The Halfbreed Heir (Fan-fic)

== The Halfbreed Heir ==
(Credit to EagleAmber, my friend on the Scholastic WoF site for the character Lotus)
# Lotus breathed in, it had been a few hours since she had come to the Palace of the Sea. And it still felt completely alien. Especially the whole “using your gills” part. It wasn’t like, swimming here, or exploring an underwater cave there. This was different. The wetness still felt like leaves clinging to her underbelly and wings, a bit unnatural but not foreign. She was used to wetness, you had to be to live in the rainforest.
# Lotus stirred slightly causing slight ripples near her body. It all was so sudden, since she had lived her whole life in the rainforest with her mother. She had never, in her wildest dreams. Think of a small, twitchy SeaWing messenger to flap up to them and blurt out the news. Her father, Tidal, had been a SeaWing prince before he ran off and met her mother. Making Lotus an heir to the SeaWing throne. Lotus stirred again. Her mind spun as she thought everything over. She had always been the odd one out. Sure she looked slightly different than the other RainWings. And she had mostly dysfunctional scales. But a hybrid, never in her wildest dreams.
# Well, perhaps some dreams, good ones. Where her father ended up on being an animus hunted by his own tribe being accused of something he didn’t do. Until his name was finally cleared and he came back to the rainforest to her and her mother to live happily ever after. Happily ever after, Lotus was constantly thinking that phrase over and over. Sometimes a little sliver of doubt would flash its scales saying “are happy ever afters even possible?” She squished the doubt deep, deep down and turned over on her other side. The seaweed bed sunk in a little deeper, it was different than sleeping in moss or hammocks. Lotus was practically spreading her weight across it so she didn’t sink any further. She was bored, she popped up and glanced over, her mother wasn’t there and it made her feel kind of lonely. But also since no one was there it gave her a chance to explore the palace.
# She had a feeling Queen Oceania and King Trench weren’t going to let their new, hybrid niece roam around unsupervised so she guessed there were guards outside the room. She swam further lighting her scales slightly illuminating the dank empty room, full of beautiful spiraling columns and glowering statues. Incredibly different to the bright, cheery rainforest. Lotus spread her wings giving her more control, then quietly peeked her head out into the hall. Guards, two large sleepy dragons, with spears stood there shifting their talons. Lotus unzipped the small pouch on her right ankle pulling out a smooth white pebble. “Make the guards fall asleep for an hour right after I throw you” Lotus whispered, then she remembered she was underwater, so, she thought it instead. Then, taking her best shot she softly pushed it out towards the guards and she watched it float gently to their talons. Their wings flared, their talons clasped and unclasped and finally their eyes rolled back and they slumped into the floor. It worked. She gently paddled past them, poked one of the guard’s talon’s to make sure they were asleep. (Which they were). Then floated on further through the never ending halls. As she swam she thought she noticed something moving in front of her. She squinted, luckily she could see quite well in the dark.
# Nothing, she gently turned around scoping the halls. Then as quick as venom something rammed into her side. A blinding flash of light illuminated the entries, one a frightened crimson and the other a deep turquoise. She flapped her wings, outstretching her talons. Lotus grabbed the other dragon by the shoulders, slamming them into the wall. Her scales remained a scared red but flecks of unsure pumpkin started to make their way across her wings. When she looked at the other dragon she realized she seemed about her age. She was a small, plump SeaWing with dark purple scales and curious green eyes which were watching her intently. Lotus realized she had been flashing her scales at her the whole timed she analyzed her. “Aquatic” Lotus thought “why have I never learned it? Well, probably because mother doesn’t know it and I’ve never been around another SeaWing for nearly my entire life”. She quickly released the dragoness, who shook her wings then swam around Lotus still flashing her scales, brightly. “Lotus dug into her pouch then pulled out a similar pebble to the one before. “Quick, make me know Aquatic when I touch you” she thought furiously. Then, like a headache words pulsated into her head. She blinked back the confusion. ‘Hello? Am I saying it right’ she asked her stripes a curious yellow.
