Rise of the Scaled Ones

Chapter 13

Rhydian proudly wore a victory grin on his face. Finally, finally he could take Anjaleen to meet the King and Queen. It was something he'd wanted to do the moment he'd felt a connection spark between the two of them. It had confused him at first, and he'd lost precious sleep thinking of it. But then, the connection grew, making his blood fizzle and the dragon inside him plead to be released and take a closer look at this intriguing female.

Anjaleen smiled at him once she caught his look. Her smile was bright and not at all concealed, showing her pearly white, completely straight teeth. Just seeing her happy like that made his heart do flips and his stomach feel warm.

She fell into his rhythmic steps just at his heels. Her white dress, a type of high-quality dress worn by the Shifters in the palace, flowed around her and caressed her legs. Having been made from softest of fabric and to fit her form perfectly, the innocently plain dress defined every curve and well-earned muscle on her body.

They two of them neared the large throne-room doors. They were a rich red wood with plated gold edges and with blood-red rubies and glittering topaz gems creating stunning designs on the doors.

"Is this it," Anjaleen breathed, "This is where the King and Queen are?"

Rhydian nodded, "Yes," He smiled at her, making her cheeks and the tips of her ears turn a rosy pink, "They've been waiting for us."

With that, the dragon Shifter placed both palms on the smooth wood and pushed. Anjaleen's gasp rang in his ear as he stared at the familiar marble columns and statues of powerful dragons and other Shifter types in their original form. As they approached the two jeweled thrones, Anjaleen was stumbling after him, gaping at the beautiful figures with silver armor glinting off their marble bodies. A huge skylight let warm midday sunshine into the room. Rhydian's sandals clicked against the marble floor, slightly wet near the large pools filled with orange, red, and gold fish.

"Rhydian," the King boomed, his voice welcoming and kind, "I see you've brought a guest."

The King was dressed in red layered robes, and the casual gold armor on his shoulders, around his waist, and around his shins and wrists shone brightly in the sun. His chestnut brown hair had red and gold strands that made his whole head look ready to burst into flames at any given moment. His eyes were a deep, ocean blue flicked over to stare at Anjaleen and he could feel her shudder.

Then, those steely-cold eyes warmed impossibly fast and the King smiled, showing his white, flashing teeth, "You see," he started, looking at Anjaleen, "Rhydian has a bad habit of bringing home creatures. First, annoying bugs that he'd "rescue" from other bugs, then, squirrels and other rodents, and I thought he was done! It was horses and stray dogs next."

Now the Queen was smiling, "Now our son has brought home a mate."

"Son?!" Anjaleen gasped.

"Mate?!" Rhydian squeaked. Of course, his parents completely ignored him and switched their attention from him to his blond companion.

"Yes, dear," his mother purred, "Rhydian is our son. He is Prince of Avaradia, future heir to the throne of Avaradia. And by the looks of it," his mother's smirk turned devious, "he brought home a future queen, too."

His father's laugh boomed across the hall and he turned to the Queen, "We leave our son alone for one moon and he brings home a mate."

"Yes, quite a beautiful one at that. Tell me, pretty one, what is your name?"

Rhydian could hear Anjaleen mutter something close to, "This family and "pretty one"," before she answered, "My name is Anjaleen Winiture, and I'm from the Mountain village."

Two sets of eyes blinked in surprise. The King smiled broadly then, "We have just the couple for you to meet, then!" He turned to the messenger, Lithius, that loved hide behind the statues in dragon-form, his dark gray scaled blending with the shadows in the room, "Fetch Sephirus and Elaina, please, Lithius."

Lithius all but slithered from his hiding spot and flew out the opened doors of the throne room, long, slick tail trailing behind him.

When the two people King Aros summoned entered the room, Rhydian recognized them instantly. He hadn't known their names, but they were a local human/Shifter couple that worked in the palace bakery, famously known throughout the Avaradia Kingdom for their cakes and pastries.

The female, who was grinning widely at King Aron, had dark brown, curly hair that bounced around her shoulders as she bounced along after the male with bright, excited hazel eyes. The male himself was slender and lean, he had blonde hair that seemed to darken into black at the tips. If one looked closely, they would see faded black spots on the man's bare shoulders and Rhydian would bet he had more on his body. Calculating, gold eyes flicked around the throne room, but nevertheless, Rhydian could smell his excitement and anxiousness that was usually present after being called upon by the King.

They both bowed their heads as they reached Aron's throne. "Milord," they chorused, the woman's voice was light and smooth while the man's was scratchy and husky, like a growl. It was pretty clear that the man was the Shifter.

Aron grinned, "Excellent. See, Prince Rhydian has returned today with a possible-but-most-likely human mate. I assumed the two of you could talk about how the human-with-Shifter coupling works."

Queen Esmeralda nodded, "Elaina, if you'd please show Anjaleen around the palace, for that would help a great deal."

The woman, Elaina, smirked, "Of course, milady."

Elaina smiled as she approached Anjaleen, who had a grin already spread across her face.

"A pleasure to meet you, Elaina." Anjaleen bowed her head.

"Yes," Elaina agreed, "I am quite a pleasure to meet if I do say so myself."

Anjaleen laughed and Rhydian could tell they'd become friends quickly. Their voices trailed off as Elaina led Anjaleen out the doors, starting the tour.

Rhydian stared Sephirus deep in the eyes and the both of them flashed hesitant grins. Despite being heir to the Avaradian throne, it still made him very anxious when he had to talk to knew people. Both men shook hands.

"So," Sephirus started, glancing out the huge throne-room doors where their girls had disappeared, "Elaina and your mate seem to be getting along well."

"Yes," Rhydian sighed, amused, "My mate and your mate. So tell me, Sephirus, how did you come across such a fitting mate?"