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Chapter 26: Escaping the Ruins of War
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The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 27: Turning a Hovel into a Home
They had been traveling for what felt like weeks, even though Saffron knew really it had only been a day or so. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go on. While fall had only been creeping upon them at the camp, it now made its force fully known.The horse plodded along in the quiet forest; fat flakes of snow drifted lazily from above. Wintry wind whispered through the trees, biting at their skin beneath their thin clothes. Saffron had to find shelter soon. Elric would not heal well in the back of a wagon; he needed hot food and a warm bed to heal the more serious of his injuries. She led the horse to a small creek, breaking the cover of ice with the hilt of her dagger. She and the horse both drank thirstily, the water soothing her sore throat. She bent to fill her water skein when something caught her eye. Narrowing her eyes, she peered closer. It appeared to be a small cottage, just on the other side of the water. It seemed to be abandoned. Now she just had to find a way to
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 28: Passions Boil Over
"How do I know it's ready?" Elric called over his shoulder, staring warily down into the pot bubbling before him. "When it begins to boil," Saffron replied, stoking the fire. "Yes, but what does that really mean? There are bubbles," he replied. "Are there a lot of bubbles?" she replied, amused. He frowned down into the pot. "I believe that is more a point of view. I could say there are many and you say there are not enough," he retorted. She sighed and looked around him. "Give it another minute and then it should be ready," she said with a smirk and went to the bed. "I told you," he muttered under his breath and gave the pot a stir. With a smile, she shook her head. He had kept insisting on helping her, but he was still not quite ready for strenuous chores, so she was teaching him to cook. He was a miserable student and so far, had burned everything. She found it humorous but he did not. In the slightest. She picked up one of his shirts and began darning the torn sleeve.
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 29: At Last
"Are you sure?" Elric said quietly as Saffron walked towards the bed. She turned and looked at him for a long moment before untying her dress and letting it slide down her body, pooling at her feet. She stood in her shift looking up at him as she unbound her hair and let it fall freely down her back. He could see the shape of her curves beneath the thin material and felt his body lurch in response. He wanted her. He had since the first moment he had seen her, but he had waited. It had never been the right moment but now, the way she was looking at him, he wondered if this was it. "Are you waiting for an engraved invitation?" she asked, quirking her eyebrow. He smirked and shook his head. "I'm just admiring what is before me. Are you sure…you're ready?" he asked again. "If you have even the slightest doubt…" she silenced him with a kiss and pushed his shirt over his head, her fingers trailing against his skin. Pleasure rippled through him as she traced her fingers down his sides. He
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 30: Family Ties Come Unraveled
"Do you think we should return to Runswick?" Saffron asked him as she chopped firewood. He was still too sore to lift an axe, so he helped stack the cut logs."I don't think that would be wise. Didn't Wulfstan say he would come find us when things were clear to return?" he replied and heaved another log onto the pile. His side ached fiercely but he didn't want to alarm Saffron, so he swallowed his grimace. He pressed a hand to where the pain was at its worst. His skin felt hot to the touch. Perhaps he would see if she could clean it again, although he was not looking forward to that painful ordeal. "That he did, but how is he supposed to find us here? I am not even sure where exactly we are," she replied and wiped the sweat from her brow. "Well, how long did it take for you to find this place?" Elric asked, wincing as his side twinged. She furrowed her brow as she thought. "About three days, I would say." "Do you recall seeing moss on the trees as you passed?" he asked. Her b
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 31: Stealing into Town
Saffron pulled back from his kiss, her heart hammering. "I was worried about you as well, which is why I left." Elric chuckled and shook his head. "Only you would follow me into a snow storm. I was angry about Kingsley. It took everything I had to not hunt him down and rip answers from him. Instead, I took it out on the axe. Which we might now need a new one," he said. "Wonderful. I will grab one when I head into town," she replied slyly. His eyes narrowed. "I need to go into town, Elric. We need food if we are to survive. Also, there is my grandmother's journal. I would really like to have it." She said, toying with the front of his shirt. He softened. "Alright then. As long as you swear to me that you'll be safe," he said gently and ran a strand of her hair through his fingers. "I promise. I'll leave as soon as the storm passes," she said with a sigh and laid her head against his chest. His arms wound around her and held her close. #### She left as dawn crested over the
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 32: A Baron Spurned
"Wassa," Saffron said and took a small step back, surprised to see her guardian here. Wassa rarely stepped into the apothecary. "How did you know…" Wassa waved her hand, cutting off Saffron's question. "I was alerted by a guard that someone was breaking into my property," she replied with a sneer. Her face would be pretty if it didn't have a perpetual scowl, Saffron thought as she stared at her. "So, I came to see. I figured it would have to be you. Who else would break in here?" she glared around the small room. "I just came for a few supplies and now I will be on my way," Saffron replied and tried to walk past Wassa, who gripped her elbow as she passed. "Tread carefully. The Baron is none too pleased that you ran away from your marriage. It would be a pity if someone told him that you were back." Wassa hissed. Saffron's stomach filled with ice. "You wouldn't." "Oh, I would. You made me look like a fool! I had arranged that marriage to improve both of our stations and yet y
