I¡¯m told he volunteered to be married to me almost immediately. With a spirit like that, I¡¯m sure he will make an excellent king, as the forest wills.¡±


    Another wave of cheers rounds the room, and I shrink in my seat. Servants come in with plates full of food, placing them on the tables. An entire line just for the royals and inner court makes its way toward us. But I don¡¯t feel hungry anymore.


    "Now, feast, dragons! Today is a good day. Thank you." Her form shrinks, and she trots up the steps. She takes the ornate seat at the head of the table, right next to me.


    A servant places a tray in front of me. She removes the lid, revealing a very well-done steak. The Queen''s tray, and most of the trays around me, contain what looks like raw meat.


    "What do you think?" The Queen asks. "Do you find this acceptable? We always try to take extra care to accommodate for a human diet."


    Truthfully, I like my steak very rare. But the comment sticks in my throat. "Thank you,¡± I say instead.


    I glance at her as we begin to eat. The chatter in the room has started up again. I shouldn¡¯t say anything. I shouldn¡¯t make a fuss. But that word, that name¡ªit¡¯s repeating in my head, over and over and over again. Ash. Ash. In her voice.


    "Um, there is one very small thing, my queen."


    "Hm?"


    I almost don¡¯t finish. I almost say, ¡°never mind.¡± But I¡¯ve gone too far to back out now. I grit my teeth. "My name is Ashura, not Ash."


    The Queen covers her mouth. "Oh, burrs and weeds! Is that what I said? I apologize." She bows her head, lowering her long, blue horns. "I will make this up to you."


    "It''s not that big of a deal," I say. "I mean, if you want to¡­" what am I saying? This was a mistake, a disaster. Why did I have to correct her at all?


    "No!" She says. "I would like to call you by your proper name. That is, unless you have a nickname?"


    "I don''t."


    "Then Ashura it is."


    What a mess. I shove some steak in my mouth, trying to lose myself in its flavor. It¡¯s tough and overcooked.

 Chapter 4: I Want To Be Here

    "Ah, I haven''t introduced you to the table yet!" The Queen picks up her glass and taps a claw against it to get everyone''s attention. The dragons at our table all look at us.


    "Ashura, you''ve met Alcina and Jayle.¡± She gestures to an older dragon with dark brown fur and skin next. ¡°This is Griffin, our former archmage and Alcina¡¯s father. And here¡¯s Redwood, our royal treasurer¡­¡± she rattles off a list of names, pointing to each dragon as she goes. "...Which are my court members and my relatives, respectively."


    ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you all,¡± I say. These dragons barely look like The Queen. Their fur is gray but lacks her silver sheen. Their antlers are ordinary and earthy in color, unlike her odd cobalt horns. In addition, their skin is dark like The Queen¡¯s, but much richer and more brown than gray. They all mumble greetings to me.


    The dinner continues. I push my food around on its plate. I know I need to eat, but I can¡¯t rid myself of the knot in my stomach.


    "Ashura," The Queen asks, her voice difficult to hear over the volume of the room, "what is your family like?"


    Conversation sounds exhausting right now, but I push through. "My father is a warlord. I have two brothers, both older than me."


    "And your mother?"


    "She died a few years ago."


    The Queen gives me a solemn look. "I''m sorry." After a brief pause, she continues. "My parents aren''t around anymore, either."


    I can''t think of anything to say.


    "Um,¡± The Queen begins, ¡°do you have any hobbies?"


    "I like to garden." It feels like a lie, even though it¡¯s not. But I haven¡¯t gotten a chance to garden properly in years.


    "Really? That¡¯s a tad unexpected for the son of a warlord."


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°And what did you do at your previous castle?¡±


    ¡°I was a scribe.¡± I was also in charge of translating documents from different countries. Terrin was more literarily inclined, so he usually assembled the translations in an easy-to-understand way. We were a good team. I feel a pang as I realize that I barely had a chance to say goodbye.


    ¡°That¡¯s unique!¡±


    By the time I realize this is a good time to bring up that I speak Draconic, the idle conversation has moved on. She asks me how old I am, if I had any pets, what¡¯s my favorite food, more mundane stuff like that. I can¡¯t muster more than a few words in response to any of them.


    ¡°Do you have a favorite season?¡±


    How is this conversation still going? ¡°Spring.¡±


    "Oh, I love the springtime, too," she says. "It''s so beautiful when the flowers first begin to bloom. I hope you can stay long enough to see it."


    I barely conceal the worry on my face. She hopes I can? Does she expect I won¡¯t last? Have I already messed up beyond repair? Am I no better than the others?


    The noise dies down as guests begin filtering out of the feast hall. My plate is still half full, but it''s all gone cold.


    "Did you not like your food?" The Queen asks. "We can arrange something more to your tastes."


    "It''s fine," I say. "I''m just tired."


    I can feel her eyes on me, looking me up and down. Examining me. Judging me. "If you''re finished, then, why don''t I walk you back to your room?"


    "Okay."


    We stand up and head out together, The Queen giving her council and family a brisk wave as we go.


    As we walk, I distract myself by building a mental map of the castle. The halls are confusing, but I think I¡¯m starting to see where everything connects. The castle seems more ominous now that the sun is lower. We only have glowing bulbs to light our way.


    She stops in front of my door, opening it for me. I step inside, but she doesn''t close it yet. "Ashura? Can I talk to you in private for a moment?"This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I glance up and down the halls, which are mostly empty. Again, the thought of being alone in my room with her sends a nervous shiver through my body. But who am I to say no? "Of course."


    She closes the door. Now, her queenly facade falls away, and she looks me over with concern. For a long moment, we hold this silence, and I can''t imagine what she wants to say. "Are you injured?" she finally asks.


    "What?" I hesitate. "No."


    "When I touched your arm earlier, I felt something odd. You see, I am no mage, but I have an affinity for mind and healing magic." She steps closer to me. "I sensed a disruption in your aura."


    I shrink away, crossing my arms. "It''s nothing. I just fell."


    She tilts her head and steps back again. "You fell?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, regardless of how you were hurt, I might be able to help. Would you like me to?"


    I think for a long moment. What exactly does that entail? Will she like me more if I say yes? "O-okay."


    "I will need to touch your arm for a long time. Are you okay with that?"


    I don''t like the way that sounds. "Yes."


    She nods. "Very well, let''s sit down."


    I walk over to one of the wide couches and take a seat. She sits next to me, a foot or so away. Even still, her presence is overwhelming. I¡¯m not used to feeling this small next to anyone. I clench my hands to stop them from shaking.


    "Can you show me which arm is hurt again?"


    I hold out my left arm, the one closest to her. Then, I roll up my sleeve, hitching it at the shoulder. It reveals the ugly black and blue bruise. I don¡¯t want to see her reaction, so I fix my eyes on her tail, which curls and uncurls on the floor in front of us.


    "Okay. Hold still." She places her claw gently on my shoulder. A spike of nervousness ripples through me. After a moment, she slides it perfectly over my bruise. "This is serious," she murmurs. "It¡¯s very deep."


    I say nothing.


    Then, her hand begins to glow. A shudder runs down my back, and a strange warmth spreads from her hand to my arm. I try not to think, so much so that I''m actually glad when she starts talking again.


    "Ashura, there''s something I have to ask you."


    "Go on," I mumble, turning my head away from her. Objectively, the healing spell feels nice. It''s soothing against my injury, working away at the constant pain I didn''t realize I was feeling. But her claw against my bare skin makes me drip with unease. Although, if she were human, I can¡¯t imagine I would feel any different.


    "Do you want to go home?"


    I look at her. Her brow is furrowed, and her eyes drill into me. It takes me too long to answer. "No."


    "You don''t seem happy," she continues. "I guessed you would be nervous. But as we''ve spent more time together, I''m just confused." Her ears lower sadly. "You do understand that if this isn''t working for you, you can leave whenever you would like, right? You say the word, and I won''t ask for a reason. The last thing I want is¡ª"


    "No," I cut her off. "I-I do want to be here, I really do." I have to want this. I have to be happy here, and she has to see that, too. Or, she at least has to believe my lie.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yeah." I try to lighten the tone of my voice. "I mean, it''s all short notice, and a little intense, and¡­" I turn my eyes to the floor, failing to find a pattern to trace amongst the carpet. "And I don''t know how I feel about some things yet, but¡­" I want to continue with, ¡°I really like you,¡± but can¡¯t find the words in me, even though it¡¯s not a complete lie.


    She sighs, and her clawed thumb traces restlessly over my arm, back and forth. "Well, I thought if you spent more time at home to think about it, it might be good for you. You came here rather quickly once we made the announcement, after all. Faster than any other human. But it''s not my place to make that choice if you don¡¯t want to."


    I take a breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "So, you''re not going to send me home?"


    "It¡¯s too early to say that, Ashura. But right now, no. Not while I¡¯m still getting to know you.¡±


    So, I¡¯m safe for now. My arm feels hot now beneath her touch, and her magic sparkles orange in my peripheral vision. We sit in silence for a bit longer, remnants of the conversation hanging around us. Maybe I haven¡¯t messed up yet. Maybe I can still prove myself.


    She takes her hand off my shoulder. The bruise has vanished, not a hint of its pain remaining. "What would you like to do tomorrow?" She asks unexpectedly.


    Her blue eyes are fixed on me again. For once, I can meet them. "Do you have a garden?"


    The Queen¡¯s ears perk up. "We have plenty of gardens! Would you like to see one with flowers? We also have several vineyards outside the grounds and patches dragons use to grow food for their families. Oh, and by the mages¡¯ tower, we have a greenhouse full of exotic plants, too."


    My mouth twitches up into a smile. It was a risk, but she seems to like the idea. I can work with this. "If it''s not too much to ask, I would love to plant something."


    The Queen stands up. "Then we''ll go to the north garden! There''s space for new flowers there. Thank you." She bows deeply.


    Why am I the one being thanked?


    "I''ll make arrangements right away¡ªand we''ll have breakfast first, of course. When would you like to get up? Should I send a servant or wait for you? Oh, you''ll need a guide, of course. Why don''t I come and get you myself?"


    I shrug. "Whatever works."


    She claps her claws together sweetly. "Excellent! In that case, I will see you then, Ashura." She makes her way to the door, continuing to talk as she does. "Sleep well! If you need anything, don''t be afraid to ask!! Goodnight!!!"


    I give her a small wave as she closes the door. Then, I rub my shoulder, the warmth from her touch and her magic lingering on my skin.

 Chapter 5: Culture Shock

    Rays of sunlight filter in through the ceiling, waking me up. I can¡¯t tell what time it is, and clearly, I greatly underestimated the amount of morning light that would make its way into my room. Every leafy crevice is another tiny sun burrowing into my eyes.


    I sit up and rub my face. I didn¡¯t sleep well. This bed is comfortable, and I can easily sink down into the heavy blankets, but last night my mind was run amok with chaotic worries.


