Chapter 8 : you are my mate
"Well, shall we consummate our marriage?"
The question rang in my head. This was real and I was about to officially become his wife, more of a slave but a wife regardless.
"Yes, sir"
"Don't call me sir, call me Sirius, I'm your husband now, not your master"
"Yes... Sirius" I looked away.
He sat closer to me and held a strand of my hair.
"The colour of your hair, it's beautiful."
"Thank you,"
"Is this the colour of the moon goddess' hair that I've heard your family has?"
"Yes, it is" I answered, if only he knew I didn't have the powers of the moon goddess that he was looking for, I was simply a mage who couldn't even access her powers because her trauma had blocked them.
"We don't have to do it tonight, I can tell you're tired and you're not comfortable enough with me, you can use tonight to rest, when you are ready, we'll continue this."
I was shocked, to think that the man who beheaded a guest at his own wedding without thinking twice could be so considerate towards me.
"Do you not want me?" I blurted out as I stood up to chase after him, I'd do anything to keep myself alive and safe, if he didn't see me as someone he even wanted to sleep with, how would I guarantee my protection or safety once he was ready to throw me away?
He turned around and for the first time, I saw him chuckle. He tilted his head and looked into my eyes.
"Astra, it's not that I don't want you, I just want you to be comfortable, after all you're my wife, we have the rest of our lives to get comfortable with each other, don't be scared of me"
He then walked out to the balcony. His words left me confused. One minute he spoke about me like I was a pawn, a tool for his grand plans, the second minute, he spoke to me and held me with such gentility that would fool a bystander into thinking we were tender lovers.
I sat at the edge of the bed confused for a moment before I decided to stand up and walk up to him. I stood in silence as I watched him take in the deep darkness of the night in this Dragon kingdom that was barely taken away by the light of the moon and the fires from the volcanoes. It looked like what the underworld was described to me.
"There's something I need to tell you," I said, wanting to get this over with. I didn't want to get comfortable only to have this comfort taken away from me later when he'd find out I wasn't what he was looking for.
"Actually, two things," I continued "I'm not the princess you think I am"
"What do you mean?" He tilted his head in confusion.
"I'm not the legitimate daughter of the king, he's still my father but I've never once been taken as a princess, I've lived in the stables all my life, my mother was a maid..."
Just then, the memories hit me again, this man in front of me was the son of the monster who took my mother away from me. I knew it wasn't his fault but I couldn't hide the anger that was beginning to brew in me as I remembered this.
"My mother was a lowly maid, my father lied to yours about me being his legitimate daughter,"
"I know you're not Princess Kaelara"
I raised my head up immediately in shock, how did he know? He had never been to my kingdom as far as I knew.
"Do you really think I wouldn't have done my own research before agreeing to this marriage? I know your mother had an affair with the king to get protection from whatever she was running from, I know you've been treated like a servant by your family until a few months ago when our messenger came to remind your father of the agreement he made with the Dragon king twelve years ago, I also know that tomorrow is your twentieth birthday, Astra"
I was dumbfounded, lost for words... how did he know this? Has he been watching me my whole life? How did he know things that even the maids I lived among didn't know?
"How did you know this? Who told you?!"
"Don't plague yourself with such questions, my dear Astra, you're important, that's all that matters" he said brushing my hair against my ear. I grabbed his hand in desperation to tell him the second thing about myself.
"I don't have the ability to wield the power of the moon, my blood isn't pure, and my family lost that power years ago when my forefathers defied the rules of the moon goddess!"
"I know you can't do that Astra, but I know you're a mage, one of the last"
My eyes widened in fear and without realizing it, my knees weakened as I began to tilt towards the floor. Luckily, Sirius caught me in time and carried me gently as he placed me on the bed once again.
I rubbed my temples as I looked at him. He was kneeling next to me and he used his finger to wipe away the tear I didn't know was growing in my eye.
"Does- does your father know?"
"No" he shook his head. "He thinks you're the legitimate princess so he has hope that you'll somehow be able to harness the moon goddess's power, but don't worry, he won't be a problem for long"
"What do you mean?" I was confused.
"I plan to overthrow my tyrant of a father and bring a stop to his reign, I need your help, without you I won't be able to do this"
I was stunned, I could tell from their rapport that Sirius didn't care much for his father and neither did his father but to want to overthrow his father, possibly meaning he planned to kill him? I was lost for words.
"So, what do you say, Astra, do you want to help me? I can't do this without you"
His red and amber eyes pierced mine with fiery anticipation as I sat pondering what I would respond to this with.