It took a good hour before the Winter court was finally settled enough for people to start to disperse, and Etani smiled tiredly as the millionth, or so it felt, courtier bowed to her and pledged his allegiance to her, vowing to defend her unto his dying breath. She thought it was rather unnecessary for him to do so, but she thanked him, and he fled the room, his face red and looking like he was going to burst into hysterical tears.
She was worn out, but at least her throne seemed to read her thoughts, for it had changed to form a soft cushion under her after she had silently sighed at the hardness of the ice that had made her backside numb. Only once she had met with everyone there did she finally feel the hold of the throne loosening its grip on her and she stood, her body aching at the pain of sitting so long.
Those remaining in the hall bowed or curtsied to her and she swept from the throne room, waiting until she was clear of any courtiers before she doubled over and groaned, stretching out her legs and flexing the cramping muscles.
"I like it when a woman bends over like that," a familiar voice said, and Etani straightened up sharply, her eyes going to Drizdan as he sauntered forward. Her breath caught in her throat as he smiled at her, his dark eyes dragging down her form before sliding back up.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed, and his brows lifted in amusement.
"My darling Etani, I'm the king. I belong here," he said as he came to a slow stop before her.
"You aren't the king; you're Drow, Spring," she hissed, not understanding how he could be there.
"I was, but I defected, and Megara accepted me into Winter."
He slunk closer to her and his long fingers caught a tendril of hair that had fallen free of her braid. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled slowly, so close she could have ripped his throat out with her teeth, but her fear of him had her frozen, fighting silently with her body.
"You get even more beautiful with every day," he breathed, giving the tendril of her hair a gentle tug before his fingers trailed along her jaw and he lifted her chin. She thought for one terrifying second that he was about to kiss her, but something caught his attention and he glanced to the side, still leaning in close.
"Daemon, what a pleasure to see you again," the Drow lied, and his fingers twisted, going from Etani's chin to curl lightly around her throat.
"What are you doing here, Drow scum?" Daemon snarled, stalking closer, with Dirdos coming around the corner. He took in the situation in an instant and his eyes narrowed, able to smell her fear more than see it in her carefully masked face.
"I'm here to see my wife," the Drow said, delighting in the spasm of fury that crossed the demon's face.
"Wife?" Dirdos asked, looking from her to him and back again.
"Who's the giant?" Drizdan spat.
Etani finally managed to tear her eyes off the side of his face, her eyes finding Dirdos',and she screamed silently for him to rescue her.
His nostrils flared and steam escaped with his exhaled breath as though her scream had reached him, though perhaps he could simply see it in her eyes.
"Dirdos the Great. He's a dragon," Daemon said. "Dirdos, this is Drizdan. Drizdan was given Etani in exchange for returning her to Winter, and Tatialia forced her into marriage. That was after he had already beaten and abused her countless times, and he was ordered to cut the child out of her womb."
She knew Daemon's words were meant to sound harsh and to get Dirdos fired up, but that didn't stop them from stabbing into Etani's heart. Even as Dirdos' fury bloomed like a rose, her eyes dropped.
Drizdan seemed amused by the description however and his fingers tightened around her throat, pulling her against him. She moved obediently, knowing it was easier to obey him than endure the suffering if she refused.
"Take your hands off her before I take them off your body," Dirdos said in a low growl that had Drizdan laughing softly.
"You're going to attack the king of Winter?" Drizdan demanded. His head turned to her, his long tongue dragging up from her jaw to her eyebrow.
She shuddered, but she knew it had been intended for Daemon and Dirdos, antagonising them.
Dirdos' eyes lit up into flame and he stepped forward, but Daemon lifted his arm to stop the giant dragon.
"Call yourself that all you want, Drizdan, but the king has no magic of Winter," the demon growled, but Drizdan only shrugged.
"I don't need magic when I own the queen," he said, and Daemon's brows lifted, his arm dropping and giving Dirdos silent permission to approach.
