I was summoned to heal a broken heart (Part 2)

His Highness lowered the crystal bead and looked straight into my eyes.

“Zora,” he said, his voice cold and distant, “what are you hiding from me?”

I was unable to hold his gaze, I had to turn away. The lump in my throat was so big now that it was hard to speak. I could feel sweat forming on my back, trickling down my spine.

“What did you do?” he asked. “Tell me.”

“I… I…,” I stuttered, unable to continue.

“You what?”

“I… saw your wife,” I said, almost in a whisper,

I lowered my head, not being brave enough to face him. I could feel heat rising into my cheeks. This will be hard to explain if I don’t want to sound like some sort of creep.

“Where?” he inquired further, his voice strained.

“In… your chamber,” I clarified.

The silence between us was unbearable now. Unable to resist, I raised my head to look at him, expecting to see his face twisted in anger. Memories flooded his mind and body, and there was no fury in his eyes, only sorrow and disappointment.

My heart broke.

“How did you get there?” he asked after a while. “My chambers are locked during the day, while I am outside.”

I did not respond.

“Do not force me to use the magical bead and start the interrogation, until there won't be even a hint of darkness in you.”

“I will tell you if you promise me you won't punish anyone.”

“Ah, so it was weasel who gave you the key. It is supposed to guard important things, so why is it letting others steal them or giving them away? It is not doing its job properly.”

I kept my lips tightly sealed and was trying to keep my face neutral. But I was terrible at poker, my emotions and thoughts on full display.

“You were right,” he said, shaking his head, trying to suppress his laughter, “you really are a bad liar.”

He laughed, hiding his smile behind his palm.

Feeling the situation had somehow resolved itself, I allowed myself to take a breath. I was glad there was no other conflict planned in today's schedule. I peeked at him while he was still laughing.

He looked a few years older than me, but when he smiled, he looked younger. I was wondering how he was able to keep his sanity, considering there were not many beings living in his castle. A court usually has a lot of people working there, coming in and out, but the surroundings of this castle were empty, when exluding a few magical animals or beings living nearby. People cannot exist alone, they need company.

He finally stopped laughing. “I swear, that little cunning critter, I will have to lecture it.”

I was ready to ask for weasel’s forgiveness, but I realized he was just joking. Cold and brooding dragon prince joking. Today was full of surprises.

“I swear, you are the most unlucky here. Did you come here tonight to get caught?” he asked me. “Why are you carrying the bead with you and putting it out, when you had things you wanted to hide from me?”

“Aren't you angry?”

“I am surprised that you were bold enough to go into my quarters. But it looks like you are very well realizing this was a misstep. You wouldn’t be so embarrassed otherwise if you thought you did nothing wrong there.”

“B-but I saw those paintings. I knew I shouldn’t. I want to ask about them more, but Korvan told me we don’t talk about the first bride. And if I asked him, he would know I was there. I was not supposed to be there. I am sorry.”

“Did he really say that?” he asked me.

“Yes.”

He sighed.

I was still looking at him, trying to read his expression to find out if it was safe to ask him about his first bride or not. In my world, you usually don’t talk much about your friend's exes. I was guessing this world has to be the same.

“I am not sure why they are still walking on eggshells around me. It has been a hundred years since I wed my wife. I don’t even remember our wedding day anymore.”

“Oh, so it has been long in the past?” I said. “You did say… Wait. Did you say a hundred years?”

“Yes.”

“A HUNDRED?!”

“Probably,” he replied. “I don’t count that anymore. It has been too long.”

I was looking at him, shocked. I was expecting this prince to be maybe a few years older than me, not that he is the age of a turtle.

“Careful with those gaping eyes. Otherwise, they will fall out of your sockets.”

“B-but I thought… I thought you were younger? They said that it has been seven years since Vesna came here, so I was thinking… It… It has been really so long?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“So… you have been living here as a dragon for about a hundred years?”

“I think so. As I said, I just stopped counting. It was worthless for me to remember how many days had passed since.”

“Alone?”

“I am not alone. I have Korvan here. And others are here, too.”

“I see that chatting with Korvan is entertaining, but you surely do not have so many things to talk about. I know I don’t. Today, he was extremely unfriendly towards me.”

“He is just angry with you now that he found out you allowed a firebird into your bed.”

“I wish we could stop talking about my bed,” I said, pouting. “I made a mistake, but now I am wiser and won't allow him to sneak into my chamber anymore.”

He laughed.

“Your Highness…”

“Yes?”

“May I ask something really personal?”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you still love your wife?”

“I wish I could tell you that I do. But how can the flower grow and bloom if it didn’t see the sun for a hundred years?”

“So her portrait on the wall.”

“It’s there so I won't forget. And that my duty isn't done yet.”

I was thinking. “You said you were here for a hundred years. Why is it that only within the last two decades have villagers started sending you sacrificial brides?” I asked him.

“I don’t know. I know they were aware of my existence, as I sometimes flew above their village, but I never endangered anyone there. They had no reason to send me the brides. I never requested that.”

“So that is something only villagers know.”

“Probably.”

If I wanted to know, I would have to return to the village. But if I appeared there, alive and well, they would think their sacrifice failed. They would maybe even try to kill me. That I was not going to risk.

But there was one woman from the village living here, who could answer all of my questions – Vesna.