Claimed By A Dragon Prince

Lily knew she couldn’t go out the front door because a servant was waiting to do her every need and this was a message that needed to be delivered by the right person. Moving to the window, she looked down and it was too far of a drop before she looked to her left, and vines were growing along the wall. Pulling on one of the vines, she found out they were rather rooted to the wall.

Putting her letter in the jacket, she opens her window and starts climbing out. Lily checks to see if anyone is watching her, and she shimmies down the vines, dropping into some bushes at the bottom. She landed on her butt harder then she meant to groaning when she landed. *Next time, use some air talent.*

Looking to see if the way was busy enough for her to blend in, she moves into the crowd seamlessly. She knew Bar would be in the Merchant district, so she went to find him there. Lily was hoping her father would have the books mentioned by her mother. She always had the sense that there was more to this god thing than the gifts and long life she’s been granted.

If these books could help her understand whats really happening with her that would help ease her mind more. SHe only had just under a years to figure out if being a god is what she wants or if staying in this realm is worth the risks she’ll face being a goddess in this world. She may never tell anyone besides those closest to her what she really was.

Who would believe she was more then a creature of this world? Only those who might know the truth, and even then, for some, it might be hard to believe. Lily was still wrapping her head around the whole idea and learning along the way. Hopefully, being educated as a goddess will give her a better perspective.

She arrived on Merchant’s Row, trying to remember where Bar said he was staying. Walking along she could see all the barter and trade happening between people, reminding her that this was like any other Clan. They just needed to be acknowledged and their territory claimed. In a lot of ways, they had done most of that and all that was left now is to present themselves to the world.

Arriving at an inn a couple of streets in, she notices Bar’s cart in the stables. *He must be here.* Going in, Lily looked the place over to see if he was there. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in sight so she walked over to the proprietor to see when he might be back. "Sorry miss, he went off to sell the rest of his goods. He’s usually back by dinner. That man has a thing for my mate’s turtle soup."

"Thank you I’ll be sure to stop by around then." Lily was hoping to have this done before Dimitri wakes up but she knew he was super tired and needed to sleep for like two days if not more. Heading back out of the inn she didn’t want to go back to her room yet. Her mind was still confused and scared, and sitting around waiting for him to wake up was not going to help her mood or attitude for him when he wakes up.

She started walking, observing the hustle and bustle of the streets as people went about their days. She was in need of a few herbs and hoped to find a starter plant of Dragon moss. When she purified the settlement, she hoped to the ground would be more lush and have the ability to grow other kinds of plants aside of food.

Looking for an apothecary or an herb specialist would be hard here since most didn’t even know what they were. Lily decided to follow her nose, hoping it would lead her to either the apothecary shop or the person she needed to deliver her message to.

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"And what makes you think I will help you? You’re a dragon for starters, and you’re mated to my daughter without my permission or blessing. I would say you’re off to a poor start to be asking for my help." Dimitri knew coming here would be bad, but he didn’t want to compete for his mate’s attention or affections.

Only another god would know how to handle a situation like this, but at the same time, if he went to ask her father, he wasn’t sure what the answer would be. He is her technical father, but this man, this god, was around her all her life, whether he knew Diitri knew about his true identity or not, he knew Lily.

"I just...I can understand how you felt, at least a little bit, when my uncle took your mate from you. I don’t want to share her, but at the same time, I keep feeling that I won’t have a choice about this. Is there nothing I can do?" He felt powerless in the situation and wanted to get back to the place he was with her before his brother kidnapped her.

Now she shies away from his touch and won’t meet his eyes like before telling him that something happened. "She is like no other goddess. Most gods stick to there own kind not because of prejudice, but because that is how it has been since the dawn of our time. The Fate’s have more of a hand in this than anyone. It was supposed to be inconceivable that different gods could mate together until her mother mated the dragon god. It changed the balance of life when she was born and other’s started to see the new possibilities to be taken."

Dimitri didn’t think of these things when he first heard Lily was a goddess. The ways of the heavenly realm were not common knowledge, but it was commonly known that they stayed to their own kind. He was always to the understanding it was because other gods weren’t compatible, not that it wasn’t possible. Even his mother and father stayed to their own kind even with the mortal-to-goddess status between them.

"So what Lily was just supposed to be "taken care of"? Thats barbaric even for the gods. She did not choose her fate and your deciding, from the start, that she’s too much risk? On second thought, I think I’ll take my chances with the Fate’s." Dimitri started to walk back to the door he came through when he heard Vestis speaking to him.

"That’s what I did. And that’s also how I ended up i your realm. The Fate’s have their own plans. Don’t bet on them helping you one bit." Dimitri stopped at the door having heard his statement. Vestis knew this would be the only chance to get this dragon in line with his plans so he had to make sure he did exactly what he thought he would do.

"She loves you there is no doubt about that, but as you’ve seen trying to control her is a not going to happen. She is a law unto herself. If nothing else give her the command. As a mate she cannot refuse you. Do that and you can have your mate to yourself."

"But at what cost? I don’t want a puppet, I want someone ready to do battle with me and solve the problems neither of us can solve alone. Forcing her will only make her resent me. No thanks." Dimitri pulled the door open, walking through ready to talk with his mate.

"Just keep it in mind. You never know what will make it necessary." Vestis spoke as Dimitri left his temple, leaving a bug in the dragon’s ear. Hopefully things will progress as he has seen them to from this interaction. *Soon daughter, you will be here ruling with me. Soon."

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Dran had just landed a kick to the chest, on his opponent sending him flying across the arena. He had sparred with 6 of the best fighters in the settlement, beating them all and still needing to release so tension. He knew why he was this way, but was trying to avoid it since he couldn’t have the one he really wanted.

The raven-man was laying on the ground holding his chest, gasping for air. One of the medics came over to treat him as Dran walked over to see if he was okay. The man happen to be a good acquaintance of his so hurting him was never his intention. "Did you have to kick me so hard? that hurt."

"Zeek, don’t give me that. There have been plenty of cheap shots you’ve taken in the past. I’m pent up right now and was hoping for a good fight. I didn’t mean to take it so far with you." Zeek looked up at his friend giving him a half smirk laying back down. "What ever is bothering you, go fix it. Your gonna hurt someone if you don’t."

He was right and Dran knew it. Grabbing a towel from one of the trainers he cleaned himself up before feeling a hand tap his shoulder. Turning around he was surprised to see who the hand belongs to. "When did you get here?"