Chapter 16 **A Flute’s Message**
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Having trapped the Phoenix and spending all her powers, Sharlae had gone into sleep again not long after, but that was enough for the Phoenix to once again take back over her body and run away.

Not having the courage to kill the man that she had woken up next too, Perdita could only hope that even though she didn’t remember what had happened, that nothing really did happen…

Using her Phoenix, even though she knew to keep herself a secret, Perdita flew high and far, not wanting to ever return.

She didn’t know which master was worse…They were all terrible!

Having done something so…Personal with someone else…Perdita no longer wanted to think that something happened at all…She no longer wanted it to be real!

 

Of course, she knew after a while that a bond wasn’t created, as the two creatures weren’t obviously connected as well as her husband and herself, but it was still…Too personal!

She felt completely intruded upon and dirty!

This time, it wasn’t someone else that prevented her to give birth, it was herself!

Perdita took certain birth control on her own accord, just in case…Then…After that was done, she was able to forget!

With the link broken, the distance that were between master and slave seemed to make things tolerable for the Phoenix, as she had tried to stay away…But it hadn’t been enough.

 

***

 

Lasting nearly a year, the Phoenix was then caught by Sharlae’s subordinates and once again detained.

Actually, she had used the same trick a second time, of continuously giving the undeserving Phoenix pain through their link and sending thugs to her that she had to focus to stop them from taking her…

All in good time, the link was better for Sharlae to take better control over it once again.

On the other hand, Perdita had tried to live another normal part of her life, wanting to be free!

She had found a few other things that she had never tried before, like that of dancing and poetry, but funnily enough seemed to deter away from both of them and went back to her flute.

Her flute became a nice release as she played it when she missed her nest.

 

She hadn’t returned to her nest because she was trying to stay away from her master. The problem was, her master kept following her and so she could never stay in one place for too long.

Perdita hated how she couldn’t live a life and was lonely but what alternative did she have…

She didn’t want to meet the Dragon King because she was now married and was yet to reach Immortal Realm.

There were not even books in other towns and capital cities that had helped her, even though she was now in another place.

No, it was the longest few months that she has had in a long time, and she knew that all her heart wasn’t in it at all.

Perhaps if she was happier, she might have done better at trying dancing or pottery but…

 

Upon being suddenly captured and put completely in the dark, Perdita found that it was her husband who ended up being the one to have personally caught her.

While he led the way, not touching her yet watching her like a hawk, she followed him to what she thought was another type of hell.

Again, she was confined…

But she never thought that the one to attempt to make her feel a tiny bit better about her situation would be her husband…Of all people…

Not being told anything but confined and never able to live a small locked in home, Perdita ended up playing her flute often…Only to have her husband play his harmonica alongside her.

 

As much as she didn’t like her husband, she couldn’t help but feel less lonely when he was around…

She saw him looking at her in pity sometimes, sometimes in sadness, then…Sometimes in that way that a man looks at a woman…

But…

It was finally time to show the Dragon King that Perdita was not someone whom he could have. He will no longer have a need to ask where she is or be able to touch her!

Then, again, Sharlae could attempt to gain his heart!

Using any tool necessary for the undeserving Phoenix to give in and do as commanded, Sharlae finally got what she wanted, not even sure why the Phoenix was feeling normal once again through the link.

She hadn’t given up!?

Yet…She was doing as she was told…

 

Whatever it was, it comes to now, where the Phoenix has the scent of her husband on her and nearly meeting up with the Dragon King…

As Sharlae went to inform the Dragon King, Perdita was still thinking of her future and what she had achieved, thinking that was all she had left now and that kept her from going into the dark, where her thoughts might make her depressed.

Having been tortured and abused, having a voice in her head stating her worthlessness, Perdita finally came to a solution to end this.

She will just do as commanded of her and use this desperate situation to become even more stronger!

So, she thought about how she had done her hobbies, how she was still certain to get to Immortal Realm and how she was going to do as she was told…For now!

 

As Perdita stopped in the meeting area that she was told to go, she stood there, repeating things in her head.

She will not think about him. Even though he invaded her dreams.

She will not tell him that she is the Phoenix, even as much as she wanted too!

No, this time, she was giving the voice in her head a chance! She was stepping aside!

She was not quite ready yet anyway to gain the Dragon King’s heart…So, she will give her master a chance!

After all…It was too late now anyway…

She was married to another man…

Not hating the man that had been with her and chasing after her, she still thought of him as someone that was of her master’s.

