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XENDAYA. More than three hours have passed and I’m still down here, I’m currently holding a little hatchling as they call their pups. She’s barely nine months old, and she’s taken a liking to me as she now plays with my hair. I’m clapping along as a few of the children are now singing and playing. My own throat feels sore from all the singing as they kept asking for more and with their little faces showing some excitement despite the dire situation, why would I refuse? “My Queen, you must be tired, you should get up from the hard floor.” One of the women says gently. I shake my head. “I’m fine,” I reply quietly so as not to disturb those children performing. I smile up at her, reassuring her. Everyone is sitting on the floor and who knows how long they’ll be down here… What kind of life is this? Nefzaan was clearly a terror that everyone feared… such a person in a position of power… One other thing I noticed by spending time down here was the pride these people had in their king.
AGNARR. He’s planned this, having me closed in with no backup, yet he has two of his strongest allies backing him. One who was a traitor pretending to be on my side for all these years - Aslantha’s father. The supreme chief, or Earl, as he prefers, who is in charge of several of the tribes. They now close in on me, but I will not go down so easily. He suddenly stops, his attention snapping towards the castle. And my first concern is if someone is there. I turn quickly, ready to come to their aid, but who I see almost makes my heart stop. A chill fills me. There stands none other than Xendaya stuck in a stare-down with Nefzaan, unwavering against his immense aura as she glares directly in the eye, her own burning green. She raises her arm and shoots the sword through the air. I see it spin, becoming a blur as it flies towards Nefzaan. He doesn’t move, confident it won’t reach, and it won’t. He can bend the air however he wants, a mere she-wolf's throw won’t touch him. I try to
XENDAYA. It shook me. The moment he swiftly said they would marry tonight… But I shouldn’t care. I was prepared for everything when I decided to do my duty as queen. I’m a queen, not his queen. That’s all that matters and right now, my people need me. He can marry a thousand times, fuck all the women he wants, but at that moment as I walk away from that broken tower room, I can’t help but smile softly. How can you hurt over something or someone that you don’t even care for? ‘We do care. We just found out we’re mates.’ Shayara murmurs softly. She’s more shaken than me, although I don’t understand what she expected. ‘We just found out, not him. He knew Shay. It doesn’t matter.’ I say quietly. As much as I want to question him over it, now is not the time. There are so many people who need tending to. I’m sure the wounded would be brought in and that would mean we needed to make sure that the hospital wing could cope. What I saw as Nefzaan got away were many bodies lying on the gro
AGNARR. We suffered far more than I had originally predicted. Even knowing Nefzaan was coming, I did not think we would lose so many. He has far more chiefs on his side than I do. Older, stronger, and those who fought the ancient wars and had experience of years beneath their wings. We’ve lost many, and the death toll rises with every passing hour as we scour the battlefield searching for our people. “How many?” Haizhar asks quietly as he wipes blood and ash from his face as he tosses another body of the enemy into the fire. “We are counting one hundred and thirty losses so far,” I say, my face not giving anything away. “That is steep indeed, and injured?” Haizhar murmurs as he lifts the body of one of our brothers and places it on one of the carts that we are loading with the dead. “Countless, more than double of those lost,” I say, closing the eyes of one of my men as I place him on the cart. He was one of my strongest men… and died, but he took four with him… I press my lip
AGNARR. I nod. The movement itself feels tedious. “Then by blood, you are bound in this unity,” Haizhar says as I hold out my hand, allowing him to make a small cut in my thumb. I raise my hand, brushing my thumb across her forehead, smearing my blood across it. Her eyes flicker with surprise and I’m certain she expected me to rub it along her lips, but no one else besides her bats an eyelid. After all, they know I have never bound myself to anyone by blood and that I never will. Only they do not know that I have already given one woman my blood. “To this union!” Haizhar says as everyone raises their tankards of ale and someone pushes one into my hands and I take a gulp, the strong liquid burning my parched throat. A reminder that I have not drank anything since last night. “To many victories for King Agnarr the Ruthless!” Hazran says, making them cheer. It does not even feel like a celebration, and I place my cup unfinished on the table. “As much as I’d like to stay, I have ma
XENDAYA. His lips touch my forehead, and despite every resolution I have made, my entire body reacts to his intimate gesture. My heart’s pounding and my breath hitches as I find myself melting into his hold. There’s a deep sincerity in his voice that gives me a glimpse of the man who told me his story in those caverns. The man who I wanted to try my best for… The King I wanted to stand beside for his people… My eyes flutter shut as I listen to the rhythm of his heartbeat. He cares for his people. It’s the one thing I get from his sincerity. I may not be a priority for him and perhaps I am a mate he does not want, but his people are important to him and that is enough for me. We might just have something in common. He slowly moves back and lets go of me and I realise I was completely leaning on him, feeling the exhaustion as I’m back on my own two feet hit harder. I look into his eyes, his intense gaze burning into me, and I remember how angry he was earlier before he promised t
