The Lady and the Stranger

I was roused by a pair of hands, gripping my arm painfully that I was forced to pry my eyes open to glare at my assailant. My heart stopped dead in my chest as I took in the person looking at me. Scrutinising, rather. Instantly, heat crept into my cheeks, probably colouring my demeanour in a red flush.

His thick eyebrows were drawn together. I wasn't sure if it was from annoyance or curiosity but I couldn't look away. Sapphire eyes bore through my skin from a face chiselled from the most expensive marble by the most talented artisan. His hair was the darkest shade of black, swallowing the orange of the morning sky. And oh my! He's half-naked!

I looked away, banishing the thoughts in my head. I wasn't a stranger to a man's body but seeing it up close, with sweat glistening over that broad chest and tanned skin that spoke of hours beneath the sun, it was too much. It was an effort not to think about the indention over his hips where his pants hung.

"Who are you?" His voice reminded me of velvet, soft and gentle, yet there was an undercurrent of gruffness that accented his physique. My throat narrowed. "I'm asking you again. Who are you and what are you doing in my cave?"

"Your cave?" Beneath the folds of my cloak, my grip tightened around the dagger's hilt. The fear was already making its way to my chest.

I peered around him but found no sign telling me the cave was owned by someone. He took a step back, crossed his arms and ran his gaze over me. His muscular arms barely covered his broad chest, and his abdomen was finely sculpted. Apparently, he's a man who was used to working hard labour.

Using the wall for support, I pushed myself up on one hand, careful to keep the weapon hidden, until I was standing. "Stop staring." My voice wavered. "You're making me uncomfortable."

I wanted to slap myself at that moment. It was the wrong thing to say. But he looked away, although his displeasure was still apparent.

"You still haven't answered my question," he huffed.

"I refuse to say my name." My voice came out as a squeak and I was torn between what to feel—fear and humiliation. I decided on the former.

Gods, my governess never included lessons on how-to-deal-with-grumpy-strangers-who-looked-like-they-want-to-kill-you for this kind of situation. I doubted a curtsy would be of much help. Goodness, I was panicking.

He stared. The lack of response grated at me. The silence persisted for two whole minutes before his face softened. In a way, it reminded me of Amaris. When he asked me again, I was unable to stop myself from revealing my name. Out of habit, I sketched an inconspicuous curtsy. A puzzled look crossed his face, and he quirked an eyebrow in question. A lump formed in my throat at the sight. I straightened my posture, forcing a polite smile to my lips.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I..." Should I tell him I ran away? It seemed like an awful reason though. He was a stranger—an extremely attractive stranger, yes, but still a stranger. "I got lost," I finished awkwardly.

"You're lying." A corner of his lips moved. "Tell the truth, or I'll kill you." He said this with utmost earnest that I didn't doubt it was a genuine threat.

Was this really how my life was supposed to end? In the hands of a handsome killer without anyone knowing what happened to me? I shouldn't have run away. I should've stayed and begged Father to reconsider. The metal hilt of the dagger bit my palms and my resolve grew. If I was to die, I would die swinging.

His laughter interrupted my thoughts, boisterous and loud. "Don't look too worried, Chandra. I was just joking. I may look like a savage but I assure you, you're perfectly safe around me." I flinched in alarm when he took a step forward. He shook his head, running his hand through his thick black hair. "I've done this the wrong way, haven't I? Allow me to rectify my social blunder. My name is Draco. It's nice to meet you, milady."

He flourished a perfect bow, and if this was some other circumstances—preferably with him in a shirt—I would've thought of him as nobility. When he looked up, he smiled and caught me off-guard. Did I forget to mention he's handsome?

"Look, you could gape at me all you want but your stomach's growling." Heat flushed my cheek at his statement. Chuckling at my embarrassment, he added, "Come on. My cabin's up on the mountain."

He gestured for me to follow. I shook my head.

"I'm not going to kill you, Chandra. It's just breakfast. Come on."