    My dreams weren¡¯t much better, either. When I finally did fall asleep, it was right into a bizarre prediction of what a wedding with The Queen would look like. Only, things kept going wrong. I couldn¡¯t find my nice clothes, people kept talking over the reception, she couldn¡¯t fit under the altar in her dragon form, and when it was time for the honeymoon, there were a bunch of people that would NOT get out of our room. I stare off into space, grimacing.


    I climb out of bed and resolve to check out the walk-in-closet. There¡¯s no telling when The Queen will be here, or if she¡¯ll even be the one to pick me up. I can¡¯t remember half of our conversation from last night. There¡¯s plenty of time to ruminate as I take the awkwardly long walk across my massive room.


    The walk in-closet is shockingly human-sized compared to everything else. I assume it must be because dragons only wear clothes in their bipedal forms. That train of thought leads me to wonder what actually happens to their clothes when they transform, and how they get them back. I wonder if Alcina has some kind of magical explanation for that.


    On one half of the room, the shelves and hangers are filled to the brim with human clothes. On the other side, the outfits seem more dragon-like in style, at least based on what I¡¯ve seen around the castle. There¡¯s a lot of loose and flowing tunics, bright colors, and sashes.


    When I turn to the human side, I take a few long, blinking seconds to comprehend what I¡¯m seeing. Then I rub the tiredness from my eyes to make sure I¡¯m not still dreaming. The style of clothes hung up are technically human. Only, it¡¯s like someone took a random outfit from 100 different houses and threw them all into one place.


    I shuffle through the first few hanging clothes. There¡¯s suits and dress pants, but also overalls, pajamas, more cloaks than shirts, even a few togas. They¡¯re all in different sizes, too, and there¡¯s absolutely no rhyme or reason to the organization. Whoever stocked this closet was only dimly aware of the concept of human fashion.


    In the middle of my frantic searching, I stop. It will take me hours at this rate to find a reasonable outfit. But really, do I want to wear something that will make me look more out of place than I already am?


    I turn my eyes to the dragon-fashion side of the room. Although I don¡¯t know what¡¯s formal, in-season, or expected of a potential king, the clothing presented to me already looks more cohesive. The patterns match, and the outfits are organized by color. Ironically, given my above average height, I¡¯m more likely to find something that fits me among the dragon clothes, too.


    The outfits are all fairly loose, and the flowing patterns are a far cry from the rigid structure of suits and dress shirts I¡¯m used to. The fronts are open in most of them, almost like a robe. I assume the sashes are meant to keep it closed and together.


    I try to picture exactly what the other dragons in the castle were wearing. Jayle comes to mind. He was in a warm orange tunic with no pattern, wrapped unevenly and held by a bright red sash, all beneath his scattered lightweight leather armor. If I remember correctly, his pants were also plain and dark.


    With this in mind, I try to look for something that can handle getting dirty. A blue tunic with a faint flower pattern catches my eye. It has no fancy frills and the fabric seems tough rather than silky, so I pick it out and pair it with a black sash. Jayle wore his sash crookedly, but I can¡¯t remember if the other dragons did or not, so I default to wearing mine straight across like a belt.


    When I pick out a simple pair of brown pants, I pause. There¡¯s an awkward flap on the backside to let a tail through. There isn¡¯t much I can do about that, but at least it¡¯s not showing my underwear.


    After grabbing a pair of boots, my outfit is complete, and I¡¯ve already spent most of my mental energy for the day.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for someone to knock on my door. Still adjusting my tunic, I hesitantly make the trek to answer. The door is almost too heavy for me to push open.


    The Queen is waiting on the other side. ¡°Good morning!¡± she chirps. She looks down at my clothes and tilts her head a little. ¡°I see you¡¯ve found the closet. And look, we¡¯re matching!¡± She points to her own blue tunic, which is a bit more casual than the one she had on yesterday.


    ¡°I suppose we are.¡±


    She¡¯s still staring at my tunic. Oh no, what does she see? Have I made a fool of myself already? ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I ask. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t know anything about dragon fashion.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you did great,¡± she rushes. ¡°You look fantastic. It¡¯s just, your tunic isn¡¯t secured correctly.¡±


    I look down. It does fit pretty loose and wrinkled. My face flushes. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Here, would you like me to fix it?¡± She reaches toward me.


    Involuntarily, I step away. ¡°Ah¡ªwhy don¡¯t you just tell me?¡±


    She retracts her hand. ¡°Oh, okay. But I¡¯ll need to take off my tunic to demonstrate.¡±


    ¡°Youknowwhatactuallythat¡¯sokayyoucanfixmineformethanks,¡± the words tumble out of my mouth.


    She makes a weird face, as if suppressing a smile. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s not very difficult. Here.¡± She reaches out again, sliding her claw along the fold of my tunic. ¡°You¡¯ll want to smooth it out like this, then fold this part behind you.¡± She steps closer, taking the fabric and placing it as near as she can to the right place without undoing the sash. ¡°Like that. Do you understand?¡±


    It¡¯s hard to think when she¡¯s this close. I can feel the sharp of her claws through the cloth. ¡°I think so.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Great!¡± She steps back again, and my tunic almost falls out of place when she lets go. I scramble to keep it all together. ¡°I¡¯ll let you do the rest.¡±


    I turn around and hastily fold it correctly, wrapping the sash tight. It feels less like it¡¯s going to fall open at a moment¡¯s notice, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s worth the psychic damage I took getting it that way.


    When I turn around, she gives me another smile. ¡°There! That¡¯s better.¡±


    I cross my arms. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After navigating the castle for a few minutes, we turn down a narrow hall, where the sunlight is scattered. At the very end, a log stairway shaved hastily into form is waiting for us. It¡¯s awkward to climb, the steps just a bit taller than I¡¯d expect them to be. The bulbs of light along the walls are small and dim, and their alcoves are absent of the time-grown moss present in the rest of the castle.


    We emerge into a larger hallway. From open windows along the curved walls, I can see features of the castle beneath us and the roofs of some lower floors. It¡¯s all designed so a dragon could fly in and out with ease. I wonder if there¡¯s anywhere in this castle with a window like this as the only entrance, a room entirely inaccessible to me and anyone else who can¡¯t fly. That must have been why they built the staircases, so me and the other humans could get around more easily.


    The Queen stops at a set of guarded doors. The guards nod to us briskly, and The Queen nods back as we enter. ¡°Welcome to the small hall!¡± She gestures grandly.


    The small hall is, as its name implies, not very large. It¡¯s more of a lounge, really, with a few plush couches and short tables. The back opens into a balcony attached to the side of a huge room. Everything is human-sized, though the balcony is large enough for a dragon to land on.


    One of the low tables already has a couple of covered trays for us. A servant waiting by the couch bows. ¡°Breakfast, your majesties.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wonderful! Thank you very much.¡± The Queen sits down.


    ¡°Um, thank you,¡± I say after her, sitting a couple of feet away on the other end of the couch. Only, now I¡¯m also a couple of feet away from my food.


    The servant smiles and travels to the balcony, transforming and leaping off. From where we are, I can see more of the larger room. It looks like the feast hall from last night based on its size. I recognize a few of the other balconies, too.


    ¡°Here you are.¡± The Queen slides my dish across the table. She opens hers, revealing a platter of eggs and bacon. ¡°Oh! A proper human breakfast, is it not?¡±


    I open my platter, seeing more of the same. ¡°I suppose so.¡± They seem to have forgotten my fork.


    The Queen picks up her platter and starts eating straight out of her claws. It would seem all manners of fanciness are restricted to the feast hall. Reluctantly, I pull my platter close and do the same. I can¡¯t remember the last time I ate with my hands like this. She would have a fit if she could see me now.


    ¡°Ashura, can I ask you something?¡±


    The Queen seems oddly insistent on asking whenever she wants to present me with a question. ¡°You can ask me anything,¡± I clarify. ¡°I really don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good. Are all humans so squeamish about being naked?¡±


    I almost choke on my eggs.


    ¡°I mean no disrespect,¡± she rushes. ¡°And I understand whether it is a personal preference or a cultural difference, but you seemed rather apprehensive to bare your chest in front of me earlier.¡± She tilts her head. ¡°I hadn¡¯t noticed that with the other humans.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­It¡¯s¡­very cultural.¡± I don¡¯t dare admit how common it actually was for other men back home to go shirtless. ¡°We don¡¯t really¡­get naked a lot in my kingdom.¡± I can¡¯t control the face I¡¯m making. Slowly, I ask, ¡°Do dragons not care about that as much?¡±


    She shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t see why it matters. You¡¯ve already seen me naked.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°In my dragon form. We almost never wear clothes in our dragon forms.¡±


    She¡¯s not wrong. I turn to my breakfast and try not to think about it. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Well, this has been quite insightful,¡± she says. ¡°I will be sure to keep my clothes on until further notice.¡±


    I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s making a joke or not. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°But I can take them off for you, if you ask nicely.¡±


    Did I hear that right? My face flushes so red I probably look just like the bacon I¡¯m eating. What do I say? Look at her! Laugh! Do anything!


    The Queen shuffles a little in my silence. When I glance up at her, her ears have gone flat, and she¡¯s looking away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was inappropriate.¡±


    I blink. ¡°N-no! I mean, I thought it was funny,¡± I lie.


    ¡°Are you sure? You looked uncomfortable.¡±


    I wave my hand as nonchalantly as I can manage. ¡°O-oh, that¡¯s nothing.¡± I cough to cover my voice crack, unable to say anything else. I try not to imagine her naked, I really do. But is it disrespectful if she brought it up in the first place?


    It¡¯s not the idea itself that makes my skin crawl. It¡¯s the thought of actually touching her¡­or her touching me¡­I stop the train of thought before it can progress any further.


    She stares at me for a very, very long time. Like I¡¯m some kind of overgrown bug being examined and dissected by a scientist.


    Thank the skies, Jayle flies in. He transforms as he lands and does a dramatic roll before standing up. ¡°My Queen! And prince.¡± He bows. ¡°Permission to intrude on your conversation?¡±


    The Queen takes his offer before I can. ¡°Granted. On what business?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± He walks over and flops down on a couch across from us. ¡°So, what are you lovebirds up to?¡±


    Oh, back to this again? After I thought I escaped? ¡°Nothing,¡± I say.


    At the same time, The Queen says, ¡°Discussing cultural differences.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Speaking of, I have a question.¡± Jayle sits up and fixes his eyes on me. ¡°Were you taught how to fight back at your castle?¡±


    How to fight? Where did that come from? ¡°My father ensured I had private lessons in self defense, but I was not formally trained if that¡¯s what you mean.¡± I avoided the barracks back home at all costs. Some of the other men went there occasionally to screw around, but I had my fill of those activities after the first few times I got beat up. It wasn¡¯t targeted. A lot of people got beat up around the barracks. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Lantana mentioned you were raised by a warlord, so I was curious.¡± He grins at us. ¡°She talked about you a lot after dinner yesterday. It was adorable.¡±


    Her ears flatten again. ¡°Jayle!¡±


    She talked about me?


