Northern Realm Royal Dragons Shifter Boxset Bks 2-5 Read online

  Now she was pretty much back to where she had been a year ago, but with a huge black mark on her record. Men were far more likely to insult her to her face, implying that they would be stooping if they married her, despite her father being the most powerful human king on the continent. Perhaps Bridget should have complained to her father, but that was not who she was. Naturally, the suitors would be insulted when she ultimately turned them down, and she figured that was good enough for her pride. Bridget preferred to keep the peace as much as possible without putting herself into a precarious position. Had her father learned about the insults she had endured, he would have attacked the lands of the suitors who had dared to make the princess feel so unhappy. The problem with turning down so many powerful men was that there was the potential for them to band together. If this kept up, it was possible that the smaller kingdoms might be able to overthrow her father’s kingdom.

  And then her father had told her about a deal he and seven of the other kings had made with the mysterious kingdoms on the other side of the mountains. Not much was known about them, apart from the fact that they weren’t fully human. Not that it really mattered to Bridget. Her fear lay in the fact that so little was known about the prince and his people. What if she turned him down, and they decided to attack? Were they powerful enough to take out her father’s kingdom because of her decision? Then there was the question of children. Was it even possible to have children if he wasn’t human? Bridget knew that being a mother had always been an expectation, but it was something that she also wanted for herself.

  The princess had grown up with only one brother who was much older than herself, which had initially made her wary of children. But when her best friend had a child, Bridget found herself drawn to it. Five years later, the princess had insisted on having her ladies-in-waiting bring their children as often as they could. The enthusiasm and cheerfulness of toddlers and kids were so refreshing, particularly compared to the pressures of being an adult in the royal family. By the time Bridget was at an age to marry, she knew that she wanted a large family, if only to remind her of the wonders of the world. When she had gotten lucky enough to have a wonderful husband too, she had dared to believe that she might be happy. Now, she was facing the possibility of a union where children may not even be possible.

  When her father had told her about the deal with the kings of the strange kingdoms, Bridget had thought he was joking. Months had passed without word of any further inquiries into her hand, and the princess had all but forgotten about it. As far as she knew, the princes had decided on other humans. But her father had never given her a timeframe for when the marriages were to occur, and three days ago, word had arrived that one of the princes was interested in meeting her. Over the last five months, Bridget had turned down nearly two dozen suitors. Any apprehension she felt about meeting a prince who was of a different species had almost entirely faded in the face of what kind of miseries she could experience at the hands of her fellow humans. Almost.

  A figure in the doorway attracted her attention. Bridget’s eyes moved up and looked into those of one of her guards. He gave a slight bow, “He is waiting, Your Highness.”

  Bridget looked at Gracie, who immediately tried to hide the fact that she was biting her lip. With a smile, she patted her friend’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Gracie. It isn’t like he can be any worse than the last one. Right?”

  She had meant it to be funny, but Gracie looked like she was about to break out in tears. Throwing her arms around Bridget’s neck, she said, “Please be careful. We don’t know what he is capable of.”

  Pushing her friend gently, Bridget shook her head. “I feel certain that he is not going to make a scene here in our palace just because I’ve turned him down.”

  “I’m more concerned about what he will do if you accept him, Your Highness. What if he dupes you into marrying him? Or—”

  “That’s quite enough,” Bridget placed her hands on her hips. “If you think the worst, then you are certainly going to make it worse than it could be.” A tear trickled down Gracie’s face, causing the princess to feel bad. She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her friend’s cheeks. “At least if you think the worst, anything that does happen will look better in comparison.”

  This had the opposite effect on her friend. Instead of laughing, Gracie began to bawl as she turned and ran out of the room. Bridget sighed and stared after her friend. “Why does nothing ever go the way I want it to?”

  “Your Highness…” the soldier’s voice was hesitant.

  Turning to look, Bridget saw the soldier standing still, and beside him was a tall, intimidating man with strawberry-blond hair and a stern look on his face.

  Chapter 2

  What You Don’t Know

  The princess curtseyed. “My apologies for the scene. Gracie is somewhat temperamental, and I’m afraid she is a little apprehensive about my future.”

  The guard turned to the man standing beside him, and Bridget noticed the reddish-brown eyes of the intimidating figure who stood and looked at her. He was assessing her, but there was definitely a different thought process going on behind those eyes than in her previous suitors. It was only when he spoke that she realized she had been holding her breath.

  Giving a low bow, he said, “My apologies for not waiting. I suppose I was not meant to see that scene.” He stood up and looked her directly. “I am Prince Liam of the Golden Kingdom.”

  Mentally Bridget noted the kingdom’s name, one of the few facts that she did know about the realm of her suitor. Stepping forward to greet him, she forced a smile. “I don’t mind you seeing the interaction. My poor Gracie has been through a lot over the last half year, and I’m afraid that one more suitor is almost too much for her.”

  “One more?” The prince tilted his head as he offered her his arm.

