The Devil's Cursed Witch

"Now, don't glare at me like that. I'll answer, I'll answer. Come on, don't be annoyed, little female,"  Morpheus said and she stopped as she heard him again, "Why don't you take a seat first? Seems like we'll be talking for a while."

Ember shook her head and remained standing, choosing to lean on the balcony railing like Morpheus, though her hands were on the loose parts of her long hair, trying to keep them from being swept by the wind.

Morpheus tilted his head as he considered where to start. "First, tell me what you know about being someone's mate."

"From what everyone said, I understood that mate means I am the King's person now. But it doesn't seem to mean becoming his subordinate or servant since he has given me his surname. Doesn't that mean I am his family...?  According to what others said, the King has marked me and that's why I'm his mate."

Ember moved her hair away from the right side of her neck, showing him a mark on her skin like a flower tattoo.

"See, I have some kind of flower mark here. It looks like a brand. I understand this is what they meant by the mate's mark. Since I have his surname now, does 'family' mean becoming like...I don't know...an adopted sister? Cousin? I have heard and read about all kinds of relationships, but humans do not have a concept of your kind's mate.  What is a mate exactly?"

Morpheus rubbed his chin with a forefinger and said, "Well, everything you understood is right that you are now King's person and his family, but there is more to it..."

"Tell me what it is," she asked impatiently.

For the past four days, she had been wondering about why Draven said those words to her-- 'You are my mate and you don't know what I can do to you, do you?'

Those words gave her a strange feeling. Coupled with the way he looked at her and how she was lost in him every time they were close, their every encounter confused her and she could not help but conclude being a 'mate' meant something more than she initially thought.

'What kind of relationship is being someone's mate?'

"To be a person's mate is to become a special person to them," Morpheus said slowly, aware that the concept was foreign to humans and was difficult to grasp in its entirety. "Mates have a sacred bond between them. It means you are tied to the other person till the end of your life."

"Till the end of my life?" This was not something that Ember wished to hear. She had plans to travel everywhere, and if she was tied to someone, then it would be troublesome for her to leave.

"Hmm." Morpheus nodded.

"That means... Do I have to be here always? Can I not go anywhere else?" she asked, feeling anxious.

"Of course, you can go wherever you want. Not like someone is going to put chains in your feet and lock you up. You are not a prisoner, but wherever you go, in the end, you will feel the urge to return to your mate and that person is the King."

Was it similar to her relationship with Gaia? Even though they were no longer together, Ember would miss her and would want to see her. It made sense to her, after all, she treated Gaia like her own family, although the woman was not her birth mother. But still, it didn't sit right with Ember, as if there's something more to being 'mates'.

"Well, the King made me his family so I won't mind being a member of his family."

"Good." Morpheus looked at the mark on her neck. "That mark on your neck will always tell others that you are his mate, and as long as they recognize it, you will be safe. No one would dare trouble you."

"Really?" She was surprised. "It's like a talisman. This seems to be a useful mark then."

"It is," he agreed.

"Then, since he's protecting me, then what about me? Do I have to do anything for him? I feel indebted to him. It's quite embarrassing that I am getting all the privileges here of being his family while all I do is to trouble him."

"Now you are asking the right questions, little female," Morpheus said with a playful lopsided smirk. His intentions were hidden behind those grey eyes.

"Oh, then tell me what I have to do."

"As I said, being mates is really special. See, the King is a divine creature and he can have only one mate in his entire life. That means you are the only one for him. You are the only person he can have by his side."

"The only person?"

'He's surrounded by all the people in the palace, but even though I've only been here for a short time, I do feel like he always seems alone,' she concluded and asked, "He does not have family or friends?"

Morpheus nodded and confirmed, "He neither has family nor friends."

"Why?"

"I think you should ask him that yourself. It's not my place to share his personal story with you."

Ember realized she made a mistake and nodded. "I bet he is lonely. I thought I am the only one with no family and friends..." she mumbled.

Morpheus's sharp ears caught those words. "You cannot say that now. See, he is your family while I am your friend."

She smiled. "True!"

"So where were we?" Morpheus questioned only to answer by himself, "You are the only family he has--that means you need to be responsible towards him. You need to play the role of a family and a friend to him. He has been living a lonely life for so long, but now he has you, you should not let him be lonely anymore."

Ember had doubts. "Can I do that?"

"Of course. When a person has family or friends who show care, then wouldn't there be no reason for him to feel lonely? He treats you well, so the least you should do is treat him well too."

"That makes sense." Ember fell into deep thought for a bit. "So a mate means to be a companion for a lifetime...? A person who shows care, similar to the human concept of family and friends?"

Morpheus made a sound of agreement. "Something like that. For the King, you are the only person who can be like that to him."

"What about other people? They also have a single mate for a lifetime?"

"Not really. How do I explain this? Hmm, it depends on the circumstances. The King is the only known pure-blooded divine dragon in existence, so his case is rather special."

"Like family or friends...?" she repeated in a mumble.

It felt like a play of words. All her life, Ember had always been alone and never had a friend before, that's why for her, Morpheus being her first friend was special. A special existence who felt like a friend and family to her.

Her emerald green eyes looked up at his ash gray ones, her pure gaze causing the corner of his lips to subconsciously lift into a gentle smile.

"Did I clear your doubts, little female?" he asked.

"Morpheus, you are special to me too. You feel like a friend that means we are mates as well, right?"

The handsome winged man froze into a statue after receiving such a shocking blow.