*"Lord Dragon!" I lift my head up from the paper work that I was doing to hear my name being screamed through the closed office doors. I squint my eyes in irritation to the thought of what was about to happen. A fast-pasted knock came to my doors. "Yes, come in" I say with an annoying tone. Walking in quickly was a young intern by the name of Matthew. "Sir it appears that we have a situation" he says nearly out of breath. "Just relax and tell the Lord Dragon what the problem is." He looked over to see my chief of staff, Daniel starring down at him with anointment. "Sir it appears that there has been a bombing in the nearby village of Tangue, there have been many fatalities, and many deaths including two council members and the village vice leader" he says with sorrow. Daniel and I look at each other with shock and sit there for a moment in silence to figure out what to do. I took a deep breath and looked at poor Matthew who couldn't stop shaking in place. "Thank you, Matthew, is there any more information of the bombing that I need to know of?" "Not at this moment sir, all I know is that with all the panic from the bombing, intel is very minimal right now." I sat there with my elbows propped on my desk, hands clasped thinking hard. "Thank you, Matthew." As he goes to leave Daniel looks at me and asks "sir, should I call in the council leaders?" I took a deep breath "yes call in the council and the other leaders, I'm sure they'll want to know what is happening as much as anyone else." *
As Daniel and I make our way to the war room my personal assistant Wyatt had stopped us along the way to give us some news. "Sir the President of Delruge wants to know why you aren't taking his call, and I don't really know what to tell him." He stands there looking nervous and annoyed waiting for me to tell him what to do. I take a deep breath. "Tell him that I have urgent matters of state to deal with and I will personally call him back when I am finished." I said with so much hate in my voice I thought Wyatt was going to cry now. I sighed deeply and looked at him, "Look just tell him I will personally call him in the morning, and if he gives you any crap, send him some cheese, we all know that man loves some cheese" I say with a chuckle. Wyatt gives a nervous laugh and a sign of relief. "Yes sir, thank you." We enter the war room and everyone stands. "Please sit, and tell me how one of the five greatest villages on the planet, not only was bombed; but also, managed to kill THREE OF ITS LEADERS?!" Don-Lee the head of the intelligence gathering spoke first. "Sir, it appeared that one of the cleaning staff was compromised. While late at night one of the cleaning crew walked into an office next to the meeting room where the Vice Village leader and the two council members where. From the security footage that we could recover, it looks like he uses an explosion suicide spell too not only kill them, but took out the whole top level of the municipal building." As I sit there in both anger and in awe, he goes to speak again. "From what we have gathered sir, it looks like there where suppose too be more people at this meeting that just didn't show up. Were still working on certainty, but it appears that the village leader and the other three council members were supposed to be there as well. Not too sure as to why they weren't yet though." Next spoke Linn, the head of defense and security for the capitol. "Sir I think with the way things are moving now, and with Tangue being so close to us, we should shut our doors to all outsiders and raise the threat level from green to yellow." As the other council members talked among themselves I leaned back in my chair and looked over the classified documents that were given to me before the meeting. "Would we cause a panic if we change the level? People will obviously ask questions as to what is happening." I sat there with my own thoughts for a moment until Daniel pulled me back. "Well sir, what will it be?" I sat there deep in thought about my current options. "Don't change the level just yet, don't want to cause to much of a panic, don't close the gates either, add more patrol and screen EVERYONE that comes in or out of the capitol, I don't care if they've been here a hundred years, and a regular merchant, or even myself, screen them. Now before we finish, what kind of aid have we sent the people of Tangue?" Chief of Medicine Darion Cho stood up and said "sir, I have personally sent out as many doctors and nurses as I had seen fit to help with the casualties, and the Capitols treasurer made sure to give a donation to help the families that were affected and to help rebuilt the municipal building." "Are the other three council members and the village leader safe?" "Yes, it seems when they heard about the explosion that they went into hiding for safety, I've tried to reach out and get more information than that but they fear that between the two of us that there might be a mole." Don-Lee reassured me. I sat there more annoyed then anything. "Okay thank you everyone, anything else?" I start to stand up and then suddenly fell into the table in front of me just almost catching myself with one hand, and another on my abdomen. A strong stabbing pain starts to hit me "ahhhh god damn it all!" I start to feel dizzy and quickly fading into darkness. "Lord Dragon, talk to me, what is the matter?" In almost an instant Darion was next to me. Everyone stood there in shock not knowing what to do. I gripped my abdomen hard and looked at Darion with fear and anger. "Darion I need you to call my sealer RIGHT NOW."
