Bound To The Ice Dragon King-Chapter 197: She would betray him

Draven stood on the platform, where he patiently waited for his bride’s arrival. He was wearing a gray tailcoat suit, which was custom made for him to resemble the humans, as they were following the human wedding tradition. The suit hugged his tall and lean muscled torso, It emphasized his broad shoulders and narrowed waist, while his hair was tied behind his head.

The hall was already filled up with guests, Draven hadn’t expected for the guests to be this much, it almost seemed as if every single person in the Dragon realm had come to witness his wedding. Even the hall wasn’t enough to occupy all the dozens of people, some were standing outside by the huge windows.

However, Draven was anxious against his wishes. He was anxious not because he was getting married, but because his heart and mind kept going back to twenty years ago. Twenty years ago he had stood on the mountain watching his bride walk up to him only for her to stab his heart. Twenty years ago he had been a happy groom, but now his heart was filled with dread against his wishes.

He had looked forward to this day because he wanted so badly to marry Rhea, but right at this moment, his body and soul were working against him. The images of his bride stabbing his heart flashed to his mind, causing him to shudder involuntarily.

The trauma from the past seemed to revisit him with boundless amount of fear.

Back then he’d harboured a dream to have a life with the woman he chose and build a family with her, those dreams had been born from his loneliness and need to have someone in his life. He’d told himself he loved Alina deeply and would want to spend the rest of his life with her, but the truth was she had given him what he didn’t have, she had given him companionship.

This time his heart beat for Rhea...in a way that it never had for another woman before, not even Alina herself. His mind and soul longed for her...ached for her, more than just a desire to have the family he never had, this time he wanted Rhea, wanted every single moment of his life with her...hell the whole world could crumble but nothing else mattered as long as he had her by his side. As long as he could be bound to her forever.

However this moment felt so unreal, in Rhea he found more than what he’d lost, he’d found love, desire, appreciation... but what if the beauty of what they shared were to suddenly disappear on this special day he thought she’d finally become his?

Draven closed his eyes to take a deep breath before Zack, who he had asked to go and get Rhea returned with her, he didn’t want her to see the fear in his eyes. Even his hands were trembling slightly. His heart was beating so loudly he could hear the sound in his head. He muttered silent reassuring words to himself, reminding himself that he was marrying Rhea, and nothing could go wrong.

This time he was marrying Rhea, the girl he loved beyond anything, not the cold hearted woman who betrayed him twenty years ago.

While Draven had his eyes closed, attempting to regain composure, he suddenly heard a loud gasp of shock from the guests. This caused him to quickly open his eyes and freeze in astonishment as he saw his bride enter the hall, her arm linked with that of a fire controller’s. Right at that moment, he heard a voice in his head say; ’I told you, she is no different from that witch, she has brought your second enemy to stab you right in the heart!’

The voice didn’t stop there and continued to say, ’you shouldn’t have allowed yourself to ever love a human again, you shouldn’t have agreed to this wedding. Now you will be a laughing stock among your people when your bride ends up asking that man to stab you with his flame sword.’

Draven felt his entire body began to shake, he felt his breathing become strained with the feeling that clutched at his heart. Rhea was going to betray him just like Alina had done, she couldn’t do it herself so she called Azure here on their wedding day. She would break his heart again, she would...

"Draven," he suddenly heard her voice in his mind through their connection, he looked towards her and noticed the Dragons soldiers have surrounded her with Azure. They were preparing to attack, and she glanced up at him with pleading eyes.

"Please don’t let them hurt him, I asked him to give me away today. I will explain everything to you later, but please ask these men to let us through." He heard her say in his head.

The voice in Draven’s head spoke again, ’Don’t believe a word she says, she pretended to hate that man but now she asked him to give her away because she wanted to make an opportunity for him to stab you, you_’

"Let my bride pass through,"Draven commanded the soldiers and Princes who were blocking their paths. When he noticed they were only willing to allow Rhea to pass while planning to attack Azure, he spoke again, "Let him through as well."

Draven shut out the voices in his head. He trusted Rhea, she would never harm him. She would never. Even though he met King Henry’s disapproving gaze, he gave him a nod of assurance. Azure wouldn’t be able to harm anyone with so many people and soldiers around. Rhea had brought him here, she must have a valid reason for that, and he trusted her judgment.

