Chapter 35: Roxanne

"And he fought my father, and they fell from the sky, and they made the ground thunder, and they..."
"That's enough, Ashrac," Acasia ruffles his hair and gives his shoulder a squeeze. "Roxanne doesn't know our ways and you frighten her with talk of fighting."
Frighten? Who me? The last thing I'm afraid of is two warring dragons. If I'm lucky, neither will walk away unscathed. Acasia and Ashrac glance my way and I'm not sure of the response I should give. No response gets me past the awkwardness of the moment. Acasia is now in human form and I have so many questions.
"We must return her, Mother. Uncle Laryn says he will not scare her again. She is his bride and he is quite angry that she left him."
Wow. Dragon children are very forgetful. "May we keep her, Mother? May we please? She is the finest treasure," were his exact words.
"I will not return to that bully," I utter with angry conviction.
"Ash, go find your father so Roxanne and I may speak privately." She pats his bottom and pushes him slightly forward. "Go on now."
The child turns to me right before he exits the room. "He says you're beautiful and I think so too." Ashrac turns and runs out yelling at the top of his lungs, "Father, Father. Mother says you must entertain me so she can talk bride stuff to the bride."
I bite my lip to control a smile.
Acasia doesn't bother. "He puts words into my mouth all the time. He's a complete rascal with no shame whatsoever."
"He's precious."
"And that too. Please have a seat, Roxanne. There is much we must speak of."
I cross to two large chairs and take the farthest one. Acasia takes the other. "I'm not going to like what you say, am I?"
Acasia's smile disappears. "It's more of a story about dragons. Laryn should tell you, but I fear he is quite stubborn and holds to the old ways."
My anger at the stupid dragon is at a low simmer. "It won't change my mind. If I return, I will kill him or die trying."
It's an hour later and I can't stop wiping tears from my eyes as Acasia finishes her story, "...again and again they must find room in their heart to love once more knowing it's for but a blink of their existence."
I can no longer stay seated. I pace the confines of the room in my distress. "You mean they love their brides even when the bride grows old? Then when she dies they mourn until their turn to claim a new bride?" Acasia's gaze stays on me, red flashes of light shining in her eyes every time I look at her.
"Yes. I am the first female dragon in thousands of years. To this day Bastian and I do not know what made our union special."
I stop and turn to face her. "Why must they put such fright into the village and make the people go through the entire claiming ceremony? It makes absolutely no sense."
"It's Hera's curse. It instinctually guides the dragons. That's how they know their true bride and can separate her from the ones offered."
My anger gets the best of me and my voice hardens. "Why have you not returned to the village and told this story? You owe it to those women who live in fear their entire lives."
Acasia immediately looks sad. "I do owe it to them, but I can't. Neither I nor Bastian can cross into that realm any longer. We tried. It's dead to us. We actually feared Laryn would be unable to cross even for his claiming. We don't know how or even why it all works the way it does. You are here, so obviously Laryn was successful at the claiming. I fear they will continue every twenty-five years, minus Bastian's turn, until all have transcended to dragon. That could take thousands of years. We have no way of knowing."
I plop back into the chair and cover my eyes. "I must return to the blue dragon, but I truly don't want to. I spent my life training to kill him and I've failed."
Acasia places a hand on my arm and her gentle voice soothes me. "You haven't failed. I know it's hard now. I also know the next few months will be harder. Someday you will love your blue dragon as much as I love Bastian. It's what the claiming is all about. When you meet Sarn you will understand the complete desolation a dragon goes through when a bride dies. Tahr's bride, Meagan, is still alive but old and frail. You will see how he worships her. Then you will truly understand the gift granted to us so that we may love a dragon."
***


Laryn
I've created divots in the carpet from stomping back and forth. It's been three hours since my return. One more hour and I will ruin what I've fought for these past twenty-five years... peace with my brothers. But I will have my bride back. Dragons are not known for patience. One hour!
Suddenly, my dragon radar goes on full alert as Bastian crosses into my realm. Acasia and Ashrac are not with him. My bride is. She may have no magic, but the invisible bond created by the claiming is in perfect working order. I feel her deep inside me. It doesn't help my disposition. I don't want Bastian alone with my bride.