Seeing him once again, after running away, she thought of him as greedy. He had been forceful before, and upset that she had run away from him now, yet…

 

If he was so terribly bad, why had he said sorry?

He had been good after being with her again, not forcing her as to what Sharlae had wanted.

Sharlae had taken over her once again but Perdita still wasn’t sure what happened in that time…As she noticed that their creatures were still not bonded.

But, as much as she wanted to be in denial, she knew that something had happened…

It had felt so desperately wrong waking up next to him with nothing but their naked bodies against one another!

Perdita had nearly come to a point of killing him, now…She probably won’t…As…He would often just hug her, knowing that it was the scent that Sharlae wanted on her. And these hugs did not happen while being naked…

…Perdita was sure that she probably won’t be with him after today.

There was no love, at least she did not love him, and she did not think he loved her, so why should they be together?

If she were to leave him, perhaps he will find someone else to love and she…She’ll continue her life as before…

 

“Perdita?”

Looking up at the man approaching her, she quickly moved back before she was to be touched by him.

She knew the rules…She knew how much torture her master can give her…

The Dragon King cannot touch her! That was a rule!

It was understandable though, with one touch, he would know…Well, unless her master cages her Phoenix up instead…

Silence overcame them and Perdita shifted from one foot to another.

It was hard. She wanted to look at him, take him into her eyes and refresh her dreams. She wanted to ask him how he was, what he’s been doing. Tell him what she has been doing and that she…

But all she could do was not look at him and feel awkward.

 

“Perdita? Is it…” Looking up to the man for a moment, she saw the Dragon King narrow his eyes, “It’s true?”

Nodding, because she guessed it was because he obviously found out she was with another, Perdita could not do anything more.

‘Tell him more! Tell him that you love your husband and you’re pregnant!’ Sharlae’s voice invaded her. Right now, that voice sounded like it was laughing at her…It sounded victorious…

Clenching her jaw, Perdita took another step back and quickly asked, “What do you want?”

“I…I…”

The King of Kings was stuttering…

…If only I could just tell him! Would he understand that I wasn’t in Immortal Realm yet? Would he accept me?

 

“I’m sorry. Perhaps…Do you…Know anything else of my Phoenix?” The Dragon King asked.

He was mortified…He had been thinking of the girl in front of him for so long yet…She was not giving any kind of interest to him.

Was he…Did he…

‘Tell him about your husband, dammit!’ Sharlae yelled in Perdita’s head.

Perdita clenched her hands and took a deep breath, “I stopped looking for the Phoenix when I went back home.”

She was telling the Dragon King what she was supposed to say. “I left home early, I ended up as a thief and learned how to lie so easily, Your Excellency. I really don’t know why you’re looking for me!”

Unable to stay any longer, Perdita started to walk away.

She couldn’t bare lying to him, she couldn’t bare…His hurt eyes and face, as though he really had been looking forward to seeing her just now…She couldn’t bare it!

 

Seeing her like this, taking in her clenched hands and sorry figure, he didn’t know what to say or do.

She says one thing but acts completely…

“…Wait…” He found himself saying.

Perdita turned around and sighed, not looking at him in the eyes.

She wanted this to be over, so that she could forget. Well, no…Not forget. She didn’t want to forget that she was treating the Dragon King badly because, she wanted to make it up to him in the future.

But…

This was…Not what she wanted as a meeting after so long with the Dragon King!

Seeing his figure walk closer to her, she met her eyes with his and forgot everything.

A sudden flash happened, making the Dragon King blink, yet he continued to stare at her.

Weren’t her eyes brown?

Or were they green?

…Or yellow…

 

Perdita felt like there was something calling for her, something that she had to do.

What…What did she want to do with the man’s face?

Why did she want to see his dragon all of a sudden?

As seconds ticked by, Perdita continued to stare, feeling like that man can fulfil something for her and her for him…And the Dragon King was feeling the exact same way.

Was she always this pretty?

The scent…The scent drove the eyes of the Dragon King to become misty and he finally snapped out of his stare.

He was too late…

He had searched many times, only to find her now and taken by another.

 

Perdita’s eyesight went white, feeling her Phoenix getting trapped in and by the time she came back to her senses, she found the Dragon King mockingly laughing at her, “It is of no loss.”

Putting a hand to her heart, Perdita hunched over.

Why does she feel like something just broke…Or something was breaking into pieces…

His laughter, his gaze…His words…

What…What had happened?

“Don’t play anymore games with me and be gone. There is no longer any reason for us to meet in the future!”

With that, Perdita looked up, to see the Dragon King walking away.

…What happened?

