Broken

A story written in Burn's point of view.
==Chapter One==
I watched as the eggs wiggled in their nest. Two new siblings! I couldn't have been happier! If only I knew...
My mother watched proudly as a tiny barb poked out of one egg.
A tiny sand-colored dragonet fell out of the egg and rolled in the straw. He had little black speckles lining her neck and tail. He was so cute! I was a big sister!
My mother scooped him up and cradled her in her wings. "My little Prince Singe." she said proudly as she set him in the basket next to her.
Blister, my two year old sister, watched from next to me, Smolder next to her. "I hope it's not another girl." she said softly.
I ignored her.
The next egg cracked and a happy dragonet hopped out. She was so pale and so much smaller than Singe. She squeaked happily at my mother.
She nuzzled the tiny newborn. "You'll be Princess Blaze, my little desert flower." She gave the dragonet a loving lick.
I smiled and wagged my tail. I was practically shaking with excitement. "Mom, can I hold her?" I asked innocently. I didn't mean any harm, which is why I don't understand what she did next.
She gave me a look of disgust. "No. Not now." she said, trying to sound friendly so I wouldn't cry.
I felt so sad. I thought she was just tired. I was really late. I folded my ears back. "Oh. Ok, mama..."
I left the hatchery, dragging my tail behind me. What happened back there? She never acted like that before... Did I do something wrong?
I climbed up the long staircase to my room and opened the door. I pulled myself onto my bed. I sighed. I was so tired. It felt like I'd been up for days.
"I bet she's just tired..." I yawned. "I'm sure she just needs a good night's rest. She'll be better by tomorrow."
I was so tired that night, I fell asleep on top of my bed sheets. When I woke up, the sun was just peeking over the horizon. I looked out of the large window behind my bed. It took up the whole wall and had a pretty view of the sun-warmed desert sand dunes. There were two falcons chasing each other in the air and they flew right past my window.
My stomach grumbled. "Breakfast time!" I said happily. I used to be so happy...
I snuck out into the hallway and peeked into my mother's room. She was still asleep, with Blister and Blaze curled up in a blanket that was laid out neatly in a basket. My dad had his wing over her and he had his tail laying over hers.
I decided not to wake her up. She was always cranky when I did that.
I made my way to the kitchen. Smolder had fallen asleep on the couch again. What a dummy.
I pulled a box of my favorite wheat cereal out of a wooden cabinet and poured it into a red bowl. It then grabbed the vase of milk and poured a bit of it in. I grabbed a shiny silver spoon out of the drawer and put in in the bowl.
I looked outside at the desert sunrise. "I think I'll eat outside today." I whispered.
I walked out into the castle courtyard. The sand was still kind of cold. I sat on a bench next to a birdbath and ate my breakfast.
The morning birds sang and danced through the air. I always loved watching them.
A tiny blue bird landed in front of me and pecked the ground. It looked right at me and turned its head. "Tweet!" it chirped happily.
I smiled at it. I then took a few pieces of my cereal and tossed them on the ground.
It hopped toward the cereal and ate it quickly. It tweeted a few more times and then flew away.
I waved at it. "Bye, little bird!"
I looked at the purple flowers growing next to the bench and saw what looked like a big white pearl. I picked it up and looked at it. It was soft and squishy, kind of like a rubber ball.
I took it inside, dropping my empty bowl in the sink, and put in in a little wooden chest lined with red velvet.
There was a tiny hole in the side. Funny. That hadn't been there when I picked it up. Did I break it?
A tiny orange head poked out of the white, paper-like sphere, a snake. It flicked its black tongue and looked at me.
"A Dragonbite Viper!" I put my claw close to it, prepared to pull it away if it tried to lunge at me. "I guess you're... kinda cute..."
The snake crawled onto my claw and slithered in between my talons. She had yellow diamond shapes on her sides.
"I think I'll keep you. I'll name you Primrose." She was so cute as a baby...
"Burn!" I heard my mother call.
"Coming Mom!" I called back. I put Primrose back in the box and latched it. I then ran to where my mother had called me from, the kitchen.
She looked at me in a way that made me know I'd did something wrong. "How many times do I have to tell you to wash your dishes when you're done with them?" she growled.
"But mom-"
"But nothing, Burn! Clean up after yourself! I'm very busy with your sisters!" Then, with a huff, she turned and left the room.
Smolder lifted his head from the couch. Mom's yelling had woken him up. He rubbed his head. "What's the matter with her?" he asked sleepily.
I hung my head. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong but ever since Singe and Blaze were born, she's been nothing but harsh..."
"Give her some time, sis. It was only last night. The dragonets have been squawking all night. She's probably still tired."
"Oh. Alright. Thanks Smolder." I just wish I could have believed him. And I wish he could have been right...
==Chapter Two==
A few weeks later, things still hadn't improved. In fact, they may have actually gotten worse. She barely even talked to me anymore. She was always so busy with my sisters, like they were the only things that mattered to her. I'm her daughter too! Why didn't she care?
She was rocking Singe and Blaze to sleep in her arms in their nursery. I didn't know that it would only go downhill from here.
I walked into the nursery and attempted to give her a hug. I wrapped my wings around her. In doing so, I accidently woke up Blaze, who started to cry.
She pushed me away. "Oh moons, Burn! I just got them to sleep!"
I pressed my ears back. "Sorry mom..."
She began rocking my sister again and glared at me. "Sorry isn't going to get these dragonets to sleep! Now leave!"
I felt tears stinging my eyes. I ran out of the nursery and into my room, slamming the door behind me. I threw myself onto my bed and started to cry. I dug around under my bed for Primrose's box and took her out.
I put her on my head and she slithered in between my horns. She dropped down onto my snout and looked at me.
I talked to her, like she could understand me. "I bet you wouldn't yell at your babies if they made a mistake." I said through tears.
She fell off of my snout and landed on my pillow.
There was a knock at my door. "Burn, can I come in?" It was my dad.
I put Primrose back in her box and put it under the bed. I opened the door. "Hey dad." I sniffled.
"Burn, I heard the door slam. Is something wrong?" I could always count on dad to make me feel better.
"Mom yelled at me because I accidently woke up Blaze." I said, rubbing my eyes.
He put his talon on my shoulder and walked me over to the bed. He sat down next to me. "Burn, you know your mother is very stressed. She hasn't been able to sleep very much and the dragonets are always crying. Thing will get better when they're a bit older, ok?"
I rubbed my eyes. "Ok..." I sniffled.
He pat me on the back and left.
I just wish it would have turned out that way.
==Chapter Three==
After a few years, Mom decided to register all of us in a school on the other side of the kingdom.
It was the first day of school, and Blaze was so excited, it looked like she was going to explode.
Blister grabbed her burlap bag and filled it with scrolls and pencils.
Blaze was fixing pink flowers in her horns and was fawning over herself. As usual.
I was packing my own bag. I put three sharpened pencils in the side flap and put two scrolls in the main pocket, A Guide to Scavenger Behavior, and The Biography of Queen Tiye.
When we were ready to leave, mother flew us to the school. She kissed Blister and Blaze on the head and waved at them as all of us went into the school.
The principal met us as we walked in. "Good morning, young royals. I'll be showing you to your class."
We followed him down a long empty hallway with bare sandstone walls. He opened the door to a classroom filled with screaming dragonets, all of them our ages.
I unpacked my bag and hung it up on a hook. I took a seat next to a dragonet that seemed to be about my age. He had long black horns and claws, yellow wings, and scales so dull they were almost tan. He was reading a scroll.
He looks kind of nerdy. I thought to myself.
He looked over at me and smiled. "Hi there, princess. My name's Wren." He held out his talon.
I shook his talon hastily. "Hello, Wren..."
I looked over at Blister. She already had a group of friends, or rather kiss-ups, flocking around her.
Blaze had joined a large group of females who didn't believe in being rude or mean. They were too nice. Apparently. Anyone could join them, but because of the size of the group, you would always feel left out.
Smolder sat at a table with the nerds. They were all discussing astronomy or something. Weird.
Scald, who was my age, sat with the jocks and talked about sports, every so often fist bumping with another dragon and flirting with the females.
Singe sat with the outcasts, the dragons who didn't have a lot of friends, and already seemed to be fitting in.
And then there was me. Alone. Well, not completely. There was still Wren.
Maybe we could be friends. I winced and mentally scolded myself. A princess can't be friends with a commoner.
The bell rang and it was time for lunch. Dragonets flocked to the lunchroom and began to eat. Blister, Blaze, Singe, Smolder, and Scald all sat at tables with their new friends. I sat alone.
I was somewhat satisfied with the solitude. After all, it never bothered me before, sitting up in my room alone for all those years.
I began to eat and I was about to take a bite of my fruit when a tray set down next to me. I looked to see who it was.
It was Wren, smiling awkwardly. "Hey. Why are you sitting alone, Burn?"
"I don't have friends." I said, my mouth smeared in pink fruit juice and tiny black seeds.
"Well, can I sit with you?" he asked, moving closer to me.
I licked my lips. "I don't see why you'd want to sit with me when I have two sisters who are infinitely better than me who would be more than happy to be your friend." I stopped, seeing the look of disappointment on his face. "But if you want to, sure."
He looked relieved. He sat down and began to eat. "So... Why don't you sit with your sisters?" he said through mouthfuls of food.
"Because according to them, I'm nothing but a blob of camel spit who's not fit to be queen of anything." I snarled.
He seemed a bit taken back. "Well, that's not what I see." he said. He leaned closer to me.
I felt my face heat up and blush. I was confused. What was happening?
"Ooooh!" a few girls swooned. Blister and her pack were standing right in front of my table.
Blister wore a smug grin on her face. "So, looks like my sister went and found herself a boy toy!" Her and her entire group laughed.
My face burned bright red in embarrassment. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to claw her.
Wren stood up bravely. "Why don't you leave us alone, Blister! Your sister is an amazing dragon and would make a much better queen than you!"
Blister's grin disappeared. "It that so?" she scoffed.
"Yeah!" Wren barked right in her face.
I had to admit, it was impressive. He was so bold. And kind of... cute.
"Well, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and fight me !" Blister growled.
This couldn't end well.
Wren narrowed his eyes at her. He then took a deep breath and sat back down.
"What, afraid of a little fight, lizard boy?" Blister mocked.
Wren held his snout high. "No, but I won't stoop down to your level."
Murmuring swept through Blister's pack.
Blister growled. "Fine, coward. Girls, let's go."
Different dragons glared over their shoulders at us.
He was so smart. He would be a pretty good king.
==Chapter Four==
As the school year went on, Wren and I became closer. Some may have considered us to be more than just friends.
I wanted to date him. I really did. But mother forbid it for fear that she would have more challengers. Isn't she just wonderful?
It was nearing the last day of school. There was only about a week left before summer break. I was running out of time to tell Wren how I felt.
I pushed a bundle of scrolls into my locker and slammed the metal door shut. Wren was standing next to me.
"Hey there, Burn." he said smoothly.
I smiled at him. "Hello, Wren."
We began walking down the hallway. My next class was math, one we had together.
"So, any plans for the summer?" he purred.
