Chosen Bride of the Seven Dark Princes

The Grand Duke Erden was in the middle of working with several dozen of his men up in the Command Deck when he got an incoming call from Süren.

His grand nephew didn't call often unless it was something important, so Duke Erden did not hesitate to pause for a break. It was way past lunch time anyway.

They had all been pushing past the limits to incorporate the Emporian ships into their formations to utilize the extra fire power. It was touch and go ever since they had gotten reinforcement.

It would not be long before the dragons made their moves. He and Süren would have to stop them in their tracks before they went too far into Erenveil space.

If they were lucky, the bulk of the fighting would be within the wilds of pirate space so that there would be less people affected.

Duke Erden left the Command Deck and moved into an adjourning room to take his lunch.

"I'm here Süren. Sorry for the delay."

Süren's face showed up on the visuals, his dark brown eyes cheerful.

"If you're as busy as I am, then I know you're also trying to win that one-legged ass-kicking contest."

Duke Erden laughed. That sounded about right.

"Are you just now having lunch?" Süren glanced at the cold ham and cheese sandwich his great uncle was eating. It was two hours past lunch time.

"No choice. I had reports to run through and squadrons to place and give marching orders to."

"Likewise, but partway through, my bride walked in with a platter filled with hot foods and wouldn't leave until I ate with her."

Duke Erden's eyebrows lifted.

"Wasn't the Command Deck off limits to her?"

"Uncle." Süren grimaced. "Does Lyra look like someone who will take a 'No' without howling in protest?"

Duke Erden laughed. "So she brow-beat you into having lunch on time."

Süren nodded. "It didn't affect my work though because everyone else got to eat lunch, and now they're back at work again. Breaks to eat are very important, Uncle. You don't want to get stomach ulcers from skipping meals."

Duke Erden nodded. "Is this call from you just to remind me to eat?"

Süren shook his head. "I'm sending over to you a team of designers."

"For what?" Duke Erden frowned.

"Uncle, your ship is one of the newest ships that just came out of production but it looks as if it never went through the last stage where it turns into a beautifully designed interstellar ship."

"I had them skip that part because it would have taken another six months and I needed a ship right away."

"Then retrofit it."

"I don't have time."

"You have to make time."

Duke Erden paused. Süren was trying to tell him something.

"Speak clearly, Süren."

"The Lady Gwendolyn—"

"Is there something wrong? Is she not well?"

"No, no. I'm trying to tell you that she could use your company, Uncle."

Duke Erden sighed. "You know she is one of the Emperor's wives."

"She left him."

Duke Erden shook his head. Süren was thinking too simplistically.

"You want a real war between the dragons and the bats, that's how you do it. Abduct and hold hostage the wife of the Emperor of Erenveil."

"It was not an abduction and we are not holding her hostage. We rescued them from Avian attacks, and Lady Gwendolyn does not want to return to her husband."

"Her life must not be as rosy as what we would imagine the wife of an Emperor would have." Duke Erden shook his head, troubled.

"But that is not our business. We are trying to keep your father from attacking Erenveil. We can't be trying to fight off the emperor's forces as he tries to rescue his wife."

"That's not going to happen Uncle. The Crown Prince Dante asked me to take Lady Gwendolyn away from Erenveil."

"But he's not the Prime Warrior who holds the space force."

"Prince Slate is the Prime Warrior. He is Lady Gwendolyn's son. He is sending reinforcements so we can keep his sister and his mother safe."

Duke Erden took a gulp of water from his stein.

"What does all this have to do with me?"

"I've seen the way you look at Lady Gwendolyn when you think no one is watching." Süren smiled.

Duke Erden looked away. He had been very careful not to show anything. It was forbidden, what he tried not to think and feel.

"She is a very beautiful woman, but there can be nothing between us. She is still a married woman."

"Is that your only concern?"

"It is the only concern that matters." Duke Erden turned back to Süren, his steely grey eyes full of conviction.

"Her husband is the Emperor of Erenveil. She is not someone a person like me can ever reach."

"Someone like you?" Süren shook his head. "You are Grand Duke of the dragon world Avalia."

"And she is married to the Emperor."

Süren shook his head. When his uncle got into this mindset, there was nothing he could say that would change his mind. It would have to be something or someone far more powerful than himself.

"At least don't reject the design team I just sent over to you. They won't get in your way, and you don't need to change the entire ship."

"You just need to readjust some of the living sections so that when Lady Gwendolyn and Lyra come to stay with you, they will have a comfortable place."

Duke Erdin waved a careless hand.

"Do whatever you need to do. I have to get back to work."

As Duke Erden returned to the Command Deck to resume his work of directing and positioning his warships, Süren's words continued to roll around in his brains.

Duke Erden was an entrenched bachelor. His life was filled with keeping peace between all the various Reptilian races.

There had never been time for a wife. His life was rough and raw and filled with danger. What woman would throw away a stable peaceful nest and wander the universe with him?

What he did was very similar to the Prime Warrior of Erenveil. The only difference was, he didn't have to deal with the entire galaxy. He only had to keep the peace between all the reptiles.

The Prime Warrior.

Prince Slate's face appeared in his mind's eye. The young man was doing a good job as Prime Warrior. He had a good head on his shoulders.

Duke Erden could not help but compare and contrast the differences between Slate and Lady Gwendolyn. They were really quite similar in many aspects, perhaps even more so than Lady Gwendolyn and her daughter.

Of course, Princess Lyra was still rather young and perhaps would grow into the more mature, more calm and stable person that Lady Gwendolyn had matured to become.

As the day wore on, he kept thinking about Lady Gwendolyn's situation and how strange it was that she had never asked to connect to her husband even once.

The first person she asked to contact was her son Slate. Thereafter, it was Prince Dante who called to speak to her. Both men knew where she and Princess Lyra were located and neither had insisted that she reach out to contact the Emperor.

Was it possible that what Süren said was true? That she did leave the Emperor?

For the first time, a tiny glimmer of hope began to rise inside Duke Erden's heart. It was such a tiny flickering flame of hope that it could be gutted by any cold wind of fate.

But suddenly, his heart felt warm for the very first time.