Page 14 of Elven Oath

All of them were cold, formal affairs where neither party had any say in the matter. But there was something about Vevina, something that told me this wouldn’t be like any other alliance.

A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts, and one of the Elven guards steps in. "The ceremony is about to begin, my lord. The King requests your presence."

Standing up, I smooth down my robes, feeling the weight of my decision pressing down on me. This was it. The moment I had been prepared for, but not fully ready to accept. I glance over at Falkor and Drago, who give me reassuring nods before I head for the door.

As we make our way to the main hall, my thoughts return to Vevina. Does she know yet? Would her father or anyone else have told her by now? Or would she walk into the ceremony as blindly as she had walked into the great hall earlier?

As we enter the great hall once again, we take a moment to look around us. The sight is nothing short of breathtaking. The high, vaulted ceilings are draped in shimmering banners of silver and green, the colors of the Elven royal house. Candles line the walls, flickering light across the stone floors. The room was filled with both Elf and Dragon nobility, gathered together for the first time in centuries, though there was an unmistakable tension in the air.

At the far end of the hall stood the altar, and there, beside her father, was Vevina.

She was absolutely stunning. The twigs and dirt from earlier had been replaced with elegance and grace. Her hair woven into intricate braids adorned with delicate flowers. The emerald and silver gown she wore shimmered as she moved, the fabric flowing like water around her. Yet there was a stiffness in her posture, a look of unease in her eyes.

She was absolutely pissed.

My stomach tightened as I approach the King, my steps slow and deliberate. Her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment, and there was a flicker of something maybe. But no understanding. Not yet.

And then the King steps forward, his voice booming as he begins the ceremony, welcoming the union between our two people.

Vevina’s eyes widen, and in that instant, I saw it. The moment she realized there was no getting out of this.

Her gaze snaps to her father with what looks to be hatred, then back to me before she schools her lovely face into a serene mask. A mask that remains in place through the entire ceremony.

Chapter 6

Vevina

The door to our chambersshuts softly behind us, but the sound echoes loudly in my ears. My heart is pounding wildly in my chest as the weight of the entire day crashes down on me all at once. I stand there in the center of the room, my hands clenched tightly into fists at my sides. I try to steady my breathing.

Married.

I am married.

To the dragon prince. Gods!

The ceremony passed by like a blur. One moment I was being rushed through the halls in that ridiculous looking wedding gown, and the next I was standing before the entire court as my father announced my union to a man I didn’t even know.

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