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 33: The Sweet Taste of Vengeance
Saffron's nail broke as she dug it into the seam of the barn door, trying to pry it open. She cursed and stuck the injured finger into her mouth. Abbington had left over an hour ago, leaving her bloody and beaten on the floor. Her back ached with every movement. She could feel the dried blood tug against her skin as she tried the door again, but it was to no avail. She was locked in. With an anguished groan, she slid to the floor, her muscles quivering with fatigue and pain. The Baron had made sure to not hurt her face too badly, but her back was raw. He had lashed her until she fainted. The floor was sticky with her blood. Tears ran down her swollen face and dripped onto the ruined dress below. #### The main house was dark as Elric stalked around it. He assumed that they were keeping her in the barn where they had held her before, and he had noticed two guards earlier. He did not think that they would respect his title while he was alone. That was just as well, he thought as his
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 34: A Home at Last
The doors slid open and a shaft of moonlight illuminated the tacky floor. He saw her golden hair spilled out around her, her hand outstretched towards it. He collapsed near her and stroked her swollen face, being careful to not hurt her. Her breathing was shallow. His fingers trailed down her arms and ribs. Nothing felt out of place. She stirred and groaned. "It's okay. I'm here. You are safe now," he whispered. He slipped his arm under her head to lift her so he could carry her back to their home, but her body wrenched away, and she lay on her side whimpering. The moon cast a bright white light that shone onto the carnage that was her back. Tears sprang to his eyes as he saw the damage that had been done to her. If he could kill the Baron again, he would. A hundred times over. Mindful of her back, he gently lifted her and carried her into the forest. He had tied Huxley there after he followed her from the apothecary earlier. They left the town of Gilramore, Saffron cuddled close t
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The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 50: The New King
"Mira," Elric nodded. She stared down her long pale nose at them before inclining her own head. "We have been expecting you," she replied and swept away, her long black cloaking trailing a path through the snow. Saffron and Elric exchanged a smirk before following the princess up to the castle. The castle was as cold and distant as it had been during their first visit. They were led to the drawing-room where a familiar couple sat on the settee. August jumped up and pulled his brother into a hug, pounding his back with his fist. "It's good to see you back to yourself. Not that your scales weren't formidable," he said, a giant smile on his face. Elric snorted. "It's good to be back. Now, let us not waste time. Do we have an army?" Elric asked, his green eyes glittering. #### Saffron stood outside of the large black castle, watching as the snow fell lightly to the earth. She loved winter, but would hate to spend most of her days in its cold embrace. Footsteps crunching on the fro
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 49: An Army Gathers
"I have to get in there?" Elric grumbled as they stood next to the glacial river that ran from the Bluffs. "At least you have scales," Saffron retorted as she shivered violently next to the small fire she had built. She was constructing a small fan of leaves to smudge Elric after he was in the icy water. "True but if this works, I won't for long," he retorted and sniffed at the water. "Well that is why I brought furs," Saffron replied impatiently. Her nerves were threatening to get the best of her. What if it didn't work? She couldn't think like that. It had to work. It had to. "Well get in! I need to get the smoke going and I don't want it to all be swept away in the wind," Saffron commanded. Elric growled as he tentatively placed his foreleg into the icy deluge. He hissed as it licked at his scales. "How far in?" he asked. "All of the way," Saffron replied after consulting her journal. She heard him cursing as he strode further in. "There is ice floating past me," he sa
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 48: A Spell is Found
Oda shuffled through the stack of parchment she had pulled from the thick leather-bound book in her study. The piece she was looking for fluttered from her hand and drifted down to the floor. She stooped to pick it up and her breath caught in her chest. Their likenesses were uncanny. Her heart leapt as her finger traced the lines that her daughter had drawn so long ago. #### "I, unfortunately, do not have all of the answers but I do know that what Ishild is doing has been foretold. According to what Maeve saw, there are only two outcomes. She is defeated and the kingdom sees peace for the first time in centuries. Or, she is defeated and the kingdom falls into ruin. In both outcomes, Ishild will fall, but it is who takes the throne after she leaves that determines the fate of the kingdom," Havardr said. He looked at his grandson, still trapped in his dragon form. Elric snorted derisively. "I do not want the throne," Elric retorted. Saffron watched the exchange warily, her own mind
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 47: The Prophecy
