"Shhh... Rest," he said, laying her down gently and seating himself on the floor next to her, agitation still evident in his eyes and body language.
He lowered his voice still further, conscious that the room was filled with eyes and ears, in particular, those of the Onoatiga, that he did not have the luxury of sending out during this unsettled time.
"Ria, I think I should just call off the marriage to Venna," he whispered. "It's proving far too dangerous. For her, and myself, but mostly for you."
Ria wondered at his words. Royals were held in high regard in these galaxies, almost like gods and, although the attack on her, as an ambassador, had been very real, the marauders would never seriously consider attacking a visiting royal from another galaxy, even if they were against his marriage to their precious princess. The consequences were too dire.
An ambassador's death, her death, would be considered collateral damage in the annals of Hautian history, and Xagrun, as a king, had no need to concern himself with her safety. And yet, that seemed to be his greatest concern at the moment.
She looked queryingly into his golden eyes, flashing with agitation and filled with, what she was surprised to see, was deep concern.
"Perhaps I should seek another bride," he continued, searching her eyes. "One with fewer political entanglements. Perhaps someone from my own planet, or better still, my own harem. Someone who has already been gifted to me. Don't you think, Ambassador, that would be a better plan?"
It tickled Ria that he had suddenly reverted to addressing her with her official title.
"I don't know, Highness," she played along, also aware of the eyes and ears all around them. "Is there any concubine in your harem who would be able to fulfil such a demanding office? Who possesses the diplomacy, self-containment, loyalty, composure, sacrificial heart and such things that you would need in a royal wife?"
As she described Venna to a T, Ria wondered if perhaps she should convince him to just push through with this marriage. She intuitively knew that he would listen to her. She would marry him off to her and would plan her escape for soon after the wedding, before the Dragonesque equivalent of the honeymoon was over, and the Hautian citizens would eventually come to love him, just as...
Ria arrested her thoughts, shocked at what she was thinking. Just as I have, she finished the sentence in her head with a sense of awe. Just then his furtive whisper came again to her ears. He had been pondering her question while her mind wandered.
"You make a very good point, Ambassador Ria. Perhaps if such a concubine already held a position of office in my cabinet, she would be considered worthy by my loyal subjects?"
Ria didn't need to rack her brains very hard to think of which concubines in the Dragon King's harem also filled an official capacity in his cabinet. She looked at him, her heart feeling like it was going to explode. Then another thought struck her, "But doesn't Dragonesque law state that the king must marry blood royalty?"
"Cursed laws!" Xagrun hissed. "I'm a prisoner of my own station of power!"
The hopelessness of it all and everything that had happened in the last few weeks descended on Ria in an overwhelming implosion and she knew she had to tell him about her seeing Venna's face.
"Can we speak in private?" her voice quivered more than she wanted it to. Without replying, he hoisted her up again and carried her through to the bedroom and seated her on his bed. With some knowing looks, and leering smirks, the guards who were there departed and closed the door behind them.
"Something really bad happened just now," she began.
"Well, yes, you were almost killed," Xagrun looked confused.
"Besides that."
He waited patiently for her to elaborate.
"When we were scrambling to get into the secret shelter, Venna's veil was ripped off and I saw her face."
Xagrun stared at her, uncomprehending.
"It wasn't on purpose, I was trying to find a way out for us, with the mob in the room. They were looking for us in there. They knew there should be a secret hideaway or passage or something and I switched on my bracelets flashlight..."
"Shhhh..." he took her face in his hands. "If anyone so much as lays a finger on you, they will have to deal with me," he said emphatically.
"Xagrun, be sensible! The Hautians won't tolerate your meddling with sacred, ancient customs. You know that better than I do! The whole courtship process will go to blazes if you do something crazy like that!"
"I will speak to the princess, then." He sat down heavily beside her on the bed.
"You can't, you're not supposed to see her yet, remember?"
