Page 9 of Elven Oath

Finally joining the conversation to hurry along the so called details, we finish ironing out the marriage contract.

When we are all through with signing the documents, sealed with our blood, we are escorted from the hall by a servant that’ll take us to our rooms.

The grand doors to our chambers creak open as the Elven servant motions for us to enter. It’s a vast, elegant room, with tapestries hanging from the walls and a large window overlooking the castle grounds.

Everything here feels so cold, so calculated. My mind was still reeling from the conversation with the King. The way he so easily dismissed Vevina, as if she were no more than a piece in his political game. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

Falkor and Drago follow me inside, their usual banter quieted by the weight of the situation. Falkor tosses his cloak onto a nearby chair, his lips twisting into a faint smirk, though there was little amusement in his eyes.

"Well," he said, leaning back against the wall, "I have to admit, this wasn’t exactly how I expected things to go. Can’t say I’m surprised the king didn’t tell her, though. Elves and their secrecy." He glances at me, his golden eyes sharp with curiosity. "You think she knows? That she’s getting married later today?"

I shake my head, pacing toward the window. "No," I mutter. "She has no idea. The King made that painfully clear. He doesn’t think she needs to know. Said she’s ‘only a female.’"

Falkor snorts, exchanging a glance with Drago. "Only a female," he repeats with sarcasm, rolling his eyes. "I saw her barge into the hall like she owned the place. Doesn’t seem like the type to take kindly to being kept in the dark. Especially about something like this."

Drago, quieter than Falkor but always more insightful, folds his arms across his chest. "How do you think she’ll react?" he asks, his voice low and thoughtful. "Once she finds out the truth."

I pause, considering the question. The image of Vevina, wild and untamed, flashes in my mind.

The dirt on her dress, the twigs in her hair, and those bright blue eyes filled with so much fire.

There was no way she would take this calmly. She was strong-willed and defiant. She would fight this, I was certain of it.

The idea of being married off without her consent, to a man she didn’t even know... it would enrage her.

"I think she’ll be furious," I admit, my gaze distant as I stare out at the courtyard below. "And she has every right to be. She’s been kept in the dark about all of this. Her entire life is about to change, and no one’s given her a choice."

Falkor shrugs, running a hand through his silver hair. "It’s not like she has much of a choice now. The pact’s already been made, the arrangements are set. Whether she likes it or not, by tonight, you’ll be married."

His words are true, but they don’t sit right with me. Vevina wasn’t just some pawn to be manipulated.

I could still see her standing beside her father, strong and proud despite the King’s obvious dismissal of her.

She isn’t someone who would bend easily, and the thought of forcing this upon her without giving her a chance to even understand, gnawed at me.

"I don’t like it," I say, finally turning back to face them. "It feels wrong. She deserves to know. She deserves to have a say in this."

Drago, who had been silent for most of the conversation, steps forward. "It’s not just about her," he reminds me, his deep voice steady. "This union is more than a marriage—it’s about the survival of our people. The bond between Elves and Dragons is the only way to ensure that. You said so yourself.”

I knew he was right. The ancient pact was more than just an agreement; it was a lifeline. Our people, the Dragonkin, could not survive without the Elves, just as they could not survive without us.

The magic that tied us together was ancient and powerful. This marriage was a way to reignite that bond. But knowing the reasons behind it didn’t make it any easier to accept the way it was being done.

"I’ll have to face her sooner or later," I say, running a hand through my hair. "And I’m not looking forward to that conversation."

Falkor chuckles, shaking his head. "You’re in for a hell of a day, my friend. She doesn’t seem like the type to take bad news lying down."

"That’s what worries me," I mutter. Because when Vevina finds out, there would be hell to pay and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to be the one to break the news.

The marriage was happening, whether we wanted it or not. But how Vevina reacted... that would be the real storm.

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