[Hecate's POV]
[A day before Archer's arrival]
Hecate sat in her room, engrossed in reading a spellbook, when a knock echoed on her door. "Come in," she called out.
Her maid, Eione, entered the room and bowed before speaking. "Princess, the Emperor has decided to wed the First Princess Acantha to the dragon upon his arrival in the city."
She gazed at the moon elf who had been by her side for years before responding, "He will not choose Acantha. He is not as they think. He will take what he desires."
Eione sighed at Hecate's words, nodding in acknowledgment. She then proceeded to pour some tea for Hecate as she continued her reading.
The following day, while in the midst of her meal, a guard rushed into the hall, delivering the news that the dragon had arrived and was en route to the palace.
Hecate's heart quickened at the announcement. The Emperor ordered the maids to prepare additional food and ensure the palace was immaculate.
The entire family rose from their seats and made their way to the throne hall, where they would receive their guests.
Acantha brimmed with excitement, having heard rumors of the dragon's exploits.
As they assembled in the hall, anticipation grew while they awaited the dragon and his companions to make their entrance.
After a five-minute wait, Gorgo, her father's advisor, swung open the grand doors, revealing his arrival.
Hecate's eyes widened as she beheld him, a rush of thoughts flooding her mind. 'The same white hair. The same violet eyes and a captivating smile.'
The two little girls' images appeared in her mind, causing her to smile.
[Back to Archer]
Upon entering the throne room, Archer scanned the already assembled crowd and spotted the entirety of the imperial family.
Yet, amid the gathered individuals, his gaze fixated on her—the woman who had inhabited his dreams. A smile graced her lips as their eyes met.
Radiant and mesmerizing, she possessed flowing silver hair that cascaded around her, accompanied by the brilliance of her vivid red eyes. Her curvaceous form was on display, making a striking impression.
Instantly captivated, Archer's attention was unmistakably drawn to her.
The girls accompanying him noticed his reaction, leading to shared giggles, though Nefertiti's response was a disapproving hmph followed by a playful poke.
Caught off guard, Archer emitted a quiet yelp before regaining his composure.
He dismissed the unexpected distraction and continued his stride, approaching the man positioned at the center of the room.
This individual, with dark grey hair and eyes, seemed to hold a significant role.
Slightly shorter than Archer, the Emperor paused as the man who had ushered them in took the initiative to speak.
"Your Majesty, allow me to introduce Archer, the white dragon who came to the Empire's aid in its time of need."
With a respectful nod, Archer acknowledged the Emperor's presence. As introductions followed, he focused on the trio before him.
The Emperor spoke in turn, conveying his identity and that of his wives. "Greetings, young man. I am Emperor Menelaus Lunarides. Beside me is my first Empress, Gorgo Lunarides, my second wife, Philomena Lunarides, and lastly, my third wife, Damaris Lunarides."
Archer reciprocated the warm greetings with a smile directed at each woman. Gorgo, a statuesque figure, possessed raven-black hair and deep blue eyes.
Philomena exuded an alluring curvature, enhanced by her own dark blue hair and eyes. The final wife adorned herself with dark green hair and eyes, an enchanting contrast.
They all smiled at Archer, but his attention stayed on the silver-haired woman with red eyes, his true interest.
Menelaus continued with his introductions, motioning towards the princes and saying, "Allow me to introduce Nikos and Agesilaus, the first and second princes."
They responded with nods, but he could tell they didn't him, a fact that didn't trouble him in the least.
Archer acknowledged the introductions with a grin, then turned his attention to the girls as the man proceeded to introduce his daughters.
"Here are the lovely young ladies: Acantha, Chryseis, Hecate, and Lampito, the first, second, third, and fourth princesses." He said with a smile but ignored Hecate.
Archer proceeded to introduce each of the girls one by one, and their expressions amused him, prompting a chuckle.
The moon elf girls observed him intently, their appearances strikingly familiar. They bore a strong resemblance to their mothers, akin to duplicates.
To Archer, they seemed insignificant, resembling the Ashguard family and their treatment of him. Hecate evoked his sympathy, igniting a desire to liberate her from this environment.
