The Emery Chronicles: The Black King's Beauty (SECOND BOOK)

Chapter 4

Chapter Four- First Sight

She pulled the reins to her left so the dragon zipped right, then she pulled them tightly toward her so the dragon shot straight up into the air, then flipped around. Her laughter filled the air around her as the wind whipped harshly agains her face and her stomach did twirls along with the dragon she rode.

"Fire," she whispered into its neck, and the dragon blew out a strong stream of flames as it whirled through the air. As she laughed, she noticed out of the corner of her eye the waving of a dark blue flag. She sighed, distressed at the end of her fun, and guided her beast downwards.

Her cousins waving the flags ran backwards as she landed, the grass around them shivering from the beat of the beast's wings. Her dragon was one of the biggest in the camp, one wing alone the size of small house.

She patted her beast's neck, running her hands gently over its scales, and whispered, "That's my girl."

***

Daegan watched as the great beast landed, sending strong winds from its wingbeats. He slowly followed Duff and Corbet toward it, until he began to make out the figure on the dragon's back.

"Your Majesty, may I introduce my daughter, Kieran." Duff waved his hand toward the girl, and Daegan stopped in his tracks.

The jumble that had been in his head before cleared away, and he stood there with no thoughts or even consciousness, it seemed. She was the most beautiful being he'd ever seen, with long legs draped on either side of the dragon, a small waist and long, graceful arms. Her face was heart-shaped, her nose small and round, and her lips full and plump and chapped red from the wind. Her hair, a bright yellow color, was in a long braid down her back, tufts of it falling out and caressing the sides of her face.

"Kieran," Daegan whispered to himself, savoring her name on his tongue. He could see the youth, Corbet, move to help her out of her saddle, but Daegan placed a hand on his shoulder and moved to her himself. He raised a hand up to her, and for the first time she looked at him, meeting his eyes.

Her eyes. To say they were magical would be the only way to describe them. They were black, it seemed at first glance, but on further inspection Daegan could see it was a deep, dark blue. They only shone blue in the light, otherwise they kept changing back to deep black pools. Daegan realized the dragon she rode was the same color, black but shining blue in the sunlight.

She looked confusedly at Daegan, not recognizing him, but nonetheless took his hand. Her small, dainty hand was covered in blisters and calluses, but it still felt right in his own. She swung a leg over and hopped down from the dragon's back. She landed on her two feet, then stood up straight and this time looked up at Daegan. She slowly removed her hand from his, still confused.

"Kieran, this is King Daegan of our realm," her father remarked quietly. She didn't widen her beautiful eyes, but she sucked in a quick, shocked breath as she curtsied.

"Forgive me, My King, I did not know." She said meekly. Her voice was like her father's, not in the raspy sense, but in the fact that it was sweet and lilting like music, or honey.

"It--it's alright," Daegan replied, unable to form words coherently. She stood back up straight, this time unable to meet his eyes out of shame. Daegan couldn't think of what to say, instead settling for, "You ride well. The flight looked incredible."

"Thank you, My King." She responded, again too meek to meet his eyes.

"This dragon was born the same year as my Kieran, and they practically grew up together, Kieran training it since she could walk." Duff said proudly. "Most Riders train more than one dragon, and usually not the same ones everyday, switching off with other Riders for different dragons. And although Kieran has trained others, she's the only one who's touched this beauty, and she's the only one who can tame it."

"Really?" Daegan said, never taking his eyes off her. "Does she have a name?"

"Sinopa." Kieran replied. She glanced up to meet Daegan's eyes, then looked back down quickly and blushed. Daegan's heart melted as her cheeks flushed, and he knew.

"A moment, Sir Duff?" Daegan took Duff and Dowan aside as Kieran and Corbet worked to remove the large saddle off of Sinopa's back. Once the three of them were a few feet away, Daegan turned to them and said, "I want to finalize this alliance. I think it's the best for my kingdom, and I'd be much appreciative if you still want to continue with the proceedings, Sir Duff."

"Of course, Your Grace, of course! Your advisor here told us the wedding must be soon. We can be prepared in a week, if it please m'lord." Duff smiled heartily.

"Excellent! We'll organize something by then," Dowan told the Rider, smiling as well.

"Yes, excellent." Daegan replied, though a week seemed too long for him. He wished he could take Kieran and fly off on her dragon with her right here and now, just the two of them forever.

"Now that the deal is sealed, we should be taking your leave," Dowan continued, shaking hands with Duff. Daegan also shook hands with his future father by law, who bowed his head, still smiling.

"It was a pleasure and an honor meeting Your Grace."

"The pleasure was all mine," Daegan replied politely, and then he followed Dowan back out of the camp to their horses, using all of his will power not to turn and look back at his bride.

***

As the king walked away, Kieran, who had been petting Sinopa and feeding her salted and hardened beef, watched curiously. The king was the tallest and most muscular man she'd ever seen, and she'd seen a lot of muscular men, growing up with Dragon Riders. His eyes, though black and bottomless, had been kind, but something about his visit unnerved her. Her father began to walk toward her, and she made sure the king was far enough out of earshot to ask, "Why was our king here?"

"He came to finalize a deal," her father responded, a sweet smile on his face.

"What deal does he have with Dragon Riders?" Kieran picked up a raw patty of beef and tossed it into the air. Sinopa blew out a small breath of fire and then caught the now cooked meat on her tongue, appreciatively nudging Kieran with her large head.

"A marriage proposal."

Kieran stopped her next toss midway. Sinopa began to grumble and nudged her again, this time grumpily. Kieran absentmindedly tossed the meat, then turned to some of her cousins and said, "Take her into her barracks." The cousins put a chain around Sinopa's neck and led her to one of the buildings splayed out across the field where she would sleep for the night. "What marriage proposal?" Kieran asked once she was left alone with her father, though she thought she knew the answer.

"A marriage proposal that will also seal a business deal with the king. We've all been hearing talk of war; now the king will have Riders on his side, should the event occur."

"Yes, but what marriage proposal?" Kieran asked again.

"You, my darling daughter, are going to marry the king and become Queen of Augustia, the Summer realm of Emery!" Kieran's father responded happily with the answer Kieran had been dreading to hear.