Chance Bride Of The Dragon Prince

Six

In that old, untouched English forest, there is a pathway. A pathway that warps your senses. A pathway that leads to an old timey way of living. A pathway that leads to a little village, oppressed by the iron fist of whoever lives in the stone castle on the hill. A little civilisation hidden in the forest. A little civilisation that believe in fairy tales.

When you look at it, you would never know that for hundreds of years, there has been a village of people living there. You wouldn't see the signs. That's because you can't see where the world shifts. It's like you've stepped into another dimension. Maybe that is what you do.

When you walk through the forest, you'll find it, you'll find the world that lurks within a heavily polluted England. You'll find the world from which you cannot escape. You'll find bliss, heaven on earth. Also known as The Willow

~

Drayce's Log :

Dear Diary,

Man, calling this composition of data a diary is pathetic. Looks like I will be refraining from that from now on. If it wasn't due to Darius bugging me about recording my daily happenings "for the history books", then this stack of useless data wouldn't be here.

It's been about six months that I've been hiding from my tyrant of a brother. Seriously, you would think they would search the village of his bride! But what is even more surprising than that is that Kaida hadn't even considered hunting me down. Does he think I'm dead? Does he really trust my brothers that much? From what I know, my brothers have insisted that I'm long gone.

In other news, involving my brothers, both of their weddings are on the horizons. Soon the two of them will be at full strength and Kaida can truly use them as weapons due to their shifting capabilities. Nezbit is to be married in two months, Darius is to be wed in nine. I won't be able to see my brothers get married. Should that really be an issue in this situation? No.

What the hell am I doing? None of this is actually relevant for "the history books".

My bride, Cardelia has done everything that I could possibly imagine, she's been travelling from village to village to recruit fighters. I don't have a clue what to do in comparison. She's so much better at this. I simply feel out of place.

I've only seen Darius and Nezbit once or twice since I left, they're getting so much closer to full maturity. It's so enviable. I reckon it has something to do with their close proximity to their chance brides. Cardelia is never actually here. She's never around. I haven't had a legitimate opportunity to get to know her and that's disheartening. How am I meant to beat Kaida when I know nothing about my bride. How many stages am I to endure before I am to strike. I don't feel ready in the slightest.
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I stretch my sluggish limbs. It's too hot. Or is it me? Or is it this monkey suit? I don't really know anymore, I'm still not sure what my biology is doing to me. Which isn't weird apparently; Darius said that each dragon matures differently.

It's been two years since I wrote that. Funny, huh? Two years can totally rush by. Time flies when you're doing back breaking labour to train up for battle. It sounds like an overstatement, but it's not. I had to earn my keep and maintain the motivation for our revolution, or our spark would die out and we would certainly not succeed.

I sigh, to think that I had thought that Nezbit and Darius were mature back then, then I don't think my brain would be capable of realising or recognising who are currently standing before me. Hell, I don't even recognise myself, let alone them.

Nezbit doesn't look like himself at all, his face is harder with a more prominent jawline, eyes cold and sharp. His scales are still looking like an unsightly burn but are not as distracting as the plethora of scars, they're jotted upon his arms and there's a significantly large cauterised gash on his face; it's a smiler. A long jagged scar going from both cheeks and dipping at the lips. I don't think I want to know how Kaida gave Nezbit that.

Darius has a scar on his mossy mouldy looking face; theres a large jagged line going from just above his eyebrow to his jawline. It looks like its done all the healing that it can do. It's not as unsettling as Nezbit's faint smiler. There seem to be pros and cons to both of my brother's abilities, Nezbit's gash has clearly scarred due to the cauterisation process which is faster but more painful, meanwhile Darius seems to have used his healing touch to ease the severity of his own wound.

Were those from disrespect or to provoke subordination?

I didn't think I could admire my older brothers anymore than I already did. But just looking at those men provokes my respect, for they are bigger, taller, bulkier, better and stronger. They're the resilient brothers of mine that experienced eyes and knowing smiles, despite the pain they've clearly felt. They flank me at the tiny makeshift altar. I can't marry in the traditional way after all. Or at least for our family. We're being wed in the customary way for Cardelia's village. Nobody looks happy about this, they look more motivated than anything.

I move my feet, the texture of the floor is uncomfortable. To be wed on a bed of roses and nettles, it doesn't hurt my thick skinned feet, but it doesn't feel comfortable. Cardelia will have to walk to me and join me in this slightly lower pit of roses and nettles.

Today marks the day prior to our attack. If we wait then Kaida will know. We must be ready. Tomorrow, I too will have hit full maturity. There is nothing standing in our way anymore. It's almost upon us, for the bride is coming.

Her hair is up in a tradition intricate style for this village, there are decorative leaves threaded through each braid on her blonde head. Her bouquet is full of harsh yet beautiful things, harsh to the touch, wrapped in a cloth, roses and nettles. Roses and nettles.

Her dress is made of linen, layer after layer of lace on linen. It's large and poufy. Cardelia said that the gown gains a layer per generation, like a family heirloom. She's gliding down the aisle to the altar with the grace of a bird but the power of a big cat.

Darius claps me on the back.

"We're almost done here, Draycey boy." his eyes are twinkling like stars.

"I know." I nod my head. "I know."

"Today, we unite Drayce, the dragon prince with Cardelia Eldridge to put the fuel to the fire and burn this tyrannous reign to the ground! If anybody has an objection to this union, speak now or let your tongue rot like it was made of coal."

Nobody speaks.

"Cardelia, Drayce, are you two sure you want to do this?"

"Yes." The blonde nods, eyes firmly trained on me.

" I'm sure." I don't exactly have a choice.

Cardelia is the first to smother her face in the bouquet of roses and nettles, and then she shoves it in my face. Is this really how normal people marry?