Liana woke up with a sharp pain in her head. As she regained her consciousness, she realised that she was in a dark, damp room. Her hands and feet were bound with thick chains, and a cloth was tightly tied around her mouth, muffling any sounds she tried to make. Panic set in as she struggled to free herself, but the chains held her in place.
Then faint memories came drifting back as the pain in her head started to intensify. The dragon... The lady.... Everything started to comeback and they came back with their familiarity factor getting stronger in her head.
" Agrrrrh! "
Liana shrieked as the spot in her head that was throbbing, exploded with pain, but the cloth that gagged her, muffled the sound of her voice once again.
Liana had to close her eyes shut, to restrain the Palin's effect. Then slowly she opened her eye lids again. It took a little time to adjust her sight to her surrounding.
She couldn't see anybody around her, but she could feel the presence of someone watching her, waiting in the shadows. The place was quiet, except for the sound of her ragged breathing and the chains clinking against each other.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching, and her heart started racing with fear. She strained to see through the darkness but couldn't make out anything. The footsteps stopped, and she heard a faint whisper, sending shivers down her spine. She tried to scream, but the cloth did it's job at constraining her again.
A figure emerged from the shadows, and Liana could barely make out the silhouette of a tall, muscular figure. He was wearing a mask, concealing his face, and a black hoodie, making him look even more menacing. He approached her, and she recoiled in fear, trying to inch away.
But he grabbed her by the hair, pulling her closer to him, and she could smell the scent of sweat and leather. He spoke, and his voice was cold and emotionless. "You're mine now. You belong to me."
Liana thought she knew the voice. It was a very, very, very familiar sound but nothing was adding up so she could not come up with a concrete conclusion.
Her apparent captor, circled around Liana in slow motion as his finger traced her cleavage, her collar bones and the backnof her neck .
She knew that touch. She knew how it made her feel. But she could not remember from where.
" Just a little longer... Just a little bit more..."
He whispered, his voice full of malice and hatred.
Liana tried to resist, but he was too strong, and she was too weak from the shock and fear. He tied her hand up and feet tighter, so much so that the chains cut into her skin. She felt a sharp pain, and tears well up in her eyes.
Her captor disappeared again into the shadows, and Liana was left alone, trembling with fear and confusion. She didn't know why she had been kidnapped or what the captor wanted from her.Did she know him? Why did his touch seem so so familiar?
But her logical mind, reprimanded her and all she knew was that she was in grave danger and must find a way to escape.
The room was oppressive, and the air was thick with the scent of mildew and decay. She tried her luck at screaming again, but the cloth won the battle again. She was trapped, alone, and helpless, with ,possibly no hope of rescue.
Would Draco know that she was missing? Or would it be her mother? Ah! Her mother. She aught to have already come for her rescue. She was literally a gangsta. When would Draco realise that she was gone? That she hadn't even gone for the internship at all.
Talking about the internship, she remembered again the impossible circumstances under which she was taken a hostage and she had to shake her head to get the thoughts out.
It was giving her the headaches again.
As the hours passed, she realised that she aught to stay calm and focused.
She turned her attention towards the chains. Then began pulling them down after scanning them again. She was trying to find any weak points in the chains .Then she would look for the same in the room. She didn't know how long she would be held as a helpless captive, but she knew she must find a way to escape before it was too late.
There was a rapidly building panic in her heart. But the fear was not for herself.
******
Make her my queen
Master sat comfortably on his plush chair in his chamber, sipping a cup of hot medical tea as he awaited the arrival of his Draco. The drama previously,hadn't given him any opportunity to talk with Draco after he came back. There were urgent matters that needed discussion.He wasn't feeling very well lately but that was not a matter of concern. Master smiled to himself as he remembered the many years he and Draco had shared in the past, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as he waited for Draco's arrival.
As if on cue, the massive doors to the chamber swung open with a resounding boom, and Draco strode in, his scales gleaming in the warm light of the room. "Greetings, Master," Draco rumbled, his deep voice echoing throughout the chamber. "It is good to see you again." He said before sitting down.
Master rose from his chair, a grin spreading across his face as he greeted Draco with a bow. "It is always a pleasure to see you," he said warmly. "Please, have a seat and join me for some humble tea."
" Of course I will. I am literally starving. Have them bring more meat and some snacks. "
Draco lowered his massive frame onto a cushioned seat across from Master, and the two dragons began to catch up on everything as they sipped their tea. They talked about the affairs of their dragon realm, discussing everything from the latest hunting grounds to the breeding of new dragon hatchlings.
But soon, the conversation turned to more pressing matters. "I must confess, Master," Draco said gravely, "I am concerned about the war at our borders with the Hell Hounds. They seem to be growing bolder with each passing day, and their attacks are becoming more frequent.I know you wouldn't have had so much trouble with those brainless rebels had Raba and Calix been around. What is the latest news from them? Brief me up. "
Draco sat up with an intense stare.
Master nodded, his expression growing serious. "Yes, I have. I will let you know about the details," he replied. "But I am more concerned with the lack of wing strength in our ranks. If we were able to prolong our flights, I think it will become easier to subdue them my Lord." Master bowed.
" Why? What's the matter? Why can't we keep hovering further? "
Draco's voice was clearly restless.
" I am afraid my Lord, with the number of youths being sent to the borders to fight, we are left with no one that we can train in the trade of hunting, farming or animal husbandry. Our yields are becoming very limited and the quality of our food is swiftly falling. "
Draco fell dead silent for a while without any movement and the he shook his head vigorously.
" Indeed... Indeed. This was the reason why the rumours and gossips were quickly gaining popularity. It is easy to manipulate ones whose stomachs are half full. They indeed had their reasons to start speculating about my regime. Indeed, I am the one at fault. "
Master was stunned.