# ‘Um, saying what right?’ flashed the other dragon giving her a slightly confused look. “Yes, it worked!” Lotus wanted to leap into the air and to flips but for one, she was underwater. And two, the other dragon might think she was weird. Which, she had a feeling she already did think she was weird. ‘Uh, hi I’m Lotus. I’m new, I’m from the rainforest’
# ‘Whoa, your that hybrid everydragon’s talking about’. Flashed the other dragon with a gaping expression. Lotus nodded. ‘You’re so pretty! I’ve never seen a dragon look like that before’ she dove under Lotus’s wings and examined the spirals on them. ‘Cool’ she flashed. Lotus smiled. ‘I’m Spire by the way’ she was now poking the pouch on Lotus’s ankle. She pulled her foot out of the dragons reach. ‘Oh, sorry I didn’t mean to be nosy. I wouldn’t want someone suddenly poking my earring’ she flashed gesturing towards a glowing light blue pearl earring in her left ear. Lotus hadn’t noticed it before and she thought it was strange to only have one. Two thoughts popped into her head simultaneously. Either it was a fashion statement, or she had lost the other one. Lotus guessed it was a fashion statement. As Lotus examined the other dragon noticing how she had gills like herself but she was spinier and had more glow-in-the-dark stripes. ‘Quick get down’ flashed Spire gently pulling Lotus into the shadows. And before she could flash a reply a large figure swam past them, the dragon’s stripes glowed eerily green then another dragon appeared out of the shadows flashed something in reply and they both swam off through the murky depths. After it had been what Lotus thought a decade Spire released her death grip on her wing and swam slowly back into the open. ‘Guards’ she flashed with a frown. ‘Nosiest dragons around here, Beluga and Shiver’ Spire made a face like she had just swallowed a rotten mango. ‘I can’t stand them, they’ll be back you better be off to your room’. Spire said gesturing for her to leave then, without hesitation Spire dove off leaving nothing but a trail of bubbles and a wake. Lotus floated there for a moment, thinking about her first real encounter with a SeaWing. The messenger in the rainforest hardly counted since all he did was mutter some words and beckon them to follow. Spire was different. “Perhaps we can become friends” Lotus’s mind though hopefully as she slowly swam back to her room, where the slumbering guards were gently stirring. “Wow, it’s been that long” Lotus thought as she paddled down to her kelp bed and squished deeply into it. “Well, at least one things really good here so far” Lotus thought as she stretched her wings and scooched in deeper to her kelp bed. “I’m not alone here anymore.” Then, with the slow swish of a tail, Lotus nodded off to sleep but the moment before her eyelids fluttered closed she flashed something her stripes a peaceful purple. “Goodnight Spire”…..
# Lotus swished her tail. In her dream she was being bombarded by howler monkeys two looking disturbingly alike to the SeaWing guards she had encountered with Spire. She twitched her wings. Two monkeys had now perched on top of her head while the other poked her in her side. Lotus now clasped and unclasped her talons. A flash of blinding turquoise light dragged her to her senses. She opened one sea green eye noticing a miffed looking SeaWing with a spear hovering over her. She reliaze he had been poking her with the other end of the spear for a while trying to wake her, and he didn’t seem too pleased about it. ‘Lotus of the RainWings, will you please follow me’ he flashed she nodded slowly and untangled herself from the seaweed bed. She recognized him as the second guard, she guessed Shiver. She also noticed he never called her a SeaWing, or a princess. It didn’t matter though, she wasn’t exactly either of those. He gestured her to follow with his wing then quickly shot off thrashing his tail and snapping his head back to give her random suspicious glances. As she followed him she saw he wasn’t much bigger, or older than herself. He was adorned with gold armor on his chest, shoulders, and forearms, all connected by a sharp-looking black wire and covered most of his navy blue scales. He had a web of small scars across his tail and behind his neck. Also his right ear had been torn. He glanced at her again and she swallowed. He had an aloof and annoyed air to his no-nonsense look. And Spire, being the only friend and other SeaWing she knew, Lotus guessed she had a reason to dislike Shiver. By the time she had finished that thought she realized she was in the middle of a huge colosseum room.
