by K. E. Young
Dantalion carried me back to my room after that. Anis was hovering in the hallway as we came out of Mero's rooms and hurried to open the door for him. He plunked me down in the chair while Anis went into the bathroom to draw a bath for me.
"I hope you at least have a clean uniform. Geran will want to talk to you. If you can't convince him you want this, he'll have you out of Mero's household and into his own before you can blink. The Goddess has made it quite clear to Mero and me that you need to be in Mero's household, not Geran's, and this would ensure that." He turned to Anis. "Make sure she's as presentable as possible for dinner. Mero is petitioning Geran for permission to marry her and she must make a good impression."
Dantalion looked at me with a soft expression and squatted in front of me to bring our eyes level. "As a fellow Nakairu, I will stand as family for you. My dragon seems to think of you that way anyway. Can you think of me as your brother?"
I really liked him. I was comfortable with him right from the beginning. He felt like family, like Uncle Todd. I gave him a wry smile. "I don't know. My brother by blood was a real ass-hat. I think I like you better."
He chuckled. "Well, that's a good place to start." He was silent for a minute. "Mero will be a good husband to you. He's one of the best men I know, and he'll make your happiness a goal. Never doubt that."
"Well, if he doesn't, I know how to get his attention." We both grinned.
He nodded decisively. "Good. I'll come by to carry you to dinner when it's time. We must keep the healer happy. Meanwhile, enjoy your bath."
"Dantalion?"
"Yes?"
I didn't quite know how to bring it up. "He said I smell good."
"You do."
"One of those dragon things?"
He blew out a breath, finally realizing the scope of what I was asking. "How much did he tell you about his dragon side?"
I sighed in aggravation. "Not much. He got distracted by a history lesson."
His lips twitched as he tried not to smile. He resumed his squat. "He does get distracted doesn't he?"
I snorted. "I swear, I every time he opens his mouth I expect him to get partway through the sentence and then go 'Ooh! Shiny!' and go haring off after something else."
Dantalion hung his head as he laughed helplessly. After a minute, he pulled himself together. "There is a lot for you to learn, but some features are more immediate to you. Dragonkin have better hearing, eyesight, and sense of smell for one. They have greater speed, strength, and stamina.
"Most notably there will be a tendency towards possessive or territorial behavior. As his chosen and then his wife, you'll see more of that than most people would along with increased protectiveness. Male dragons are the providers and caretakers so he'll show a need to make sure you're comfortable, fed, warm enough, that sort of thing. You'll see it from me as well because my dragon side has decided you're kin."
He paused for a moment. "I'll warn you now, it's almost spring and in springtime, we dragonkin get a little… giddy. Mero would never force you, but you might have to be more forceful towards his attempts to seduce you."
I blinked. "Seduce huh?"
Dantalion's bearing was conspiratorial. "I think he'll try whether or not its spring. He likes the marriage idea too much."
Well, that was something at least. There was hope. "There are worse options. At least he's pretty."
His gaze was speculative. "Could it be that you have an interest in him?"
I widened my eyes in innocence. "There's nothing wrong with appreciating beauty in the world around you. You're pretty too!"
Dantalion grinned wide enough to split his head open. "Uh huh."
I snorted. "If you're going to be that way you can leave!"
He laughed and rose to his feet again. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving. You need to prepare anyway." He kissed my forehead then left with a jaunty stride and a grin.
Anis had the bath ready, steaming hot with a light herbal scent. I stripped and slid in with a sigh. She then handed me a cup of funky smelling tea she said Zaki had specified for pain. The bruises were starting to show and I wondered if magic could do anything about healing.
Wait. Zaki had mentioned something about that, hadn't he? Disappointment washed through me as I recalled his words. I had anticipated wearing the dress for the party and now the bruises would ruin the impression I wanted to make. I had been the ugly duckling too many times. This time, I had wanted to be the swan.
