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Prologue
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2022-12-08 15:42:17I turned around and dashed for the crowd. Trying to run in chains wasn't in the very least comfortable. I fell a couple of times before I reached the edge of the dais but strong arms caught me. I wrestled and shook uncontrollably but they didn't let me go. They would definitely burn me alive now. I gazed at the people and my eyes caught sight of something --someone. I went wholly still. Orien! He came like he said he would. He was wearing a black hood and I noticed a couple of others as well. His eyes locked on mine and I shook my head in a silent message. "Don't."
He frowned as if to say, "I'll never leave you here and you know it."I shook my head again and jerked it towards the roof, towards the guards that surrounded the crowd. "You'll die." He didn't seem to want to listen so I stopped struggling and let them take me back to the center of the dais. The two guards dropped me roughly on the floor and their hands went straight to the lock of hair that covered my ears and to the jewelry I always wore on my tips-- ear-obfuscators, and they yanked it off. Gasps filled the air and I stole a sideways glance at Orien. His eyes were wide with a couple of emotions. Surprise(That my ears were pointed) . Anger(That I hid the truth) . Understanding( Gawain must have known and that must've been why he kept me close and protected me). Betrayal (we both lied to him and to everyone else). Even if he still wanted to go on with the escape, I saw the faces of the other hooded figures and they had gone pale and fear slipped in their eyes. They would never go through with it for a monster. I looked to Dameon. He was stunned. He had not even believed what he said. Witch! Monster! Mama, I thought faeries didn't exist. Faery. Evil. Little wonder she always hid underneath the scarfs. The whispers got louder and something hard bumped into my skull. It stung and and I held the back of my head. Another stone. "Kill her!" "Burn her alive!" They went crazy with excitement. They wanted me dead and it made them even happier that I was going to be tied to a stake and get roasted alive. More stones got tossed my way. Most hit their mark. I sighed. I knew then that there was no saving me. I had already lost everything. It was about time my miserable life ended.
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"Aye, Nara, you are out early today!"Sir Gilbert shouted above the din of the market. I blinked, only hearing him after a few heartbeats."Yes, Sir Gilbert. The entrance examination is in two days. I will have to work extra." I said and gave the merchant the brightest smile I could. "What?! I did not hear you, Nara!" Sir Gilbert shouted leaning forward. Poor Gilbert. Caducity was wearing his ears out. If I could make extra coins today or even one Silver coin, I would get him a hearing aid. Getting a Silver coin would be too much to ask. It was like getting blood from a turnip. In Astros, Gold coins were the highest denominations that only the Nobles possessed. By Nobles, I mean the higher-ups. Then the Silver coins which Nobles and Merchants possessed. Then the Copper coins, which the lower Nobles had. The lower nobles were different from the Nobles as they were not as rich as the Nobles or Merchants. Last of all was the brass coins. We, the Peasants worked a whole day to ea
Last Updated : 2022-12-08DragonBorn Chapter 2: The Proposal
Evanara "Nara!" Kevan threw his arms around me as soon as he saw me by the old termite-infested door. He smelt like smoke and vinegar and I resisted the urge to cough as the smell of the smoke was stronger. I ignored it and patted his bare back. He released me and gave me a radiant smile. His brown eyes glowed with happiness as he gazed at me. He must have thought I had gotten the money. How was I going to break it to him that I could not even get a coin today? "Come Nara. I made some soup." He said. His voice had a melody to it today and it made me feel even guiltier. "Come on." He said pulling me inside the hut. We lived in a hut. When father died, everything was taken from us. Our home, our farms, our food...our name. Father used to be a Merchant too. Merchant Adolf. A few months after mother died, he took ill. Physicians said it was a mysterious disease that could not be cured. I was but a child then. A few months older than seven. Kevan was only a month old. I
Last Updated : 2022-12-08DragonBorn Chapter 3: In the Tavern, With The Emperor