"I can't have them doing that to you, Ria! I won't have it! There has to be a way around it!"
"Maybe she won't say anything."
"Did you ask her not to?"
"There wasn't time..."
"If anyone, but anyone, tries to harm you, I'll, I'll..."
Ria buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "I know," she said softly, as he encircled her with his warmth and his strength. Nothing seemed to matter anymore except the two of them, holding each other. She lifted her face to his.
Now would be a good time for that practical lesson in how to love a princess, Ria thought, and suddenly the idea didn't seem so much like a chore after all.
Xagrun must have noticed something in her eyes. He drew her in a little closer; held her a little tighter; his scales began to glow a little brighter. And then he did the unthinkable.
Cradling her head gently in one of his powerful hands, the other supporting her firmly on her back, he leaned in and closed his eyes as his mouth found hers. He had never kissed her before, and although he seemed a little unsure of himself, Ria had never tasted such tender passion in a kiss, even from Brian.
She responded, feeling herself melt into him like honey in a warm croissant fresh from the oven. She felt all the doubt and resentment seeping from her pores and evaporating in the warmth of his caring and ardour.
For the first time, she felt like he wasn't just taking from her, but he was pouring into her, making her feel like a flower in the rain. There was no animalistic drive behind his attentions, only an all-encompassing adoration.
He hardly needed a lesson. It was like a switch had been flipped. She drank him in, her senses gorged with overwhelming joy. Then he pulled away, lifting her chin with one hand and staring deeply into her eyes.
"You should get some rest. I will make sure there are enough guards posted around your room."
Ria wanted to protest, but he was taking as much charge of this situation as he had in any of their trysts, only this time her wellbeing was his first priority. He lifted her up in his arms again and she nestled against him, thinking how he was steadily making it nigh impossible for her to leave.
He carried her all the way to her chambers, to the surprise of both the creepy Onoatiga and the gutter-minded guards, Ria noticed with a glimmer of satisfaction. Gently laying her on her bed, he kissed her forehead and covered her with a blanket draped over the end of the bed.
"I shall have the evening meal brought to your room later. Sleep."
It was almost a command. She didn't want him to leave. But almost as soon as he did, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Chapter 11: Face to Face
Ria woke to the sound of her door opening and then closing behind softly treading feet. Who would come into her chambers in the Hautian palace without announcing themselves?
She lay dead still, pretending to still be asleep and waited to see what would happen next. Strong, beautiful hands covered with golden scales gingerly, and somewhat clumsily, settled a tray down on her nightstand.
He was in her room? Was there no end to the protocols he was ignoring? Ria sat up, suddenly wide awake. He stood with his back to her, slowly drawing the curtains to reveal the palace gardens basking in the silvery morning light. The guards on her balcony were gone.
"Xagrun? Are you meant to be in my room at this hour?" She
didn't want to sound preachy, but suddenly she wanted to make sure that he was seen in the best possible light by all he came into contact with.
He kept staring out at the lush flora and manicured lawns with his back to her. "You know, Ria, I realise there are so many things about being a royal that I actually find immensely tiring."
She had no idea how it felt to be a princess, let alone a king, especially in his kingdom. She watched him, not knowing what to say. Turning back towards her, his face showed that he hadn't slept well. She watched his haggard features closely as he came to sit down on the edge of her bed.
"I always just took them for granted as being part of my life and my duty, a necessary thing. Then you fell out of the sky, literally, and into my harem, and nothing has been the same since. You have turned my world upside down, Ria Gallagher. I have begun to question things I would normally merely tolerate, just because they have always been that way. Now I scarcely know why I never asked that one simple question you ask so often: Why?"
He looked at her, his face earnest. "Do you see how you are keeping me out of my sleep?"
"I'm so sorry, Highness." Ria fidgeted with the bed covers.
