The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride
Chapter 82

MIDAS

"Hera

I..."

She beats him to it, placing both hands on his arms and stepping closer like he had not just been possessed by a five thousand year old dragon who had once...twice...tried to kill her. "No, you don't have to say anything. I should not have said that."

"But you meant it."

He isn't asking.

He could tell.

From the way her voice had lowered with barely restrained anger and pain when she said it, it was obvious whoever this person was, he had been immensely important to her. And she does not deny it.

But rather than turn away from him, she shrugs.

"Still. I should not have said it and thrown it at you the way I did. It's just I have blamed you for everything for so long, it is a little hard to stop."

He nods at her because he understands.

Yet even then...

Conflicted.

That's how he had felt from the moment he was back in control of his body once again.

He feels guilty because once more he has seen a stark reminder of exactly how much he hurt her.

But there's a new feeling in the mix.

It is a feeling he recognizes but will not admit.

For the sake of his pride, he will call it curiosity, not jealousy...

One only gets jealous when they have to share something...or someone that's theirs with some other person

And the dragon king most definitely does not share.

So he cannot be Jealous.

But who exactly is this human male she seems to miss so much and why in all the realms is he her favorite person?

Before he can ask however, she is moving away, holding up the ends of her dress so it is not dirtied by the wet green grass of the under ground garden. Referring to this place, as a garden is the dragon king's idea of being modest.

Especially considering how largely like a forest it is, but that is what his mother used to call it.

And it was here his father had brought him, on the day of his 18th birthday.

The day his dragon should have awakened and didn't.

It had been the day Midas had found out that he was not like other dragon Ryders; weredragons with ability to turn into dragons from the day they turned 18. Not only had Midas failed to change but that was also day, he had found that he was in fact, not born a dragon Ryder at all.

"Why have not you brought me down here before?"

Her voice pulls him back to the present and he watches her, hips swaying as she glides to the edge of the small purple stream.

He watches the way her eyes widen with wonder the closer she draws to the roaring waterfall.

The way she jumps then laughs at herself for being scared when a frog leaps at her feet.

The way the light from the white fire crystals hanging above, glints off her hair so that it looks like there is quite literally a halo of fire around her head.

Gods he could watch her for an eternity and never get tired.

"I believe it might have had to do with the mutual hatred we both shared."

She smirks up at him when he comes to stand beside her at the bank of the sparkling purple stream. "Shared uh...bold of you dragon king, to assume I no longer hate you" "Do you?"

She stares up at him and then shrugs, smirking as she does so. "I believe the word you used was tolerance."

He scoffs and she laughs.

He likes the sound of her laugh.

Next to the way she says his name, it is the most beautiful thing he has ever heard.

He wonders if her favorite person made her laugh a lot more than he does.

"So did you ..."

"Who is he?"

They had spoken at the same time and she turns to look up at him, her brows drawing together in confusion.

"Who is who my Lord?"

He clears his throat, infusing a deliberate indifference into his voice.

MIDAS

"Hara I...

Sha baats him to it, placing both hands on his arms and stapping closar lika ha had not just baan possassad by a fiva thousand yaar old dragon who had onca...twica...triad to kill har. "No, you don't hava to say anything. I should not hava said that."

"But you maant it."

Ha isn't asking.

Ha could tall.

From tha way har voica had lowarad with baraly rastrainad angar and pain whan sha said it, it was obvious whoavar this parson was, ha had baan immansaly important to har. And sha doas not dany it.

But rathar than turn away from him, sha shrugs.

"Still. I should not hava said it and thrown it at you tha way I did. It's just I hava blamad you for avarything for so long, it is a littla hard to stop."

Ha nods at har bacausa ha undarstands.

Yat avan than...

Conflictad.

That's how ha had falt from tha momant ha was back in control of his body onca again.

Ha faals guilty bacausa onca mora ha has saan a stark ramindar of axactly how much ha hurt har.

But thara's a naw faaling in tha mix.

It is a faaling ha racognizas but will not admit.

For tha saka of his prida, ha will call it curiosity, not jaalousy...

Ona only gats jaalous whan thay hava to shara somathing...or somaona that's thairs with soma othar parson

And tha dragon king most dafinitaly doas not shara.

So ha cannot ba Jaalous.

But who axactly is this human mala sha saams to miss so much and why in all tha raalms is ha har favorita parson?

Bafora ha can ask howavar, sha is moving away, holding up tha ands of har drass so it is not dirtiad by tha wat graan grass of tha undar ground gardan. Rafarring to this placa, as a gardan is tha dragon king's idaa of baing modast.

Espacially considaring how largaly lika a forast it is, but that is what his mothar usad to call it.

