Chapter 4 CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER 4

CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V

I woke up to the sound of the flutes and drums playing. I wondered what the occasion was. I got up from the bed, only for me to notice that Mabel was standing by the door. How long had she been there?

“Good morning, Princess.“,

“Oh, please. Not this morning.“ I rolled my eyes.

Mabel giggled and proceeded to hold my hands. Before I could tell what was happening, she drags me into my closet. Right there in the center of the closet stood a mannequin, the dress it had on magnificent unlike any other I have seen or worn.

“What’s this for?“ I asked Mabel inquisitively.

Mabel seemed to be taken aback by the question I asked her.

“Are you trying to say that you don’t know what today’s festivity is all about?“,

“I honestly don’t know!“,

“Haven’t you perceived your ’Rût’ to perhaps remind you?“ she asked.

I finally fathomed what Mabel was trying to make me remember at the mention of ’Rût’. My eyes widened in surprise, thinking back to the dream I had. It was perhaps the most soothing I have had in ages, and surprisingly, it was because of a man. A man who gave off a scent that didn’t belong to the dragon men. I didn’t know what made him different, but the way he caressed me sent cold chills running through my spines and down to my limbs. I couldn’t but bite my lips in regret when I woke to see that it was all a dream.

At the mention of the ’Rût’ festival, pondering more about the mystery man in my dreams was my last priority at the moment. I shoved Mabel to the right and opened my closet. Mabel had always been the one who opens the closest to select whatever wears I am supposed to put on for the day, but today, the story is a bit different.

“What are you doing, Charlotte?“,

“Escaping.“,

“Huh? Escape??? Do you want to get me killed?“,

“You won’t get killed, I promise. Just…“, I shoved Mabel off after gathering a handful of scarves and veils.

I rushed to the bed and dumped all of the scarfs and veils on it. I started tieing the ends of the scarves and veils to each other.

“What do you intend to do with that?“ Mabel asked.

Just then, the door flung open and my brother walked in. I immediately disposed the already tied fabric unto the bed, standing in front of Mabel to block my brother from seeing the scattered clothings—which he eventually did.

His brows arched in confusion and he asked, “What’s going on here? You are supposed to be dressing up for the festival.“

Shivering, I tried cooking up an excuse.

“I… I mean, I-I’m just about to go… freshen up.“ I said, turning to glare at Mabel who remained rooted to where she stood, fear written all over her.

“Well, I’d like to have a pep talk with you before that then. It’s not gonna take too long, I promise.“ he pleaded, taking me by surprise.

All his life, my brother always exuded the characters of a proud and mannerless dragon man, so why was today different.

“Alright,“ I said, nodding my head.

“Can Mabel leave the room?“

“Huh? Why should she?“

“It’s a bit… confidential.“ he said, glaring at Mabel. “And what are these?“ he asked, pointing to the fabrics on the bed.

This time around, Mabel came in for me.

“Actually, I was trying to see if my Princess can actually use a veil with the dress she is supposed to have on today.“ she responded, taking me by surprise.

She must have thought about this whilst my brother was talking to me. I thanked her silently in my heart. Mabel rushed out of the room immediately, while my brother and I at the corners on either side of the bed, excusing the heap of clothes that laid on it.

Immediately the door went short, my brother was the first to kickstart the discussion, because, well he was the one who had something to say of course. He stood up from the bed and placed across the room, stopping to pick a portrait that housed my 4-year-old self and my now late mother.

“You know, mother would be really proud of you on this day, even if she isn’t present here with us.“ he said in a low tone.

My brows were raised in confusion, wondering why he would be making such a statement. Why would my late mother be proud of the ’Rût’festival? Or was he talking about my ’coming of age’ ceremony?

“Not only are you now 18,“ he continued, “You get to pick the dragon man of your choice you wish to mate with.“ he said, dropping the portrait.

Bluntly, I confessed, “I don’t wish to pick any mate. I am not attracted to any dragon man. Why is this mandatory? Why do I have to be—“

“Hey hey. You can still carry out the ’Rût’festival without choosing any of the dragon men in this world,“ my brother said in a persuasive tone.

I noticed his hands fumbling with the door lock. When he turned around to notice the expression I had on my face, he raised his hands, depicting surrender,

“Outer walls have ears too, Charlotte.“ he said, walking towards me. “I have a way you can escape this hell of a ’Rût’festival without having to choose any of the dragon men in our world.“ he said, holding my hand tenderly.

I rubbed at my eyes, wondering if my brother was the one seated before me, saying a of this things and acting so supportive. With questioning eyes, I asked him, “What is your suggestion, brother?“

He smiled, holding unto my hands again, “How about I become your mate?“

Before I could process what he said and object, he forced himself on me, using an indescribable amount of force to yank me onto the bed. I might have spent two years becoming a stronger dragon man by being a hunter for the Grand Nursery, but it was clearly obvious I couldn’t overpower my brother. The ’Rût’ the female dragon men experience every sun cycle weekend their transformation abilities, so my only option to overpower my brother in this drastic situation is out of the pie. I thought about screaming, but the sediments of the Kahl hill which was one of the materials used in building the palace has a magical nature of repelling sounds, so no matter how much I screamed now, no dragon man outside the door could hear me.

With just a hand binding my two hands together, my brother snapped my underwear open effortlessly, and evil grin creeping past his face. Tears clouded my eyes, as I wondered what sha become of me when my brother deflowers me.

“What do I do now?“