"You promise?"

He inclined his head and exhaled. "Yes, I promise. Now, you don't mind climbing, do you?"

When Draco said we had to climb, I overestimated its definition. The incline was steep but there was a clear path to the wooden cabin. Draco was beside me the whole time, guiding me on which step to take. It was a gruelling ascent but it made reaching the flat slip of land where he lived all the sweeter.

I inhaled the mountain breeze, letting the chilly air fill my lungs and put me at ease. From here, I could see the expanse of Veluinia, the Braerid weaving through it, steaming in the golden glow of the morning. I could see King Rolfe's castle, shining like a beacon with the morning light bouncing off its glass walls. By now, they would be looking for me—the King's bride who disappeared in the middle of the night.

"Did you build this?" I asked, not bothering to rein in my awe.

The cabin was small and made entirely of wood, hewn timber walls and floor and a roof made of wooden planks. The windows had wooden shutters and from the outside, I could see the curtains gently dancing to the mountain breeze. A small set of stairs led to the front porch held together by solid timber pillars.

"I grew up here, but I made a lot of changes to it last spring. Finished them just in time for winter." The pride was apparent in the gleam in his eyes and the way he spoke of it. I couldn't stop the smile from gracing my face. Draco turned to me. "Come on."

"Breakfast isn't much," he told me when we crossed the threshold. The door immediately led to the well-ventilated sitting room with large windows. Grey ash lay undisturbed in the stone hearth and I wondered when he last used it. To the right of the sitting room was a two-seater table by a small kitchen, at the back is a hallway which I assumed led to his bedroom. I pushed the thought away.

Draco gestured for me to sit by the table as he rummaged through the cabinets in the kitchen. In the end, there was a modest spread of bread, cheese and milk on the table. I didn't see the point of using utensils like I was taught all my life. My governess would be scandalised if she saw me eating with my hands. From across me, Draco watched with amusement.

I raised an eyebrow in question.

"You still haven't told me why you came here," he said. The glass stopped a few inches from my lips and I looked at him. He was wearing a shirt now—thankfully. I didn't think I could eat if he was still half-naked. "Why?"

I set the glass down, the milk sloshing around and splattering a few droplets on my hand. My initial response was to lie but something told me I could trust him. If it was because of the earnest gaze he gave me or the sincerity in his tone, I didn't know. With a sigh, I found myself telling him everything.

He listened intently with a face that betrayed no hint of emotions. By the end of my narrative, he simply sat in silence, contemplating. I waited for him to say something, to throw me out or report me to the king. What he said next was not what I expected.

"Stay," he told me. His voice was full of gentleness. "Stay here and I'll hide you from him."

Somehow, I believed him.

Ꙍ

I stared at myself in the mirror hanging in the sitting room. A day of going without food showed in my skin, my cheeks had noticeably sunk as did the bags around my eyes darkened and deepened. My hair was matted to the top of my head from sweat and grime covered my face. There were a few scratches from the low branches, but they were barely noticeable. For a moment, I felt embarrassed that Draco saw me this way then decided it could be worse. The hands holding the dagger trembled slightly. I could do this.

Clutching a bunch of my hair, I began to saw the ends. The first one was always the hardest but when I finally let the sawed-off ends fall to the wooden floor, I felt the exhilaration filling my chest. Slowly, I chopped off my hair until the waist-length tresses were reduced to just below my chin. I looked different. Freer. Lighter. I liked it.

I couldn't help but smile.

Ꙍ

I followed the sound of cracking and found Draco chopping wood. His back was to me, giving me a full view of his back muscles flexing and knotting beneath his shirt as he lifted the axe up and brought it down with a force that could splinter the world. Sweat beaded the back of his neck. As if entranced, I followed the droplet as it trailed down to his back. He turned to me abruptly.

"You cut your hair," Draco said this with no hint of surprise when he saw me standing on the porch. Ogling him. Goodness, Chandra. Since when did I become the kind of girl who ogled men?

