by Emma Dean
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Royal Guard of Draga
a Draga Court Prequel Novella
Emma Dean
Jillian Ashe
ROYAL GUARD OF DRAGA
THE DRAGA COURT SERIES
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Copyright © 2017 by Jillian Ashe as Emma Dean
ASIN: B0711WFPQP
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, locations, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Dedicated to my ‘sister’ Nikki Dean,
who pushed me to do something different.
Without you this series wouldn’t exist.
Contents
Foreword
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Do You Like to Be Teased?
Princess of Draga
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Also by Emma Dean
About the Author
This book is written to be read as a standalone.
You will not need to have read any of the series prior to this book to understand and enjoy the content.
This novella is a prequel story in the Draga Court series and is not the first book. The first book in the series, Princess of Draga comes next in the time-line.
The Draga Court Series:
Royal Guard of Draga
Princess of Draga
Crown of Draga (Jan 2018)
Heir of Draga
Chapter One
The Pedranus Castle
Planet Pedranus
“Princess,” her royal guard said quietly, his arm rose to escort her down the steps of the elegant starship. His husky voice washed pleasantly over her and she placed her left hand over his right fist. He walked on her left and slightly behind. Alpha deferred to her higher rank despite his more dominant genetic makeup.
As they walked carefully over the slick stones – wet from the never-ending rain, she caught his dark orange blossom scent on the air. Alpha’s more dominant scent tantalized her. He grinned when he caught her looking at him. Adelina blushed. She tucked a piece of her blacker-than-night hair behind her ear to try and disguise her reaction.
The smell of the rich soil of the planet Pedranus barely covered the fragrance of orange blossom. Adelina breathed it in with pleasure. The gray skies and the sweet rain a stark contrast to her home planet, Draga. Alpha whipped out an umbrella, activating it and holding it aloft before they walked out from under the cover of the port wing. Adelina’s spidersilk gown rustled ever so slightly in the chilly wind and she shivered imperceptibly.
“Shall I get your coat, Princess?” Alpha asked.
Of course he had noticed, Adelina thought as she gave him a sidelong glance, her gaze caught on her guard’s square jaw and full lips. They’d been childhood friends, but Alpha had grown into a delicious example of a male. “Thank you Alpha, but no. I will be fine until we reach the Pedranus seat.” It wasn’t a lie, but Adelina also didn’t want to bring unnecessary attention to herself.
As a natural submissive she was below every single one of her five siblings. There wasn’t a Draga born as submissive as she for as far back as the records went – back to the time of the ancient humans. Before the genetic alterations scientists had added to the human genetics for survival, there had been no such thing as dominance and submission in the same way she knew it to be. Adelina couldn’t imagine not knowing her place in society, or where she stood with those around her.
How one was born was reflected in their personal, natural scent. It broadcasted their abilities to everyone around them and created a safe environment where those who were dominant protected those who served. She always knew who to defer to and how to act thanks to protocol. As a royal she should have been more dominant. The royal genes were programed centuries before to always present as dominant as a way to protect the people.
Never before had a Draga royal smelled of jasmine – the sweetest of them all.
Adelina looked through her lashes at the welcome prepared for her family. The countess stood out from the rest of her household. The old man directly behind her must be the infamous steward of Pedranus. The servants lined up and smiled at the royal family as they approached.
As dictated by protocol the king and queen preceded them, followed by Raena, Giselle, and then Adelina the third-born. Her father escorted her mother as Alpha did her, but as his rank was higher he walked on her right. Even her mother who was not born a royal was still more dominant than Adelina, if not by much. Her mother always smelled of lilacs which could darken or sweeten depending on her mood. Adelina did not mind being the most submissive and as the third-born princess of Draga she would never rule. The Draga galaxy was a peaceful and prosperous kingdom of nine planets ruled by eight noble families, but Raena would one day rule them all, not her.
Her father and mother stopped in front of Countess Joslynn and the young woman smiled, dropping into the proper curtsey. The servants followed her example, bowing and curtseying as per their station. Adelina watched the countess and the level of her dip with a sharp eye despite keeping her head down.
Joslynn rose from her curtsey and her father respectfully gave the countess the traditional kiss of greeting. The king then moved on to the steward who gave him directions. Servants finally rose once the orders from the steward had been given. They descended upon the luggage in the starship like a well-oiled machine. Adelina missed nothing as she surreptitiously watched them interact with the royal guards and servants. Countess Joslynn ran a tight, respectful household.
After her mother greeted the countess she went to the king who waited for her with his arm held out. Gracefully the queen took it, staying in the submissive position. Her mother smiled at her father and Adelina envied them. Despite an arranged union they had fallen madly in love over the cycles.
