It was dawn. The air in the north was supposed to be heavy in the morning, but today it was heavier. The cold chilled me to the bone. Even though my maid Arissa fed enough firewood to the fireplace, it didn't get any better.
"The cold is horrible!" Arissa voiced my inner thoughts. The other two maids, Ela and Renee, agreed with her while fixing my corset. I chose the regal red gown for today's occasion. My ruby jewelry lay on the table in front of me, waiting for me to choose. My eyes found the ruby-embedded necklace my mother had gifted me when I came of age.
"This is from the first queen," she had said, whispering as if it were a great secret. Everyone knew that.
"I heard the first queen sinned. That's why we royals carry the dragon's curse in our bloodline," I had told her. My mother sighed. Her curly obsidian hair swayed gently in the northern wind.
"She was in love. Everyone makes mistakes when they're in love," she had said to me.
"My queen," Renee's voice brought me back to the present. "Have you chosen a piece?" she asked. And I knew the answer.
---
Morning in the main hall was chaotic. Everyone voiced their opinions and debated— even my presence didn't subdue the noise.
"Silence," Salime declared. After that, the hall fell quiet— almost too quiet.
"I'm marrying the Emperor of Selon," I said. Before chaos could erupt, I added, "No questions or objections allowed."
The hall drowned in gloom. No one spoke.
"I assign General Salime as regent in my absence. You are to obey him and follow his guidance. He holds power over you— to protect and to punish." I felt tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. I wasn't supposed to cry. I should not.
"I will be your queen forever, even in absence. And if our Dragon lineage ends with me, you may hold a gathering and vote for the next king or queen. May the Gods above the Mountains of Serana bless us!" I declared— my way of saying goodbye to everything I knew.
---
That afternoon, word was sent, and I was invited to the Imperial Army's camp outside the capital walls to meet the so-called Emperor of Selon. So there I was, riding in a carriage beyond the city walls. Jiao accompanied me. He was well-groomed, quite a contrast to last night— his hair in a tight updo, not a single strand slipping loose. He wore his favorite Chang'an-style clothing, made of the finest silk, and adorned himself with an impressive collection of jewelry and hair ornaments. He was almost unrecognizable.
After the carriage began to move, he handed me a small pouch made of silk— contraceptive pills.
"Just so you're aware, I'm still against this. It'll give you terrible headaches, dizziness, and nausea," he said.
"I know," I replied, putting it away in my gown pocket.
"Of course you do," he grumbled under his breath. I smiled. I found his behavior absolutely endearing. He was my best friend.
"So, tell me about the Emperor of Selon," I prompted, shifting into a comfortable position in the carriage.
"Well," he sighed, "where do I even begin?"
"Let's start with the first time I met him. After angering your dear father, I left for Selon. Selon is a vast empire, ruling over three dukedoms, two kingdoms, and immense lands stretching to the southern shores. The capital, Arap, houses the imperial family and their enormous, lavish palace.
On my way to Arap, I met a man with blonde hair and ash-gray eyes— a strange match for his rich, earthen skin. He was humorous and handsome. He knew how to lead people. The caravans naturally accepted him as their leader. The journey to Arap is long, and at one point, we had to cross a desert. Everyone dreaded it because of the bandit tales. Of course, we met bandits. Ah, those poor souls!" Jiao winced.
"Honey, your future husband is a monster— he tore them apart with his bare hands! Gouged out their eyes and pulled out their tongues. I saw it all with my own two eyes. Everyone in the caravans nearly pissed themselves. And he laughed while doing it," Jiao shivered.
I'm going to marry a monster. Yes, that would make me feel great. But I didn't say it aloud. After a few seconds of silence, Jiao continued.
"Anyway, I wasn't really scared. I wanted to know his name— he told me he was called Arvid. We parted ways at the gates of Arap. When I saw him again, he was sitting on the throne of the Selon Imperial Palace. He'd done all that just for fun. Can you imagine?
I heard more stories about him in Arap. Apparently, he's of mixed blood. His mother came from the western world by ship— she was a princess from the western kingdom of Furha. That's where he got his blonde hair and ash eyes. The previous emperor of Selon fell in love with the western princess and dismissed his entire harem for her. It was tradition for the emperor to keep a large harem, whether he wished to or not, so his decision caused quite an uproar. The opposing factions attacked the emperor and his beloved. The western princess died when Arvid was only nine. He was hidden away by the emperor.
He was called back to Arap when he turned sixteen, and the previous emperor named him heir. After the emperor's death a year later, the palace was said to reek of blood," Jiao said, his voice filled with dread.
I didn't know what to think of what I'd just heard. But one thing I knew— it's wrong to judge someone by rumors. He might not be that bad after all. And even if he is, I hope he keeps his promise to bring peace to my kingdom. That's all that matters. Nothing else.