The Dragon's Match

XVII

XVII

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

Lillian found her fingers clamping almost painfully as they twisted into the furs on her lap. Beside her Aëghan was silent, unreadable, yet not unwelcoming.

Almost as if he knew that she needed the silence and the time to compose herself before she began speaking, before she began to tell him about an event that had changed who she had been and still affected her monumentally to that day.

She expelled a steadying breath, casting him a wary glance. All around her, the storm continued to rage on, grating against her nerves. There were details she would not reveal, details that were too difficult to relive aloud as sometimes the past is best left in the past. So she chose her words carefully, selectively, and endeavoured to inject as much calm into them as possible knowing that the astute male beside her would be picking apart her retelling scrupulously.

It was not lost on Lillian that this was the second consecutive night that she had sought comfort and solace from a male that had alternative prerogatives when it came to her... and it was only then that she was beginning to piece together bits of his agenda. Why else would he harbour a fascination with her- the only known being to survive an alternative realm and return to this one? She could not even be sure that what she revealed to him would be of any use, but she decided to speak plainly, eloquently, with him. Without pretense, without prejudice or hidden meaning, and then perhaps she would be able to at least understand him better, as well as her uncontrollable and spiralling fascination with him.

"I only realised that I was no longer in England after I was taken captive," she began slowly, and paused. Aëghan shifted slightly, though she suspected that he was settling himself further into the bed rather than any true reaction to what she had begun saying, so Lillian continued. "I did not know how serious my predicament was at first, and fought against my restraints- the fae had accosted and arrested a human, in my eyes, and I railed against the injustice with an indignation that... did not sit well. It was largely ineffective- none of the fae spoke English. I believe I must have seemed like some sort of useless spy or scout in their eyes at the time, considering the skirmishes and conflict among-"

"Conflict?" Aëghan interrupted, his voice a taut breath, and Lillian glanced at him sharply. His inquisition of that particular topic served to confirm her suspicions of his secretive agenda when it came to her- he was eager to learn of his world, and who better to expunge information than from the source who had firsthand experience?

"Much later, once I had earned my freedom, I began to pick up some of the language- not a lot, but enough to get by and make my way," Lillian explained. "Your courts are distrustful of each other- have been for years, it seems. Even factions within the same kingdoms are at constant conflict. But at present, there is bitter rivalry and distrust between the Court of Dragons- your court, Aëghan- and the three Draëllian courts."

Through the darkness, she saw his brow furrow. "Do you know why?"

"Such things were never discussed with me, and difficult to determine with my limited knowledge of the language," she said tightly. "I can assume it had something to do with The Reveal, but it would be based on my speculation alone. You... you need to realise after my captivity I was treated little better than a slave. I was... tormented, ridiculed, made into a sport-"

"You do not need to speak of it," he said suddenly, the mattress dipping slightly as he sidled onto it further. She watched as his hand slid across the furs and gently coaxed her trembling fingers into his. "If you find it difficult, I will understand."