All Chapters of The Dragon Queen: Runaway Bride : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

75 Chapters

The Little Dragon

Maria's POV I seriously didn't expect a dragon to change my life. Again. The funny part was that I wasn't even looking for one.A few days had passed since I sat outside the palace kitchens feeling sorry for myself. I had mostly gotten over it. At least that was what I kept telling myself. That morning, I woke up before sunrise and wandered toward the kitchens.The palace cooks started preparing breakfast early, and I liked visiting them before the halls became crowded. They always had snacks. More importantly, they liked me.Those two things were connected. The kitchen was already busy when I arrived. People moved between ovens carrying trays and baskets. Someone was arguing about bread. Someone else was chasing a cook who had apparently stolen bacon.Everything seemed normal. Until something crashed. The sound came from the storage room at the back. Several cooks looked up. One of them sighed. "Not again."I frowned. "What was that?"The cook waved a hand. "Probably rats."The cras

The Healer's Mark

"Maria..."Pandora's voice still sounded strange. I sat beside the bath, staring at my reflection in the water. The golden mark on my shoulder blade glowed beneath my skin, and every time I looked at it, my heart started racing all over again. Part of me kept expecting it to disappear. "It has to be a mistake."Pandora sat down beside me. "Well, It clearly isn't."I looked at her. "You sound very sure."She raised her wrist, showing me Astria's mark. "Because I've already been through this."Neither of us spoke for a few seconds. I touched the mark again. It was really warm and real. Mine.After all those days of watching dragons soar through the sky, after feeling left behind while everyone else seemed special, something had finally chosen me. A laugh escaped before I could stop it.Pandora smiled. "There she is.""What?""The Maria who talks too much."I splashed water at her. She splashed me back. That was how we ended up staying awake for half the night. We sat in my room talking

A Miracle Nobody Expected

I knew the meeting was going to be a disaster the moment Stiles tried to eat the king's sleeve. King Eldric had barely finished greeting us before the little dragon lunged forward and grabbed the edge of his coat with his teeth. The courtyard fell silent. Stiles chewed proudly.King Eldric looked down at him. Stiles looked back. The king sighed. "I see."Pandora immediately turned away because she was trying not to laugh. Valdanus wasn't doing much better. Even Estevan looked like he was about to choke.I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. "Stiles," I whispered.The baby dragon ignored me. That had become a common problem. The entire palace courtyard had been arranged for the meeting. Several dragon scholars had arrived from different parts of Scorish. King Eldric sat beneath a large pavilion. Pandora stood beside me. Valdanus and Estevan remained nearby.Astria rested behind everyone, watching the gathering with clear amusement. The scholars, however, looked very serious. At leas

The Little Dragon's Secret

The healing incident changed everything. Before that day, Stiles had been viewed as an adorable nuisance who stole food and caused trouble. After that day, half the palace wanted answers.The other half wanted answers while feeding him snacks. Unfortunately, Stiles remained completely unhelpful.The scholars returned the next morning carrying books, scrolls, maps, and enough notes to fill an entire library.Stiles responded by stealing someone's breakfast. King Eldric was beginning to lose patience. I thought it was funny. Pandora definitely thought it was funny. Valdanus sat beside me as another scholar attempted to examine Stiles.The little dragon climbed onto the scholar's head. The scholar looked exhausted. "Does he ever sit still?""No," I answered.The scholar sighed. "That explains a lot."Across the courtyard, Estevan was trying to distract Stiles with a piece of meat. The dragon accepted the gift. A minute later he stole Estevan's glove. Some battles could not be won. The in

Stronger Than Before

Pandora's POVI used to train because I hated feeling helpless. Every missed strike reminded me of the girl who had arrived in Scorish knowing almost nothing. Every bruise felt like proof that I wasn't good enough. Somewhere along the way, that feeling disappeared without me noticing.Now I trained because I loved seeing myself improve. The practice yard had become one of my favorite places in the palace. The soldiers no longer watched me with doubt written across their faces. They greeted me with smiles, offered advice, and sometimes even asked to spar.I accepted every challenge. Most days I walked away smiling.Astria noticed the change before I did. "You're enjoying this now," her voice echoed in my mind.I am."That's really great. Misery makes terrible company."I rolled my eyes while tightening the straps around my wrists. “You really do enjoy making fun of me.”"Only because you make it easy."Her laugh drifted through our bond, warm enough to make me smile before I even stepp

