I blinked, frowning as I sat up in a bed of all too familiar flowers.
I know this place. This place is Elysianth.
My beautiful enchanted garden.
I was lying in my flower garden. It was more like a massive woodland area than a garden.
There was the fruit Grove, the orchard, the apple field, and the wildflowers field, which then turned into shrublands, then shifted and grew berries, herbs, medicinal plants, and other things alike.
Within all of them, I had some sort of poisonous flower, or plant, each blending perfectly with their surroundings.
You couldn't get out unless you had permission to. You could enter unless I allowed it.
The gates were guarded by my fairies. My ladies-in-waiting.
I had enchanted this place myself.
It looked to be spring at this very moment, with the flowers and orchids in mid-bloom.
"I wish I could go back," I whispered, sadly.
"So, why don't you?" A masculine voice asks.
I frowned as I turned from the beautiful sight to look at the person standing next to me.
I had been laying in the wildflowers, upon the hills of them.
"I simply cannot," I whispered, calmly.
"Why not?" He persisted, as he made his way towards me.
I let out a slow breath, and counted to five, "That isn't any of your concern, dragon. Why are you here? How did you get past all of my enchantments?" I asked.
He smirked, as his eyes gleamed. "Your enchantments are useless against me, little fae. Just like my allures are worthless against you." He replies, mysteriously.
I sigh and shake my head as I turn back to my garden, slowly making my way down the hill, smiling as the beds of wildflowers part naturally as I move through them. The skirt of my dress flowed behind me with the wind as I walked.
"Where are you going?" He finally asked as he followed me.
I turned, before looking back, "To obtain something I need while I am here." I replied flatly.
"How will you obtain something if you are just dreaming?" He asked, confused, tilting his head as he stared at me, as his green eyes turned to a deep, dark, mesmerizing blue. I was sure I had never seen a blue so mesmerizing. No opal or sapphire, or precious stone matched this hue.
I took a deep breath as to clear my mind of any of his possible mind tricks before I smirked, "Just because I am not physically here, doesn't mean I cannot obtain it. I have my ways." I reassured him, eerily.
He frowned, "I can see that I have misjudged you, Isabella." He sighed before rubbing his face.
I hummed as I touched my waist pack, pulling out the stiletto knife I always kept there before starting to cut different herbs and flowers, dropping each one into a glass vial before I slipped it into my pack.
"Interesting." He commented as he stood aside watching. "In other realms, you'd be considered a somewhat of a witch, or enchantress." He snips, giving me a once-over, his eyes full of curiosity.
I turn, sliding my dagger inside the pack and waving my fingers in the air, causing the plants surrounding us to wrap tightly around him as I move swiftly towards him.
"I'd be careful of who you call a witch around here, dragon. You are not in your realm, and won't survive should I decide to use the full potential of my powers against you." I promised, as I pulled out the dagger and held it at the base of his throat.
He smirked, as his hands caught fire suddenly, causing my plants to move away from him, and the flames almost immediately as the fire flourished. "Nice try, little fae, but you don't scare me." He answers.
I glare at him, "You should be scared. I am of royal descent. I have no qualms in using my powers to protect my world." I seeth, as my fingers twitch, causing the sky to cloud as rain downpours, soaking my clothes almost immediately.
Wait. My clothes were wet. They clung to me like a second skin.
I was lucky the dress was a deep blue instead of my usual white and golden gown, otherwise, I would be revealing something that wasn't meant for anyone but my bondmate to see.
I frown, "This isn't a dream." I whispered, in realization.
He smiles, "Of course not. I've trapped you in here until we could have a long chat. This is a combination of our realms. So, use what you will, you can't hurt me. Just like I can't hurt you." He informs me, amused.
I narrowed my eyes at him, clenching my fists, as I wrapped vines around his body, wincing as I felt the heat of his fire lick the vines.
I could feel a slight sting, but nothing more. I decided not to allow him to see me affected by him and his presence.
His green eyes suddenly turned a bright, yet deep and dark hue of blue, as he continued to stare me down.
I could see something shift in his expression a moment before the blue in his eyes turned back to the deep emerald green they were before.
"What do you want, dragon?" I finally asked as I waved my hand, making the vines recede.
