Chapter 72 The Princess Appears
Drakon's POV
Princess Celestia's army charged down the hill like an avalanche. My exhausted soldiers turned to face this new threat. We'd barely survived fighting Queen Morgana. Now this?
"Stand down!" Celestia's voice boomed across the battlefield. "I, Princess Celestia of the Southern Kingdom, have come to restore order!"
Elara's hand trembled in mine. "Drakon, she's the real princess. The one you were supposed to marry."
"I know." My jaw clenched. This woman should have come months ago. Where was she when we needed answers? When Elara suffered under Morgana's threats?
Celestia rode closer on her white horse. Her knights formed a wall behind her. She looked nothing like Elara, blonde hair where Elara's was dark, cold blue eyes instead of warm green ones. Everything about her screamed fake perfection.
"Dear Dragon King!" She smiled like we were old friends. "I've come to save your kingdom from these traitors."
"Save us?" I stepped forward, still holding Elara's hand. "We don't need saving. We just defeated Queen Morgana."
Celestia's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Did you? She's still standing. Her army still fights. You look exhausted." Her gaze slid to Elara. "And you're holding hands with the imposter who deceived you. How embarrassing."
Elara flinched. I felt her pain through our bond thread.
"Watch your mouth," I growled. Smoke curled from my nostrils. "You know nothing about what happened here."
"I know everything." Celestia dismounted gracefully. Her knights moved with her like a golden wave. "I know my mother held this girl's sister hostage. I know Mother forced her to pretend to be me. I know she stole military secrets and helped plan this invasion."
Murmurs rippled through my soldiers. They looked at Elara with renewed suspicion.
"That's not the whole story," Elara said quietly. But her voice shook.
"Isn't it?" Celestia walked closer. "You lied to the Dragon King. Married him under false pretenses. Betrayed his trust." She turned to my people. "And now he defends her? What kind of leader chooses a traitor over his kingdom?"
Anger burned in my chest. "The kind who knows the difference between a victim and a villain."
"How noble." Celestia's voice dripped with fake sweetness. "But nobility doesn't win wars, does it? You need a real alliance. A real princess." She placed her hand on my arm. "Marry me, Drakon. Like we were always supposed to. I'll bring my army to help destroy Mother's forces. Together, we'll crush this rebellion."
I yanked my arm away. "I'm already married."
"To a fraud!" Celestia's mask slipped. Real anger flashed in her eyes. "That marriage isn't legal. She's a commoner who lied about her identity. Any court would annul it immediately."
Elara stepped back. I felt her trying to pull her hand from mine.
I held on tighter. "The marriage might have started with lies, but what we have now is real."
"Real?" Celestia laughed. It sounded like breaking glass. "You're pathetic. She made a fool of you in front of everyone. And you're too weak to admit it."
My dragon roared inside me. Scales rippled across my skin. "Call me weak again. I dare you."
Celestia's knights drew their swords. My soldiers raised their weapons. Queen Morgana's army watched from across the field, regrouping.
We were seconds from three armies colliding.
"Stop!" Thorne pushed through my soldiers. "Everyone just stop!"
Celestia looked at my best friend with interest. "And who are you?"
"Thorne Blackscale, Royal Guard Commander." He bowed stiffly. "Princess Celestia, your arrival complicates an already difficult situation. Perhaps we should negotiate before more blood spills."
"Negotiate?" Celestia examined her nails. "I don't negotiate with traitors."
"Then negotiate with me." I released Elara's hand and stepped forward. Every instinct screamed to keep her close, but I needed to handle this. "You want to discuss marriage alliances? Fine. But call off your army first."
Celestia studied me. Calculating. "You'd actually consider marrying me? After defending your little imposter so passionately?"
"I'll consider anything that saves lives." The lie tasted bitter. I'd never marry this cold, power-hungry woman. But I needed time to think.
"Drakon, no," Elara whispered behind me.
I couldn't look at her. If I did, Celestia would see the truth.
"Interesting." Celestia smiled like a cat with cream. "Perhaps you're not as foolish as I thought. Yes, let's negotiate. Privately." She gestured to a clear area between the armies. "Just you and me. Your people stay here."
It was obviously a trap. But what choice did I have?
"Fine." I started walking.
"My King!" Thorne grabbed my arm. "This is a bad idea."
"I know. But we're out of good ideas." I kept walking toward Celestia.
She met me halfway, leaving her knights behind. For a moment, we stood alone between three hostile armies.
"Let's be honest," she said quietly. "You don't want to marry me. I can see it in your eyes."
"Then why are we here?"
"Because I want to marry you." Her voice hardened. "I've been raised my whole life to be Dragon Queen. That imposter stole my destiny. I want it back."
"Elara didn't steal anything. Your mother forced her..."
"I don't care!" Celestia's mask cracked completely. "Do you know what it's like watching some peasant girl live your life? Wear your crown? Sleep in your bed?" Her voice dropped to a hiss. "Kiss your husband?"
Understanding hit me like a punch. "You planned this with your mother."
Celestia's smile turned vicious. "Took you long enough to figure out. Mother was supposed to make the imposter fail. You were supposed to execute her. Then I'd arrive to 'comfort' you. We'd marry. Mother and I would control both kingdoms together."
My blood ran cold. "But Elara didn't fail. She won everyone's hearts."
"Which ruins everything!" Celestia shrieked. Then she caught herself. Smoothed her hair. "But I can fix this. If you refuse to marry me willingly, I'll take the kingdom by force. My army plus Mother's will crush you."
"You'd destroy the kingdom to rule it?"
"Better a ruined kingdom under my control than a thriving one under hers."
I'd heard enough. "You're insane."
"No. I'm determined." She raised her hand high. "Knights! Attack the Northern..."
A scream cut through her order.
Everyone turned. Across the battlefield, a figure in familiar armor moved through the chaos. Sir Marcus, the man who'd tortured Lily and forced Elara to spy.
And Elara was running straight toward him. Alone.
"Elara, no!" I shifted into dragon form instantly.
But Celestia's knights surrounded me, blocking my path. Celestia laughed. "Let her go. One problem solving itself."
"Move!" I roared, breathing fire.
They scattered, but precious seconds were lost. I launched into the sky, searching for Elara.
She'd already disappeared into the mass of fighting soldiers. And Sir Marcus was leading her deeper into the battle. Away from help.
It was a trap. And Elara had run straight into it.