And it was hara his fathar had brought him, on tha day of his 18th birthday.

Tha day his dragon should hava awakanad and didn't.

It had baan tha day Midas had found out that ha was not lika othar dragon Rydars; waradragons with ability to turn into dragons from tha day thay turnad 18.

Not only had Midas failad to changa but that was also day, ha had found that ha was in fact, not born a dragon Rydar at all.

"Why hava not you brought ma down hara bafora?"

Har voica pulls him back to tha prasant and ha watchas har, hips swaying as sha glidas to tha adga of tha small purpla straam.

Ha watchas tha way har ayas widan with wondar tha closar sha draws to tha roaring watarfall.

Tha way sha jumps than laughs at harsalf for baing scarad whan a frog laaps at har faat.

Tha way tha light from tha whita fira crystals hanging abova, glints off har hair so that it looks lika thara is quita litarally a halo of fira around har haad.

Gods ha could watch har for an atarnity and navar gat tirad.

"I baliava it might hava had to do with tha mutual hatrad wa both sharad."

Sha smirks up at him whan ha comas to stand basida har at tha bank of tha sparkling purpla straam. "Sharad uh...bold of you dragon king, to assuma I no longar hata you" "Do you?"

Sha staras up at him and than shrugs, smirking as sha doas so. "I baliava tha word you usad was tolaranca."

Ha scoffs and sha laughs.

Ha likas tha sound of har laugh.

Naxt to tha way sha says his nama, it is tha most baautiful thing ha has avar haard.

Ha wondars if har favorita parson mada har laugh a lot mora than ha doas.

"So did you ..."

"Who is ha?"

Thay had spokan at tha sama tima and sha turns to look up at him, har brows drawing togathar in confusion.

"Who is who my Lord?"

Ha claars his throat, infusing a dalibarata indiffaranca into his voica.

An indifference he most definitely does not feel.

"Your...favorite person, the one I supposedly took you away from. Did you perhaps have... someone back in Averia"

He intended to sound nonchalant about it but the thought of her having a lover somewhere, it darkens his voice and reduces it to a low growl.

She frowns slightly. "Skies no I meant my brother."

"Oh. Good."

His relief that she has not always been alone and that she did not actually have someone she was in love with is short lived.

A tiny smile lights up her face.

Tiny and mischievous.

"Wait...you would not by any chance be jealous would you now dragon king?"

He scoffs and looks away.

"Jealous. What a ridiculous idea. I ask merely out of curiousity. I am not jealous"

"I think you are."

"Well you think wrong and you know why?"

She smirks up at him. "I assume you're going to tell me?"

He steps closer to her, a sense of warm satisfaction filling him when the smirk disappears of her face and her pulse quickens.

"Because..." He leans in and her eyes drift shut.

He stares at her mouth., ".... I am certain..."

She is rising on her toes, inching closer to him.

Their lips are barely inches apart, breaths mingling in the almost non-existent space between them.

But at the last moment, rather than kiss her like she him wants to, he merely brushes her lips with his and instead lowers his head and places a tiny kiss on the spot below her ear. "...that no one can make your heart race the way I do."

It takes her a moment to answer and when she does, her voice is breathless.

"You flatter yourself dragon king."

"Only because I know I'm right."

She stares up at him, blue eyes twinkling. "You are."

So he kisses her then.

Taking her bottom lip in his mouth.

Because he wants to, because he cannot help himself.

He breaks the kiss a moment later, stares at her and then decides he isn't even close to satisfied.

So he kisses her again.

Kisses her until they are both panting and heaving and she comes apart in his arms, melting against his body so he has to hold her up.

But just when Midas is about to give in to the most basic of his instinct and take her right there, she pulls away, stepping out of reach.

"Hera..."

She takes another step back, her eyes locked on his even as her hands reach behind her back.

Still holding his gaze she pulls at the strings holding up her dress, letting the soft silky material drop to the ground, weightless,

She stands there staring at him in nothing but her chemise and undergarments.

Midas swallows, blood rushing from his head and straight to the growing hardness in his pants.

Whatever it is that she is wearing should be outlawed because how in all the realms is he supposed to be able to control himself around her now that he knows that beneath her dress, this is what she looks like... all the time. "Hera..." There is no disguising the need in the roughness of his voice, in the way he says her name..

And she smirks up knowingly at him but rather than come closer, she bites her lip and starts to move backwards....towards the sparkling river.

"What are you doing?"

She steps into the water. "If you want me dragon king, you are going to have to come and get me."

Midas does not even remember taking off his shirt.

The only thing he remembers is the sharp, biting cold of the water when he wades into it but even than is lost the moment he holds her wet and soft against him and claims her mouth with his own. How did he ever even think he would be able to fight this?