I sighed. I wish I could tell him I loved him. He'd be such a perfect king. "Well, actually, I was hoping we could keep in touch over the summer. We could-"
"Shhhh..." he hushed. "Burn, I need to admit something." he purred. His voice seemed loud in the empty hallway. "Ever since I first saw you, I've wanted to ask you one thing. Burn..." he hesitated, his face turning bright red. "Burn, will you go out with me?"
There it was. The same question I had wanted to ask him ever since that day in the lunch room.
"Yes." I said, not realizing what I said until after I said it.
He smiled and threw his wings around me. "Oh, Burn! You've made me so happy!"
I felt my face heat up. I was happy that he had asked and happy I accepted, but there was a voice in my head whispering doubt into my mind. What if mother finds out?
A teacher leaned his head out of his classroom. "Get to class, you two. You're already late."
We both snapped back to reality and took off toward our math classroom. We both slipped into the classroom, unnoticed, and sat in the back of the classroom.
I pulled my math scroll and ink pot out of my bag and began to solve the problems written on the board.
After what seemed like an eternity of algebra and word problems, school was finally over.
I shoved my armful of scrolls into my locker and swung my bag over my shoulder. I shut my locker and Wren was standing there.
"Hey, Burn. I was wondering if you wanted to do something tonight." He reached into his bag and pulled out two pieces of paper, tickets. "I heard their having a secret tournament in the Scorpion Den and I was wondering if you wanted to go."
"Sure. I'd love to." My tail twitched at my answer. "Just meet me at the front entrance to the den."
He smiled. "Ok! See you then!" he said, turning and running down the hall.
I pushed open the front door and walked down the steps, where my sisters were waiting.
"Come on! Pick it up, Burn! Let's go!" Blister yelled.
"Alright, alright. Hold on to your tail." I hated it when she got like that.
Blaze smiled at me, her horns laced with flowers as usual. She leaned over and whispered in my ear as we started to walk home. "So, how are things going with your boyfriend?"
My face turned a million shades of red. "He's not my boyfriend, Blaze!" I hissed. I knew I had to hide it, especially from her. Blaze was such a gossip, if you ever let her in on a secret, the next day the whole kingdom would know.
She sneered at me. "Sure." she teased. She always did this.
I glared at her. "He's not! And even if he was, I wouldn't tell you!"
Her smile disappeared. "Ok, ok. Calm down. I won't joke about it anymore, I-"
Hurry up!" Blister yelled. She was so far ahead of us by now. "I'd like to get home before the sun sets!"
I rolled my eyes and started to fly.
==Chapter Five==
By the time we got home, it was almost dinner time.
I flew into the bathroom to get cleaned up, a rule around here. And a dumb one at that.
After I finished, I went downstairs for dinner. It was camel and roasted lizard. Again.
I didn't complain though. I filled my plate with food and began to eat.
My mother cleared her throat. "Burn?"
I looked up at her. "Hmm?"
"Since you're my eldest daughter, I've decided it's time to get you betrothed."
I nearly choked. "Betrothed?!"
Blister burst out laughing and nearly fell out of her chair.
"Yes, betrothed. I've selected one of the general's sons to be your future king." she said proudly.
"Which one?" I asked. I hoped it wasn't Dufu, or weirdo, as I liked to call him. He was such a jerk. All he cared about was himself. Even his name meant 'tasteless'.
She stood up and walked toward a door, gesturing for me to follow her.
I kept my claws crossed as I followed her out into the courtyard. Please don't let it be Dufu.
She rang a bell hanging up on a long post and the general and his five sons walked out into the courtyard. The five young dragons sat in a row, but only one had his chest puffed out proudly. Dufu.
Oh no. I thought. Does that mean he's the one?
The general stopped and bowed to my mother, then me. He looked me straight in the eye, his one good eye shining with pride. "You're very lucky, princess. Each of my sons has been trained to be a strong warrior and a wise and modest mate. But I believe only one of them is worthy enough to be the mate of one of our great queen's daughters." he said in a grisly and coarse voice.
Dufu stood up, a stupid look of fake pride on his face. But I could tell he felt he was entitled to this, the only one of his brothers to be king.
Too bad for him. I am not becoming his mate. I thought.
Dufu stood next to his father, who he was nearly as tall as. His golden scales and bright red frill shone brightly in the setting sun's light and his bi-colored muzzle had a sly grin on it. He raised an eye ridge at me.
I tried not to vomit. But it only got worse when he walked over to me and put his arm around me.
"So, princess, it looks like we're going to be mates one day." he said, resting his chin on my back.
I extended my claws and growled at him. "In your dreams, you lousy ball of camel spit."
"Calm down, young lady! You're such a feisty girl... And strong too. I'll definitely need you to defend my perfect self when I'm king here."
"Wait, what?" I couldn't believe what I just heard. "Even if I am strong, you're the one who's going to fight for my... o-our... land." It was so hard to say.
Dufu snickered at me. "Burn, my lovely, sweet little princess, do you seriously think I want to end up scarred, mutilated, and ugly? Come on, girl, wake up! I'm the future king. I need to look good, so you'll be the ugly one, not me. I'm not going to sacrifice my beauty for a land that didn't belong to my family to begin with."
I couldn't speak. I couldn't even move. If I did, I would have killed him, or at least yelled at him so loud, he went deaf. I gritted my teeth. "Shut... up... now..."
He snickered at me again. I wanted to claw his stupid face off! "Oh, come on now. I know you don't really mean that." he said in a flirty voice.
"I do mean it!" I screamed. I wanted to scream at him until his ears bled. But I didn't.
He got close to my face, as if asking for a kiss. "Burn, I know-"
I pushed him back so hard, he tripped over his tail. "You know nothing, Dufu! You know nothing!"
==Chapter Six==
I ran out of the palace gates as fast as I could. I ran until my legs felt numb, but I didn't stop. I wanted to scream and cry.
I stopped. If I ran any more, I felt like my lungs were going to explode. I looked around. I was near the Scorpion Den. I gasped. "Wren!"
I ran to the entrance and I saw him there waiting for me. I felt tears stinging the back of my eyes as I threw myself into his arms.
"Burn?! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
I felt the tears rolling down my snout but I wiped them away. I didn't want him to see me cry. "Nothing." I sniffled. "I'll tell you once we're inside."
Wren handed our tickets to the dragon at the front gate and walked inside to find our seats.
Once we sat down, he looked at me. I was still sniffling like a fool. "Burn, please tell me. What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
I wiped away another tear. "No, it's not you, it's my mother. She..." I stopped and sobbed into my talon.
"She, what?"
"She forced me to get betrothed. She didn't even ask me if I wanted to! She just took me out into the courtyard and said 'Here's your future mate.'! And worst of all, it's Dufu! Of all dragons!" I couldn't hold back anymore. Talking made me feel better, but I felt worse at the same time.
Wren looked at me with a mixture of sorrow, confusion, and fear. "So does that mean we can't be together anymore?"
I hugged him tightly. "No. It doesn't mean that at all. I want to be with you, not him." I have to find a way to get rid of him!
Wren wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder.
I let him. But if Dufu ever tried to do it, I'd rip him apart.
The array of horns sounded the beginning of the tournament. Gladiator dragons were led out into the ring, armored and all with a lust to win.
I watched with awe as two large SandWings jumped into battle, clawing and slashing at each other. The tan SandWing drove his claws into the other one's neck and pulled back savagely. He had won.
I observed every fighting technique that every warrior used. I'd need it if I were to become queen one day. My favorite one was used by a large, muscular IceWing. He poked and jabbed with his tail to weaken his enemy, then slammed it across his opponent's face.
When the tournament was over, it was close to the middle of the night. The three moons, only partially full, hung low in the sky.
I hugged Wren goodbye and flew home. Talking with him always made me feel better. When I landed in the courtyard, My mother swept me up in a hug nearly the moment my claws touched the ground.
"Burn, where have you been? I've been worried sick!" she said as she squeezed me tighter.
"I-I just needed some time by myself." Thinking about why I ran away made me want to tear up again.
She let me go and I walked upstairs to my room. I was exhausted. I really just needed to go to bed. I yawned as I opened my door.
"Where have you been, my lovely little desert flower?" a voice said. It was Dufu.
I groaned. "What do you want? You better not be-"
"Yeah, in short, whatever." he laughed. "I'm not here to talk about land, training, or stuff like that. I'm here about love."
I raised an eye ridge, ready to hear his crap.
"You see, we're betrothed and all, so it'd be cool if we started to spend time with each other. Y'know, learn to know each other."
"What told you I want to know you?" I growled.
"Oooh, come on, darling." he purred. "Everybody wants to know me. I'm the perfect mate, you'll never find better anywhere."
I felt absolutely disgusted.
"And I bet you already love me to bits."
He came closer, putting his talon and head on my back, with a psychotic, perverted smile. He started to purr again, but I immediately let my claws out, showing my teeth with rage. "Don't touch me, you sick idiot!" I snarled, trying to slash his face.
He moved back quickly and I thought I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes.
"I will never love you, do you hear me? Never! You're the worst dragon I've ever seen! You're an arrogant, weak, and stupid little spoiled brat who claims to be a prince, but who's a good for nothing blob of spit who can't even hunt a mouse! No one will ever love you!"
I rushed forward, grabbing him by the neck and pinning him to the floor. I looked into his eyes, seeing the fear and surprise swirling like an angry whirlpool. "Now get lost. Get out of my sight. Right now!"
He pushed me off of him and ran like a scared little field mouse.
I scoffed. I couldn't stand that t**t.
==Chapter Seven==
When I woke up the next morning, I felt stiff. I had slept like a log last night. I stretched and went downstairs for breakfast.
My mother and Dufu were sitting in the kitchen, waiting for me.
My mother stood up, a somewhat angry look on her face, a look that made me know I'd done something wrong. "Burn, did you yell at Dufu last night?"
I didn't want to hide it. "Yes, I did."
She seemed taken back. "But Burn. Why? I thought you loved him."
I felt so angry at her words. "No, I don't love him. You're the one who betrothed me to him. You didn't even ask me if I loved him."
"Well, who do you love?" she asked, staring right through me.
Crap. I loved Wren, but I couldn't tell her that. She'll have him executed. "I... Uh-"
She gasped. "You just don't want to reveal how deeply you love him."
"What? No, I-"
"It's ok, I understand. You don't need to share the details of your love with me." she said, turning to leave the room.
I looked at Dufu, who had his stupid grin back. "Looks like we're still mates, Burn. And tell you what, I'm going to take you out for dinner tonight. I might as well enjoy your beauty before you get all scarred defending me and our future dragonets."
I swallowed hard. "D-Dragonets?"
He grinned slyly. "Yes, dragonets. Let's just hope they inherit my beauty and your power. They'll be the perfect future princes and princesses."
I said nothing. I just turned around and left. I'd lost my apatite anyway. I went upstairs and locked myself in my room. I had no intention of leaving as long as he was here.
At sundown, I heard a knock at my door. "If that's you Dufu, go away."
"Burn, it's me." It was my mother.
I opened the door. "What?"
"Come downstairs. I have a surprise for you." she said with a smile.
I raised an eye ridge in confusion and followed her.
On the table, there was a tiny box covered in black velvet. My mother opened it, revealing a diamond necklace.