As I lay on a gurney being rushed to the E.R the pain kept getting worse and worse. "Sir the sealer is on her way, I just need you to hold on just a little while longer." I was fading in and out as people are talking and rushing around me. "Must be the new moon coming around soon" "Everyone get the hell out of my way!" My sealer and closest friend Diana, giving orders like she's me. Covered in sweat and fading in and out I try and lift my head up to see what's happening. "Sir don't look at me like that, just lay down and let the drugs do their job." I lay my head down with a heavy thud and start to drift listing to Diana give orders and start the chanting for my seal. I awoke in a haze to bright light shining into my eyes. I immediately squeeze them shut and try to push whatever is trying to blind me. "Sir I need you to please hold still and open your eyes so I can look at your pupils. I have to make sure that there isn't any head trauma from when you collapsed." It was Darion, she was going over me head to toe to make sure everything was as it was supposed to be. "how's the pain sir?" "Better thank you, does this mean that the seal was put back together?" "Not all the way" Came a female voice from the far corner of my hospital room. It was the head of my sealing core, Naomi. "Looks like the seal started to come extremely loose about three days before the new moon, as you know, even in the most extreme cases it wouldn't get this loose unless it was ignored until the day of the new moon, and even then, it wouldn't be that bad unless your dragon tried from the inside to break out, but I mean even from there, you know the odds." I look at her with confusion, "I've had this dragon for over ten years, I've never had this problem with him." Looking at me with irritation and a raised eye brow Naomi said "well I don't know what to tell you then sir, I guess have a sit down and start some meditation and get talking with him because I don't know how well that new seal is going to hold. It took almost everything that Diana I had to keep that thing from ripping you apart." She took a deep breath and recollected herself. "The only way that we would have been able to do better with a stronger seal is too start over from scratch." Pondering on what I was just told, "how long will this new seal hold Naomi?" "It should last you about three days, it looks like the new moon is in five, if that's the case then I will start getting some of the more advanced sealers along with Dian ready for when the new moon comes." "I agree, I'll have a chat with my little friend here and see what's happening. Is there anything else I should know?" Both Naomi and Darion looked at me with contempt. "No sir I believe you should be all set, I would like you to stay for a couple more hours just to make sure everything stays intact." I nod my head in agreement and watched the two ladies leave.
Later that night I was released and sent home. I walk into my three-bedroom loft where my house staff was waiting. "You guys can head home now; I'll see you all in the morning." And at that all three of them bowed and left. I took off my coat and hung it in the closet and gave the all clear nod to my hidden detail, sensing that they were far enough away that I could get some alone time I walked into the spare room that I had turned into a meditation room. I lit some incense took some blessed white salt, drew a circle and took a deep breath and sat in the center with my eyes closed focusing on the silence that would soon take me to my own mind. Silence was gone, replaced with deep heavy breathing. I look up to see none other than my big ass golden dragon held down by heavy golden chains and large golden spikes in each limb and down his back holding him in place. Looking at me with fierce red eyes. "You've really done it this time kid; I'm going to kill you!" He said with a deep booming voice. "Boy they really did give it there all this time around." "ARE YOU EVEN PAYING ATTENTION!" I'm pulled from my thoughts to his loud voice. I look up at him with exhausted eyes and calmly ask "What is the matter with you my old friend? I've never seen you like this before? Not to mention, I wouldn't have to do ALL this if you wouldn't have tried to ESCAPE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR MEETING!" We just glared at each other, both annoyed and prissy. "I was just trying to get your attention, and now that I have it we have to talk about something rather serious if you don't mind." "hmph it better be real serious if you have to go through all this!" I said with an annoying snarky tone. "Kid it seems like I'm on the verge of dying." Taken back from what he had just said, all I could do was just look at him in pure shock, my brain automatically going to the worst case. "But if you die, I die, you... you can't die, I forbid it." I start to panic tears starting to form. "Relax kid, you're supposed to be the 'Great Dragon Sage' right? Just calm down and shut up and let me explain. We have a mate out there somewhere and he is very close, I can sense him. If you don't mate with him both you me will kick the bucket. Now you don't necessarily have to sleep with your mate right off the bat to prolong life, if you guys are close and recognize one another as mates, it'll do the same thing." "I'm sorry…what? You and I have been one for the last ten years and NOW you decide you're going to tell me this? How do I know I'm even going to like this person? Or how am I going to know who this person is or find them? What if they don't like