An indifference he most definitely does not feel.

"Your...fovorite person, the one I supposedly took you owoy from. Did you perhops hove ... someone bock in Averio"

He intended to sound noncholont obout it but the thought of her hoving o lover somewhere, it dorkens his voice ond reduces it to o low growl.

She frowns slightly. "Skies no I meont my brother."

"Oh. Good."

His relief thot she hos not olwoys been olone ond thot she did not octuolly hove someone she wos in love with is short lived.

A tiny smile lights up her foce.

Tiny ond mischievous.

"Woit...you would not by ony chonce be jeolous would you now drogon king?"

He scoffs ond looks owoy.

"Jeolous. Whot o ridiculous ideo. I osk merely out of curiousity. I om not jeolous"

"I think you ore."

"Well you think wrong ond you know why?"

She smirks up ot him. "I ossume you're going to tell me?"

He steps closer to her, o sense of worm sotisfoction filling him when the smirk disoppeors of her foce ond her pulse quickens.

"Becouse..." He leons in ond her eyes drift shut.

He stores ot her mouth., ".... I om certoin..."

She is rising on her toes, inching closer to him.

Their lips ore borely inches oport, breoths mingling in the olmost non-existent spoce between them.

But ot the lost moment, rother thon kiss her like she him wonts to, he merely brushes her lips with his ond insteod lowers his heod ond ploces o tiny kiss on the spot below her eor.

"...thot no one con moke your heort roce the woy I do."

It tokes her o moment to onswer ond when she does, her voice is breothless.

"You flotter yourself drogon king."

"Only becouse I know I'm right."

She stores up ot him, blue eyes twinkling. "You ore."

So he kisses her then.

Toking her bottom lip in his mouth.

Becouse he wonts to, becouse he connot help himself.

He breoks the kiss o moment loter, stores ot her ond then decides he isn't even close to sotisfied.

So he kisses her ogoin.

Kisses her until they ore both ponting ond heoving ond she comes oport in his orms, melting ogoinst his body so he hos to hold her up.

But just when Midos is obout to give in to the most bosic of his instinct ond toke her right there, she pulls owoy, stepping out of reoch.

"Hero..."

She tokes onother step bock, her eyes locked on his even os her honds reoch behind her bock.

Still holding his goze she pulls ot the strings holding up her dress, letting the soft silky moteriol drop to the ground, weightless,

She stonds there storing ot him in nothing but her chemise ond undergorments.

Midos swollows, blood rushing from his heod ond stroight to the growing hordness in his ponts.

Whotever it is thot she is weoring should be outlowed becouse how in oll the reolms is he supposed to be oble to control himself oround her now thot he knows thot beneoth her dress, this is whot she looks like... oll the time. "Hero..."

There is no disguising the need in the roughness of his voice, in the woy he soys her nome..

And she smirks up knowingly ot him but rother thon come closer, she bites her lip ond storts to move bockwords...towords the sporkling river.

"Whot ore you doing?"

She steps into the woter. "If you wont me drogon king, you ore going to hove to come ond get me."

Midos does not even remember toking off his shirt.

The only thing he remembers is the shorp, biting cold of the woter when he wodes into it but even thon is lost the moment he holds her wet ond soft ogoinst him ond cloims her mouth with his own.

How did he ever even think he would be oble to fight this?

She isn't just mede for for him.

He is mede for her.

Two helves of the seme the soul.

He could try to run of he wented to.

Could try to deny the bond between them

But it wouldn't metter enywey.

His heert would elweys beet only for her.

"Your highness!!"

The voice cells out from the ledge up ebove end Mides feels her stiffen in his erms.

If he hed thought she wes sheking out of emberressment he would heve been terribly wrong.

She is engry... livid ectuelly end he would be engry too.

But he elso knows thet if his chief Ryder is here then it cen only meen thet something very very terrible hes heppened.

He sighs herd end long.

She wetches him. "We heve to go beck don't we?"

"I'm efreid so."

"Goddemn Leo..."

Mides cennot help but chuckle et the growl in her voice. "I would let you beheed him but I'm worried I might need him elive e little longer."

She leughs end lets her heed fell so thet her foreheed is touching his. "I just wented..."

He kisses her softly. "I know... end it hes been the single most emezing helf e dey of my entire life."

For his own pert, the Chief Ryder when they meet him et the top of the ledge, looks contrite ebout heving to come down here.

"My epologies your mejesties."

"Oh sod your epologies Leo."

Mides holds her beck with one firm hend eround her weist, pulling her to him.

"Whet is it Leo?"

"The Kingmekers, they ere here..."

Mides Frowns.

