Married To The Dragon Prince Against My Will-Chapter 283: EXPLAINING THINGS TO HER

In the grand dining hall, where heavy velvet drapes muffled the outside world and the long table stretched like a battlefield under flickering candlelight, Lumina sat alone. Her plate of venison and root vegetables steamed untouched before her. The poison still simmered low in her blood, but the real heat came from the ache in her chest—days without Ashen’s touch, nights without his voice in the dark. She lifted her fork mechanically, then froze.

A cluster of maids passed behind her, giggling softly, heads bent together. Lumina recognized them instantly: Breilla’s chosen girls, the ones who strutted like they owned the corridors now.

"How come you have no courtesy to greet as you walk by?" she called, voice calm but edged with steel.

The girls paused, turned slowly. Their smiles faded.

"Good day, my lady," one muttered, barely audible.

"Medicine after death," Aria snapped, striding forward from the shadowed doorway. "You wouldn’t have known what to do before she commented on it?"

One of the maids—bold, freckled—lifted her chin. "Well... she is your lady, so why should we—"

Aria’s hand flashed to her dagger. Steel hissed free, the blade hovering an inch from the girl’s throat.

Lumina raised a hand. "Enough. Let them be. I can see they’re mannerless—just like their lady."

Another maid scoffed under her breath.

Stella moved like lightning. Her palm cracked across the girl’s cheek—sharp, resounding.

"What is that?" Stella demanded, voice low and dangerous.

"Nothing you should be concerned about," the maid spat, rubbing her face. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Stella’s eyes narrowed. "It’s crazy the amount of confidence you have to disrespect the lady."

Aria stepped closer, dagger still drawn. "But she isn’t our lady. We’re only obliged to respect our lady."

Aria stared, incredulous. "How dare you? Even your lady is under my lady!"

The girl laughed—short, mocking. "The King acknowledged our lady. Even the prince. So why should we—"

Lumina stood abruptly. The chair scraped back. The hall went dead silent.

She moved toward them slowly, each step deliberate. The maids flinched, backing up until their shoulders hit the wall.

"I understand the King acknowledged her," Lumina said, voice soft, almost gentle. "But never assume my husband does. You see how I call him mine? Not even your lady can have his shirt."

The freckled one scoffed again. "Sorry for the disrespect, my lady, but... isn’t my lord the reason you hold this high position? Well... she is also our lord’s woman. They were together last night, so—"

Lumina froze. The words landed like a blade between ribs.

"What did you just say?"

Stella and Aria exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"Yeah," another maid pressed, emboldened. "The prince was with her last night. So she should be in the same position as you. She’s favored, so—"

Her voice cut off mid-sentence. The girl’s eyes bulged. She clawed at her throat, skin turning ashen, body convulsing as though invisible hands squeezed the life from her lungs.

"Let my girl go!" Breilla’s voice rang out. She rushed forward, shoving past the others.

Lumina’s gaze snapped to her. Breilla wore Ashen’s robe—his dark, embroidered robe—draped loosely over her shoulders. The scent hit Lumina like a physical blow: leather, smoke, him.

She released her hold. The maid collapsed, gasping, coughing.

Breilla knelt beside the girl, then rose, eyes blazing. "What is wrong with you? Why—"

Lumina barely heard her. All she could smell was Ashen on Breilla’s skin, in the folds of that robe.

"He was in your room last night?" Lumina asked, voice dangerously quiet. Her fists balled at her sides.

Breilla lifted her chin. "Yeah. I am his woman too. After all, he’s been with you all this while."

Lumina said nothing. She turned toward the doors.

Aria and Stella lunged forward, catching her arms as her knees buckled.

"My lady—" Aria began.

Breilla’s voice cut through again, mocking. "This robe belongs to him. He said he couldn’t control himself around you—it was hard to touch you. So he came to my room. I never forced him. And this morning... trust me, you don’t want to see the hickeys on his neck. Oh..." She paused, feigning sympathy. "You’re too blind to see them."

That was the last straw.

"Where is Ashen?" Lumina asked, voice flat.

