My eyes opened slowly.

And when I did look around. I realised I was no longer chained to the walls of a dungeon. No longer in a dirty outfit, feeling like every pore and cell of my skin was clogged with dirt.

Now, I felt fresh, like I had just taken a warm bath. And I was in neat clothes.

I sat up. My shoulder hurt. I touched it. It was bandaged.

Where am I?

Who treated me?

Who changed my clothes?

As I started to panic, I perceived the rich aroma of food. And the door of the room I was in, opened.

Instinctively, I moved back.

But then, watched as Regalis stepped through the door. Carrying a tray of food, he dropped on a table in front of me.

Gently, he helped me sit properly, mindful of my shoulder. He opened the lids of the ceramic plates, to a delicious-looking mouthwatering meal.

"You can cook" I said.

"If you want me to" He grinned. His eyes boring into mine.

I looked away. Feeling uncomfortable. The intense stare of Regalis's blue eyes, and how kind I've come to realise he was, could put my heart in so much trouble.

I lifted the spoon and took a spoonful of the food he prepared. I breathed in. Delicious. As I recalled the final events from the last night I was awake...

As we left the torture centre, Regalis carrying me in his arms. He strode to the excrement pit where Tyrion and his guards were and he said, "when anyone ask, what befell the Prime Minister's niece, tell them, the Dark Lord's wrath paid a visit".

And as we mounted Shalott to leave, Nadia said, "come on, Regalis. You think you've to protect me, for killing that bitch?"

"Caterina comes from a prominent family. Her death could cause the country's Ministers to want to file a petition for your head but none, would dare boldly petition for my death".

"But then, those Ministers would become your enemy" she said.

He gazed at her "what's one or two more enemies to the long list I already have, so far as you're safe".

The words touched my heart. He was a loyal friend. Faithful to the core. Loved animals. And now, could cook too.

He patted my wounded shoulder. Then, my cheeks softly "keep eating. You need your strength back".

I looked at him. And then, chose to continue eating. Slowly recollecting, that it was Nadia who assisted me with my bath. I must've passed out after that, 'cause I don't remember any other detail.

"Nadia" I said "where's she?"

"Gone" Regalis answered "she left to pay for the ointment and bandage, the unGifted healer sold to her for your injury".

I nodded. Still feeling a bit uncomfortable. As Regalis and I have never been completely alone together. And now, we were. It was in a very quiet place.

To fill the silence, I said, "I thought you are always needed at the camp".

He laughed. "If they can't survive without me for a few days, then, I'd have to demote all my Generals" he said.

I inclined my head in agreement. "Nonetheless, we could've just gone there. You must've a fixed schedule and goal for this training period, I don't want to be the one who hinders..."

He interrupted, "I don't want my soldiers meeting you for the first time, when you aren't at your best".

He was right. Soldiers and their way of thinking. They tended to disregard and disrespect women. After all, that was why, Nadia has to pose as a man, before she could serve in the military. And now, that I'm pondering on it. My first time in front of them, shouldn't be the way I looked when I left those dungeon cells. Weak. And broken.

"Thank you" I said "for the food. And for taking care of me". While I was unconscious.

"Mn"

"Nadia helped a lot too" he said.

A lock of hair on my face, he helped move to behind my ear. And his touch lingered. My over-sensitive ear sending 'strange' feelings down my body.

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I dropped my spoon.

And his hand which was on my skin, lifted.

I felt all the hair on my back rise.

His bare hand?!

He has been touching me with his bare hand!

I stiffened. "Your bare..." I could not complete the words. He must've discovered my secret. His bare hand touched me, and I survived! Still sitting in front of him, hale and hearty.

I started gasping.

He gripped my arms, looked me in the eye "gosh, Xemein. I'd never do that to you".

"Never hurt you on purpose" he said.

And I wanted to tell him, that it wasn't fear of his Gift that had me shuddering, it was the fact that he has discovered that I was a Feeder. That I could absorb the touch of his lightning Gift, without being electrocuted, yet, did not tell him.

"We are in a magicless land" he said "our Gifts aren't active. That's why I can let my bare hands touch you" he explained.

I almost breathed a sigh of relief, but then, recalled our last terrible experience with wraiths in a magic-deprived land, I said, "and wraiths?"

He shook his head "no. Not with Shalott nearby" he said.

Wraiths. Or any creature related to sorcery, stayed as far away as possible from a dragon.

Just as our Gifts stopped working around sorcery. The powers of creatures of sorcery also ceased working around the most ancient beings.

And then, I asked a question that had often crossed my mind, since I met Shalott.

"How did you get Shalott?" I asked. No one simply just stumbles upon a dragon egg.

"My grandpa" he said.

"Wow" I responded "he was the last true dragon Lord, wasn't he?" Last to have the ability to call a dragon to come from wherever in the world it was.

