The Dragon Bond

Prologue

The only reason Nicholas was king was because he was bonded to one of the biggest and fiercest dragons in the kingdom of Lyra.

So naturally when he heard that his dragon, Fortis, had mated with Starflare, another strong and noble dragon, he was extremely pleased. The news that his wife, Queen Maria, was pregnant made him absolutely overjoyed.

It was perfect timing. When this dragon egg hatched, he was sure that his future heir would be bonded to it. But just to make sure, he gathered all of his best scholars and dragon experts together and ordered them to find a way to make sure his future child would be bonded to this new egg.

"The human cannot choose the dragon, Your Majesty! The dragon must choose the human." The King's most trusted and wise scholar had tried to reason with him that it simply did not work that way.

The King was red faced with anger. He did not like the idea that this was out of his control or that anything was out of his control for that matter. He was king and he was bonded to the most powerful dragon that had ever lived! He wasn't used to being told he could not do something. Whenever he snapped his fingers, dozens of servants immediately appeared at his side, willing to do whatever he wanted, fetch whatever he needed. King Nicholas was so notoriously known that no person in their right mind would ever go against him.

Now the King stood over the scholar and bellowed, "Then figure out a way to get this future dragon to choose my child to bond with!"

The scholar nodded his head and quickly bowed to the king and, after being dismissed, rushed out of the room.

After several days of study and examinations, the King's scholar came before him once again and said, "We have found a possible way for the dragon to choose your child. However, there is no guarantee-"

"--Tell me at once!" demanded the King.

The scholar swallowed back his fear and stuttered out, "Bonding time. In the literal sense, Your Majesty. The Queen must be around the egg for several long periods of time. That way the child inside her and the dragon in the egg can get a sense of each other."

The King slowly nodded his head and thought about the idea. He wasn't sure it would work but it was the only idea they had. "Alright," said the King. "Fetch Maria at once and tell her of your plans. Make sure she does them."

The scholar bowed to the King and nodded, "Yes Your Highness. I will tell the Queen and we will start the procedure at once."

"Very good," said the King. "I give you my leave."

The scholar gave an internal sigh of relief, bowed once more to the King, and then left to fetch the Queen. Reluctantly the Queen agreed to spend most of her time with the new dragon egg.

The dragon experts moved the egg into a warm room that was comfortable for both the egg and the Queen. The walls were lined with dark red satin to keep the room warm and comfortable.

Moving the egg was somewhat of a problem. It was so large and heavy that it took four strong men to move it into the new room. It was then placed on a raised platform that was covered in soft materials so the egg would be out of harm's way. The Queen's bed was moved into the room, as well as many of her other belongings. There was even a small table for her to eat at.

The Queen sighed at the thought of spending nine months pracitcally locked in the room.

As the months went by the Queen continued to stay in the room, only coming out to relieve herself and when she needed fresh air. The King often visited, but not to see the Queen. Instead he would sit and watch the egg, as if in a trance.

The Queen was disgusted with her husband's obsession. Sometimes she felt the urge to damage the dragon egg or somehow get rid of it; but she feared the King and what he would do to her if she did.

The only reason she was married to him was because he had threatened her father. Even in his youth Nicholas had been feared. He had only wanted to marry her for her beauty. That was the only reason.

At first Maria had thought that maybe he would treat his wife better than he treated everyone else. That maybe there was some compassion in him. She had been wrong. He felt nothing for her and she nothing for him.

When Maria had told him she was pregnant he was only happy because she would give him an heir, not because he wanted a child. In fact, he hated children. To him they were scrawny little pieces of rotten meat. They were weak and stupid and only caused trouble.

Maria was the complete opposite when it came to children. She loved how small and innocent they were. How they stop crying at a mother's touch and how they could love with all their hearts. She would have her own child soon. She only wished that Nicholas wouldn't mold it into an uncaring person without feelings.

The Queen was due for labor any day now. She was moved into the medical wing of the castle while the Healers monitored her nonstop. The King grew anxious and was often seen tapping his foot in impatience. He had waited nine months for this. When the day finally came, he rushed to the egg's room and watched it in anticipation.

The Queen listened to the Healers; breathing how they told her to breathe, pushing when they told her to push. She was sweating with exhaustion and pain. The Healers had given her special herbs to reduce the pain but they didn't seem to be helping that much.

"Where's the King?" Maria asked. She cried out in pain as another contraction came and went.

One of the Healers wiped the Queen's forehead with a wet towel. In a gentle voice she answerd, "He's with the egg, Your Highness."

The Queen rolled her eyes in anger. "He'd rather be with that stupid egg than watch his first child be born!"

The sound of a baby crying echoed throughout the castle. The Healers washed the baby off and then handed it to the Queen. "He's a boy, Your Majesty. Congratulations." Then she bowed and left the Queen to hold her son.

She smiled as she looked into her baby's eyes. He was so perfect. So small and fragile.

"I'll go tell the King, Your Majesty." said a Healer.

Maria nodded her head in acknowledgement, her eyes never leaving her baby. The Queen's Maiden walked in and approached the Queen. "What will you call him?" she asked.

The Queen smiled up at her servant and answered, "Alan. His name will be Alan."

The King frowned as the Healer walked in. "You have a son, Your Majesty."

But the King didn't even hear her. The egg was still there! Whenever the egg's bond mate was born the egg would hatch and the dragon would disappear to wherever the bond mate was. The fact that the egg was still there and unhatched meant that it had not bonded with his son.

"No!" Shouted the King. "No!" He ran around the room breaking things in anger.

The Healer, scared, rushed out of the room and back to the Queen. She gasped at what she saw. Lying in the bed with the Queen and new baby Alan was a dragon!

It was a dragon but it was not the dragon King Nicholas had hoped for. The Queen had tried to reason with him that having a dragon was better than not having one at all. He refused to listen to her.

His scholar approached him and said, "Your Majesty! I think we should destroy the egg. We don't know who will get it and if the dragon were to get into the wrong hands-"

The scholar was cut off by the King slapping him hard across the face. "No! You will do no such thing! This egg will hatch and then we will find who it bonded with! We will find that person and we will raise them here in the castle. And then I will be in charge of the most powerful dragon!"

The scholar bravely argued with the king. "What if we don't find it? It's too risky!"

The King held up a hand. "Enough! Why should I listen to you? You couldn't even figure out how to get my son to bond with the right egg. It's because of you that he's stuck with the other dragon!"

The King paused. This was his wisest sholar. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't even think twice about this. But he made a decision and then settled his cold stare onto the smaller man. "Seize him!" he ordered.

Instantly the surrounding guards grabbed the scholar and took him away. "Tomorrow we will cut off his head!" he shouted. Then he sat back in his chair and continued to watch the egg.