Nothing more.
Anything more would just be a smidgen too complicated for her liking.
Nine
Aledwen’s heart pounded as she skidded into the courtyard. Maybe she shouldn’t really have been running. It wasn’t a very proper thing for a princess to do, but there were too many screams for her to ignore now, and she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to do something about it. Her duty as a royal meant she needed to do something. Well, it didn’t. Not really. Or her mother would be here already. But her own sense of duty insisted she helped her people.
It took about two seconds for the scene in front of her to register in her head. Luckily, it did appear to be Drey returning that had caused the commotion. Her heart pounded for a completely different reason when she realised that. Not so luckily, it appeared like some of the guards were trying to subdue him. Why they thought that was a good idea, she had no clue. They may be wolf shifters, but he was in dragon form, and ten times the size of them all put together.
And Drey seemed enraged. There was already smoke rising from his nostrils, and she could have sworn she spotted a tiny flame at the corner of his mouth. This could end very badly, very quickly, but she wasn’t entirely sure how to rectify that.
She began to walk forward, trying to look as sure and as purposeful as possible so no one interrupted her. This wasn’t the time. It was too dangerous for them to. One lash of Drey’s tail, or slash of his claws, and even one of the armored guards wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Your majesty, no!” one of the attendants called out. Aledwen ignored him. She didn’t have time for his over protectiveness, even if she did feel a little bad for dismissing him as easily as everyone else did.
Instead of listening, she took a few more steps forward, closer to Drey’s thrashing form. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to hurt someone, and she didn’t want him to actually be responsible for that. From the Drey she’d seen and talked to, she doubted he’d be able to forgive himself easily. Even if he should. Even if she did.
“Back away,” she called out firmly, aiming it at the wolves who were still vainly scratching at Drey’s scales. A few of them listened, but the rest of the pack carried on regardless. “ENOUGH,” she shouted loud enough that several of the other fae flinched backwards.
Good. They were about to learn what their future leader was actually made of. No more hiding away. No more being hidden. This was Aledwen’s time.
One of the wolves, likely the alpha from the size of him, shifted back into his human form, and faced her completely naked with a sneer on his face.
“Who are you to tell us what to do?” he snarled.
He was one of the wolves who hadn’t stopped his attack then. She made a mental note to deal with him at some point. Especially when she became Queen. He’d give her hell at every opportunity if this was anything to go by.
There was a murmur around some of the fae, likely the ones who did know who she was. Why had her mother kept her so away from the rest of the world? If she hadn’t, then Aledwen wouldn’t be in the situation she was now.
“I’m your future Queen,” she said firmly, and noticed Drey’s head swing around, his large dark eyes staring into her. Good. If he recognised her for who she was, then it was definitely a good thing. It meant he wasn’t just angry.
“I don’t take my orders from princesses.”
“You will if you know what’s good for you,” Aledwen said, trying not to flinch as the alpha stepped forward, crowding into her space and baring his yellowing teeth at he
r. She had some serious questions about why her mother kept him around now, but felt it was best just to leave those be. She couldn’t imagine anyone would be very happy if she brought those up.
The alpha opened his mouth to speak, but a loud crackling, and the sight of orange flames licking past him, very nearly singeing his skin, made him close it again. Aledwen didn’t look away from him, as much as she wanted to.
“Call off your men,” she repeated, quieter this time. The last thing she wanted was to create more of an enemy than she already had. It wouldn’t bode well for the future if she did.
To her surprise, the alpha waved his hand, and his wolves fell away, retreating back to where ever they spent their time normally. She had a sinking feeling she’d have to watcher her back around them now. And that their animosity could have pretty severe consequences for her. But that was a risk she was going to have to take. If Drey was who he thought he was to her, and vice versa, and he ended up killed by the wolves, then things would end very very badly for Aledwen. As far as she was aware, mates would die without one another.
Making sure the coast was clear, she approached Drey, holding out her hand, though she wasn’t sure why. He was well aware of who she was, she knew as much from the way he’d just protected her.
He settled down a little, thrashing a lot less, and sitting patiently on the stone ground. He must be cold. Wait, that was an odd thought. Why would he be cold? He was a fire breathing dragon, as she’d experienced just moments before. Cold probably wasn’t in his vocabulary.
Reaching him, she touched her hand to the smooth scales of his neck, loving the feel of them under her skin again. She wasn’t sure she was ever going to get used to it. She wasn’t sure she ever wanted to. That way she had an excuse to keep touching him as much as possible. And that definitely sounded fun.
He swung his head around and presented it to her, and she lifted her hand from his neck so she could stroke the side of his face. He nudged his head further into her hands, and she laughed lightly. “This would be easier if you weren’t in dragon form,” she said. He lifted his head up and cocked it to the side slightly, asking her a question she didn’t know the answer to.
“Can you shift back?” she asked, slightly concerned that he hadn’t.
Drey shook his head violently from side to side.
“Oh. Is it because of all the people?” She could feel them watching the two of them and wished they wouldn’t, especially if they were giving Drey stage fright.
He shook his head from side to side again. Aledwen frowned.