[Primus]
Ona has secluded herself in her rooms with her two children. I think she might also be hiding from the rest of us. Mother is furious, Carnelia is nervous, and I am anxious, fearful that tomorrow cannot come soon enough. I want nothing more than for Carnelia to be safe, truly safe, from my father. She is my entire heart.
Looking over at Ona's closed door I can't help but scowl. How did I not notice that my sister had been so broken for so long? Forty years is a long time to mourn alone. She has always seemed so upbeat, the person I go to when my world is falling apart. How did I not notice that she needed support as well?
I know that Ona has been neglecting her royal duties for some time
[Segundus] The room is dark, cold, and smelling faintly of blood. The early morning chill has yet to burn away as the sun begins to crest over the horizon, turning dew into frost. The cold gray stone of the high dragon court speaks to an older time when drakes didn’t feel such a human need for finery and light. This is a cavern of a room, more like a cave than a palace, dripping and moist, the only truly elegant thing is the throne of solid platinum and the bold dragon who sits upon it. Maximus, the Dragon King, Master of the 7 kingdoms of Luxandra, and Champion of the Sun Wars. My father. I have been waitin
[Carnelia] With all of our preparations ready for tomorrow, Primus and I retired to our rooms, leaving the Sea Kingdom to their own devices as they continued to drink and gamble. Both Primus and I are so exhausted that we barely have enough energy to peel out of our clothing and climb into bed. Tomorrow is going to be another long day. So tonight hold on to one another, enjoying this moment of calm before the chaos of the morning. Lying on top of Primus' chest, he tells me about the wedding day There are so many steps involved in marrying royalty it is a wonder that anyone would choose this route, especially since it isn't required for the legitimacy of one's offspring. But as I see his eyes sparkle and glow as he goes over the details, I can see that this is somet
[Carnelia] Our wedding will be at sunset but our final preparations began at dawn. These are done separately, surrounded by family, who will tell us all we need to know before entering this new stage in our relationship. I have no family, so I will have to borrow another. Primus will be spending the evening with Tritus and Ona. I will be spending the evening with Queen Cressida. My mind keeps wandering to the dream from the night before. As the dream faded further and further from my mind, the idea that it could be a memory becam
[Primus] I cannot wait to devour my bride. I want to watch as she moves underneath me as I search for where on her body she has hidden her tattoo. It’ll be a treasure hunt, her body a map with mountains and valleys for me to explore and conquer, staking my claim on every delicious inch, and I… “Primus, are you listening?” My brother, Tritus, is trying to get my attention as he wraps my arms in the ceremonial ribbons. "I'm sorry, brother, were you trying to say something?" "I was trying to ask what your plans are after tonight?" he repeats. "Are you really leaving your new bride so soon? I
[Carnelia] I have felt sick with nerves all evening. The elegant food and drink of the evening threatens to make a reappearance. I have never felt so sick with worry. Even with Primus at my side, smiling at me like he is the luckiest drake in the universe, there is something at the edge of my mind that is making me think of darker things, things that haunt me, fears that may or may not come. I don't know what it is that I have to be afraid of, at least not more than I had the day before. The only thing different from today and yesterday is that now I am his wife. Our life together has always been a bit dangerous even before he put a crown on my head. A crown. He crowned me. He made me his princess. Is that my worry? Why did he do that when he knew that he was risking so much by marr
[Primus] We fly to the remote side of the island. I don’t want anyone to hear us, although they probably will. Carnelia and I have never been quiet lovers. Setting her down on the sand, I step back and begin unpinning my tunic. Carnelia simply moves the shoulders of her gown and it falls away. I stop moving, stunned as I find myself silently thanking Ona’s ingenuity for giving my wife such a garment. Had I known it could shrug off in a single move, this night might have started a bit sooner with a much larger audience. Because standing in a pool of moonlight with nothing on but a crown and a smile my w
[Primus] As we land softly on the sand of the beach I feel the deepest sense of peace. Our bodies are still joined. Warmth is building within her, from our point of contact outwards. I kiss her again, enjoying the feeling of every part of her touching all of me. When I open my eyes, Carnelia is glowing. Golden light just under the surface of her skin radiates out from the center of her torso in waves, rippling and fluid, hot like a desert wind. Her new tattoos are white hot to the touch, burning like the sun's core, illuminating the space right above the
[Carnelia] Eyes closed, I rock back and forth. I am alone. I must have fallen asleep because I am now lying naked on top of the bed Primus and I shared the night before. The cool fabric feels soothing against my fevered flesh because I am not just warm, I am hot. Every part of me, both big and small, feels like it is on fire, but also I am the fire, the flame, electric heat in my blood, my skin, my muscles. One moment I’m with Primus, content, and the next I am thrown into pain more intense than burning myself with oil in not just one place but all over my body. Human flesh is not designed to hold such fire. I cannot imagine any flesh of any type is designed for this heat. My body is struggling to remain contained and solid, while something inside of me is fighting to burn fre