They stared at her as she sat in shock. She glanced at Elric whose green eyes were turned on her. "Are you alright?" he thought and only she heard. She shook her head once, her eyes still wide with disbelief. "How is this possible?" she voiced aloud. Oda smiled at her again, gently. "It is in your blood. I can see that your line travels far back…perhaps even as far as the dragons. You are a Mender, yes?" Saffron nodded. "I thought so. You have The Gift, my dear. No one in your family spoke of this?" Oda asked, her brows drawn together in concern. "I learned Mending from my grandmother but my parents passed away when I was very young," she replied quietly. Oda's eyebrows shot up and she glanced at her husband. "It is as it was written," she murmured. His own eyebrows rose and he looked back towards the dragon and beautiful young woman that sat across from them. "This has been an interesting turn of events," he replied with a deep chuckle. "What do you mean 'it is as it was
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 46: The Bluffs
The sharp edges of mountains came into view through the thick clouds, their black tips shearing the sky. "Are those the Bluffs?" Saffron asked aloud, her eyes tracing the jagged range. "They are. Æðelfrið said we would know we have arrived when we see the mountain that looks like a rook," Elric replied, his thoughts clear even as they soared through the darkening sky. Saffron peered down and shouted, her hand outstretched. "There!" Breaking through the overcast sky, a mountain rose above them, its relief the shape of a large rook's beak. "I see it," Elric thought and shifted his wings slightly, sending them up towards the large mountain peak. They did a few arcs around the mountaintop before coasting onto a large overhang. The rock was worn smooth; Saffron surmised that it was from dragons landing similarly to how they were. She wondered how many dragons lived here at the hold. The thought of being surrounded by these magnificent creatures sent an icy thrill through her. Elric
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 45: When Blood Comes Calling
"I feel ridiculous," Elric grumbled, his thoughts tangled with embarrassment and frustration. "It is the only way to keep her from slipping off. It is a long journey and I have a feeling that she would not appreciate dangling from your talons like a field mouse snatched up by an owl," Æðelfrið said with a grin. Elric grumbled again but held still as Æðelfrið tightened the straps. "It should feel the same as riding a horse except you won't have to kick this one…as much," Æðelfrið said with a wicked grin to Saffron who smirked. "I shall keep my spurring to a minimum," she consoled Elric as she hoisted herself onto the saddle. Æðelfrið had crafted the saddle himself to fit the proportions of Elric's body. He also added longer stirrups so she could climb more easily onto the seat. She settled into the seat and secured the belt around her waist. Æðelfrið had also added saddlebags filled with food and other items that Saffron could need while traveling. She had packed her grandmother
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 44: The Rook and The Dragon Prince
"You can open your eyes," Elric thought. "I do not want to. I believe if I open them, I will see my body smashed upon the ground," Saffron replied stubbornly, her eyes still squeezed closed. She heard a halting grumble which she took to be him laughing. "Go on," he nudged her with his snout. She cracked one eye open. She was lying sprawled on the ground from when she slipped off of his back once they landed. Snow drifted down lazily onto her face and her back was soaked from the snow. With a groan, she pushed herself into a sitting position. "Where are we?" she asked, still a bit dazed. "Look around," he replied and looked over her shoulder, his golden scales shimmering in the feeble sunlight. She squinted her eyes and realized they were in the gardens of Avolire. Æðelfrið was walking across the grass towards them, a blanket draped over his arm. "Welcome home," he said and passed the blanket to Saffron. #### Saffron sipped the hot cider that Æðelfrið had pressed into her h
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 43: Two Paths Diverge
August and Gwendolyn just stared at Saffron as she finished explaining what Kingsley had told her, mouths agape. "So, she is a daemon?" August asked, running his hands over his shorn hair. Saffron nodded. "In a manner of speaking. She sacrificed her soul for her power," she replied and leaned heavily against Elric. "And he is trapped?" August asked, looking at his brother who glowered from the corner. "Yes, brother. I cannot change back," August was startled as Elric's voice entered his mind. "How?" August exclaimed, his eyes wide. "We don't know. I am not sure how to help. Whatever magic is infecting him, is beyond any of my skills," she said apologetically. "I am not well versed in magic either. Politics, yes. I would not even know where to turn to find help," August replied. "Udril, perhaps?" Gwendolyn offered, her face and voice tired. "Udril?" August asked and looked towards his wife. She nodded. "They are magic practitioners, are they not?" she retorted. "Well
The Dragon's Coveted Wife Chapter 42: An Escape is Offered
"I'm not sure what to say," Saffron said when Kingsley finished explaining. "There is nothing to say," he replied, placidly. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked, aware that they had both moved closer while they were speaking. He looked at his hands for a while, toying with his fingers. "Because when she feeds…she loses control of her power. She is lost in the devouring. She will be feeding soon. She is preparing the body now and within the hour she will begin the ritual," he stated. "But why?" Saffron asked again. He smiled up at her sadly and caught a strand of her hair between his fingers. His lips were inches from hers and she wanted so badly to capture his mouth with hers and this desire frightened her. She must just be tired. She shook her head slightly to clear it. He lifted his eyes to hers and a pang of desire rang through her. He smirked and leaned forward, his hand gripped the back of her head. He kissed her passionately and she responded with a pang of despera
