Destiny: Book 1 of the Draki Series (COMPLETED)

Chapter 3: Mara

A/N

The picture you see above is how I picture Mara, obviously with the violet eyes!

I also dedicated this story to @TheBibicalSinner because he is such an inspiration to me!  We aren't at the hot scenes yet folks but where there are dragons there is fire ;) ♥

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Today was her wedding day and Eva seemed to be the only one dreading it. Her groom made his appearance last night with a large caravan of soldiers and members of his court following in his wake.

Eva remembered watching them all enter the palace courtyard, her brother and mother greeted King Karon with open arms as if he wasn't someone to be suspicious of. Her mother had made it abundantly clear Eva was to wait until it was proper to meet her betrothed.

King Karon and Eva were getting married the next day shouldn't they meet each other as soon as possible? Her mother's firm rule did not stop Eva and Eloise from watching from the palace battlements, hidden from site by the thick barriers.

Eloise would not stop commenting on how ridiculous the whole caravan was, only half of the caravan would fit in their palace, most would have to find lodgings elsewhere. She even attempted to copy one lady of court that wore so many jewels she needed two men to accompany her into the palace by each arm. Eva snickered thinking this woman did not seem to mind her escorts attention.

Apparently some of King Karon's people set up tents in fields outside the palace walls, the people of Estoria were very fond of their feasting and the revelers could be heard from her balcony in the palace all throughout the night.

From large man to small child, they all seemed to be celebrating this wedding except for herself and of course Eloise who said it was rubbish for a man and woman to not become acquainted until their wedding day.

As Eva smiled at the memory of her friend going on and on about King Karon's disreputable qualities a scream tore through the quiet morning forest. In an instant Eva's guards drew their swords and formed a barrier around her, their eyes searching everywhere for the source.

The screaming came from a woman who burst through the trees before them. The sudden movement made Tilly nervous and Eva hushed the horse with soothing words as the guards and Eva took in the strange woman.

She was battered and bruised, only wearing a dirty torn brown shift and her feet were bare. The woman was breathing heavily as she stared up at Eva's guards, their swords pointed at her ready.

The woman's legs gave out before Eva and the guards. She began crying in a language Eva had never heard before but the accent seemed familiar to her as if from a dream. The girl's hair was cut to the scalp like they did in her kingdom's military. The bruised woman's hair was dark in color with tinges of something else but Eva couldn't make it out in the forests light The woman's her eyes were what kept Eva's focus they were a remarkable shade of purple, a very light shade of violet.

Swinging her leg over Tilly and hopping down to the mossy ground Eva approached the clearly frightened woman. When Henry tried to stop her Eva gave him a hard look that she had perfected over the years after watching her mother deal with overly friendly members of the royal court.

Kneeling close to the girl Eva spoke softly not wanting to spook her, "Are you alright? Have you been attacked by an animal?"

In the clearing up ahead Eva could hear male voices yelling at each other and the sounds of hounds growling and barking at each other.

Eva understood then what had transpired to the poor thing. Standing tall Eva knew this girl was being hunted by the approaching men and their hounds..