The Dragon King's Bride

Chapter 11 : Separation

At nineteen, Zofia felt old. She had waited out in the rain with a complaining Garison for hours, till after the sun was up. Zofia felt stubborn, reluctant to go inside. It was still pouring, the skies unrelentingly letting as much water fall upon them as it could muster. 

"I want men sent out to go look for them." Zofia decided as she tightened the blanket around herself. It was soaked but she cared little for her own well being in that moment. 

"Certainly, your grace." He agreed, waiting for another order. 

"Where is Serena?" She wanted to know. Draegon had claimed to know Serena for ages. If that was the case, perhaps she knew more than Zofia did. It pained her to think that though, that another woman could know her husband better than she did. She did not want that to be true.

"She left last night, your grace. She took a horse and rode off during the commotion." He informed her. Zofia was glad that she was gone, but where had she gone to? Both her and draegon was gone and it had Zofia fearful that they were together somewhere, that they had left her with the burden of royalty.

"You should go sleep, but make sure that some men stay behind in the kingdom. We cannot risk our own safety." Zofia turned to look at Garison. He gave a stern nod before he shifted uncomfortably. 

"I will get another guard to mind you." He added another point to their agreement. 

"Alright." Zofia agreed. She stood there and waited as Garison left. A part of her wanted to move, to start running and search for Draegon herself. Instead, she stood waiting for another guard. The hollow clank of the armor neared and stopped by her side. Garison was only there in fleeting before he hurried to carry out the queen's orders. The guards in their black and some in their silver filtered through the kingdom before spreading out into the woods. 

"Please, sir. Help me to my feet." Zofia asked her new guard. He helped her to her feet and supported her arm as she steadied her tired body. 

"Juniper. Would you fix me a bath, and something to eat?" Zofia asked the woman after she had jolted awake. She had been sleeping in the love seat closest to the front doors of the castle. She scrambled to her feet. 

"Certainly, love." She nodded. Zofia hated asking for things that she was, under normal circumstances, fully capable of doing herself, but she felt helpless in that moment, incapable of even breathing. Zofia felt torn in half, like her body wanted to stop working and her head was splitting open. That, on top of the sleeplessness and the inability to do anything to help either her husband or father in law, had her feeling utterly useless. Furthermore, the blame couldn't fall on anyone but her. She was most certainly in the reason they were fighting. Even feeling was confusing Zofia. She had been through too many emotions in the past week. Even the sadness and love she felt was confusing. How could she love Draegon? How could she be sad that she was possibly free from him now? 

Juniper combed Zofia's hair as she ate, then put it up in a tight ponytail. She brushed her fingers over her hair lovingly before she sat down on a footstool, continuing to watch her. 

"What happened to your sister, queen Zofia?" Juniper questioned her. "Last night you said it should have been you." 

"My father killed her. Lord Mephis told me. He found my father and asked him about me." She told Juniper. She had fixed her a delicious bowl of hot soup while she herself had soaked in boiling hot water. Zofia felt like all traces of Draegon had been washed off her and it made her heart feel as heavy as a stone. 

Juniper wrung her hands together, a nervous habit. She shook her head. "Whatever happened, you are lucky to be here. I know it hasn't been easy since King Draegon announced that he had chosen you to be his bride, but you cannot ask for a more comfortable life." She raised her thin brows at Zofia to get her point across. Zofia slid from her chair, to the floor and dropped her head in Juniper's lap.