Evanara I walked quickly to the tavern. There was another showcase today and so I could not dance at the Circle. So rather than go back home empty handed, I went to a few inns and danced. I was lucky to get thirty coins and a silver coin. I had sixty more to go and with that,I could get Kevan some new clothes. The Narva Tavern was the biggest and most influential of them all. Peasants were not allowed in the tavern. It was a place high nobles frequented and on rare occasions, the Emperor as well. I had come here in the early hours of the morning and the owner had told me to try back in the evening as there were a few dancers performing there. Well,there I was. I pushed the door open and the strong odour of alcohol and sweat hit me. I let the door go and turned around, eager to drink in as much air as I could. When I was sure i was fine,I went back inside. Anything for Kevan. Anything. I repeated those words to myself as I walked in. I noticed the owner flirti
Last Updated : 2022-12-08DragonBorn Chapter 4: The Panicked Emperor
Evanara I sat there for a long time,holding the remaining pieces of my shredded gown together. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared in front of me. He pulled on his clothes glancing back at me every once in a while,his face wearing an expression I refused to accept as remorse. I felt different. There was a sudden silence to my soul; I was like fallen leaves under frost. I felt the chill in my blood and coldness that brought the synapses of my brain to a stand still. Part of it was a pain, yet one I felt i could endure, one I felt i could sleep through night after night without the anaesthesia of false hope. I felt...void. Empty...Dead. All I could think about was Adrienne. What would he think of me? How would I ever face him after this? How would i break to him that his bride he considered pure was broken? That i defiled by the Emperor? Would he take my word for it? I looked down at my pretty blue gown that had blood stains on them. Adrienne had bought me this dress on
Last Updated : 2023-01-04DragonBorn Chapter 5: The smooth lie
EvanaraThe showcase was over but I did not call in for work. I could not face anyone. Not even my own reflection in the mirror. I did not feel like myself. I felt scared. Ashamed. Terrified. I feared that the news might have spread like fire across Avalor by now. I was already used to being called a witch but I would not be able to bear being called a courtesan or being tossed into the pit of fire for something that I could not even control. There was a sudden knock on the door and I felt my heart jump. Who was it? Could it be him? Did he come here to find me? My mind was thrown into chaos once more and I felt my hands tremble as I stood slowly. I took a stick that stood beside the wall and held it firmly as I approached the door on my toes. I felt my heart thud against my chest violently. "Who is it?" I waited for seconds. There was no reply. My hand tremor increased and i almost dropped the stick. Holding it in one hand,I unbolted the door and resumed holding the stick
Last Updated : 2023-01-04DragonBorn Chapter 6: With Child
Evanara Hours had gone by,hours that turned to long dreadful days,days that turned to wicked weeks. It had been two weeks since the incident. Two weeks of hell for me. I had not stopped seeing him. I feared going outside for I would be considered mad if I had another episode. It had been two weeks since I looked myself in the mirror. I was scared of my own reflection. No one came by to see me...not that I wanted them to. Adrienne would normally come to visit but after my episode that day, he promised to give me some time to myself. Thankfully, my marriage to Adrienne was set to the end of the month. I hoped by then,I would be fine. I twirled around carefully so as not to trip myself. The other girls were dancing beside me but in their own different manner. No one had dropped any coin in my tin today. They did not as much as look at me. Perhaps, they knew I was not pure anymore. I could hear them laughing in my face but I ignored them and continued dancing. The coin did not matte
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Evanara I ran out, embracing my exposed flesh. My corset was visible and the swell of my breasts were exposed. "Nara! Wait Nara!" Sir Gilbert shouted as he ran after me. The passersby on the street stopped and watched as I ran. It was not everyday you saw a woman in a shredded gown running on the streets of Adarlan. "Nara...please!" Sir Gilbert shouted somewhere behind me. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around.He panted on reaching my side. He handed me a woolen sweater and my hands trembled as I took it from him and put it on to cover my nakedness. "Words can not describe how sorry I am for what Adrienne has done. If there is anyway I can atone for his mistakes, please let me know." He said with joined hands.I placed my hands on his and dropped it. "There is one thing though..." I was saying before the sound of bells filled the air and my fear grew. The Keepers. They knew and they'd found me. "I don't know what will happen to me now,Sir Gilbert. Take c