    ¡°Anyways, we guards tend to train in the East Grounds. There¡¯s always extra equipment if you want to exercise, and we can give you pointers for fighting. I have a hunch your self defense techniques won¡¯t be much use against a full-sized dragon.¡± He keeps talking. ¡°And then we can spar! I love sparring. Will you spar with me?¡±


    I¡¯m barely recovering from his last comment when I catch what he said. My self defense techniques won¡¯t work on a dragon? ¡°D-do I need to worry about being attacked here?¡± Was there an incident in the past I should know about?


    Jayle shrugs. ¡°I mean, you never know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite enough, Jayle.¡± The Queen speaks up. ¡°Ashura, you have no reason to feel unsafe here. There are plenty of upstanding dragons to protect you should something go wrong.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, she used her queen voice.¡± Jayle stands up. ¡°I¡¯d better get going. Nice chatting with you! Think about it, why don¡¯t you?¡± He waves to me and exits out the back doors.


    She sighs. ¡°I ought to behead him.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± He kind of reminds me of my oldest brother, Axel. Too loud for his own good.


    ¡°But I do agree with him in this case. You may enjoy getting to know the other guards. They¡¯re eager to befriend a human, since the last ones haven¡¯t been so inclined for battle and training.¡± She stands up. Her platter is empty, and she wipes her claws on a set of handkerchiefs at the table. ¡°Until then, are you ready for the gardens?¡±


    I¡¯ve managed to eat most of my breakfast, so I oblige. ¡°Yes.¡± I take a handkerchief after her and wipe the grease off my hands as well.

 Chapter 6: The North Garden

    As we head toward the garden, Jayle has made himself scarce. I¡¯m a little impressed with how he talks to The Queen. Nobody in my castle would ever speak to the royal family that way. I would know.


    Maybe it¡¯s a good sign Jayle isn¡¯t dead or in a dungeon. Maybe that should give me some hope that, no matter how badly I screw up, things will turn out okay as long as an idiot like him is still running around.


    Or maybe I¡¯m wrong, and I still have everything to worry about. It¡¯s too soon to tell.


    We descend another oddly placed flight of stairs on our way to the garden. My mental map of the castle unfurls in my mind, each new hallway a piece in an ever-growing puzzle. Eventually, we reach another huge set of doors. When The Queen opens them, wind and sunlight rush in.


    The stone pathway here is old and worn, and it¡¯s fighting a losing battle against the weeds. Similarly haphazard flower beds dot the area, some filled with tiny plants while most are torn up, overrun with thorns, or just dirt. Naturally grown walls surround the entire place, casting shadows over several of the beds, and a single closed gate leads to some place behind the castle. Only a couple gardeners are digging around here and there. The Queen leads us to a worker planting flowers.


    ¡°Hello!¡± She gives a small wave. ¡°You¡¯re Marnie, correct?¡± She really does know everyone¡¯s name.


    The servant shoots up and dusts off her clothes. Her eyes are drawn to mine for a moment, although she looks away as if trying not to stare. She¡¯s in plain clothes, her brown tunic and tan sash caked in dirt. Faint wrinkles on her face and strands of gray in her reddish-brown hair mark her age. One of those odd tattoos wraps around her neck, too.


    She opens her mouth. ¡°Y-yes. How¡­I assist you, My Queen?¡± As she speaks Suthic, her accent is extremely thick, and she uses the Draconic word for queen at the end.


    ¡°Well, Prince Ashura requested we spend some time gardening together. Would you mind if we helped you here?¡±


    Marnie¡¯s ears tilt downward in confusion. The Queen repeats the same question in Draconic, and Marnie finally nods along.


    ¡°Not at all, it is an honor to have you here,¡± she says in Draconic. She turns to me, and in Suthic, manages to say, ¡°Good to have you.¡± Marnie steps aside, gesturing to the box of tools and a crate of small plants. ¡°I¡¯m¡­readying to plant.¡±


    I really, sincerely want to respond in Draconic, but The Queen starts talking and my moment passes. ¡°Excellent!¡± She crouches down in front of the stones and looks up at me. ¡°Well, Ashura?¡±


    I crouch next to her, about a foot between us. I set my knees right on the earthy stones.


    ¡°Um, what should we do first?¡± The Queen looks at Marnie. The servant passes us a couple of hand trowels, then grabs a few plants for us. I take one in my hands, impressed by its biodegradable pot.


    Right away, I start digging out a small hole. Feeling the dirt between my fingers almost helps me forget all the embarrassment and worry from earlier. I glance over at The Queen, who is awkwardly stabbing the soil with her trowel.


    ¡°Um, My Queen, if I may¡ª¡± Marnie¡¯s speaking Draconic again, and she takes her own trowel and begins showing The Queen what to do. ¡°You¡¯ll want to move the dirt aside like this, then make the hole big enough¡ª¡±


    ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, like that! Now you take the plant¡ª¡±


    I tune them out and breathe deeply, taking in the scent of upturned dirt. Closing my eyes, I steadily remove the plant from its pot. As I break up its roots, the damp and grainy soil is familiar beneath my fingertips. Beyond The Queen and Marnie¡¯s chatter, I can hear the gentle symphony of nature: birds singing, trees rustling, leaves coming loose in the wind.


    For the first time since I got here, my jaw unclenches, and my brow unfurrows. I place the little plant into its hole, cupping the soft soil around it.


    How long has it been since I¡¯ve planted something? The last time I visited the gardens back home wasn¡¯t long after I met Rosalind.


    The thought of her sends a shudder through me, like a cold wind piercing this otherwise perfect scene. I try not to think about it, but it can¡¯t be helped. Her disgusted face is still burned into my mind. And her words¡­


    ¡°You expect me to get down there in that filth? What kind of date is this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I wanted to say. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to come here.¡± But instead, I stayed silent.


    It was always easier to stay silent.


    The winter storm of a memory fades as I shake my head. I focus on the here and now, the warm sunlight on my skin and the cool soil against my hands. She can¡¯t reach me here. If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll never, ever see her again.


    ¡°Oh, what if I break the stem?¡±


    ¡°Ah, My Queen, you have to¡ªno, like this¡ª¡±


    I look over at them. The Queen is struggling to pull her plant out of its pot. She keeps trying to grab the plant itself, and her claws are threatening to cut into the delicate stem.


    ¡°You¡¯ll want to squeeze the pot first,¡± I say. I reach out, almost grabbing it, but I stop. She¡¯s looking at me now. ¡°Um. To loosen the dirt. Then the plant will come easily.¡±


    ¡°But what about the roots? I don¡¯t want to mess them up.¡± Her ears droop, and I realize something. For all her skills as queen, whether that be running the kingdom, talking to people, or even performing magic when necessary, she knows absolutely nothing about plants.


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    Like a curtain pulled back, for just a moment, the dragon in front of me changes. A little grin twinges around my mouth at the thought, but I smother it just as quick. ¡°That¡¯s okay. The plant can handle it. Why don¡¯t I show you?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She hands it to me.


    I work the pot for a second. ¡°You¡¯ll want to press on it like this. Then,¡± I tip it over and allow the plant and its dirt to slide right out, ¡°There isn¡¯t much resistance. You¡¯ll probably want to break up its roots a little, too.¡±


    ¡°Break up its roots?¡± Lantana gives me a devastated expression.


    ¡°Like this.¡± I pull at the roots tangled in the bottom of the dirt. ¡°That way, the plant will have an easier time when we introduce it to new soil.¡±


    Marnie leans over to get a better look at me. ¡°Wow, this prince works the plants like an expert!¡± she says to Lantana. ¡°I think the saplings like him.¡±


    Well, I never considered ¡°friend of saplings¡± to be a title of mine, but it¡¯s nice to know something here doesn¡¯t mind my presence. Is that a spell of hers, understanding plants? Now there¡¯s magic I¡¯d like to learn.


    I place the plant and its loose soil back in Lantana¡¯s claws. ¡°Now, you just put it in the ground and press the dirt around it.¡±


    She cups it gently and puts it in the hole. Then, she scoops dirt around the stem. ¡°Like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Now you¡¯ve got it.¡± I give her an appraising smile.


    She stares at me for a long moment. It¡¯s like all at once, her usual queenly aura has dropped, leaving behind a blank expression I can¡¯t quite extrapolate the meaning of.


    ¡°It looks like you two have this bed managed,¡± Marnie says. She stands, then looks at me. In Suthic, she tells me, ¡°I let you alone. Good planter.¡±


    I smile at Marnie as she walks away, again missing the chance to clarify my proficiency in Draconic.


    Lantana blinks, then returns my smile with a light smirk. ¡°Could you show me how to do that again?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I scoot down to another section of the bed. Lantana grabs a couple pots and follows me. I take my trowel and begin digging out another hole.


    ¡°Now how do you do that?¡± She leans over my shoulder to look at the dirt. ¡°What¡¯s your technique?¡±


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the sun or her breath on my neck that¡¯s making my face hot. I glance at her, a little confused. ¡°Um, I just dig.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, right.¡± She leans away, takes her trowel, and follows my lead.


    I grab my plant and repeat the steps to take it out of its pot. Lantana copies, but her movements are stilted and clumsy. She crushes the pot too much, causing the material to rip and lose some of its dirt.


    ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t get this step right. Could you show me how you press the pot again?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Okay.¡± I reach over to her pot but pause. Lantana seems smart. It can¡¯t be that complicated, can it? ¡°It looks like yours is pressed enough. Try tipping it upside-down.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh, I see.¡± She flips it and dumps the plant onto her palm.


    ¡°Careful!¡± I find myself saying the word on instinct. ¡°I mean, please be a little gentler. Try to pull it out with the dirt.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay. Sorry, I¡¯m not sure I understand. Why don¡¯t you show me with your plant?¡± She looks at me hopefully. There¡¯s a glint in her eyes, and her clumsiness doesn¡¯t sit right with me. It¡¯s like she¡¯s actively getting worse at this.


    I lean back and stare at her. All at once, I understand. ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡±


    The Queen¡¯s eyes widen instantly. ¡°N-no! I really want you to show me how. I-I mean, I¡¯m quite helpless with plants, and¡­¡± she trails off.


    I look away. Now, our interactions earlier are spinning in my mind, and I can¡¯t stop thinking over every word I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to patronize you.¡± This is what I get for letting my guard down. How could I be so stupid? She¡¯s The Queen for sky¡¯s sake, she doesn¡¯t need my help.


    ¡°No! You weren¡¯t¡ªI mean¡ª¡± She stops talking. For a minute, we both sit in silence.


    When I glance at her again, she¡¯s looking back at her plant. Her ears are flattened, and her tail twitches erratically. Great, I made her feel bad. It¡¯s a new kind of shame, spurred by this unexpected reaction to my words.