me?" "I'm sure they'll like you just fine, after all, you're their mate." "Well about how long do I have to find this person or whatever?" "From how I'm feeling now, it seems like you have about a year to find this person, I can tell you for sure though, that they are not in fact a human, from the slight bit of chakra that I'm picking up they're some kind of supernatural being. But as for what, I can't tell you…Now can you PLEASE remove these chains from me and just give me my cage back, I promise I won't try and bust out again." With look of forgiveness on my face and sorrow on his, I held my hands up palms facing him and clapped and focused, and the cage was back and the chains and spikes were gone. With a sigh of relief, he was sitting in his cage wagging his tail with a small smile. "Thank you kid, have faith in me that when you find your mate I will inform you, both me and the inner spirit of your mate will connect and know. SO just go about your life as normal, but I do have to tell you that as the year goes on and we don't get any closer, the seal will start to fade, and all our combine energy will fade, quickly, and then well die." With those last words, I faded back to my spare room and sat there, tired and longing for bed. With a heavy sigh, I grudgingly stood up and walked to my bedroom. When I walked in the door way to my room I felt someone watching, my eyes adjusting to the darkness I reached for the light when something sharp pinned my hand to the wall. "Ahhh, son of a bitch" I yelled and stared at my hand and look up to see someone coming at me with speed, I held my hand up towards the figure coming at me, with little effort a bright light came my hand and sent the figure flying out the window. I stood there breathing heavily removing the knife that was holding my hand to the wall. I stood with my left-hand bleeding and slowly healing and the knife in my right, I turn around and throw the knife with full force at the figure behind me. To my surprise, he had caught it with ease. It was the head of my secret detail. "Sir are you okay?" he stood there at the ready, not knowing what to do. "No, I'm not okay, I was just attacked in my own home supposedly UNDER YOUR PROTECTION! Find out who that was and bring them to me, NOW!" With a quick bow, he left and I was left alone with my thoughts again. "I guess there's no point in me going to bed now" So I left my room and went to my study and started to think about what my dragon had said. "A whole year to figure out who my mate is" I sat there deep in thought slowly starting to fade to sleep.
I woke to my phone ringing in the study. "Hello" I said with a sleepy voice. It was the head of my security. "We got the man who broke in and attacked you sir, unfortunately it looks like he was ready and rigged with a suicide spell, so that should he be captured or restrained the spell would activate and he would die along with anyone within 100 feet of him." I sat up and thought about what was being told to me, "how many" I asked in a flat ton. "Sir?" "how many men died tonight" "He took 7 of our men with him tonight sir." I sat there pissed at the loss of the men, and the fact that the odds of finding who ever sent that person had now just gone down. With a deep sigh, I say, "I don't suppose there is anything left of the enemy to look over is there?" "No, he and the others were completely destroyed there are no remains left." "Thank you, and good bye." I hang up the phone and with the anger from today's events finally taking over I yell out "DAMN IT ALL" I slam my fist into the solid oak desk and crack it down the center. I sit there frustrated as all hell and decided that it was time that I had gone for a walk to clear my head. I walk out of my loft and start to head down the street. I can hear my detail in the shadows jumping from roof to roof keeping up with me. I get about half way down the street when I pick up an odd scent in the cold midnight air. I pull my head from my thoughts and start to focus on it more. It smells like cherry blossoms and wood chips, the most intoxicating thing I have ever smelled. Without even realizing it, I started to run, and run fast, I hear shouting behind me, later to realize that it was my detail trying to keep up with me. I follow the sent into the woods breathing deeply trying to find it. "Our mate is close kid, I can sense him." I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the scent. Knowing that my detail was closing in fast I picked up the speed smelling the air looking in all directions. I hear a twig snap behind me and I turned, stood the most beautiful man I had ever seen.
"That's him kid, I'm sure of it." My dragon said with so much happiness I thought he was going to burst. I smile at the thought of my 800-year-old cranky ass dragon smiling wickedly. My breathing heavy we locked eyes, he takes a step closer and I tense. "I think you know I'm not going to hurt you." He says with a British accent.
"Yeah well, you took me by surprise so…wait are you NAKED?!" I shouted and then looked away turning red. "Oh come now love, there's no reason to be like that, you know you like it." I can hear the smile in his voice when I hear a twig snap and then realize I wasn't alone anymore. As soon as I turn around, every one of my detail members was standing in front of me, behind me, in trees and behind the man with a blade to his neck ready to kill. "Nobody move" I say quickly and with authority in my voice. The man stood there, stark naked with his hands in the air and a wicked smile on his face.
