The magic within Oliver protected him from the cold.  He could no longer suffer from it or feel the bite from the chill he used to. However, Draco still helped him dress in thick clothes to protect him from the elements.

Oliver had lived on his own since his uncle had died. He had taken on leadership roles and was the protector of legions of men. But the attentive care that Draco gave him unfurled his battered and broken soul.

"Draco," Oliver tried to stop him with a patient smile. "A dragon's heart and ice magic kind of prevents me from catching a cold."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "I know. But you also have this uncanny inclination to always undress in freezing temperatures."

Oliver laughed. Truly the cold and snow didn't affect him, but he wouldn't rebel against Draco's need to take care of him.

"So are you saying you're adding layers to make it harder to remove my clothes? Won't that be an issue for you, Dragon King?" Oliver's quipped with a smirk.

A rumble sounded from Draco, low and guttural. He wrapped a hand around the back of Oliver's neck, bringing his lips achingly close. "When I strip you bare, it will be slow and torturous."

Oliver released a ragged breath. "Promise?"

Draco's eyes darkened, and he looked out the window for a moment, frowning when he saw it was getting day. A complicated look flashed through his eyes, and he released a frustrated groan.

He rested his head on Olivers. "Oli, I have to take care of some things, so I probably will not be back tonight."

Oliver was concerned but knew Draco had left his kingdom for months, so he must have many tasks to complete.

"Go take care of your kingdom and duties. One day, I will be able to help you with it." Oliver smiled warmly, trying to encourage him.

Draco kissed him, nipping his bottom lip with his fangs. "I can't wait," he murmured.

Oliver reluctantly let him go and remained by the window, staring at the snow-covered landscape until nighttime swallowed the light of the day.

A light knock on the door immediately put him on edge, but he was relaxed when a beautiful woman walked in. She was tall with stark black hair and pale grey eyes. She was dressed in furs, and her face was ashen. She looked stern but extremely frail.

Oliver stirred and gave her a respectful bow of the Kardos family. "Queen Mother." He said solemnly as he greeted Draco's mother.

"You know me?"

Oliver nodded and looked toward the painting above the fireplace. "I was admiring the painting earlier today."

"I see." She said softly. "Shall we take a walk, Lord Kardos?"

Oliver quickly went towards her and held out an arm to escort her. She took it, and Oliver suppressed his shock when he felt how thin her arms were.

She led the way down the hallway, and Oliver almost chuckled when he saw the many glowers and glares from the frequently stationed guards. He suddenly understood the snippets of conversations from when he was in and out of consciousness.

According to Rucreans, he was indeed a dog of Bierze.

If it were anyone else, they would buckle and suffocate under the hostile atmosphere. However, Oliver was used to being surrounded by trepidation, hatred, and antagonistic behaviors. He even felt this hostility radiating off of Draco's mother. However, he continued walking with a straight back and confident steps.

He was the Guardian and General—but more importantly, he was Draco's. Therefore, he refused to bend to anyone except Draco.

"I hear you were engaged before, for nearly a decade." She suddenly said as they passed more guards.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He answered with a smile. "Bierze's king arranged it when I was a child."

"Did you want this marriage?"

"In the end, no, Your Majesty."

She gave him a long look. "Why agree to it, then?"

You're assuming I had the luxury to decline," Oliver said with a placating smile. "Not all Kings concern themselves with the words of their lessers."

"Lessers? But if you married him, wouldn't you be on equal footing?  You would become a King."

"I would not be king but a Royal Consort. I would never stand on equal grounds with the Belelots."

"Still, Royal Consort is better than being just a second son of a ducal family."

Oliver's jaw tensed for a moment, but he kept his calm. Oliver knew she was worried about his intentions with Draco and was inquiring if his only desire was to sit on a throne.  He wanted to respect Draco's mother to the best of his ability and be empathetic to her concerns, but this irked him.

"Being a son of Kardos is my greatest pride, Your Majesty. The titles 'Royal Consort' and 'King' do not compare."

She scoffed slightly. "You must know that in Rucrea, you would stand equally with Draco. You will be named 'King', just like him. No one is higher or lower than the other. Isn't this quite appealing?"

"Mutual respect in any relationship is appealing. Statuses and crowns do not change that."

She was quiet for a while as they continued walking, leading him through a doorway and down a series of stairs. Oliver slowed his steps and carefully helped her down.

She pointed to a torch on the wall when they reached the ground floor. Oliver was quick to catch on and picked up the torch and held out his arm for her again.

"I hear that the Kardoses are a military family." She said once they started walking again.

"Yes. My father runs the duchy, and my uncle commands the army." He responded.

"The Guardian of the Realms and General of Bierze. Such lofty titles."