    Usually, she would just tell me I was overreacting.


    The Queen finally looks at me. ¡°You seemed eager to help me,¡± she explains. ¡°I was only trying to coax that out of you again. I¡¯m sorry if I came off as disingenuous.¡±


    I don¡¯t say anything. Is she telling the truth?


    ¡°It was real the first time,¡± she offers. ¡°I¡¯ve never planted something before, but you seem to know your way around a garden.¡± She leans back and looks up. ¡°I guess I just want to understand you better. I want to know why here, of all places, is where you chose to go when I asked.¡±


    I stare down at the plants, focusing on patting the dirt and scooping it around the tiny stems. ¡°Gardening makes me feel calm.¡± It takes me a moment to realize I said that out loud.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    After a beat, I nod. ¡°I used to do it all the time when I was having a bad day. That¡¯s where I got my practice. But not so much anymore.¡±


    The Queen listens while my face starts to grow warm again. I¡¯ve never shared this with anyone, at least not directly. Why now? Why her?


    ¡°That¡¯s sweet,¡± she says, her voice small. ¡°Is that why you wanted to come here? Because you¡¯ve been stressed?¡±


    Well, that¡¯s one way to say it. ¡°A bit.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask why?¡±


    I open my mouth, then close it, the thoughts in my head swarming against the back of my lips and threatening to break through. Wanting to break through. Wanting so badly to escape into the world, lured by the gentleness of her voice.


    My eyes blink rapidly, and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of the sun or the dust or something else.


    ¡°Sorry, you don¡¯t need to answer that. It¡¯s obvious, anyways. Adjusting to life here in Lereon-Siv wasn¡¯t easy for any of the humans at first.¡±


    With a sharp breath, I flatten the shake in my lungs and press my emotions back in order. I hate these almost-breaks, how they make me feel so fragile under the lightest of pressure. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Why did you stop going to the gardens, then?¡±


    I think for a long time about how I should answer. ¡°It¡¯s not very prince-like. Certainly not right for a noble to be digging around in the dirt.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I sense her lean toward me. ¡°We¡¯re here now, aren¡¯t we? And are we getting strange looks?¡±


    I guess we aren¡¯t. I grab another plant and slowly help it escape its pot. ¡°Things were different back home.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± She leans back, grabbing her own pot and working away at it. As I suspected, her movements are unpracticed, but she¡¯s a faster learner than she let on. ¡°I¡¯m glad you feel like you can do this here, then.¡±


    I let out a faint sigh, desperate to believe her words are genuine. ¡°Me, too.¡±


    When I return to my room, I¡¯m exhausted. We spent most of the day gardening. Then we toured more of the castle to see some meeting rooms, private libraries, places for dragons to lounge, and more, all still in our dirty clothes. The day capped off with a nice dinner of some kind of poultry with The Queen¡¯s family. It turns out dragons are better at cooking bird meat; it¡¯s one of the few things they don¡¯t eat raw.


    All things considered, the day wasn¡¯t too bad. I had nearly forgotten our awkward moment once we got back into the rhythm of planting. Nearly.


    The Queen was more than apologetic for what happened, though I¡¯m still not sure why. It seemed like my fault more than hers, but I¡¯d rather not fight with her about it. It¡¯s not my place to give my opinion.


    After dinner, I¡¯m just ready to crash.


    I change and run some hot water for a bath. When I¡¯m done, I pick a pair of pajamas out of my suitcase. I still haven¡¯t fully unpacked. It¡¯s only been a few days, but my old life feels like an eternity away.


    I glance around the room, realizing something. The suit I wore yesterday is nowhere around, and certainly not on the sofa where I left it. A servant must have come by to wash it. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about anyone poking around the room, even if it is to do my laundry.


    I barely have time to think about it. As soon as my head hits my pillow, I pass out.

 Chapter 7: Little Prince

    I don¡¯t know what to do with myself.


    The realization hits me as I wake up. It¡¯s one of those days. The sun is shining, yet I can¡¯t help but pull the covers over my head. After the half decent time I had at the garden, all my doubts have come crashing back.


    I manage to sit up eventually. There¡¯s nobody here to retrieve me, and no plans as far as I¡¯m aware. It¡¯s the first real day where I have no idea where I¡¯m supposed to be.


    No expectations. No responsibilities. No classes to attend. Nothing to transcribe in that tiny letter room. For once in my life, I have all the free time in the world. But that also means I have nothing to distract myself.


    After dressing in dragon clothes again, I step into the hallway. A guard is waiting on the other side, standing at attention.


    When he sees me, he bows. ¡°Good afternoon, Prince. I¡¯ve been instructed to be your guide today. If there is anything you need assistance with, please, ask me.¡±


    Afternoon? I rub my eyes. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    He tilts his head a little. ¡°Nearly sunhigh, Prince.¡±


    I scratch my chin, which desperately needs another shave, and think about what I should do. It would be easy to rot in my room. In fact, that sounds heavenly. But, that would not be very becoming of me. ¡°Um, Jayle mentioned there was a spot I could exercise. A place where the guards train?¡±


    ¡°You mean the East Grounds?¡± He leans in, rotating his ears as if trying to hear me correctly. ¡°You want to go to the East Grounds?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s okay.¡± I hope I¡¯m not making a mistake.


    ¡°Very well. I will show you the way.¡± The guard turns around, his tail flicking behind him. I nervously follow, trying my best to keep a confident stride.


    I was so used to being taller than most everyone back home. While I¡¯m here, I¡¯m constantly reminded of how small I am compared to the average dragon. Even passerbys in the halls¡ªservants, guards, nobles alike¡ªall dwarf me. Without someone I know to hide behind, I¡¯m even more exposed.


    I stamp down this feeling trying to worm its way into my chest. Deep breaths. Think back to the garden and how calming that was. Don¡¯t think about that awkward exchange with The Queen. Think about leaves falling.


    After we¡¯ve wound our way through the castle, the guard brings me to an open door that leads outside. I squint through the sunlight and take in the sight around me.


    It¡¯s a little like the training ground back home, but much larger. The East Grounds are made up of a huge clearing of dirt and a few sparse trees. Lean-tos hold weapons and armor on the edge of the property. Guards both in dragon and human form are everywhere, training. Some are battling independently against dummies, others are lined in rows and obeying the shouted commands of a high-ranked guard. A troop of massive dragons flies in formation high above us, executing aerial dives and about-faces with impressive unison among the clouds. Interestingly, the ratio of male to female guards seems about equal. I rarely, if ever, saw female guards back home.


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    ¡°Here we are,¡± my guide says. ¡°The East Grounds. Would you like me to show you around?¡±


    That would be nice. But do I want the guards to think I need a babysitter? ¡°That¡¯s quite all right,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll wait here for you.¡± The guard salutes, then leans against the doorframe.


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± As I step away, I¡¯m not really sure what to do. I was told I could exercise, but how, exactly? Do they have weights? Am I allowed to join in with their reps?


    Amongst the chaos, a group of guards emerge from a wide path obscured by trees, laughing and joking in Draconic. Leading the pack, I recognize Jayle. He¡¯s patting a rather beat-up but proud looking dragon on the shoulder.


    I try to step out of their line of sight, but I stick out like a sore thumb among monsters. Jayle spots me from all the way across the grounds and waves. ¡°Hey! You came!¡±


    I tentatively wave back and make my way over to him. He and the group of guards meet me halfway. ¡°I thought you might get cold feet, little prince,¡± Jayle speaks over the sounds of a guard shouting nearby. ¡°Suppose I judged you wrong.¡±


    Little prince? Come on. I try to stand up taller. ¡°Well, I could use the exercise. And I¡¯m no stranger to rowdy men.¡±


    ¡°Rowdy men?¡± A guard behind Jayle steps up and crosses her arms. ¡°But can you deal with rowdy women?¡±


    How am I supposed to answer that? ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯d better if he¡¯s planning to marry Lantana!¡± Jayle laughs at his own joke. I¡¯m not sure I see it. She seems the furthest from rowdy. ¡°Anyways, why don¡¯t you join us for a spar?¡± He points to the pathway over his shoulder. ¡°That grove there is where we beat each other up. Wanna check it out?¡±


    I squint at him. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, it¡¯ll be fun!¡± Jayle pats me on the shoulder. When I flinch slightly, he retracts his arm. ¡°You¡¯re not scared, are you?¡±


    A little. Well, a lot. ¡°No, I¡¯m just not interested.¡±


    ¡°Aw, I wanna see how a human fights,¡± the guard next to him says.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Another one chimes in. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the new prince want to show us what he¡¯s got?¡±


    In Draconic, one comments, ¡°He¡¯s so tiny, though. Do you all want him to get crushed?¡±


    I turn around so they don¡¯t see the sweat forming on my forehead. ¡°I¡¯d better get going.¡±


    ¡°What? But you just got here!¡± Jayle says.


    ¡°Lots of castle to see,¡± I shout over my shoulder, making my way across the East Grounds. ¡°Lots to tour.¡±


    ¡°Well, all right.¡± He waves at me, and the other guards follow suit. ¡°Tell Lantana I say hi!¡±


    I duck my head as I enter the hallway again. My guide jogs up behind me. ¡°I see you¡¯re acquainted with Jayle.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a good dragon,¡± the guard says. ¡°The best I know, in fact.¡±


    Do we have different definitions of good? Is it normal for dragons to try and fight new people on sight? Does everyone wake up and choose violence?


    ¡°Well, where to next, little prince?¡±


    Great, so the nickname caught on. Fantastic. ¡°Anywhere with food,¡± I say. ¡°Please.¡± I¡¯d like to get back to hiding in my room as soon as possible, but unfortunately, I have to eat.


    ¡°Right away.¡±

 Chapter 8: I Cant Breathe

    I wake up feeling even worse than I did yesterday. A stress headache pulls at my mind, triggered by another wave of worries. I could barely sleep.


    I didn¡¯t see The Queen at all. Evidently, she had important business to attend to. That didn¡¯t stop my mind from spinning a thousand reasons she could be avoiding me.


    It shouldn¡¯t matter if we don¡¯t see each other every day, we barely even know one another. But I can¡¯t change my feelings, no matter how hard I try.


    Ugh.


    I rub my face and climb out of bed. The same guard is by my door again. ¡°Where to today, little prince?¡±


    "Could I ask where The Queen is?"


    The guard nods. "She is most likely in the magical study. I will take you to her."


    I follow the guard as he leads the way. "I won''t be disturbing her, will I?"


    "I''m sure she''ll be thrilled to see you," he answers noncommittally.


    We venture outside. The study is not connected to the main castle. Rather, it¡¯s a stone tower just past the walls of the front court. As a structure of bricks and not plants, it stands out, but the vines and flowers climbing around its cracks still make it feel cohesive.


    We pass a couple of small greenhouses on the way there. Peering past their glass walls, I can see strange and unruly plants of all colors.


