#BigSistersAreTheBestProtagonists

[strawberrycarnations]

The king never expected the dragon to actually accept the offer. It was supposed to be a joke, a bold move on his part as a king, proof that he was a man who could look dragons in the eye and not flinch in fear.

Well, now he was the joke. He wasn't feeling very bold and frankly, he was sick with fear at the thought that he had just given away one of his precious daughters to a vicious beast for 15 minutes of glory. But what was done was done and now, he was left with the unbearable choice of which of his beloved children to give away.

His youngest, Leila? With her happy laugh and flaxen hair, she was sunshine that would simply darken in a dragon's lair.

His middle child, Jenina? She was headstrong and would surely be able to stand her ground, but shackling her to such a beast would break her strong spirit.

His eldest, Vivianne? The calmest of the three, with eyes like lightning and a mind sharper still.

As he pondered over the thoughts in his head, he became sad, then angry at the dragon, then angry with his daughters. Honestly, he became angry at everyone but himself.

Leila was a silly, spoiled girl who could never stay still. Sending her away would lessen the amount of purchases and parties in the castle.

Jenina was rude and never satisfied. Perhaps marrying her off would teach her a lesson in respect and contentment.

And Vivianne! The worst them all, the idiot. A princess and heir with a brain that her tutors marveled at, but eyes so blind, that she actually fell in love with the ugliest of suitors. To give her to that dragon would teach her the importance of status!

Just as these thoughts rambled in his head, a knock came at the door. It opened to reveal his very daughters, standing in a row.

"Father," Vivianne began

"Can't you see I am busy???" he interrupted her with a scowl.

"We can see that!" Jenina retorted, with a roll of her eyes "Considering you just sold one of us off, for ego's sake!"

"Why you little ingrate!" her father yelled, red-faced with embarrassment "I ought to-"

"Father please," little Leila cried out "I don't want that dragon to marry me or any of my sisters. Please!"

Slapping away the hand that reached out to him, her father roared "It's always what you want, isn't it? You little spoiled brat. Never thinking of others or your poor father who-"

"just promised one of us to a beast!" Jenina snapped.

"It was a strategic play!" the king insisted, with clenched fists.

"It's not fair, Father!" Leila said, with tears in her eyes.

"Well, it's done now and there's nothing we can do about it!" the king roared "And don't even think of suggesting I take back my offer! It's undignified, shameful and, and, and-"

"I'll marry him, Father" Vivianne said to him quietly, with a determined look in her eye.

"I said that one of you is going to marry him and I-.... wait what?" the king said

"Wait what?" her sisters said too.

Vivianne shrugged her shoulders. "I said I'll marry the dragon. Be his wife or mate or whatever it is dragons call their spouses."

"Vivi, no..." Jenina said, clutching at her sister's sleeves. Leila did the same, bawling so hard, she could not speak.

The king was speechless. For a moment.

"Well, I don't know if that's smartest or dumbest decision you could make, daughter."

"Father!" his younger daughters cried out, but he ignored them.

"Is it some sick kink of yours? This fascination with ugly, beastly men? First, it was that subhuman man with scars and skin like snakes and now, it is a vicious beast. Or are you as blind as a bat when it comes to these things?"

Jenina's face reddened with fury, while Leila's eyes turned sharp with rage. Vivianne however, maintained her nonchalant expression and simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Father, you have put yourself in a dangerous and foolhardy position. I am simply getting you out of it, since you are clearly incapable of doing so. I am also keeping my sisters out of it. Leila is too young to be married and Jenina wishes to take on knighthood."

She said it so calmly and matter-of-factly, that it was almost scary, but the king was still angry (and immature because his daughter had just one-upped him and insulted him at the same time), so he sneered in reply "So it shall be as you wish, daughter!" before slamming the door in their faces.

******************************************

On Vivianne's wedding day, her sisters cornered her when no one was looking.

"Are you sure about this, Vivi?" Leila asked, with tears in her eyes.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, you know" Jenina said firmly "We can run away, the three of us, and leave our idiot father to his doom"

"And what will become of our people?" Vivianne countered gently, placing a hand on her sisters' cheeks. "We are entitled to them just as much as we are entitled to our happiness. I do not wish to bar either of you from them."

"We know he loved you too, you know" Leila said with a sniff "That other suitor that Father didn't like because of his looks. He was the only one who listened when you talked about the stars."

"You shouldn't have been forced to give him up." Jenina added "He made you happy."

Vivianne said nothing, but only wiped her sisters' tears away.

"We can find him, you know" Leila suggested "Let you and him run away together and be happy forever after!"

"It's a harebrained scheme, but we would do it for you." Jenina said, taking her sister's hands in her own.

Vivianne smiled and with teary eyes, enveloped both of her little sisters in a hug.

******************************************

Vivianne stood at the altar, waiting for her husband-to-be to fly through the open window of the cathedral and marry her. She wasn't afraid nor was she having any second thoughts. She had meant what she said to her sisters about their entitlement to happiness and she'd be damned if she couldn't protect them the way she should have been protected years ago, when her father threw out the only man she had ever loved.

A strong gust of hot wind blew throughout the cathedral and everyone shielded their eyes against the big dragon that flew in and took his side by his bride.

"Dearly beloved..."

When it was the part where the priest was stating how husbands and wives ought to love and treat each other well, the king's harsh, drunken laugh could not be silenced, along with a great number of royals who thought it a great joke.

When it was the part when the priest asked if there was anyone who'd object, Jenina nearly stood up, had Leila not pulled her down.

When it was the part where it was time to say vows, this is what the dragon said:

"I promise to be good to you." ("You better be" Jenina growled)

"As my wife, you shall never be lacking in anything, and your heart, dignity and respect will be what I hold most dear"

("dignity, he says" the drunk king scoffed to which a courtier said "Weren't you the one who offered it up to him in the first place?")

"You are kind, brave and loving, with a heart that deserves every happiness in the world"

("How does he know that?" Leila wondered "He's only met her today")

"And all I ask is that you allow me to spend this lifetime with you, and the stars you love so much"

("Wait what" Jenina and Leila said)

"You loved me when I was nothing more than scars and scales, and I hope to be able love you just as much as you loved that broken man."

(Wait what" the king said)

"I want nothing more than to be your happiness"

("Oh my god" Leila said)

And Vivianne said this:

"I thought you were beautiful. I love everything about you. You are my happiness"

("This is insane" Jenina said)

"You listen to me and make me feel safe. I want to be your strength and your partner in everything. Giving up up before has been the hardest thing I had ever done and will never do again."

("Wait, what" the king said, realization dawning on him)

"You are worth more than all the stars in the sky and I am so excited to spend the rest of my life, watching them with you."

("Awwwww... I might kill her, but awwww" Leila said)

When it was time to kiss the bride, Vivianne kissed the dragon's snout and before everyone's eyes, he turned into a man, with scars that riddled over his face, arms and hands. His eyes however, had a fire that made one unable to look away. He smiled down at his Vivianne, who grinned right back at him, before they kissed again.

As the initial shock faded away, the king yelled for the guards, face red in the humiliation of having been outsmarted by his eldest daughter. But by then, the newly weds had taken off, with the groom turning once more into a dragon and taking his wife with him as they flew away.

"No wonder, she was fine with marrying him" Leila laughed "She knew! She probably planned all of this too!"

"She deserves it" Jenina said, surveying the chaos that was ensuing around them.

"Best wedding ever."

Offering the dragon marriage into the royal family had been a power play on the king’s part, a way to intimidate the kingdom’s enemies. He had not anticipated the dragon actually accepting the offer.