He smiled enigmatically. "I'm here to grant you a wish, an aide of sorts, to help keep you safe." He finally says.
I rolled my eyes, "You do not have anything in your possession that I am interested in." I replied as I walked.
His smile widened, as he moved to lean against an oak tree.
"That's where you're wrong, little fae." He replies amused.
I scoffed, before turning to look at my orchid, grabbing a basket as I began to pick the oranges. "I do not think I am," I replied immediately.
He was smiling now. "Oh? Are you willing to place a wager on that?" He inquired, amused.
I rolled my eyes and turned back to scan the many rows of orchards before us. Sighing as I waved my fingers and caused the fruits to go into the baskets, ready to be distributed amongst all realms.
"Take the wager, fae. You'll like the outcome." He promised.
I shook my head, pushing back the curiosity, as I stared down at the bounty I picked, taking only the best to take with me back to the physical world.
"Why are we here?" I asked him, tensely, as I ignored his prior comment.
"Isn't it obvious? To grant you one wish." He states, dangling the offer in front of me, he ignores my questions.
I refused to take the bait and made it known on my face that I wasn't interested in his parlor tricks and enticing words.
"I don't want it." I sighed, as I twiddled my fingers together, to avoid the weight of his eyes.
"You'll need it if you are so insistent on continuing to keep running." He tells me.
I hummed, "Who says I am?" I challenged, as I continued to shake the tree.
He sighed as he stared at me, "Not me. But others do talk, and you have gained quite a lot of enemies by the stunt you pulled the other day." He informed me.
I nodded, "Of course I have. I am the last known maiden in the Swan Clan, I've run away from my duties in pursuit of freedom and happiness. Who wouldn't gain enemies for doing such atrocity." I mumbled with a headshake.
As it was, it wouldn't be wise to remain in one place for long if I wanted to avoid getting captured or found. But time does vary in each realm. I had yet to visit all of them, yet I knew that this was only the beginning, especially if I was found so easily by my brother, Garrett.
I clearly hadn't thought out this escape plan, and if I wasn't careful I could very well end up like Aryna from the mermaid realm. Becoming a traitor in our histories.
"Don't fret, little fae, I'm sure I can do something about your situation." He says offhandedly, as he crosses his arms over his broad chest.
I frowned, looking over at him unimpressed, "I am not one to be toyed with, dragon. So, get to the point. What do you want?" I asked as I noticed his attire.
He was wearing a pair of distressed jeans, arms covered in dark marks, and a white cotton shirt stretched across his impressive pecks. The look made him appear almost like one of the humans in this realm, harmless. But I could see the dangerous glint in his emerald eyes held. He was not one to be toyed with, so what did he want with me?
"To help you. Do you doubt my intentions?" He asks me.
I let out a slow breath and turned to look at him, "Look, dra-" I began but he cut me off. "Edward. My name is Edward." He tells me.
I hummed, before nodding, "Isabella. But you must know that since you brought me here. So, Edward, what do you want with me? Why are you holding me captive in my own enchanted garden?" I demand as I begin to move my hands in front of me, feeling the magic beginning to flow at my fingertips.
He smirks, "Relax, little fae. I am simply offering you a safe way out of your situation." He tells me.
I stare at him, not bothering to lower my hands. "Why do you want to help me?" I asked suspiciously. "Everyone knows dragons don't deal with this type of situation, they stay out of fae issues. Might I also add that I am aware of the courtships that have been arranged between our species centuries ago… I have no interest to be bound for life to a fire-breathing monster." I replied, cooly.
He smirks, "Dragons don't interfere with Fae matters unless they directly affect us. Your disappearance has caused quite an uproar in all the realms. So, while we prefer to stay out of it. We won't if this situation causes a war. Which I may add has already been put to an end by our King." He informs me.
I hummed and turned to look at my beloved flowers and orchards, a deep sadness blooming in my chest as I thought of all the dead bodies I saw in the courtyard before I left. "You were affected then," I state.
He nods, "Aye, not greatly, but the point is we were. Hunters of other realms have been sent out to find you. I've made it my personal quest to protect you." He states.
A frown slid into place as I looked down, "I was told they were stopped." I whispered.
He shook his head, "There are only so many that were caught. I am positive that there are still more out there. Which is why I have brought you here. To inform you of the situation." He tells me.
