The Dragon Bride | ✔️

Chapter Fifteen

Marisol's POV

I walk down the hallways, coming back from night duty training with Regina Catania.

She's one of the few empresses who possesses a kind heart, and I will be forever grateful for her help. Soon enough, my training will be completed and perhaps the King will request me for night duty. Imagining me with a Concubine gown on, lace and frills, fills me with a happy fuzzy sort of feeling. Not just because I get to rank up – unlike many empresses, I have more at stake than just what crown I wear.

The higher rank I do become, the better off Mother and Father will be. I come from House Doran, which has been declining for the past few decades. We cannot even afford maids or cooks. All that's left are our titles. Father thought that if I get chosen in a draft to become a consort, I could bring glory back to our house, even if it meant we wouldn't see each other again.

Getting chosen in a draft means that whichever house the consort came from will not only get paid riches but will also be considered higher nobility. Regina Catania's house, for example, is one of the richest in the kingdom, next to the royal family and the Queen's house, House Meermin, made up of sirens.

Regina Anvika, the second Noble Regina, is a very different situation.

Regina Anvika is a princess from the eastern kingdom of Shravasti, and she's an Apsara, a celestial nymph. Her parents were forced to give her to the King as an empress because they had smuggled tea leaves into Grigolia, wrecking our trade routes and damaging our economy. Of course, intimidated by the furious Ignatian King's wrath, the Emperor and Empress of Shravasti were forced to give over their only daughter in return for forgiveness.

Many insult the Emperor Lakshay and Empress Shanthi for this, but those people do not know that it was in fact Princess Anvika herself to have offered this solution, despite her little brother's protests. She would do anything for the betterment of her kingdom.

As I pass by a chamber, I hear muffled sobs coming from within. Intrigued, I cannot help but stop in my tracks to try to trace the source of this noise. Yes, it is definitely coming from inside the chamber. Who sleeps here? I do not remember anyone I know being assigned to this room. It must be another empress surely. This is the third floor, especially built for the empresses of the King.

Who would be so distraught to be sobbing in such a way? I bite my lip, unsure of what to make of this. I do want to help. But I also don't want to intrude.

Just knock, you silly girl, I tell myself impatiently. Right, yes, of course. I knock on the door, two loud knocks that can be clearly heard. I immediately go a little red. I didn't mean it to be so loud! Oh no, what if I woke someone? But, for a while, all I can hear is silence. That is, until the door opens, and a beautiful woman appears in front of me. Oh my, I do know her! It is Crowned Concubine Velia, tear stains and a frown on her face. Her skin is fair, her hair is a light strawberry blonde and her eyes are a deep earthy green. Crowned Concubine Velia is an earth fairy.

"Concubine Velia!" I stutter, a little stunned at the sight of her.

"Oh dear goodness, I'm so sorry you had to see me this way, Consort Marisol-"

"Oh, please, just call me Marisol. You are my superior, after all," I say, bowing. How can I forget to after what happened a few days ago?

Crowned Concubine Velia quickly ushers me upright, inviting me inside of her chamber. "Hush now! I will address you with respect, as you deserve. And enough with the bowing, too. Nobody here is going to punish you now,"

I smile at her. Crowned Concubine Velia is by far one of the much friendlier women in this palace, next to the dragon bride, Regina Catania and Concubine Gwen.