As the soldiers moved apart and made way for Rhea and Azure to pass, Draven finally got a full view of his bride. He ignored Azure and the voices in his head and only focused his attention on Rhea as she walked down the path that led to him. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in that purple gown, that elegantly trailed behind her. Though she was wearing a purple veil that concealed her face, he could tell she was smiling.

Despite the involuntarily trembling in his hands and legs, Draven walked towards the edge of the platform and stretched out his hand to accept his bride from the man he had come to dislike so much he wanted to hit him.

Azure didn’t immediately let go of Rhea’s hand, he stared at Draven as if to see through him. Although Azure could tell that the soldiers were keeping an eye on his every movements, he wasn’t scared at all. If he wanted to teleport away with Rhea at this moment, no one would be able to stop him. If he followed what his heart wanted, he would take her away from this Dragon and force her to marry him instead, but he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

Azure took Rhea’s hand and said to Draven, "I hope you take care of her," that was all he said before placing her hand on Draven’s outstretched hand, then before everyone’s eyes, Azure disappeared.

Countless mumbling rang in the hall as the fire controller disappeared before their eyes.

Draven tightened his hold on Rhea’s hand as he saw the man disappear. He pulled Rhea up to the platform, but when he sensed her emotions, he asked, "Are you alright?"

Rhea quickly nodded and fought back the tears in her eyes, "I am fine." She threw out all the thoughts of Azure and focused her attention on her groom. "I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for long?" She asked to lighten the mood.

"No, you didn’t." He replied with the same light tone, then turned to the priest, who had just walked up to the platform, "Shall we begin the ceremony?"

The priest nodded, "Yes, please take your positions."

They both stood on the platform facing each other. And immediately, the murmuring in the hall died down into a complete silence. Rhea gazed up at Draven’s face through her veil and noticed a hint of doubt in his blue eyes. Although she didn’t understand why he wore such an expression, she had a sense that it had something to do with his past. His eyes appeared slightly unfocused as he looked down at her. The priest was speaking beside them, but Rhea could barely hear his words. She wanted to assure her groom that she was here to love him, not betray him.

Rhea reached out and took hold of Draven’s cold hands, clasping her fingers tightly around his large hands. Then, she communicated through their connection, "Draven, don’t be afraid. I am here because I love you wholeheartedly, and I will never hurt you." She used her thumb to gently caress the back of his hands, providing comfort.

"I’m not afraid. It’s just hard to believe that I’m marrying you," he honestly replied. "I was scared earlier when I saw you with Azure, but now I’m not." His gaze intensified, making her feel like she was the only person in the world to him. Though he didn’t express it verbally, Rhea could feel his love through his eyes.

The priest voice caught their attention and she felt his eyes leave hers. "The bride should bow three times to her groom."

Rhea released Draven’s hands and took a step back before bowing to him three times. As she completed the last bow, she remembered the time when she had been asked to bow to Draven during their wedding ceremony in the border town. She had initially refused until he used the rope around her hands to force her down. Rhea smiled at the memory and when she looked up at her groom, she noticed that he was also smiling, as if he recalled the moment.

The priest then announced, "May the groom take his marriage vows." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Draven gazed deeply at his bride with affection. They had come a long way since they first met, and if there was one thing he was proud of, it was having this young girl in his life. Without her, he couldn’t imagine how his life would have turned out. But he was also certain of one thing: now that she was in his life, he would never let her go. He would protect her with all of his being.

With a gentle expression and tone, Draven began to recite his vows, "I, Draven El-Dezeus, promise to hold and cherish you until the end of time. I vow to be a loyal and loving husband to only you, Rheanna." His voice echoed through the silent hall as he added, "If I ever break these vows, may the Heavens also turn against me."

Rhea felt tears welling up in her eyes once again, but this time, she didn’t hold them back and let them fall.

"Do you accept his vows, Miss?" The priest asked.

Rhea repeatedly nodded her head before she could manage to say, "Yes, I accept his vows." She accepted him with the whole of her heart.

"May the guests stand witness to this bond, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss your wife."

With his hands trembling slightly, Draven lifted her veil, and that was when he noticed the tears streaming down her face, causing the Kohl to smudge around her eyes. However, Draven still believed she was the most stunning bride in the entire world. Without any hesitation, he pressed his lips against hers in a tender yet assertive kiss. His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. In that kiss, he expressed his relief of being bound to her, his love for her, with a brief caress that contained the promise of much more. Then he pulled away.