XENDAYA. He frowns slightly as he tries to move his arm but is unable to. The coppery taste of blood in my mouth is a cold warning I need to stop. I pull the sponge from his hand and smack it across his face before I let it go and he catches it, staring at it for a second. I gasp, trying to calm my thumping heart, as I almost topple face forward into the water. “I slowed Nefzaan down and lessened the impact of his element if you didn’t notice,” I reply haughtily as I stare defiantly at him. He’s frowning, an expression of understanding on his face, almost as if something now made sense to him, but it changes to surprise as he looks at me as if seeing me for the first time. “That’s what you were doing… I did feel that he had slowed…” he murmurs, more to himself. “I may not be as strong and tall as you dragons, but I am not weak, Agnarr,” I say, looking him square in the eyes as I grab the soap and begin to wash my body. “I have never called you weak… wolf princess. But I must adm
AGNARR. Pleasure slams through me, breaking the dams on my emotions and self-control. My mind is blank, save the carnal instinct that burns through my veins. I fucking want to ravage her, and I don’t care that she’s exhausted. I need another taste to satiate the hunger that consumes me. The moment she bit into my neck, my hand twisting into her hair as I roughly kiss her shoulder, I was in a fucking haze. I never knew having one’s blood drunk could be so sexually arousing… She suddenly tenses, pulling away. Her heart is pounding, and that’s when I realise with a damning clarity that the electrifying jolts of pleasure are still dancing between us where our skin is touching. What have I done? Has the spell broken fully? I let go of her, as if I’ve been burned and I can sense her panic within my mind? ‘I’ve marked him!’ her thought rings in my head. The words send a rush of cold through me and I touch my neck, feeling the light throbbing where she had bitten me, before I look acr
Four years later… “What are you thinking of?” Agnarr asks as he climbs into the lake beside me, his eyes on our children. “I was wondering what the gender of this one might be,” I remark, patting my flat stomach, our fourth child is on the way, although there is still a lot of time yet. Agnarr cocks a brow as he settles against the rocks and moves me in front of him. “A son.” Another son?” I say, looking at our three sons. Each one has dark hair with different shades of green eyes. I see Agnarr in them all. Arkyn is nearly four years old, Fenrir is three and Roald is one and a half. They play in the water, splashing around, and even little Roald splashes powerfully. He is a water dragon and likes to drown his brothers in waves of water. “Yes, I told you, we will have many sons.” I smile, not arguing because so far he has been correct. Plus, a seer we saw said he will indeed have many sons and I am happy to give them to him. Pregnancy got easier each time and with the short spa
XENDAYA. A few weeks have passed, and we are in the new castle that now has been built to the extent that it is liveable, although there is plenty of construction left with help from experts in plumbing and electric work from Clair De Lune. However, enough quarters have been made for some of us and the staff to move in and tonight we are celebrating our victory. Our dead have been buried, our friends have left us to return to their lands, with new oaths of allegiances being forged and life has been good. Dad and Mom returned home too, hoping I’d visit them soon, and Mom promised they would come visit when the little one arrives. Niko was challenging several Alphas who were to try for the title of Alpha of Alphas in a few weeks, but we all know Niko will win. He is powerful. Lycus who had watched the kingdom in their stead also wrote to me. Although he mainly spoke of Niko’s training, I hoped despite our damaged relationship one day we can rebuild it. Callista is enjoying life as
XENDAYA. I awake to the sound of the magical song of an Elven King falling in battle and I do not need to be told in words that Orrian Keyxina, King of Elandorr, has fallen in battle, for this song says it all. Silent tears trickle down my cheeks as I sit up and the two women there instantly bow their heads. I touch my stomach, but I don’t need them to confirm. My baby is perfectly fine, his strong heartbeat thudding powerfully. ‘Our pup is perfectly fine.’ Shayara says softly. ‘We did it Xenie…’ ‘We did’ “Your baby is healthy, My Queen.” The healer says, bowing her head. “And the King?” “Outside with the armies.” She bows her head, and it feels as if a burden has been lifted, but the fear I still possess as I wonder who we have lost makes me worried. I slowly get out of the blanket, and the other healer helps me into a cotton gown. I feel weak, but I am fine. I step out of the tent, slowly making my way towards the large army that has gathered, sprawling out for miles. Tents
