00:00When dragonborn ladies had cornered me in the kitchens, they laughed, tore my sleeves and called me a barren human
00:06leech.
00:07Then a broken dragon rose from his wheeled chair. Lucian Dravenmore stood between us, half crippled, but still terrifying.
00:14I was born with a blood scent that could make dragon lords lose control. Pure breeding blood, the rarest kind
00:20in 300 years.
00:21At my mating ceremony, I crawled past the sacred gold offerings and grabbed Crown Prince Caelan between his pants.
00:29This little whore could be a clingy breeder in the future.
00:34He was wrong. Caelan and I became enemies. For 10 years, I watched his dragon eyes learn to hate my
00:40scent.
00:41On my 18th birthday feast, the king called me before the throne.
00:45Freya, choose any dragon lord in Valeria. I will grant him to you.
00:49Before I could answer, Caelan's voice cut across the hall.
00:52I would rather be torn apart by wild dragon knees than mate her.
00:57Something inside me broke. Good. Then make him choke on it.
01:01Then I will leave his fate to the gods. Pay for the price, Crown Prince Caelan.
01:05I thought he didn't mean it. Our betrothal ceremony was beautiful, but Caelan never gave me a glance.
01:12Your scent makes me sick.
01:14Years passed. I gave him no air. The court stopped bowing.
01:18Dragonborn ladies spat in my food, ripped my gowns and called me a barren human leech.
01:23Caelan only smiled. Then I heard him say it.
01:26She forced this marriage. She deserves karma. No one should pity her.
01:31One week later, he threw me into the velvet quarter.
01:34A useless breeder belongs in a pleasure house.
01:38I died there, bloody and left like rotten meat. His figure was the last thing I saw. He never looked
01:43back.
01:44Then lights split open. I woke on cold marble, gasping. I was reborn at my mating ceremony.
01:50Freya, choose any dragon lord in Valeria. I will grant him to you.
01:55The royal citadel. The feast. I would not risk my life on Caelan again. I took a deep breath.
02:01Your majesty. I respect the Crown Prince as someone I grew up with. Like a brother.
02:06I never wanted him. Not as a man. Not as a husband.
02:11My heart only belongs to dragon crook Lufician Drainmore. If I couldn't marry him, I'd go finish myself.
02:16The court exploded. I had refused Valeria's golden prince and chosen his uncle.
02:21The cursed black silver dragon. The most fierce dragon who destroyed wild dragonkins for 200 years.
02:28Lufician Drainmore fell coma since year ago on the northern warfront.
02:32Hurt by an unseen blade with curse. The healers said he would never wake. I knew they were wrong.
02:37In my last life, Lufician woke during my third year in hellish marriage.
02:41When dragonborn ladies had cornered me in the kitchens, they laughed, tore my sleeves,
02:46and called me a barren human leech. Then a broken dragon rose from his wheeled chair.
02:51Lufician Drainmore stood between us. Half crippled, but still terrifying. Back to now.
02:57Little one. Marrying Lucian would waste your gift. Choose another lord. Someone who can speak to you.
03:03I kept my forehead against the marble floor.
03:05Your majesty. I swore before the old gods. It is Lucian Drainmore or no one.
03:10I hit my forehead on the floor. Once and once again. The court went quiet.
03:14Only left the sound of my bones crack. Queen Marianne smiled like she had been handed a gift.
03:19If the human girl wants a sleeping dragon, let her have him.
03:23So be it. Your bloodline is gone. Lucian cannot answer for himself.
03:28My queen will arrange the wedding for you too.
03:31I rose my bloody forehead and crumbling stood up.
03:33I am humbled beyond speech.
03:37I did not look at Caelan. I only felt his gold fire burning behind me.
03:41Let him burn. I would never choose him again.
03:43Lucian is way better than Caelan.
03:45Last life, though he's still weak, he's nice to me.
03:48I'll save him this time. We'll claw our way out of this shithole.
03:51Together.
03:51For three days, I slept like someone freed from a cage.
03:56Then came the knock at Ashbourne Hall.
03:59The queen commands your presence at the royal citadel tonight.
04:02My blood went cold.
04:04At dusk, Madam Corvin led me through the royal corridors.
04:08Dragonflowers scented the stone.
04:10Then she stopped and bowed.
04:13Your highness, crown prince.
04:14I lifted my head.
04:16It's Caelan.
04:16Caelan stepped into the lamplight.
04:18He looked exactly like a future king.
04:20Proud and untouchable.
04:22Beautiful in the cruel Valorian way.
04:24Your highness.
04:25He looked me over from crown to shoes.
04:27As if searching for the girl who used to chase him through these halls.
04:30That's all?
04:30In my last life, I knew his every habit.
04:33I baked honey cakes for him.
04:34I waited outside Crown Tower just to hand them over.
04:37He always tossed them to the palace drakes.
04:39Stop this pathetic chase, Freya.
04:42You are marrying my uncle now.
04:43Try to have some dignity.
04:45You disgust me.
04:47I am not chasing anyone.
04:48I was only telling the truth to your king father.
04:51I do not love you.
04:52Then you wandered into the royal family's private wing by accident?
04:55The queen summoned me.
04:56Ask Madam Corvin.
04:57His gold fire flared.
04:58So it was true.
04:59I had not come for him.
05:01My uncle is a corpse with a title.
05:04You may be a widow before your wedding bed even cools.
05:07Then I will be the happiest widow in Valoria.
05:10His pupils narrowed.
05:12Then went black.
05:12Queen Marianne heard me out in silence.
05:16And before I had even finished my audience with her,
05:19my wedding to Lucien Dravenmore was set for one week later.
05:23Dravenmore's black silver banners stretched across the road
05:25as Gareth Thorne bowed before me.
05:27Lady Ashborough,
05:29Darrenmore receives you with honor.
05:31In my last life,
05:32Crown Tower never gave me this much respect.
05:34Some nobles called it widowhood with a title.
05:37I ignored them.
05:38Dravenmore had already given me more honor
05:40than Crown Tower ever did.
05:41When I reached Dravenmore keep,
05:43Gareth Thorne led me straight to the bridal chamber.
05:46Lucien Dravenmore lay on the bed,
05:48pale and silent.
05:49But even unconscious,
05:50he did not look weak.
05:51His sharp features,
05:52silver black hair,
05:53and quiet dragon pressure
05:54made him seem less like a dying man
05:56and more like a sleeping dragon.
05:58My lady,
05:58I prepared another room for you.
06:00I looked at Lucien,
06:00my heart steady despite the tension.
06:02No.
06:03He is my husband now.
06:05I'll stay here.
06:06The room went silent.
06:07After they left,
06:08I sat beside him.
06:09The air itself seemed to hold its breath.
06:11I leaned closer,
06:13feeling the subtle warmth of his body
06:14beneath the thin sheets.
06:16You're asleep anyway,
06:17so this doesn't count.
06:18I lowered my head and kissed him.
06:20His lips were warm.
06:21For a heartbeat,
06:22nothing happened.
06:23Then the air broke open.
06:24Dark pressure slammed through the room.
06:26Black silver scales erupted along his neck.
06:29Windows cracked.
06:30His hand shot up and caught my throat.
06:32Not gentle,
06:32not soft.
06:33Dragon fire exploded from his body,
06:35scorching the ceiling and bed frame.
06:37I gasped,
06:37gripping his wrist.
06:39Lucien.
06:39His fingers burned against my skin,
06:41yet he didn't push me away.
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