It was probably the first time in history that the infamous Dragon Lord had acknowledged that he was wrong. It was an achievement on another level.
He was lost for words when at that moment their food and refreshment arrived.
Draco watched the one serving them with precision.
" I thought there was a food scarcity that our lands have. What is this. This seems like a feast."
He uttered as the one serving began shaking with fear and the culteries kept falling from her hands.
Draco grabbed her hand. She looked like she could pass out in fear.
" Answer me, who prepared all this for us when the rest of my subjects fast? Do you think two people will be able to finish this? "
The dragon woman fell on the ground and began sobbing.
" I... I do not know my Lord... Th.. The chefs made the food and I am just serving... "
Poor thing was trembling head to toe.
" What did you have for lunch? "
Draco asked, complete out of place.
She looked very puzzled then thinking hard she answered, " Fruits my Lord. I had fruits form the Royal orchard...." And then she fell on Draco's feet, literally sobbing aloud,
" Please forgive me. I was so hungry. I should not have stolen the fruits. Please do not punish me my Lord. I am a widow. I have kids back at home. I swear on the divine law, I will never do such a thing again. "
Draco watched her for a few seconds and the held her arms and lifted her up.
" It's not that easy to forgive you, you know. Now sit on this. "
Draco asked her to sit on the extra chair.
She looked like Draco had asked her to eat poison. She hesitated and begged.
" SIT, I SAID! "
Draco's yell made her fall over eat.
Draco turned to their game of chess and picked a piece of meat and started mincing.
" Starting eating if you want to live. "
Draco instructed her with his side eyes.
She didn't need much coaxing as she seemed genuinely hungry. She gobbled down some meat and bread within the blink of an eyes.
Master watched in silence, bemused.
He was falling in love with this new side of Draco. He couldn't help himself from grinning and smiling.
When they were done eating, Draco ordered her to pack the rest of the food and take it back home for her kids.
She beamed with so much joy and couldn't stop kissing Draco's hand.
" Enough! Now get going before I change my mind. " Draco had to yell with his face that looked cold. It immediately sent her scurrying out.
Draco turned back with a smile at Master who was smilling too.
" It seems like my Draco has changed. The earth did you good my boy. With this attitude, it will get easier to deal with challenges at the border. "
Draco's eyes gleamed with determination as he spoke. "I have no doubt that we will prevail, Master," he said. "But we must be prepared for whatever they throw at us. We cannot afford to be caught off guard."
Master nodded in agreement. "You are right, as always," he said. "We must be vigilant and work on our attacks than focusing on the defense. But for now, let us put our worries aside and enjoy this game of chess."
Draco grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the light. "Ah, I see that your skills have not dulled with age, Master," he said as they set up the board. "This will be a challenge indeed."
The two of them,played their game of chess with the ease of old friends, bantering and teasing each other as they made their moves. As the game progressed, the tension of the earlier conversation faded into the background, and the dragons relaxed into the familiar rhythm of their game.
In the end, it was Master who emerged victorious, with a sly smile on his face as he declared checkmate. "Well played, Draco,today clearly wasn't your day," Master said, chuckling. "I suppose I will have to practice harder if I am to beat you next time.I think I am loosing my touch old man."
Master grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Old man, huh, Draco?You never seize to bring up our age difference" he replied.
Then while cracking his own knuckles, Draco suddenly declaired from nowhere,
" I need to come back here as soon as possible. I will try facing Liana when she seems a little more stable. She already is. Just a little more. Then I will prepare a grand feast for my entire nation when I take her in as my queen. "
The matter in which he declared that was very nonchalant but Master was taken aback when Draco announced his desire to marry a human. "What madness is this, Draco?" he exclaimed, his eyes flashing with confusion. "You cannot possibly think that this is acceptable. It goes against the very laws of the heavens!We all about your relationship but you cannot possibly make her our queen. "
Draco's expression darkened as he rose to his feet, his massive form towering over Master. "You dare to tell me what I can and cannot do, Master?" he growled, his eyes blazing with fury. "I am the dragon Lord, and I will not be dictated to by anyone, not even you when it comes to Liana. "
Master stood his ground, his face set in a stern expression. "You may be the dragon Lord, Draco, but you must abide by the laws of our realm," he said firmly. "The laws of the heavens cannot allow a human to become queen over dragons. It is an anomaly and completely unacceptable.You can keep her in your harem but she cannot sit on the throne."
Draco's anger only grew as he listened to Master's words. He was back to his old self very very unlike the softer version of him a few moments ago. "Unacceptable? What do you know of love, Master?" he spat. "You have lived for centuries and yet you have never known the touch of a mate. You cannot understand the depths of my feelings for Liana."
Master's eyes narrowed as he listened to Draco's words. "Do not presume to lecture me on matters of the heart, Draco," he said icily. "I may not have known the touch of a mate, but I know enough to tell when something is wrong. And what you are proposing is wrong.It will lead to your own downfall. I will never allow you to make such a foolish mistake."
Draco's eyes burnt with rage as he glared at Master. "I will not be told what to do by you or anyone else," he said through clenched teeth. "I love Liana, and I will make her my queen, whether you like it or not.I will deal with the consequences of the laws of heaven myself. It's none of anyone else's business."
With that, Draco turned on his heel and stormed out of the chamber, leaving Master standing alone in his wake. Master let out a long sigh, his mind whirling with thoughts and emotions. He knew that Draco was a proud and headstrong dragon and he knew about his feelings towards the human girls and respected that, but he never imagined that he would go so far as to defy the laws of the heavens for her sake.
As he pondered his next move, Master couldn't help but wonder what fate lay in store for Draco and Liana. Would their love be enough to overcome the laws of the heavens, or would it lead to their downfall? Only time could tell.