Free The Dragon’s Treasure by Caitlin Ricci Page A

he yelled, tossing a pillow at the door for emphasis. It landed with a soft thunk but still whoever it was seemed undeterred as they continued tapping.
    “I have a message from Lord Thadius!” the male voice on the other side of the door called out loudly.
    “Oh alright, come in then if you must,” Faolan replied, crossing his arms over his slim chest in the way Isabelle had seen Caden do hundreds of times.
    A guard came in as Isabelle hid herself under the thick blankets “Lord Thadius, high ruler of—”
    “Get on with the message,” Faolan barked irritably.
    “Yes, Sire,” the man humphed. “Your father wishes for you to have a meal with him in the great hall in an hour.”
    “Fine. You’re excused,” Faolan snapped.
    “Both of you,” the guard said with a pointed look in Isabelle’s direction. Her eyes went wide and her gaze darted to Faolan’s who also seemed surprised.
     
    * * * *
     
    He nodded once and dismissed the man with a casual wave of his hand.
    After the door was closed, he stood up and stretched, noticing with a small smile how Isabelle buried her face in the pillow to hide her blush after getting caught watching him.
    Once he had pulled on a pair of pants, she opened her eyes and turned to him. “Why would your father want to see me, too?” she asked.
    “I would assume he would like to get to know you better. You are my wife, after all,” he replied, tossing a clean white shirt over his head.
    “In name only,” she reminded him quietly. With her eyes focused anywhere but him as he finished dressing, she didn’t notice the slight frown that her comment brought forth.
    He tried to keep his tone light as he said, “Then perhaps he is just curious to see if humans really are beasts as we are all taught to believe.”
    Her gaze turned to him and he froze, hoping that his playful jibe would not start an argument. But instead of the lashing he was prepared for, she merely smiled at him and lightly tossed a pillow that he neatly caught.
    “But what am I going to wear?” she asked.
    He chuckled lightly and went to the large wardrobe. “While you were asleep the tailors were busy making you a few pieces. I guess they assumed you’d take my father up on his offer. Hmm…This one will do nicely.” He tossed a dark blue floor length gown onto the bed beside her. “And these,” he said, adding a pair of slipper style shoes to the pile.
    “It’s so plain,” she said, holding the dress up against her chest while still staying seated on the bed.
    With his back to her, he heard her slip out of the bed with the sheet wrapped tightly around her.
    “We do not indulge in frills and lace here,” he replied defensively. He stiffened slightly at the sudden pressure of her hand on his back. It was a testament to how distracted she made him that he hadn’t heard her coming towards him. Faolan turned around slowly, an eyebrow raised in question at her bright smile.
    “I did not mean that as an insult,” she said gently, her eyes warily searching his as a frightened animal might. “In Nuer, all of my dresses that I had a say in were simple in style. Caring for Caden left little room in my life for parties and pageantry so I got used to simplicity and function.”
    He nodded, the feeling of her touching him willingly making all speech impossible.
    “I…” Her cheeks were tinted in a faint blush.
    She stood up on her toes, her hand tightening on his arm for balance. Her breath was warm on his cheek as she planted a little peck there with her lips. With a quiet, “Thanks,” she was back on the floor and stepping away from him.
    Before he could register what had happened, she was in the bathroom and closing the door behind her as she said, “Wait for me please so that we can walk down together.”
    He could only manage a faint nod as he stood there, touching his cheek dumbly.
    By the time she emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed and with her hair in neat loose curls down her back, Faolan