Amara willingly sacrificed herself to the dragons to save her circle of villages. She was her village headman's daughter and the right age, so she had to lead by example. Expecting death since she hit puberty, Amara wasn't ready to look forward to t...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Laughter came from his mother's rooms, her laughter. Daichi ground his teeth as a stab of jealousy shot through his heart. He hated the infantile reaction but couldn't seem to curb it.
This was his mother and he should be grateful to Amara for embracing her when all other court members only tolerated her. Only all he could think about was how guarded his mate had become around him. Wish she was still as carefree with him as she was with his mother.
It was as if she was wary of him, afraid to put a step wrong. He couldn't understand it. Even when he touched her, there was a reserve there hadn't been the first time. Daichi didn't want to force anything upon her but he'd noticed the moment he stopped, things became even more tense.
It was a cycle that got worse the more it repeated and he'd no idea how to break it. He needed her and not just sexually. His dragon was getting restless, a bit violent. It was never a good idea to deny a dragon his mate but Daichi had never taken an unwilling female to his bed.
And he was shrewd enough to realize that was the problem with their relationship. Amara wanted to make love to him, or at least she had that day. Now, he was conflicted on what she wanted. Worse still, when talking to her she seemed to agree with whatever he said. If he insisted she be honest, her agitation increased.
"They seem to be enjoying themselves." Daichi was jolted out of his musing by his father's neutral voice. He'd forgotten the emperor was with him.
"Yes." He agreed doing his best to be as neutral.
"I imagine if we joined in, we'd take the joy out of them." Daichi turned sharply to his father, his eyes narrowing as he noted the weary look in his father's eyes. "At least I will." He muttered only for Daichi's ears.
The royal pair never went anywhere without a cadre of guards. Daichi was so used to them he barely noticed but he became aware of their presence at his father's caution.
"Father?" He questioned.
"Don't let whatever issues you're having with your mate fester." The emperor advised. "If you do, it becomes harder and harder to reconcile and the next thing you know, years have passed and you have nothing between you."
"Like you and mother." Daichi stated.
His father straightened his posture even more. "Yes."
"She won't tell me why she's upset." He confided to his father. "She won't even admit to being upset."
"Women are like that." The emperor agreed. "You'll have to court her out of it."
"And mother?" He asked. "Did you try the same?"
"I had ignored and been angry with her for centuries. I was too late." His father turned to look at his son. "I don't think your mother sees me anymore. Anything I do doesn't registers to her. She's long since made up her mind about me and I can't blame her."
