Page 110 of Enchanted Crown
“It is your gift. From me.” She beamed. “And yes. Amory and I had to grab a dress and sneak it over here. A rather hilarious story which I will share at another time. Not nearly as funny as your having to save your drunken men from my riders,” she paused as she took in my appearance, “which I do understand might be too soon from happening to be funny yet. But for now, shall we go ahead and get married?”
Shall we go ahead and get married?
Everything I had gone through today, her keeping me from the castle, it had all been for her plan to marry me? Because she knew I wanted this, so she wanted to give it to me?
All those years spent being molded into a delegate by my fatherhad taught me some basic phrases I could say in all times to keep the conversation going, to ease tensions.
For this?
I had nothing.
“I am done avoiding you,” she promised.
I was hit down our bond with all the determination of the dragon queen behind those words, and I almost went to my knees.
“Both down our bond and in proximity, I am done avoiding you,” she clarified. She moved to come toward me, and that’s when I realized I was still dripping on the floor. I quickly used my magic to dry and warm myself before I soaked her dress.
“I do not want you to be my secret,” Esta explained. “But for now, while we plan the bigger wedding, I would like to do this. I would like to not waste any more days and be your wife. If you’ll have me?”
If I’d have her? I closed any and all distances between us, crushing her into me.Of course I’ll marry you.
Good. Told you you’d like this surprise.
A moment later a throat was cleared as John offered, “I am assuming that was a yes from Keir? For those of us without a telepathic relationship?”
I turned to him, this old man who had looked after me my whole life. The same one who was staying with me in Dra Skor and would now wed me to Esta. “Go ahead, Mind Seducer.”
He smirked. “I should say before we begin, as I understand it is of a greater importance to Dra Skor than the two of you, but Esta had me dig for a reason. And in that digging this afternoon I found three instances where the royal bloodline married either a different shifter bloodline, or a regular human.” He paused. “In all three instances, all produced dragon shifters, though not entirely dragon shifters. I think it extremely likely, given your different Enchantments, that all will be Enchanted, and at least half will bedragon shifters. I will keep researching, but I think the dragon bloodline is safe.”
Esta’s eyes were on mine as she said, “I will love our future children with my entire heart no matter which Enchantment they hold. Simply because they areours. If one of them had no Enchantment, I would love them just the same. I promise you, Keir. The rest of Dra Skor might take more persuading, but you will not have to worry about my love for them, should we be so honored as to have children.”
I moved to brush her hair out of her face. “Sweetheart, that hadn’t even been a concern of mine.”
“I still needed to say it,” she said quieter. “Because of how highly Dra Skor holds the dragon line. A life with me comes with the baggage of the throne attached. The pressure of producing heirs.”
“Do you see me hesitating?”
She smirked. “No.”
“Are you ready to be married then?” John said as he rose, like we were talking about a meal or something mundane and not one of the singularly most important decisions we could make. Though with us being soul bound already, I supposed a large portion of risk was already removed from the equation.
We stood right there at the balcony door as he opened up a book and began going through the process of marrying us. I had no idea what he started with, I was too focused on Esta, too focused on the love and adoration I felt down our bond to pay much attention to anything else.
“Now your vows,” John stated.
“I didn’t prepare any,” I admitted. I was going to have to wing it.
Esta gave a vehement shake to her head. “Except you did. The day we got bonded. So say those. But I’ll go first.”
She cleared her throat. “When you first came to Dra Skor, I wanted todestroyyou.”
I snorted a laugh. That was one way to begin some vows.
“But within only a few weeks, you managed to do what no one else could. You managed to see the real me, beneath the scaley and harsh exterior. In doing so, you reminded me of who I was. That even trapped beneath the weight of my shifted form, I was still worth saving. That I wasenough.”
I swallowed hard as I noted the sheen in her eyes.
She took my hand, hers far warmer than mine felt. She slipped a black band onto my finger. “You are the beat of my heart, the wind which powers my wings, and last but certainly not least, you are forever my annoying moon. You are the strongest person I know. I know I can always count on you to do the right thing. And I know without a doubt that you will protect Dra Skor alongside me.
