The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

DEMIR

I was angry with Prim and simply wanted to get her off my back. I planned to visit Akyria anyway since I lost Lara’s trace somewhere close to the border. Appearing at the Dark Selection was simply to make my sister believe that I am listening to her while doing what I actually needed to do. Ryker was dealing successfully with the Warriors of Light at the border and Primrose assured me that she could handle palace affairs in my absence.

Well, since both of them were so kind, it would be rude not to follow their advice and go look for my bride. And it wasn’t my fault that we meant different things by saying that.

However, who could have thought that I’d be so lucky!

I felt her presence the moment I entered the castle’s barrier. I was almost late for the event so had no opportunity to check everyone at once. The part of the room where the ladies were sitting was in the dark and I didn’t want to scare her off.

“My emperor”, I was recognized and greeted immediately, “It’s such an honour..”

“No need,” I smiled lightly trying not to give away my excitement, “I am incognito here. And now I need you all to laugh as if I said something extremely funny.”

They all burst out laughing as if we were good old friends and I turned to one of my battle commanders, who was rewarded this year with an opportunity to go to the Selection, “ Flarrel, I need you to make sure that no one is leaving this castle. Block the barriers and order your squadron to come here immediately for safety reasons.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Of course, your majesty, “ he didn’t even bow but tried to hide in the crowd discretely and then disappeared to follow my orders. Clever guy. I’d have to give him more rewards later. And now that I knew that my little angel was not going anywhere anymore, I could relax and enjoy the show.

I sat at one place and even chuckled when someone tried to speak to me or c***k a joke. Anything to look natural. But the more I sat there, the more girls were coming up to that central stage, the angrier I got inside. Was Lara really here? Was she trying to find herself a gerdian husband? Why would she reject me but then actually come here?!

But the more I thought the more I realized that she couldn’t be a contestant. For that, she would need a dark mark and that was a specially monitored process. Girls were chosen for it years before their Dark Selection was about to happen. Girls, who could accept dark magic, and Lara was made out of Light. She was Light.

No, Lara was not a contestant. Yet she managed to get inside. I would find out how, of course. But at the moment I knew everything I needed to know. We were in the same room and she wouldn’t be able to run again. Even by air. Even if a gerdian was helping her, they wouldn’t be able to transport anymore.

That helped me feel at ease. And by the time the name that I gave to the coordinator of the event was called, I formed a speech that wasn’t aimed for her ears only. I was thanking all the gods and the chaos itself in my mind for my parents changing the rules back in their time. Before only the girls were introducing themselves as only the men were actually choosing a pair for themselves. Now the males had to do the same since the ladies had a say as well. They had to like or at least want to marry a person that would choose them. So, the gerdians had to put in some effort as well. And it was working for me perfectly now.

I gave the performance of my life and the ladies seemed impressed. In all honesty, I hoped that she would jump on that stage and claim me as hers. That would be what I’d do if she stood up here, offering herself as a bride to anyone else. Yet she stayed silent and I got angry. Was she really letting me go? Didn’t she care at all?

“Oh, and I am a Duke of the Gerdian Empire,” I added just to add oil to fire and heard a wave of gasps from the female contestants.

Nothing.

I hoped no one noticed how hard I clenched my fists and sitting there only made my mood worse. Not that I let it show.

So, Lara decided to play a game with me. Well, I loved games. I was going to give her the best game of her life.

The gerdians had to leave first. It was the tradition. And I was tempted to break it now. I was tempted to illuminate the room properly and look into her eyes.

Then again, that could potentially ruin everything. So, exhaling heavily through my nostrils, I summoned the dark fire and transported myself to the designated room. Checking it quickly, I created a barrier that would only let me and her inside. No one else. Pacing around the room, I tried to call myself down.

It did not help of course, as there she was, right next to me. But I couldn’t go there and claim her… I couldn’t do anything!

The desk felt my anger first when I slammed it over the wall. One of the few chairs in the room followed it. I felt a small prick of guilt, knowing that this room was considered a museum of sorts since this was where my father lived during his one and only Dark Selection, the one that changed everything.

Breaking a few more things helped me to feel better. And I started to think rationally again. Everything was better than it was yesterday. We were close again. Not close close, but close enough for me to know that she was safe. Close enough for me to make her realize what she really wanted.

And with those thoughts in my mind, I closed my eyes that night…

She was sitting at a windowsill that I descried at once and calmed down that we still were in the same castle. I was not mistaken and that made me smile.

Lara looked at me and clenched her lips, turning away immediately.

My angel was clearly pissed at me and I was enjoying it.

She cared…