The Dragon's Kiss

"Taking advantage of naïve believers.." Kel echoed the disturbing phrase to herself.

It certainly wasn't the story she'd heard about the Dragon Emperor's ascension to power. The tale she was familiar with involved the emperor nearly single-handedly wiping out all his enemies in the palace. She had to admit, though, the thought of the man slaughtering everyone in his way to take the throne made her uncomfortable.

But the idea that he'd taken advantage of these people as well?

She didn't know how to feel about it.

From what she'd seen so far, everyone was nice enough, but there was an unmistakable odd air about them. If they weren't as innocent as they wanted her to believe, what did it matter if someone used them to gain power?

"This is the same thing I want to ask of you," Soren remarked. "I want you to help me take advantage of them again and seize the throne--no the whole continent--from Calix."

"You want to use me to take over the whole continent?" Kel gulped.

"Think about it," Soren continued. "It's clear neither one of us believe in the hokey pokey legends these people live by. If we joined forces to take over, the people of Subterra would be happy with their golden-haired goddess, and we'd be happy ruling over the continent!"

An uncontrollable cheesy grin covered his face as he spoke. The more he talked, the faster the words became. Kel had never seen him express such honest excitement before.

"If it wasn't clear earlier," she responded sternly, "I'm not the one you're looking for. I have no interest in such ambitions."

Soren's enthusiasm wasn't dampened in the least by her refusal.

"If it's because you feel guilty about taking advantage of the people here, isn't this exactly what they wanted anyway?" he coaxed, "Putting someone like you on the throne has been the entire goal of this civilization since its founding!"

"That's not the problem. I'm just not interested," Kel maintained.

The offer Soren was giving her, there was nothing inherently wrong with it. Sure, it was a little shady, but he did make a good point about fulfilling the wish of the people of Subterra. Besides, Kel had nowhere to go in life already, and putting herself at the top would be the perfect revenge on those who abandoned her. Plus, it would secure a life full of purpose and passion, something currently far out of her reach.

Despite how logical the man's proposal was, however, something about it didn't sit quite right with her. Maybe it was the knight-ish attitude ingrained into her head from so many years of humble service. Or maybe it was her moral compass itching at her conscience.

Either way, she knew she could never accept a deal like this.

"I can understand why you're hesitating," Soren said sympathetically. "You feel guilty toward your country, right? How would your people feel if their princess betrayed them?"

I mean, they wouldn't care at all if I betrayed them, Kel mused to herself, considering I'm not their princess and they technically betrayed me first.

"But look at it this way," Soren's voice deepened. "Isn't this the best way to protect them?"

"The best way to protect them is keeping them free from being conquered by the empire," Kel replied determinedly.

Soren raised an eyebrow at her, his lips shifting into a smirk. "But can you really put a stop that?"

"I can stop you!" Kel felt her motivation rising. "And I will stop you, no matter what it takes!"

"It's not me you have to worry about, dear," Soren chimed. "It's the Dragon Emperor."

The Dragon Emperor.

Things Kel had long stopped thinking about suddenly came trampling into her mind once again.

After Soren sent her away, requesting she think over his offer more carefully, the Dragon Emperor was all that occupied her thoughts.

Even when Alaia took her to see a dark room full of magnificent crystals, each giving off an unearthly glow.

Even when Lila visited her with a tray of steaming tea and soft cookies and spoke words even softer and warmer than the snacks.

Even when she was sure the moon had risen high in the sky and the surface world was all fast asleep.

Her mind spun around and around with thoughts of the emperor and his conquest.

When she'd first seen him, glowing like a flame against the forest's sunset, all she could think about was his conquest. His eyes hadn't been tired and childlike; they'd been bloodthirsty.

The eyes of a tyrant set on his goal.

After she came to the Serin palace, her brain gradually became numb to the war of the outside world. The last time she thought about the emperor's war, or the many people becoming subject to his reign, was at the night market with Lucy.

She recalled the dazzling performers prancing down the street to the crowd's boisterous cheering. The piles of gold and other treasure carried along in the center of the procession had truly been a sight to behold.

Her bitterness about the empire's expansion had been assuaged a little by Lucy's explanation of the tribute, but how had she forgotten about it all so quickly? She'd spent time in the arms of the very man causing all the turmoil and bloodshed. She'd told him she wanted him. She'd even kissed him in her dreams!

How had the horrid tyrant become such a precious person to her? Since her own country gave her up, did the freedoms of all the other kingdoms mean nothing to her now? Did the lives of those people not matter anymore?

Soren was right. She hated how often his words brutally hit the mark, but, once again, he was right.

If Soren didn't take over the continent, the Dragon Emperor soon would.

Was opposing him the only way to stop him?

"How could I ever?" she whimpered, tucking her head into her knees.

The Dragon Emperor had trapped her. Whether consciously or not, he'd created a thick leash that she couldn't break away from. Her feelings toward him weren't clear, but they were strong. They were so strong that in spite of all the tragic truth that she knew so well, she still wanted to be by his side.

But could she live with herself if she ignored the hideous things he was doing outside that quaint book-filled study? Could she truly forget the suffering he would, no doubt, inflict on the people she'd spent her life with?

The emperor had her in checkmate. No matter which move she made, she would regret it.

***

The next morning, or what Kel assumed to be morning, came slowly. Her sense of time had become completely warped in just a few days. It had only been a few days, right? Or had it been a whole week since she came to Subterra?

"Good morning, Princess."

Lila was still busy lighting candles.

"Good morning." Kel rubbed her eyes. She could already feel the imprint of dark circles beneath them.

"Would you.. like to talk about your visit with Soren now?" Lila asked hesitantly.

She'd already tried to bring up the same topic yesterday, but Kel was too out of sorts to answer any of her questions properly. Eventually, the woman had given up and started talking about other things. Apparently she'd misunderstood Kel's distractedness as reluctance to speak on the matter.

"Sure," Kel nodded. "There's not much to talk about."

Except for the fact that her entire world had pretty much been flipped upside down by the information Soren revealed.

But was that really something she could say to Lila?

"I was a little worried, to be honest,' Lila admitted. "Since you didn't return to your room last night."

"Oh.. right," Kel's cheeks reddened as memories of her dark past flooded back.

"Did anything happen?" Lila asked.

Her voice was relaxed, but Kel could see the uneasiness in her eyes. It looked like she truly was worried. It made sense, however, given what they both knew of Soren. If the situation were reversed, Kel would also probably be worried for the librarian spending the night in that madman's room.

"No," Kel shook her head. "We just discussed a few things. That's all."

"To continue talking through the entire night and into the next day!" Lila exclaimed. "You must be so worn out!"

"Actually, I-"

Kel stopped. Was she really about to tell Lila she slept in Soren's bed?!

Clearing her throat, she continued, "I actually am pretty tired."

It was the truth, in any case. Though she slept like a baby in another man's bed, she'd spent the entire night in her own bed fretting over the emperor.

"Well then, you should rest," Lila smiled. "I'll come back when you wake up."

After pointing out the tray of fresh snacks and cup of clean water she'd laid out on the table for Kel, Lila excused herself. Kel listened to the woman's soft footsteps fade away before flopping backward onto her pillow.

"Alright," she mumbled, snuggling into the blankets, "I'll sleep now, and when she comes back, I'll ask about the emperor."