"He’s busy. Went to the office this morning."

Lumina stormed past them. Aria and Stella ran after her.

"My lady, you don’t have to get mad—what if she’s lying?" Aria pleaded.

"I can smell his scent on her," Lumina said through clenched teeth. "That means she might be telling the truth."

She reached Ashen’s office just as the door opened. Several advisors filed out, bowing hastily as they passed. Ashen stood in the doorway, surprise flashing across his face.

"Lumina—"

She walked straight past him without a word.

"Let’s talk," she said, voice low, and stepped inside.

Ashen followed. The door shut. He turned the key in the lock.

The room smelled of ink, parchment, and him. Lumina stood rigid, back to him, staring at the desk where she’d once watched him work late into the night.

"What is the prob—"

Her palm cracked across his cheek—hard.

Before he could speak, another slap. Then another. Five in total, each one ringing in the silence.

Ashen stood motionless, taking them.

"Are you satisfied now?" he asked quietly.

She wasn’t. She grabbed the loose collar of his tunic, yanking it aside. There—dark bruises blooming along the side of his neck. Hickeys. Fresh.

"You were with her last night?"

Ashen exhaled. "I can explain. I—"

"You kissed her the other day, and now you finally had your way with her while I deprive you."

His hands came up, gentle on her shoulders. "I said I can—"

She shoved him back. "I said you are mine! Only mine!"

Her voice cracked. She turned away, shoulders shaking.

"Give me time to explain," he said.

"No. I don’t need it. Keep it. You disgust me. I hate you."

Ashen went still. The words hit harder than any slap.

"Have her all to yourself," she whispered. "I’ll be going back to my realm."

She turned for the door.

Ashen caught her wrist, spun her back, pulled her against his chest. His arms locked around her from behind.

"What is wrong with you?" he growled, voice rough with frustration and something deeper—fear.

"What is wrong with me is that I can’t share you with anyone. Not even if that person carries your wife title."

"Of course I’m yours. I didn’t cheat. I didn’t spend the night with her. She drugged me, but I didn’t let her do anything."

"Explain your robe on her this morning. Or the scent on both of you."

"She was seducing me while talking... trying to get me to stay. I was already drugged, dizzy please try to understand me before you get mad. I left the robe because I didn’t want it anymore. I walked out before she could do more." Ashen explained looking more than worried but the look ok his wife stills says that she didn’t believe him.

"Why did you go into her room in the first place?" She asked another question.

"She said she could get the medic for you. I followed hoping, bit it out she tricked me."

Lumina’s body stayed rigid. "I don’t trust you. I ha.."

He turned her in his arms and kissed her deep, fierce, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other splayed across her lower back, pressing her flush against him.

His mouth moved with desperate hunger, tongue sweeping past her lips, tasting the salt of her anger and unshed tears. He angled her head, deepening it further, teeth grazing her bottom lip just enough to sting, then soothing with slow, deliberate strokes.

She didn’t return it. Her hands stayed fisted at her sides, of course she was seriously mad, hearing those maids say it almost made her lose everything she had.

He broke away, breathing hard. "I left the robe because I don’t want anything from her. I went in for the medic—for you. That’s all."

"I don’t trust—"

He kissed her again—slower this time, coaxing, lips brushing hers in soft, insistent pulls until she gasped. He swallowed the sound, tongue tracing the seam of her mouth until she opened for him. One hand slid up her spine, fingers threading into her hair, tilting her head back so he could take more.

When he pulled back, her lips were swollen, breath ragged.

"More hate words from you," he murmured against her mouth, "and I’ll kiss you again. And if you don’t control your words right here, right now..." His voice dropped lower, rough with promise. "I’ll make you moan so loud the whole palace will know exactly who you belong to."

Lumina stared up at him—eyes blazing, chest heaving—but the fight in her flickered, caught between fury and the ache she couldn’t hide.

Ashen didn’t move. He waited.

Her hands finally unclenched. Slowly, trembling, they rose to fist in his tunic.

"Then prove it," she whispered. "Prove I’m the only one."