I nodded, "What for?" I finally asked.
He sighed, before relaxing his stance against the tree."Look, you don't seem like the cowardice, type so I figured you would be moving, quite often. From realm to realm. Until one of the renegade hunters finds you." He replies, watching me, with a shade of blue appearing in his eyes again.
Hunters. Someone was sent after me? Why? What for? Is my maidenhood that important to them? Or is it the money?
Well, that the why isn't important any longer, I could take care of myself. I would protect myself.
"I can defend myself." I stubbornly replied, before feeling my clothes dry.
" Right. I haven't a doubt about it." He says as the vines remained on his body. I grumbled but waved my hands to cause the vines to disperse. "There now. I will grant you one wish. Will you allow me to? I promise it will be useful to you, in the near future." He says again.
I drop my head, in exasperation, "Fine. I want a youngling. A dragon youngling." I finally breathed, smiling at the impossible task.
I knew the laws of each realm and made it a point to know them. But only basics.
Combining species was frowned upon, unless a betrothal was established between said two species.
There hadn't been any betrothals established between our species in centuries of years, and he knew this. In fact, the last betrothal had been to Princess Vasilia, of Luminae, she was a fae, a part of the Callum clan, and Elvan descendants. Her betrothal to General Gustav, and his dragon Akra, had been the gossip of the century.
But it ended badly for both of them.
As far as I know, Gustav and his dragon disappeared into the night with their only youngling in arms after she was fatally injured by a renegade sent by one of the other realms.
No one knew where he disappeared to, not even the heads of the counsel of all the realms.
After this happened all the realms came together and signed a treaty concord to never attack without cause.
I broke that concord the night I left.
"That is physically impossible to get you." He replies immediately, yanking me out of my thoughts.
I smiled angelically at him, before turning my attention to the dark of my trees, scraping some off and slipping it inside my hip pack. "Alright. Then I want a bondmate. A loving, caring one, not one of those brutes that asked for my hand. I want him to love me. For me." I concede, amused
He shakes his head before mumbling something in his native tongue, "Alright. Fine. Have it your way, little fae." He replied, tightly, as he snapped his fingers.
I hear the snap before I see a white flash, and I quickly sit up in the bed of my room.
"Isabella? Are you alright?" Garrett asks, concerned.
I frowned. "Yes. I- I think I saw ... dreamt of something." I replied, blinking harshly at the fluorescent lighting in the room.
He nods, as he scans me, "What is that -- on your upper arm?" He asked, wide-eyed.
I frowned and looked down at the dark blue and green leafy vine that encased my upper arm. The vines in the leaves held my emblem, the leaves looked exactly like the ones of the trees in my gardens. And the flames…. Were blue, and had a star at one of the tips of the biggest flame.
The skin around the mark on my arm was slightly pink.
I flexed my muscle, and touched it once, only to wince as a wave of ice hit me, causing my skin to erupt in goose pimples as I touched it.
I winced, "I don't know, it stings, though." I whispered.
He frowned as he leaned down and ran his thumb over it, sending a wave of nausea over me.
"Don't touch me." I groaned as I moved away from his freezing touch.
"Sorry." He whispered apologetically as he looked away.
I nodded before looking towards the foot of the bed.
Garrett's eyes widen as he sees a dragon egg. Before he looks up at me. "What in Oberon is going on?" He asks as he looks over at the thick notebook. "Isabella, what have you done now?" He asked, looking up at me from the thick leather-bound book with red and gold lettering in his hand.
I tilt my head and frown as I see the bold handwritten lettering on the front of the notebook.
'This was easier than finding you a bondmate you actually want. Take care of it. It'll protect you until I see you again.' ~ E.
I gasp in disbelief, "No fucking way!" I whispered, in disbelief.
"Congratulations, Isabella, looks like you have just decided who your betrothed is, after all." Garrett deadpans.
"No. No. I- I didn't- I--" I gasped as he opened the notebook, ignoring my shocked stance on the bed.
"It's instructions and notes to care for it. We need to move if we are going to keep that thing alive. I'm sure the royals of the Vespera clan will not appreciate it if we allow this youngling to die." He replies.
I hummed as I slipped out of bed, and noticed that my hip pack was on me again.
What had I done?
