The Dragon's Consort

Chapter 2

The male kept watch on her for hours, not letting her walk too far ahead. Might as well have attached a leash to her. She grew tired of parading around the forest like a court jester, no care in the world if they drew in the attention of a predator. Not that predators were much more than a nuisance, but killing one meant spilling blood, which attracted more predators, on and on. She didn't have time for it, and didn't like killing innocent animals who only looked for a meal.

As she countinued her march, her bare foot caught on a sharp rock and cut the calloused flesh. She hissed, wiping her sole of her foot against her pant leg to wipe off any blood, before returning to her fast pace. Just she found her groove again, a strong force pulled her back.

"What?" she scowled, shoving his hand off her shoulder, and the sensitive scales on it.

"You are injured, it must be dealt with," he reached into his side pouch and starting to pull out herbs.

"By the suns," she sighed, "it is just a scrape."

"It could get infected, and should you get a fever you could die," he forcibly sat Zara down and grabbed her foot. He started grinding the herbs in a mortar.

Once again she was reminded that he thought she was a teenage boy, who were famous for dying of fever in the years since the females died. Their last children were precious and it was a great sadness to lose one. But she was an adult female, her body could burn away any illness easily, (aside from the one that killed off the other females), but he did not know that. So she decided she would play along.

She snatched the mortar away from him and and yanked back her leg. She applied the paste herself, and bandaged it with a spare piece of cloth, while he gave her a dirty look.

"Why are you so stubborn," he growled, standing up.

"Why are you?" she retorted, standing as well.

"I am a male in my prime, I have every reason to be. You just seem to be a pain in the ass."

She made a vulgar gesture, before facing away, knowing her grin would give her wicked idea away. She had even more reason to be stubborn. She could just flash a tit and he'd grovel at her feet. She pushed the thought down. Not a good idea. A fun one, but a bad one nevertheless.

"It's getting dark," the male grumbled, "we'll make camp here."

She raised a brow, "in the open?"

"Where else? I have no need to hide, I can protect you. Do you doubt my skills?"

"I do. I have not a clue who are, and you just decided to kidnap me," she spat.

"I am Lord Zurden of House Hyperion, and I did not kidnap you, I took you under my protection," he said, pulling out his tent materials, and beginning to pitch it.

She was lucky that he was turned away, as her face fell upon hearing the name. She had heard of House Hyperion from her uncle who had raised her. He hated the bastards. They had saved the life of his mother, her grandmother, Queen Astarte, when she was young. Her family owed them a life debt since. The repayment of the debt was made when her mother fell pregnant with her. The promise that one of their own would marry her.

Zara had always hated that piece of her history, the fact that others had decided a life partner for her before she was even born. It was part of the reason why her mother faked a miscarriage and spirited her away to her uncle to be raised in peace, why her uncle agreed despite their distant relationship. She had respected her mother's decision, knew it couldn't have been easy, but knew it made her daughter's life so much richer than her own.