Drizdan was far from being a stupid man, and he knew he was outmatched against the dragon.
"Don't worry, my darling, I'll be back for you sooner than you realise. A little birdy told me about the special gift you hold between your legs," he hissed in her ear. "You and I will rule this world and create a million more, just as soon as I am ready to take back what's mine."
He bit hard on her earlobe, his sharp canine piercing the flesh, then released her and shoved her into Dirdos' arms. In the next second, he was gone into a cloud of black mist that she had never seen before.
Dirdos caught Etani and looked down at her, giving up his chance to go after Drizdan in favour of ensuring she was all right.
She was fine, though shaken, and when he asked her why she was so afraid of him, she could only shake her head and move away from the two of them in the direction of the royal suites. Accepting the guide of a young guard, she ignored the whispers of the men behind her. She assumed that Daemon was filling Dirdos in on her past with Drizdan, but she didn't want to have to listen.
Thanking the guard, he bowed deeply to her and eyed the two who followed after her, his eyes going wide and then sly as first Dirdos touched her cheek and then Daemon glared at the taller man, glared at her, and then stalked into the room after the dragon.
Sighing at what she could only assume what would be sordid rumours about her, a lust demon and a dragon, Etani swept in after them and pulled the door shut behind her.
"You need to kill that Drow," Dirdos was saying, glaring down at Daemon.
"You kill him if you care so much," Daemon snapped back.
She stopped, looking between the two of them. "Cut it out, you two."
Daemon turned on her and stalked forward, his face furious."You are never to pull this again, Etani," he snarled.
Etani's eyes narrowed on him, anger flaring up that he would dare to tell her what to do. "You are not in any position to tell me what to do, Daemon."
"I can't protect you if you run off with your latest boyfriend!" he yelled.
Daemon's head whipped to the side as she slapped him with brutal force across the face, his head turning back to her slowly. He had gone from angry to homicidal in a second, but she refused to back down from him. Dirdos was grinning hugely in appreciation of her slapping Daemon, clearly still sour about his interrupting their night of pleasure.
"Do not speak to me like that again, Daemon," she whispered.
His jaw clenched, forcing himself to be still. "I will not allow you to throw yourself away to the men who flock to you," he growled softly.
"That is not your choice to make. My body is not yours to control."
"You are my creation. You exist only because I made you exist."
He caught her wrist before she could strike him again, and she hissed as he jerked her arm up behind her back, pulling her against him and his head bowed to whisper at her ear.
"I will not see you fucked by another man, Etani. I will not allow it."
"I will do what I wish with my body," she breathed.
His fingers tightened on her wrist, yanking up so hard she was forced to her knees before him, his eyes glowing gold and smile dark as he looked down at her.
"Do not think for a second that I will not keep you locked away, little Goddess," he said, looking around as Dirdos started forward. "Come any closer and I break her arm."
Dirdos froze, his teeth bared as he looked down at her, not wanting her to be hurt but knowing she would heal from it.
"You are my creation, Etani: your body, your soul, and everything that makes you. You belong to me. Tell yourself whatever it is that makes you happy, but I will not allow my creation to be defiled by a lesser being again. I will not allow a Dragon King to have you."
Tears had filled her eyes, and she tried to breathe through the pain, her bones aflame as they ground together.
"It's my body!" she gasped, and screamed as he jerked up and the bones snapped. She collapsed to the ground, clutching her arm and looking up at him, his face furious.
"The only man who will touch you in the future will be me. If I find out any other touches you, I will kill them," he said, and his eyes turned on Dirdos who lifted his chin in defiance.
"If she wants it, I will not refuse her," the dragon said, unrepentant.
Dirdos extended his hand to her, and she took it, pulling herself up and screaming again as he pressed her arm back into place and held it in position while her body mended it.
"What has gotten into you?" she whimpered, Daemon glaring at her furiously.
"You cannot run off like that. I don't care how angry you are," he said.
She shook her head, leaning into Dirdos as he held onto her, his heat warming her.