The heat soothed my sore muscles and I felt a lot better after a long soak. I had used the time to skim through Thermin's book on protocol and etiquette and noted a few things I'd have to remember. I had also spent some time thinking about my potential marriage to Mero. Dantalion had said he liked the plan too much. It made me wonder if maybe he felt more than friendship and I contemplated my own feelings. I realized I liked the idea too. What I didn't like was the idea it might be for show, just a convenient business arrangement.
I wanted it to be real and for Mero to be mine. My inner demon felt the same way. I had never met anyone I wanted. It was a new experience for me. What would I do if Mero couldn't reciprocate?
Anis helped me comb out my freshly washed mane and smoothed more salve onto my scrapes and the worst of the bruises. I dealt with the bite myself because it was tender and getting hot. The cut along my ribs from the fight against the Karthim had split open during the day's efforts and needed a new dressing.
Someone had collected a formal uniform from the seamstress while I was soaking. The seamstress hadn't quite finished hemming the tunic so the back was still pinned. I'd have to be careful not to skewer myself, but the embroidered sigil and trim along the shoulders were complete. It was black velvet and the sigil and shoulders glittered with metallic thread. The black leather pants had a thin strip of gold and teal along the outside seam and black leather slippers had shown up. They didn't quite fit but it was just as well since the boots would not fit over my swollen ankle. Anis pulled back the hair around my face and tied it back with a gold and teal ribbon leaving the rest to flow free.
I had just finished putting on my slippers when Dantalion knocked. He too was in a velvet tunic. This time a deep red with black and bright red embroidery that looked like a tribal tattoo. Deep red jewels winked from his ears. He picked me up and toted me down to the dining hall with a big grin on his face the whole way.
Chapter 6
Day 5: 43rd Day of Sanctuary, 3866
When we arrived, Mero was at the head table talking to the big guy I had noticed the night before. He was taller than Mero and had to be almost seven feet. He was broad-shouldered and bulkier than Dantalion. His hair was black with a widow's peak and pulled back in a queue. As Dantalion carried me closer, I saw his eyes were the red and gold of molten lava. Mero was once again wearing his velvet tunic with the gold and teal embroidery across the shoulders. Looking at him as a possible husband, I had to admit he made my heart, and a few other things, flutter.
Mero's lips stretched in a warm smile and taking my hand, he said, "Geran, this is Kendra. I hope you will give us your approval."
"So this is the woman who's caught your attention. I was getting worried about you. I was looking at candidates for an arranged marriage. Were you waiting for a female warrior who could beat you?"
"No, although it doesn't hurt." He grinned puckishly at me.
"So, Dantalion, what's your part in this?"
"I'm part kinsman, part pack-beast." At Geran' raised eyebrow he added. "The healer wants her to stay off the ankle for a day or two."
"Are you kin?"
"Not technically, but we're both Nakairi, and I feel a certain familial sense. My dragon thinks of her as a sister."
Geran's expression was thoughtful. "Hm. So, Kendra, how do you feel about Mero?"
Remembering my bath time musings, I blushed. "I feel many things, my lord. I've never met anyone quite like him and I think that if he weren't in my life I would be less for it. Even if he makes me mad sometimes, it fe
els right." I paused for a moment trying to figure out how to explain it. This was embarrassing. Fighting was easier than talking about my feelings. It was one reason I worked better with men than with women. "I feel like he's mine. I can't stand the thought of either of us being with anyone else." Mero looked like I had just given him a gift he hadn't expected.
"You realize that outside of political contract marriages, dragonlords mate for life? Do you think you can tolerate him for that long? He's quite arrogant and manipulative you know."
Which matched my own analysis of Mero. "I'm not very good at being manipulated, it makes me angry. If he gets out of hand I'll just have to beat the snot out of him again."
Geran snickered. "I wish I had seen that. My men are in awe of you. No one has gotten Mero to yield since he was a stripling. So, Mero, what made you decide you had to marry her?"
With an oddly pleased, reflective smile, Mero said, "She bit me."
Geran' eyebrows lifted again. "She bit you?"