# It was colossal. Gold statues of former rulers lined the enormous ceilings. Pearls, sapphires, and other precious gems embellished the ornate walls in beautiful patterns that resemble Aquatic. She also noticed the gigantic pearl and gold chain chandelier that shimmered above them. She was amazed, never before had she seen anything so gorgeous “Must’ve lost track of time and where I was going” she thought to herself. As she followed Shiver navigating through the other many SeaWings. She looked up, rows, and rows of seats like that of an auditorium lined the walls above her. She guessed it was where the Queen gave her royal speeches or something. When Shiver finally stopped she saw two very large, adult dragons making their way towards her.
# She thrashed her tail nervously. The SeaWings swam in front of her than stopped. The large turquoise female arched her elegant pearl adorned neck towards her then smiled. The larger green male looked slightly less happy about her presence, but he wasn’t unfriendly either. Just a bit too regal, in Lotus’s perspective. ‘Welcome Princess Lotus’ flashed the female. ‘I am Queen Oceania, I am the Ruler of the SeaWings and brother to Prince Tidal, which, makes me your aunt and you my niece, also it makes you a contestant for the SeaWing throne’ She flashed her scales incredibly bright making Lotus squint every time she’d say something. She guessed she’d be very loud on land. Lotus was also crazy excited and was still stuck on the word “welcome”. Now the King spoke
# I am your uncle, King Trench. Lotus I suppose this must all be a shock to you, I also apologize for your mother not being able to come, but being without gills is a problem we cannot compensate for’ He flashed less as bright than the Queen had. “Wow, they’re both so nice” thought Lotus, she realized that the King’s face wasn’t a displeased face but an aloof regal face, it made since.
# ‘We will also have another SeaWing about your age inform you on our customs’ flashed Oceania and Lotus discovered they had been talking the entire time. She just nodded her head hoping she didn’t miss anything important. The royals looked at each other, nodded regally then swam off, accompanied by about eight, menacing SeaWing guards.
# As Lotus waved in the direction of the King and Queen she was suddenly bombarded by a heap of wings, claws, and bright turquoise flashing.
# ‘Spire!’ Lotus flashed excitedly.
# ‘Lotus!’ she flashed back grinning. ‘Guess what?!’
# ‘What?’ Lotus asked she found herself grinning to, the bubbly dragon’s energy was contagious.
# ‘I’m your intel!’
# ‘What?’
# ‘You’re intel on the SeaWing’s customs!’ Lotus blinked, confused.
# ‘Customs, what customs?’
# ‘The customs of EVERYTHING Blubber Brain’ Spire flashed laughing ‘Let me guess, you were still stuck on the fact you were talking to the Queen and King of the awesomest tribe in Pyrrhia?!’ Lotus nodded
# ‘Actually, I wasn’t even that far, I was still stuck on the fact how big the room was’ she flashed honestly. Spire threw her head back laughing.
# ‘Well, don’t worry, I’ll catch you up to everything important’ Lotus smiled, relived
# ‘Thanks’
# ‘Don’t mention it-Princess’ Spire elbowed Lotus heartily, grinning then she faked bowed, and laughed again. ‘Ok, so come on!’ she grabbed Lotus by the forearm then shot off dragging her with her. ‘Alright, first things first. This is the Royal Stadium where Queen Oceania gives her speeches, and it’s also where the royal heirs fight to the death for the throne’ Lotus spread her wings out jolting Spire to a sudden stop
# ‘Say what?’ she flashed her eyes wide with fright.
# ‘It’s where the royal heirs fight for the SeaWing throne.’ She flashed slowly.
# ‘Oh, so it’s not to the death, right?’
# ‘Um, no it is to the end, I mean, it’s a SeaWing tradition’ Spire suddenly threw her wings up looking thrilled ‘ha, ha!’ she flashed brightly ‘See! You’re already learning something, I am a good teacher!’ Lotus was still startled about the whole “fight to the death” thing. Noticing how tense she was Spire led her into one of the never ending corridors. ‘Don’t worry Lotus, you’ll be fine. Besides you’ll probably never have to fight’ Lotus nodded, she still didn’t feel much better. ‘Don’t worry’ she flashed squeezing Lotus’s front talons. ‘Breathe’ Lotus nodded she relaxed a tiny bit. ‘Good!’ Spire said smiling then without further protest Lotus was yanked back into the crowds of busy SeaWings. ‘That’s Whelk, our history teacher. That’s Eel, one of the Queen’s guards, he’s nice.’ Spire jerked Lotus in another direction ducking under wings and avoiding collisions. ‘That’s Mako, he’s the cook, and that’s Abyss’
