Chapter 4 Behind the Royal Mask

Valen: POV

I maintained my princely composure until I was well away from the restaurant, nodding graciously to the guards who bowed as I passed. Only when I rounded the corner into a secluded alley did I allow my practiced smile to fade, the effort of maintaining that perfect facade for hours leaving me utterly drained.

"Finally," I muttered under my breath, rolling my shoulders to release the tension. Playing the devoted suitor was exhausting work, especially when every instinct screamed at me to simply take what I wanted.

The messenger, Ember, materialized from the shadows as planned, falling into step beside me.

"Perfect timing with the 'urgent border matter,'" I told him, slipping a gold coin into his palm. "Though I could have used the interruption an hour earlier."

"Thank you, Your Grace." Ember bowed slightly. "How did the princess respond to your... courtship?"

I laughed, but there was no warmth in it. "She's more perceptive than anticipated. I caught her watching me, noting my momentary lapses. She suspects something, though she can't put her finger on what."

We walked through the busy market, my royal guard clearing a path without drawing unwanted attention. The familiar hunger stirred in my veins—a side effect of suppressing my true nature for so long. My fire element wasn't like other dragons'. Where theirs created and warmed, mine consumed and drained.

The sensation was like a burning thirst, not painful yet, but insistent. Self-control around someone as... tempting... as the Star Crystal princess had cost me more energy than expected.

"Leave me," I commanded Ember. "I have personal business to attend to."

Once alone, I moved purposefully through the market, my senses heightened and tuned to detect the elemental signatures of those around me. I needed someone with strong elemental power, preferably water element—it provided the most satisfying restoration.

There—a young water dragoness with flowing blue-green hair, tending a flower stall with natural grace. I observed her from a distance, noting how she used minor water manipulation to keep her blooms fresh. Not exceptional power, but sufficient for my needs.

I approached her stall, allowing my royal aura to manifest subtly—just enough to dazzle without overwhelming. Her eyes widened as she sensed my presence, then widened further when she recognized my face.

"Prince Valen," she gasped, immediately lowering her eyes in respect.

"What's your name?" I asked, making my voice warm and inviting—the same carefully modulated tone I'd perfected with Princess Lyra.

"Mira, Your Grace," she answered, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"These flowers are exquisite," I said, touching one with a fingertip and letting a small flame dance across the petals without burning them. "Almost as beautiful as their keeper."

Her blush deepened. So predictable. Low-born dragons were always easily flattered by royal attention, their natural defenses crumbling at the first sign of interest from nobility.

I examined her stall more carefully, then frowned with calculated concern. "I'm searching for something very specific—a rare ice lotus for Princess Lyra of Star Crystal Territory. Something that blooms only in deep mountain springs. You wouldn't know where I might find such a treasure?"

Mira's eyes lit up with eager helpfulness. "Oh! Yes, Your Grace. There's a specialized greenhouse behind the eastern market square where Master Chen cultivates the rarest water plants. I know him personally—I could show you the way? It's quite hidden, and outsiders often get lost."

"That would be most helpful," I said, selecting a crystal flower from her stall and paying generously. "Lead the way."

She quickly arranged for a neighbor to watch her stall, then guided me through winding back streets toward the eastern district. Perfect—exactly the kind of isolated route I needed for what came next.

"The greenhouse is just through this courtyard," she said, leading me into a secluded area surrounded by high stone walls. "Master Chen keeps his most precious specimens in the back chambers."

I looked around the empty courtyard and smiled. No witnesses, high walls for privacy, and multiple chambers where sounds wouldn't carry to the busy streets beyond.

"Actually," I said, my voice dropping its warm facade, "I think this location will serve my purposes perfectly."

Mira turned, confusion flickering across her face as she registered the change in my tone. "Your Grace? The greenhouse is just—"

I released a pulse of my royal aura, heavy and oppressive, designed to cloud her thoughts and make her more... compliant. Her eyes grew glassy as the mental pressure took hold.

"You've been very helpful, Mira," I said, dark red flames beginning to dance across my palms. "Do you know what an honor this is? To provide energy for the prince of Emberscale Domain?"

"I... I don't understand," she whispered, swaying slightly as my aura pressed against her mind.

"The dragon flame ritual," I explained almost gently, as if discussing the weather. "Ancient magic passed down through my bloodline. Don't worry—it won't kill you. Most even find it... pleasurable."

The flames spread from my hands to hers as I grasped her shoulders, creating the connection I needed. Immediately, I felt her water element responding to my call, drawn like metal to a magnet. Her elemental energy began flowing into me through the bond, and her resistance crumbled as the euphoric effects took hold.

"That's it," I murmured as her eyes grew distant and dreamy. "Just let it happen."

The dragon flame ritual was designed to be seductive, flooding the victim's mind with blissful sensations while I drained their power. She would remember this as a pleasant dream, if she remembered it clearly at all.

I guided her deeper into the courtyard, to a secluded alcove where we wouldn't be disturbed. The energy transfer intensified as I pressed her against the stone wall, my flames wrapping around us both like a cocoon. Her soft moans of pleasure mixed with my own satisfaction as pure elemental power flowed into my depleted reserves.

"Serve your prince," I commanded softly, and she obeyed without question, lost in the ritual's intoxicating effects.

The process took nearly an hour. By the end, her water element reserves were severely depleted, leaving her pale and weak but alive. She would recover in a few days, though she'd feel drained and confused until then.

I straightened my clothing and checked my appearance in a small mirror, ensuring I looked perfectly presentable. The ritual had restored me completely—my fire element surged strong and satisfied, my skin glowing with borrowed power.

I left several gold coins beside the semi-conscious dragoness. "For your service," I said coldly, though I knew she was too far gone to understand. "And remember—no one would believe a common market seller over the prince of Emberscale."

As I prepared to leave, my thoughts turned to the real prize waiting back at the Star Crystal palace. Princess Lyra's rumored star element would provide power beyond anything this common dragoness could offer. Not just temporary restoration, but permanent enhancement of my abilities.

Lord Cassius had been very specific about what he needed from this alliance. The marriage was just the beginning—a way to get close enough to claim her power for our greater purpose. The Void threats were real, but they were also an opportunity. In the chaos that was coming, those with the strongest elemental abilities would rule what remained.

I made my way back through the market, once again the picture of royal grace and dignity. Soon I would resume my courtship of the Star Crystal princess. She was suspicious, yes, but not yet convinced of any wrongdoing. A few more perfect performances, and she would be mine.

The thought of claiming that pure star element for myself—for our cause—sent a thrill through me that had nothing to do with physical desire. Princess Lyra had no idea what she truly was, or what power flowed through her veins.

I smiled as I walked, already planning my next move. The dragon flame ritual would work on her too, eventually. But first, I needed her to trust me completely. To lower every defense and welcome me into her heart.

Only then would I show her what the prince of Emberscale truly was.