"They are heavy titles." Oliver corrected.

"Have you trained in the army?"

Oliver held back a sigh. "Not on record. However, I practice with the Core Soldiers and help train the men in Wynter."

"If your older brother inherits the duchy, and your younger brothers grow to be scholars, then you are next in line for the heavy Guardian title."

Oliver released a long exhale. "Your Majesty, as you said, the Kardoses are a military family, which extends to me. I am a warrior, so I dance around my enemies, not words. Please, be frank with me."

"A reasonable request." She said lightly. "Fine... I do not trust you. From the reports I have received, you are a foppish waste of a man who is scorned by his last lover."

Oliver laughed cheerfully. He didn't mind her suspicions or harsh words. The only ones who knew his worth were the ones living in Wynter. Everyone else had to rely on the rumors that plagued the capital's streets.

"I have heard these reports as well." He said with a smile still hanging on his lips. "I have also heard the whispers, calling me the dog of the Belelots. People spin tales of how Oliver Kardos has been leashed, muzzled, and forced to heel. From Abrorg to Rucrea, these words have been echoed in every bar and inn... A dog... not even considered human."

He noticed her shoulders tensed with unease, but he finished his thought. "The person who believes this most adamantly is Piers Belelot. You can only imagine my life while engaged to a man who saw me as an animal. But then I met Draco... I am not here for a crown, Queen Mother. I am in Rucrea because Draco is here, and he holds my heart."

She fell silent again, pondering his words.  She continued to lead him through the descending tunnels.

Soon, Oliver found that they had entered a large open space underground. What was heartstopping were the dragon skeletons that lined the wall. Oliver couldn't hold back his gasp.

"The Lyrell family has a long line of rulers with the blood of dragons. These are our ancestors, past kings and queens, who have shifted to the dragon form successfully. Thousands of years of Rucrea's stability is represented by these bones." Draco's mother explained.

"Extraordinary. I never expected them to be buried here. I believed they were entombed in the Cenotaphs to the east." His eyes continued to roam the room, astounded by the size of the dragons.

"We let the world believe that... but those who failed in their shapeshifting are laid to rest in the Cenotaphs. It is a place where we can pray for their soul's peace."

Oliver felt a sorrowful pain run through him when he heard this. It was no wonder why Rucrea was enraged when the Ravagers attacked the Cenotaphs. These Recreans died terribly, and a selfish man disrupted their rest.

Draco's mother guided him to the end of the hall, where the largest dragon stood. Oliver stood at its feet, but its claw still towered over him. He strained his neck to look upwards. His heart trembled with excitement as he felt connected to these bones.

"Beautiful." He murmured.

Draco's mother was surprised when she heard him. Most would be terrified, call it formidable, or say something dull about its size. But Oliver saw something completely different. His eyes honestly held a fevered awe.

"Do you believe in prophecies, Lord Kardos?"

Oliver gave her a surprised look, but it rippled into a laugh. "Someone has asked me this question long ago... it's strange to hear once more." He looked back up at the dragon bones and sighed. "I used to think that magic and prophecies were nonsense.... but I have now seen enough of the world to believe."

"So you know of oracles?"

Oliver paused and recalled the Ravager King's words. "Beings whose ancient magic is from the world tree's roots, born at the dawn of time and lived amongst dragons."

She was silent for a moment, curious about his words. She released a light breath. "Before the Eternal War and the sealing of magic, Rucrea had many harmonious indigenous tribes. Some were warriors, while others farmed. However, there was one tribe that was different from the rest. They had the power of sight, Oracles. They could see visions of the future or the past through mirrors, water, or even the fog of the mountains. It could be a symbolic message they would need to interpret or something extremely clear and literal.

"However, their bloodline has thinned through the generations. Now, only a few are left. Even then, the powers are weak, and little can be seen." She said solemnly.

"And the remaining oracles? Are they still in Rucrea?"

She laughed, surprising Oliver with the melodic sound. "One of the last oracles is holding your arm."

She didn't let him say anything and pointed to a pair of swords resting beside the monstrous dragon. Oliver froze when he saw them. They were pure white, and the energy they gave off was menacing. But what was more alarming was that the shape and design of the swords were familiar.

He pulled out the necklace hanging around his neck and looked at his sigil. These swords matched it perfectly. These were obviously his lost ancestor's swords.

Draco's mother seemed to be satisfied with his reaction. "The Kardos twin swords made from the fangs of the greatest dragon." She nodded toward the large dragon they stood under.

"I thought all dragon blades were lost."

She shook her head. "No, just returned to us."

She pulled Oliver in front of her so she could face him. "Lord Kardos, Draco will never tell you what I am going to reveal. During these last three days, he has petitioned and fought for you. He has been trying to remove negative connotations about you and your nature because he wants a future with you. He wants you to share the throne with him and lead this kingdom with the support of the people."

