Chapter 14 Wait? What?

Chapter 14 Wait? What?
Aurora’s POV
A whole month had passed since I arrived at the Dragon Kingdom, and in this one month Uncle Nicholas had completely transformed our lives into misery. Every single day before sunrise, Drake and I were dragged toward the training grounds where we were forced to train until our bodies gave up from exhaustion. It did not matter whether it was combat training, magical endurance, weapon handling, strategy lessons or meditation practices, Nicholas made sure there was not even one moment left for relaxation.
At this point, I was beginning to suspect that the Dragon King had secretly declared war against us.
The morning sun burned brightly over the training arena while sweat trickled down my forehead. My arms trembled as I tried maintaining the silver magical shield Uncle Nicholas had ordered me to cast around myself. The shield flickered dangerously every few seconds, and every time it weakened, another magical blast would come flying toward me.
“Focus, Aurora,” Nicholas said sharply from across the arena.
Easy for him to say.
The man looked as fresh as ever while I felt like collapsing onto the ground and never getting back up.
Beside me, Drake was sparring against one of the dragon generals. The loud sounds of metal clashing echoed throughout the arena as Drake barely managed to block another attack before stumbling backward.
“This dragon has officially gone crazy,” he muttered under his breath while gripping his sword tighter. “One whole month. One month of nonstop torture. I haven’t even had proper time to enjoy desserts peacefully.”
Despite my exhaustion, I snorted softly.
“You had desserts yesterday,” I reminded him.
“That was survival food,” Drake grumbled dramatically. “Not happiness food. There is a difference.”
I rolled my eyes at him while trying hard not to laugh.
Drake, however, had no intentions of stopping.
“My own father is abusing me in the name of training,” he continued muttering. “Honestly Aurora, future generations will hear stories about my suffering. Songs will be written. Poems will be composed.”
“Focus on your fight before you become a dead legend,” I whispered.
“I am serious! Every morning this man wakes up and probably thinks—how can I make my son suffer today?”
I widened my eyes instantly.
Uncle Nicholas was standing directly behind him.
Drake, completely unaware of the danger looming behind him, continued speaking while adjusting his sword.
“—and then he probably smiles to himself like some evil mastermind—”
Slowly, very slowly, Drake turned around.
The moment he saw Nicholas standing there with folded arms, all the color drained from his face.
I immediately looked away because I knew if Nicholas caught me laughing, I would suffer alongside Drake.
“Oh?” Nicholas asked quietly, raising one brow.
Drake swallowed nervously before forcing an awkward smile onto his face. “Beautiful weather today, Father.”
Nicholas extended his hand toward the dragon general standing nearby. “Give me the sword.”
The general instantly obeyed.
The moment Nicholas wrapped his fingers around the sword hilt, Drake took one careful step backward.
“Now wait a minute…”
“Since you clearly have enough energy left to complain,” Nicholas said calmly, “you can spar with me personally.”
Drake looked horrified.
“Father, let us discuss this maturely.”
Nicholas removed his coat slowly and handed it to one of the servants nearby.
That was when Drake truly panicked.
“Aurora,” he whispered urgently, “help me.”
I smiled sweetly.
“No.”
The betrayal in Drake’s expression almost made me laugh out loud.
Unfortunately for him, Nicholas attacked before he could say anything else.
The clash of swords rang loudly through the arena as Drake barely blocked the first strike. The impact alone sent him sliding backward across the stone floor.
“Oh Goddess!” Drake shouted. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“If I wanted you dead,” Nicholas replied calmly while advancing toward him again, “you would already be dead.”
“That is not comforting at all!”
The spar quickly turned brutal.
Nicholas attacked mercilessly while Drake tried desperately to defend himself. Sparks flew every time their swords collided. At one point Drake partially shifted, golden dragon scales appearing across his arms as he blocked another powerful strike.
Nicholas looked unimpressed.
“Too slow.”
Drake crashed into the ground.
“Too distracted.”
Another hit landed.
“Too emotional.”
“OW!” Drake rolled away dramatically while clutching his shoulder. “I understand already!”
“No,” Nicholas replied coldly. “You don’t.”
By now even the dragon warriors training nearby had started secretly watching the scene while pretending not to laugh.
That was when Fiona entered the arena.
She took one look at the situation and sighed deeply.
“What exactly did you say this time?” she asked Drake.
“Nothing!”
Nicholas gave her a pointed look.
“He called me insane.”
“That was said lovingly,” Drake defended immediately.
I burst out laughing.
Fiona tried to maintain a straight face for exactly two seconds before she started laughing too.
Drake looked deeply betrayed.
“My own family enjoys my suffering.”
“You are dramatic,” Fiona informed him.
“I am wounded emotionally and physically.”
“You will survive.”
“Barely.”
Nicholas attacked him again.
Drake yelped loudly before scrambling backward.
At this point tears had gathered in my eyes from laughing too much. For the first time in weeks, I genuinely felt lighter. The heaviness pressing against my chest every single day had finally loosened a little.
But suddenly the laughter died inside me.
A strange dizziness washed over my body so quickly that I staggered slightly.
The entire arena spun around me.
I blinked slowly, trying to steady myself, but another wave of nausea hit me harder this time.
“Aurora?” Drake immediately stopped moving.
I tried answering him but my throat felt dry. My heartbeat became uneven and a strange warmth spread throughout my body, curling deep inside my stomach and chest simultaneously.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
The sounds around me suddenly became distant and muffled.
Fiona’s expression changed instantly as she rushed toward me.
“Aurora?”
I pressed one trembling hand against my forehead while trying to breathe properly. My vision blurred again and pain shot through my body—not physical pain, but something deeper and stranger.
Then everything around me went dark.
The last thing I heard before collapsing was Drake shouting my name.
When I slowly regained consciousness, muffled voices reached my ears first.
“…certain?”
“There is no mistake.”
“She is too young.”
“That changes nothing.”
Their voices sounded tense.
Frighteningly tense.
I forced my eyes open weakly and stared at the familiar ceiling of my room inside the palace.
Fiona was sitting beside the bed while Drake stood nearby looking unusually pale. Uncle Nicholas stood near the window with a grim expression on his face.
The atmosphere inside the room felt unbearably heavy.
The moment Fiona noticed me awake, relief flooded her face.
“Oh thank heavens,” she whispered softly while helping me sit up.
My head still throbbed painfully.
“What happened?” I asked weakly.
No one answered.
Fear instantly crawled into my chest.
I looked from Fiona to Drake and then toward Nicholas.
Their silence terrified me more than anything else could have.
“Did something happen?” I asked again, my voice shaking slightly. “Did someone find me? Is Christian here? Did something happen to Maa?”
“No,” Fiona answered quickly.
“Then why are all of you looking at me like this?”
Nicholas finally turned toward me.
For the first time since I arrived here, the Dragon King actually looked disturbed.
He exhaled slowly before speaking.
“Aurora… there is something you need to know.”
Something in his tone made my stomach twist painfully.
I tightened my grip around the bedsheet while staring at him.
And then he spoke the words that made my entire world stop.
“You’re pregnant.””