# ‘Let me guess, another guard?’ flashed Lotus curiously.
# ‘No silly! She’s my friend’ with that she grabbed Lotus’s talon and waved madly at a passing grey dragonet who smiled and waved back then whispered something to her friend swimming next to her, pointing to Lotus who grinned sheepishly. Spire continued to point out dragons and their jobs, and Lotus did her best to comprehend it all. ‘Get down!’ Spire flashed brighter than the Queen had making Lotus wince. She shoved Lotus down into the floor nearly sitting on top of her.
# ‘What? Is it an attack?’
# ‘No-It’s Thresher’ Spire said glancing towards a group of male SeaWing dragonets their age. She was staring particularly at a handsome grey-blue SeaWing who was laughing, and elbowing his friends good-naturedly. ‘Isn’t he dreamy?’ flashed Spire with a vacant expression.
# ‘Wait, you smushed me just so you could hide from your crush?’ Lotus asked frowning
# ‘Uh-maybe, I mean-I don’t want him to see me, he should meet you, you’re the princess.’ She glanced up at him and smiled blissfully.
# With a look of determination Lotus seized Spire’s wing with her talons and shot upward towards the dragonets. ‘GACK! Are you CRAZY? I can’t talk to HIM? Lemme go Lotus!’ Lotus didn’t stop until they were wingtips away from them. ‘Ugh, what is wrong with you? We can still make it out, we’ll just slip away and…’ Spire began.
# ‘Hey, how ya doin’ Flashed Thresher smiling
# ‘Too late-he made contact, GACK!’ flashed Spire a look of quiet terror spread across her snout.
# Lotus loosened her grip on Spire’s wing, who tried to bolt away in the process. ‘You will talk to him and face your fear’ Lotus flashed firmly, restraining Spire’s desperate struggles.
# ‘Anything but that?’ Asked Spire hopefully
# ‘No’
# ‘Fine’
# Thresher watched them, interested. ‘So, you’re new, you look different-not like that’s a bad thing-I mean, I’ve-I’ve never seen a SeaWing that looks like you’ he said looking awkward. Before Lotus could mention Spire she beat her to it.
# ‘Yeah her name’s Lotus she’s a HYBRID, she’s also a PRINCESS. So-yeah-she’s pretty cool’
# “Wait, was Spire trying to get Thresher to like her, wow, she’s doing it because she knows I’m new here and that he seems to like me, wow, that’s really nice” thought Lotus
# ‘Um, yeah, I’m half-RainWing.’ Lotus finished Spire shot her a look full of daggers and whacked her with her tail. If one thing was disliked by mostly every other tribe, were RainWings and Lotus knew it. Thresher seemed surprised, and didn’t know how to respond to that, but she didn’t have to, Lotus responded for him. ‘Yeah I’m a RainWing I love fruit, sunshine and all that good stuff. But Spire, she’s been showing me the ropes of the palace. She’s really a good friend. You know, perhaps you guys should meet sometimes.’ Spire looked close to passing out,
# ‘um-uh-uh’ she snapped her maw shut looking shocked.
# ‘Um, yeah, I could do that, your name’s Splash right?’ Thresher asked looking relived to get off the RainWing subject.
# ‘It-its Spire’ she corrected him still looking like someone had told her scavengers could fly or something.
# ‘Cool, maybe tomorrow then Spire, and uh-Lotus-nice to uh-nice to meet you’. With that the dragonets parted, Thresher stopped, winked at Spire than swam off grinning. Lotus smiled. “Mission accomplished” she thought, she looked over at Spire and laughed. Spire was floating there, frozen, and grinning like an idiot…
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Content (Dragonarrow5767)
Category:Genre (Romance)
Category:Genre (Adventure)
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)