My hands instinctively touched the jagged ends of my hair. "I figured if the guards came, they'll be looking for a lady with long hair."

"It suits you." I didn't know how to reply to that so I smiled. He smiled back. We remained quiet for a moment before he asked me.

"Do you want to go with me today?"

"Where will you be going?"

"Hovalon. You don't have to... you know... come. I ... you could... if you just want." Draco shook his head, running his fingers through his hair and gave me a sheepish smile. "I'm bad at this, aren't I?"

I ignored his blunder, although it gave me a rush of satisfaction to know I was the reason for his embarrassment. "How can I help?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. Goodness, those eyebrows would be the death of me. "You don't have to come with me," he told me, swinging the axe in his hand. And there, in the tone of his voice, I heard it. A challenge. An invitation.

I held my ground. "I want to. You wouldn't want the guards to find me here alone." As if he knew what I was about to say, he gestured for me to follow.

The climb was easier than the descent. Walking down the path proved to be harder than it looked. Gravel crunched beneath my boots and I slipped countless times. It was only thanks to Draco's assistance that I remained upright—most of the time. He told me his cart was waiting at the bottom of the mountain.

"Just be careful. That area's slippery." I rolled my eyes. Turning to him with a sharp retort at the tip of my tongue, I embarrassed myself when my weight was sharply displaced. Draco was beside me immediately, his eyebrows drawn together like how I first saw him. "What did I tell you?"

I took his outstretched hand, pulled myself upright and wiped my behind for stones and dust clinging to my pants. "I'm fine," I assured him. "No permanent damage."

By the scowl on his face, I could tell he wasn't convinced.

Ꙍ

"Are you sure you're okay?"

It was two days ago when I ran away from home but it felt like a long time had already passed. In a few hours, I became another person entirely with Draco in my company. I hardly paid attention to my surrounding during my escape that I didn't notice how frost crystals embraced dead branches. Even the ground was slightly soft where we trod. There's a bite to the wind even if the sun was already high. I was guessing it was near noontime.

Hovalon was on the other side of the Crimson Mountains, which was basically made up of red rocks, making the entire sierra look crimson in the daylight. While Veluinia was a port kingdom, Hovalon was the farming kingdom and had been engaged in amicable trading with each other. I knew this because my governess felt the need to imbibe history into my mind as "a proper lady".

Draco walked beside me while I rode his horse, a black mare he introduced as Nardell, shadowfire in the Old Language, and behind the mare was a cart full of lumber in various shades of brown.

"That's the fourteenth time you asked me that question since I fell down. Yes, Draco, I'm fine. If you won't stop asking, I'll start to think you're worried about me," I replied jokingly and stole a glance at him.

He wasn't looking at me but I could see his profile. In the midmorning sun, where the light filtered through the woven branches overhead, I saw him grinning. "I just don't like the King thinking I'm not taking care of his bride." I stiffened in my seat. He realised his mistake immediately, turning to me with an apologetic wince on his face. "I'm sorry. It wasn't right of me to say that."

When I didn't reply, he took my hands, and in a voice and gaze brimming with apology and sincerity, he said, "Chandra. Chandra, what I promised you this morning about keeping you safe, I meant it. I won't allow you to be married to him. I promise."

Meeting his gaze, I smiled. "I believe you."

I realised it was the truth. I hadn't known him for long but I knew inside me that I could trust him. And the way he said those words... I tamped down the flutters in my body.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

I smiled, pulling my hand and decided to change the subject. "Why are we heading west?"

"We'll follow the path along the Braerid. You can wash up along the way," he said with a grin and wrinkled his nose playfully. From the satchel, he pulled out a red brick and handed it to me.

"What's this?" I took it in my hands and turned the brick over. Some of its powder stuck to my palms.

"That's dye." He pointed to my head. "For your hair."

"Oh. It's... red?"

"Well, I figured if the guards came around, they'll be looking for a lady with brown hair."

