HEIR OF THE DRAGON

CHAPTER 5

"Are you sure about this?"

Rather than respond to Eric immediately, Lalisa extended her arms so that the servants surrounding her could take more measurements. With no time to tailor new clothes for her wedding, the contents of Dragonstone's storage rooms had been pressed into service and though suitable vestments in the Valyrian style had been found, whatever alpha had worn them before her had been significantly taller.

"Thank you, princess," the elderly tailor told her. "You can relax now."

Once she had done so, Lalisa turned to her uncle's question. "Don't I seem sure?"

"You do." Eric too had picked out clothes in the old style for the wedding, but his loose brown and orange robes were much simpler to fit than Lalisa's suit. "But you're young and marriage is a great deal easier to get into than out of."

She laughed at that. "As you know all too well."

Eric shook his head. "I should never have agreed to marry my bitch. I don't want you to make the same mistake."

Though she appreciated her uncle's concern, what he suggested was not an option. Even if it wouldn't be a horrid betrayal of Roseanne's trust to back out now, that path held no appeal. "This is different. Roseanne and I have been close since we were children." She chuckled. "I used to think that when I wed, she'd be the one helping me to dress."

"And then you presented."

"Even before that, though..."

Lalisa smiled wistfully. When she was a girl, she'd been more interested in flying than romance, but as she became a woman, she'd taken special notice of Roseanne. There'd been times with her best friend when Lalisa's eyes dwelled on her beauty, the developing curves of her body as well as the loveliness of her face. Had Roseanne not been so shy, Lalisa might well have kissed her long ago.

Back then, she'd believed her desires would come to naught. Eventually, duty would demand she marry and that meant a man, either an alpha or a beta so that she could have heirs, but it wasn't her preference either, not if it meant being separated from Roseanne.

Becoming an alpha changed that. Now her duty to the realm and her heart didn't have to be in conflict. Not everyone in Westeros would agree but Lalisa knew this was the right choice. "She was always the one I would've wanted to marry," she finally said. "If it was possible."

"Then I wish you joy of her," Eric replied before snapping at the tailors. "Do you think you can work a bit faster? We don't have much time."

When they were finally done with the fitting and the servants had departed, Lalisa looked to her uncle. "Before we go, there's something I wanted to ask you, one alpha to another."

Eric grinned. "Under the circumstances, I would think you already know what to do with your bride."

"I do," Lalisa quickly replied, her face flushing. She didn't embarrass easily but this was an awkward subject. "It's only, when I was with her..." She chewed on her lip. "How can you avoid finishing too quickly?"

The laugh her question received did nothing for her pride. "Practice, mostly."

"That doesn't help. I want to do my best for her tonight, not a year from now."

"Then don't go straight to your cock," Eric offered. "Find other ways to please her first. And if you need to, try thinking of the least desirable thing possible. I'd say her father will do the trick nicely."

That image was enough to break the tension and Lalisa laughed along with Eric. There were other questions she might have asked, but there was also a limit to how much awkwardness she could take. "Thank you, uncle," she said instead. "For everything."