Ves awoke to someone humming a gentle tune. She felt horrible, her soul felt raw. It was thrumming with a pain she couldn’t truly describe, as it was not physical. However, its effects did reverberate out to the rest of her body, including a fever.

  She could tell Nell was still out of it, but slowly coming to. For now, she felt she was lying warm in some sort of cot and was being cared for as she felt the person humming switched out a cooling, damp cloth on her forehead.

  Wondering who it was, Ves slowly opened her eyes.

  “Awake, I see, you had us worried.” It was the dragon, Senotraxia. The person who was now her wife. Along with the brand, she could feel a new magic wrapped around her soul. It was the bond she now shared with this woman. For better or worse, she could feel, with every fiber of her being, that she now belonged to her, and nothing could ever change that.

  “How long was I out?” Ves asked as she tried to sit up before quickly feeling woozy.

  Senotraxia gently pushed her back down, “Please rest, I should have known the conflict between the brand and our bond could have adverse effects. I apologize for not considering something so obvious. As to how long, around two days.” Ves could see that the dragon looked genuinely remorseful. She could even faintly feel it through the bond. While it wasn’t nearly as strong as her connection to Nell, it felt similar.

  “Have you been here the whole time?” Ves asked.

  “I have,” she simply answered.

  “Why? I assume there are plenty of people who could have looked over me. I figure you have a mountain of things to do and plan if you want us to build a city out here.” Ves asked.

  “I do, but first and foremost, you are now my consort. If anyone should stay by your side and look after you, it should be me.” She broke eye contact before continuing, “Especially as I am the one who placed you in this situation to begin with.”

  Ves, seeing her expression, had something to say before a more mundane question popped in her mind, “Your Majesty? My Queen? Senotraxia…? I'm not actually sure how to address you…”

  Senotraxia looked back to Ves and blinked for a moment before laughing, “I can’t say I was expecting that as one of your first questions after waking up. To answer your question, in formal settings, especially around other dragons, aside Taythes, I would use ‘Your Majesty’. When it’s just us, though, you may call me as you like, I am aware my name can be a mouthful.”

  “Sen? Would that be alright?” Ves asked hesitantly.

  “Yes, that would be fine,” Sen responded with a warm smile. Ves blushed a bit at that smile, regardless of the circumstances, she couldn’t help but feel a bit giddy. Present situation aside, being married to such an alluring woman was not something she could complain about.

  “Umm, I feel Nell starting to wake up. Could you do that thing again that allows us to all talk?” Ves asked.

  “I could, but I don’t think it’s needed to speak to me anymore. If I’m right, Nell should be able to speak into my mind through the bond without the need for an additional spell to facilitate the connection”.

  ‘Hear that, Nell?’ Ves reached out, asking as she felt her groggy partner stir.

  ‘Give me a moment, I feel awful. I’m not even sure how to describe it.’ Nell replied.

  ‘If you can feel that for better or worse, I think it’s proof our souls are merging. To my understanding, what we are feeling is the backlash of the consort ritual fighting with the brand over the rights to our soul.’ Ves explained.

  ‘So this is what a soul feels like? Can’t say this is a pleasant first impression’ Nell replied, sounding like someone waking up from a bad hangover. ‘Alright, time to test this new connection. ’

  ‘Hello? Umm, your Majesty? Can you hear me?’ Nell said, reaching out over the bond to the dragon.

  ‘Nell? Yes, I can hear you. Also, as I discussed with Ves before you awoke, feel free to call me Sen in private.’

  “You can respond back in our minds as well?” Ves asked, surprised.

  “I can, but admittedly without some practice it's more taxing than speaking normally,” Sen explained.

  “Ok, this feels really awkward trying to have a conversation lying down, let me at least sit up,” Ves complained.

  “Don’t force yourself, you are still a bit pale and have a fever,” Sen said with worry in her voice.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “It's fine, I’m feeling a bit better,” Ves said as she started to sit up, only for Sen to lean over and assist before removing the cold cloth that fell off Ves’s forehead and setting it to the side.

  “I have to ask, what is with the hovering around like a mother hen? We are not that fragile,” Ves had to ask.

  “Ah, my apologies,” Sen said, looking flustered before explaining, “it’s hard to contain myself. Dragons are instinctively extremely possessive of their belongings. The ritual bonding you to me as my consort has turned that instinct up tenfold. To the point I am ashamed to admit I even drove off the others who tried to help when you collapsed.”

  “Your belonging…?” Ves asked, a bit stunned. “I suppose I am…” It hurt to hear that even if she was now a consort, she was just a thing to the Sen, nothing more.

  “Yes? Why does that make you look so crestfallen?” Sen asked clearly, not understanding the issue.

  “Why wouldn’t it? It’s as if you’re treating me as a thing. Just a part of your hoard, not a person. Which I suppose I expected, just hard to hear.” By the end, Ves was tear up being reminded yet again that any hopes of freedom were truly gone.

  ‘Sen! How could you!’ Nell yelled at the dragon.

  “You're right, I did agree to become yours even if it was forced, but could you at least not shove it in my face?” Ves turned to glare at Sen through the tears. Unfortunately, this outburst caused Ves to feel faint, only for Sen to catch her before she fell on the ground.