I shook my head and he chuckled.

Ꙍ

We stopped when we reached the banks of the Braerid. The current was fast in the middle but the banks were fairly calm. I positioned myself on a large rock, washed my face and hair, and ground the red brick dye until it was powdered. I let the colour seep into my hair as we travelled, keeping the hood of my cloak down until it dried.

"Red hair suits you, too," Draco said out of nowhere. "It makes you look like a flower. Green eyes, red hair."

A laugh erupted from my lips. "That's supposed to be a compliment, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "I don't have much in the way of social skills. You know, being alone in the mountains doesn't really present much opportunity to socialise."

"I can tell." I shifted on Nardell, turning until I was sitting backwards on the saddle. "So, how did you end up living in Crimson Mountains?"

Draco shook his head.

I scowled, pointing to his necklace. "How about that? What's its story?"

"It's a reminder," he replied knowingly. His fingers lifted to touch the pendant. "That's all I can tell you for now."

I accusingly pointed a finger at him. "That's not fair. I answered your questions about me but you wouldn't even tell me why you ended up here."

Then again, his eyebrows shot up. "You don't want to know, Chandra. I want to tell you, but I don't think you'll understand." When he looked away, I knew better than to press him. Some stories were not meant to be told.

The remaining distance to Hovalon was shrouded in silence. By habit, I nibbled at my lower lip as I contemplated whether I should apologise to him or just let him take his time. When we finally reached the stone bridge to Hovalon, I leapt off of Nardell and walked beside Draco. It's past noontime if my stomach was to go by when we made it to Hovalon's capital.

Unlike in Veluinia where so many people suffered from hunger, especially during winter, Hovalonians were robust and lively as they paced the streets. Children of different ages had colour in their cheeks as they played in the fenced front yards. This was the first time I'd been to Hovalon even though it was only a day away from Veluinia by horse. I felt a pang of envy for the kingdom that they were, for what could've been for my own kingdom.

Draco looked like he'd been here many times before but I didn't miss the glint of happiness in his eyes as he took in our surroundings. He looked at me and smiled. Even without words, I understood what he was trying to say. He was showing me a better kingdom, a chance for Veluinia to be something like this. My heart clenched at his smile.

I'm not selfless, I wanted to tell him. I didn't want to sacrifice myself for a better future for Veluinia. I wasn't that kind of lady.

If he saw the message in my eyes, he didn't let on. Instead, he led me past the crowded houses and busy marketplace until we arrived at a large house with a wide front-yard filled with lumber. A man greeted us warmly by the gate, and somehow he reminded me of Father. I wondered what he's doing now. Was he looking for me? Did he know that Amaris helped me escape?

When my thoughts started down the path, I hadn't been able to stop myself. Amaris. What happened to her? What if Father found out about her role in my escape? He wouldn't forgive her. Amaris. I shouldn't have left her. I should go back. I...

"Chandra."

I felt my nails digging crescents into my palms. A hand gripped my arms and I saw them, clear sapphires meeting my emeralds. Concern. Worry. Questions.

"Chandra. Are you alright?"

I shook my head. Her name was the only thing I could think of. I barely heard Draco excuse ourselves from the man when he dragged me to the side, gripping both of my arms. I saw him opening his mouth, saying something. I could hear his voice but none of the words made sense to me.

I was underwater. Every bone in my body quaked, every breath became laboured, and my heart strained for the bond between sisters that lay taut from the distance. Then a firm wall surrounded me. Gentle hands threaded through my hair as a voice like velvet finally became audible. Warmth seeped through the thick folds of my coat, reaching my skin and I was brought back to reality.

I vaguely heard Draco's words but I calmed down. "She'll be fine. If they really want to find you, they won't touch her. I promise you that. Please, Chandra. Calm down. Calm down, Chandra."

