12: Darken: Resurrection

Chapter thirty-one: Daria

Dinner was approaching, and the air was thick with anticipation. Carlisle had told me to dress my best for the family dinner. The idea of joining the royals for such an intimate gathering was both thrilling and daunting. When I asked what the rules were, he simply smiled at me and said, "Deary, there are none," then left me with a simple but elegant outfit: a pair of black trousers, a white shirt, and a blue corset top. It was a very pretty outfit but still very much me.

As I got ready, I couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and excitement. This was a new chapter for me, being accepted into the royal fold in such a meaningful way. The outfit felt like a perfect reflection of who I was—elegant yet practical, fitting in without losing myself.

As I dressed, I took a moment to appreciate the journey that had brought me here. The connections I had made, the trials I had faced, and the bonds I had formed. It all led to this moment of inclusion and acceptance.

Ready for dinner, I made my way to the dining hall, feeling a sense of belonging that I hadn't experienced before. Tonight, we would gather as a family, not just by blood, but by the ties that bound our hearts together.

Thespian met me in the hall, looking dashing in black trousers and a black shirt, but... "Is that a corset?" I asked with a chuckle, eyeing his vest that laced up the back.

"I do not want to talk about it," he grumbled. "Apparently, it is what that crazy fairy puts all the men in the royal family in."

I laughed. "That is ridiculous."

"I often would call them man corsets." A voice behind us made me freeze. I turned to face the Great Dragon herself, her violet eyes shining with an ancient wisdom. We both quickly bowed.

"There is no need for that," she said softly. "May I have a word with you, Daria?"

I looked back at Thespian. "I'll save you a seat," he said, kissing my hand before leaving us.

I could feel my nerves building up. "How may I be of service?" I asked, trying to steady my voice.

The Great Dragon's presence was commanding yet gentle. She took a step closer, her gaze never leaving mine.

"I simply wish to talk to you about some matters of great importance." She then held open her hand, revealing the violet gem that had given us so many problems. "Thorne gave me this, but it is connected to my mortal existence here, so I cannot keep it. It holds my powers within it, but if someone with my blood were to touch it, they would go down a dark path as I once had. It was never meant to collect the powers from those who held them."

"However, Thespian changed it in a way that would allow it to do just that." For a moment her face looked almost sad. "As you are the one who wore it while collecting those powers, it is bound to you. So I ask you, not as the Great Dragon, or the former queen, Daria Thornvale-Nacht, will you be the guardian of the gem?"

I looked at the gem in her hand, shaped like an eye. The responsibility she was asking me to take on was immense, but the trust she placed in me was a testament to the strength she saw in me. The weight of the task was heavy, but it also felt like a calling, a chance to make a meaningful difference.

Taking a deep breath, I reached out and gently took the gem from her hand. The moment my fingers touched it, I felt a surge of energy, a connection that seemed to recognize my own strength and resolve.

"I will be the guardian of the gem," I told her, trying my best to hold my head high. "It seems I am the only one who can."

"I already know that you will do a wonderful job," she smiled sweetly at me. "There are a few other things I would like to talk to you about."

"Oh?" I asked as I took the chain connected to the gem and placed it around my neck.

"Thank you for being the friend my daughter needs," she said, a tear falling from her eye. "She has lived a life that I wish I could have shielded her from, the horrors she has gone through are unimaginable... horrors that you have similarly experienced."

"As I recall," I spoke without thinking, "you also faced Draus's cruelty, did you not?"

"I did," her face looked pained, "as did Alana, though I did not know that until I ascended. I wish I could have helped her cope with it as she had with me."

"I don't think she blames you," I assured her. "She's just happy to finally be able to hold her son as just that, her son."

She gave a nod. "That she is. There is one other matter... your marriage to Thespian."

"Oh," I said, fiddling with the stump where my missing ring finger used to be.

"I know it is dragon custom to cut off the ring finger when divorcing someone," she glanced at my hand and I instinctively hid it behind my back. "However, if you were forced to do it, in any way... that divorce would be considered invalid and you could wear your wedding ring on the opposite hand. Dragon laws are strange to humans in many ways, but they are tradition. There were many cases of dragons fighting in wars and accidentally having that finger removed, it does not invalidate the marriage."

"I wasn't forced," I told her, looking away from her gaze. "I did it willingly."

"To save your own life," she reminded me, her tone gentle but firm. "That is a form of forcing. Remember, I see all... I saw that."

"So I'm still married to him?" I asked, tears forming in my eyes.

"You are still married to him," she answered, her voice filled with certainty. "Thespian Nacht is still every bit your husband."

"Nacht?" I looked back at her, confused. "That's my last name, not his."

"Do you really think he will want a last name that ties him to his father?" she asked me, her violet eyes searching mine.

"No," I answered softly, "but... you know, he wasn't truly bad... not really."

"I know," she told me, her face full of regret. "When I met Draus, he was a perfectly good man, until he saw the power I held. That power corrupted him so fast, so terribly.... but also remember that he was never a kind man either. Look at what he did to Alana... he was a terrible person, but he did have his moments, which is why he died for you."

"I still don't get that," I said, frustration and confusion evident in my voice. "I don't get why he was so protective of me, a complete stranger, yet cruel to even his own son."

"That I may never know fully myself," she sighed, "however, I do know one thing for sure. In the end, he chose to give his life to save you, and in some ways, that may just redeem him in the afterlife."

I nodded, feeling the weight of her words.

"One final thing," she spoke with a more urgent tone now, "never let your blood touch my son, Alex. If it were to touch him while you are wearing the gem, he would be lost once more."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of her warning. "I don't think I will spend much time around the palaces as is. I'm a thief, not a royal. I know Thespian is now his brother's heir... which means I still might be queen one day, but... I don't want that."

"Then don't," she said with a shrug. "I never wanted any thrones or power, and look what happened to me when I did anyways. Let Thespian rule, and you do your own thing when the time comes."

"How would that even work?" I asked, unsure of everything.

"Trust me, it will," she smiled, a knowing look in her eyes. "Now, we are late for dinner."

"Carlisle said there were no rules?" I asked as we walked to the dining hall. "What does that even mean?"

"Oh, you'll see, Daria." She laughed, a sound both comforting and mysterious.

As we approached the dining hall, the sounds of laughter and chatter grew louder. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the formal dinners I had imagined. Family members were gathered around a long table, talking animatedly and enjoying each other's company. There was a sense of camaraderie and ease that made me feel welcome.

The Great Dragon gestured for me to take a seat next to Thespian, who greeted me with a warm smile. The sight of him in his "man corset" brought a chuckle to my lips, easing my nerves.