"Don't be! You can only be yourself, and you have no control over the effect you have on others. Now, eat up your breakfast, Ambassador, you have an appointment with the princess, soon, yes?" His voice was suddenly light and playful. Ria's mind reeled, she could hardly keep up with his meteoric metamorphosis.
"I do, yes, thank you." She smiled as he stood and placed the tray on her lap, kissing her on her forehead as he did so. "But what is this?"
"Jinny wafers and Tin Roof ice-cream. It might not taste the same as what you're used to since Earth food is not quite the same as Hautian, but I hope you like it."
Ria had no words. How had he managed it? She watched him mutely as he left, wearing what she could have sworn was a look of triumph. The ice-cream tasted awful, but the wafers were delicious, and she finished every last crumb before getting ready for the day, her heart feeling familiarly light and airy, and not merely because she had just indulged in ice-cream for breakfast.
She even forgot to put in her earplugs and realised later that the morning cacophony hadn't bothered her at all. She didn't realise it, but she had even forgotten the fact that she might be involuntarily sacrificing her eyes to Hautian culture in the very near future.
"The princess is ready for you, Ambassador Ria." Vorda's cordial tones came through the intercom above her door not much later.
Dressed and ready, Ria went to the door and joined Venna's aide as she descended the stairs to a different room than usual. It was a royal reception lounge adjacent to the study where Venna and Ria had had such a close shave with death and kidnapping.
Ria was glad that she didn't have to see the inside of those four walls again so soon after the incident. This time there were guards present as well as Vorda. These people knew how to make a dignitary feel safe. Venna rose as Ria entered.
"Dear Ambassador, I don't know how to thank you for your quick-thinking action two days ago!" she gushed, embracing Ria and completely ignoring all the customary greeting rites. Ria saw Vorda watching them, with what would have been raised eyebrows, if she had had any, but she refrained from correcting the princess.
Venna stepped back and looked Ria up and down, peering awkwardly through the visor in her veil. "Are you okay? It was a horrible shock for me, and I didn't even take any responsibility on myself." She pulled her into her embrace again, "You are such a rock, Ria!"
"I'm glad I could help, Princess. I was lucky to have this bracelet."
"Oh, please call me Venna! After sharing such a life and death situation, I think you have become more than just a diplomatic acquaintance!" Ria could hear the smile in Venna's voice. "Vorda," the princess addressed her aide, "Please bring me the certificate."
Vorda respectfully obliged and Venna presented it with a flourish to Ria. "This is the best way I could find to thank you," she said, her hidden smile still brightening her voice. Ria looked at the gilt, ornately inscribed sheet of card.
"Ambassador Ria Gallagher, a dignitary in the cabinet of King Xagrun of Dragona, is hereby officially confirmed as an adopted member of the Hautian Extended Royal Family. Signed by His Royal Majesty, King Holdort of Haut, on this 13th day of the month of Iglin, 29074."
"Oh!" Ria said, feeling a little out of her depth, "I don't know what to say." It seemed too great an honour for what she had done. After all, she had had an overwhelming incentive to save her own hide more than Venna's, who would have probably only been kidnapped for a short while and fairly well treated.
"Vorda?"
"Yes, your Highness?"
"Are the pastries and hot drinks served?"
"Yes, your Highness," Vorda wheeled a trolley closer, filled with delicious looking confectioneries.
"You and I, dear Ambassador, are going to have a private party to celebrate!"
On cue, Vorda signalled to the guards to leave and then bowed slightly as she exited the room, pulling the ornate double doors closed behind her.
"Venna, I don't understand? What does all this mean?" Ria asked, holding up the certificate with her name so beautifully emblazoned across it.
Venna replied by silently taking the end of her veil and pulling it up, off her face and flinging it happily onto the nearest couch. Ria looked down. Was the princess going to remove her eyeballs now? That seemed a little too barbaric for this culture, and Venna confirmed Ria's thoughts with her familiar silver giggle. "This certificate gives you the right to be able to freely look upon my features as part of my family."