Bastian's voice rings through my head as he says, "That's enough, Laryn. Your bride is safe from me. Acasia would kill me if I so much as looked sideways at your trinket." My hands fist at the term trinket. I don't know why it bothers me, though. Bastian continues before I can blare back into his head. "She wishes to be dropped off at the room in the tower that you provided. No wonder she left at the first opportunity."
"It's a nice room," I grumble. "If I keep her too close, I will care about her. This way is safest."
Now I receive laughter before his reply. "And how has that worked for you? I thought you wiser than that. We have them so we may fall in love. The sooner the better. It gives us more time."
Those were nearly the same words Maleah said before her death. It doesn't matter because I will have none of it. "Deposit her at the chamber. Tell her I will be there shortly. It would help my disposition if she waits on her knees."
He doesn't speak further, though his laughter sounds in my head until he's in the tower. A short while later, my patience at an end, he tells me she is ensconced in the room. "You are invited to cards at my place two weeks hence. Be sure to bring your bride. My son is quite taken with her."
A grunt is my only reply. I can take it no longer. Dressed again in another pair of jeans, I charge to the tower. A few feet from the door, I grow nervous. What should I do? Earlier, I would have just thrown it open. Now I'm at a loss. I pull my fingers through my slightly tangled hair. This is stupid. She left me and must be punished. My hand goes to the door, but before I can touch it, she throws it open.
A blade jabs into my neck and I'm absolutely speechless.
"Stop right there." She gasps and then looks me up and down before her gaze returns to mine. "It is you. Don't think your muscled chest and pretty face will make me soften to your touch. I demand respect." She stomps her foot against the floor with her last words.
I'd laugh if I wasn't in so much shock. The point of the sword digs deeper. This can go one of two ways. I can knock it from her hand and have her over my knee for the spanking she deserves or I can... try Maleah's way. It doesn't need to turn into love, though companionship would be nice. "Let us sit down and discuss the options open to you."
Surprise is written plainly on her face. She slowly lowers the blade and steps back. "You may enter," she says as she makes a sweeping gesture with her hand. "This conversation would be simpler if you put on a shirt," she mumbles under her breath.
That makes me smile. I look toward the sitting table so she doesn't see it. I pull out a small chair. I had no plans to spend any time in this room, so I did not have the appropriate furniture delivered by my servants. The chair groans beneath my weight. She hears it too and looks dubiously toward the wooden legs.
She expertly slides her blade into a hidden sheath behind her neck. I hadn't noticed because her untamed dark hair swirls around her head. I wonder how the strands feel, and my fingers rub together in expectation.
She sits very prim and proper with her back perfectly straight. Just as I'm ready to say what's on my mind, she speaks. "Acasia cautioned me to keep my guard up against you. She says you sometimes have a nasty disposition. I warn you that mine is the same." She barely takes a breath before continuing. "I have trained my entire life to kill you. A sad story told by a female dragon does not change that fact."
I've lowered my eyes to her heaving breasts and lift them when she stops speaking. Her eyes are a spectacular shade of light brown, almost golden. Her angular face enhances her high cheekbones. She's actually not as beautiful as some of my past brides, but there's something about her... something that sets her apart.
"If you look at my breasts again, I will go back on my word and sever your head from your neck."
It's all I can take. Today has been hell. I throw back my head and laugh. Smoke actually floats from my nostrils because I find her hilarious. My crazy bride.
Her palms go flat on the table and I think she might attack me at any moment. "Are you quite finished?" she demands.
She's glorious in her anger and it only makes me laugh harder. She's a pint-sized human nothing with a sharp blade and a sharper attitude. She jumps from the chair and draws her sword. She doesn't have time to blink before I've removed it. Flipping it over, I test its weight on my palm.
I look up as her chair crashes down on my head. Splintered wood flies across the room and a thin trail of blood mars her cheek. I ignore her attempt at bodily harm by chair. I've maintained my hold on the blade, flip it end over end, and catch it by the handle. "You are unlikely to kill me with this. I will have my manservant take you to the chamber of weapons so you may choose something finer with perfect balance." My hand strikes downward and I bury the blade three inches into the wooden table. I'm satisfied when her hand goes to her throat. "I would suggest you take care of the cut on your face. My brides usually live a long life. Although... there was one about a thousand years ago who tripped and fell from the tower. I don't recall her name."
Every name of every bride is imprinted on my soul but I will not tell her this. "Now run along and clean your face. When you return, we shall discuss fucking. It's actually the only reason I'm here."