I gasped. "Mother... What's this for?"
She said nothing, helping me put the necklace on.
It did look nice. But what was it for?
"Go outside." she said. "There's something waiting for you there." She led me down the cobblestone path, at the end rested a roofed carriage pulled by two pure white horses.
It was strange and confusing, but I went up to it anyway. A dragon opened the door and I climbed inside. I didn't realize there was anyone inside the carriage with me until after we started moving.
"Well hello there, beautiful."
I felt my skin crawl at the sound of that voice. I looked to the opposite side of the carriage at the dragon with me. Golden yellow scales, red frill, bi-colored snout. Dufu. Of course.
==Chapter Eight==
I sighed. I forgot he had asked me on a date earlier.
"So, did you miss me while up in your room all day?" he asked, raising an eye ridge.
"No." I answered dryly.
He leaned in close to me. "I got you something." he said, handing me a small gift box with a large red bow on it.
I looked at him. He looked like an eager little dragonet. I sighed and undid the bow, opening the box.
Inside, there was a shining diamond ring.
I gasped. "What's this-"
He was blushing a brighter red than his frill. "I know we're betrothed, but I just can't wait any longer. Burn, will you marry me?"
I thought I felt my heart stop. All his words about marriage and dragonets came flooding back. He truly loved me. "I...I..."
He hushed me, leaning in to whisper in my ear. "I know it'll happen eventually, but I just can't wait to marry you. So let's make it happen early."
I must've been as pale as an IceWing. My mouth moved, but no words could escape.
He leaned in and kissed me. "I can tell you need time to think it over. Take as much time as you need, darling."
The carriage jerked to a stop in front of the fanciest restaurant in the kingdom. Dufu stepped out of the carriage and helped me down.
I couldn't believe this was happening.
The waiter brought us to our table. The window next to us provided a beautiful view of the desert sunset.
The waiter dropped off two drinks at our table and we ordered. The chatter of dragons filled the restaurant as music began to play.
"Beautiful night, isn't it?" Dufu asked.
I still couldn't speak.
He must've been able to tell I was still fazed. "I've loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you, Burn. I know we've had our differences in the past few days, but I think it's time to put all that aside and unite as one." He leaned against me. "I can see it now. Dragons cheering us, new allies, wealth, power, and dragonets to continue our glorious reign."
Wren. What would Wren say about this? I love him, but... I think I love Dufu too. I thought, but I was cut off by the waiter dropping our food off at the table. I unwrapped my silverware and began to eat.
He was staring at me. His dark grey eyes gleamed with passion. It was impossible to ignore.
The night seemed to go so fast. And I was barely able to speak through the whole thing. I was just so stunned that Dufu had proposed to me. It made me feel... special. Like someone actually cared. But Wren cared too. And I had to choose.
Late that night, I heard tiny stones hitting the window in my room.
Plink, plink, plink!
I looked out the window to see Wren standing there. His dull tan scales stood out against the sand. He was clutching something in his claws.
I rushed downstairs and into the courtyard. "Wren! What are you doing here? You know my mother will kill you if she finds you here."
"I had to come see you, Burn." He handed me what was in his talon, a single red rose.
I felt my heart sink. I love him but I also love Dufu. I don't know what to do...
He looked at the horizon. The sun was coming up. "Oh no." He leaned in and kissed me. "I have to go. See you later, Burn." And he flew away.
I sat down and put my wings over my head. Why. Why is this happening? Two dragons love me. And I love them both. I don't know what to do!
I walked inside, still lost in thought and saw my mother standing in front of me, a stern look on her face. Blister stood next to her, a smug grin on her face.
She glared at me, a frown on her face. "Burn, I'm very disappointed in you."
I tried to play dumb. But I knew what she meant. "I-I don't know what you're talking about..."
Blister's grin grew wider. If that was even possible.
"Don't play stupid, Burn. Blister said she saw it with her own eyes." She had a snarl in her voice now. "Smolder is already in enough trouble with that girlfriend of his. We don't need you going out and finding a lover too."
I winced. I remembered how devastated Smolder was when Palm had disappeared. And I also remember how Scald had disappeared after comforting him.
"Mom, I don't know what you're talking about. I-"
"Burn!"
I jumped back.
"Blister saw you with another dragon! Now who is he?!" she roared.
No... This can't be happening! I thought. "He's just a friend, mom. We're not together."
"Oh yeah? Then why did he kiss you?" Blister mocked.
That tore it. I couldn't stop myself. I lunged forward, slamming Blister to the ground.
"Shut your mouth before I drive my barb through it!" I screamed. I wanted to cry and run away again.
I felt my mother's talons grab me and throw me off of my sister. I could barely open my eyes before I saw her claws swinging towards me. They caught the side of my snout, leaving three deep cuts.
I reached up to run my talon across my face and felt blood trickling through my claws. I felt tears stinging my eyes, but I didn't cry. I was so... angry. I'd never felt this way toward my own mother. I narrowed my eyes at her and grabbed the scroll next to me, throwing it as hard as I could at her.
Before she could do anything, I ran outside into the courtyard, then out the front gate. I heard the pounding of footsteps behind me, but I didn't stop or turn around to see who it was. I just ran for what seemed like hours, until the desert disappeared and gave way to mountains and lush forests. I took a sharp turn into the nearest cave. It was a small cave, barely big enough for me, but I didn't care. Anywhere was better than home. A dragon landed somewhere close to where I was and walked toward me.
"Burn?" its voice called out. It was Wren.
I came tearing out of my cave and grabbed him, hugging him like I never had before.
"Burn?! What's wrong?"
I grabbed his snout. "You need to run!"
He pushed my talon aside. "What? Why do I need-" He stopped and gasped as a massive SandWing landed next to us. My mother, Queen Oasis.
I felt my heart sink as she lunged at us and grabbed Wren by his wings. "No! Mother, stop!"
But she wouldn't stop she grabbed the dagger she had under her wing and plunged it into his chest as he fell to the ground.
I thought I heard my heat crack as I rushed forward to his side. I kneeled on the bloodied grass and cradled his head in my talon. I felt the tears rolling down my snout, by I didn't wipe them away. I just let them fall.
Wren reached up weakly and wiped a tears away from my eye. "D-Don't be s-sad. Tears shouldn't s-stain a face as p-pretty as yours..."
His words only made me cry harder. "N-No, please. Don't leave me..."
"I-I'm s-sorry, Burn... Goodbye..." he whispered as his eyes slowly closed. He was gone.
All I could think was, Why? Why me?. I buried my face in his wings and sobbed. "Wren..."
My mother didn't seem fazed at all. She just ended a life and didn't even seem sorry.
This is it! Someone needs to pay! She took someone I cared about, so I'm taking someone from her. And I know just who. King Char, My own father.
==Chapter Nine==
I flew home alone. I didn't want to see her. I was embarrassed to be related to her. My rage was welling and I could no longer contain it. Vengeance was coming...
I saw my father resting. Alone. A smile crawled across my scabbed face. Perfect!
I knew he had been sick. Weakened. It would be easy to pin his death on his illness. No one will know.
I snuck into the room, claws unsheathed, ready to take revenge. I quickly grabbed his snout, clamping it shut and pressed my talon against his neck. After a few minutes of struggling, he finally gave in.
I let go of him, my claws dripping blood. I was shocked. I did it. I really did it. The tiny, vulnerable dragonet I once was has finally died... I am Princess Burn! And I will be queen one day! I laughed. It was all I could think to do...
Later that night, I heard my mother scream when she found his body. I will never forget the look of pain on her face.
Queen Scarlet would love this! I thought as I laughed quietly to myself.
The next few months, I did nearly nothing but practice my fighting techniques. I fought with the generals in claw-to-claw fights and got stronger everyday. It wouldn't be long until I'd be strong enough to challenge my mother and win. If only those little pests didn't ruin everything.
I remember the night so vividly. Blister came into my room and said someone had gone into the treasury and stolen almost everything.
"What do you mean?" I asked her, looking into her soulless eyes.
"Mom says it's scavengers." Blister said blankly.
I was about to tell her off for lying when a loud scream coming from outside rattled against my ears like an angry snake.
Blister gasped. "Mom!"
She tore out of my room and I followed close behind. We burst through the front gate and then I saw it. My mother, dead and bleeding in the sand.
I cringed in disgust. Her barb had been cut off and there were horse tracks leading away and a line of blood following them.
Blaze must've heard the scream because next thing I know, she's standing in the front gate, shrieking like a banshee.
I held back a laugh. Blaze always had a habit of making a complete fool of herself.
My brothers, Smolder, Singe and Scald, came rushing out of the gate and over to my mother's side. Smolder's ears flicked up and he walked over to a sand dune nearby. He clawed at it a bit, revealing a scavenger.
"Awww, look at this. It's so cute." he said, picking up the struggling scavenger.
Blister bared her teeth at him. "Put it down! That little monster just killed our mother!"
Smolder held the scavenger closer to his chest. "I'm sure she's harmless, Blister."
Blaze sniffled. "I think she's cute too." she said, still crying.
"Wait!" I yelled. "Who's going to be queen now that mom's gone?"
Blister smiled. "Well, I should because I'm the smartest."
I snarled, the scars my mother gave me burning in my fury. "No, I should be queen because I'm the strongest!"
Blaze wiped her snout. "No, I should be queen because I'm the prettiest!"
I felt as if there was fire in my eyes. "Both of you get out of here! Now! The palace is mine! I will be queen!"
Blister got in my face. "Well not if I take it from you! I'll ally with the SeaWings! And the MudWings! Then I'll have an army!"
"Well not if I get to the SkyWings, the most powerful fighters in all of Pyrrhia!" I shouted.
Blaze took a step forward. "I'll go to the IceWings! Queen Glacier will help me win!"
"Fine!" we all yelled as each of us walked in different directions.
"Not you!" I said, pointing at my brothers. "You two are staying with me!"
Scald growled. "No I'm not. I'm going with Blister because I think she'd make the best queen."
I felt my claws extend. I couldn't stop it. I lashed out and felt my talons sink into his chest. Blood sprayed up my arm as Scald fell to the ground, writhing beneath my claws. "No, you're not!" I snarled, my teeth snapping mere inches from his face. "Got it?"
He nodded, staring at me with wide eyes.
"Good." I retracted my claws as Smolder and Singe stared at me in horror. "Any more objections?!"
They shook his head quickly.
"Good." I snarled. "Now watch the palace. I have a message to deliver to Queen Scarlet."
==Chapter Ten==
Scarlet was on my side and now we were both heading to my Kingdom with an armada of SkyWing warriors. We landed outside the palace as several SandWing servants fled in fear.
"Smolder!" I shouted into the palace entrance.
The two remaining SandWing princes slowly walked out of the palace, their tails between their legs. Smolder shot me a fearful look as he saw the orange SkyWing coiled up next to me.
I smiled. There was something about dragons in fear that really got me excited. "Good... Good..."
"Well, you held up your end of the deal." I hissed. "I was expecting you to desert me. You're both lucky you didn't."
Singe took in a quick breath, looking down at the fresh scabs lining his neck.
"O-Of course we didn't, dear sister." Smolder stammered.