"Yup. She even drew blood. I'm sure she was trying to kill me too. It scared me. I was not entirely sure that yielding would stop her from breaking my neck."
Geran looked amused. "Ah… You have my approval then. Try not to kill each other."
Mero looked euphoric. "Thank you, my lord! Koris! A little help here. He said yes!"
At this, the entire household rose to their feet to cheer. I blushed in embarrassment and groaned. "What have I done? I've only been here five bloody days."
Dantalion had the nerve to chuckle. "They approve of you. You may not have been here long, but you make quite the impression."
Mero was leaning on Koris' shoulder as he limped to the table, listing arrangements that needed to be made. Meanwhile, he still had a firm grip on my hand and didn't show any signs of letting go soon. I muttered to Dantalion, "I'm missing something here. Why do I feel like I've been set up?"
"You can still say no."
"Why is the fact I bit him so damned important? This was the second time he mentioned it."
"Not sure. I suspect it has something to do with the dragon side of things. You can always check with Geran. He would know."
"And you wouldn't?"
"Didn't know I was one until a few years ago. Got pushed off a cliff during a fight and sprouted wings." He set me in my seat and sat down next to me. "Now I think about it, you might be dragonish yourself. Ever feel that something else takes over in a fight or when your life is in danger? Something that never happened until you got here?"
"Kind of. I've been calling it my inner demon. It showed up a little in my old world too though. Since I arrived here, it's been much more active and it even has opinions of its own now. It's a cold vicious beast when it's angry. I had never been in a life or death fight before so I just thought it was the adrenaline."
"Maybe it is… and maybe not. Dragon souls do tend to be cold, calm, and vicious when threatened. And remember when I said it comes with greater strength and speed? You kept up with Mero in that fight. He didn't seem to have any advantage and he wasn't holding back. One other item… When I said my dragon recognized you as a sister, I wasn't kidding. So is it Kendra the woman, or Kendra the dragon that it recognizes?"
"Huh. So how do we tell for sure?"
"Well, I could always toss you over a cliff and see if you sprout wings."
"No! There are better ways to tell," Mero interjected. "But not until we've both healed up a little." He kissed the hand he still held. "You would make a beautiful dragon. We'll hold the wedding after the Darthan ambassador's reception so the servants have a little time to prepare and the seamstress has time to make a proper gown for it. She'll be by tomorrow for any final changes to the gown you're wearing tomorrow night. You can give her specifics then." He grinned. "Unfortunately, we must allow the court to attend. So we have to follow the forms."
"The court?" My eyes skated over the other tables around us.
"You didn't think that we," his hand waved to include the entire dining hall, "were the entire court, do you? This is just the dragonlords and their households. The nobles have their own quarters and dining facilities. Geran refuses to eat with them because he hates the fanfare and protocol they insist on when he does."
"To be honest, I hadn't even thought about it."
"You'll see at the reception."
"I don't suppose I could have my hand back sometime soon? It's making it hard to eat."
He grinned. "Soon. I promise."
I turned to Dantalion. "He's up to something."
"It does look that way. Here." He smeared some soft cheese onto a slice of bread and held it out.
"Thank you." I munched on the bread and then had a few grape-like fruits. Five minutes later, I was wondering when this proverbial 'soon' would occur. Dantalion had continued to serve as an extra hand where needed but it was getting annoying. Mero just kept grinning and refused to let go.
I had picked up a fork and was about to get violent when Koris returned with a box. I hadn't even noticed that he was gone. He opened the box and presented it to Mero. Inside was an ornate jeweled bracelet of pigeon's blood garnets and emeralds. The entire table went quiet and turned their attention to Mero.
He took the bracelet and turned towards me. "Kendra, you are my choice. I would share my soul and my life with you alone. I give you this bracelet as a promise of what will be. A promise of the bond we will share." He then clasped the bracelet around my wrist, leaned close, and kissed me.
