3. Dragons' Lair
Never would I imagine having the feel of being respected ever again. Losing my throne and my lineage had rearranged my perspective and expectation of my life.
Since king Eustace took me under his protection, I had been stripped down of my royal privilege. I was torn, hurt, and many times wished that I was not cruelly spared. Wingless, throne-less, and all alone, I kept on surviving day after day.
A month had passed that I was living in King Armand's kingdom, under his protection, respected by his followers. It feels weird, but I didn't tell him that. I kept it to myself, attending to my pet dragon in my little tower.
Brontes, my fierce young dragon who is the only dragon in the kingdom had let me sit on his back a couple of times. He took me to the sky, flying low to enjoy the warm breeze but high enough to taste the peacefulness of the hellish terrain. It may seem meaningless but I was loving our little getaways and Armand was letting me have my time. The most important thing was I feel safe with my dragon. We have bonded closer throughout the weeks.
I was petting him when I noticed the changes in his behavior. Dragons can sense and hear things from miles away. His eyes flick, his tail swooshes, and his neck muscles tense. "What is it, Brontes?" the animal growled lowly then he whimpered like someone had kicked him where it hurts. "Hey...hey, you're okay, you're here with me..." I was shocked the moment his eyes met mine, it was like he was showing me my past. The image was clear as day, the horror was too much that somehow I ordered the young dragon to stay there while I leave to run and search for Armand.
"We must go, we must save them!" I grabbed his attention while he was talking to his generals. My head was still full of images that Brontes showed me when Armand cupped my face and his voice reached my ears. "Basilea, calm down... tell me, what's the matter?"
"Brontes, I saw it through his eyes. They're butchering dragons..." I didn't recognize the demons, but they were several and I described them to Armand while his generals were listening to me.
One of his generals, the older one, Titus, got up. "I'll go gather our army, with your order, my king." He waited for Armand's approval then dismissed himself and others follow him out to the courtyard.
"You stay here," he said putting his hand on my waist.
"What? no, I'll go with Brontes!" I quickened my steps but he grabs my arm the second I reached my little dragon tower. But I was too damn persistent and he let go of my hand feeling my body shuddered with the power I still haven't managed to fully control. The young dragon looked at me like he was in pain and I race to reach his front and wrapped my arm around his scaly nostrils, my other hand rubbed his neck. He purred, breathing heavily as I soothed him and slowly get on his back.
"Damn it, Basilea, wait for us." Armand cursed, flapped his dark wings, and headed to the courtyard where his army awaits. Shouts were heard, commands were thrown then in seconds he and his army followed us.
I was not prepared to see it, the sight was grueling. I had to hold Brontes, keeping him hidden far on the hillside from where his kind was being either captured or killed. "Stay here, keep him safe and out of sight. We need to know what we're up against." Armand ordered and at that moment I obeyed not wanting Brontes to get hurt, because I'm not sure I can protect him once those monsters see him.
From where I was standing, I could see three different demons trying to capture the dragons, some were wounded, and some were battered but managed to hold on to their restraints.
The ambush was fast and bloody when Armand's army entered the dragons' lair and freed their restraints. I was holding my young dragon, I could feel his body shuddering, wanting to get away but I kept on whispering, trying to calm him down. Then finally what felt like hours it ended and when it does, I couldn't hold Brontes any longer when he decides to join the others.
The moment he was gone, in that brief fraction of a second I felt a pair of eyes watching me. But then, there was nothing when I turned around. I try to shake the feeling and concentrate on finding Brontes, then my eye caught a movement. I thought I recognized one of the demons who fled, he was bloody but managed to walk away and slipped into the darkness after a portal opened and he vanishes in seconds.
"Basilea!" I snapped my head towards his voice, I was too engrossed watching the mysterious demon that I didn't notice Armand heading towards me, he looked upset. I was standing by the hill's ledge, my dragon was down in the center with two other dragons. "You need to pay attention to your surroundings, you're not safe, I thought you were staying close to Brontes. I wouldn't leave knowing you're vulnerable to an attack."
"I...sorry. I didn't realize..." I didn't get to finish my words when he took me with him. Mystery demon was forgotten and what mattered was Armand's generals now have a new army of dragons. More than a dozen dragons followed us back to his so-called mediocre kingdom that now housed a fleet of dragons.
Titus looked more than happy, he was busy with the wounded both dragons and his demon army. His second in command, Magnus, looked smug, he's busy running around checking on the dragons. Their sounds, their majestic features... though some were wounded they're still a force to be reckoned with. I leave my young dragon with them to calm the other dragons, showing them that one of their own was at ease with us.
"King Armand, are you hurt?" I asked when I saw the blood smeared onto his pants, I didn't notice it earlier but now that the situation had calmed down I was surprised to see his battered stage.
"I'll be fine, you, on the other hand, you need to do as you're told. You risked your safety back there, one of those demons could've seen you, attack you which will stir our focus..." Armand sounded disappointed and I was offended as if I couldn't take care of myself. Well, maybe I can, obviously not as good as him. But I was there, I stayed, though he's right, I should be more aware of my surroundings.
"I'm sorry, now...would you let me take care of you? I've done it before, or have you forgotten?" I gave him my flirty smile. Surely he remembered when I took care of him weeks back at Ranulf's. He smirked when I winked and tugged him to follow me back to his chamber.
"Strip, get into the bath I'll get some ointment from Gaelan," I whispered, putting my hand to his bare chest after carefully inspecting the slash wound on his right flank. Gaelan is his healer, the kingdom's very own demon sorcerer. I've met him, talked, and spent time in his dark, but cozy-looking witchy lair that looked so much different from Maven's chamber at King Ranulf's.
I smiled, taking a glimpse of his backside as he takes off his pants, moving his naked body elegantly to the royal bath. Just like my previous King, Armand's chamber has a royal bath connected to it. But the difference is that I was allowed there, he even insisted that I joined and washed him.
It took me less than fifteen minutes to get back to the king's chamber. Gaelan gave me his best concoction for the wound that I had described him. He just told me to check it every couple of hours to see if it gets worst, if so then I should have him summoned.
"So, what did your generals say about the demons, do they want the dragons for their army? and where did those demons come from?" my curiosity got the best of me and I couldn't help myself to ask. I know I shouldn't, that it's none of my concerns. But somehow, the peculiar feeling was creeping under my skin and I need to know if I should be worried or not.
"My little demon," he took the concoction aside, put his hand on my wrist, and with little effort he tugs me to sit on his lap. I was already naked and was planning to take care of him before he got me all wet and giggling on his lap.
"My King!" I laughed and straddled him telling him that I need to put the ointment to make it heal faster.
"Basilea, I'll feel better with you kissing me and riding me...hard." His voice was low, smooth, and sexy, making me bit my lip and pushed my questions to the back of my mind.
I guess... I can ask him later, I should do as my king asked me to and be his good little demon succubus.