    The inside of the tower is more ominous than I expected. Few lamps and fewer windows light the way. It doesn''t seem like it was designed to be traversed in dragon form, as the interior is made up of small hallways and a well-worn human-sized stairway to trek up and down.


    After a bit of climbing, I hear The Queen''s voice.


    "It''s no good, no good at all! This spell is far too complicated. Can we try something else?" Her pacing footsteps echo off the walls. She¡¯s speaking Draconic and sounds far more anxious than I¡¯ve ever heard her before.


    "Do not despair, My Queen. I have confidence you will be able to perform it with more practice." It''s Alcina.


    "The eclipse festival is only a month away! How am I going to find time to do that in between my meetings, regular studies, queenly duties, and now Ashura?"


    I pause, but the guard guiding me keeps walking toward the door. What does she mean ¡°Ashura¡±? Am I causing problems for her already?


    They did mention I got here early compared to the other humans. Did they expect someone to volunteer only after this ¡°eclipse festival¡±?


    The guard knocks on the ajar door to announce our presence. "My Queen, Archmage Alcina. Prince Ashura requested to see you."


    I reluctantly step in the doorway. This was a terrible idea. I can''t distract her. I can''t be a burden.


    The magical study is a round room taking up a good portion of the top floor. It''s the only place in the tower where windows are large enough to let adequate light in. Vines are wound around stones on the wall, snaking over the ceiling to form a chandelier of glowing bulbs. Bookshelves crowd the walls, and the room is filled with tables of scrolls, vials, and magical artifacts I can¡¯t imagine the use of.


    The Queen is in the back of the room with Alcina. She¡¯s wearing a necklace of crystals similar to the archmage¡¯s. She blinks at us, then steps forward while Alcina continues to flip through a book. "Ah! Prince, what can I do for you? You must have a tour of the study, it''s quite exceptional!" The panic in her voice has been smoothed over, but I can still sense its remnants in how fast she speaks.


    In Draconic, Alcina mumbles, ¡°Do you have the time for that?¡±


    "D-don''t let me interrupt you," I rush. "You seem busy. Why don''t I come back later?"


    She waves a claw, "Oh, I''m always busy,¡± then pauses. "That came out wrong. What I mean is, I can always make time for you."


    "No, it''s really okay," I blurt. "I-I just wanted to make sure you were all right." Burrs and weeds, I''m blubbering on again, what am I even saying? "But I really, really don''t want to distract you. I''m sorry. Please, don''t worry about me."


    She stops and looks at me for a long moment, her ears and tail twitching. "I see. Well, it was nice to see you, either way."


    Oh no, were her words clipped? Are her ears twitching from frustration? Ugh, this was a terrible idea! Stupid, stupid, stupid Ashura, getting in the way again. If I''m too much of a burden, she¡¯ll want to send me home, and I can''t can''t can''t let that happen. "Yes. You, too. Sorry." I give a shallow bow.


    I hear footsteps, but I don''t dare look up. She''s standing right in front of me. What does she want? What''s happening? She''s angry, isn''t she?


    I feel her hand brush a piece of hair on the side of my face, and my body moves without my permission. I vault away from her, barely able to cover up my cringe at her touch.


    We lock eyes, and I read her concern like an open book. "Ah, apologies. Your hair was in your face.¡±


    "I''m sorry. I''ll have it cut."


    "Why are you sorry?"


    I bite back another apology. The silence in the room is so thick, you could cut it with a knife.


    She takes another small step toward me. "Are you feeling all right?"


    I step back. "I''m fine. Just tired. Sor¡ªI''ll be on my way." I turn around and pace out. The guard follows me.


    What a disaster. I''ve made a fool of myself again. But is she really mad at me? Or is it my imagination?


    It''s happening again. I''m not thinking straight. As I get to my room, I lock my door and take deep breaths. Think about the garden. Leaves falling.


    There has to be some kind of damage control I can do. I shouldn''t have left; I should have let her show me around! What if she thinks I don''t want to be near her?


    Do I want to be near her?


    I give myself a few minutes to calm down. Then, I go to my bathroom and splash cold water in my face with shaking hands. I need to make things right. Will she still be in the study by the time I pull myself together? I don''t know.


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    I take a pause in my bedroom, pacing the large space. I don¡¯t have much to distract myself with. There are some books already in here. They¡¯re mostly in Suthic, though only basic and popular titles. The other humans must not have spoken Draconic.


    When am I going to tell someone I speak Draconic? Would it be awkward to bring it up now? Will The Queen be upset I didn¡¯t tell her sooner? It¡¯s just one more maddening thing to worry about.


    When enough time has passed and my nerves have calmed, I step out of my room. I don¡¯t know what my plan is, or if I have a plan at all. But I can¡¯t end the day on that note. I have to apologize, or not apologize, or do whatever I need to do so she¡¯ll forget all about it.


    The guard salutes me. He¡¯s been standing there all day. ¡°Where to, my prince?¡±


    I think for a moment. Will The Queen be impressed with my competency if I don¡¯t need someone to guide me to the tower? Or will she be mad if I ditch my bodyguard? Do I want someone around to hear whatever conversation we¡¯re going to have, anyway?


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go alone,¡± I try. ¡°Do you think The Queen is still in the study?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± The guard looks me up and down. ¡°If you¡¯re sure. She most likely is. Don¡¯t stray far from the castle. If you need help, any guard will be happy to provide it for you.¡± He bows.


    That was worryingly easy. Do they already trust me that much? Or do they not care if I get hurt? ¡°O-okay. Thank you.¡± I step down the hall, consulting my mental map.


    My memory doesn¡¯t fail me, and I find my way back to the tower. There¡¯s only a couple of guards at the front, and they nod to me as I enter.


    I climb the agonizing set of stairs again, trying to think of what to say to The Queen when I reach her. ¡°Yeah, I had a headache, no big deal. Didn¡¯t want to be cranky around you!¡± Or, ¡°Oh, no, it was nothing, just the crushing weight of interacting with the person I have to convince I¡¯m worthy of marrying.¡± Maybe, ¡°I left the stove on! Silly me.¡± No, that¡¯s not going to work.


    The Queen¡¯s voice echoes down the hall as I climb. So, she¡¯s still here. They¡¯re speaking Draconic again.


    ¡°¡ªdon¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Give it time, My Queen. You can¡¯t expect smooth sailing this early.¡± Are they still talking about magic?


    ¡°Maybe this was a mistake. If he¡¯s hiding something like this from me, what can I expect from him as a king?¡±


    I freeze.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he has a reasonable explanation.¡± There¡¯s a shuffle. ¡°Really, my Queen, you must not be worrying over these things. Why don¡¯t you just confront him?¡±


    ¡°I will. But that¡¯s part of the problem. Something¡¯s not right with that man. Did you see the way he flinched at my touch?¡±


    Oh no. No, no, no. I push myself against the wall, covering my mouth. But I don¡¯t leave. My feet stay locked on the steps, my ears sharp for their words, the words they assumed I would never be able to hear.


    ¡°Was I too bold?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don''t know enough about human culture, your majesty. Back to the matter at hand¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s terrified of me; I can feel it. It¡¯s in his aura, in every word he speaks.¡± She¡¯s pacing now. ¡°But why? Am I that frightening? Does he find me so repulsive?¡±


    ¡°Lantana¡­¡±


    ¡°Am I the problem? Or is it him? The other humans were nervous, but this goes beyond that. He looks at me as if I might snap and kill him at a moment¡¯s notice. Oh, this is a disaster¡­and now I have a headache¡­¡±


    Alcina sighs. ¡°Maybe we should take a break. You¡¯re exhausted.¡±


    Those words snap me back to reality.


    ¡°Right, right. I suppose I should try and find him. Maybe I¡¯ll bring it up slowly.¡±


    Their footsteps draw near. I finally force myself to move, tiptoeing down the stairway. My feet quicken, and once I¡¯m out of earshot, I¡¯m sprinting down the steps.


    I nearly ram into the door at the end, and I open it as slowly as I can to appear normal. But I don¡¯t make eye contact with the guards. I can¡¯t. I have to get out of here. My chest constricts, and I feel too hot, suffocating in my clothes. Something bad is happening.


    I only make it halfway across the courtyard, my steps awkward and stilted, when disaster strikes.


    The door of the tower creaks open. ¡°Ashura?¡± The Queen calls my name from far away. ¡°Hey! Ashura!¡±


    No, no, no, not now, she can¡¯t see me like this. My breathing is erratic, my fingers are going numb. Her words won¡¯t stop echoing in my head, past and present alike. Not right, mistake, repulsive, flinch¡ª


    ¡°Prince? Are you okay?¡± At the sound of Alcina¡¯s voice, I cringe. They¡¯re right behind me and speaking Suthic again. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡±


    Slowly, I turn around, trying my best to keep my face neutral. But I¡¯m sweating bullets, and I can¡¯t stop clutching my arms, and I can¡¯t even stand up straight. My eyes seem to wander, focusing on everything and nothing. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.


    ¡°Ashura? You look ill.¡± It¡¯s The Queen.


    ¡°I-don¡¯t¡ªsor¡ªI-can¡¯t¡ª¡± My racing thoughts escape as incoherent mumblings. What do I say? What do I say?


    She steps toward me, and I cower away. I can¡¯t look into her eyes, only trace the stones beneath us. I need to get out of here, but how am I supposed to escape now? Stop panicking, stop panicking, stop stop stop stop stop¡ª


    ¡°You¡¯re pale,¡± she says, her voice soft. ¡°Do you need medical attention? Your aura doesn¡¯t seem sick, but it is erratic.¡±


    Stop panicking¡­stop panicking¡­


    ¡°Why are you so out of breath?¡±


    Stop¡­stop¡­stop¡­


    ¡°Ashura?¡± She reaches for me. ¡°Perhaps I can sense what¡¯s wrong? May I¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    I don¡¯t realize the words are from me until it¡¯s too late. I look at The Queen, who is staring at me, shocked. Alcina covers her mouth. The guards that were behind them have approached, and at least one of them has her claws at the ready.


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue, my Queen?¡± The guard asks. She¡¯s glaring at me. I can¡¯t move, but my entire body is shaking. ¡°Does he need to be subdued?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± For the first time, The Queen¡¯s voice is harsh. Even when it¡¯s in my defense, I still shrink away. ¡°Everything is fine. Go back to your post.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said go back to your post!¡±


    Her words are screeching in my ears. My legs make a decision before I can, turning me around and bolting for the castle door.


    The walls rush past me as I make a beeline to my room. The guard at the door raises his hand to greet me, but I don¡¯t have time to return it. I slam the door behind me.


    This is bad. Really bad. My hand fumbles for the lock. Even then, I rush to the bathroom, and lock that door behind me, too.


    I¡¯m thinking about her again. She claws her way into my mind like an animal making its kill. I hold my head in my hands and crumple to the floor. They¡¯re going to send me back home, they¡¯re going to send me back to her.


