A Rare Woman

Ira's Pov

We have nothing alike. And apart from their beauty there is nothing else they possess I would like. They have infinite wealth, acquired from the taxes and tributes of their countless subjects and close allies. But I value a person's character more than gold and silver. 

"We had hoped for a beautiful, royal and useful mate. You're a wretch compared to the princess we desired," the angel in leather coat fumes.

Why can't they just reject me?  They are monsters compared to the kind of man I would want.

"I had hoped for a kind, sweet and wise mate. I share your disappointment, your majesty. So let's not waste more time on useless ravings when we could have gotten rid of the unwanted bond. I will gladly welcome your rejection," I reply.

Everyone in the room gapes in shock while my beautiful mates seem extremely infuriated. They must have thought I would beg them to accept me. Or is it that no one has ever made them feel like they are not perfect in every way?

"Do not dare pretend you didn't pray hard to be our mate so you can live in wealth and luxury, human!" the king I met last night snaps.

I only prayed to impress them with my voice so I would win the chance to perform during their banquet. I have never prayed for a mate, least of all three that despise me.

"I measure the quality of a man by his hardwork. Have you worked hard for this wealth, your majesty?" I boldly ask and hear both their servants and the guards behind gasp in shock. 

Was I not supposed to answer? I would like them to feel assured that I would not have used a spell to create a mate bond with them. I have standards that they do not meet. My words seem to enrage them though.

"What a mad, thoughtless woman? Throughout my life I was yet to meet someone so resoundingly foolish!" the angel in a fur coat scoffs. 

"She sounds a bit too wise to me," their assistant says in an amused voice. "Such intellect and bravery are rare virtues among the wom-"

"Shut up Lior! This ugly wretch could have used a dark spell to create the mate bond. She is only bitter that we didn't fall for it," the angel in silk claims. 

He still believes that? If there was a way to forge mate bonds they would have a thousand mates.

"Your majesty, I understand why you wish that the mate bond was forged. It is a stain to your precious reputations. But I find it incredibly selfish that you think yourselves worthy of a love spell," the words leave my mouth before I can mull over the consequences.

For a long moment, everyone is speechless. I wish I can take that last statement back, because the faces of my mates have a thousand expressions of anger. 

The one in the middle rises and angrily strides towards me. Is it too late to apologise? I cannot fight him. Not even werewolves stands a chance against angels. 

I stand on my feet as I do not want to be completely vulnerable. "I wish to take back-"

"You had the chance to pick your words more wisely," he states before raising his hand and landing a blow on the left side of my face. 

I feel parts of my head shake from the impact.  Overwhelming pain follows, making my vision blur. My consciousness fades and I fall back to the floor. 

* * * * * * 

Angel Adon's Pov

"When did the women of our great kingdom get the nerve to be so confidently annoying?" Ronen asks with a frown as we gather around our unconscious mate. 

She humiliated us in ways no one has ever done before. Who would think a human was the one that would have the boldness to make us feel unworthy of her admiration? I may have lost control of my temper, but deep down I am utterly awed by her wisdom and bravery. Why did she have to be a commoner? Why couldn't she be Princess Andria? 

The Princess will be arriving in our palace two days from now. She  is said to have skills to tame dragons, the very thing we need to win the battles against the increased weyrs of rogue dragons that are attacking our kingdom. I doubt the princess will be nearly as smart or courageous as this unwanted human. But it is not wits or courage that we lack. We need a queen born of royalty, beautiful as a fairy,  graceful as a goddess and useful as an army. Only that can match our might and maintain our good reputation.

"A respectful woman should have had her voice. It's a shame it was wasted on such a foul mouth," Ronen says. 

"You pretend to hate her wits. At least she isn't an idiot like most women that want us. She is still a disgrace though," I reply. 

"Of what use are her wits when it is great alliances that we need?" Tiras scoffs.

"How are you going to reject her now that you knocked her out?" our assistant asks. 

He is the only other person that noticed the human's intellect despite her lack of grace or respect for us. I bet he would have accepted her if she were his mate. 

"We may hate the mate bond but we are not going to waste it. If what I have heard is true, it can be transferred to the woman we have always wanted. The human must agree to it though for the ritual to work," Tiras explains. 

"You want to transfer it to princess Andria?" our assistant asks. 

"If she agrees, of course," I answer. "The human will stay locked up in one of the unoccupied servant rooms. No one should know about this until we have transferred the bond to Princess Andria," I add.