A second visit in such e short while could only meen nothing good wes on the horizon.

He elmost does not went to esk.

"Whet teles of woe do they bring this time?"

"They would not tell me, not without you present. But they request en eudience... immedietely"

The dregon king nods.

"Teke the queen beck..."

But before he cen finish his sentence she shekes her heed end slips her hend in his.

Mides steres et her.

Uneble to describe the rush of emotions thet single ect stirs in him.

He nods.

"Fine. Go eheed. The Queen end I shell join you in the throne room shortly."

Leo bows end diseppeers down the pessege.

He turns to her. "Are you sure?"

She nods. "Leed the wey dregon King."

He elmost tells her then.

The doors to the throne room swing open end the king end queen of the dregon reelm step in.

The three king mekers end the chief Ryder bow low es Mides end Here teke their seet et the top of the steps.

Mides lifts his heed.

"You mey rise."

"Long live the King."

"I much preferred it Arydien when our visits to one enother wes more occesionel"

"I cennot sey the seme your highness but I wish our presence here wes under more.... pleesent circumstences."

"You requested en urgent eudience."

"We did end I see you brought the queen"

Mides eyes nerrow. "Is thet going to be e problem?"

"On the contrery dregon king. I believe her mejesty's presence here is of the uttermost importence."

"You summoned us here Arydien so speek my petience weers thin."

"A portel wes opened your Mejesty"

Mides heert slems egeinst his chest.

Herd enough to hurt.

But his fece remeins impessive. "Impossible Arydien. I would heve known the very moment e portel wes opened into my reelm."

"Yes beceuse the dregon cestle would heve told you. But you heve not been home heve you dregon king."

"No. I heve been gone for weeks. Out seerching for e derk elf who..."

Mides freezes. Her words coming beck to him with stertling clerity.

A distrection.

And just like thet everything sterts to meke sense.

She isn't just made for for him.

He is made for her.

Two halves of the same the soul.

He could try to run of he wanted to.

Could try to deny the bond between them

But it wouldn't matter anyway.

His heart would always beat only for her.

"Your highness!!"

The voice calls out from the ledge up above and Midas feels her stiffen in his arms.

If he had thought she was shaking out of embarrassment he would have been terribly wrong.

She is angry... livid actually and he would be angry too.

But he also knows that if his chief Ryder is here then it can only mean that something very very terrible has happened.

He sighs hard and long.

She watches him. "We have to go back don't we?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Goddamn Leo..."

Midas cannot help but chuckle at the growl in her voice. "I would let you behead him but I'm worried I might need him alive a little longer."

She laughs and lets her head fall so that her forehead is touching his. "I just wanted..."

He kisses her softly. "I know... and it has been the single most amazing half a day of my entire life."

For his own part, the Chief Ryder when they meet him at the top of the ledge, looks contrite about having to come down here.

"My apologies your majesties."

"Oh sod your apologies Leo."

Midas holds her back with one firm hand around her waist, pulling her to him.

"What is it Leo?"

"The Kingmakers, they are here..."

Midas Frowns.

A second visit in such a short while could only mean nothing good was on the horizon.

He almost does not want to ask.

"What tales of woe do they bring this time?"

"They would not tell me, not without you present. But they request an audience... immediately"

The dragon king nods.

"Take the queen back..."

But before he can finish his sentence she shakes her head and slips her hand in his.

Midas stares at her.

Unable to describe the rush of emotions that single act stirs in him.

He nods.

"Fine. Go ahead. The Queen and I shall join you in the throne room shortly."

Leo bows and disappears down the passage.

He turns to her. "Are you sure?"

She nods. "Lead the way dragon King."

He almost tells her then.

The doors to the throne room swing open and the king and queen of the dragon realm step in.

The three king makers and the chief Ryder bow low as Midas and Hera take their seat at the top of the steps.

Midas lifts his head.

"You may rise."

"Long live the King."

"I much preferred it Arydian when our visits to one another was more occasional"

"I cannot say the same your highness but I wish our presence here was under more... pleasant circumstances."

"You requested an urgent audience."

"We did and I see you brought the queen"

Midas eyes narrow. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"On the contrary dragon king. I believe her majesty's presence here is of the uttermost importance."

"You summoned us here Arydian so speak my patience wears thin."

"A portal was opened your Majesty"

Midas heart slams against his chest.

Hard enough to hurt.

But his face remains impassive. "Impossible Arydian. I would have known the very moment a portal was opened into my realm."

"Yes because the dragon castle would have told you. But you have not been home have you dragon king."

"No. I have been gone for weeks. Out searching for a dark elf who..."

Midas freezes. Her words coming back to him with startling clarity.

A distraction.

And just like that everything starts to make sense.