A Pet for the Dragons

100.

IVRET

"That's when he visited me," Arika told me darkly. I didn't have to guess what she was referring to. My heart started throbbing painfully in my chest, considering all the ways things could've ended. I might've returned tonight to find her body in a pool of blood instead. The thought haunted me.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" I asked immediately, searching for any sign of blood or wound. She looked physically unhurt, but I didn't like how tired she looked. I needed to monitor her health even more closely now that she had our venom running through her veins. For now, it seemed like her body had accepted it, but still, things could go wrong at any moment.

"No," She replied, "He was just being a brat, but there's something eerie about him. I still cannot shake it off," she shuddered. I knew what she was talking about. Others had described feeling the same way in that cursed prince's presence.

"He's no ordinary child, Arika. We must be cautious of him. Unfortunately, he found you alone. Things could've gone wrong," My thoughts were spiralling into deeper and darker places the more I thought of Arika being with that cursed prince. I shook my head. I needed to think more clearly. I needed to ensure that she never got to meet him again.

"I can tell," She nodded, "But what's up with him? Are the other prices like him, too?" She asked with a haunted look on her face.

"The others," I sighed, "Are different, but none are like him. I don't know much about him because he was born after I left. Unlike him, I've helped deliver the other princes, so I know somewhat about them. They're fine as far as the children of royalty are concerned, but the Golden Prince is cursed just like his Mad father, Riddron." I told her as she ate.

"Tell me more," She urged. "Tell me everything about the Empress' family... and what kind of relationship you had with her," She demanded the last bit. I found it pleasing that she wanted to know more about it.

"One of my fathers was a lord here, and my mother was a court mage, so I was brought up at the court. Coincidentally, Mavie and I were the only younglings back then, so naturally, we became companions. We remained that way ever since, even when I became a Silge Healer in her service," I clarified, but she narrowed her eyes at me and kept eating.

"Mavie has seven bonds. None are her mates. Among them, only two are her true bonds; the rest are ceremonial bonds or simply there for political alliance. Out of all her bonds, she has bore sons from four, two are from actual bond and the rest are to ensure the political alliance follows in the upcoming generation,"

"That's a huge fucking family. How does she keep track of everything?" Arika asked. "Fuck it. Tell me, what does it have to do with us? Did she invite us here because you were her companion, and it's her hundredth birthday?"

"Well, I'm trying to figure that out. I met some old alliances to figure out why she's celebrating her hundredth birthday when it brings a bad omen. Celebrating a hundred and ninth birthday is considered more auspicious. She's doing it all for political reasons, it seems," I couldn't help but wonder out loud.

"But you gave up your titles. Then why did she invite you? To me, you don't even seem the kind to be politics," she noted, and I couldn't help but grin at her, pleased that she observed this trait of mine.

"I'm not good at politics, that's true. My lord father still curses me from the afterlife for giving up the titles... and that's what makes it even more puzzling," I said, still wondering.

"Maybe she wants you to be her companion again," Arika suggested darkly.

"I don't think so," I told her, shaking my head. "We're not young anymore. It'll never be the same between us again," I sighed deeply, thinking of my childhood with Mavie. It was blissful, but things turned sour as we grew up.

Arika fell silent for a while, watching me with narrowed eyes. She'd stopped eating as well.

"What happened? Do you need more Orangespine tart?" I asked carefully, judging the grim look on her face.

"You want to be with her, don't you?" She hissed all of a sudden. My eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled and shocked at the sudden change of her demeanour.

"You wish to be her companion again, don't you? I saw the look on your face. It looked like you were dreaming about it," Arika accused. I was dumbfounded at her words for a moment. I couldn't understand where she was coming from.

"Why would you think that?" I asked.

"Then tell me what I should think," she returned bluntly. I clenched my jaw, feeling somewhat irked. My sleep deprivation finally seemed to be catching up to me.

"You should think of my mark you wear on your body," I told her. "You wouldn't have been wearing that if I wished to be Mavie's companion,"

She fell silent for a while, and it was a different kind of silence, mostly a contemplative one.

"Are you still mad at me?" Arika asked abruptly, "Just like others?" It was a confronting question, and even though I wanted to avoid it, I knew I couldn't always escape it.

"I'm still somewhat hurt, yes," I told her upfront and for a moment, her eyes softened, and guilt bore heavily on them. It instantly made me regret telling her about it.

"I'm sorry, Ivret," She said, "I was..." She sighed deeply and looked away before retiring to bed. I ate alone in silence.

"W-what are you doing?" Arika asked, surprised as I climbed into bed with her. I froze. I should've asked her if she wanted to sleep with me. I'd been so tired that I'd forgotten to ask. She pulled me in her arms before I could ask her if she didn't want me with her for the night. "Nevermind,"

It was a relief for me and even more so for my dragon. I wrapped my arms around her, unable to help myself from burning my nose in her hair and taking a deep whiff of her scent.

"Good night, Arika," I whispered, and she sighed deeply.

"Good night, Ivy," she returned, making my heart stutter.

~

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