Chapter 50: Mate, Not Slave

The grand imperial castle buzzed with life as a promised dinner unfolded within its opulent banquet hall. Kings and queens from various Celestian nations gathered, their laughter echoing across the room, mingling with the strains of music and the clinking of goblets. Despite the festive atmosphere, whispers and murmurs of the day’s earlier events spread like wildfire, fueling the gossip that had consumed the people of Celestia. The tournament that had taken place earlier was meant to be a display of unity and strength, but it had instead devolved into chaos, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of those who had witnessed it. Many were baffled by the royal family’s apparent cooperation with the dragons, a notion that seemed inconceivable given the deep-seated enmity between the two species. The presence of a dragoness at the royal stage, fiercely protective of the dragon in the arena, only added to the confusion. Could the royal family truly be aligned with their sworn enemies? But de