"Go and unlock the library. Then go make yourself useful around the palace. And you." I said as I pointed a jagged claw at Singe. "Get out of my sight."
They both wasted no time, wheeling around and darting into the palace corridors.
Scarlet followed me into the palace. I was winning this thing. No matter what it took.
When we were all inside the library, I dug out a few maps. "So, since this won't be a hard war to win, we should strike the palaces first. While they're flustered, we swoop in and kill them all. Understood?"
They both nodded.
"Are we allowed to take prisoners?" Scarlet asked, a gleam of pride in her eyes.
I nodded.
"Yes! Thrilling! I will have lots of new contestants for my arena fights!"
"Yes, thrilling indeed." I said smoothly. "This should be easy."
==Chapter Eleven==
Twelve years later...
It was war. My two sisters and I fought our armies to the death. Destruction befell the land as we hunted down every scavenger we could find. Whoever found the missing treasure, would be queen.
My army and I were residing in the SkyWing Palace when it all started.
The rain pounded down on the roof of the palace and the winds howled like angry jackals. I caught a flash of white in the corner of my eye as I walked past the royal nursery. I shrugged it off, figuring it was just my mind playing tricks on me.
I growled, remembering how the MudWings had crawled to me on their bellies, begging for an alliance after the SeaWings had turned on them. I grinned. "I knew their alliance wouldn't work. Blister is finished."
I continued to see the same silver flickers until later that same night, I heard Queen Scarlet shriek. "One of my female eggs is missing!"
I looked out a window, seeing the same flash of white I had earlier. There was an IceWing flying away with a red sphere in its claws.
I roared at two nearby SandWing guards and we took off out of the same window as Scarlet clutched her only living daughter, Tourmaline- no, Ruby-, close to her.
I remember that little monster, that SkyWing with scales of fire. Scarlet had given her all of her female eggs, all but that one, because it had been the last egg she had with her first mate before he had died. It was the last piece of him she had left. But the others didn't matter. That dragonet- Peril, I believe her name was- she killed those eggs just by touching them. And Scarlet hadn't cared.
I snapped back into reality from a snarl from one of my guards as he hurled himself after the IceWing. I followed after him, another guard behind me, the rain pelting our scales as thunder crashed in the sky. He was fast, but we were faster. We grabbed him, pinning him to the ground.
"Bind his mouth!" I commanded as the IceWing struggled to get away.
He inhaled, ready to freeze us all.
"Quickly!" I barked. Snails could move faster than these two.
One soldier wrapped a flaming hot chain around his snout as the scales underneath began to steam and char. He screamed, but the chains muffled it.
I smiled. "Too late." I said, my tongue flicking in and out of my mouth. "You won't be using any of your freezing-death breath on us, ice dragon!"
One of my soldiers handed me Queen Scarlet's egg.
I squinted at it, the rain blurring my vision. "This is not an IceWing egg." I said, a hiss in my voice. "You stole this from the SkyWing Palace!"
He stared at me, fear filling his eyes. This only pleasured me more.
"You thought you got away unnoticed, didn't you?" I said, a large smile on my face. "My SkyWing ally is not a fool. Queen Scarlet knows everything that happens in her kingdom. Her lookouts reported an IceWing thief sneaking away and I decided finding you would add some violence to my boring visit." I was getting really excited now. I held the egg up to the fire, observing it carefully. It sparkled red and gold as the tiny unborn dragonet moved. "Yes. This SkyWing egg is about to hatch. Why would my sister send you to steal a SkyWing dragonet? Blaze hates any dragon younger and prettier than she is." I thought for a moment until a thought popped into my head. A wide smile spread across my snout. "Unless... the brightest night is tomorrow..."
My tail twitched, eager for the blood of an IceWing, inches from his face. I could do it. I could do it right now. I thought. I could kill him, and no one would ever have to know...
"You're not in Blaze's army, are you? You're one of those insipid underground peacemongers."
"The Talons of Peace? They're real?" one soldier asked.
I snorted. They were starting to annoy me. "A few worms crying over a little blood. Unwrap his chains. He won't be able to freeze us now." I leaned in close to the IceWing's face, murder on my mind. "Tell me, ice dragon. Do you really believe in that pompous old NightWing's prophecy?"
"Haven't enough dragons died for your war?" he snarled in my face. "All of Pyrrhia has suffered for the last twelve years. The prophecy says-"
I'd had enough. "I don't care. No prophecy decides what happens to me. I'm not letting a bunch of words or baby dragons decide when I die or what I bow to. We can have peace when my sisters are dead and I am queen of the SandWings!" My tail jerked closer. I couldn't hold it back much longer.
He glared at me. I felt no shame. "The dragonets are coming, whether you like it or not, and they'll choose who the next SandWing queen will be."
Perfect. I smiled. "Really? So, IceWing. Is this egg a part of your pathetic little prophecy?"
Lightning split the sky behind me and thunder crashed, echoing off the mountains.
I tapped a claw to the shell. Time to mess with him. "Hello? Is there a dragonet of destiny in there? Ready to come out and end this big bad war?" I held back a laugh.
"Leave it alone." The fear in his eyes was just perfect.
"Tell me, what becomes of your precious prophecy... if one of the five dragonets is never hatched at all?"
He narrowed his eyes at the egg. "You wouldn't."
I began to play with the egg as I watched his eyes widen. "No 'wings of sky' to help save the world. What a sad, sad story. I guess that means I should be very, very careful with this terribly important little- oops!" I made a dramatic scene as I dropped the egg over the edge of the cliff.
"No!" the IceWing wailed as he threw off my soldiers and ran to the edge of the rock.
I shrugged. "So much for destiny. So much for your tragic little movement."
"You're a monster."
My grin disappeared. I had been called that one too many times. He's going to pay!
"We'll never give up! The dragonets- the dragonets will come and stop this war."
I could no longer contain my anger. "Even if they do- it'll be far too late for you." My claws ripped through his wings and I felt immense pleasure. An image of Wren flashed in my mind. My jaw dropped and a single tear rolled down my cheek, mixing with the rain. I winced as I drove my barb through his head and flung him over the side of the cliff.
I didn't listen as his screams echoed through the gorge. I shook off my sorrow and looked back at my soldiers. "Perfect. That should be the last we hear of that stupid prophecy." I held out my claws so the rain could clean them. "Let's go find something else to kill."
==Chapter Twelve==
When we returned to the SkyWing Palace, Scarlet and her daughter were waiting for us in the rain.
"Well, did you get my egg back?" she asked frantically.
I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. I killed her daughter. If she knew, she'd break our alliance. Time to lie. I hung my head in fake sadness. "No, I'm so sorry, Scarlet. That evil ice dragon threw the egg over a cliff before we could get to him."
Scarlet gasped. She then shook the look of shock from her face, replacing it with on of a sick satisfaction. "Oh well. One less challenger, I suppose."
Early the next morning, Scarlet was sulking around her palace, looking angry. She refused to have any arena fights that day, as respect for her 'fallen loved one'.
But I knew what she had said that night. She didn't care about that dragonet at all.
Later that afternoon, I bid Queen Scarlet farewell and my SandWing soldiers and I returned to the Sand Kingdom.
Dufu was the first to greet us. "Welcome, back princess- Oh, I mean Queen Burn."
I rolled my eyes at him. "Hello, Dufu."
He walked alongside me as we entered the palace gates. He then pulled me aside into the courtyard, over to the Queen Oasis memorial. "So, it's been twelve years, huh?"
I didn't answer.
He reached into the leather bag on his shoulder and pulled out a large, long box. "I know how upset you were when you lost the ring I gave you in battle, so I got you this."
I opened the box, revealing a silver sword studded with diamonds and ending in a golden handle. I smiled. "It's beautiful. I love it."
He blushed, his amber and white snout turning bright red.
I grabbed his shoulders and pulled his forward, kissing him on the snout.
I heard Smolder snickering at us.
We broke the kiss and looked at him. "Smolder!" we both yelled.
Dufu ran at him, chasing him into the palace.
I sat down, staring at the sword and thinking. As I remembered what he said to me over twelve years ago, about having dragonets and making a family, I felt stirring within me.
This couldn't be happening. I was with eggs!
A heaving breath sounded from behind me. I turned, coming face-to-face with Six-claws, Dune by his side.
"My queen." he panted. "We didn't find Blaze."
I growled. "Six-Claws, move all your troops into the Mud Kingdom."
He gave me a confused look. "That's a very impractical move, your majesty."
"I don't care. I'm your queen and you will listen to me." I hissed through gritted teeth.
"Abandon your position as general." a voice from behind me drawled slyly. "Burn is too cruel to win this war."
I turned, snarling as a NightWing emerged from the shadows.
"You'll never win, Burn." he said as he approached me.
My eyes followed him. "I will if I have you working for me."
He stopped. "Never. My loyalty lies with the NightWing queen."
I bared my teeth, lunging at him as he jolted into the air. As my head swiveled to follow him, I felt myself crash into something. I looked down to see Dune pinned under my claws, wing ripped.
==Chapter Thirteen==
I couldn't believe it. I was going to have dragonets! No one can find out about this! I thought.
I knew there was no stopping it, but I could at least hide it. As the months passed, I participated in fewer and fewer battles as the eggs developed. I thought I was hiding it well, but one dragon seemed suspicious. Singe.
Singe was even more of a gossip than Blaze. If you told him a secret, he'd tell it to his group of friends and by the end of the day, all of Pyrrhia would know.
As I was planning an attack on the IceWings one day, he had me cornered. He walked into the library, where I was alone, and closed the door behind him. "Burn, I need to talk to you."
I just looked at him, my pure black eyes giving nothing away.
"Burn, are you having dragonets? And don't bother lying to me." he asked in a firm tone of voice.
I glared at him. "Why should I answer you?"
"Because if you don't I'll find out myself." he growled. "And I will-"
I growled, my claws ripping into the scroll laid across the table. My jaws snapped forward, chomping down on his neck.
He attempted to scream, but I tightened my grip, silencing him as I felt the warm blood drip from my chin.
As he fell to the floor, his wings twitching, I glared at him, licking the blood from my teeth. "No one will ever find out about my dragonets. And that includes you, dear brother."
Weeks later, I sat in the secret chamber off of my room, staring at the three eggs. Three females, just like me and my sisters. In a way, it was kind of ironic.
I laughed sadly. My laughing then turned into sobbing. I knew I couldn't keep them when they hatched. I'd be putting them in too much danger.
I tucked the straw closer to the sand-colored eggs with my tail. They would all take after me it looked like.
"Burn!" my general yelled through my halls.
I rushed out of the chamber and sealed it back behind the painting.
The general then rushed into my room. "Queen Burn, Blister and her army have been sighted on the horizon! And they're heading this way!"
"What?!" I shouted as I grabbed the sword Dufu gave me and rushed out the doorway after the general.
When we reached the front gate, I saw the large cloud of SeaWings coming our way. But my SandWing soldiers were trained well. We all dropped down in our battle positions as the SeaWings, led by Blister herself, landed in front of us.
"You need to leave now!" I roared at them.
Blister laughed. "We aren't going anywhere until you're dead!"
Dufu snarled and rushed forward, as well as a number of other SandWings. The SeaWings surged forward as well. And the battle began.
