Draco finally took off, deciding to take a look at his kingdom because trying to rest was more torturous.
He was a fearsome sight as he flew above the bustling city, his wingspan casting a dark shadow over the streets below. Citizens quickly scurried away, some bowing in respect, others cowering in fear. Draco had made it known that any disobedience would be met with swift and merciless punishment, and the citizens knew better than to test his resolve.
He had always been ruthless but his temperament was fluid at the moment. Correction, it was volatile.
As he landed in the center of the city, Draco's ministers rushed to his side, offering their obeisance.
"Your Majesty," Minister Glimmer said, "we are honoured by your presence."
Draco acknowledged his ministers with a sharp nod before turning his attention to the unrest that had been brewing in the city , where a group of dragons had been protesting the harsh working conditions in the mines, and their unrest was beginning to spread to other areas of the city.His ministers were headed there to act as they were commanded but Draco was already there, before them.
"Take me to them," Draco ordered, his voice cold and commanding.
The ministers led Draco through the streets, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of rebellion. As they approached the protesters, Draco's expression hardened. The protesters fell silent, their eyes widening as they realised the Dragon Lord was before them.
Draco spoke with a steely tone. "You have been causing unrest in my city. You have been disrupting the peace and order that I have worked so hard to establish. I will not tolerate this behavior any longer."
The protesters began to murmur among themselves, but Draco silenced them with a snarl. "You will disperse immediately. If you do not, you will face the consequences.Whoever amongst you has any problem, they will come meet me in my court, face to face. The peace of these streets should be revered as sacred. "
The protesters hesitated for a moment, but when Draco's expression did not soften, they quickly scattered, fleeing from the wrath of the Dragon Lord.
As Draco turned to leave, his ministers showered him with praise. "Your Majesty, you have once again shown your power and might. The citizens of this city will think twice before challenging your authority again."
Draco acknowledged their praise with a small nod before taking off into the sky, his wings beating powerfully against the wind.
...
Draco finally had to return to his chamber, his fierce demeanor replaced with one of sadness and exhaustion. He had just put his Damian to bed, tucking him, under the blankets and watching as the little dragon closed his eyes.
As he sat beside Damian's bed, Draco felt a pang of guilt and regret.Draco still struggled with the pain of losing Liana,how was the little guy dealing with it. He had been so consumed with his duties as the Dragon Lord to aid his distraction, that he had neglected his son, leaving Damian to mourn his mother's death alone.
Draco leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Damian's forehead. "Sleep well, my little one," he whispered.
But as he turned to leave, Damian's small voice called out to him. "Can you sing me mommy's lullaby?"
Draco's heart constricted at the mention of Liana, but he sat back down beside Damian and began to sing the soft melody that Liana used to sing to Damian and Damian had taught him.
As he sang, Draco felt his own grief bubble to the surface again, tears streaming down his face as he thought of Liana and the life they could have had together. But he pushed his own pain aside and focused on his son, soothing Damian with the familiar tune.
After what felt like hours, Damian finally fell asleep, his small frame rising and falling in a peaceful slumber. Draco stayed by his side for a little while longer, watching over his son and feeling a sense of love and protectiveness wash over him.
Draco knew that he had a duty to his people as the Dragon Lord, but he also had a duty to his son. He vowed to himself that he would make more time for Damian and be there for him as a father should.
********
Draco's POV - Me and myself
I swore to be there for my son and my kingdom but for tonight, I was going to take time out for myself.
I retreated to my chamber, feeling numb and hollow. The ache in my chest was unbearable, and I thought that the only way to cope with the pain was to drink until I passed out.
I had not rested since I came around from my unconsciousness. I needed some rest. More like, I needed some moments of unconsciousness.
I ordered maids to bring me the finest liquors in the kingdom and settled in for a long night of mourning. As I took my first sip, memories of Liana flooded my mind. My plan kind of back fired but her pain was as sweet as her essence.
"Why did she have to leave me?" I asked myself, my voice slurring slightly. "I loved her with all my heart, and now she's gone."
I took another swig of the drink and continued to mull over my loss. "She was so beautiful and kind, with a heart of gold. I never thought I could love a human, but she proved me wrong."
My mind drifted back to the day I first laid eyes on Liana. I accidentally laughed. She was running from me, thinking,I was there to hurt Damian. I never knew I had to have her at that time.
But now, she was gone, and I was left with nothing but memories. I took another drink, trying to dull the pain. "I should have done more to protect her," I muttered to myself. "I should have kept her safe from harm."
The more I drank, the more my thoughts turned to what could have been. "We could have ruled this kingdom together, Liana and I," I slurred. "We could have had a life filled with love and happiness."
But that life was no longer possible, and I knew it. I took another drink, feeling the warm liquid spread through my body. "I will always love you, Liana," I whispered, knowing that my words would never reach her.
As the night wore on, I drank until I could no longer keep my eyes open. The pain of losing Liana was still there, but the alcohol had numbed it slightly.
As a dragon, I have a high tolerance for alcohol, and I quickly recovered from my drunken stupor. As I came to, I realised that I had drunk up all the bottles and emptied the jars that my servants had brought in.
I looked around my chamber, feeling a sense of emptiness. The pain of losing Liana was still there, and the alcohol had only numbed it for a brief moment. I knew that I needed to find a way to move on.
As I sat in my chamber, feeling the emptiness of losing Liana, I realized that I needed to find a way to cope with the pain. That's when I remembered something.
I hurried inside and damaged through the closets. I was looking for something, I had not looked for or touched, in ages.
I pulled out the dusty instruments from the back of my closet, feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over me. I chose a middle sized piece of marble and began to carve.
Yes, carving. I always loved carving things when I was little. I remembered, Kiara used to watch me from the behind whenever I sat there carving. I once made a figurine for her. She was the only one who encouraged me with that.
I had to wrap it all up and shove it inside myselves after being caught by my father once. Be despised wasting time when I could better utilise my time training in the fighting grounds.
That was the last time I had seen these instruments while putting them away. I had completely forgotten about these while ruling over as the king.
Guess, it was the best time to bring them in use.
At first, my movements were hesitant and uncertain, as it had been so long since I had carved anything. But as I got into the rhythm of it, I found myself becoming more engrossed in the job. The sound of the chisel against the marble became a soothing rhythm, and I felt my mind clearing.
Step by step, I chipped away at the stone, each strike of the chisel bringing me closer to my vision. It was a slow and painstaking process, but I found that I enjoyed the challenge. I had forgotten how much I loved the feeling of bringing something beautiful into existence with my own hands.
As I worked, I found that my thoughts were no longer consumed with Liana's loss. Instead, I was focused solely on the task of bringing her image to life. It was a welcome distraction from the pain that had been weighing me down.