20

It has been two weeks since Liga and Noime requested special ingredients from Zargis. They had received said ingredients within days, with a note from the king saying he was looking forward to their feast. Since then, she had grown more comfortable asking Zargis for other things. Mostly minor things like a bigger pot or a new utensil. Otreg also delivered with the fabrics she wanted. The greens and golds and other colors were as beautiful as she imagined. And with Boori's and Muuris's help, she began decorating the dining hall. Otreg, she had help too, but she wanted him with her for a special dinner course she was making. He was the only one she wanted to help her with on this dish, and it would still take another week for it to be finished, a week too, for when the wedding was to be.

Since a lot was happening and many people were about with decorations or food, she asked Thelia to keep Jose occupied. She also asked Zargis to send Kesar on a mission that would keep him away until the night before the big day. The king was more than happy to oblige, saying that Kesar needed to have a few days without his mate so he could think straight. Apparently, Jose and Kesar were spending a lot of time together and Zargis couldn't seem to get the male away. Not even for a friendly bout of male bonding time. Liga had to giggle at the thought of Otreg bonding with them, and blushed because she figured they would all talk of their mates.

Speaking of mates, she and Otreg had also been spending more time together. Not just in the kitchen, but out of the castle. They went to a few restaurants, gone flying almost every evening, and even had a couple of days where they and Rumbarth would play in a park, uninterrupted by events and people. She found her golden dragon to be very humorous, very sensitive, and a big softy when it came to her or Rumbarth. She learned how Zargis liked to keep Otreg busy for a long stretch of time, then give him an equal amount for leisure and rest. She learned about his relationships with Cam and Thelia, understanding they were only friends, nothing more. While Otreg flirted and teased with others, that's all it was. It was just him being friendly. But with Liga, he was more. He was gentle and sweet, attentive and very protectvie. She found out that while he initially denied any feelings for her, any time she was in danger, he was always worried and unable to think of much else.

Now, it was the day before the wedding. Kesar was supposed to return that night, Jose was to be with Thelia until it was time for her to prepare the next morning, and all the food was nearly ready. The dining hall was set up just the way Liga wanted, and she was to take the afternoon off. Noime and Boori insisted she rested since she would be doing a lot the next day. So, Otreg dragged her away from the kitchen and away from work, Rumbarth joining in the fun. She was starting to believe the cub liked Otreg more, and felt jealous.

"Why the scowl, Gorgeous?" Otreg asked with a smirk.

"I thought Rumbarth was imprinted on me? How is it he has taken your side recently?"

Otreg paused their hurried steps and turned to her. Behind her Rumbarth sat on his haunches, watching. "He's still your cub, Liga. Nothing will change that. No matter how much time he spends with me or anyone else, he is your cub."

She crossed her arms. "Doesn't seem like it."

"He won't sleep in my chambers, Gorgeous!" Otreg laughed. "He doesn't want to sleep anywhere else besides with you." When this still didn't suede her, Otreg cupped her face. "He knows your name, Liga. He also senses that I'm your mate. Any time we are out and he hears one ill word about you, it's almost impossible to stop him from attacking them. Even now, even knowing I'm your mate, he watches and listens. He's protecting you even when you don't need it."

She glanced at her cub. Rumbarth, sensing she needed comfort, jumped to his feet and nuzzled her legs, giving that gurgling sound he makes when he is happy to see her. "Then why did he help you take me away from work?" she asked softly, rubbing the cub's head.

"For the same reason Noime shooed you away." Otreg kissed her brow. "We can all see how exhausted you are, LIga. Rumbarth knows I want to stop you from working too hard, so he helps. He cares."

Liga relaxed. "Am i horrible for believing he was always my cub?"

"No," Otreg whispered. "From the moment he hatched, he was your cub. Pure and simple. He may have been brought into this world by another, but you were there when he cracked his shell and looked around. He will never accpet another as his mother."

They continued to their destination, which to Liga's shock, was Otreg's chambers. It also seemed to surprise Rumbarth too, because he became cautious the closer they came to Otreg's doors. However, after Liga got accustomed to the situation, Rumbarth also relaxed. Otreg's chambers were simple and clean. He had the same rooms she did, but in colors more suited to his personality.

Otreg led her to the couch to sit, then went and grabbed a mug of cidar for her and water for himself. When he sat beside her and gave her the drink, Rumbarth curled up on the carpet at their feet and closed his eyes. The cub didn't sleep, just listened. Otreg liked the sight of Liga in his chambers. LIked, too, how Rumbarth completed the picture. In his mind, they were a family. They were complete.

