After days of learning about this world Solace was finally able to rest in his room.
As he lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, his hand reached for his mask. The time had come to finally remove it, to rest for the night. But just as he touched the edge of it, the door to his room creaked open.
Without looking, Solace knew exactly who it was. He could feel her presence before she even stepped inside. Princess Seraphine.
"Go on, don't mind me," she said with a smile, seeing him reaching for his mask.
She entered without hesitation, stepping softly across the floor in her elegant gown. As she settled into a chair across from him, the quiet tension in the room shifted.
Solace's lips twitched beneath the mask, a sign of his irritation. He lowered his hand slowly, leaving the mask firmly in place. His tone remained calm but direct as he asked, "So, what brings you to see me, especially at this time of night?"
Seraphine frowned, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. "Seriously, what's up with this mask? Are you ashamed of your face or something?"
Solace remained silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing behind the mask. Finally, he answered, his voice cool. "No," he said simply, before continuing, "Now, speak—tell me, what do you want?"
Seraphine scoffed, her irritation apparent. "Well, I think it would be pretty rude to leave you completely clueless." She crossed her arms, leaning back slightly in her chair. "This marriage, as I said before, is only for show. The real reason is to stop me from being married into the Fire Dragon Clan. The eldest prince claimed me as his after seeing me once, but his reputation isn't good at all."
Solace paused, his gaze now fixed on her with a newfound intensity. This was the first time he truly took the time to check her out. And though he'd seen her before, he couldn't deny that she was indeed a beauty—one that fit his personal taste perfectly.
He kept his eyes locked on her as he considered her words. "So basically, you want to use me as a scapegoat? That explains why I have a bounty on my head, huh?" Solace muttered, finally piecing things together. He then focused on her more intently. "The Dragons, how strong are they?"
The words hit her like a sharp sting. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, a bounty? Already?!" Seraphine exclaimed as she stood up, looking around in alarm.
Solace raised a hand, stopping her. "Aht, aht. Sit back down, missy," he said with an edge of amusement in his voice.
She hesitated for a moment, but then sat back down, her face a mixture of concern and frustration. "They are strong... Dragons are innately stronger than Humans," she said, her tone serious. "Not only that, but they are united even though they aren't physically together. If one Dragon Clan is at war, then all the Dragons are at war. So, for you to have a bounty placed by the Fire Dragons... you are in serious trouble."
Solace remained silent, his expression flat as he stared at her. "Isn't this your fucking fault?" he asked bluntly, shaking his head. "Why are you acting so serious now?"
Seraphine's eyes narrowed, her frustration giving way to something deeper. "This isn't just some trivial matter, Solace," she said, her voice low but firm. "The Fire Dragon Clan is one of the most powerful forces in the world. Dragon Lords are almost god-like. You can't just ignore a bounty placed by them. If they decide to come after you, even the royal family can't protect you."
Solace sat up in bed, looking at her blankly, the mask still obscuring his expression. He was growing tired of the games and the half-truths that were always thrown his way. "So, you're telling me that this whole marriage thing is just a damn distraction to put me in the limelight and take the heat with the Fire Dragons, huh?" His voice was cold, but there was an edge of disbelief there as well.
Seraphine met his gaze, her face unflinching despite his harsh words. "Yes, Solace. Yes, that's exactly it," she said, her voice steady, but with an undercurrent of frustration. "I'm not trying to be a part of your life, and I don't expect you to care about me or this marriage. But it's the only way I can keep the Fire Dragons from taking me. They're dangerous—they don't just go away. The last thing I need is to be bound to a man like him, a prince with a terrible reputation. He's not someone I can trust."
She paused, tension hanging thick between them as Solace took in her words. "You're just using me to save your own skin," Solace muttered under his breath. "And now I'm expected to clean up this mess?" He couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. The air was thick with silence, the tension from earlier still hanging heavy.
Then Solace spoke again, his voice more serious this time, though still filled with a hint of sarcasm. "Alright, let's just say that I go along with this. What's the plan, Princess? I'm going to be your decoy, your shield against the Fire Dragons. Do you think that'll just solve everything?"
Seraphine's expression softened for the first time since she entered the room. There was a hint of vulnerability in her eyes, a side of her that wasn't so cold or calculating. "I don't know if it'll solve everything," she said quietly. "But it's all I can do. It's all I have left."
Solace stared at her for a moment before speaking again, his voice calm but cold. "Well, I didn't sign up for any of this," he said, a wry smile forming beneath the mask. "But I guess I'll play the part." He leaned back in his bed, hands behind his head. "Just don't expect me to take the blame for it later."
Seraphine nodded, standing up from her chair and making her way toward the door. Before she left, she turned back to him, offering a last, meaningful glance.
"This isn't just for show, Solace," she said softly. "I may not show it, but this marriage... it's my last chance to keep them away. I need you."
The door closed behind her with a soft click, and Solace was left alone in his room once again, the weight of her words lingering in the air. He stared up at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts of dragons, bounties, and the growing political game he was caught up in.
"Well, this is turning out to be one hell of a mess," Solace muttered, his hand resting lightly on his mask. But the truth was, the more he heard, the more he realized—he was no longer just a pawn in the game. He had his own plans now.