Your own father betraying you.
Being a king, he wanted an heir. A male heir. But after many years and many pregnancies, all he had to show was seven daughters. He had tried every medical and rational way to ensure a son and after all of it failed…he turned to the irrational.
An old man on the side of the road had told him that a son would be born if he sacrificed something dear to him to a dragon. And what was more dear to anyone then thier firstborn child? Of course, it wasn’t going to work. Your father had never cared for you at all, you were no where near dear to the man.
His incoming failure was your only comfort now.
You were already in the caves, dragged away by your father’s men as your mother and sisters screamed and begged for mercy. He had none, not even for his children. And in the end, you were tossed into the darkness by your own parent. If there was a dragon, you certainly hadn’t seen it. You were probably going to starve to death in here, withering away in your finest dress and jewels (which King Father had insisted upon apparently), like so many of your people.
You walked through the darkness, following a strange sound you kept hearing. Even now, your curiosity was getting the better of you…the closer you got, the warmer the air felt. And then you began to recognize the sound as…breathing. Slow, steady breathing as though something of someone very large was sleeping. You turned the corner only to freeze in your tracks.
There in the darkness, a dragon slumbered on a pile of treasure.
His scales were a gleaming scarlet, his underside a lighter pink. Beneath him, gold and jewelry and precious gems glittered beautifully. There really was a dragon in these caves. Maybe your father would get his son after all…As though he sensed your being there, the dragon woke up.
You backed away, pressing yourself against the stone wall.
“Well, well, well…it’s been among time since I have had a guest. What brings you too my humble abode, little one?”
His voice was silky smooth and deep and…rather relaxing.
“Human sacrifice. My father wants a son in exchange for something dear.”
“Are you that something?” The dragon asked, cocking his head.
“No. But he wants you to think I am.”
The dragon laughed, the sound shaking the cavern.
“I like you! I do like you, little one. Your father has sent you here for something he wants…what is something you want? What are you willing to give for it?”
You thought for a moment before removing your locket.
“My grandmother gave this to me before she died…if I gave it to you, could you protect my mother and sisters?”
You tossed the necklace into the massive pile. A flash of light blinded you and you closed your eyes tight. When you opened your eyes, you were surprised. Before you say a big bed with red sheets and a table with food.
“Rest. Eat. We will speak again in the morning.” The dragon said.
“…Thank you. Can I ask for your name?”
You ate and crawled into bed after, wondering what was going to happen to you…You woke up the next morning, only to find two gold eyes staring down at you.
“Good morning, Y/N.” The dragon whispered
“Good morning, Sona.” You replied.
The table was now decorated with breakfast, which you ate as Sona walked around his treasure. You learned that he liked to do this a lot. Over the next few weeks, you watched Sona sort through his treasure over and over again. You thought of home as he did. Of your sisters and mother, you wondered if your wish had come true. And after being there for a month…The fine bed and food made you think of something else too.
“Could I ask for something? In return for another?”
Sona paused, turning to look at you.
“For my kingdom’s people to have beds and food. They need to be taken care of better…”
“And what will you give?”
“These earrings. My mother gave them to be the night I attended my first ball. They were inherited family for generations, from one eldest daughter to the next.”
The dragon seemed to almost smile at you, gold eyes gleaming.
That night, you found two small chests beneath your bed, one filled with clothes (including a warm nightgown that you immediately slipped into) and books. As you looked through the novels, Sona started an odd request.
“Read to me, little one. Something sweet.”
Picking out a poetry collection, you crawled into bed and read to the dragon, blushing at a few of the more…detailed love poems. Sona loved them though and you read to him until you fell asleep. You didn’t even realize that the dragon was smiling at you sweetly…
But you did notice it the next day.
Over the next few weeks, Sona became less preoccupied with his treasure. Instead, he talked more with you. You found the dragon to be quite sassy, sometimes flirty, and very smart. He loved riddles and poetry and pretty girls in almost as pretty dresses. One morning, you woke up and ate breakfast again. Sona encouraged you to wear the light gold dress, telling you how pretty you would look in the color.
“Speaking of gold…do you have another request?” He asked.
It had been a long time since you had asked of something. But you had thought about this one long and hard. You looked at the bracelets on your wrists before taking them off.
“Put someone else on the throne. Someone who doesn’t ignore the needs of thier people. Someone who doesn’t throw their children into the arms of death. Someone who cares.”
Sona thought for a moment.
The bracelets were placed in his pile and that night, as you picked out another novel, you found another gift waiting for you.
A tall man, with blacker then night skin and long braids cascading down his back. He was dressed in scarlet silk and adorned with gold and jewels that gleamed wonderfully. He smiled at you and you stood up, backing away from the stranger until you tripped onto Sona’s hoard.
“Who are? You need to leave?” You demanded.
“Why? Don’t princess wait to be rescued from evil dragons? Perhaps I’m your prince charming.” He asked in reply.
That voice…that silky voice…
“In another flesh. So you like it?”
He stepped forward and leaned low, hovering over you. Only he didn’t gloat over his gold…instead he stared at you, eyes gleaming.
“What are you doing?” You asked.
“Granting your wish. But granting one of my own as well. You may leave…you may rule over your kingdom as the rightful heir. But only if…if you give me a kiss. Just one kiss…”
He was moving closer, eyes closed and his lips so, so close to your own…
He paused, opening his eyes. He had such long, dark lashes you noticed…
“I wanted to save my first kiss for my husband.”
You removed the final piece of jewelry you had, a ruby ring.
Sona smiled, revealing gleaming white fangs.
“Oh, I was hoping you would say that.”
He finally got that kiss, oh that wonderful kiss. None of his favorite poems could ever have described something so sweet…one kiss lead to another and another and so many more.
And there would be countless more to come.
A perfect ending, you both thought. A perfect fairy tale ending…🖤