"Liga?"

She looked up at him through her lashes as she sipped her drink. "Hm?"

He took a deep breath. "Remember how I said there was a reason for my attitude when we were first getting to know each other?"

Liga did remember. Otreg knew because her body stillled. "You don't have to tell me yet if you don't want to."

Yet, Liga wanted to know. She thought about that promise constantly.

"I want to, Gorgeous. I am ready."

Liga set her mug down on a side table and curled up on her side of the couch. "Okay."

"When I was a cub, and I was around ten, I was very naïve. I was also a handsome dragon that attracted the females. At first, it was fun. But then I got older. When I got to be almost twenty, one female broke my heart in the worst way possible."

Liga didn't say or do anything. Otreg couldn't tell what she was thinking. It scared him to wonder. But he continued on, determined to finally get this out.

"Her name was Ezzoanth. I knew her as she was about the same age, and she constantly wanted to join Zargis and I in our adventures. She had claimed we were mates, claimed her dragon was as drawn to me as she was. She wanted me to acknowledge her as such. And when I said I felt nothing in that sense, she became a totally different person." Otreg swallowed. "She gathered some of her friends and ambushed me. She got me away from Zargis and my family. She hurt me and did things i do not wish to say."

Liga straightened, eyes knitting together as his story came out.

"Instead of telling Zargis and my family of my whereabouts, she let them believe I had either ran away or died. She tried to pit them against me. She tried to also tell me they didn't care, that only she cared, that only she understood me. For months, I was alone with her and her friends. For months, I listened to her. And for months, I believed every word she said." He paused and looked away. "I was even to the point of believing she might actually be what she claimed.'

"But you already said there was no bond there," Liga remembered.

"Yes," he whispered. "And a part of me still knew this was true. But the rest of me rejected that fact because I hadn't been found or rescued. Because I had begun to like what she was doing."

"Otreg-"

He shook his head to stop her. "No. Just listen."

Liga shut her mouth and nodded.

"I started to believe her," he repeated, "until my dragon finally was strong enough to break free. I killed her friends, ripping their bodies apart. I destroyed everything within the building I was kept. I nearly brought the place down because I thrashed against the walls so hard until a hole formed. Right outside, searching for me, was Zargis and my brother. However they couldn't calm me. They couldn't stop me from letting out all my rage on the world."

"What about the girl?" Liga asked.

Otreg raked his hands through his hair and sighed. "I found her a few days later and killed her."

"How did you calm down?"

"It took a long time, Liga. Zargis said he was worried I had been beyond saving. But it was a comment he said." Otreg closeed his eyes and remembered the day. "He said that my mate would never have done to me as Ezzoanth had, that my mate would be what kept me with my family and friends. But I have always feared having a mate because of her. I have always feared having someone so close because I didn't want to believe I could be manipulated again."

Liga was silent for a long time, his words sinking in to finally understand what he was thinking whenever he looked so coldly at her or avoided her like the plague. "And do you still believe that your mate will manipulate you?"

Otreg chuckled. "Oh, Gorgeous! My mate does manipulate me, but in a good way." He opened his eyes and looked at her with devotion. "From the moment we met, you had me wrapped around your finger, Liga. It didn't matter how far I would go, you wound me back tight."

Tears apeared in her eyes. "I never meant to-"

Otreg leaned forward and cupped her face, using his thumbs to wipe away the tear that escaped. "I don't mean that you hurt me or consciously tried to use me, Liga. You couldn't. I mean that I couldn't stop thinking about you, couldn't stop seeing you in my head. I mean that every moment of everyday, I wonder what you're doing, where you're at, how you are. I mean that if something were to happen to you, I wouldn't recover."

"I don't want you to think that I tried something on you to make you want me. I don't know how."

He smiled. "Trust me, Gorgeous, I know what it looks like when someone is being controlled. So do the others. If you had been doing something, poisoned me, they wouldn't have tried so hard to help you help me see the truth. They would have sent you back, would have made sure I stayed away from you."

Liga breathed deeply, and nodded. "Does this mean you accept what's happening?"

Otreg hummed and leaned forward to kiss her lips. She gasped, having not expected this action, but soon melted under his tender care. "I have not only accepted, Gorgeous, but I am loving the ride."