    Unwanted images and sensations flash through my head and infect my body. The memories dance around me, circling like vultures. I can¡¯t breathe.


    Rosalind approaches me. ¡°Hey there! Have we met before?¡± I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°You¡¯re not like the other guys in the castle¡­¡± She touches my arm, and I can¡¯t breathe.


    She stands in front of the king. ¡°Don¡¯t punish him, father! I forgive him, really.¡± I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take this dance?¡± I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°Could you at least look enthusiastic?¡± I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°I thought I told you to cut your hair.¡± I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°Ash, get out of there!¡± I¡¯m in the bathroom back home, crumpled against the door like I am now. ¡°This isn¡¯t cute anymore!¡± I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°All you need to do is give this to me¡­Do you like it? Who am I kidding, you can¡¯t tell a diamond from quartz.¡± I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°How could you do this to me? TO US?¡± She raises her hand, and I can¡¯t breathe.


    My eyes blink open. I¡¯m on the bathroom floor, and I feel like I¡¯ve fallen off a cliff. Every muscle in my body hurts, and even in the loose dragon-style clothes, sweat has pooled on the fabric.


    Did I pass out? I guess it¡¯s lucky I made it to the bathroom when I did. How humiliating would it be for that to happen in front of the castle on top of everything else?


    Thinking about it makes my chest tight, but I¡¯m too exhausted to spiral again. The Queen was right. Something is wrong with me.


    What time is it? There¡¯s still a bit of light filtering through the ceiling in the bathroom. I¡¯m hungry, but I don¡¯t think I can stomach food. It¡¯s a miracle I didn¡¯t vomit earlier.


    Slowly, I sit up. The room tilts, and I¡¯m still dizzy. I climb to my feet, supporting myself on the counter. When I look in the mirror, the man staring back at me is a horror show, flushed skin and dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. I turn away and fumble for the door.


    When I peek into my room, it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been disturbed. Nervously, I check the lock. They didn¡¯t open it. Nobody came in. Should I be glad they didn¡¯t want to bother me, or concerned they didn¡¯t check on me? I¡¯m not sure.


    One thing is clear, though. I can¡¯t go out there right now. I don¡¯t know when I can again. Instead, I flop down on my bed, not bothering to shower or change. I let my eyes droop closed and try to think about anything. Anything but her.

 Chapter 9: Leaves Falling

    Tall trees surround me, glowing sunlight seeping past their lattice-like canopy of leaves. Grass tickles my face, and the sweet scent of flowers fills the air. The cool dirt beneath me battles with the faint warmth of the sun.


    Where am I?


    I sit up, taking in the grove. The grass and flowers wave as if tussled by wind, but I don¡¯t feel a breeze. When I look at them, I can¡¯t pin down their species, the petals and leaves an apparent mishmash of different plants. Beyond my little pocket of sunlight and past the trees, there¡¯s only darkness.


    ¡°H-hello?¡± I call. I climb to my feet and look around.


    ¡°You¡¯re asleep,¡± a voice says. I whip around. Alcina is there, standing on the edge of the trees. ¡°Finally.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? How did I get here?¡±


    She raises a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. This is a dream.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Her words strike fear in me. ¡°You can see my dreams?¡± Have I had nightmares about Rosalind since I got here? I can¡¯t even remember; they all blend together.


    ¡°No. This isn¡¯t your dream. I brought you here.¡± Alcina steps toward me. ¡°We figured this may be the safest avenue to contact you. We didn¡¯t want to alarm you or embarrass you in front of the guards.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± So unfortunately, everything that happened yesterday wasn¡¯t a dream. I cross my arms. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± I mumble. ¡°What is The Queen going to do with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to hear that answer from her. Do you want me to bring her here? It¡¯s a complex spell, but she¡¯s a quick learner.¡±


    ¡°N-no!¡± I wave my hands. ¡°We can¡­we can talk when I¡¯m awake.¡±


    Alcina nods. ¡°Understood.¡± She stands there for a moment, and her form wavers, as if on the brink of leaving the plane. ¡°You heard us, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I blink. ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°You can speak Draconic.¡±


    I lower my head. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± Alcina looks away. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have spoken behind your back.¡±


    Neither of us say anything for a moment. I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s already deduced that, but I suppose you don¡¯t become an archmage without some observation skills.


    ¡°She¡¯s very concerned for you,¡± she continues.


    I don¡¯t reply, so she keeps talking.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t want me to tell you this, but¡­¡± Alcina looks left and right, as if someone could be listening. ¡°She¡¯s worried about your happiness. She was for all the humans, but for you especially. She told me¡ª¡± Alcina stops herself.


    ¡°What did she tell you?¡± I murmur.


    She shakes her head. ¡°I apologize, it¡¯s not my place to repeat. Just trust me, the words she says when she¡¯s at her worst are not a fraction of all I hear from her about you. She¡¯s fond of you, I can tell.¡±


    I stand up straight. She¡¯s fond of me? How? We barely know one another.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough from me. When you¡¯re ready to meet with her, Prince, she will find you. Please, don¡¯t take too long.¡± Before I can ask anything else, in a wisp of smoke, the archmage vanishes.


    The garden around me falls away, and I jolt awake in the bedroom. Moonlight shines in from the roof, peppering the moss carpet with grays and blues. Was any of that real?


    Regardless, it¡¯s a problem for tomorrow. I pull my covers around me and try to fall back asleep.


    I don¡¯t feel like getting out of bed. In fact, I want nothing more than to wallow. But the sunlight won¡¯t let me go back to sleep, not while it¡¯s burning past my eyelids.


    The weight of everything is like a million pounds of dirt on my chest, burying me alive. What am I supposed to do? Should I find The Queen and talk to her? Should I ask to go home before she can send me back so at least it¡¯s on my terms? Should I run away?


    I thought if I came here, I might have a chance of being happy. But I''ve already proven to everyone that I''m an idiotic, unstable freak.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    How could The Queen love me after that? How could anyone?


    Maybe it won''t be so bad if I go back to her¡­at least I won''t be alone. If I beg for forgiveness, will she¡ª


    I shut down the thought immediately and force myself out of bed. No, absolutely not. What kind of awful thought was that? I''m such a mess.


    I need to get out of this room. The unfamiliar walls will just suffocate me again. But where can I go? Where will I not be bothered?


    Tentatively, I open my door. A new guard is waiting outside. He glances at me uneasily but doesn''t say anything.


    "I''m going to the gardens," I say. "The, um, North Garden."


    The guard nods briskly. "Very well. Would you like a guide?"


    I trace my mental map of the castle. "No, I don''t think so."


    "I understand. Stay safe, little prince."


    I step into the hallway. The castle isn''t any quieter than usual. In fact, it''s chaotic as ever, and most dragons nod to me like absolutely nothing happened. But a few look at me knowingly. Enough do.


    When I step outside into fresh air, it¡¯s already easier to breathe. Away from all the noise, this garden is a quiet sanctuary. No stares, no responsibility, no space to ruminate. I recognize Marnie again, digging in another flowerbed.


    On my way over, I pass the flowers The Queen and I planted. They''re so small and fragile, as if a stray wind will knock them over. Yet, a couple are trying to form tiny buds already, as if there¡¯s no tomorrow.


    Marnie spots me and stands up. In Suthic, she says, "H-hello. Need help?"


    I nod. In Draconic, I respond, "If you don''t mind, may I join you?" My accent is a little rusty, but it gets the job done.


    She looks at me in surprise, then switches languages. "You speak Draconic?"


    "I do. Probably should have said so earlier, huh?" Might have saved me a bit of mental turmoil.


    Marnie grins. "Weird little human. Of course, you are always welcome here."


    I crouch down in front of the flower bed and take a trowel. Already, with the tool in my hands, I feel marginally better. "I''m actually tall for a human, you know. Yet everyone still calls me little."


    "You are as tall as my son. He is ten."


    Ouch. I start digging, taking my time to relish the texture and cool dampness of the dirt. Freeing a small plant from its pot is almost second nature to me now. I gently place it in the ground, allowing my eyes to drift out of focus while I terraform the earth in front of me.


    A cool breeze whisps leaves, and I watch them flutter away before falling gently. When I fixate on the motion of the leaves, the widest ones rocking back and forth in the wind, my breathing seems to match. I take in the steady scent of the earth and all its complexities, backdropped with the sweet-smelling flowers nearby.


    Slowly, I can feel myself unwind.


    It¡¯s hard to get caught up in all the little things when I¡¯m here. When I¡¯m doing something so simple, yet deceptively complex. I wonder how my life would have been if I had been born of low reputation, and if I had found my way into the gardens as a job rather than for leisure. Would things have been different? Is it even worth thinking about, here and now, when there¡¯s no way to change the past?


    ¡°Something on your mind, little prince?¡± Marnie asks.


    I look at the flower bed and grab another plant. It¡¯s nice to imagine how these flowers will look in time, how beautifully they¡¯ll bloom once they¡¯ve gotten the water and sunlight they need. ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± She tilts her head.


    Has she heard about what happened yesterday? Or is it her intuition?


    ¡°You know what I think?¡±


    I glance at her. Life advice? Right now? She¡¯s awfully bold.


    ¡°I think that we should plant bluebells on the perimeter of these beds. They aren¡¯t native to these lands, but the high walls should stop them from spreading beyond the castle.¡± She waves her claw in front of her, gesturing to the unfinished flower beds. ¡°And then, in the center, we could place some bushes. Do you have any ideas?¡±


    I lift my gaze to the beds. What would look good there? I¡¯m not feeling creative today. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°What about roses? Those are always a hit.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say automatically. ¡°I-I mean, no roses, please.¡±


    ¡°Not a fan of the thorns? Well, then, how about peonies? Half the castle can¡¯t tell the difference, anyways.¡±


    Hm. Peonies? I didn¡¯t think they looked much like roses, but then again, not everyone pays as much attention to flowers as I do. ¡°I like that idea.¡±


    ¡°Peonies it is, then. I¡¯ll have some seeds ordered right away. Have you seen our nursery?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Maybe I can show it to you when the seeds arrive.¡± She finishes steadying the plant in front of her and stands up. ¡°Thank you for returning. It¡¯s nice to have a little helper.¡±


    Little helper? Oh well. ¡°Of course. I like it here.¡± I look at my plant and fidget with the dirt a little more, patting it down slowly and deliberately.


    ¡°I wish my son loved plants as much as you do.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I try to get him to come out here, but he complains about the dirt and bugs.¡±


    Sounds like someone I know. I shudder and let the thought blow away with the breeze. ¡°He¡¯s only ten. Maybe he¡¯ll¡­¡± I trail off for a second. ¡°When he¡¯s older, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll come to his senses. He¡¯s lucky to have a mother like you.¡±


    Marnie laughs. ¡°You barely know me! Ah, but you seem like a good judge of character. I¡¯m flattered.¡±


    She could not be more wrong. Lately, it seems like every judgment I¡¯ve made has been detrimental to my health and wellbeing.