AGNARR. The battle cost us, even if victory was ours… Xendaya is in a makeshift tent and a healer has taken a look at her. She and my son are both fine, but she is very weak. She suffered blunt force trauma to her back, which impacted her womb, but she is well - they both are. She was given blood and we now wait until she wakes up. Although I don’t want to leave her, I need to meet the rest of the armies who have gathered. To learn how many we have lost and to thank our allies. Nefzaan’s men who did not surrender were killed, and those who did surrender are being held prisoner until justice is served. ‘Agnarr… where are you?’ Kaizoran’s voice comes. He sounds exhausted. The heavy footfalls from outside prove that a considerable sized army has returned. ‘I am coming.’ I respond, stepping around the corner of the tents. I stop in my tracks, looking at Hazran and Dagnoth’s lifeless bodies that Kaizoran carries. I frown slightly but simply shake my head. Niko is beside him and alth
XENDAYA. ‘Xendaya!’ I hear Agnarr’s shout as my mind spins, before he dives towards me, shifting back to his human form with his wings spread behind him, catching me as he shields me from the assault of boulders and debris that rains down upon us. “Are you alright?” he asks, his hand going to my stomach as he holds me to his chest. “I am. He’s powerful.” I say, coughing and tasting the blood in my mouth. I don’t think I’m alright… I can feel a sharp pain spasming through my lower back and up my spine. ‘He always was. Stay here.’ He commands, his voice shaking with a rage that makes my own heart skip a beat. He puts me down just as Nefzaan attacks. This time Agnarr doesn’t hold back, not restraining how far his flames carry, filling the sky with an orange hue. The ground that is covered in a thick layer of ice now starts to morph into large spikes, “That bastard!” Agnarr snarls, lifting me off the floor as he flies me to safer ground. ‘Let’s end this now…’ I say, ‘Shay… what we
XENDAYA. A smile crosses his handsome face before his aura explodes, and I watch as he transforms into his true and most powerful form. A magnificent black dragon that shines with an emerald hue. The most beautiful and incredible dragon I have ever seen. His magnificent wings beat powerfully, and I grab onto his back and jump on. I was wrong. Agnarr’s dragon is larger than his grandfather's, albeit only by a little. The fading pain in my back is like a memory almost forgotten. We rise above the castle, and I’m focusing on the battle before me. Nothing else is important. Agnarr sends a ball of fire at them, and they counter it swiftly. With every attack Agnarr sends, I am using my abilities to reinforce the fires, pushing them against theirs. The brutal winds are only making the flames spread and with my power combined, they can only duck or try to avoid the deadly flames, yet the way they move, despite their size, is swift, agile and calculated. The Ancient Dragon Flames destroy
ORRIAN. We have succeeded in securing the front, breaking through the castle walls and watching the walls come down. The roar of victory fills the air, and I raise my hand. “Wait! We will not enter until we have the signal.” I say loud and clear, watching the dragons in the air. There’s something strange around the two of them… a dark energy that makes me hesitate. “In that time, take care of the injured.” Someone passes me water and I gulp it down as I search the darkening skies before observing those dragons. There’s some kind of barrier swirling around the area. I watch as several dragons try to hammer against it, but it’s as if there’s an invisible wall… “King Orrian! King Remiel is injured! We are the closest to them. Our soldier has begged for assistance!” I turn sharply, gazing at the wolf who had spoken. Remiel has not signalled… but I can see the truth in the eyes of the man before me. “Hold your position. I want fifty of the strongest with me!” I say, “Khalen, I want
MORGANA. Dragons. They are something different. Fighting against them is not something I have ever experienced, and it is new for me and for our people. They work together with resilience and determination, yet at the same time, if you isolate one, it will still hold against its opponent, with the force of a dozen wolves combined. Their scales and their bodies can take more than other species… The older the dragon… the more powerful it is… and although Agnarr is older than me, he is a baby in comparison to many of his enemies’ men. That is something I noticed. Agnarr leads the younger generation, and although his numbers have grown larger than Nefzaan’s, he does not have age on his side. For those that Nefzaan has recruited under his command are ancient. Xenie… My child, be safe… I pray that Agnarr reaches her. I saw him light the skies on fire earlier, heard his thunderous roar and I can only hope that he has gotten to my daughter. That she is safe. I would question the gods
XENDAYA. I watch as Agnarr’s wings spread behind him, his eyes blazing, those sharp slits fixed on Nefzaan whose rage clashes against Agnarr’s. But power reigns supreme. ‘You should never underestimate the Kingslayer!’ Nefzaan snarls as he spreads his wings, his voice reverberating around us. I can see smoke in the distance, see the battle commencing, and Shayara snarls, her anger and power radiating through me. ‘We must be ready to rejoin the battle,’ she growls. I nod. Even if Agnarr expects me to stay out of the way, it will not happen. He has fought alone before and even now when it feels he will succeed, Nefzaan is too calm and that is why we are partners… This is our battle to be fought as one. Together. I just need energy… and a little time to heal. I look down at Liya, who is alive but unconscious, much to my relief. Taking a deep breath, I stretch my leg which is healing, feeling the throbbing pain slowly ease up. Just a little while longer… Nefzaan is not a reckless