The Words Left Unsaid

“Pandora! If you beat the captain again, I'm asking for a transfer!”The shout echoed across the training yard, and laughter broke out among the soldiers. I lowered my practice sword, trying not to laugh as the poor captain rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile. He had challenged me five times that week and lost every single match.Valdanus walked onto the field at that exact moment and looked from the captain to me.“I leave for one meeting and you start collecting victories without me?”I pointed my sword at him. “You're welcome to try your luck too.”A grin spread across his face as he picked up a practice blade. “Careful what you wish for.”The soldiers stepped aside at once, already calling others over to watch. These practice matches had become a favorite form of entertainment around the palace, though nobody admitted it out loud. I twirled my sword once and faced him.“Don't complain if I win again.”Valdanus chuckled. “I wasn't planning to.”Well, I was the winn

The Dream That Wouldn't Fade

“Pandora… answer me.” Astria's voice filled my mind before I had even opened my eyes. I sat upright in bed, my heart still racing from the dream. The room was dark except for the faint glow escaping from beneath my sleeve where my dragon mark pulsed against my skin.I'm awake."Yes! Yes! Now tell me what happened."I pushed the blanket aside and took a deep breath. "There were dragons everywhere. Hundreds of them. They covered the sky."Astria didn't interrupt."I heard you calling my name."She still didn't say anything. I swallowed. "Then another voice spoke."The silence stretching through our bond felt heavier than anything she could have said. "It called me the Dragon Queen."Astria disappeared from my thoughts. But not fully. I could still feel her presence, but she offered no teasing remark or clever reply. That alone frightened me more than the dream itself. After what felt like forever, her voice returned. "Say those words again."I frowned. "The voice said, 'The Dragon Quee

Dust and Forgotten Pages

“Find it again,” the old librarian whispered, throwing another dusty scroll onto the table. “I know I saw it. I know I did.”His young assistant rubbed his eyes. “Master Edwin, you've been searching since dawn. Maybe you imagined it.”“I did not imagine a drawing like that.”The librarian untied another faded bundle with shaky hands. Loose pages scattered across the desk until one brittle sheet slipped free. He grabbed it at once and brushed away years of dust.A sketch of a young woman stared back at him. She wore simple robes instead of royal clothing, but that wasn't what caught his attention. A glowing mark rested on her wrist, curling around her skin in the same pattern he had seen on Pandora.His breath caught. “It matches.”The assistant leaned over the table. “Matches what?”“The girl in the palace.”The boy frowned. “You mean Lady Pandora?”Master Edwin rolled the page closed before anyone else could study it. “Not another word. Not to anyone.”He hurried through the rows of

Questions Without Answers

“Do you ever feel like everyone knows something except you?”I asked the question without looking up from the flower I was pulling apart in my hands.Astria gave a small laugh inside my mind. "Every hatchling asks that at least once."“I’m serious.”"So am I."I sighed and leaned against the tree behind me. “I'm starting to think my parents hid things from me.”The words had been sitting in my chest since the dream, and saying them out loud made them feel real.Astria stayed quiet this time.I closed my eyes and let old memories drift back. My mother used to keep a carved wooden box beneath her bed. Whenever I asked what was inside, she would smile, tap my nose, and say, “You'll know when you're older.”I never did. There was also a necklace she refused to wear in public. Once I reached for it as a child, and she took it away so fast that I burst into tears.She hugged me afterward and apologized, but she never explained why. My father had his own strange habits.Whenever I asked abou

The Stranger From Adengard

“Pandora… where did you get that pendant?” Astria’s voice echoed through my mind with a seriousness I had never heard before. My fingers tightened around the small piece of metal hanging from its worn chain. I looked from the pendant to the dragon standing before me and shook my head.“I’ve had it since I was little,” I said. “My mother gave it to me, but she never explained where it came from.”Astria lowered her head until her glowing eyes were level with mine. “Show it to me.”I stepped closer and held it out. The symbol carved into the pendant matched the glowing mark hidden beneath my sleeve almost perfectly. The edges were older and rougher, but there was no mistake.“You know this symbol?” I asked.Astria did not answer right away. She studied it with an expression I could not read. “I know I have seen it before,” she said at last. “I just cannot remember where.”“That’s not helping.”“I know,” she replied. “It frustrates me too.”A laugh escaped me despite everything. “You’re

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