I stopped trembling. It took me a few moments to realise Draco was embracing me. The trepidation I felt for Amaris was replaced by something else. Clouds moved away from inside me as warm sunlight showered down on me, sending my heart into a fitful gallop that could probably overtake Nardell. Then I remembered Amaris.

Gently, I pressed my palms against Draco's chest. He pulled away but the look in his eyes remained the same.

As I stared back into those eyes, I saw something more than precious gems. I saw the seas of Veluinia during the summer, deep and serene, that I felt like diving into their depths to know more about him. Somewhere beneath the layers of bright blue was a life untold.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, pulling away. I nodded, unable to find the words to say. He seemed unconvinced but he accepted my answer, not wanting to push me. "Wait here, alright. I won't be long."

He turned away then stopped. Throwing me a glance, he added, "You're a bright flame in my winter, Chandra. That was what I meant to say to you."

Without waiting for my reply, I watched his retreating figure as he led Nardell into the fenced yard. He glanced at me, smiling in reassurance, and I felt my heart squeeze.

Ꙍ

It didn't take long for Draco to come back out. The cart was already empty and there was a lightness to the mare's clopping. I was caught off-guard when Draco offered his hands while we walked side by side. I took it. I didn't know why but something in me wanted to take his hand.

The callous on his fingers scraped over my skin and again, I wondered how long he worked as a lumberjack. He seemed young, a few years older than me perhaps. My curiosity intensified at the questions he posed.

We stopped by the market where Draco haggled with vendors and I watched beside him in amusement. The people seemed to know him well. On a few occasions, they assumed I was his lover and the sight of Draco's tanned skin turning into a red flush was amusing.

He never introduced me to anyone. We agreed that someone with the same name as the Veluinian king's lost bride would raise suspicion. It still didn't stop us from smiling at each other from the secret joke only the two of us knew.

It didn't take long for Draco's purse to lighten from shopping. What was once lumber and wood on Nardell's cart were replaced by food and a few clothes of mine Draco purchased despite my protests. We were on our way out of the kingdom when he made a stop by a flower shop. From atop the mare's saddle, I watched him disappear inside the small shop.

A wide grin was on his face when he came out, his hands hidden behind his back. I looked at him quizzically. "I'm guessing you're hiding flower behind you."

He said nothing as he approached me. It's impossible for me to get a hint of what flower he carried because of his broad frame. He stopped by Nardell's side and with one hand, the other still hidden from my inquisitive sight, he lifted his body atop the mare's saddle.

I sucked in a breath from the sudden proximity. Now that my hair was shorter, I could vividly feel the tingly warmth of his breath at the back of my neck. His chest was pressed against my back and I was perfectly aware of how his heartbeat sang along to mine. And when he spoke, I felt my heart clamber up my throat.

"Remember when I said you look like a flower?" My heart was in my throat and my mouth couldn't form the words so I nod, a bit hastily. "This is what I mean."

His arms came around me and in his hand, a bouquet of red camellias smiled up at me. He was right. Its petals were in the same shade of red as my dyed hair and its leaves looked like my eyes. There was nothing I could say because my mind has already gone to the memory of my younger self studying the farmer's almanac. Flowers had messages, and if Draco intentionally chose the red camellias to give to me, then I was out of words. A smile bloomed on my lips.

Inside my chest, where my heart raged against the confines of my ribcage, I felt a spark kindling. Oh Draco, I think you sparked a flame in my heart, too.

Ꙍ

The journey back to the Crimson Mountains was shorter than when we left it. Maybe it's because Nardell didn't have much weight to carry. Or maybe because the silence was filled with stories and anecdotes Draco was telling me. Maybe it was both.

When we reached the bottom of the mountain, we stopped by the cave where he found me just this morning. I couldn't believe it had just been this morning when we met. I felt like we'd known each other for a long time. There was no denying the connection I felt for him the moment I laid my eyes on those sapphires orbs.

Draco got off the mare first then assisted me in getting down. The bouquet he gave me was clutched tightly in my hand, one of the flowers nestled at the crook of my left ear. My hands wouldn't stop checking if it was still there.