I charged at Blister. If she takes over the palace, my eggs are doomed! I scratched at her chest, lightly grazing her scales as she whirled around and snagged my frill, ripping four large tears in it. I tried to fight, but she jumped on my back and forced me to the ground.
"Looks like Dufu was right! You really did become scarred and ugly!"
I groaned. "Get off!"
She ignored me. "Now you get to die! Scarred and ugly!"
I forced her off, drawing my sword and pressing her to the ground as she did to me. "I don't care! I'm not going to let you stand there and remind me of all the things I hate about myself!" I screamed, tears in my eyes as I prepared to kill Blister.
Suddenly, a green SeaWing slammed into my side.
Dufu grabbed the SeaWing, pulling him off of me and slamming him to the ground. The SeaWing pulled himself up and grabbed Dufu's neck in his teeth.
I was forced to watch in paralyzed horror as Dufu's neck was snapped with a sickening crack.
==Chapter Fourteen==
I threw myself at the SeaWing, forcing his snout into the sand. I didn't care if I got hurt. I didn't care if I died. No one would miss me anyway. Blaze was beautiful, Blister was smart... and I was scarred and ugly.
I looked around and the SeaWings appeared to be fleeing. We'd won! But at what cost...
I continued to hold down the SeaWing as he struggled to fly after the others. "No, please! I have to get back to Coral!"
I gasped, pulling up the SeaWing's head, so his eyes met mine. "Coral? As in... Queen Coral? Then that would make you King Gill!"
"What are you going to do to me? I have a family!" Gill said frantically.
I smiled. "Queen Scarlet's never had a royal in her arena before."
His jaw dropped and his eyes widened.
"Smolder!" I called. "Chain this SeaWing and have him sent to Queen Scarlet's arena."
Gill looked up at me, his green eyes filled with fear. "No, don't, please! Not even you can be this heartless, Burn!"
I gave him a look that apparently made him think I was going to let him go. I inhaled. "Poor choice of words." I said smoothly as Smolder arrived with the chains.
"Send this fool to the SkyWing arena. And if he resists, don't hesitate to kill him." I said, walking back towards the palace.
I did something I wish I hadn't done. I looked back at him to see his face. His eyes were wide and his pupils small, a look of pure agony on his face even though he was in no pain. He was reaching out to me, as if asking Why? and his face was stained with tears.
I felt my eyes start to sting as I turned and ran back to the palace. I never should have looked into the eyes of the fallen SeaWing king, because it was his face that I saw every time I closed my eyes, his face that tormented me for the rest of my life.
I returned to my room and locked the door behind me. I dropped my sword to the floor and slumped against the door, sobbing. It was all I could do. I felt absolutely horrible. I'd lost my mate and was mentally scarred for life, all in the same day.
I turned my tear-stained face to the painting that hid the secret chamber where my daughters' eggs were hidden. I pulled myself over to the chamber and curled my tail around the nest. I nuzzled each egg. "Please... Please don't turn out to be monsters like me..." I sobbed.
==Chapter Fifteen==
Months later, I waited anxiously as my eggs began to hatch. After what seemed like hours, the first egg hatched and the dragonet crawled out into my arms. She looked just like me, same sandy scales, same tan frill, everything.
I cuddled the dragonet close to my heart. "I'll call you Scorch. My little Princess Scorch."
Scorch chirped as the next egg cracked and broke open.
The dragonet was smaller than the first, her scales the same sandy color as mine and Scorch's. But her frill had a slight red tinge to it.
An image of Dufu flickered in my head. I winced as I pulled the dragonet into my arms. "Your name will be Princess Singe."
I named her after my brother... "I'm sorry, Singe. You know I had to."
The next dragonet started to hatch while I was still talking. She bore a disturbing resemblance to her aunt, Blister. As if things weren't already bad enough with her, now my daughter looks just like her.
"I'll name you Princess Sear." I said, scooping up all three of them in my wings and snuck out of the palace. I ran through the desert night until I reached the Scorpion Den.
My aunt, Princess Leopard had lived here ever since my mother drove her out of the palace. I walked into her tent, a blue one with a purple NightWing silhouette on the side. "Aunt Leopard? Are you here?"
The old animus princess emerged from around the bookshelf with a yawn. "Burn, you came."
I set my daughters on the ground. "Yes, as you know, I need you to take care of my daughters. They'll be safe here." I nuzzled my dragonets goodbye, tears rolling down my snout. "Take good care of them, Leopard. Goodbye, my little stars. It's for the best..."
As I left the Scorpion Den, I looked back on the dark, sleeping tents. "Please be safe. I promise we'll meet again one day."
==Chapter Sixteen==
SkyWings swooped through the air overhead of my stronghold, the Royal Messengers.
A small orange dragon plopped down in front of me and handed me a scroll with a metal casing. "It's from her majesty, Queen Scarlet." the dragon said. It must have been young, for it's voice was high and had a squeak to it.
I slid the scroll out of its case and began to read;
Queen Burn,
While pursuing a treasure thief in my kingdom, I discovered a cave filled with traitorous dragons. But not just any dragons, I discovered the dragonets of Destiny! I will be pitting them in arena fights over the next few days. I urge your presence so that we may watch as victory grows closer to our grasp.
-Queen Scarlet
I felt my heart speed up. The Dragonets of Destiny! Finally I can end this prophecy nonsense once and for all. My gaze fell back onto the messengers. "Tell Scarlet I'll be there in two flaps of a wing." I said, then darting back into my palace to prepare my troops for the journey.
"Smolder!" I yelled, my voice echoing off the sandstone walls. "Rally the troops and watch over the palace while I'm gone! I have business to take care of in the Sky Kingdom!"
All over the palace, guard's ears pricked up as they flew to the front courtyard, awaiting my orders.
I stepped to the pedestal where a statue of my mother once stood, my eyes scanning my soldiers. I nodded at Addax, the large dragon in the front, and we all took to the sky, fanning out in a V formation, and flying directly toward the Sky kingdom.
After hours of nothing but flying, I could finally see the towers of the SkyWing palace, their golden spires glittering in the light of the setting sun. My eyes fell on the arena.
There. I thought. That's where this all ends.
I dove down toward the landing field, my soldiers following, staying in perfectly straight lines. In doing so, I lost sight of the arena walls.
Queen Scarlet and Princess Ruby were there to greet us. Scarlet looked overjoyed. I could tell by the look on her face she was proud of herself. "Come this way, Queen Burn. I'll show you my new arena combatants." she said, gracefully fluttering over the wall leading to the arena.
I waved at my guards, commanding them to disperse, then following the orange SkyWing queen over the wall. The first thing my eyes fell on was a MudWing dragonet.
That must be one of them! I snarled to myself as I flew overhead of the terrified MudWing. I kept my eyes on him. I didn't dare look away if he were to try something. I hissed at him as I drifted over a deep blue SeaWing and a... NightWing? She got the NightWing too! These fights should be wonderfully violent...
I had almost lost Queen Scarlet as I watched her sweep into her palace. I looked back at the arena again, then following her into the palace halls. As I continued to follow the orange SkyWing, I began to hear music and talking. I exited into the grand hall and it was filled with dragons. There was a huge table with foods of all kind laid out over it. And dragons celebrating in all corners of the room.
Scarlet smiled at me. "What do you think?" she asked eagerly. "Thrilling isn't it?"
I managed a little smile. "I guess it is pretty 'thrilling'."
As things began to settle down and dragons began to eat, I began to hear something coming from outside. Singing?
Oh, the dragonets are coming...
Oh no. Not that wretched theme song! I could tell Scarlet could hear it too, a look of anger twisted on her face. She looked at me and nodded. We both got up and flew off to the arena, leaving the guards to their food.
I blasted a ball of flames through the arena doors. "Stop that infernal noise right now!" I roared. And the singing stopped.
Scarlet snarled suddenly. "You." she said, pointing at the blue SeaWing from earlier. "And you." she said, this time pointing at the NightWing. "And- well, probably not you, but get down here anyway." she snarled again, pointing directly at the MudWing.
SkyWing guards flew up to the pillars and unhooked the three dragons Scarlet called out. The MudWing put up quite a fight, but ultimately gave up.
"Bring them this way!" Scarlet growled, stomping into the tunnel. And for whatever reason, I followed.
==Chapter Seventeen==
We stopped at that weird dragon's cave.
Scarlet's eyes darted around the room. Noticing that the portrait of her was gone from the wall and a pile of ashes laid in its place, more smoke came curling out of her nose.
"Out." she barked.
"This is my room!" the dragon snapped.
"I'm the queen here. You do as I say. Go sleep in the arena. If anyone else tries to sing, fly up and burn out his tongue." Scarlet growled.
The copper colored dragon lashed her tail in anger and stormed out. Scarlet and I both jumped out of the way to avoid the dragon's burning hot scales. As she left, I felt a wave of heat wash over me like desert wind.
"In here." Scarlet said, shoving the NightWing into the cave and over a pool of water. The SeaWing shook the guards free and jumped over the water herself. The MudWing then did the same.
"You will not interrupt my feast again." she hissed. "I'm sure you're very amused with yourselves."
"Why don't you just kill them?" I asked quickly, not realizing what I'd said.
"Because that wouldn't be fun." she answered. "I want to see them fight. We have a whole day of entertainment tomorrow. It's my hatching day! I want it to be thrilling."
I heard the guards snickering and I gave them a glare. They shuffled just out of earshot and probably continued laughing.
"But if they are the dragonet of the prophecy, then the best way to break the prophecy is to kill them." I said in a low voice.
"Well." she said, flicking her tongue in and out of her mouth. I could tell she wanted to see them fight. And, frankly, so did I. "Perhaps. But that didn't work so well for you, did it? Everyone knows about the SkyWing egg- all the SkyWing eggs, in fact."
I thumped by tail hard enough to shake the ground beneath them all. "On the contrary, that worked perfectly. They don't have a SkyWing, do they? Only four dragonets- the prophecy is already incomplete."
"And yet our ignorant subjects are always yowling about the dragonets who are going to save the world." Scarlet said. "They believe in it, no matter what they've heard about the broken eggs. If we kill the dragonets now, out of sight, it does us no good. Even if we hang their bodies from the palace walls, no one will believe it's them."
A felt a surge of rage as a bared my teeth at her. "The world doesn't need a prophecy. It needs me as Queen of the SandWings."
"But listen." she said in an eerily cool voice. "If we put the dragonets in the arena, everyone can watch them die. They'll see how weak they really are. They'll lose all their faith in the dragonets, and more importantly, in the prophecy. It'll all be over. Much more powerful than just making them disappear." She shot a cold gaze at the dragonets. "Wouldn't you agree?"
My heart sank. "And what if they win?" I couldn't help but ask. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't fully hate them. How could I?
"They won't. But of course killing them ourselves is a solid backup plan." the orange SkyWing said coldly. Her voice sounded as icy cold as frost.
"Excuse me." the SeaWing dragonet blurted out. "You know we're right here, right? Don't you want to hatch your evil plans somewhere more secretive?"
Mouthy little thing, isn't she? I thought. I saw Scarlet glaring at her, but I could bring myself to join her, so I just stared.
The blue-green SeaWing glared back.