Oliver's jaw clenched. "He shouldn't have to petition. I have always planned to prove that I am worthy to stand by him through my actions."

"Do you truly care for my son?"

"More than anything." He said quietly.

She sighed. "Then leave him."

Oliver stepped back and away from the woman with unwavering eyes. "Your Majesty, why would you suggest this?"

She pursed her lips. "My bloodline has thinned, but I have seen visions. My visions come through dreams. The first vision I experienced showed my happy marriage. However, the second was not kind because it revealed my husband's death... I knew what would happen and was still powerless to stop it."

She pressed her hand over her heart. "My third vision was the fall of Rucrea. I watched my people slaughtered and destroyed by swords and magic."

Oliver's brow creased with concern, but he did not interrupt her.

"And finally, I saw a long and tiresome war that my son had to fight, and on the opposite side of him was you... his enemy. You are destined to raise your sword against my son." Her voice trembled slightly when she said this. "So it is better to leave now and harm him less."

Oliver shook his head. "No."

She bit her lip, and her eyes turned red with anger. She rushed towards a wall and grabbed a spear. She may have been frail, but she was accustomed to fighting.  She launched towards Oliver, who stepped aside to avoid the attack. She swung it around, but Oliver felt no killing attempt and stayed still. She stopped the tip at his throat, cutting it slightly. Her chest heaved from the exerted effort from her weak body.

"I saw my husband's death a year before it happened. I planned against it and set up so many contingencies. I warned him and trained Draco to become the greatest warrior to help us fight off the threat. Ultimately, I was powerless to stop what I had seen in my visions. You cannot change this fate."

Oliver stayed still and watched her was a steady gaze.

"Leave, or I will kill you now and bury you in these tombs." She pressed the tip a little deeper, but Oliver didn't budge.

"I cannot." He said quietly.

She uttered a small cry, dropped the spear, and clung to his arm. "He cherishes you. I could see it the moment he carried you into these halls. But if you cultivate these feelings and turn your sword on him, you will destroy him... and if a Lyrell loses control, he will face a fate worse than death."

"I will never turn against him, Your Majesty."

"If your king declares war on Rucrea, the Guardian heir must fight for Bierze. You have to fight lest you become a traitor."

"Then I will become a traitor of Bierze." He said with a light smile.

"You cannot change what I have seen! The fall of Rucrea and the war against you is imminent! The longer you stay with him, the more pain you will inflict on my son."

Tears started falling from her eyes, and Oliver's soul shook. He knew how much she cared for Draco, and he could not blame her for trying to chase him away. But he had finally found a possibility of a fulfilling future that was more than just death, and he could not abandon it here.

"I will not yield to this fate." He gently laid his hand across hers. "I will not compromise, nor will I sacrifice my heart because of fear."

"Please." She begged and fell to her knees. "You can even take your ancestor's swords as long as you leave... He cannot suffer what I have suffered. He cannot lose his beloved."

Oliver kneeled in front of her and quickly helped her back up. "Queen Mother, how do you know if this was the future?"

She blinked away a bewildered look. "You were both older... he was scarred but covered it with a mask. And you... you also bore a scar..."

Oliver smiled and pointed to the left side of his face. "My scar was here, right?"

She shook. "Yes... How did you... know?"

He tilted his head a little and rubbed his mouth with an incredulous look. "It's strange that you have seen this... but then again, if you are an oracle..."

Her eyes flashed wildly, and she held on to Oliver's arm again. "How do you know about this scar? Have you seen these visions as well?"

Oliver sighed a little. "Something like that."

"What do you mean? Has Draco told you what he has seen?" She was a little frantic. Somehow Oliver seemed to be more curious than worried that she had seen these things.

"Wait? Draco has seen this too?" He suddenly paled.

She nodded. "For a while now, he has dreamed of numerous fights with you... We believed he was awakening his powers as an oracle, so he is diving into his dreams tonight for a clearer answer."

Now it was Oliver's turn to be frightened. "What do you mean?"

"He has only seen glimpses of a vision. If he can integrate himself into this dream, he will awaken the full vision." She said but was becoming concerned by his panicked gaze.

"Where is he?" His voice was low and frightening. Draco's mother trembled when she saw his reaction.

"What's wrong?"

Oliver knew how terrible their previous life was. The constant battles were one thing, but the loss of Rucrea was another... also, what would Draco do if he saw him die again?

If he saw this past life, would the dragon inside of him awaken? Would his chaotic feelings force him into a mad monster?

While fighting within his mind, the tomb trembled with a terrible roar. A familiar roar.

Draco was shifting.