Raena greeted the countess next as their parents walked towards the huge stone castle with the steward. Raena brushed her lips against Joslynn’s and smiled as the woman dropped her gaze. Raena was more dominant than all of them. Adelina suspected even more so than their father, but she managed it well and never abused it.
The crown princess would be the perfect queen. Raena was kind, fair, and brilliant. Adelina knew Raena was tough when she had to be, but she always commanded respect and loyalty. Rarely did she have to use the power she so easily held and their people adored her for it.
Raena walked with her escort towards the castle and Giselle greeted Joslynn next. The second-born princess was stiff when she kissed the countess as protocol stated. Giselle was the strong one. Not as dominant as Raena or even their brother Asher, but she was a fierce warrior. The constant constraint of life as a royal grated on her very being and Adelina felt sorry for her. Giselle was strong and sure. She had studied the fighting arts since she was only a few cycles old. Adelina had always
admired her discipline. But the argument regarding allowing her into the forces or not was a tired one. Her will clashed with their parents more than all of them put together.
As Giselle was escorted towards the castle, Adelina dropped Alpha’s hand and stepped forward. The countess had fiery red hair and peridot eyes that held a vibrant inner fire. The princess placed her hands delicately on Joslynn’s forearms. Somehow she was even shorter than Adelina, but only by a small margin. Adelina bent slightly and pressed her lips gently against the countess’s. The scent of winterflowers seemed to surround her. Joslynn had soft lips, even softer than her skin. Adelina dropped her eyes once she stepped back, acknowledging the more dominant woman.
The reactions were bred into her. The genes so strong she couldn’t deny them. It was how the Ancients, the humans of old, wanted them to be. Part of the animalistic nature brought back in force, designed to create a wolf-like society. Adelina always wondered how terrible things must have gotten for them to create such a design.
Adelina could see Joslynn’s smile through her lashes. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess. Please take refreshments in the solar and I will be with you shortly.”
Adelina nodded and placed her hand over Alpha’s once again. He winked at her and Adelina blushed once more. She subtly glanced back to watch her brother Asher grip Joslynn’s arms a little too tight before he gave her the gentlest kiss she’d ever seen. Adelina frowned slightly, imperceptible to all but Alpha who eyed her warily. Her brother was a contradiction who caused nothing but conflict.
Asher was born a cycle after her and was the first male. The ancient patriarchal customs had been done away with centuries ago or he would have been the next king. His black hair always shone with cold silver like obsidian. His Draga eyes were such a dark purple they were nearly black. She had seen a few amethysts with that color but not many. His eyes were always cool and difficult to read, even for her. His spicy scent of the black rose always made her shiver. They were at completely opposite ends of the dominance spectrum and it made her a bit nervous to be alone with him. Adelina loved her brother, but he was intense and so much stronger than her in every way.
Behind Asher was the youngest, William. He was light where Asher was dark and made them all laugh; he could make them smile even when they were sad. William had the same black hair they all did but there was a shine to it, nearly purple in its warm darkness. His Draga eyes were a light purple like lilacs, a mirror to his scent.
Her last brother, Ian gave her a small wink and one corner of his mouth lifted slightly in a secret smile. Ian was beloved by them all, but he was only her half-brother. His father’s mistress, Elara, had birthed him the same month as Giselle. The dramatic claim the king had placed on Ian spread like fire across the galaxy. It was all the nobles would talk about for cycles. Ian was a legitimate Dragan heir, but came after William in the line of succession. There were mountains of contracts regarding Ian but they all doted on him, her mother included.
Alpha stopped at the double doors to the castle. The Pedranus servants held them open wide. Her guard bowed over her hand and gave her knuckles a sweet kiss that was not dictated by protocol. Adelina smiled and murmured her thanks as she clasped her hands in front of her demurely. She could hear Alpha join the others in the royal guard around the starship. As she entered the castle the whisper of spidersilk seemed to echo as she made her way through the arching stone hallway a few paces after Giselle, muted only slightly by the rain.
Her submissive nature made Adelina practically invisible and she used it to her advantage. Used to viewing the world through her lashes she swept the hall, noting the doors and the servants. She saw furiously whispered conversations as two maids argued over who would bring the queen her tea before a third came and overruled them both.
The windows to her left were tall and wide, set into arches allowing the maximum amount of light. It was still dreary compared to Draga. The sun was a constant presence on her home planet and already she missed it. A few more weeks and she would bask in the Kala sun.
Through the arches of plas-glass Adelina could see the royal starship in the distance and the rolling green fields before it. The roses before the stone castle were vibrant and dark in their red. The black roses – the sacred rosanera only grew on Draga no matter how many tried to raise them on their own planets.