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DragonBorn 79
I stood before a large oak tree with my back turned to Zephyros. He had brought me here a moment ago after taking me from Tymon's without my permission. I had predicted something like this. His restraint burned to ashes the moment he saw me in the fighting leathers. I just hadn't predicted he would bring me to the middle of nowhere i could recognize. I felt him behind me,a steady wall of heat that threatened to warm me up from the inside,dare i let it. I closed my eyes as a familiar thrill built up inside me. I could not afford for him to smell my need. Control. I needed to control myself else my skin would light up again. It was difficult but with ice in my core and steel for bones, i turned around and met his predatory gaze with cold eyes. "Why have you brought me here?"My question came out as a song,silencing the birds that chirped in the air and the wind that howled in the distance,each word coming out an octave higher than the last. He gave me a knowing lo
DragonBorn 78
"Why?" I asked with a yawn. My joints and muscles ached from the transformation and the cold. I held the quilt tighter and waited for her reply. She was silent for a long time and I found myself already dozing before she finally said, "Rest. You are tired." I did not protest as her voice was a lull on its own. I fell into dreamless sleep and for the first time in years, I felt like I was being looked after. I awoke shortly after to the sound of raised voices outside my room. I squinted at the brightness and looked out the square window. It was morning already yet I felt like I hadn't slept in days. The voices grew louder, causing my focus to shift from the window. I stared at the door and lifted my right hand. I cocked my head slightly before pointing at the door and glamouring it without so much as a thought. The voices grew distant until all i could hear were the birds chirping from far away. I sighed and drew the covers over my head. I dozed, only to be awoken by something slamming
DragonBorn 77
Zephyros "You will go and bring her back this instant!" My cousin yelled again and I cringed inwardly at her foul display of childishness but made no effort to reply her. I gripped my pen hard yet not enough to break it. I had cut down men, impaled my enemies on stakes, burned lands and lands that housed creatures that threatened my kind, surely, a cranky woman... Or three cranky women were nothing to me. "The situation at Gantreth?" I question Bren, scribbling down a message for their scrawny leader. As per tradition, to visit a land, you must notify and gain permission first. Showing up and tearing down their gates would have been easier but Father refuses violence. I am a creature of violence and he continuously tries to hold me down. You're brooding. You should go bring her back, Zephyr. I didn't need to look up to know Bren was frowning down at me. I could hear it in his voice. Feel him in my head even. I frowned mentally at him and pulled my mental s
DragonBorn 76
I snorted. "I know what I look like. You are not it." It rumbled again. "You tell fine jokes, child. Without me, you are nothing. Look closely. Tell me what you see. Who you see." I peered up at its bright eyes. It blinked and its slitted gold turned blue, like its scales... I paused. Those eyes... The time I'd invaded Dameon's thoughts, I had seen me with them but I had disregarded it, knowing I didn't have blue eyes. Looking closer at its hairy scales made me want to touch my hair. They were the same color. I snorted. My mind was playing tricks on me. I would know if I was a... A... I frowned again. What was it? "What are you? Do you have a name?" I asked again. "I am you." It repeated in thick layers. I tried to growl but I ended up making an embarrassing sound. It merely watched me with wise old eyes. How was I supposed to ask it questions if it kept giving vague and odd answers? I rubbed my forehead with my thumb. If it thought it was me
DragonBorn 75
