All Chapters of Reclaiming My Beloved Dragon Prince: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

86 Chapters

001: Three Months Later

My husband, Primus. Is dead.My mate gave his life because he loved his wife and children so much that he was willing to die for them to have a chance at life.Primus was the very best of mates. He taught me how to love.I would gladly die a million deaths to have him by my side again.But he died at his own brother's hands, another victim of the Starfell War.Or at least, that is what I need to tell myself, because to admit the truth would be madness.My wings, as black as night, float around me as they transform, and I fall into my preferred form, one more human than dragon. Now they are the gossamer sleeves of an elegant silk gown, my scales are gold sequins that make up the bodice and skirt. My hair, braided in hundreds of golden tendrils, is piled upon my head, the crown gifted to me on my wedding day woven between the strands.On my wrist, a black bangle connects me to the Celestial Realm. On my hand, the ring that once connected me to my love.I never thought I'd return to this
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002: Messages and Maladies

[Carnelia] The dead, cold, glare of Primus’ eyes followed me on my flight back home. He survived, and I know I should be grateful that my mate still breathes, but I am having a hard time finding my gratitude. I want to take him into my arms and fly him back with me. I want to do a lot of things that just aren’t possible. As I approach the closed gate, I take my fourth form, becoming a dragon made of little more than light in the shape of my winged self. I’ve only been able to take this shape in recent weeks, even with an entire kingdom of others to learn from. Despite being a universal dragon who can take the form of any other dragon I encounter, there are still a few things I need to learn the long way around. Ona is waiting for me when I materialize within the landing dock of our closed gate. Princess Ursa, who is officially our heir, is standing by her mother, learning from her as she once learned from her grandmother, how to rule the Celestial Kingdom. After the events of the
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003: Training Session

[Carnelia]I tried to stay strong and be regal and centered, but seeing my babies suffer made me hesitate to leave them even for a moment. What if I took a selfish moment to be somewhere else only to find they had taken a dark turn? Could I forgive myself if they stopped breathing while I was off attending to a personal need?What kind of mother am I to leave them like I did when they were suffering? I should have sent someone else to speak on my behalf.After seeing them struggle, I stayed there with them all night, refusing to leave. I also had all my food and other essentials brought here, setting up camp in a comfortable corner of the infirmary. I plan to be here for every moment they have left even if that means I do nothing but watch for the next week.This situation feels so impossible, I can't think of anything better to do.I place a hand on my two smallest babies, Nyx and Nox. They are both shadow dragons and hatched on the same day within minutes of one another, giving them
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004: Undercovers

[Ona] The lights are dim and the air is sweet with the scents of our lovemaking. Everything is quiet and calm. Our children are off living their own lives, especially our daughter, Ursa, who enjoys the privilege of being the crown princess maybe a bit too much. Even Carnelia is finally resting. It took fighting 15 different celestial dragons, and learning their powers and their forms before she was finally exhausted enough to enter a sleep that isn’t haunted by nightmares of her mate alive and yet dead inside. I feel almost guilty, lying in Daax’s arms. But we have lived so much of our lives apart, that I cherish every moment of connection that we have. Who knows when the universe might drive us apart again? And tonight may be our last night for some time to come that we can be so free with one another--especially if my plan is going to work. After tonight, he will be hiding in plain sight as one of the royal guards. I gently brush his blond curls away from the jagged edge
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005: The Arrival

[Carnelia] The reception chamber for the Northern Gate is cool, even with a dozen dragons standing on the platform. Thankfully, the babies are nestled in carriers that will keep them cozy while we travel. Carefully, I kiss the brow of each of my babies, giving them my love before handing each of them to a unique guard, one who will be serving as their personal attendant for our entire time in Luxandra. At Ona’s insistence, all of them are trained not only to be nursemaids but as skilled warriors. “Are you sure about this,” I ask Ona as her hand rests on the button that will begin the process of reopening this gate. “Are you sure this is the best way?” “Mother would make the same choice,” Ona looks at all of us intently as her hand rests on the button, “Of that I am certain.” The reopening process is complex, requiring several elements to be in place, including the two of us in the same location. Once the engineers ensure us that it is time, Ona places her hand on a small stone plat
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006: Cold Reception