With a snort of smoke, Scarlet reached into a tiny pouch she had under her wing and tossed a talonful of strange black rocks at the mouth of the cave. With a puff of fire, the cave was lit in a blaze of flames.
Coal. I thought to myself. Of course. Her favorite trick.
"Sleep well." she hissed. "So you'll be thrilling in the arena. I thought I'd get to play with you longer, but I guess you all have to be dead by sunset tomorrow." She let out a heavy sigh, looking moderately saddened. "Nobody let's me have any fun."
I followed her as she walked off. I looked back, remembering something I swore I would never think about again. I remembered my showdown with Scarlet's mother, Queen Falu. I remember how much Scarlet hated her. Now she's become just like her...
"Burn!" Scarlet barked.
I snapped out of my daydream, the image of the savage red queen fading from my vision. "What?" I asked, rather stupidly.
"I said we should get some rest. We need to be energized for tomorrow." she said, looking at me like I had three horns.
"Oh. Yes, of course." I said, in practically a whisper.
As Scarlet led me to the guest's quarters, my mind drifted back to the day when she first became queen. I faded into a flashback.
I remember it like yesterday.
Her red rubies dripped with blood. Scarlet looked up at the balcony and roared.
I crept along the wall, crouched low to avoid Falu's attention. I swished my barb back and forth. With a snarl, I threw myself at the SkyWing queen, tackling her.
Falu screamed and fell into the arena. When she stood up, her left wing was limp and twisted and she had a scratch from my barb along her face and neck. She turned to Scarlet and growled, limping slowly toward her, green eyes still filled with hate.
I leapt from the balcony and drove my long claws into Falu's neck. I had to stop her.
Falu collapsed, twitching and screaming as blood pooled around her. She clutched her neck as blood bubbled through the gashes.
It was Scarlet, however, who was standing next to her, staring her dead in the eye. She smiled creepily and whispered in her mother's ear something that made mine, and likely Falu's as well, blood go cold.
"Long live the queen."
Scarlet then grabbed Queen Falu's neck in her teeth and crushed it.
Hearing the crack of the bones of the former queen made my skin crawl.
Falu was dead. The tyrant queen was no more.
I came to it again in the guest room of the palace. I was alone and sitting on the floor. I looked at the door, which was closed. I shrugged, pulling myself onto the cushioned bed, the silk blankets parting to allow me to lay down.
I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts the only thing keeping me company. And I had the most horrible nightmare of my life because of it.
My three dragonets and I were crossing over a raging river on tiny, too-small-for-our-talons stepping stones.
Scorch looked at me. "Are we going to make it, Mama?" She had fear in her eyes. And so did I.
I looked back at her with dripping wet scales. "Yes, Scorch. We will make it. Your father waits for us. Just keep going."
Singe stopped, staring down the river. "Uh, Mother." she said shakily. "W-What's that?"
My heart stopped when I saw what she was asking about. An enormous wall of water was coming right for us. I was helpless to do anything as my muscles locked, stuck staring at the huge, roaring mass of water heading right at us.
It crashed down right in front of the stepping stones. I was barely able to hold on. My head snapped to the side and my heart sank into my stomach. My dragonets were being dragged away by the powerful current, fighting to stay afloat. I leapt at them, hoping I'd be able to reach them in time.
I managed to snag all three, but when I dragged them to shore, it was too late. They were little more than lumps of scales.
I snapped awake in the bed, panting and looking down at my talons, expecting to see my dragonets there. I sighed in relief and sadness when I saw they were empty. I flopped back down, my eyes burning like fire. I couldn't hold back. I let the tears fall.
My door suddenly flung open.
I swiftly wiped my eyes and turned to see who it was. In the doorway, was Queen Scarlet. She had a black chainmail on. "Come. Our fun begins now."
==Chapter Eighteen==
I pulled myself out the door after her, coming out on the balcony overlooking the arena. I glanced down at the dragonets in the arena. They had fat, likely heavy, chains around their necks. The NightWing and MudWing were chained to the floor next to us. I could only give them a look of as much pity I could muster out of the corner of my eye. But this is the way it had to be.
I snapped my head to the side as a green and blue shape moved slightly. It was a RainWing. I just stared, absolutely entranced.
"Oh, that's my new toy." Scarlet said airily. "Pretty, isn't she? I bet I'm the only queen with her very own RainWing." She gave me a look filled with pride.
"Waste of food." I muttered. I had to admit, I was jealous. She was very beautiful.
"She doesn't eat much. She's more like an exotic plant than a dragon. Water, lots of sunshine, a little fruit, a monkey here or there. Worth it until I get bored of her anyway." She responded.
"Hmmm." I said, half paying attention.
I watched as Scarlet's son, Vermilion, fluttered down into the arena. "Fellow dragons." he called, clearly spurring the moment. "Loyal SkyWings and visiting MudWings and honored SandWing guests. We have a full slate of thrilling games today, so let's begin!"
I smothered a laugh. He's just like his mother. Well, minus the crazy.
I watched as the SeaWing dragonet surged at him, her wings dragging behind her.
With a yelp of terror, he shot into the sky, barely avoiding her.
The audience roared in laughter at the prince's cowardliness.
"Looks like someone's mistaken me for her opponent." he announced with a nervous laugh. "Sorry to disappoint you, SeaWing, but there's a much more dramatic fellow we'd like you to meet." He gestured to several guards fighting to get a pea-green SeaWing into the arena with her.
My heart sank. It was Gill. The image of him surged through my mind again. I clutched my head as he was brought down into the arena.
Vermillion continued. "Down on the sands, we have one of the so-called dragonets of destiny. Are they really so great and powerful? This is how we find out. I give you... Tsunami of the SeaWings!"
The sounds of beating wings and hissing filled the air.
Scarlet had smoke billowing around her horns. She flicked her tail at Vermillion as if to say Get on with it.
"Ahem!" Vermillion said. "Some of you may remember a dragon a few months back who refused to fight."
"Boo!" the crowd chanted.
I still held my head, trying with every bit of my willpower to stop the images that were flooding my mind.
"Indeed." Vermillion continued. "Tried to start a regular prison revolution, didn't he? Tried to get all the dragons to stop fighting. Well, clearly he had to be taught a lesson, or we'd all be in our caves right now, bored out of our skulls. Am I right?"
The crowd cheered in agreement.
"So what's the best way to punish a SeaWing?"
The crowd began to blurt out methods of punishment.
"Chop off his head!"
"Stuff grass in his gills!"
"Drown him!"
"Idiot..." I muttered at the anonymous spectator's answer.
Vermillion sighed. "All good suggestions, but no. The best way to punish a SeaWing- is to take away their water. All their water. For months."
They dropped him. He was writhing madly. He was twice the size of his competitor, with claws as sharp and curved as fishhooks. Tiny flecks of dried blood were spotted around his mouth. His scales were dried and crusted, and his dark green eyes were rolling madly in his emaciated skull.
"Dehydrated, mentally unstable, and ready to fight at last. It's Gill of the SeaWings! Claws up, tails ready! Fight!"
Gill didn't wait for Vermillion's orders. I watched as he shredded across the arena's sands at Tsunami. His mouth was opened in a sickening way, swollen purple tongue dangling off to the side.
Tsunami jumped over his head and rolled in her landing. I had to admit, she was impressive. She turned as Gill charged again.
This wasn't the Gill I had capture months earlier. This was an animal, a monster.
He reared up with his wings outstretched, attempting to slam himself down on Tsunami. Tsunami kicked at his underbelly, red blood splattering the ground. He attempted to slash at her, his claws raised. He slipped, tumbling to the ground face-first.
He shot up, lunging at her again. He grabbed her tail in his claws and ripped down. She got free and sank her teeth into the webbed skin between his claws.
Gill opened his mouth again, no sound emitting from his skeletal jaws. It was eerily quiet. He dropped her and her tail crashed into his head in a matter of seconds. The thud of his body hitting the ground rattled me in my scales.
Tsunami pounced on him, pinning him down with her claws. She grabbed his horns and shoved his face into the sand. His tail thrashed wildly.
"I've won!" Tsunami shouted. "You can all see that."
"What is she doing?" Scarlet hissed.
"We can end this now, without killing anyone." she continued. "I ask you all to let me let him live!"
The arena fell into silence.
I looked at Scarlet, expecting her to be fuming with anger. She wasn't. She was smiling, very smugly.
"Kill him!" several dragons shouted. "Snap his neck! Pull out his teeth! Oooo, gouge out his eyes! Something gory! Death! Death! Death! Death!" they began to chant.
Tsunami lowered her head, looking at Gill.
"Perhaps our 'dragonet of destiny' doesn't have the stomach for battle. Maybe war is too scary for her. Perhaps she'd like to go back into hiding instead?" Scarlet called snidely.
Tsunami lifted her head to look straight into Queen Scarlet's amber-yellow eyes. She was glaring ferociously. With a twist of her talons, she snapped Gill's neck in one clean break. She gave Scarlet a look that said, eerily clearly, I wish this is you.
"Disappointing." Scarlet said to me.
"Catastrophic. Look, the idiots love her now." I responded, gesturing to the crowd of cheering dragons.
Scarlet rubbed her front talons together, like the villains in scrolls do sometimes. "Don't worry, I have a plan. But now it's time for the NightWing! My hatching day present to me!"
"Wait!" a voice blurted out behind me as the guards fumbled with the NightWing's chains. It was the MudWing. "Let me fight for him instead!"
"These dragonets, constantly pushing and shoving to save each other. It's just the weirdest thing." Scarlet said, waving a talon at the dragonets.
The MudWing yanked hard on his chains as the guards lowered the NightWing into the arena.
"You're not spoiling this for me, MudWing." Scarlet growled. "I've been dying to see the NightWing fight. He's so very sparkly and good-looking. I think after he's dead, I'll cut off his wings and hang them on my throne room walls. Wouldn't that be magnificent and thrilling? All those silver scales sparking like diamond against obsidian. I love it."
I growled in annoyance. She always tried to decorate her palace with the strangest décor. "This is a frivolous palace." I muttered, just loud enough so she could hear me.
"Careful how you speak of your allies." the orange queen said. "Remember you need us."
I shifted my wings, keeping my mouth shut.
Vermillion began his annoying announcements again. "The rarest of all dragons, a real live Nightwing. Is he the dragonet of the prophecy? Let's see what happens when two of them have to fight each other. Tsunami of the SeaWings and Starflight of the NightWings! Claws up, teeth ready! Fight!"
They just stood there, staring at each other.
Slowly, the SeaWing walked over to the NightWing, resting her head on his shoulder as his wings opened to welcome her.
An image of Wren and a younger version of me played through my mind. I couldn't help but crack a small smile. I shook it off, though. "This is getting worse and worse." I hissed.
"Aren't you going to fight?" Scarlet called. I could tell she was getting desperate. Violence was like a drug to her. And she was an addict. "that's very annoying. Go on, you've been stuck with each other for years. You must be ready to kill her, NightWing. Doesn't she drive you mad?" When they still didn't answer her, she rolled her eyes and began again. "No? Oh, fine. Be the worst gladiators ever. Vermillion! Release the scavengers!"
