The Dragon's Shield

Lynaria secretly entered the dragon world, following the path left by Kaelron. Upon her arrival at the kingdom, she was immediately stopped by the guards, as no human was allowed to enter their world. Lynaria fought back and was brought before the king, suspected of being a spy. Kaelron was shocked to see her in the dragon kingdom.

"I followed you on purpose," Lynaria said honestly.

"What do you want, really?" Kaelron asked, curious.

"I want to repay your kindness. You can make me your servant, or whatever you wish, as long as I can repay my debt to you," she explained firmly.

Kaelron thought for a moment and decided to make her his personal servant.

"Very well. Since you're in a dangerous place for your kind, I will make you my personal servant," Kaelron said, explaining her role in the palace. Lynaria was then freed and taken to the royal residence.

After being freed, Lynaria followed Kaelron through a long corridor adorned with dragon carvings, past soldiers in armor. They climbed a long staircase, stopping at a closed room. Kaelron opened the door and invited Lynaria inside.

"You'll stay here with me from now on, and you are not to leave without my permission," Kaelron explained once they reached his private chamber.

Curious, Lynaria asked, "Who are you, really?"

"I'm nobody. Just call me Kaelron," he replied, not revealing his true status.

"Alright, you can call me Lynaria," she responded boldly.

After their brief introduction, they parted ways. Kaelron left, and Lynaria entered the room to rest. The next day, her duties as a servant began.

At dawn, a poorly dressed woman gave Lynaria her new uniform—old, but still wearable. After changing, she was escorted by guards to meet the king. They arrived at a grand hall with a throne at the far end. Lynaria recognized the man seated there and realized who Kaelron truly was.

When Lynaria entered, all eyes were on her. The guards ordered her to kneel before Kaelron, and she obeyed. But Kaelron, enraged, threw a knife, killing the two guards. Everyone in the room was stunned by the king's sudden outburst.

"Stand by my side," Kaelron ordered in a deep voice.

Lynaria quickly rose and stood beside the throne, remaining there all day while Kaelron dealt with royal duties. Afterward, he dismissed her back to her quarters.

On her way back, Lynaria overheard the palace staff gossiping.

"I've never seen the king this harsh before."

"Maybe she's more than just his servant."

"She's incredibly beautiful; I can't stop thinking about her face."

"Be careful, if she's more than just a servant, you could lose your life for such words."

Ignoring their whispers, Lynaria returned to her room, uneasy about Kaelron's arrogance. That night, he ordered her to sleep in his bed. When she hesitated, Kaelron grew angry, pulling her onto the bed. He slept peacefully on one side while Lynaria remained tense on the other.

The next day, Kaelron sent Lynaria to collect medicinal herbs in the forest. While gathering the herbs, a masked figure attacked her. Though the assailant was weak, Lynaria quickly overpowered her. When she removed the mask, she found a beautiful girl. Before Lynaria could question her, the girl threw dirt in her eyes and ran off.

"Who was that? She wasn't human. Why did she attack me?" Lynaria wondered, brushing off the encounter to complete her task.

Returning to the palace late, Lynaria faced Kaelron's fury.

"Why are you so late? What if something happened? Could you handle the consequences of your delay?" Kaelron scolded.

Lynaria apologized, promising not to repeat her mistake. But Kaelron, angered, ordered, "Guards, whip her 100 times!"

The guards immediately bound her and began the punishment. When it was over, Lynaria lay unconscious, still tied up. A girl entered and mocked her.

"I was wrong; you're just a servant. The king doesn't even care for you, no matter how beautiful you are. How foolish to surrender yourself to such a cruel man," the girl sneered, her voice echoing in Lynaria's semi-conscious state.

The next day, Lynaria woke in the king's chambers, dressed in fresh clothes. Her wounds were treated, but she was still in pain.

"Don't move too much; your wounds aren't healed," a voice said as a man entered.

"Who are you?" Lynaria asked, curious.

"I'm Rivan, Kaelron's younger brother," he introduced himself, tall and handsome like Kaelron.

"Why are you here?" Lynaria asked, still wary.

"I'm here to take care of you," Rivan replied, offering her medicine.

Lynaria examined the medicine before drinking it, impressed with his caution. After ensuring she was taken care of, Rivan left and met with someone in secret.

"She's no ordinary human. We must be more careful," Rivan said to the person.