"It's alright love, you don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine" I took off my long coat and started to walk over. "Sir its best for your safety if you don't-" one of my detail members said with caution. Only partly listing to him and not breaking eye contact with the man I say with assurance, "its fine, he's not going to hurt me, I'm sure of it." He gives a soft smile as I walk closer and I instruct the guard behind him to lower his weapon. I hand him my long coat with a smile and a slight blush on my face. With soft eyes and a big smile, he takes my long coat and puts it on. I hear a soft cough in the wind and sigh with annoyance, "Scatter all of you." They all disappear staying close but far enough away that it seems like we were alone. "That includes you also Daniel." "My job is to protect the head of the capitol, I'll give you your privacy sir, but I'm not going anywhere." Knowing that arguing with him would be pointless I sigh and roll my eye and turn back around to the man. And almost right away all the annoyance was gone. His eyes, I could get lost in the hazel eyes of this man forever. He takes my hand and says in the most intoxicating accent I've ever heard. "Come love, lets walk, it seems as though we have a bit of catching up to do."
Walking through the woods hearing nothing but the cold night wind blow, I couldn't seem to take my eyes off the ground, for he was just so perfect, I couldn't even handle myself. "You know love, if you don't look at me at least once, I'm gonna start thinking that you don't like me." I stop and my head snapped up so fast I thought I had pulled a muscle. He stared at me with those perfect hazel eye that seemed to go on forever in the moonlight. His strong jawline, and amazing smile. "What is it darling?" he asks me with a cute quizzical look on his face. My face starts to relax and turn red again, I give him a soft smile, "nothing." We continue to walk when I finally break the cold silence. "So, what's your name." He stops and looks at me, almost shocked that I had asked such a question. "You mean to tell me that you're going on a walk in the middle of the night with a TOTAL stranger who just so happens to also be half naked, and NOW you chose to ask me my name? really love?" He said with so much shock and sarcasm I didn't even know what to say. He continued to jabber on "you're really not that bright are you kid? I mean, I could be some crazy man just out to kill you and you just went right with it huh?" I looked at him with annoyance and a raised eyebrow and said "Yeah well, that's what the man with the ninjato behind you is for." I smile at him cockily and he smirks back. I can hear Danial in the tree a little way back starting to unsheathe his weapon. "My name is Carson." He takes my hand and puts a small kiss on it and looks up at me with a smile. I can't seem to stop looking at. I can feel my self-starting to blush. "I'm Alex, The Lord Dragon." I say softy. He slowly let's go of my hand and looks at me with awe, he huffs and says quietly "The Lord Dragon huh? My mate is one of the seven dragons." "You really thing that were mates?" I look at him both confused and scared at the same time. I mean after all its only been, like a day, there's no way that this Carson guy was my mate, I mean, I can't be THAT lucky, can I? He takes both my hands and closes the space between us, God he just smells so damn good! "Of course, both of our spirit animals are going crazy right now, I know you can feel it." He looks at me with pleading soft eyes and excitement in his voice. I start to breath faster and deeper, shit I think I'm having a panic attack. I quickly take back my hands and start to take a couple steps back, breathing heavy not really knowing what to do, or what's happening. I feel like I'm shaking, but I'm not even shaking. Carson goes to speak. "I can see that you're a little overwhelmed just take a minute and process what was just said." He starts walking towards me and I'm so focused on trying to breath that when he touched my arm I screamed and jumped back. In almost an instant Danial was in front of me one hand on Carson's chest and one behind him on his weapon half drawn. Soon two, three and four more guards came back into view. The look on Carson's face was filled with hurt, anger and confusion. "Alex I would never hur- ""I think it's time we leave sir" Daniel said interrupting Carson. As I start to pull myself together I look up at Carson. "I'm sorry I reacted the way that I did, here you should call me sometime." I took out some paper and wrote down my personal number and walked passed Daniel and gave it to him. "Thanks, can I at least get a hug before you leave?" I look at Daniel and he gives me the okay and takes a step back, hand still on his weapon, still at the ready. I walk up and put my arms around him and instinctively put my face in the crook of his neck. Considering what had just happened you'd think that I wouldn't want to go near him, but if I had to be honest, I don't think I could feel any safer then right here in his arms. I stood there for what felt like hours, taking in his scent, listening to his heart beat. I heard Daniel clear his throat and I'm brought back to reality, I look up at Carson and all I see in his face is just pure happiness, hmp, maybe I over reacted. I step back and Carson and I said our goodbyes and I watched him as he turned around, dropped my coat and started to run quickly shifting into the dark, and then gone.