Alana's perspective
Morning came with a sudden, relentless clarity.
The cheerful chirping of birds outside my window felt like a cruel irony, their bright songs clashing with the leaden weight settling in my chest. My door creaked open, and a maid hurried inside, her silhouette sharp against the light as she pulled the heavy velvet curtains wide. Harsh, golden sunlight flooded the room, blinding me. I groaned, shielding my eyes as I slowly rose from the tangled sheets, the fog of sleep lifting to reveal a reality I wasn't ready to face.
"Time to wake up, my lady," she said softly, clasping her hands over her white apron.
"Today is the big day." She offered a bright, hopeful smile. "Your dress has just been delivered. You need to be at the castle within the next hour."
"An hour?!"
I shot upright, my eyes wide with horror. "I overslept!" I screamed.
I bolted from the bed, my bare feet slapping against the cold floor as I rushed into the bathroom. I tossed my nightgown aside and jumped into the bath, scrubbing my skin with frantic, shaky movements. My thoughts raced faster than the steaming water. After a few hurried minutes, I leapt out, wrapped myself in a thick towel, and stepped back into the bedroom where a transformation awaited.
Lying across the bed like a fallen cloud was the white wedding dress.
Three maids stood in wait, bowing in perfect synchronization the moment I appeared. They moved with practiced, expert speed, surrounding me like a whirlwind. I sat before the vanity as they worked; their hands were a blur as they pinned my hair into a sophisticated, tight bun, securing it with three golden pins that shimmered like captive stars. They carefully draped the layers of lace and silk over me, zipping the back with a finality that made it hard to breathe.
When I finally stood, my reflection was a stranger.
I looked... perfect. Radiantly, painfully perfect. For a fleeting second, the sheer beauty of the image almost sparked a flicker of joy.
One of the maids wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "Master and Madam would be so proud if they could see you like this," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion before she stepped forward to pull me into a hug. I hugged her back, clinging to her warmth just a little longer than I should have clinging to the last piece of my old life.
"You're going to be late," she said, gently breaking away. "It's time."
She sat me down one last time to slip the white high heels onto my feet. Then, taking my hand, she hurried me out to the waiting carriage. I stepped inside the plush interior, the door clicking shut like a cage.
She waved as the carriage lurched forward.
My heart wouldn't stop its frantic rhythm. Every second it beat faster higher as if it were a trapped bird trying to batter its way out of my ribs.
Before long, the carriage swept into the royal castle courtyard. It was a sea of people.
The entire school had been summoned my classmates, my teachers, and a massive assembly of demons and dragons gathered in an uneasy truce, their voices rising in a deafening roar. As I stepped onto the pavement, a wave of cheers erupted, a cacophony of celebration that vibrated in the air.
I turned and offered them a smile. A cold, porcelain smile that didn't reach my hollow eyes.
The cheers only grew louder. How blind are these people? I thought bitterly.
I walked down the aisle, my gaze fixed on the deep red carpet. Against the white of my dress, the fabric looked less like silk and more like a river of fresh blood.
At the altar stood Darius.
He looked uncharacteristically neat, though he tugged at the stiff collar of his black suit as if it were a noose. His usually chaotic green hair had been slicked back, gleaming under the afternoon sun. The sharp black lines of the suit contrasted with his ghostly, pale skin, making him appear even more distant and frigid than usual.
I stopped before him and looked up. He forced a stiff, practiced smile. I mirrored it, my fingers white-knuckled around the stems of my bouquet.
The Dragon Lord stepped forward, his presence commanding and ancient. He took both our hands in his ,his grip was firm and surprisingly warm, a heat that felt alien coming from a dragon.
"Today, we stand at a rare crossroads," he began, his voice a resonant boom that echoed off the castle spires. "Where the history of our bloodlines meets the destiny of our borders. For too long, the maps between our kingdoms have been defined by inked treaties and stone watchtowers. Today, we redraw those maps with the warmth of a shared hearth."
He turned his piercing gaze toward Darius.
"To Darius you have always understood that serving the crown is not about protecting a piece of jewelry, but about commitment. Today, you take on your greatest commitment yet. In Alana, you have found not just a companion, but a bridge."
Then, he faced the massive crowd, his arms outstretched.
"To our new kin through Alana we do not simply welcome royal demon blood. We welcome your history, your strength, and your people into our hearts. Let it be known from the highest peaks to the furthest coasts: an offense against one is an offense against both, and a harvest for one shall be a feast for all!"
He raised a hand high, the sun catching the scales on his wrists.golden scales,it's the first time I see such scales I thought if dragons are in human form their scales are not visible, something is wrong
"A kingdom is built on stone, but a dynasty is built on a promise. This union is more than ceremony. It is a vow that our children and their children will grow beneath the shadow of peace, not the shadow of a sword!"
"Let us drink to the health of the couple! To the Union! To the Demon Realm and the Dragon Realm!"
The courtyard exploded. The roar was physical, a wall of sound that made my ears ring.
Darius took my hand his fingers were cold. He slipped a ring onto my finger, a band shaped like a coiled dragon with a piercing green gemstone. I placed a plain, stark silver ring onto his finger in return. His face remained a mask of ice.
"You may now kiss your bride, Darius," the Dragon Lord declared.
My stomach twisted into a painful knot.
Wait... kiss? Me?
Darius leaned in, his shadow falling over me. My breath hitched in my throat as he drew closer, the world blurring around the edges. Then our lips met.
The crowd's roar reached a fever pitch as the Dragon Lord clapped with a booming laugh.
Afterward, Darius led me back to the carriage, his grip on my hand purely for show. We climbed inside, and the vehicle pulled away, leaving the cheering masses behind. The ride home was draped in a heavy, absolute silence. I welcomed it, staring out the window at the blurred landscape, feeling the weight of the dragon ring on my finger.
"Even if we're married," Darius finally said, his voice low and cutting through the quiet, "don't expect me to be nice."
"I don't expect you to be," I replied coldly, finally turning to glare at him.
"Good," he grunted.
When we arrived at the manor, Darius exited the moment the door opened. He strode through the courtyard, loosening his tie and letting out a jagged, heavy sigh of relief. He went straight to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and collapsed into a chair with a glass in hand.
I retreated to my room. I sat on the edge of the bed, the layers of the white dress spilling around me like a funeral shroud.
I stared at the dragon ring. The green stone seemed to mock me..
I lay back, staring up at the ceiling as the twilight began to bleed through the window.
"Now that I've married him..." I whispered into the empty room, my chest tightening until it hurt to breathe, "...it's all over. The dragons finally rule the demon realm."