Legend of the Forbidden by J. F. Jenkins Page B

sense… I guess. Be even worse if you'd said your vows and then couldn't go through with the whole thing. It's kind of one of the key purposes of marriage, especially yours.”
    â€œWhat is?” she asked.
    â€œChildren.”
    â€œWhy would having children be the key purpose to my wedding?” Dani asked. This was new to her. Being married usually equated to kids, and lots of them when it came to dragons, but why would anyone care about whether or not she had a lot of them?
    Her father laughed. “I like that you're in the dark. You two already have a lot of pressure on you, or you did, I should say. I'm sure if you think about it enough, you'll figure it out. Remember, you're the only female dragon to ever exist. That could translate into a lot of potentially amazing things. But if you and Tyson aren't going to get married, then I guess it's a moot point. So you two not being attracted to one another is the actual reason you decided to cancel? No other factors?”
    â€œYes, that was the biggest reason. We both tried hard to pretend, but it wasn't working too well. Although…” She bit her lip, unsure if she should continue. What would her father think of her, if he knew about her crush on Ethan? Then again, he was her father. He wouldn't judge her, would he?
    â€œHmm?” he asked, and pushed his chair out some so she could sit on his lap. Something she hadn't done in years, it seemed, and while it could have been considered childish, her time with him would be ending. Being an adult meant moving away from home. She might not see him as much, depending on where she went to live.
    If Ethan and I get married, would I live in Oceina? Or would he come here? I can't believe I’m entertaining the thought without guilt. She snuggled into her father and let out a deep breath.
    â€œI am attracted to my other best friend,” she said.
    He laughed. “I noticed a long time ago.”
    â€œI figured you did. Everyone seems to have known but him.”
    â€œHe knew, he just ignored it. Why else do you think he kept pushing you away whenever you tried to do anything affectionate? I mean, it's a hug. It shouldn't have been a huge deal.”
    â€œNo, it shouldn't have.” She giggled. “I never thought of it like that.”
    Her father fixed her hair. “You got big so fast, and now you're getting ready to become a woman. I probably shouldn't be encouraging this, but you need to listen to your gut here. My stance is the same as your grandfather's will be: I'm not going to force you into doing something you don't want to do. In a lot of ways, I wish the whole thing had never happened to begin with, and it broke my heart to hear that it was still going to come to pass. But it's not my decision, unfortunately. Lord Taylor must have had his reasons for keeping it strong despite everything, and I'm hoping it's because he believed it was what was best for you and Tyson. In fact, I'm certain all he wanted was to keep a positive bridge between our people. Seeing you two be so close gives everyone hope.”
    â€œLord Bolton said I had to marry another dragon,” she said. “I'm not sure he cares about our best interests the way Lord Taylor did. From what I remember at least.”
    â€œI can almost guarantee he doesn't,” he said, and kissed her forehead. “You have my support. Whether you want to pursue Ethan or be single for a while, you know you have my support.”
    â€œEven if it might be wrong?” she asked.
    He smirked. “You know who I am, right? I'm the expert of getting things wrong. But for what it's worth? This is the first thing I've been wrong about that's felt good in my heart. In the end? I love you. And that's the most important thing of all.”
    â€œI love you too, Daddy. You'll come with me when we tell Lord Bolton, right?”
    â€œYes, I'll come with you if I'm able. And you need to tell him soon. But I do recommend you