Chapter 23
Sagan
The last thing I wanted to do was go on a date, especially in Thovudin when I was pretty much done with the whole nation… Which was saying a lot since I was the leader of it.
What Joris had said about wishing his life was different kept circling in my mind, but our situations were weren’t alike.
Were they?
“You look lovely,” Onyx said from my right.
“Thank you. You as well.” I’d said it reflexively, but he did. Onyx was an attractive man. I did a double take though when I saw he was wearing a deep red sweater. It matched the red streaks in his hair—the ones every rock dragon had… But it also matched my eyes.
“Andra,” he clarified when he caught on to where my mind was.
I nodded, noticing our sweaters were similar in style.
The male-female versions for sure. Mine was lower cut—but still on the conservative side—but the stitching and styles were meant to be a set.
It would have been too much for both to be red like matching couples weird on a first date, so I was glad mine was black.
His slacks were black and my skirt had red edging and designs but was mostly black too. So it was clear this was… We were meant to complement each other.
“She has a really good eye,” he muttered as he glanced between us.
“She does,” I agreed. “Her designs I saw on her social media and sketches are really nice. I appreciated the ones that weren’t my style when I normally think they’re too garish, so that was surprising.
But she had a lot that worked for me and made it clear she’d focus on what I wanted, not what she thought I needed. ”
His face fell. “I’m really sorry about that—”
“I didn’t even know about that,” I hurried to cut in.
“I wasn’t picking on you or—it wasn’t a dig.
” I cleared my throat, not sure what to say.
I glanced down at my outfit, hoping the pencil skirt just past my knees was nice enough.
It felt flattering, especially with the slight slit.
The shoes were open toe but not too much.
Everything seemed… Acceptable.
“You really do look lovely,” he said as he moved closer. “I especially love getting to see your hair done like this. Your no-nonsense knots or braids are so you, but getting to see your full, lush hair down is such a treat.”
I smiled but also felt sad. My hair down was the real me. I hated wearing my hair up all of the time and it normally was so heavy on my scalp and neck that it hurt.
So him saying it was just like me was like a glaring sign he had no idea who I really was. Then again… I didn’t know the real Onyx either, right?
“That’s what dates are for,” Iris gently reminded me.
Yeah, fair enough, but what did I really know about them? I’d barely been on any with Kole and they’d been so boring or mostly functions I’d needed to attend where a plus one helped.
Thinking of that soured my mood even worse. I’d only been on dates with Kole… And now his uncle.
My life really was a dumpster fire.
“Are you ready then?” he asked as he studied me closely, probably sensing something was off but not what.
I slapped on a fake smile and nodded.
We were quiet on the drive over since it was with my security and I was nervous, but I had to hide my disappointment when we stopped. I hoped for a second that maybe it was just traffic.
No, we were going to Malbion Taunge, one of the oldest and most posh restaurants in Nerthus.
I smiled as the guard opened the door and we were escorted to the front door.
I smiled at the employees as we were greeted and led towards the private room.
I smiled as people dining went quiet and stared at us.
I smiled as they recovered from their shock and started whispering.
I smiled as we entered the private room, Lydia confirming that guards had already checked the room and were in the kitchen watching over the chefs.
I turned to the manager. “Please thank the staff for the extra hassle and assure them to work as normal. We’ll try not to be an inconvenience.”
His smile was actually genuine which shocked me. “Your mother said almost the same thing last time they dined here. We’re used to having notable guests, Your Majesty. Your safety is more important than a few extra steps.”
I slapped that smile back on, not really wanting to hear that my parents dined there regularly when I’d never been to anywhere in Nerthus.
I sat down and accepted the tasting menu we were being served along with an accompanying drink list. There was more we could order, but at this type of place you accepted what the chef told you to have.
And paid a lot of money to not even think of substituting anything.
“I haven’t eaten here in years,” Onyx said with excitement as he looked over the menu.
I made the effort since none of what I was feeling was really his fault. “Did you come with family or friends?” I frowned when he swallowed loudly and looked like a deer in headlights. “I see. This is your regular date spot in Nerthus.”
“No, wait, it’s not like—” he started to say, but we were interrupted when the first course came out.