However, Archer chose to address the situation. "I was informed you wished to meet with me. Let's keep this brief; I'm eager to resume my journey."
Menelaus regarded the straightforward young man, his lack of etiquette apparent. If not for him being a dragon, the Emperor might have dismissed him. But aligning the boy with his cause was important to him.
With a discreet throat-clearing, Menelaus initiated the conversation. "I understand you are engaged to a Solarian princess, who happens to be standing beside you."
Archer responded with a chuckle to Menelaus's words and nodded in acknowledgment.
The Emperor's discourse persisted. "The Lunarians are not ungrateful. As a token of our appreciation for aiding our empire, I propose an offering of 20,000 gold coins along with the hand of my first daughter, Acantha Lunarides."
Upon hearing the offer, Archer began to nod his head and replied, "Thank you for the coins. My Grandma used to say you can never have too many."
He proceeded to walk towards the princesses, who started to smile. The five girls behind him understood his intent and remained in place.
Archer walked past the first and second princesses, leaving them visibly confused. However, he soon came to a halt in front of a blushing Hecate.
In a gentle whisper, he asked, "Have you dreamt of those two little angels? They resemble you so much."
Her body quivered, a blend of nervousness and excitement coursing through her.
She managed to nod, a shy smile forming on her lips in response.
Turning his gaze to the moon elf woman, an enigmatic witch yet exuding innocence, Archer sensed the weight of mistreatment she had endured from others.
Guided by an unspoken connection, Archer's unexpected words left Hecate and the other princesses taken aback. "Hecate, I would rather marry you. Would you accept my proposal?"
Emperor Menelaus found himself struck into silence, his astonishment evident.
Among his wives, Gorgo and Philomena reacted similarly, while Damaris, Hecate's mother, wore a knowing smile.
Hecate nodded with a small smile. When Archer saw her answer, he turned to Menelaus and spoke, "I want Hecate."
The man looked at him, and as Acantha walked off, he shook his head and asked the boy, "Why do you want to marry a witch?"
Archer burst into laughter upon hearing Menelaus's question, but he soon calmed down and shrugged. "I love witches."
The Emperor didn't know how to respond and sighed before saying, "If that is your wish, I'll announce it to the empire right away."
He exited the room, followed by all his children except for Hecate and her maid, Eione.
The girls approached Archer, each one kissing his cheek before wondering what to do. Hecate stood awkwardly.
Archer turned to her after telling the other girls to head back to the domain so he could talk to Hecate. They accepted and bid her goodbye as they left.
Hecate didn't reply but continued to gaze at him. He walked up to her and got close. She didn't move as he leaned in and kissed her.
She quickly returned the kiss, and they separated not long after. Hecate spoke, her cheeks turning red, "So that's how it felt."
Archer raised an eyebrow, asking, "What do you mean?"
Her blush deepened, and she looked down while fiddling with her fingers. She mumbled, "I've been dreaming of you for a while now, and our life."
He smiled when he heard her and went to sit down on a bench, Hecate followed behind and asked. ''What took you so long to get here? I've been waiting.''
Archer chuckled and told her what they got up to on the way to Larissa, she listened to everything he said and soaked it in.
Eione watched this with wide eyes as she saw Hecate smile and chat along with the boy, as they were talking Menelaus returned but stopped walking as he looked around.
''Where are the other girls gone?'' He asked out loud.
''They have gone to do something. I teleported them out so don't worry Menelaus.'' Archer quickly replied.
He approached the two and spoke as he held out his hand. ''I've made the announcement, my guard is bringing your gold. I hope to have a long-lasting relationship with you Archer.''
Archer took it and nodded his head. ''Get in contact with the Solarian. I'm sure you both could conquer the west and unite Mediterra.''
When Menelaus heard this he smiled and spoke. ''Yes, that was the plan, hence the gold and marriage.''
The two went off to get to know each other better. That was when Hecate's mother approached her with a smile. ''I'm happy for you Hecate. You deserve to be happy.''
Hecate looked at her mother and smiled. ''Thank you, Damaris.''
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l