  Bridget looked down and realized he expected her to take it. Feeling very self-conscious, she reached out and placed her hand on his. He pulled her a little closer, adjusting her grip so that their arms were fully touching. Her cheeks flushed as she felt the warmth of his body as they began to walk. If she had thought that he was going to be unaware of human customs, she had been wrong. Perhaps some actions were universal, she thought as she tried to will the color out of her cheeks. Then she realized that he may interpret her having done it wrong as either an insult or a lack of breeding. That did nothing to calm her heart or dim the color on her cheeks.

  “Would you like to go to the gardens?” Her voice was a little shaky as she fought through her emotions at the poor impression she must be making on him.

  “I would be delighted. Do you tend the gardens yourself?”

  Bridget noticed that for a person with such an imposing figure, the prince was soft-spoken. His voice was low and pleasant, though there was something in it that made her feel sad. Her eyes turned to look at him. “Unfortunately not. When I was young, I tried to, but the scolding I got from getting so dirty has lasted to this day. It is unfortunate, but at this point, I would probably just be in the way if I were to try to garden.”

  “You were not allowed to garden?” There was no emotion behind the question, just curiosity.

  “No. A princess has her place, and for my family that was not in the garden.” She gave him a little smile.

  He tilted his head again, and she felt that he was analyzing everything she said. “If you are still interested, you would be more than welcome to garden should you choose to marry me. There would be people to help you learn, so you would not need to feel you are in the way. There would also be plenty of places for you to start, so you would not need to feel that you are ruining anything either.” His lips turned up a little, showing her the hint of a smile.

  Bridget felt a smile begin to form on her own face. “You wouldn’t mind a wife who enjoys working in the dirt? Even if she was covered when you came home after a long day? It hardly seems like an appropriate sight.”

  There was no emotion on his face as he responded, �
�The glow of a happy woman is one of the most stunning sights in the world.”

  Bridget had no idea how to respond to that, and she looked away. The prince led her forward, and all she could manage was to keep step with him. After a few seconds of quiet, she couldn’t help but try to steal some looks at him. Kindness was not something she had come to expect from suitors, human or not.

  “Are you alright?” The blank expression gave way a little as the prince stopped walking and looked at her.

  Bridget shook her head, trying to figure out what was going on. “I’m fine. Just…”

  “Just want, princess?”

  “Oh, you can call me Bridget.” She looked up at him, and it began to dawn on her that she had failed to properly introduce herself. Pulling away, she flushed again. “Oh my…” She placed a hand on her chest, then went into a low curtsey. “I am so sorry, I did not properly introduce myself. What would father say?” She gave a self-deprecating grin, “I am Princess Bridget of the Caden Kingdom.”

  Prince Liam finally smiled. “It is quite alright. I know who you are.” He offered his arm again.

  Feeling even more self-conscious, Bridget threaded her own arm though his. Her mind lingered on the smile, which had almost completely transformed the prince’s face. He was handsome even with a serious look on his face, but the brief smile gave him a completely different appearance. For a moment, he seemed vulnerable. It was only when they strolled out into the gardens that she realized he had been leading. Turning to look at him, she asked, “How did you know how to get to the gardens?”

  “Mr. Fallington gave me a quick tour after my arrival. I’m afraid I was a little too eager, and have been here for several hours already.”

  Not sure what to make of this, Bridget unconsciously rubbed the back of her neck. “You were eager?”

  “Perhaps nervous is a better word for how I felt. Once I make up my mind, I prefer to move forward. Though it is admittedly a little more daunting for major decisions like marriage.”

  “So you are more of a man of action?” The words were no sooner out of her mouth than Bridget was regretting them.

  Liam gave her a look from the side of his eye. “There is plenty of time for inaction while you weigh the options, but once a decision is reached, it is just wasting time if you don’t act. At best, you will talk yourself out of acting. At worst, you will doom everyone you care about. I wouldn’t say that I am a person of action so much as a believer that time is too precious to waste.”

  It was almost like he was speaking to her own personal history, and for a moment, Jocobin’s face flashed through Bridget’s mind. It had already been nearly twice as long since his death as they had been married, and his face was starting to fade. It pricked at her heart, but Bridget tried to push down the emotions.

  “Did something I say disturb you again?”

  Bridget looked up at the prince, and for the first time, she really looked at his eyes. For a fraction of a second, she could only stare into the reddish-brown depths, and she couldn’t determine what to say. She had noticed the unique color when she had first seen him. There was an intensity to them that showed some of the emotions that were absent from his facial expression. They were a stark contrast to the deep brown of Jocobin’s eyes, something that she noticed as the image of one appeared to overlay the other. Then she realized she was just staring at the prince, and a look of concern was deepening on his face

  Trying to force a smile, she responded, “I was just thinking that you are quite right about acting once a decision is reached. The regrets you feel if you fail could last a lifetime.” Turning, she noticed they were about to enter the maze. Nodding toward it, she tried to change the subject. “Unless you have a good sense of direction, I would recommend a different route.”