My heart sank as Vermillion rolled a huge cage out of the tunnel and opened the door, sinking his teeth into the cord keeping it closed.
I watched as the door thumped open and four scavengers ran out into the arena.
"Scavengers?" I asked with an are-you-crazy tone in my voice. "To kill the dragonets of the prophecy? Are you mad?"
What she said next made me want to rip her head off and feed it to the prisoners.
"Well, it only took one to get your mother."
I had to convince myself not to scorch her face off, my tail curling dangerously behind her.
She snorted at me. "Oh calm down. It'll be fun. I've got more things waiting in the wings if this doesn't work. This is the only NightWing I'll probably ever get in my arena, and I want to see him fight everything."
I watched as the SeaWing shoved the NightWing against the wall of the arena and bared her teeth at the scavengers. I stared in mild amusement as one ran for the entrance.
The blue SeaWing sent one scavenger flying into the stands, where a dragon caught him. And ate him. She flicked her tongue at the other two as they backed just out of range.
Three SkyWing guards herded the fourth scavenger back into the arena with several long spears. He darted across the arena until he collided into the opposite wall. If I had to guess, I'd say he was dead.
"This is going well." I grumbled sarcastically. "The NightWing isn't even doing anything."
"The other two scavengers are female. They sometimes last a bit longer." she said.
The scavengers then split apart, each going in a different direction and circling around the SeaWing dragonet. She lunged at the one on her left, but missed and yelped in surprise- and I'm also guessing anger- as it slashed at her underbelly.
The NightWing finally did something as the other scavenger ran at him. He clumsily slashed at it, but missed. She suddenly climbed up his front leg and scrambled onto his back. He tried to bite at it, but continued to miss.
I sighed. "This is embarrassing."
I watched as he continued to flail like a fish out of water, accidentally slashing his own neck with his claws.
"Not very impressive." Scarlet sniffed. "I suppose they can't read scavenger minds. Not enough going on in there."
"Tsunami!"
I jumped slightly at the MudWing dragonet yelling to his companion.
She had been chasing the scavenger who attacked her, but at the call, whipped her head around to see the danger the NightWing was in. She ran at him.
Before she got there, the dark grey dragon slammed his head into the ground, sending the scavenger flying. He then attempted to bite it as the tiny creature pulled itself up. His teeth closed on emptiness.
The SeaWing had reached him, but he stopped her. The two scavengers helped each other up against the wall.
"You're right. This isn't nearly as thrilling as I thought it would be." the orange queen said. "Let's go straight to the IceWings!" she shouted to Vermillion.
Vermillion signaled several guards, who lifted up to the ring of prisoners above.
"Finally a smart idea." I hissed. I told her scavengers wouldn't work.
"Let me fight too! Put me in there with them!" the MudWing pleaded.
Moons, this thing is annoying...
A loud swoosh filled the air as a dark shape descended into the arena. It was a NightWing, and he was huge.
== Chapter Nineteen ==
A hush fell over the arena as dragons stared in wonder at the deep black NightWing.
He pointed a claw at the NightWing dragonet, but his dark eyes were firmly planted on Scarlet and I. "This dragonet is ours."
"Ours who?" Scarlet said, a growl in her voice. "We found him with some Talons of Peace revolutionaries. Are you telling me that the NightWings have finally chosen sides?"
I joined her with a snarl. "Are you allying with an underground peace movement instead of a real queen?"
The dark dragon gazed up at the black cloud of dragons in the sky. "No. I come only to claim this dragonet as ours. We will take him and go."
Scarlet gave a low growl. "Oh, will you? On whose authority? Would your mysterious queen like to appear and discuss this matter with me?"
The NightWing's eyes glittered dangerously. "Do not anger the NightWings, sky dragon. Give us our dragonet."
Scarlet stamped her foot in anger. "No! I want to see him fight IceWings! It's my hatching day!"
Boy, did that bring back memories- memories of the day I met Scarlet. It was her sixth hatching day. It was also the day her father was killed. And also- possibly- the day this all started.
I was broken out of my trance as several black shadows of dragons plummeted from the sky. They fanned out around the prisoners, each pair of NightWings landing on a single IceWing, claws extended and slashing. Within seconds, they were all dead under the dark dragons' feet.
Smoke was pouring from Scarlet's nose, enveloping her face.
I couldn't keep my tail from thrashing violently. My eyes followed his every move, just in case he tried anything else.
He smiled up at us. "There. We've taken care of your IceWing problem. Now we'll be going." He lifted into the air, swooping down on the smaller NightWing dragonet and lifting him into the air.
"Guards! I will have one thing go right today!" Scarlet roared, a cloud of smoke puffing out in front of her. "Fetch my champion. And clean up that mess down there."
I couldn't speak. If I did, it would have been a long string of profanities. And I didn't want to expose my inner workings to these dragons.
The arena was still eerily quiet.
"As you all know, yesterday my champion, Peril, offered to stand for the accused prisoner, Kestrel, in a Champion's Shield. She will now fight a dragon of my choosing, and if she wins, Kestrel goes free. If he loses- the I suppose I'll have to get a new champion." She paused. "Oh, right. You think Peril can't lose. Well, it just so happens that we have a special guest here today- a dragon whose scales are impervious to fire. Isn't that... thrilling?" She said this last part like a dragonet who was playing a joke and waiting for someone to figure it out.
Several guards unhinged the MudWing behind me and brought him into the arena.
I caught a look at Scarlet's face. It was filled with some sort of sick pride. Like she knew exactly what she was doing. Like she'd done it before.
The sound of scales scraping filled the air as the copper-colored dragon entered the arena.
"There you go, Peril." Scarlet said with excitement. "That's the dragon you have to kill before I set your mother free. Have fun!" she said in way that made it obvious she was enjoying herself.
Peril sped towards the MudWing, but he didn't do anything until she was about a wing's-length away. He tackled into her, sending both of them to the ground.
The crowd's roaring cheers filled the air around us.
She got up and ran back to her side of the arena. She then walked toward him, keeping her pace.
"What is she doing?" Scarlet hissed.
Peril then began to speak, but I could not hear it over the crowd.
She suddenly snarled something loud enough for me to make out. "I'm your friend! You don't need them!" She then lunged at his head.
The MudWing lifted his head and it collided with Peril's underbelly, sending her flying into the nearest wall. He was upon her by the time she pulled herself back to her feet. The two of them began to speak again and Peril stamped her foot to the ground, a look of this-isn't-fair spreading across her face.
Her wings opened to their full extent and she leaped into the air, diving down on him, claws extended.
He reached down and grabbed a talonful of sand and threw it in her eyes as she descended.
She tumbled to the side, shrieking and rubbing her eyes. He grabbed her shoulder and ripped down, flinging her to the ground. H rolled her onto her back and- very amusingly- sat on her.
Peril flailed, attempting to throw him off. I saw several dragons in the arena, listening into their conversation.
"Hurry up and do it, then!" Scarlet yelled. "You have her at your mercy! Use your venom! That was thrilling, and I didn't even get to see it the first time!" She was panting, a maniacal smile on her face as she stared down at the two dragons.
They looked at each other.
My heart skipped a beat as my head whipped around to see the Rainwing Scarlet had on the balcony, reared up on her hind legs in a flash of vivid yellow and deep blue. The thin chain she had been bound to the marble tree with was snapped like a lizard bone as she launched herself off the fake tree. Her mouth was open, like a snake ready to strike. That's exactly what it looked like.
With a hiss, an odd-looking black liquid sprayed out from her fangs.
With an image of a Dragonbite Viper filling my mind, I grabbed Scarlet and shoved her in front of me and shot into the air.
I watched in horror as the venom hit her on the side of the face. She began to scream. What have I done?
The stadium was plunged into chaos as all dragons in the stands attempted to take off at once, tumbling and falling over each other.
I was low enough that I could hear the black venom begin to sizzle and bubble as it began to eat away at her scales. She crashed into her throne and her deafening screams got louder. I had to get out of there. I flew over the arena wall and landed just outside the palace.
I'll wait out here. I thought. Just until the carnage dies down a bit.
== Chapter Twenty ==
As the arena grew quiet, I saw it safe to reenter the palace. I landed in the tunnel leading out to the balcony, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever I could- whether it was Scarlet, dead or alive, or those pesky dragonets who never seemed to shut up.
I turned my head to the nearest SandWing. "Rally up a search party and find those dragonets! I want them here now!" I barked.
He nodded and ran down the tunnel into the palace.
I continued out to the balcony, and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.
Scarlet was balled up on the ground, her wings trembling and her tail trashing violently. She was gripping her face, her talons blocking my view. Her eyes caught sight of me and she scrambled to her feet, panting heavily and fear plastered on her face. She looked like a frightened dragonet- but only if you take into account that her face was half melted, a steaming, hissing black mess replacing it.
My eyes widened and I fought to keep the contents of my stomach down.
"Burn!" she wailed, her fearful yellow eyes meeting mine. "Burn, please! Help me! Don't let me die, Burn!" She was shaking now, her eyes clouding over.
I didn't want to touch her in case the venom was still active. "Come with me." I said distantly. I was like I wasn't there anymore. "I'll see if I have anything at my fortress."
I lifted into the air and she hurried after me. I felt so guilty. I felt like it should be me who was melting right now. I looked back at her. She was covering her face with her talons, making a weird whining noise, like a sad dragonet.
I sighed. She doesn't want anyone to see her. And I don't blame her. That looks bad. Really bad.
We flew south until we reached the Sand Kingdom, my fortress's walls appearing like a shadow on the horizon.
I landed in the courtyard, next to the obelisk I had dedicated to mother. Even though she really didn't deserve it. I turned to Scarlet. "Come inside. I'll see if Brightsting Cactus does anything."
Scarlet hurried after me, barely listening to me.
I brought her into my Weirdlings Tower and sifted through several drawers looking for the cactus. At last I found one, hidden away with my jars of insects. I split it in half and handed it to the SkyWing queen.
She rushed to get as much of it onto her face as she could. "It's not doing anything!" she yelped.
I came up with a plan. "Try eating it."
Scarlet wasted no time. The cactus was gone in mere moments. Scarlet's eyes began to flutter a bit a she stumbled from side to side. She then flopped to the ground, dead asleep.
I mentally praised myself for being smart enough to remember that Brightsting Cactus was a fast-acting sleep aid. I undid the clips holding on her chainmail and pulled it off, dragging in across the floor. I then slid off her rings and unhinged her earrings. I then pulled her over to the nearest wall, where a set of large chains laid on the ground. I clamped the heavy iron cuffs to her talons and wings.
I looked down at her. "This is for your own good, Scarlet. You can't challenge Ruby." I scooped up her jewelry and started down the stairs again.
== Chapter Twenty-One ==
I inhaled deeply as a squadron of SandWings landed in the courtyard. It felt like forever since I had taken Scarlet in after her little incident. She had completely trashed everything on the level of the tower I kept her on, including my favorite collection item; a stuffed NightWing. I had to restrain myself from tearing her wings off and ripping her to shreds like she had my decorations.
The smell of rot was stronger than usual today. But I didn't mind.
Smolder emerged from behind me, his black diamond patterns flashing in the hot desert sun. It was hard not to glare at him, what with his resemblance to Blister and all.