  This only made matters worse as the contact dredged up old trauma, causing Ves to shout, “Don’t touch me!”

  In the commotion, Ryuko ran into the tent. “I heard Ves yell, What’s going on?”

  Ves tried to reply, but it was hard in her current state. She needed a moment to collect herself and rest.

  Seeing Ves was unable to answer, Ryuko looked to Sen, “Umm, your majesty. I heard Ves shout, and she is clearly distressed. I know she is your consort, so you may not consider it my place to speak. Even so, I consider Ves & Nell to be my close friends, so I have to ask did you perhaps do or say anything to upset them?”

  Sen looked Ryuko in the eyes and glared, “Ryuko, was it? Intruding unannounced and then to even question how I treat my possessions. You’re walking on thin ice, were I any other dragon…”

  ‘Sen, if you hurt her, we will never forgive you.’ Nell threatened.

  Ryuko, for her part, looked terrified, it was the equivalent of a commoner breaking into a palace and questioning a king. Things like that could get one killed. It was then her eyes went wide as though she realized something.

  “My apologies, your majesty. I know it’s not my place, but as I said, I care very much for those two. If I may, though I think I understand why Ves is reacting the way she is.” Ryuko said as she kneeled, too terrified to look Sen in the face.

  “Speak then, at the urging of my consort, I withhold any punishment,” Sen said, clearly annoyed.

  “Am I right to assume you called Ves your possession that, and that’s when she became upset?” Ryuko asked, eyes still glued to the ground.

  “I think I used the word belonging, but essentially that is correct,” Sen replied.

  Ryuko sighed, “Ah, I thought so, your majesty. I think this is a cultural misunderstanding.”

  “Truly? Explain.” Sen commended.

  “My people understand dragon culture enough that there is nothing more important to a dragon than their own possessions. To the point they could even be said to be above family,” Ryuko stated.

  “That is correct, I don’t see the issue,” Sen replied.

  “To most races, and especially Ves, when you consider her background, calling her your belonging would be extremely upsetting. She just handed over her freedom to you. And I would guess in her eyes, you don’t even consider her a person but rather a thing.” Ryuko explained.

  “She is not just a thing! She is my consort!” Sen replied, the anger in her voice clear.

  “As I said, it’s a cultural misunderstanding, your Majesty. To you, you gave Ves an incredibly endearing compliment. If you ever said that to a dragonewt they would likely buckle at the knees. Unfortunately, to Ves, it was like you were disregarding her existence as a person.” Ryuko finished.

  Hearing this, Sen’s anger subsided as she turned back to Ves, “Is that true? Is that how you took my words?”

  Ves, still feeling weak, looked Sen in the eyes and simply nodded.

  “My dear Consort, I apologize.” Her face looked truly remorseful, “Cultural misunderstanding indeed. It seems we both have much to learn if we are to make this union work.”

  “I’m sorry as well,” Ves tried to sit up, only for Sen to reach over and help her before stopping herself. “It’s fine, you can touch me.” With a smile of relief, Sen helped Ves sit back up properly, “I should have guessed it was a dragon thing, instead, I yelled at you. Sorry about that.”

  “I think that’s my queue to leave,” Ryuko said as she tried to discreetly step out, only for Sen to stop her.

  “Wait,” Sen commanded.

  Ryuko paused in her step and turned around warily.

  Sen then spoke up, “I have you to thank for clearing up our misunderstanding. I would have hated to start off this marriage with a fight. So thank you.”

  Flustered Ryuko dropped back down to her knees, “It was my pleasure, your majesty”.

  “It is clear that you care a great deal for my consorts. For a dragonewt to speak back to a dragon takes a lot of courage. As much as I would like to stay by her side, I know I cannot and soon must return to the mountains. In my absence, can I ask that you stay at their side and protect them?” Sen asked.

  Ryuko scratched her head awkwardly, “I’m not sure how much I can protect them. Pretty sure aside from yourself and Lord Taythes, they are the strongest person here.”

  “Strongest physically? Probably, but you forget I have seen them fight. They have no skill or grace, they fight like a wild beast.” Sen said with a smirk.

  “Hey, we are still here, you know….” Ves protested.

  Ryuko laughed, “I can’t say that I disagree.”

  “You, on the other hand, are likely the most skilled fighter in this village. That is why I want you to be by their side. To protect them not only physically but also their hearts. As I doubt the days to come will be without their own trials.” Sen then stood up and walked towards Ryuko, stopping in front of her, “Will you do that for me, as your queen, will you take this charge and vow to me to protect my consorts?”

  “I vow it,” Ryuko said, voice filled with pride.

  “Very well, rise, Ryuko, know I expect great things from you,” Sen said.

  Ryuko stood, beaming, “I won’t let you down, my queen.”

  After Ryuko left, Sen turned back to Ves, “While I must leave you soon for now, if you don’t mind, I would like to stay by your side and get to know my consorts a little bit better.” For the next several hours, the three talked about a bit of everything, including Ves’s past, until exhaustion got the better of Ves and she drifted back to sleep.