The Dragon King's Heart

Cordelia arrived at Everfree in the dead of night. Despite the werewolf knight's warnings, Cordelia charged into King Kragen's chambers unannounced. The sick scent of musk overwhelmed her senses at once.

Seeing that she had barged into the room, Kragen was not bothered by it at all, unlike the two women whom he was sleeping with.

"Ah, would you care to join us, Cordelia? We're having such fun," Kragen teased.

The two women were terrified of the witch, they were cowering in fear as they used the blanket to cover their naked forms. Cordelia did not even give them a glance. She simply looked to the werewolf King with narrowed eyes as she folded her arms.

"Would you like me to wait for you to finish? Before I inform you how the plan has gone to shit while you were fooling around?" she mocked.

Kragen chuckled. He can't believe the witch had the audacity to speak to him in this manner. Without the facts to back it up, what does she know? But, he liked how feisty she was, unlike the other women who cower in fear when they speak to him.

"Oh how kind of you. Well, if you like to stand and watch, I won't stop you. Ladies, shall we continue the fun we're having?"

Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows as she rubbed her temples. She was already regretting her decision to aid King Kragen in this. She was better off doing things herself. But now that she was in so deep, she cannot do her own thing.

Or could she?

Not wanting to waste any more time than she already did, Cordelia cleared her throat and said, "Well if word got out that your ma-"

"Both of you, get out, now!" Kragen roared, cutting Cordelia off before she could finish her sentence.

The two women, poor souls who suffered under his wrath, quickly got out of bed. They picked up their clothing hastily and left the room. The guard at the door closed the door as soon as they left, leaving Kragen and Cordelia alone.

Kragen got out of bed and walked up to Cordelia.

"Have some dignity for goodness sake and put on a pair of pants," Cordelia snapped at Kragen before walking over to the sofa to take a seat.

She knew she would get his full attention the moment he revealed the slightest bit of information she had about his mate, his greatest shame. Cordelia could never quite understand what was so horrible about it.

But in a wolf-eat-wolf world, perhaps having a supposedly weak mate is a shameful thing. But who was to say the girl was completely useless? She could turn out to be useful. Kragen put his pants back on begrudgingly, before taking a seat on the sofa.

His night of fun had been interrupted by the witch. At the very least he should have a drink so he poured himself one. He downed it all in one gulp before pouring himself another.

"She's still alive," Cordelia declared as she glanced over to Kragen.

She looked deep into his eyes. She sensed a shift in his emotions, but he did not react how she had anticipated.

"So what if she is," Kragen replied as he leaned back in his seat, liquor glass in his hand, "She's nowhere near and she won't be able to interfere."

Cordelia was amused, it seems like Kragen was still unaware. She was going to savor every moment of this. She leaned in closer to the Werewolf King.

"Where do you think she is right now?"

"In the dungeon beneath the castle. Out of sight and out of mind," he swiftly replied without skipping a beat.

There was no need for him to hide the information, or so he thought. Cordelia grinned as she snatched the glass out of Kragen's hand and took a sip of the liquor without his permission. She did not take her eyes off him as she did so.

When she was finished, she put the glass down and poured another.

"Are you sure?" she asked again as she handed the glass back to him.

Cordelia's question made Kragen suspicious. A cold chill ran down his spine. The stern look on his face was morphing into uncertainty with a glimmer of fear. This was what Cordelia had been waiting to see.

She leaned back in her seat as she casually explained, "Well you see, I was in Kinshearth a while ago, and would you like to take a guess as to who I saw?"

Kragen's expression continued to shift and change as he finally met Cordelia's gaze as she continued, "I saw a certain someone named Victoria. Does that ring a bell, your Majesty?"

The emotions that swirled in Kragen's eyes, Cordelia grinned as she looked into his eyes. Kragen had trouble accepting what Cordelia had just informed him of.

He shook his head, in denial, "No, that cannot be. That's not possible."

He got up from his seat and paced around the room while shaking his head, "No, it's not possible. Even if she did escape, how could she have gotten to Kinshearth?"

"Unless," it dawned on him.

He had been fooled by the Crown Princess of Kinshearth. But how did she know so much? What gave it all away? If Princess Laina had indeed sent someone to get Victoria to Kinshearth, could she also have something to do with the failed assassination attempt on the Moon Goddess?

Seeing how flustered the Werewolf King had become in a matter of seconds, Cordelia could not help but laugh. Her laughter drew Kragen's attention and his rage. He gritted his teeth in anger as the witch's laughter sounded like mockery to him.

He was not entirely wrong.

Kragen reached for Cordelia, holding her by the neck. Cordelia was lifted off the air and choked. She gasped for air as she hit Kragen's arm.

"What… what do you think you're doing! Put… me… down!" Cordelia struggled as she tried to escape from Kragen's hold.

But it was useless. He tightened his grip as she continued to struggle. He was exerting so much force, he could have easily snapped off her neck. Cordelia's windpipe was crushed, her lungs could not take in enough oxygen.

Soon, she tired herself out.

Her arms grew limp.

Her eyes rolled back and her head tilted to the side.

<continuing Writing Prompt #7 - A sudden crash in the kitchen>

She crouched down and held out her hand to the creature.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," she whispered in a calm tone of voice.

The creature seemed to understand her. After a moment of hesitation, it sniffed Lisette's hand. Once it was certain she was not an enemy, the creature rubbed its cheeks against her hand.

She could see the soft black fur coat of the creature, confirming her suspicions on what it was.

"Aren't you a little cutie? Would you like something to drink or eat?" Lisette asked as she gently tickled the chin of the creature.

The creature meowed in reply.

Lisette reached out both hands and picked up the creature into her arms. It was a beautiful little shadow cat, with fur as black as charcoal. Shadow cats preferred to stay in dimly lit places.

They also had the ability to hide in shadows.

As she carried the shadow cat in her arms, she stroked its back as she walked over to the refrigerator. She took out a glass bottle of milk and placed it down on the countertop. While still holding the shadow cat in one hand, she walked over to the cabinet and took out a shallow dish.

Lisette poured some milk into the shallow dish. The shadow cat leaped out of her arms and began to drink the milk. As it did, she admired its shiny black fur.

"Would you like to accompany me, little one?"

The intuitive shadow cat turned to look at Lisette. Its bright yellow eyes glistened under the warm lights of the kitchen. It meowed in response.

"Meow once for yes, twice for no," she explained with a grin.

It meowed once and leaned forward to lick Lisette on the nose. She was smitten by this random visitor to her cottage. After the shadow cat finishes the milk, she picks it up in her arms and walked back into the living room.

As she stroked its back, it began to let out a guttural purr.

"Now that you've had your fill, you're going to sleep? What a lazy little bum, aren't you?" She teased it as she gently tapped on the tip of its nose.

As she sat back down, Lisette leaned back in her chair.

"I think we need to name you, let's see what sticks," she declared as she looked over to the book she was reading.

She leaned her head back as she went through multiple name choices for the little shadow cat. But everything she had in her mind sounded so cliche. Was there really nothing else that would work?

The shadow cat had curled up in her arms, it was sound asleep. As she looked on with a smile upon her face, the perfect name came to her mind.

"I'm going to name you, Meredith."