Regalis nodded. "When I was six. He gave me the egg". Paused and then continued, "the dragon egg was in my family for generations, since the first true dragon Lord married into our family. My grandpa said, his father told him, the egg was to be passed through every generation and that it'll hatch in the hands of the true dragon Lord, prophesied to defeat the winds of eternal darkness".

"The egg hatched in your hands" I stated.

"Like my grandpa said, would happen".

"But you don't have the true dragon Lord Gift" I said.

To defeat the winds of eternal darkness. I thought. I've heard the prophecy, containing those words in the past.

Instead of dwelling on it, my mind instead noticed a new burn on my skin. Like someone has been staring at me for long. I gulped down the water in my mouth, and slowly, looked at Regalis.

He smiled winningly, "you're beautiful" he said "very beautiful".

His words struck my heart.

"Tell me something, I'm yet to know about you" he said, gazing into my eyes.

Does he do this on purpose? Staring so deeply. Like he wanted to know how far my responses to him, came from deep inside of me.

I paused. Thinking, whether or not, to be sincere. At last, I replied, "besides, aiding the ill with my Gift, I enjoy dancing".

He froze. Like he was so surprised to hear that I could dance "really?"

I squinted. "Do you think me incapable of doing so?" I said, suddenly feeling challenged.

He beamed "and what if I am questioning your capability?" he said, leaning closer to me. His nose almost touching mine.

"Then" I whispered "I have to make you apologize for your rudeness".

His blue eyes glimmered roguishly "is that so?"

He stood up. Obviously ready to witness what I'm capable of "no dance, could be complete without the strums of a guqin" he said.

Grasped my hand, with clear mindfulness of my shoulder. And led me to a separate room. He opened the door. And the first object I beheld, which was at the centre of the room, was a guqin. A popular seven-string musical instrument, famous among entertainers.

"You play" I said, surprised.

"Only for princesses" he said and bowed. The smile on his cheeks, so alluring. Unaware of how close to the truth, his beautiful words just came.

"And how can a first-rank princess, like me, be certain that you're skilful enough to play for her?" I joked.

A faint smile close to his lips, almost formed a dimple, as he raised his head, "until I play for her, she can never be certain".

I smirked. "Then, play for her. She'll be kind in judging you".

"Thanks, my princess" he winked.

I couldn't help it, I blushed.

He walked to his guqin. And sat down behind it. His hands touched the strings. He looked confident. The instrument was no stranger to him. He knew his tool while I knew my dance. Who'll win?

Like a guqin expert would, his finger hit the first strings. The melody was beautiful. He'd not lied. He did play well.

I swung my waist. Rolled my hips to the strum of his music.

I felt elegant. Dancing, was always something I have a flair for.

Feeling more confident, from the look of surprise and amazement on Regalis's face.

My feet moved. My hands followed. Every inch of my body, swayed. The pain in my shoulder, forgotten. As a cruel thought entered my mind.

Marjol wedding night bridal dance.

A seductive dance, performed by the bride, for her husband.

I smirked inwards. Regalis was in trouble.

Much slowly, my hips twirled.

And as my waist moved, a piece of clothing left my body. First, the scarf, covering my hair. I tossed it away.

I swayed. Letting him see my backside, that I knew would roll like globes of fresh melon.

Hips, dancing. My long black hair swayed with each move.

Glorious! Was how I felt. Beautiful.

Next, came the top of my outer garment, off, it went. Then my skirt. And inner garment.

And at that moment, I noticed something important.

Regalis's effectiveness on the guqin had deteriorated. He was no longer focused. No longer rendering perfect strums. He was distracted. And the tune of his music broke, to show it.

Harder, I swayed. Whining my waist.

This dance of mine, would be the best he has ever seen in his lifetime.

I swayed until finally, all that was left on me, was my transparent tunic.

And as it was done in Marjol, I moved closer to my husband. Twirling. Flirting and batting my eyelashes coquettishly.

I licked his earlobe. And ran off. Traced his nipples with a finger, and sped off.

Then, danced a little more. Squeezing my breasts. And at last, returned. No more teasing.

I spread my thighs across his legs, to sit on him and close the dance.

But then, as my buttocks lowered, I gasped.

My heart thundering aloud.

For instead of my virgin rear encountering his flat thigh bone, it rubbed across a giant member! A huge bulge, ready to plunge into me.

I looked down! Cousin Bella's adult books had lied. This was far bigger than what was drawn there. Far longer than what I ever imagined.

My lung cells, searched for air. Impossible! No way, could this warstaff possibly ever enter anyone!

No fucking way!

And at last, the man of the hour, spoke.

His voice, low and menacing, like a firework whose fuse had just been lit. And he rumbled, "after teasing me for hours, what did you think you'd find down there?"