Voices rose as she grew closer to the solar. Adelina paused before the large wooden doors to admire the carvings of the gods and goddesses. She traced the detailed and beautiful carving of Rakolto, the god of the harvest and the seasons. Yes, Pedranus being so fertile would favor him.
With a wave of her hand over the small standing pad the doors swung inward. Adelina clasped her hands in front of her and kept her eyes down as far as she could while still sweeping a quick, probing look over the solar. Her father was absent and her mother already had her tea. The servants had secret passages then to arrive before her.
Raena was served as Adelina selected her chair in front of the expansive windows and she could see the guards form up for their exercise outside in the rain. She waited patiently as Giselle was served. Then her brothers slowly trickled in. They each chose a spot, separating into a group of males naturally. When Joslynn entered she smiled politely and sat near the queen.
The time seemed to drag on and Adelina wondered what had happened to their father. She glanced at Raena and she shook her head slightly as she sipped at her tea. Adelina might have missed it if she didn’t know her so well. She kept herself from frowning, but worry gnawed at her. The king had been so tired and they were only halfway through their tour. Anyone could see the exhaustion on his face. Sickness was rare, but it did happen and all the signs were there.
Adelina murmured her thanks to the maid as she handed over a cup with fine precision. She sipped her own tea and enjoyed the warmth of the drink against the chill of Pedranus. She allowed her mind to wander and she looked out the window as her mother started a benign conversation.
Every two cycles the royal family took a tour of the galaxy. They had started in the outer rim. The cramped spaces and limited supplies made the people seem desperate. Adelina hated how neglected she felt the people were. The ninth planet, Seprilles, had an uninhabitable surface despite attempts to terraform. They mined metals and asteroids, but their main export was soldiers. She knew they received shipments in exchange for being an outpost for the Dragan Army, but it didn’t seem like they were getting there in a reasonable amount of time. Someone was shorting the people of Seprilles and Adelina had made a note to talk with Raena about it once they were home.
Alpha stripped to the waist outside with the other guards and instantly snagged Adelina’s wandering attention. She watched the way he moved, how the rain dripped down the muscles of his chest. She wished he would train with a shirt. He was temptation enough with clothes on. Alpha moved through his katas like a fish through water. He was graceful, beautiful, and deadly all at once.
Her guard was her closest companion. She confided in Alpha and they’d grown up in the palace together long before he’d ever been her guard. This cycle she would come of age, and it felt as though he’d grown more distant the closer the day came. Adelina wondered if it was because he knew he would have to take her to the House of Kismet. Not everyone could afford the training, but it made Adelina all the more valuable if she knew the bedroom arts; the camerraleto.
The wind ruffled his blond hair and he glanced back at the castle. His eyes were as blue as the ocean and they met her amethyst ones without hesitation. He was not the same awkward boy he used to be. His training had changed him and she liked the man he’d become. Alpha was reliable, trustworthy, and strong. He made her feel safe and no one else could perform that duty better.
Adelina took another sip of her bergamot tea and contemplated how things had changed between them over the cycles. It had started as a young girl’s crush and each day it grew as they became closer. It wasn’t just Alpha’s muscles, his pretty eyes, or even
the way he protected her. It was their conversations each day. It was his constant presence. Occasionally there was the brief brush of skin on skin, but it was his duty to keep her safe as he always reminded her. He could not do that if she distracted him.
It pleased her she could distract him at all. The only time she could get him to relax even a little was when he was her dance partner. Adelina tapped her fingernail on the rim of her cup. She would gladly have given Alpha her virginity years ago, but he refused to touch her more than a friend would be allowed. It aggravated her to no end. She simply had to find the right moment to clearly state her feelings because her little hints were not working.
The queen laughed and Giselle gave Adelina a look as if to say, ‘Please save me from this nonsense.’ Her sister touched her hand and Adelina lifted her eyes to meet her violet ones. Giselle raised a brow. Adelina shrugged one shoulder so minutely it was invisible to all but her sister. The two of them had plenty of practice hiding their silent conversations from their mother and grandmother. Her feelings for her guard were a closely held secret, but Giselle had known from day one.
Adelina looked around the room at her family. No one acknowledged the king’s absence which Adelina felt was strange and the steward still hadn’t reappeared.
“Will you be coming to Adelina’s coming-of-age party?” Raena asked the young countess, instantly bringing Adelina’s attention back to the conversation. Her sister delicately tucked her raven-black hair behind her ear and glanced at Adelina with a smile. All Draga royals were born with purple eyes, but the shades varied depending on their personality. Raena was extremely dominant and her aubergine eyes reflected that spice she had.