She moved closer and took Ria's hand, before whispering into her ear, "And nobody needs to know today is not the first time you have seen my royal mug!" She drew away laughing. "Come! We must not let these delicious hot drinks cool. Lukewarm pochina is just the worst, don't you agree?"
Ria was flabbergasted. "But how? So quickly! This is an honour that goes beyond..."
"Oh, come now, my Earthling friend, don't be so pedantic! Come celebrate with me, and let's forget you're an ambassador and I'm a princess, just for the afternoon, eh?"
Ria looked at her, and it dawned on her that King Xagrun was not the only one tiring of the pomp and starched collar life of being a royal. The achingly beautiful alien in front of her was starved for the companionship of a female peer. And to be honest, so was Ria.
She smiled, mentally tossing her diplomatic persona aside and settling comfortably back into her own skin. She plopped herself down on the couch next to Venna and allowed her to introduce her new BFF to the mouth-watering delicacies on the trolley.
After a copious helping of silliness and girly giggling, which was actually quite unfamiliar to Ria, Venna suddenly sobered up, leaning back on the couch, her doe eyes following the ornate carved patterns on the marble ceiling.
"You know, Ria," her voice was a little dark, "to be very honest with you, I'm terrified of marrying the Dragon King."
Ria looked at her, never having been too good at the deep, girl talk thing, since she was such a Star Wars lover and tech geek. She waited, hoping Venna wasn't looking to her for advice.
"I've heard our people talk about the people of Dragona, and I've seen some of the dragon shape-shifters from there. They scare me."
"Well, it'll be different when you actually meet him," Ria offered, at the same time remembering her first sight of the king in the great hall, as Collector Hargoid's trophy find.
"I guess," Venna sighed, "He just looks so frightening on the publicity images I've seen."
"Oh, don't worry, those are exactly that, publicity images, not really a good representation of who he is. And remember, he'll be putting his best foot forward when he's around you, especially in the beginning. He has to impress your father."
"Oh, my father doesn't need any impressing from him. He took one look at his DNA profile and said, 'Venna, my girl, I've found you a husband'," this last bit was delivered by Venna in an e
xaggeratedly low voice, mimicking the Hautian king.
Ria had to giggle at that. "Well, he is quite a specimen, but he also has a very secret soft side, that you may not tell anyone else about. I don't think he flaunts it publicly at all."
"Really?" Venna's eyes widened, "Oh, of course, you're one of..." she stopped, then reached out and took Ria's hand, crestfallen at her own insensitivity. "I'm sorry, Ria, I—"
"Not at all," Ria cut her off, smiling bravely at the beautiful girl. She couldn't help thinking that when Xagrun married this amazing woman, all of his concubines would have stiff competition for his attentions. She shuddered to think how dear old possessive, delusional Narsia would take it. Escaping right after the wedding suddenly seemed the best plan Ria had ever hatched.
Venna's voice brought her back from her reverie, "You love him, don't you?"
It was entirely unexpected. Was she that easy to see through? She felt herself blush. "I, well, I guess, I don't know... he, we..."
"You do love him?"
Venna squeezed Ria's hand that she was still holding and lifted it to her cheek. "Well, I guess he's not that scary then, hey?"
Ria decided against sharing her Stockholm syndrome theories with Venna. Besides, they seemed to be fading and showing all kinds of holes in their credibility.
"I'm not the only one in his harem who has formed an emotional attachment of some kind to him," she said instead. "But we are simply that: part of his harem. You are the one chosen to help him continue his great lineage and ensure that he has genetically superior heirs to his throne. What we concubines feel for him is really of no consequence in the bigger picture."
It helped her to speak in the plural, it somehow made the whole thing seem less personal. She didn't want to tell Venna that she had fallen in love with Xagrun's little quirks and idiosyncrasies more than his overawing power. Most of all, she needed to distance her heart from the situation.
Gifted To The Dragon King Page 11