    Marnie walks to the other side of the bed and begins planting again. We sit in comfortable silence for a while longer, until there are no more seedlings left to plant.


    I wipe my brow, the sunlight starting to get to me. I¡¯m not sure how long I¡¯ve been here. One thing I do know is that I¡¯m insanely hungry. And yet, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to leave this little sanctuary. The world outside feels more oppressive the more I think about it.


    But I can¡¯t avoid it forever. I drink in the sensation of the garden; the feeling of the dirt, the smells of the earth, the sound of leaves rustling, the sight of small plants breaking through the ground. I hold it in my mind as I stand. ¡°I¡¯d better get going. Thank you, Marnie.¡±


    She waves and dusts off her clothes. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, little prince.¡±


    I wave back to her as I approach the door. But when I reach for the handle, it opens in front of me.


    The Queen is on the other side.

 Chapter 10: You Wont Like the Answer

    My muscles involuntarily freeze.


    The Queen looks as tired as I feel. A faint ring of darkness is visible beneath her eyes, though difficult to see against her gray skin. A loose and shoddy braid contains her haphazard silver hair. Her ears are stuck in a permanent droop, though they twitch when our eyes meet.


    She steps back, and with that, I¡¯m able to move again. ¡°Ashura?¡± She draws out my name with a certain softness in each consonant, a way I¡¯ve never heard anyone say it before. ¡°Can we talk?¡± She¡¯s speaking Draconic.


    For a moment, I can¡¯t say anything. My mind starts its terrible dance, spinning around how awful I must look, how I haven¡¯t even bathed, how my clothes are filthy. Before yesterday''s words can start echoing in my head, I straighten my back, holding the image of the garden in my mind. ¡°Yes.¡±


    She nods briefly. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak in my room if that¡¯s okay. It¡¯s more private.¡±


    Her room? I try not to let those words mean anything to me. ¡°Of course.¡±


    The Queen turns around, leading me away without another word. Her tail trails behind her, shifting uneasily. I think back to what Alcina said. She¡¯s worried about me. About me? Shouldn¡¯t she be worried about her status? Our marriage? The kingdom? We don¡¯t know each other that well. Why would she be worried about me?


    Maybe she meant worried about my capabilities. Worried about my attitude and how it will affect her. But no. She said worried about my happiness. What does that matter in the long run, anyways? In a political marriage like ours?


    Before long, we arrive in front of a grand set of doors. They are more than large enough for a dragon, and the front sports a carved pattern resembling waves of water. A few guards line the walls and keep watch here.


    The Queen pushes the door open with some difficulty. It clearly wasn¡¯t designed to be opened in her human-like form. I wonder how much she transformed before she started searching for a suitor. Have I been keeping her in a form she¡¯s unhappy with?


    The room is wide and round. In front of two sets of curling staircases, a half circle of bookshelves marks the center of the floor, but they are almost empty. Their contents¡ªbooks, scrolls, papers¡ªhave been spilled across the stone tiles and scattered tables like the throne room on my first day.


    I have to look up to see the extent of it all. The steps are stone and appear to be suspended on nothing, and they lead to large metal platforms attached to the walls. At the very top, I can barely make out a silver bowl-like structure hanging with chains, its contents obscured. My eyes trace the thick and spiraling branches making up the bulk of the ceiling, sunlight filtered in through sections of leaves.


    Despite there being no sand in sight, the faint smell of the beach and salt water permeates the air.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move up a little. The ground floor is a bit¡­¡± The Queen doesn¡¯t finish her thought. Instead, she leads me to the leftmost stairway. When she steps on it, the stones begin to glow, highlighted with runes. I tentatively step on them after her. They¡¯re so sturdy, I can hardly believe they¡¯re floating at all.


    I try not to look down as we ascend to one of the platforms. It¡¯s a wide sitting area with massive, dragon-sized pillows. The Queen, gasping for breath, collapses on one of them. ¡°I usually fly up here. Those stairs¡ªthey¡¯re something else, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I suppose they are.¡± I tentatively take a seat near her, trying my best to sit up straight while I sink into the massive pillow. What should I say? What does she want me to say? I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m here. Is this her way of sitting me down to hear something awful?


    My mind spins a thousand terrible possibilities before she even says a word. I¡¯m too standoffish. I¡¯m not attractive enough. The other dragons in the castle don¡¯t like me. She decided she wants a different human. What happened yesterday was too much for us to recover from.


    And then there¡¯s the worst-case scenario, the one I don¡¯t even want to think about. Somehow, she found out about her.


    It isn¡¯t even unlikely. I knew she¡¯d find out eventually. I hoped it would take a few months, and by then, we would have invested so much time in our relationship that it wouldn¡¯t even matter.


    The Queen sits up. ¡°Ashura.¡± When she says my name, I pay attention. ¡°Firstly, I want to apologize for what I said yesterday. Alcina told me you overheard, and that you speak Draconic.¡± Her ears shift downward. She brings her tail close to her and starts picking at the tufts of fur with her claws. ¡°I was overwhelmed, and I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. What I said doesn¡¯t fully reflect my feelings. I¡¯m sorry you had to hear that, and I¡¯m sorry I was speaking about you in such a way at all.¡±


    I don¡¯t say anything. She¡¯s not asking about my panic? Did she put two and two together and really not think it was relevant? Out of everything, an apology is the last thing I expected. I think that says more about me than her, though. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I try. ¡°We all say stuff we don¡¯t mean sometimes.¡±


    She glances at me. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that it was wrong. You have my deepest apologies, Prince Ashura. Truly.¡±


    What¡¯s the right thing to say? I¡¯m not used to this. ¡°Um...apology accepted.¡±


    That seems to calm her a little. She stops picking at the fur of her tail, at least. The Queen rubs her face. ¡°There¡¯s something a lot more pressing I need to address.¡±


    Here it is. I take a deep breath and imagine the leaves in the garden, matching my breathing to their rhythm. ¡°Whatever it is, you can tell me,¡± I manage to say.


    The Queen looks down. Then, she reaches into a pocket on her garment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you noticed, but I had a servant take your dirty clothes and wash them for you.¡± Each word is slow and deliberate.


    ¡°I did notice.¡± Where is this going?


    ¡°Nobody was trying to pry into your life. But¡­I was alerted that something fell out of your pocket as the clothes were being washed.¡±


    The air grows cold around me. I know what she has before she pulls it out. Think about leaves falling. Think about the garden. I fix my eyes ahead, not daring to look at her.


    She reaches over and shows me her hand. Among the fur on her palm, she¡¯s holding an extravagant diamond ring. ¡°Is this yours, Ashura?¡±


    I don¡¯t say anything. I can¡¯t say anything. My throat has gone dry.


    ¡°I had a dragon research human customs.¡± She retracts her hand. ¡°This is an engagement ring, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Leaves falling. Leaves falling.


    ¡°Ashura, please tell me. When you volunteered to be married to me, were you already engaged to another woman?¡±


    I open my mouth but can barely croak out a response. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a yes or no question. Were you or were you not engaged?¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    I squeeze my eyes shut. Awful memories come rushing in, sleet and ice slicing through the garden in my mind, burying the plants and flowers in layers of suffocating snow. A yes or no question. The answer should be easy. But why is it so hard to say?


    ¡°No.¡±


    The Queen pauses. ¡°No, you were not engaged?¡±


    Another breath. Deep breaths. ¡°I was not engaged.¡±


    ¡°Then where did this ring come from?¡±


    When I open my eyes, the room is blurry. Am I tearing up? Over one simple question? My next words are as deliberate and emotionless as I can make them. ¡°Someone gave it to me. I was supposed to propose. I didn¡¯t want to. So, I left.¡±


    Silence. I can feel The Queen''s eyes on me, a fire burning past the ice, engulfing it all in flames. ¡°Who gave you the ring?¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± the words come out before I can stop them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I kept this from you, and if it¡¯s a dealbreaker, I understand. But please, please don¡¯t send me back home. Lock me up, banish me, make me disappear, I don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t send me back to her. I can¡¯t go back, I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t marry her, I just can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Whoa, take it easy.¡± Out of the corner of my eye, she reaches forward, but doesn¡¯t touch me. ¡°Ashura, I don¡¯t want to send you home.¡±


    I hang my head. My vision is getting blurrier, harder to see. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, please, don¡¯t be mad at me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you.¡± Why is she so calm? How can she be, in a situation like this? After I lied? After everything? ¡°I just want to understand. Who gave you the ring?¡±


    No, why this? Why now? I rub my eyes on my sleeve, only managing to get dirt on my face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡ªyou won¡¯t like the answer.¡±


    ¡°Ashura, please.¡± Her voice wavers.


    A sob bubbles in my throat. I¡¯m pathetic. I shouldn¡¯t answer, I know it will only bring terrible things. If she knew, if she only knew the extent. I can barely even spit out the name, as if it¡¯s some kind of vile acid tainting the air around us. ¡°Rosalind.¡±


    The Queen pauses. I keep my eyes on the floor, trying to steady my breaths. Then, she says, ¡°Princess Rosalind?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Crown Princess Rosalind?¡±


    She¡¯s upset. She must be. Anyone would be. The man who volunteered to marry her was almost betrothed to not just a princess, but the crown princess of Suthin? Perhaps ripping me in half would be merciful.


    I can¡¯t read her tone of voice. ¡°Ashura, if I may ask, why didn¡¯t you want to marry her?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°She would have given you everything,¡± she almost whispers. ¡°You would have been king of the humans in Suthin, your own land. So why? Why come here?¡±


    I could lie. I could say I¡¯m madly in love with The Queen, and that I have been for years. But I don¡¯t think she would believe that. ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡ª¡± my voice catches in my throat. ¡°I can¡¯t marry her. I just can¡¯t. But if I broke things off¡­¡± My entire body shudders. I don¡¯t want to think about what she would do to me.


    The Queen leans in ever so slightly, enough for me to notice. ¡°So, you did volunteer before breaking it off with her?¡±


    Ice crawls through my veins. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. When she found out, she was¡ª¡± I rub my shoulder. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    With that, The Queen takes a sudden breath. I can hear her tail drawing slowly over the pillow, fur against fabric. ¡°You didn¡¯t¡ª¡± with each syllable, her voice shakes more. ¡°That bruise. You didn¡¯t fall, did you?¡±


    I shrink away from her. Dragging my eyes up from the floor, I force myself to look at her face. The Queen¡¯s eyes are closed, but her expression is contorted with fury. My eyes dart to her claws, taking in how sharp they are, how they¡¯re clenching. How her powerful tail lashes. How her entire body, much larger than mine, shakes. How easy it would be for her to hurt me, to overpower me.


    She¡¯s angry. More angry than I¡¯ve ever seen her in our short time together. I don¡¯t know why, only that she is. Should I run? Can I run? How far will I get?