It turned out the cave he said he owned was where he kept Nardell. I couldn't believe I didn't realise it until now. As the sun dipped on the distant horizon, I found Draco constantly glancing at it. His demeanour was askew.

"Draco, are you alright?"

When he flinched at the sound of my voice, I knew something was wrong. He shook his head and told me to get inside the cabin. He kept looking at the sunset. Puzzled, I followed his orders.

Just before I opened the door, he grasped my arms and said, "Don't come out tonight. No matter what you heat, just don't come out."

"Why?"

"Trust me. Please, Chandra. No matter what, don't come out." His voice wavered and I reluctantly nodded.

Ꙍ

The fire in the hearth burned wildly, filling the house with heat. The windows were shut, the curtains were drawn, and the door bolted. I strained my ears to hear something apart from the outside but the pounding in my chest was too loud for me to discern anything apart from my own trepidation.

I couldn't sleep. There was no way I could sleep if my mind was somewhere drifting, conjuring thoughts I refused to entertain. Draco said to trust him. I did trust him... do I? What was I thinking? He was a stranger!

What if he was halfway across the Salvia Forest, hurrying to betray my location to the king while I waited impatiently? He wouldn't do that, would he? This was driving me insane!

I slumped down on the large chair by the hearth. There was nothing I could do but wait. If he did betray me... I'd cross that bridge when I get there.

Ꙍ

A nagging thought at the back of my mind woke me. It felt like being suddenly pulled from under the water and consciousness washed down my entire body. The fire in the hearth died sometime in the night while I was asleep.

The air was frigid even inside. I looked around to see all the windows and the door was still closed. Draco was nowhere to be seen. The niggling worry at the back of my mind fed at the negative thoughts that endlessly pestered me. But I held my ground. I trusted him. At least, I believed I do.

When the knock on the door came, I panicked but tamped it down almost immediately. Guards wouldn't knock if they were here for me. Still, my breath lodged in my throat, refusing to be let out until Draco spoke from the other side. It left my lips as a relieved sigh.

"Chandra, it's me. Are you awake?"

"Yes," I replied. "Are you alone?"

"Yes. Open the door please." There was urgency in his voice but I hesitated. My hand lingered over the deadbolt. Doubt gnawed at me. What if he betrayed me? As if my mind and my body were two separate entities, I found myself opening the door before I could think. Draco rushed inside, pulling me behind him.

"We have to go. The King's guards are headed this way."

"What?"

"They're half a day away on horseback. We have to leave now if you want to get away from them."

"How did they know I was here?"

"They don't, but if they find you here, they will know. Let's go."

"Where will we even go?"

"Look, the King's guards are not allowed to enter Hovalon's border without permission. It'll be seen as an act of war. We can pass through there and head to Tranada."

It didn't take us long to pack food and a few spare clothing for our departure. All the while, Draco kept looking outside. There were times when I mistook my erratic heartbeat with the noise of galloping horses before I berated myself for being paranoid. Still, the fear remained. As we descended the Crimson Mountains, I thought of how peaceful the Salvia Forest looked from above. But I knew, beneath the thick canopy that shielded the floor from sight, the guards were on their way for me.

We saddled Nardell and without the weight of the cart to slow us down, we left the rocky terrain. Each step the mare took lightened the worry in my chest until I stopped looking behind my back. We arrived at the stone bridge to Hovalon just as their church bell tolled seven, accompanied by the roar of thunder.

Three days ago, I left our house to meet the King. Today, I left another house to get away from the King. My chest tightened at the thought.

Ꙍ

"Where is everyone?"

I directed this question to the barmaid serving our breakfast in a small inn in Hovalon. In our hurry to leave, we completely forgot to eat. The sudden downpour made travel difficult that we decided to stop and wait out the storm. Draco was—again—nowhere to be found.

