Beauty and the Dragon Princes

By Goldie McBride

Sent by their King on a quest to prove their worthiness as Heirs to the Throne, dragon shifter twins Niles and Giles set out to find the most beautiful woman their realm has to offer. They are disconcerted when they find Beauty—who is nothing like any woman either has ever encountered, not beautiful, and far too clever.

They are almost instantly riveted.

She is not.

The problem is how to convince her that she is what they want and they should have what they want when she is completely unreasonable about the whole mating thing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: New Concepts Publishing
• Release date: Aug 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215089446

Book preview

BEAUTY AND THE DRAGON PRINCES

BY

GOLDIE MCBRIDE

( c ) copyright by Madris DePasture writing as Goldie McBride, July 2023

Cover Art by Jenny Dixon, July 2023

ISBN 978-1-60394-

Smashwords Edition

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Chapter One

Prince Niles and Prince Giles were holding court at the opposite end of the ballroom from their father, King Ronan. They were a handsome pair—twins—so nearly identical even their father had difficulty telling them apart—gifted with high birth, good looks, talents—in the bedroom—that had won many maiden’s hearts. And beyond that considered quite clever.

By everyone except their father who was inclined to call them dunces at least once a day.

It was for that reason—among numerous others—that they were not terribly fond of their sire.

So neither of the pair was pleased when a court page wound his way through the throng of revelers attending their sire’s birthday celebration and bowed respectfully. His Majesty, King Ronan, requests your presence on the dais.

Niles and Giles exchanged a long, speaking glance, excused themselves politely from the women they had been entertaining, and followed the page back to the dais.

Ah! My sons and heirs! You have indeed graced my little celebration with your wonderful presence! I was certain you were both off whoring and I see I have misjudged you both! Although … given the company you were keeping it might well be that my page managed to snag the two of you before you went off a whoring.

Almost identical expressions of annoyance flickered across their handsome faces before they assumed polite smiles. Naturally, Father, we want to honor you on your special anniversary, Niles said evenly.

We have not missed a single celebration in our lifetimes, Giles pointed out. Or so we have been told, he added when his father opened his mouth to dispute any recollection they might have from their early years.

King Ronan smiled thinly. Given that this day is the celebration of my one hundredth anniversary, he said coolly, I have decided to make an announcement regarding my heirs. And before either of you get too excited, I would like to point out that I have every expectation of being around a good many years more. I have merely concluded that it is necessary for there to be no lingering doubts in the minds of our citizens regarding who will take the throne when I pass.

This was news to both of them and not particularly pleasant news.

Not that either of them were in any great rush to ascend to the throne. They were enjoying the freedom of being the heirs apparent without the heavy burden and excessive duties of being Kings.

But the expectation—theirs—was that they would eventually grow bored with enjoying themselves and find a woman to spawn with and become as boring as their father. And what were they to do then if they were not to be the kings?

And beyond that, they were his eldest born sons! He could not be contemplating leaving the kingdom to their younger brother, surely?

Apparently he was.

When he had allowed them to be seated on either side of him, he explained that he had grave doubts about their character and that had led to concerns about their ability to treat his people in a just manner.

He was sending them upon a quest to find the most beautiful woman in the entire realm and return with her.

Giles and Niles exchanged a speaking look, shrugged, and began to study the women attending their father’s anniversary party.

King Ronan rolled his eyes. Lifting one arm, he swung it to encompass the entire ballroom, fluttering his fingers as if flicking shit off. I will give you one hint, he said dryly. She is not present in this ballroom.

Niles and Giles looked at him with a combination of surprise, indignation, and suspicion.

But … father! Giles exclaimed. It has always been said that your court draws the most beautiful women in creation. Would that not include our realm?

King Ronan studied his son, drumming his fingers a little impatiently on the arm of the throne. Finally, he sighed. It is worse than I thought. Neither of you have any judgment at all. Pack your bags for an extended trip. You will leave in the morning—NOT at noon when you generally rise—at dawn—and I will expect you to scour the entire countryside—every inch of our realm. If you return with someone entirely unsuitable, I will send you out again. Go!

Niles got up at once.

Giles was a little slower.

But then, he was a little slower.

And he was too busy gaping at their father in disbelief to follow his orders.

As you wish, Father, Niles responded stiffly. Giles! Come!

He has gone senile, Giles muttered when he was certain they were no longer within hearing distance.

Niles clamped a hand over his mouth. Honest to god, Giles! You have no sense of self-preservation at all at times!

Giles flung his hand away. Did you not have that very hand up Pricilla Brownwing’s pussy not five minutes ago? he growled.

Niles frowned, sniffed his fingers, and then shrugged. Mayhap. Since when are you so nicey nasty, I would like to know?

Since I heard that she had been fucking the Duke, Giles snapped.

Uncle …? Niles felt a little ill. After looking around for something to wipe his hand on, he decided to use the back of Gile’s jacket.

Giles tried to fight him off, but he was too shocked at Niles’ audacity to object before it was done.

We are very unlikely to catch anything, you know, Niles pointed out. It was only my finger.

If it rots off, tell me not to worry.

Niles dismissed it when he reached the royal apartments and followed Giles into his own suite, heading directly to his washstand to cleanse his hands.

Giles was pacing the room when he finished.

I suppose we should pack, Niles said a little doubtfully. I wonder what we should pack for an expedition among the commoners? Nothing fancy, I suppose. It seems doubtful we will be attending many gatherings.

Oh! Giles gasped, abruptly perking up. We should go incognito!

Niles glared at him. We are the prince royals! How many of them do you suppose have never seen us?

Giles blinked at him. We don’t invite them to our parties. When would they have seen us?

Niles was about to blast him with temper, but that question gave him pause. They gather along the sides of the road when we travel, he said finally.

Yes … but … we are riding by or we are in our carriage. There must be far more that would not recognize us than would and I think it would be delightful to masquerade as commoners! And that way we can count upon people answering truthfully when we ask directions, I should think. They would not want to point out any beauties to us if they knew who we were for fear we’d toss their skirts! I am fairly certain we have gained a reputation for that.

There is that, Niles said thoughtfully. "We will have to enlist the aid of some of the servants. They will know someone