Clenching her clothes in her hand, Perdita tried to calm down. She hated it when this happens!

It had only happened with this new master of hers, but it seems obvious that the new master takes over her body at times like these…When her eyesight turns white and a different type of present happens…

What had transpired?

Why was he so…Angry and distant?

 

Duke did not look back once.

He felt utterly ridiculous, feeling like she was a woman that he could had spent a lifetime with!

‘Did you think that the way I acted wasn’t an act? Haha, you pathetic fool!’

Clenching his hands, Duke saw that face to be absolutely malicious and crazy.

…She had hidden it well!

‘Come on then. I might only have one scent on me right now, but…It probably was just a few weeks ago that it wasn’t this scent on me because there was another’s! Do you want to try it?’

Seeing her flirt like that, smirking at him like she was some wanton girl at a brothel, Duke couldn’t believe that she was any type of girl that he would like.

‘I only acted like you wanted me too! Since you want me to stay, can I sit on your throne for a day? How about you be my slave, uh?’

Shaking his head, Duke went to his quarters and went to the balcony, looking out into the distance.

 

It was a huge balcony, as it had to be. This is where he would land and where he would take flight from.

…If he was no longer looking for Perdita, then that was good!

He will obviously stay true to his Phoenix and when he finds her, he will love her even more now!

But a great sense of loss went through him to the girl he had thought she was.

At first, when she had met him just now, when they were staring at each other…It was almost like she was a completely different person…

Letting a big sigh in resignation, the Dragon King still hates how things had ended up.

He had been so happy to hear from Sharlae that Perdita was here!

He had raced to go and see her and found her to be so brilliantly beautiful that he had not been able to speak for a whole minute!

 

Anger welled up inside of him and his instincts took over.

Changing to his dragon, he raced to where he was minutes ago and found the girl not far from that spot, breathing heavily and sitting against the tree.

Changing back to his human form, he stands there, not sure if he wants to go up to her or not.

At the moment…She looked as though she was enduring through a lot of pain, with her forehead furrowed so deeply and her eyes tightly shut. She even had some sweat start to trickle down the sides of her face…

“Perdita?”

A gasp left her, and her eyes shot opened.

“Perdita…” Walking closer towards her, the Dragon King reached out, wanting to make sure…Wanting this one moment…

 

What he never expected, was that when he touched her, he did not see anything.

She was hotter than he expected, but there was no creature.

Taking another step closer to her, seeing her surprised eyes stare at him in return, he put a thumb to her forehead, wondering what kind of pain she had gone through just now.

Slowly wiping down her sweat that had gathered, he then put his other hand to the other side of her face.

Trailing down a thumb, towards her nose and towards her lips, he rubbed her lips lightly and once again stared at her.

Her eyes…This close, her eyes looked like the color of cyan.

They had changed, he was sure of it!

 

But right now, his mind, his dragon, his sense of self started to slowly dwindle into nothing as he felt her presence in his embrace.

It was like a dream, to have her in his arms.

From the girl he had met years ago, she seemed a bit different.

She didn’t flinch, like he sort of expected her too, no, she…Her eyes bore into his, kidnapping his entire soul!

Putting a hand around her waist, pulling her into his embrace, he lightly kissed her lips, feeling like he had been right all along.

This girl, she was someone that he could be with…He could feel it!

 

Perdita was stunned, so stunned that she forgot the pain.

Those lips upon hers flowed an electricity straight through her and she felt like it would have had more of an effect if her phoenix was not caged up right now.

But what she did feel, was that the power that her master had on her, was now weakened…Making her realize that the Dragon King was still kissing her.

Those soft lips of his were so different to any other.

They were searching, wanting and she felt…That they both needed each other…

Putting her hands around his neck, she kissed him back, feeling like she had to have this chance to be with him!

 

Her Phoenix was still caged, maybe her phoenix can fight back with the Dragon King kissing her like this!

Yet, it was like a connection that she could not work on right now…As another connection seemed to be opening up.

Time stood still, whereas Perdita with her caged Phoenix and the Dragon King with his need, did not stop.

Light kisses led to slightly harder kisses and touching. Desire ran through them both, like an endless torrent…Like…They were making up for lost time!

He stroked her face, stroked her back, massaging her slightly.

Kissing her eyes, her nose, her cheeks, he turned her head, kissing her earlobes, finding it so right to do so.

Perdita didn’t care anymore that it seemed that everything else seemed to have disappeared and it was only her and the Dragon King. She fell into his hold nicely, walking back with him like he had told her, and she had her back against a tree in moments.

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