    Back home, at least I could escape to the bathroom. She wasn¡¯t stronger than me, wasn¡¯t faster than me. That¡¯s not the case here.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to say something you won¡¯t want to hear,¡± The Queen says, each syllable sharp. I flinch. ¡°If that witch ever lays a hand on you again, I will tear out every bone in her body and mount them on my mantle.¡±


    I don¡¯t quite process her words. Hot tears start streaming down my face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have let this happen.¡±


    Her head whips around toward me. ¡°What do you mean!?¡± Her anger falters, revealing stark devastation. ¡°Ashura, this isn¡¯t your fault! Don¡¯t ever say that again.¡±


    Not my fault? I got myself into this mess. I never stood up to her. I didn¡¯t break things off before accepting the marriage. It¡¯s my fault she got mad. If I didn¡¯t make her mad, she wouldn¡¯t have hit me. That¡¯s just how it is. It¡¯s how it¡¯s always been.


    The Queen gets up and starts pacing in front of me. Her tail strikes the ground. ¡°I need time to think.¡± She looks at me. ¡°But I¡¯m not mad at you, do you understand?¡±


    I blink and sniffle. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Tell me you understand.¡± She steps toward me. ¡°Tell me that you know I¡¯m not angry with you.¡±


    Not angry with me. Not angry with me? But that doesn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you mad at me?¡±


    She breathes deeply and closes her eyes. ¡°Ashura, please. I need you to know that no matter what, I¡¯m not going to hurt you. No matter what you do, I will keep you safe. And even if one day, far in the future, you do something that is worthy of my anger, that will never change the truth. So please.¡± Her eyes open, desperate. ¡°Tell me you understand.¡±


    I turn her words over in my mind. Before I can process them, I manage to say what she wants to hear. ¡°Okay. I¡ªI understand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± She nods shortly. ¡°Stay here. I won¡¯t be long.¡± She turns around and leaps off the platform. Instantly, I see her fly back up in her dragon form, circle the room once, then dive down and burst out her doors.


    What¡­what just happened? Once she¡¯s gone, I can¡¯t stop myself. I¡¯m bawling.


    I fall back onto the pillow, crumpling with the fabric. I want to burrow into them and hide forever. I want to run away, to find somewhere safe where I can wait everything out. But I can¡¯t leave, not now. Instead, I heave into the pillow.


    When will the world make sense again?


    She¡¯s been gone for a while now. I¡¯m out of breath, unable to even muster the strength to keep crying. I stare blankly ahead at the ceiling.


    Where did she go? Do I want her here? Do I want to be alone?


    Her words circle my mind. I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I¡¯ll keep you safe. No matter what you do¡­I¡¯ve never heard a confession quite like it before. But maybe, for just a second, I feel myself trying to believe it. Wanting to believe it.


    I notice now there¡¯s huge strands of silver fur stuck in the fabric. They make the pillow smell like her. At least, I think they do. I haven¡¯t been close enough to actually know what she smells like. But the distinct scent on these pillows paints a picture.


    It¡¯s a little earthy. I close my eyes and take a deeper breath. The scent is steady, but not sweet. Nothing like Rosalind¡¯s loud and sharp perfume. As I take in another breath, it reminds me of a more defined version of what I smelled when I walked into the room¡ªthe ocean and sand. But it¡¯s hard to separate from the scent of the fabric.


    I hear the door open, and I shoot up on the pillow. She¡¯s back.


    Lantana flies up and lands gently on the platform in front of me. Despite how much larger she is, I don¡¯t feel quite as intimidated by her in this form. It¡¯s only when she transforms that my baseline anxiety returns.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left so abruptly,¡± she says. She walks closer and sits on the pillow again. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to frighten you. I only took a short flight so we could both think clearly. How are you feeling?¡±


    Pretty awful. But among my wrecked and empty emotions, my stomach growls. ¡°I¡¯m really hungry.¡±


    ¡°I can tell.¡± Ever so slightly, maybe by a centimeter, she scoots toward me. ¡°But how are you feeling?¡±


    As I think about how to answer, I find myself tilting my head towards her, trying to pin down if that smell on the pillow was from her fur. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± I breathe in. It is the same. Only now, right next to me, it¡¯s more pronounced, less diluted with the smell of fabric. My mind flashes to sun filled days, ocean swims, and grains of sand clinging to clothes. With that, I¡¯ve lost my train of thought. ¡°Um¡­¡± my face grows warm. Why did I do that?


    ¡°I understand if not everything makes sense right now,¡± she says. When she speaks quietly, her voice is almost soothing. ¡°We can talk about it more when you¡¯re feeling up to it. But until then, I promise, I won¡¯t send you back to that place. Not if it will put you in danger.¡±


    Relief flushes over me. My chest loosens, and I can breathe a little easier. But now, the only thing I smell is her next to me. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Neither of us say anything for a moment. I finally look at her, and we lock eyes. They¡¯re such a complex blue now that I see them clearly. There¡¯s depth to the color, specks of aquamarine sprinkled into the deep ocean hue. My eyes are steadily drawn up to her horns, the rich cobalt striking against her silver hair. I can¡¯t help but trace each section with my gaze, pausing at the pointed ends. Thick and jagged, they¡¯re completely unlike the antlers every other dragon has.


    Fascinating. Why are they different?


    Lantana stands quickly, and I tear my eyes away from her. I almost asked about her appearance, but I hold back now. It really, really isn¡¯t the time. Maybe my mind is trying to find something, anything to distract me.


    ¡°Um, we should get something to eat,¡± she says. She reaches up and touches her horns briefly. Did she notice me staring? ¡°Would you prefer to eat here, or in the small hall?¡±


    I stand up with her and look away. It¡¯s not my place to gawk. ¡°The small hall is fine,¡± I say.


    ¡°Very well.¡± After an awkward moment, she bows, then starts off toward the steps.


    I watch her. Then, after blinking rapidly to refocus, I follow.

 Chapter 11: I Dont Know Yet

    I don¡¯t know what The Queen thinks of me after the incident. I¡¯m a little afraid to ask. But after putting it off for a few days of blissful ignorance, we can¡¯t avoid talking about it any longer. I know she can¡¯t ignore what she learned.


    The Queen sits me down in her room for privacy. We¡¯re in her study this time, the alcove of bookshelves messy as ever. She shuffles around the papers and books to make room for both of us at the table. After frittering for a moment, she finally gathers them all together and shoves them into a corner, giving us a couple inches of table space, for whatever that¡¯s worth.


    She¡¯s not going to send me home¡ªat least for now. That¡¯s what I repeat in my mind over and over again while she holds my gaze.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t really come here because you wanted to,¡± she begins.


    I swallow and shake my head. A part of me still wishes I could lie and keep up this charade.


    ¡°You volunteered for this marriage because you needed to get out of a bad situation,¡± she continues. ¡°I could never hold that against you. You don¡¯t owe me an explanation, and I won¡¯t ask you to ever give one again. You did what you had to.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t feel fair to her. But I keep my mouth shut, tracing the scattered papers crumpled around us with my eyes.


    ¡°I just want to ask you one thing, Ashura.¡± She lowers her head enough to meet my eyes. ¡°Do you really want to marry me?¡±


    Do I want to marry her?


    Marry her¡­


    It¡¯s a terrifying thought. But only because the thought of marriage has brought me nothing but anxiety these past few years, all from the thought of being married to her¡ªof being locked in, no escape.


    But what if I could marry someone else? What if I could marry Lantana?


    I look up at her, examining her face. She clasps her claws together, awaiting my answer patiently.


    Lantana seems kind. And beautiful. And gentle. And maybe just about everything that I need in my life¡ªjust about everything I could ever want. But there¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know about her. There¡¯s so much I can¡¯t anticipate. She¡¯s a dragon. She¡¯s a fully-fledged monarch. She¡¯s confident, and she seems to know what she wants.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Against my immediate urges, I tell her the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡±


    Lantana gives me a soft smile. ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡±


    Really?


    I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s okay. I could be wasting both our time.


    ¡°What I¡¯m really wondering, I suppose, is do you still want to try?¡± She straightens in her seat. ¡°After all, it¡¯s not normal for someone to be confident in marriage after such a short time. But given your circumstances, are you still willing to¡­¡± She tilts her head, one ear tipping up and the other one tipping down.


    It¡¯s a little bit adorable.


    ¡°...Date me, I suppose?¡±


    I absorb her words. ¡°Against what other option?¡±


    ¡°If you say no, I won¡¯t force you to go anywhere,¡± she rushes, sensing my unspoken question. ¡°If you decline, I understand fully. In that case, I can provide you with a place anywhere within my kingdom. You can have any job, live in any community, even work in this castle if you¡¯d like. And if that¡¯s not enough, I can provide you with travel funds, and you may go to another land, though that¡¯s as much as I could help you if you left.¡± She takes a breath. ¡°What I mean is, whatever you choose, I will make sure you¡¯re safe.¡±


    Safe. Imagine that. Well, going to another land is hardly an option. When word gets out I¡¯ve left the dragon kingdom, I wouldn¡¯t put it past Rosalind to track me down. Perhaps she¡¯ll have me thrown in a dungeon¡ªor worse.


    So, what would life be like, living in Lereon-Siv? The only human for miles? I¡¯ll have all the struggles I face here, only she won¡¯t be around to protect me from immediate danger, whatever danger that might be.


    I should stay close to her, and within the castle. At the very least, I know she has my best interests at heart. It¡¯s kind of nice knowing there¡¯s someone who does, after years of my brother being my only real companion. But how close? Could we remain friends? Should we?


    She looks at me, waiting again. She must have unmatched patience, while my mind is busy flipping through all the scenarios.


    I know what I need to ask. ¡°Well, what do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°I want you to be where you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Of course she would say that. ¡°What I mean is, would you like it if I stayed with you?¡± I start fidgeting with a stray piece of paper on the table, crumpling its edge while I talk. ¡°Or would you rather find another human?¡±


    Almost like she was waiting for me to ask, she says, ¡°I would really like you to stay.¡±


    I look up at her, surprised.


    She shrinks a little in her seat sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯ve enjoyed the time we¡¯ve had together. I feel¡ªI feel something when I¡¯m around you, and I don¡¯t think that¡¯s been the case for any other humans. Ashura, you have me intrigued, and not just by your atypical reason for coming here. I would love to get to know you better.¡±


    Oh. I wasn¡¯t expecting that. I fix my eyes on the paper again.


    ¡°Well, in that case,¡± I take an uncertain breath, ¡°Could we still try to make this work?¡±


    Lantana brightens. ¡°Yes! Of course!¡± She holds out her claw. ¡°Let¡¯s restart, then. My name is Lantana, Queen of the Dragons. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you.¡±


    I tentatively take her claw, momentarily distracted by the softness of her fur. ¡°I¡¯m Ashura. Just a human prince trying his best.¡±