[Carnelia] I hold my breath, forgetting for a moment how to breathe. What does this mean? How is it that the Queen is so newly pregnant? Why is she displaying my husband like a spoil of war? Ona reaches forward and squeezes my hand, communicating her love for me through her touch. She sees it too. “We don’t know anything, Carnelia. Don’t assume until we know for sure.” “Either Segundus is still alive or…” “Shhh…” she looks around, her eyes wide with fear. “I know.’ We don’t have an opportunity to consider the implications, both politically and personally. An armed escort proudly weaves itself through the crowd, creating space on either side of their contingent as they find their way to us. “By order of Queen Eleanora and Prince Primus,” their leader, stands before us, half his face covered in a golden helm, leaving only his jawline visible, which moves up and down with each word, giving his shadowed face the appearance of being eyeless. “You are to come before their presence imm
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007:  With Care

[Carnelia] The guards standing on the edge of the room move forward. The Queen raises a jeweled hand to give them pause. “Yes, Brother-in-law, you had something to say.” As if pushing through fog, his next words are slow, labored, as if his jaw were stuck together with clay. “She…mine…stay.” His breathing is labored. He does not move forward. But his eyes. For the first time in all of my visits, his eyes connect with mine. “Stay,” he says again. This time I know for certain. He’s talking to me. I nod. Okay, Primus. I'm here. I'm not leaving you. I try to send what love I can through my ring, hoping that he can still feel it, somewhere. He closes his eyes, his face tight with pain. He may look like the strong drake that I married, but he is not himself. Whatever they have done to him, he is fighting to be free. He is fighting to be mine again. Queen Eleanora looks at him with a gaze that is far too clever. “The prince has made a request. We shall treat his family as our fam
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008: The Technician

[Primus] It is happening again, and there is nothing I can do to stop them. As soon as my family is escorted from the room, the knights lining the walls move forward. I try to fight, but it is no use--the air dragons move with a precision and swiftness that is unrivaled, as if controlled by a single mind. With a twist of their leader's wrist, the air is stolen from my lungs, forcing me to gasp as my almost useless hands grasp my throat instinctively. As I fall to my knees, someone grabs me from behind and I feel the pinch of something entering my body between the scales of my back. “Be gentle with his body this time, Drakas,” Eleanora orders her guard as he hauls me by my elbows. “He needs to be presentable for tonight’s ball and we cannot have him showing up with bruises and look every inch the dashing prince. Make sure The Technician is made aware of this need.” My vision clouds as the drug takes effect. It takes three guards to lift me as my body loses the ability to move inde
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009: Challenges

[Carnelia] I am up to my waist in layers of silk and taffeta, exhausted, hungry, and heartsick. “Can you remind me why we need to endure this?” I ask Ona as a maid tears through my curls. Wincing, I try not to flinch as she abuses my scalp. I have never liked being forced into the courtly ideas of royal beauty, and yet here I am being trussed up to be presented at a ball I do not even want to attend. Except, maybe to see him. “Because we must follow her rules of propriety,” Ona grimaces as her corset is laced. Just as the maid is about to cinch it tighter, Ona stops her with an upraised hand. “But Mi’lady, you are expected to have a fashionably tight waist. The dress that the Queen sent over needs you to…” The scalding look Ona gives Eleanora’s human pet pins the poor girl in her place. With wide eyes the girl, barely more than a child, bends her body in half until only the top of her bald, tattooed head is visible, before falling to her knees in shame. “My apologies, Your
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010: The Elf King

[Carnelia] Everything in my body clenches. I feel my nails elongating into talons as I gaze at the pair. “Breathe, Little Sister, Breathe.” I force myself to tear my eyes away from Primus and the Queen. Twisting my head around to face Ona, I see that her internal fire matches the strength of mine. She raises my hand to her chest and takes deep breaths until I do the same. “Don’t give in. She wants you to be angry. If you are angry you will make a mistake, and if you make a mistake, we will lose everything--the treaty, the cure, everything. If you attack her now it will mean another war only this time our gates are open and the royal family is on the surface.” She is right. Damn it, she is right. I retract my talons, taking on a more human appearance as is polite during a royal function. It is considered rude to appear too dragonish--it’s akin to showing up at a banquet with weapons. At the very least you might be considered a rude guest. At worst--treasonous. I am dazzled by
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