The Amethystus Dynasty hadn't seen such a celebration in centuries. The night sky was painted with streaks of gold and violet as the city shimmered with countless lanterns. The streets overflowed with laughter, music, and the sweet scent of flame-roasted meats. From the common folk to the highest nobles, all rejoiced for one reason,the birth of a legend.
Within the grand hall of the palace, the banquet had reached its peak. Majestic banners bearing the emblem of the Amethystus Dynasty- a dragon coiled around a star hung from crystal pillars. Nobles from every corner of the realm had gathered to pay homage to the young heir, whose awakening had shaken the heavens themselves.
At the center of it all sat Draziel, now ten years old yet already commanding the aura of a monarch. His violet-gold hair shimmered beneath the light of the chandeliers, and his eyes still carried faint traces of the six elements that had answered his call. He wore ceremonial robes lined with dragon scales- a gift from his father, though he looked only half-interested in the nobles bowing before him.
Beside him sat Emperor Dracovin and Empress Celestine, both radiant with pride. Their other children;
Cynthia, Drake, and Drazara sat further down, stealing food from each other's plates while giggling under the table.
Draziel rested his chin on his hand, his gaze wandering lazily across the crowd. He could hear the same words over and over again: "Prodigy." "Chosen by the heavens." "Six affinities… incredible." It was exhausting. To him, it all felt like noise,predictable praise from people who only saw his power, not his person.
Then she appeared.
The herald's voice echoed through the hall:
"Announcing the arrival of Lord Aurelian Verden and his daughter, Lady Arlena Verden, of the House of Verden!"
The great doors opened, and the chatter died instantly. The noble family entered with grace, but all eyes were drawn to the girl beside the lord. Arlena Verden,she couldn't have been more than nine or ten, yet she carried herself with a quiet confidence that set her apart. Her long silver hair shimmered faintly with a golden sheen, and her pale blue eyes glowed with a calm curiosity.
Draziel's gaze locked onto hers the moment she stepped into the hall. Something about her presence was… different. Not divine, not draconic- but steady, grounded, alive.
As Lord Verden approached the throne and bowed, Draziel barely noticed. His attention was fixed on Arlena, who seemed equally unbothered by the stares of the crowd. She glanced around the hall, her gaze finally meeting his again. For a brief moment, their eyes held and the prince of dragons felt something stir in his chest that even six affinities couldn't explain.
"Your Majesty," said Lord Verden, "House Verden offers its eternal loyalty to the Amethystus Dynasty. We are honored to witness the ascension of one blessed by the heavens."
Dracovin nodded with regal grace. "Your loyalty has never been in question, Lord Verden. It pleases me to see your family here tonight. Please, enjoy the banquet."
The family bowed again, but before stepping back, Arlena curtsied gracefully. Her voice was clear, soft, yet firm.
"Congratulations, Your Highness. May your path shine brighter than the stars."
Draziel blinked, a smirk curling his lips. "And may yours not fade in their light," he replied smoothly, his tone teasing but charming.
The court murmured, it wasn't often someone Draziel's age spoke with such composed arrogance, nor that a girl his age answered it with equal poise.
Later that night, while the nobles drowned themselves in wine and laughter, Draziel found himself wandering the garden outside the banquet hall. The air was cool, the moon hanging low over the horizon. He paused when he noticed someone else there;Arlena, standing beside the silver fountain, gazing at her reflection.
"You're not much of a party person either, huh?" Draziel said, stepping closer, his tone playful.
She turned slightly, her expression calm but amused. "I prefer quiet places. People tend to talk too much when they drink."
He chuckled softly. "You noticed that too, huh? You're sharper than most of them."
"I just pay attention." She smiled faintly, her voice sincere. "I watched your ceremony earlier… it was breathtaking. You're really incredible, you know?"
He raised an eyebrow, his usual arrogance glinting in his golden-violet eyes. "You're impressed by that? You should see me when I'm trying."
Arlena giggled not the forced laughter nobles often used, but genuine amusement. "Then I'll look forward to it, Your Highness."
Something about her tone disarmed him. Draziel, the boy who stood above all others, found himself oddly intrigued. She didn't flatter him, nor fear him she simply saw him.
That night, beneath the silver glow of the twin moons, the young dragon prince and the noble girl spoke for hours. They talked about the world, the stars, and their dreams not as prince and noble, but as two children standing at the edge of destiny.
Neither of them knew it then, but that meeting would mark the beginning of a bond strong enough to withstand war, politics, and even the heavens themselves.
The grand hall of the Amethystus Dynasty was filled with nobles, ministers, and foreign envoys — all gathered for what was supposed to be a joyous announcement. Crimson and gold banners hung from the ceiling, the air buzzing with excitement and speculation.
At the center, Emperor Dracovin sat upon his throne, regal and calm as ever. Beside him, Empress Celestine watched with quiet pride. Before the dais stood Arlena Verden, radiant in a flowing silver gown that shimmered like moonlight, her expression nervous yet hopeful.
The herald stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"By decree of His Majesty, Emperor Dracovin Amethystus, the engagement of His Imperial Highness, Prince Draziel Estella Amethystus, to Lady Arlena Verden of House Verden, shall!"
He never finished.
Because Draziel, standing beside his father, suddenly rose from his seat.
