Rider King ✓

6

"Your dance was beautiful." I smile at that woman, and it feels like I'm ripping out stitches across my lips.

My words hurt because they are true. They taste like defeat. I want to grind the words between my teeth until the truth is crushed. I would gladly crack my teeth and become just as ugly as she.

She stands tall, her long hair shifting behind her back. It's free just like mine, declaring to my male that we're in need of a thorough fucking.

This woman is a warrior, and her mind is a battlefield.

"You can go dance for someone else now," I command her. It feels so good to exert my dominance that my knee stops aching.

She trembles a little, the beads against her chest melodizing outrage. Good. Let her be angry. She needs to be put in her place, because I'm not letting anyone make me a fool.

I reach for one of the plates in front of me. I pick up a dumpling, and I turn to face Dramon. His glance flickers from the woman to me. Blue dust flickers from his face with every shift. It's odd, because it makes it look like the mountain of a man is crumbling.

I lift the dumpling to feed it to him, and he stares for a second as if making a decision.

"Choose the one that can walk," Zoro snorted beside him.

Plates flew, dirt kicked up, and I fell sideways when Dramon picked up his battle axe and swung.

The titans are clashing. This is not good.

Zoro was caught off guard and took a slice to the neck. Dramon is going for the kill. He wants Zoro's blood to fertilize the mountains.

I scramble to my feet as people panic, knowing that I'm the only one that can put a stop to this. Zoro and Dramon are rolling on the dirt. Seven feet of testosterone swinging weapons, fists, and dominance. When Zoro managed to straddle Dramon, Dramon reversed their positions. I jump at his back and reach for the hunting knife on Zoro's hand. It was slippery with blood, but I grasp it and lift it high.

"I have it!" I yell.

The men stiffen, and I fall off Dramon's back. I sigh my relief. Whenever a Rider King has their weapon stolen in battle, the thief is granted one wish. It must be respected at all costs.

"What do you want?" Zoro growled as he jumped to his feet and didn't even glance at the blood trickling down his chest.

"Leave," Dramon spoke up. "Get out." I stand in front of him, but he only pushes me forward with his chest.

"You are not welcome on my lands. Clear my territory by sunrise, or I will hang your head from the peak of the highest mountain."

"You act quite offended for a male that looked torn between his wife and his whore." Zoro laughed and looked at my knee. "You are a clown, Dramon. And you, Venus? Your body is the circus."

I throw the sword up, grab it by the blade, and slap him across the face with the grip.

"Mind your tongue, or you'll be the crippled one."

Zoro spat on the ground. "Enjoy the throne while you can, Rider Queen. Something tells me that other whore will take your seat, and you will be left hobbling as usual." He turned and whistled for his men. "We ride now!"

I drop his blade and looked around. The music stopped, the children hide, the dancers freeze. The meals that were carefully prepared lay destroyed at my feet. I hate seeing it, because I know that Dramon's people worked hard on it.

I pick up my cane, step over a plate of fish, past the beautiful dancer with the beads, and I head toward my tent. I'm exhausted. The second my head hits the furs, the flap of the tent is pushed open.

"I will explain."

"Explain what?" I ask Dramon, turning away to hide my expression. While I was brave enough to step between him and Zoro, I'm too weak to face what's coming my way.

"She is... Salina is..."

Salina. Even her name is beautiful.

"She is the past."

"No," I correct. "She is your present."

Why does he try to show me differently? I'm crippled, not blind.

He doesn't reply, and my stomach clenches. The desire between us burns hot, but his heart only pumps fast when he's inside me. He doesn't love me. I should have expected this. Dramon didn't want this. King Centres forced us into this farce marriage, and I'm a fool for hoping he would ever come to love a shattered woman.

I hear a thud and then feel a hand on my thigh. He's touching my bad leg.

"No," I rasp. I grab his wrist and pulled it off me. I touch blood and the blue dust that still covers his body.

Instead of letting go, he takes my hip and turns me so I'm flat on my back. His expression is fierce above me. He's angry. I don't know why. I don't understand what he wants from me, or his dancer. I don't know if his cock is hard for me, or for his beauty. I don't know why we're so fucked up.

"My King," someone calls from outside. "I must speak with you about patrol."

Dramon releases me, and he stomps out of there fast.

He doesn't return that night, or in the morning. I consider staying in, but I don't want to seem like I'm hiding. I change into one of the dresses Dramon's people brought in for me. It goes past my knee, and it's simple.

I walk outside with my head held high. My hair is tied. I want to seem like I'm in unaffected by yesterday's storm. The clan is still tense. I get more stares than usual, and not many children are out today.

"Winds, Rider Queen," Jema waves from the distance. I smile and meet her halfway.

"Will you go fishing today too?"

I nod. "Can you help me find some things? I'd also like a few pairs of pants, if that's okay."

"Of course, of course!"

My eyes trail behind her and find Salina walking in the background. She laughs with her friend. Her hair is free, just like it was yesterday.

"Jema," I look at the old lady in front of me. "Why do most women in the clan have their hair up?"

"Oh, it is a sign of respect, my Queen. Only you have the right to express yourself through your hair. The only exclusion is little girls who run around all day."

Then why is Salina walking around like she's the crowned one?

Jema followed my gaze.

"Oh. Right, there is also that."

"What?"

"Fires," she sighed. "You see... past lovers of the Rider King also have the right. I am sorry, my Queen."

My teeth grit. "Who can revoke that right?"

"Only the Rider King can, my Queen."

I've heard enough.