’The resemblance is uncanny.’ Neveah’s wolf thought to her and Neveah nodded in agreement.

"It surely is... this must be Narx’s father whom he spoke so fondly of." Neveah said back to her wolf from where she stood a short distance from the portrait, her gaze moving down to the altar.

"Protector of the North..." Neveah read out the words engraved on the altar and it confirmed that this indeed was the very first protector of the North, the Lord of North’s End and Menarx’s father.

All Menarx had said of his father came back to Neveah’s mind.

Neveah lowered her head to a bow, holding her bow in reverence for a moment before she lifted her gaze.

"I am Neveah, we have not been formally introduced... this is not how I planned our first meeting would be..." Neveah murmured with an awkward chuckle.

Neveah knew it was silly, but staring at the altar of Menarx’s father, she suddenly felt the need to explain her presence here.

"Narx spoke a lot about you...so much that I became curious too. Who would think I would stumble into this hall while awaiting punishment? This is rather embarrassing." Neveah continued with a sigh.

There was a lot that burdened Neveah’s heart heavily, things she could not say to anyone yet at this moment, she just felt the need to say something... anything. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"I am to be your son’s rider, yet I feel I do not do a very good job of it. It has been a few days and Narx was harmed... I also have not made the best impression here in the academy." Neveah murmured beneath her breath as she lowered herself to a seat on the polished wooden floor.

Neveah had hoped not to taint Menarx’s name, but she had ended up doing the exact opposite.

And what was worse, Neveah did not even feel remorseful because she knew if time was to wind back to an hour ago, she would still do the exact same thing she had.

She would still make it clear to everyone that she was not a force they could trifle with as they pleased...not some master and certainly not the dragon king.

"This is just who I am...who I’ve chosen to be. I have been silenced all my life... I cannot live that way anymore."

"Everyone expects me to fit into some narrative they have created in their mind... and there was a time when I did. The reserved, docile princess of the Eclipse Domain." Neveah said, a mirthless chuckle escaping her.

"Acting a personality that could never be me on my father’s orders while awaiting the day he found a satisfying enough offer to sell me off... which he did, because here I am..."

"Calling a woman who would sooner see me dead as mother...A woman who took every opportunity to feed me some kind of deadly poison, so much so that I could never eat nor drink without fearing for my life..." Neveah shuddered visibly at the memory.

"And then there was my brother...who took pleasure in torturing me, delighting in each whip mark he left on my skin because in some sick way, it made him feel he had power over me..." Neveah trailed off.

’He was also my mate...is my mate, the man to whom fate had tied me in a shameful bond.’ Neveah finished in her mind, these were words she would never say out loud.

"My entire pack that saw me as a shame because their Alpha King could not restrain his urges and fathered a bastard child...me." Neveah sucked in a shaky breath,

She had never said these words to anyone since arriving Dragon Keep... she did not think she ever would.

"That was my life. A pathetic, distasteful existence it was, but that was my reality... for seventeen years."

"That is not what I want for myself, not anymore. I will not have my life decided for me, by fate or anyone. I will not be manipulated or subjected to the will of another.. I just won’t." Neveah said firmly.

"I have been through too much to risk going down the same path that lead to my doom."

"You know... maybe you are all right. Maybe I should give it up here, before it gets far enough for anyone to get hurt."

"I could just leave...with Menarx and Xenon both indisposed, there would be no one to stop me..." Neveah thought aloud, shaking her head slightly.

Neveah glanced up at the portrait, suddenly feeling like the gaze of Menarx’s father was accusing and so she quickly adjusted her words.

"Do not get me wrong, I do not take your son for granted... I could never. Instead I believe I value him too much and that is why I even have these thoughts... these doubts."

"Your son is precious...too precious that I do not feel deserving of him. Menarx has shown me a kindness and love I have never been privileged to have, I would that he have only the best... and I do not know if I am it..." Neveah sighed heavily.

"But even so, even knowing that, I still want to give this a chance. To me, Menarx is the embodiment of everything I have never had... trustworthy, reliable... and he sincerely cares for me."

"A person like that doesn’t come around much in a lifetime or even across lifetimes. I would know..."

"I am at a point in life where I know without a doubt that he is right for me... that he can save me... and by the Creator, I do need saving... I do.. " Neveah trailed off at this point, glancing down at her hands as she blink back tears.

"Narx believes he needs me in his life, but it is the other way around. I am the one who needs him... would you let me keep this happiness?"

"I will cherish him for the rest of my life, I swear it. I am willing to do as Elina says...to give my life for him if it is required of me."

"So please...let me have it easy, for once in my life... I just..." Neveah sighed quietly, but said nothing more.

And it was at that moment someone cleared their throat behind her...