The Dragon King's Bride

Chapter 22 : Awaken

Livina was hunched on the floor, stripped of her cloak and left only in her thin dress in the freezing cell. she shuddered and tugged at her restraints again. 

Mephis stood and stared at her, his eyes narrowed dangerously. Draegon sat close by, worrying over his queen from a distance. He rubbed his hands together. 

"Why did you do it?" He asked her. She was quiet, so Mephis raised his hand at the guard. He cracked the whip behind Livina and left another bloody mark over her back. 

"Why did you do it?" Draegon asked again. 

"To kill off your line." She answered, then spat on the floor before her. "You bring death and destruction and your kind don't deserve a place in this world." She seethed. Mephis signalled the guard, who whipped her again. 

"Are there more of you?" Draegon asked next. He was a stone, no emotion in him unless it was for Zofia. He watched as Livina got whipped, over and over again. She screamed and writhed in pain. 

"You won't get anything else out of me." She breathed. The guard whipped at her again, but this time she caught the barbed length of leather. It dug into her hands as she wrapped it around her neck. 

"No!" Mephis shouted a warning at the guard, but he tugged and it was too late. Livina's neck tore open as her neck snapped. Her limp body fell to the floor. Draegon watched her die. Mephis kicked the floor and started pacing. 

"Burn the remains." Draegon said to the guard. He got up and walked out, needing to address the people who wanted to know if the broken queen was alive. He left mephis behind to make sure that the remains of the witch did get burned. It made sense to Draegon now why she had been talking lies into Zofia's ears. She was trying to separate them. When they didn't part ways, she attacked harder and Zofia lay close to death in a cold bed. 

It felt all to familiar when Draegon and Nik stood before the people. They had much more solemn looks on their faces this time around. Nik and Draegon looked worn down too. Draegon had refused Nik leaving her side the entire night, and only allowed him away from Zofia now that he needed to talk to the people. 

"The queen is currently in a stable condition. A transfusion of blood from the king, to her, has aided her body tremendously. We cannon, however, forsee what will happen. She is weak, her body took a lot of trauma." Nik explained to the people as he had explained to Draegon only that morning. 

"Justice for the queen!" Someone yelled. People joined in and were soon cheering 'Justice for the queen! Justice for the queen!'

Draegon raised his hands to silence them. "The witch that made an attempt on Queen Zofia's life was detained. Unfortunately she took her own life in her cell only moments ago. I bore witness to this, and she did not die an easy death. Her remains are being burned as we speak." He assured them. The people cheered some more, in what sounded like pure anger. 

Draegon marched right up to Zofia's side as soon as he got home. He sat by her bed, her hand in his. He had every meal brought up to him where she was, refusing to leave her side unless he absolutely had to. When her eyes were closed for days, he started to refuse the warm meals that Juniper was bringing him. 

"You need to eat, Drae. It's only been a week." Mephis sighed as he stood, looking down at the two. Draegon blamed himself and his punishment was not getting to eat. If Zofia worsened, his punishment for himself would too. 

"I can't." He said simply. 

"You have to." Mephis urged strictly. "The war is coming, Draegon. If you do not defend this kingdom then there will be nothing for her to wake up to. Eat your food, put on your armor, and come out with me to the east border. Our men are marching on Davenport tomorrow." He told him, his brows raised. There had been a moment where the two thought that the snake had been beheaded, only to realize that the snake was being controlled by another more powerful force.