My body jerked as he yanked out the sword, cutting through flesh and no doubt bones. I choked again and coughed as I staggered backwards, staring at nothing but my brother's face. An illusion. It had to be. He was dead. He was dead. I fell on my knees as my surroundings started to darken. Was it getting dimmer or was I starting to black out? I placed my hands on the gash and coughed again. The metallic tang in mouth tasted so disgusting I had to spit it out. I looked up. It was him. Kevan. Grown. Fully grown into a man. His eyes were so cold and distant. He smiled down at me and I noticed the fangs in his mouth. Fangs? The tip of his ears were rounded like a human. His hair was long but not the Fae kind of length. He looked ordinary, yet not. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Bren inching towards him with a raised sword. "No!" I cried. He paused, fuming. "No?! He harmed my mate!" His voice came out in layers, making the ground vibrate. His eyes... T
DragonBorn 74
Nyxaria's lips compressed into a thin white edged line. "No. That isn't right. Maybe... Maybe you aren't feeling well. There can not be Faebane here." I blinked uncomprehendingly. "You think I wouldn't know if I was ill?" I pointed at the entrance. "There is something wrong here Nyx. I am not ill." She made an impatient sound and her eyes narrowed. "You don't understand. It is near to impossible that Faebane be in this building. The security--" I inched forward. "Wasn't the security high in Alfheim as well? Yet, somehow, the entire hall got drugged and had no explanation for it. This," I pointed at the entrance again, " This is an actual explanation Nyx. If there is anything I've leant, it's that there's no such thing as impossible." Nyx's eyebrow pulled together in the biggest frown I'd ever seen on her face and her silver eyes burned with anger. "There is no--" Vivi dove between us and held both her hands up in front of her. "Okay. Okay. Calm your h
DragonBorn 73
I got through training, though my thoughts were distorted. I found it hard to concentrate and I had to apologize to Kyria over and over again. It got harder when at the end of it all, I could not do a thing. "Do not berate yourself about it. You made major progress today. A little more practice and you will be perfect at it."Lord Vas wrapped his arm around my shoulder and patted my head on the way out. "Lord Vas. Lady Danae. My my, isn't this lovely?" Tymon walked in through the huge doors, arms spread out like he was expecting a hug. I cocked my head and Lord Vas retracted his arm that rested on my neck. I heard Zephyros's growl behind me and chose to ignore it. "Tym, you are late." Anya quipped beside me, nose buried in another book bigger than her heart shaped face. The girl-woman never stopped reading. Tym's eyebrows rose and he gave that lopsided grin again. "Am I? The lesson's just about to begin."★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ Having Tymon host me was not
DragonBorn 72
Katherine I toyed with the dagger in my hands as we strode to the stables. The horses were unnecessary but it was one of those days. I wanted my slaves to look upon their Queen. My other purpose was strengthening the barrier again. If Leandros was who my grandmother made him out to be, it would be a smart enough move for him to try intrude my lands now. I could not have that yet. Especially not with the resent losses I incurred with the mission. I clenched the dagger tightly with simmering rage. "How many did we lose?"I asked again. "None came back alive, my Queen." Adrienne answered again for the fifth time. I clenched my jaw. "You have investigated like I told you to?" "Yes, my Queen. Our sources tell me it was the dragon. He burned them alive at once." I swiveled and glared at Adrienne. "Did they not tell us Neradia would be unguarded?! Did they not tell us the one with ichor in his veins would be away?!" I screamed. His eyes widened and he b
DragonBorn 71
The pungent smell of Faerie fruit was enough to make me befuddled. I refused the sixth cup that was offered to me, knowing how good I was at holding my liquor. I sat beside Lord Vas and his family on the dias, sticking to the left side of him and being forced to watch how crude the Lesser Fae really were when Faerie fruit was involved. "I must thank thee, My Lord!"A drunk Sylph with wickedly handsome features grinned and bowed clumsily, nearly toppling over the two Nymphs that he held by their waists. The first with long green hair kissed his face and neck, occasionally pinching her nipples through the thin silver fabric she wore. The other fumbled with his jacket and let out a growl when she could not take it off. She looked down and giggled before grabbing his crotch. "Patience pet." The male growled before moving away with his drunken companions. It was not the first nor was it the worst i had seen that night. I avoided gazing at the left corner of t