The barmaid turned to me, frowning. "If you believe these drunks," she gestured to the men on the table beside ours, "I reckon they're hiding from the dragon. I bet they're just hiding from the storm."

"It's true!" One of the men exclaimed. He turned to me, glazed eyes trying to centre me in his sight. "I saw 'em meself. Large, winged beast, big enough to swallow the moon, I'm tellin' 'ya!"

"Where?" I asked.

"Up over the forest. Might be flyin' to Veluinia by now."

My spoon clattered to the floor. A lump formed in my throat and I had to force the words out. "Did you say Veluinia?"

Another merchant answered me. "Yes, Miss. I heard everything's been crazy down there since the King's bride went missing. They say she's been abducted by the dragon."

My mouth opened to object when Draco entered the inn. His hair was matted to his head, ends dripping with rainwater, and his clothes were soaked that I could see his sculpted body beneath the thin fabric.

The barmaid berated him for dripping on the floor and he apologised half-heartedly, taking the seat across me. "We can't travel in this weather," he told me. I nod knowingly.

"Draco, I have to go back to Veluinia."

His gaze narrowed. "Why?"

"They said there's a dragon terrorising the kingdom and I left my sister there!" I stood up and my chair toppled backwards. Everyone in the inn had their eyes on me but I could not care less about what they thought. I left Amaris there. I left her there.

Draco dragged me by the arm and led me into the upstairs bedroom we rented until the storm abated. In the small space, the sound of raindrops against the wooden roof was amplified.

After making sure the door was locked, he turned to me. "Calm down, Chandra. Nothing's going to happen to her."

"How do you know?" I snapped.

"Just trust me, Chandra."

"How can I even trust you if you won't tell me anything?" I balled my hand into a fist.

"I don't want to tell you anything!" Draco paced in the small bedroom, his hands gripping his hair in frustration. He avoided looking at me that for a moment, I doubted myself. "I'm scared that if I told you the truth, you won't accept it. That you'll leave me. Gods! I can't lose you, too."

"Tell me, Draco. I deserve to know."

He looked at me and my knees almost buckled at the storm contained in his eyes. Still, I held my ground. I needed to know the truth. I wanted to trust him so badly but the doubts would always remain.

He reached for his necklace and offered it to me. I thought it was stone when I first saw it, only this time I realised it was glass. My fingers traced its edges. Black glass threaded through a thin, leather string. I waited for him to say anything.

"It began sixteen years ago," he began. His explanation was nothing like I expected and I was torn between believing him or not. "Twenty-one years ago, when the last dragon was slain, the child of the dragon-slayer was cursed to turn into a dragon when the sun sets and will remain so until the sun rises again. The dragon-slayer refused to believe it until his son turned five. On the child's fifth birthday, there was a fire. The dragon-slayer lost his wife to his own son who, when dusk came, became a dragon."

"Why are you telling me this? I want the truth, not a gods-damned myth!"

"I'm telling you the truth, Chandra!" Draco turned away, shaking his head. I said nothing. "Sixteen years ago, I killed my own mother! My father wanted me dead! I would've died if a servant didn't raise me here."

Sixteen years ago. That was around the time Amaris got her scars. I was too young to remember anything at that time but I knew the stories. The fire. The palace. The queen and prince. The truth barrelled into me in full force that I staggered to my feet.

"You're the prince," I breathed out.

"I'm cursed, Chandra. For eternity."

"You're the prince," I repeated. He looked at me and even without words, I knew without a doubt that it was the truth. How did I not recognise those eyes? Those were the eyes of the man betrothed to me, the man I ran away from. "Was it you? The dragon they were talking about?"

"I went to see how your sister was doing. I knew how much she meant to you." He lowered his head. "She's alright. Chandra, I... I really wish things were different."

My chest tightened from the sudden overflow of emotions as I stared at the man who risked so much for my peace of mind. Was I willing to push him away because of my distrust? Because of his curse? Was I really that shallow?