According to the menu it was flame-grilled asparagus with lemongrass served on a bed of pistachio and a sorrel velouté… And I hated asparagus.
Awesome start on the food and conversation.
“How were things with the king?” I asked as the server turned to leave, making it clear I didn’t want to go back to the previous topic.
He seemed to struggle with that but then was polite enough to let me win. “Very well. The main issue was finding someone who could mediate with the undines since they don’t speak in the way we do—the concept we do.”
I nodded. They didn’t have vocal cords as most species did. It was more a magical projection and didn’t work well for most modern languages. It was why they were so rare and mostly thought to be myth.
I was glad for the update and to hear a firsthand account of something so amazing—interactions with a species people did mostly think legend. I took one bite of my tiny, tiny course but mostly cut it up and moved it around to make it look like I ate more.
But Onyx seemed to notice, frowning as he stared at my plate for a moment.
The server didn’t pay any mind when they came in again and I set my plate aside to signal I was ready for what was next. It was a lake pike done in a quenelle with a lobster cream over puffed rice. That was great but exactly what you would expect at a place like this.
And I kept listening to Onyx. It was interesting, but I just… Listened.
Then it was a caviar array with different accoutrements.
I decided to say something because I saw the next course came with another drink. “I’m sorry, but I don’t actually drink besides certain wines. Please apologize to the chefs and assure them that it’s all lovely. It’s my training. If I could get a sparkling water, please?”
The server flinched and looked a bit embarrassed he hadn’t asked if I’d wanted a water with my drinks—something totally normal for a restaurant.
Or that he’d taken back two full alcoholic drinks.
“You don’t drink?” Onyx hedged.
“No, only wine, sorry.”
“No, I am. I didn’t know that,” he muttered.
I wasn’t sure what to say. Reminding him that he didn’t ask—about my drinking preferences or any of this—seemed petty. Most would love to be on a date at a place so posh and with such a handsome, intelligent, and lovely dragon.
“This is lovely,” I said about one of the caviars just to say something.
He accepted that as everything was fine and went back into what he was saying. That was it. That was all it took.
There was another fancy fish something that was like two bites but tasty. Then a sweet bread with cheese, honey, and fig? I was pretty sure it was a fig. I honestly didn’t care enough to even look at the menu.
The lobster was great. So was the duck. And the tiny steak. I really liked the stuffed mushrooms. It was interesting. Ginger and something tart. Not what you would think for a stuffed mushroom.
But you only got one. How… Pretentious. I mean yes, that was what the restaurant was, but that was what everything always was for a princess. Now queen.
It got boring fast.
The mango and coconut cream sorbet was fantastic. The coffee and chocolate brownie biscuit with a teaspoon of ice cream was great too.
I just wanted real servings of it all. We were dragons.
Please feed us like you understood that even if it was a posh place or event.
I slapped on the fake smile when he finished the last dessert and set down my napkin. “This was great. Thank you so much.”
He frowned but stood when I did. “You didn’t say two words the whole time.” He flinched when Lydia snorted.
Yes, because whose fault was that?
“It’s fine. I was glad to hear about the undines tribe relocation. I’m glad the king is treating you and the team with respect. It’s nice he’s kept up his end of the deal and you could help. I’m glad no one else will be hurt once the mountain is stabilized.”
“Right, but that’s work really,” he argued.
Maybe? He didn’t really work for me even if I asked him to handle this, but I asked how it was going, not for him to spend all of dinner talking about it.
I simply smiled and followed my security towards the front of the restaurant so we could leave. A baby let out a huge cry to my right and startled me, actually making me flinch.
Which apparently someone found hysterical.
“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty,” the woman with the baby said, her face flushed.
I ignored the elder male dragon still laughing. “No need at all. Babies cry. I thought I heard this restaurant was child free, so I wasn’t ready for a cry just as I wouldn’t be other noises out of place.”
“It is, but emergencies happen,” she chuckled.
“Of course. I hope everything is okay,” I replied, ready to move on, but the elder male dragon who was done laughing partially blocked me. He ignored my security moving with him, visibly tense that someone would be so bold.
“You better get over your fear of babies since you’re going to have a bunch of them,” he mocked me.