Whispers of the Royal Blood | 18+

Chapter 18

Confused and alarmed, Laina stared out the window in disbelief as the massive, winged silhouette of a dragon descended upon the courtyard before the royal palace. The sound of its beating wings filled the air, and a sudden realization hit her: Young Tristan, her troubled brother, had returned from his quest at the most peculiar and inopportune moment and had brought back a creature of myth and legend as his companion.

The shock of his sudden arrival combined with the revelation of his dragon companion left her disoriented, struggling to make sense of this extraordinary turn of events. Within minutes of the dragon's majestic landing, a cacophony of screams and shouts echoed throughout the palace halls as everyone was roused from their slumber.

The unexpected arrival of the creature casts a shadow of fear over the royal residence, creating an unsettling atmosphere that could not be contained. Princess Laina, still reeling from the bewildering news of the young prince's return and its implications, could only wonder about her brother's intentions and the possible repercussions his mysterious companion would bring to their troubled kingdom.

From her vantage point in the window, she could see the dragon, its colossal form dwarfing the courtyard and filling the night sky with its presence. Tristan Ravenheart, clad in his travel-worn garments and covered in the dust of long days on the road, alighted from the dragon's back.

He seemed unfazed by the chaos his arrival had provoked and approached the stunned guards and servants with a calm, resolute demeanour that somehow belied the tumultuous circumstances of his return.

His black leather jerkin, embossed with the royal crest, held back a billowing white linen shirt that fluttered gently in the wind. Dark breeches, tucked into knee-high, supple leather boots, covered his legs, while a wide, silver-buckled leather belt cinched his waist. Tristan's appearance, while showing the effects of his journey, was a testament to his royal lineage and stature as he moved with the grace and bearing of a prince.

Beside him descended his fearsome dragon companion, a majestic creature of enormous proportions. Its scales, a lustrous shade of obsidian black, glimmered in the moonlight, and its massive wingspan cast a shadow that engulfed the entire courtyard. Fangs and claws glinted menacingly, and the dragon's eyes, twin pools of molten gold seemed to emit a barely contained inferno.

The beast was an awe-inspiring sight, and its presence left no room for doubt: He had indeed brought home a dragon, a force of nature that would undoubtedly shake the very foundations of the kingdom. As this one settled upon the courtyard, it fueled its wings with a graceful motion, then lowered its head in deference to Young Tristan, a clear indication of the bond between the two.

Its scales, polished to a glossy sheen, caught the moonlight and seemed to absorb its radiance, making the creature appear as though it were forged from the very essence of the night sky. Despite its immense size and fearsome appearance, the dragon displayed an unexpected level of intelligence and self-control, allowing the young prince to lead it to a more secluded area, away from the chaos and panic it had inadvertently stirred.

Prince Tristan's confident stride guided the creature to a quiet corner of the courtyard, where he began speaking softly in a language she could not understand. The dragon responded with a series of deep, rasping sounds, almost as if conversing with her brother.

Their interaction was both captivating and unnerving. The enigma of their relationship and the dragon's purpose within the kingdom added another layer of complexity to the already tenuous state of the royal family. The palace courtyard, once a tranquil space filled with the gentle rustle of nocturnal creatures and the distant, soothing hum of the nearby forests, now buzzed with the frenzied energy of panicked guards and the fearful whispers of the staff.