The crowd fell silent.
Every noble eye turned toward the prince, tall, confident, draped in royal attire of white and violet trimmed in gold. His golden pupils glimmered under the chandeliers, his expression unreadable. Then, with a faint smirk, he spoke.
"This engagement" he said, his voice echoing across the hall, "is something I, Draziel Estella Amethystus, must address before it is sealed."
Dracovin's brow furrowed. "Draziel, this is not the time for-"
But the prince raised his hand slightly, silencing even the emperor. His aura flared, not violently, but with such presence that the entire hall felt his dominance.
"One woman alone…" Draziel said slowly, his voice carrying both pride and certainty, "cannot satisfy the hunger of a dragon."
A collective gasp rippled through the hall.
The nobles began whispering in disbelief, some scandalized, others nodding in admiration. The elders of the Dragonian council looked stunned, while the beastmen envoys chuckled knowingly understanding the primal truth behind his words.
Celestine placed her hand over her mouth, torn between amusement and exasperation. Dracovin pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, "Just like his ancestors…"
Arlena stood frozen, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Draziel… what are you saying?" she asked quietly.
Draziel turned toward her, his eyes softening ever so slightly. "You are beautiful, Arlena," he said sincerely. "Strong, proud, everything a dragon could respect. But I am not like ordinary men. My blood burns with the pride of dragons and the fire of my ancestors. I will not cage myself to one bond alone."
The hall fell completely silent again, the prince's words hanging heavy in the air.
Then, as if to prove that his declaration was not arrogance but truth, Draziel let his mana surge for a brief instant. The chandeliers flickered as a faint dragon's roar echoed through the hall- invisible, yet powerful enough to make weaker nobles tremble.
"I will choose my own path," Draziel said firmly. "And those who walk beside me will do so not as property, but as equals strong enough to withstand the flames of a dragon's soul."
He looked around the hall, meeting every gaze that dared challenge him, and one by one, they looked away.
The emperor sighed, leaning back on his throne with a wry smile.
"Haah… He truly is my son."
Arlena, after a long pause, smiled faintly,pride flickering in her eyes despite the sting in her heart. "Then I'll make sure I'm one of them," she whispered under her breath, unheard by all but Celestine, who smiled knowingly.
And so, that day, the engagement between the Dragon Prince and Lady Arlena became more than a royal announcement it became a declaration that Draziel Estella Amethystus would live by his own laws, bound not by tradition or politics, but by the pride and hunger of his dragon soul.
From that night onward, Draziel and Arlena's paths often crossed. Whenever House Verden visited the castle, the young dragon prince would find himself sparring with Arlena in the training yard, teasing her mercilessly one moment, then praising her effort the next.
At first, the maids and guards thought the young prince merely tolerated her presence but that couldn't be further from the truth. Draziel enjoyed having her around. Arlena was sharp-tongued but graceful, composed yet bold enough to talk back to him something very few dared to do.
One morning, the courtyard echoed with the sound of wooden swords clashing. The sun bathed the field in golden light as Draziel smirked, easily parrying Arlena's strike.
"Come on, Arlena," he said with that infuriating grin of his. "You'll have to do better if you want to keep up with me."
She stepped back, brushing a lock of silver hair from her face. "I don't need to keep up. I just need to find an opening."
Draziel laughed softly, lowering his blade. "You won't find one. I don't have any."
"Your arrogance knows no bounds," she said, sighing but a smile tugged at her lips.
"Arrogance?" He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with mischief. "No, that's called confidence. You should try it sometime. It suits those who stand beside me."
Arlena's cheeks flushed faintly, though she quickly masked it with a scoff. "Beside you? You talk as if you've already conquered the world."
He stepped closer, his golden-violet eyes glinting. "Not yet," he whispered. "But I will."
Her heart skipped a beat not out of fear, but awe. The way he said it wasn't boastful; it was conviction, raw and absolute. Draziel didn't dream he decided. And every word he spoke carried that weight.
Over the years, that fiery confidence became something Arlena admired deeply, even if she'd never admit it aloud. And Draziel, though he'd never say it, valued her presence more than he realized. She kept him grounded when his pride soared too high, and in turn, he gave her courage to stand taller among the nobles.
By the time they reached their teenage years, whispers had begun spreading through the court that perhaps, the young prince and Lady Arlena were fated to wed. The nobles saw it as a powerful match; even Emperor Dracovin and Lord Verden approved quietly, though no public announcement was ever made.
Draziel, of course, laughed when he heard the rumors.
"Marry her?" he said one day, smirking as they trained. "You'd have to defeat me in battle first, Arlena. Only then could I consider you worthy."
Arlena's eyes narrowed, her sword raised in challenge. "Then stop talking and draw your blade, Your Highness."
He grinned wide, arrogant, and undeniably charming. "That's more like it."
Their wooden swords clashed again, sparks of mana crackling in the air. The servants watching from afar could only shake their heads. To them, the sight was clear, a prince and his chosen companion, destined to stand side by side, even if neither would admit it.
For Draziel, she was his equal in spirit the first person he ever allowed close enough to challenge his pride.
And though he would never confess it, Arlena Verden had earned something even the heavens couldn't bestow- a place in the dragon prince's heart.