Bride of Dragons (The Dragon's Virgin Tribute) by Madelene Martin Page A

in thousands of years.
    Her birth had been celebrated throughout the realm, and all others where dragons dwelled. But as she'd grown it became apparent that she had none of the abilities a dragon should have. The ability to change form never came to her, so she could not fly or breathe fire.
    She was exceedingly normal, human-woman sized, and weaker than everyone else. If it hadn't been for the small buds of horns that peeked out from her hair, she might have thought that somehow she was human.
    The elders and seers insisted that she would produce powerful offspring. And, their hope was, more females for the dragons. She had been locked away for her whole life, in preparation for coming of age, when every dragon of high birth would compete for the right to be her mate. The consort of the first female dragon.
    Ylissa wasn't so sure. They had put a lot of faith in her - even intended for her to be Queen, and rule alongside her oldest brother as a sibling pair, like the dragons of old had done.
    It was a nice dream. But it was her secret fear that she wouldn't live up to their expectations. That she would simply remain a small, weak, nearly-human woman. That she would bear nothing but male children, and the dragons would go on as they always had. Dependent on humans for their survival.
    Her mother had once been a human Princess. In the manner of the dragon Kings, her father had accepted her mother as a tribute from the human folk. That had been thirty years ago. She had produced many male eggs - and finally, her last child, Ylissa.
    Now her mother the Queen was growing old, for she was a human and humans did not live as long as dragons. Still a handsome woman with regal bearing, her mother was the only noble female Ylissa had known. The two of them had always been very close. Ylissa had inherited much of her manner from her, and the Queen had taught her a lot of human history and customs, and brought her human books to read.
    For this alone, Ylissa was grateful. Her books kept her mind active, kept her company on the long nights when she was alone in her tower, behind barred doors. She read about human Kings and Queens, about heroes, maidens in distress and handsome knights. The books her mother gave her were her most precious possessions, even if no one else understood. Unlike humans, dragons did not record their history or tales in books.
    Her mother had summoned her to her chambers, while everyone else in the castle was busy entertaining the visiting nobles. She bade Ylissa sit with her, and told her the story of the day she'd met her husband the King.
    She had been terrified, a maiden of course, and had spent much of her life secluded as Ylissa had been, waiting for the day she would be sent in tribute to the dragon King. She had certainly never met a dragon until that day, and had been terrified. But over time she and the King had forged a strong love.
    "And so will you," her mother assured her.
    They spoke the common tongue of humans, a secret language just between the two of them. The story had been told many times before. But now, on the eve of Ylissa's coming of age, she added something new.
    "It may be frightening. It may be painful. But it is a woman's lot to do our duty. Even the last female dragon.” The Queen smiled to soften her words. “Our husbands are chosen for us, but that does not mean we won't grow to love them. I know that one day you will be happy."
    Ylissa's handmaidens filed in, signaling that it was time for her showing. The handmaidens too were something unique among dragonkind, and had been brought in at the Queen's insistence that noble women needed attendants.
    The maids were each from impoverished human families, which had been paid a fortune in dragon gold for their service. The girls were kept as secluded from the male dragons as Ylissa herself. Aside from her mother, they were the only friends she'd had.
    Their privacy ruined, the Queen stood and left the room without a word. She turned her