The kiss was sweet and soft but far from chaste or hesitant. It made my heart pound and body flush and I barely heard when the table erupted in cheers once more. Mero leaned his forehead against mine and whispered so I almost couldn't hear it, "Mine." Then kissed my hand again and said, "I promise you on my honor, I will do everything in my power to make you happy."
The atmosphere over the rest of dinner was more like a party, spilling over to the other tables. Liquor was poured and drunk. The servants even brought in little cakes originally made for the court dining hall but redirected by the kitchen staff at the news.
Through it all, Mero would reach out to touch my hand or arm, brush my cheek, or pet my hair. It was both distracting and disconcerting. I couldn't help wondering how much of this was for show and I hated that possibility.
That crush I had on him? Totally out of control now. Hoo boy.
Dinner lasted far longer than it had the previous night. When it was over, Mero, Dantalion, and I adjourned to a smaller gathering room with doors out to a terrace. Geran was already there with a few others that had the hallmarks of being dragonlords. I made note of faces and the colors of their clothing just in case.
Geran waved us over. He took my hand and examined the bracelet. He peered at Mero. "Your grandmother's promise bracelet, not your mother's? I wasn't aware you had a promise bracelet here."
"I've been keeping it in the vault. Mother's may be more valuable, but it's all pinks and yellows. It wouldn't have suited Kendra at all. Besides, I think it's ugly. I like this one much better."
Geran gave a small smile. "So, Lady Kendra, how are you feeling? I expect you're sore from today's efforts."
"Oh yes. Zaki's tea helps, but I wish it helped a little more… I'll need him to check my bite. It's already acting infected."
"I thought you bit Mero."
"I did, then he bit me back. And cracked a couple ribs."
Geran blinked then asked, "I assume you play Hamsat?"
I grinned and Mero chuckled and nodded.
He led the way to a table to one side and Dantalion set me in a chair. Geran took his place opposite and motioned me to go first. We played silently with Dantalion and Mero watching intently. The other dragonlords drifted over in time to watch. I won the first game and soundly lost the second. The third was declared a draw when I ran out of stones with no clear winner.
Geran had a feral joy on his face. "Finally! Another decent opponent! Mero and Dantalion are good, but you're a tiny bit better. Excellent! If I had known, I wou
ld have claimed you for my household before you arrived in the capital. So when is the wedding?"
Mero, who had taken up station behind me during play, answered, "We're waiting a few weeks…"
Geran leveled a disapproving glare at Mero. "No. You'll have it next week before the New Life Festival. If you wait a few weeks, I won't be in the capital. I need to make the tour of my lands before the spring rains hit and make sure everything is ready for the new season. A week should give enough time for preparations. You may call on me if you need. Lady Kendra, don't let this troublemaker override your wishes. Make him give you the wedding you want."
"I've already promised her I would make her happy, isn't that enough for you?"
"You are a manipulative bastard, Mero. It makes you very good at your job, but it also has the potential of making you a bad husband. I don't want Kendra to wake up one day and realize that you had convinced her that the sky was green just because it was to your benefit, not hers."
Mero was silent at this, his expression troubled. I wondered just how solid plans were at this point because Geran was right. Mero's plans resembled those accusations too much for my comfort. "I would never hurt her like that. She means too much to me."
Geran's face was unreadable, but he wasn't smiling. "Good. Now get your chosen back to her room, she looks tired. We'll talk more tomorrow."
It was a clear dismissal and left little room for argument. We made our way out, Koris once again acting as Mero's helper and Dantalion as my pack mule. We were on the stairs between the second and third floors before Dantalion broke the silence. "He thinks you're taking advantage of Kendra's feelings for you. It argues that she's a better actor than you are Mero."
Mero's smile was tired and a little sad. "No, just that he knows me very well indeed. He knows that I know that he and the Emperor have been considering an arranged marriage. He also knows I would hate that with a passion. I hate people telling me what to do in my private life. I'd marry a servant girl or a whore to get away from it just to prove my point, except that I wouldn't inflict me on an innocent. Kendra is strong enough to stand up for herself. Besides, I do like her. A lot."