  He looked ahead, his eyes taking in the tall shrubs forming the outer wall. Liam turned to look at her, “Do you not know the way through the maze?”

  Bridget laughed and shook her head. “Divines, no. I could get lost in a paper bag. Every time I have tried to go through the maze, I’ve just ended up crying until I was saved. The last time I tried, I believe I was nine years old, and my father made me promise not to go in again. Not without assistance. My sense of direction is abysmal.”

  The prince seemed to consider her. “Were you not curious to see what it was like?”

  “Of course I was curious.” Bridget looked at the imposing shrubs. “But my father and brother are far too busy to show me through it, and I don’t know many other people who could navigate it. The maze is quite large. A real masterwork by our gardeners.”

  “Are you still interested in finding out?”

  “My curiosity has never waned, but I have accepted that I will likely never have the experience. It is sad, but not regrettable.” She smiled at the prince, hoping that would alleviate any misgivings he may have about her. A part of Bridget was waiting for the insults to start; the hope always faded within the first half hour or so when the suitors were alone with her. But a part of her was beginning to hope that the signs she had seen so far were indications that this suitor was different in more ways than just his species. There were still guards close by, so it was likely that he was just trying to get her some place where he could speak more freely. Finding out the worst now would be better than continuing to get her hopes up. The problem was that going into the maze was not something she was interested in doing. The terror of that last time had been more than enough to prevent her from trying again, even without the promise to her father. She had cried for nearly two hours last time, before her brother had found her huddled in a corner of the maze. That was more than enough of a trauma to keep her out of it.

  The prince studied her for a moment, then his eyes traveled to the maze. When he looked at her askance, she couldn’t believe his offer. “It’s not something you have to accept.”

  When he began to walk toward the entrance, Bridget started shaking her head, even as her feet moved forward. “Oh no, no. It’s not just my terrible direction. This maze is the largest of all the kingdoms, and that is not something that is meant as a boast. It’s enormous.”

  Liam placed a hand over hers. “Don’t worry. I’ve never gotten lost, so it will be just a nice walk. That will allow us to talk without so many people listening in on the conversation.”

  Taking a deep breath, Bridget considered stopping. Perhaps it was a desire to see if he could actually manage to make good on such a claim. She knew that the odds of anyone making it through without knowledge of the right path was pretty much zero. The part of her that didn’t want to have to be saved again was not nearly as large as the part of her that was interested in seeing if the prince was actually capable of accomplishing what she would have considered impossible. More importantly, she wanted to find out if he was everything she expected of a prince once they were really alone.

  Pressing her lips together, she gave him a slight nod. Her curiosity was rewarded by a stunning smile. His white teeth were clear, and she noticed a dimple in his left check. Liam’s eyes seemed to sparkle in the morning light, making him look far more approachable than he had when they met. “Feeling a little adventurous. That’s a good sign. I promise to try to make it a little more interesting than a stroll.”

  “Those are some big words, but can you deliver?”

  His smile got a little wider as he led her into the maze.

  For the first few minutes as they walked through the maze, her heart was racing as the fears of all the previous attempts came rushing back to her. She noticed some of the art and a bench that she had seen on those previous attempts. Swallowing hard, Bridget worked to keep her fear contained.

  Pressure on her arm caused her to turn to Liam. His expression was blank, but his words were kind. “It’s alright. We are still very close to the entrance if you want to go back.” The prince spoke with such a soft tone that she quickly felt a little foolish.

  Laughing nervously, Bridget tried to bury her apprehension. “I am sti
ll interested in seeing if you can get me through this.”

  “Thank you for your confidence. I will not let you down.”

  They walked in silence for a while, and she began to feel a little more comfortable, which didn’t make much sense. They had long passed the parts she could recognize from her previous attempts by the time they started talking. True to what he had said, it was beginning to feel more like a stroll than a challenge.

  She had recomposed herself by the time he finally spoke. “Would it be alright if we talk while we are in here?”

  Again his voice caught her off guard, but it didn’t startle her. “Oh yes, you had said you wanted to talk without having guards.” A part of her was apprehensive because she had been taught where the conversation would go from that point.

  “Thank you. So, why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself?”

  Bridget blinked and looked at Liam to see if he was kidding. The prince’s expression was unreadable as she tried to figure out if it was in some way a trap. When he gave no sign one way or the other, Bridget decided to give some of the most obvious facts of her life. “I am the only daughter of my father, though I am not the heir, and couldn’t be even if my brother doesn’t have a child. This kingdom’s rule is through the male lineage. Not that you are likely to be after taking over a human realm.”

  “It would seem by your tone of voice, you have actually had suitors who were hoping to get a place in line for the throne of the most continent’s most powerful human kingdom.”

  Bridget nodded.

  “You are quite right about it not being part of my interest. I am not my father’s heir either, but that has not made me cast my eyes to the humans to become king.”

  “Oh,” Bridget stopped walking. “You aren’t the heir?”