For the first time in my life, I felt something new. This wasn't feeble or fleeting. I grasped it with both hands, not willing to let go. And somehow, I knew, he doesn't want to let it go, too.

I swallowed the lump barring my throat and said to him, "This doesn't change anything, Draco. Your curse, surely there's a way to break it?"

He shook his head. "None that I know of. Look, you don't have to worry about me. We just have to get you and your sister away from Veluinia."

"But what about you?"

He cupped my cheeks, and stared with those sapphire eyes I'd come to love in the days I spent with him. Those sapphire eyes that spoke of so much I couldn't begin to fathom its depths. "You know I can't come with you."

"Yes, you can. Together." I placed my hands over his. "We'll go together."

I heard the pain in his voice when he said, "I'm cursed, Chandra. It's my burden and mine alone. You don't have to concern yourself."

"It's a curse, Draco. A curse is like a heart." I shook my head, hoping my eyes could say everything my mouth couldn't. "It just needs the right person to break it."

He said nothing.

I didn't think. I didn't allow myself to think as I pushed myself on my toes until my lips hovered beneath his. His breath was warm against my skin. Tingles pulsed their way through my veins and into my erratic heart. I saw the same desire burning inside me reflected in his eyes, sharp and immovable. With eyes closed, I pressed my lips to his.

It was a kiss that destroyed me to the finest particle of my being. Every bone in my body sang to the harmony of our beating hearts. His velvet lips moved—as soft as the petals of a camellia—discovering my secrets, uncovering my desires. My knees felt weak, threatening to pull me under, but Draco was there. His arms snaked around my waist, pulling me in and holding me up. His other hand was at the back of my neck, threading itself through the jagged ends of my hair. I was lost, yet found at the same time. I was made and unmade and remade by his lips. All the words I wished to say but I couldn't—and all the words he wished to say but he wouldn't—passed through our contact.

He didn't let go of me when we pulled away. For a long moment, Draco only stared at me. I felt myself flushing. He cocked his eyebrow and the corner of his mouth quirked up into a smile.

"It takes more than just a kiss to break the spell, you know."

I rolled my eyes, smiling at his attempt in humour, and wiggled out of his arms. "It was worth a try."

He chuckled as he pulled me in an embrace, nuzzling his face at the crook of my neck. "You said that the truth doesn't change anything between us." He said this in a whisper, but because of his proximity, I could feel every rough edge of his voice in my skin. When he took my hand, I flinched at the contact, marvelling how a single touch could send my entire body into overdrive. He traced circles at the back of my hand. "I think it just did."

I said nothing as I laced my fingers through his. At that moment, I allowed Draco to fill my mind and my heart.

Ꙍ

The storm grew stronger and by noon, there was nothing to see outside but the slanted drops of hazy rain. The wind whistled through the shutters no matter how we tried to close them. In the end, Draco and I laid down on the small bed that creaked each time one of us moved. We didn't talk. We just lay there, listening to the songs of the storm. Being beside him was simply satisfying. Like there was nothing more the world could do to make me feel better than I already do.

The world, however, did not agree.

It all happened quickly. The noise of the storm cloaked the commotion in the inn's lobby. When the door of our bedroom flung open and the familiar blue and gold uniform came to sight, it's too late. My body was ripped away from Draco's arms. I thrashed against the grip of the two guards dragging me by the arm. Three other guards remained with Draco, and just before the door closed completely, I saw one of the guards landed a swift punch to his face.

I must be screaming but I heard nothing. Not my voice, or the storm, or the heavy boots against the wooden floor. Forcibly, I was dragged out of the inn. I turned to the barmaid for help but she just stared with an apology in her eyes.

The world spun and my legs gave away. My chest constricted, grappling for air that wasn't mine. I screamed and thrashed. Again and again and again. I called his name until my throat stung. I called until my voice became a whisper swallowed by the storm. I called until black spots danced across my vision. When the darkness came for me, I thrashed against it, too.