Unpleasant Memories

Visenya was in the kitchen, savoring the leftover scraps of Lucian's breakfast, when she felt someone’s arms wrap around her waist from behind, giving her a tight squeeze.

"Thank you, My Queen. I can never express how grateful I am," Emi proclaimed, overflowing with gratitude.

Visenya turned around to face the sweet girl. "Emi, you've already thanked me a million times."

"I know, but I want you to understand just how grateful I am that you stood up for me," Emi replied earnestly. "That bloodsucker hasn't even glanced in my direction... and did you hear that the Dragon Lord burned one of his hands right down to the bone?"

Visenya chuckled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I heard... though it would have been more satisfying if it had been his pecker."

The two women erupted in laughter, but the joy quickly faded on Emi's face. "I must admit, I've been feeling quite guilty."

"I hope it isn't on my account," Visenya raised her brow with concern.

"Well, it troubles me to think that you were punished for what you did for me," Emi said, her voice filled with worry.

"I told you not to worry about me. I can take care of myself," Visenya assured, her tone confident.

"But..." Emi's voice trailed off, uncertain.

"End of discussion, Emi," Visenya interrupted firmly, raising her hand to cut her off. "I can handle the Dragon... alright?"

Emi sighed in despair, her frustration evident. "He's just so horrid and angry all the time."

"Lucian has always been horrid... since the very moment that I met him, he's been a rude, miserable jerk," Visenya revealed, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I believe I was about five years old, so he must have been about seven when my father arranged a banquet to honor Lucian's father as our new Emperor. It was the first time I've ever seen dragons in their glorious winged form."

"I remember Emperor Caden," Emi recalled, her voice filled with nostalgia. "He was the youngest Dragon Lord to ascend to the throne of Emperor. Didn't the Dragon Council reject his father and instead declare him as the rightful Emperor?"

"They didn't refuse Emperor Caden's father," Visenya clarified. "His father was not born with the mark of a Dragon Lord. Sometimes, the mark skips a generation or two, and without it, one cannot claim the title of Emperor Dragon. Lucian bears the mark of a Dragon Lord, but his brother, Mason, did not.”

"Kind of like your Alpha mark?" Emi asked, pointing to the mark on Visenya's shoulder.

"Sort of, but an Alpha's firstborn always inherits the mark of the Alpha, regardless of their gender," Visenya explained. "And occasionally, the second born will also bear the alpha mark, like my sister Synora. The Dragon Lord's mark appears sporadically, skipping generations and only manifesting in male dragons."

"What sets a Dragon Lord apart from other dragons?" Emi inquired.

"A Dragon Lord possesses longevity, for one. Take Lucian, for example. He will stop aging at thirty years old and won't resume aging for thousands of years," Visenya elaborated. "Additionally, Dragon Lords possess the ability to produce two types of fire: red and blue. Their red fire is like any other fire, capable of burning and destroying, but their blue fire possesses incredible healing capabilities."

Emi's eyes widened with wonder as she contemplated the concept. "A fire that can heal?"

"Yes, but every time they use it to heal someone, it takes decades off their lives," Visenya explained. "And only Dragon Lords have mates... or as they call them... complements. They can choose to carry out the unification ritual, where the Dragon Lord blows his fiery essence into his complement's lungs, sharing with her his long lifespan and healing abilities. As a symbol of this sacred bond, she too will bear the mark of her Dragon Lord across her chest."

"But what if the complement is human? Wouldn't the fire harm her?" Emi's curiosity deepened.

Visenya shook her head. "If a woman is born as the fated mate of a Dragon Lord, then she will possess an innate immunity to fire."

"So, what happened?" Emi asked, her curiosity evident in her voice. "When you first met the Dragon Lord?"

Visenya paused for a moment, lost in the memories. "Oh, right," she replied. "I was playing hide and seek in the garden with Caspian and our other little friends, and I spotted Lucian hiding behind a tree, secretly observing our game. I wanted to be kind, so I approached him and offered my hand, inviting him to join us."

Visenya paused, her expression turning bittersweet. "But to my surprise, he stood there, frozen, as if unfamiliar with the notion of kindness. Eventually, he reached out and held my hand, and in that moment, I felt a spark of joy, thinking I had made a new friend. However, just as we were beginning to bond, his obnoxious cousin, Cheyenne, suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The second Lucian caught sight of her, he abruptly yanked his hand away from mine and pushed me into the mud. They both broke out into laughter, as if my humiliation was a source of amusement. I ran away, of course, sobbing like a little baby."

"What a little shit!" Emi exclaimed.

"You should hear the story where he thought it was funny to cut all my hair off and then call me Prince Vincent," Visenya shared. "At least, he was punished for that... his father starved him for three days."

"So, he's been tormenting you all your life, and even now it still continues?" Emi remarked.

"Hmm, it certainly looks that way, doesn't it?" Visenya pondered. "I've always wondered what I did to make him look at me like I was the most despicable person on the planet. I can now somewhat comprehend that his anger may stem from what my father did, but even before that, Lucian has always hated me."

"I think he's just a hateful person altogether, and there's probably nothing that will ever make someone like that happy," Emi said with a sigh.

Visenya nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right... but we should get back to our duties before the devil returns," she replied, her tone resigned.

Emi gave Visenya one last embrace before leaving Visenya alone in the kitchen, lost in her thoughts. Visenya's pondering mind had her fixated on the wood burning inside the cast iron stove. With a growing curiosity, she knelt down and opened the glass door of the firebox. Slowly, she extended her hand towards the dancing flames, expecting the heat to sting her skin. To her surprise, it was quite the opposite.

The fire felt incredibly cozy and inviting, beckoning her to explore its warmth further. With a sense of daring, she extended her hand deep into the small fire pit, instantly captivated by the mesmerizing flames as they frolicked around her delicate fingers. As she withdrew her hand, a sense of awe washed over her, realizing that it remained unscathed by the fire. A radiant smile graced her face as a surge of empowerment coursed through her.