"I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow." he said, flicking his tongue.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Your majesty. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow, your majesty." he corrected himself.
I didn't appreciate his sarcasm, but I wouldn't lash out at him in front of my soldiers. They might put the pieces together with what happened to my other two incompetent brothers, Scald and Singe. I'll discuss it with him later. In private.
"How is our guest?" I asked, dismissing the soldiers with a signal from my tail.
"Still extraordinarily not pleased to be here." he said. "You may want to move her to a... more empty chamber. She's made a bit of a mess with what she could reach of your collection."
I hissed. "Ungrateful cow."
"Any word on the dragonets?" he asked as he followed me into what used to be the grand hall.
"They've vanished again. Although there's a rumor going around the Sky Kingdom that they're responsible for torching the northernmost outpost and killing all the SkyWing soldiers- as some sort of revenge for what Scarlet did to them."
Smolder folded back his wings and looked up at me. "Do you think that's likely?"
"I don't know anything about them. In the arena, they didn't seem fierce enough to kill anything. But then they attacked Scarlet, so they're clearly more dangerous than they look." I stopped at a table loaded with food that ran down thy hall. "I do know I don't like them. I wish I'd gotten my claws on all of their eggs before they hatched." I snatched a dead hawk from the table and bit its head off, imagining doing the same to a certain SeaWing, or that insidious RainWing.
"It's not going well with Ruby?"
"The supposed new queen of the SkyWings is a bore and a nuisance." I snarled. Even if she's more sane. "She wants to 'restore order in the Sky Kingdom' and 'establish the stability of her own throne' before engaging in any more battles at my side. She's even more difficult than her annoying mother, and she follows orders very poorly, if at all. We haven't had a satisfying battle in weeks. I'm considering getting rid of her."
"Sounds frustrating." Smolder said as he slid a platter of dates toward himself, eating two.
"It is. I really need to kill something. It's been too long since I last ripped out a dragon's throat."
He slid a few steps away. "Well, there's always your prisoner."
"No, no. Queen Scarlet is our guest. For now. I may change my mind once I decide how useful she can be." I stared out the large window for a moment, watching as the sunlight reflected off of the stones in the courtyard. "No, I have another victim in mind. Five of them, in fact."
"Of course." He said as he bowed his head. "You just have to find them first."
"Oh, I will. Everyone will finally shut up about the wonderful 'dragonets of destiny' when I have their heads mounted on spikes on my walls." I bared my teeth at him, a stream of smoke rising from my nostrils. "Mark my words. Soon we'll put an end to this prophecy nonsense once and for all."
I head spun to look at the grand staircase as a loud thump caught my attention. A crash followed. And it wasn't coming from the tower. I snarled, flapping up the staircase and landing at the beginning of the hallway.
Two misty figures stood in front of me; Dufu and Wren.
Dufu gave me a sorrowful look, his gaze trailing off. He then turned around and vanished.
Wren looked at me for a moment longer, his eyes filled with pity and sadness. Then, he, too, turned around. But before he disappeared, he looked back at me, meeting my eyes. "I still miss you..." he said softly as he vanished.
It was then that I fainted.
== Chapter Twenty-Two ==
I dug my claws into the stone of the SkyWing palace. "Still?! You still won't fight?!"
Ruby looked at me from her throne. "No, Burn. I need to help my citizens and-"
I snarled at her, my tail arching and muscles pulsing angrily. "Well when?! It's been months, Ruby! And the brightest night is coming soon! The war is almost over! We need to end this and catch those dragonets before the brightest night comes and they ruin everything!
"I'm sorry, Burn." Ruby said apologetically. "But not now."
I growled, turning to leave. "I'll go to the MudWings then. At least they actually help their ally." I said as I ran out of the throne room and into the long winding hallway. A darted out of the palace with heavy footsteps, startling my guards as I took into the air. "To the Mud Kingdom!" I ordered as I began to fly east.
My claws slammed down into the smelly mud of the swamp kingdom that the MudWings called home as my squadron and I landed. I turned my head toward the MudWing palace and started toward it.
MudWings bowed as I walked past them, dipping the tips of their wings into the mud.
I was running out of time. The brightest night was soon and you could always count on the ignorant commoners to believe anything that's told to them. On the brightest night, all those worms will be rushing around to find out which SandWing the 'dragonets of destiny' pick to be queen. I only have time for one more truly devastating attack. And I know just how to do it.
I entered the MudWing palace, stepping into the courtyard and staring around as several guards darted into the palace to alert the queen. My eyes searched the tall, red-brown trees and the large lumps of grey rock positioned around the palace walls.
Queen Moorhen strode out of her palace with her siblings, three brothers and one sister, in tow behind her. Her diamonds clinked together as the old queen stopped in front of me.
"I wasn't expecting a visit, Queen Burn." she said, her brown eyes searching me. "Is it an emergency?"
"Yes, Moorhen. You could say that it is an emergency. It's a very dire situation and we need to act fast." I responded with dignity.
The relaxed look drained from her face, replaced by an anxious one. "What's wrong, your majesty?"
I began to circle around her, elegantly twisting my tail. "As you know, oh great queen of the MudWings, the brightest night is soon."
"Yes. I do know that." she said. "Everyone does."
"And you know that means we're running out of time to attack, right?"
She shot me look of confusion. "What do you mean?"
I gave her a sly smile. "On the brightest night, every dragon in Pyrrhia is going to be waiting in anticipation on who the next SandWing queen is. What do you say we increase our odds?"
Moorhen's siblings jumped back from me as I completed my circle.
"Burn, who are you hinting at?" Moorhen asked, her voice becoming desperate.
"Genocide." I hissed. "With the genocide of the IceWings, we'll be so much closer to winning. Moorhen, think about it." I paused, observing her expression. "If we get rid of every last IceWing before the brightest night comes, then every dragon on the planet will know what we're capable of. And Blister will have no choice but to surrender."
Moorhen sighed. "I'll begin preparations immediately, your majesty."
I smiled. "Thank you Moorhen. Remember our deal."
Moorhen nodded. "If we help you win, you'll grant us immunity from attack by SandWings for the next hundred years."
I walked into the MudWing palace alongside Moorhen.
"Come with me." she said. "We'll map out our plans in the library."
== Chapter Twenty-Three ==
The moonlit desert opened up before me as I flew. I growled, knowing my plan had flailed. The brightest night had come. And now I was at the mercy of a group of mewling baby dragons. Supposedly.
I bow to no one. I thought. I know what I have to do. And if it ends in my death, who cares. No one will miss me. Not after what I've done...
Memories of the happy dragonet I used to be came flooding back to me, making my eyes sting as I saw them. I remember how mother always played with me in the courtyard, and how father would sing me lullabies whenever I had nightmares. And I also remember the day that all of that died. The day I killed my father, and the day that I lost Wren.
I let a few tears roll down my scarred face. My squadron wouldn't see. I sniffed the air, picking up on the scents of several types of dragons.
I took a deep breath. We're getting close. This is really it. All this fighting... could possibly be fore nothing. I lost Dufu and my dragonets. I'm not letting anything take away what's mine!
The fortress's walls appeared in the distance, lined with dragons.
The words of one of my father's old lullabies rang into my head as I grew closer to the stone palace.
Don't be afraid young dragonet,
your destiny awaits.
Don't fear the booming thunder,
don't you fear the pouring rain.
Show the world your heart,
and let it guide your fate...
I held my breath as I dove down to the sand. I flicked my tail, dismissing my squadron.
I stared at the entrance to the palace's walls. I took another deep breath and gave a deep rumbling growl as I started forward.
This ends today! I thought as I stepped into the arena.
I stared up at the dragons lining the palace walls, searching them for Leopard or my dragonets. I didn't find them.
"So you came." I hissed. "I thought the rumors couldn't possibly be true. I hope you have a good reason for disrupting my battle plans."
"The war is over." the deformed SandWing called to me, seemingly louder than her tiny vocal cords could muster.
A wave of whispering washed over the palace.
"Really?" I said with a sneer. "Because you say so, is that it?"
"Because we all say so." the mouthy SeaWing said back.
"Interesting." I said as I looked over my shoulder. "But I see a problem. In fact, I see two problems, flying this way right now."
Blister and her swarm of SeaWings were quickly approaching from the east. And Blaze with her IceWings were flying in from the north.
"It's possible I won't kill you." I said, looking up at the dragonets. "After all, you've brought me my sisters to kill, which is more helpful than any other dragons have been. Then again, you're very annoying."
"This is not about killing" the SandWing dragonet barked down at me.
Blister landed in the sand, shooting mother's memorial obelisk a glare.
Blaze landed a moment later, Queen Glacier at her side. Blaze looked at Blister and I nervously, staying close to the IceWing's side.
I felt Blister's eyes one me as she circled me.
"You're still alive." she remarked in her usual snake-like voice. "That's a pity. I was hoping you'd have my sisters dead before I got here."
"What?" I snarled. "They've chosen me as queen, not you."
"No way!" Blaze cried, staying close to Glacier. "They picked me! They told me to come here!"
"We haven't chosen any of you." the SandWing dragonet said firmly. "And we're definitely not killing any of you."
"Unless we have to." the RainWing remarked. "Feel free to provoke us."
"Were here to find a peaceful solution. Either you three decide among you, peacefully, who will be queen or everyone else here will decide for you. No more armies. No more dead dragons." The SandWing announced to all the dragons in the courtyard.
I barked a laugh, not believing this could be real. "I have a better idea. First I kill my sisters, and then I kill all of you, and then I stuff you and spend the next hundred years telling your dead face about peaceful solutions."
'No one is going to let you do that." she said to me, clearly trying to sound brave.
"In fact, I've already made a gesture of peace." Blister interjected. "Didn't you get my present, Burn?"
I glared at her. She had to be joking. Blister? Peace? Those words don't go together.
"I was thinking, that this war has gone on too long. I thought if I sent you a gift... something you've always wanted... that perhaps we could... mend fences and reunite the family." she said slyly.
I knew she was lying. "Aha. That was from you. Smolder, bring me the box."
"Now?" he said.
"Don't argue with me." I growled.
Smolder returned with the box a few moments later. He set it in front of me, and a hiss echoed from inside.
"Burn, be careful." the deformed SandWing called to me. "I-I think this might be a trick."
I rolled my eyes. "Of course it is. Especially if it's from my clever little sister, Sending me a present, thinking I'll open it without any suspicion. As if I don't recognize the hiss of a dragonbite viper when I hear it."
"It's not a trick." Blister said coolly. "I know you've always wanted one for your collection."
"Well, the trick's on you." I said as I drove my talon into the box and tore the lid off, sending it flying. I shot my claws into the box and ripped out an enraged dragonbite viper. I pinned its head in between my claws so it couldn't bite me.
"I know your sick, twisted mind. You thought this would kill me." I snarled at her expressionless face. "So it'll be very poetic when it kills you instead." I took a step forward, stopping as I felt a searing pain in my ankle. My eyes widened as I looked down.
"Oh." Blister said, clearly amused. "I got you two. Did I leave out that part?"
I couldn't remove my eyes from the snake, whose venomous fangs were stabbed into my scales like tiny daggers.
The screaming of the other dragons broke me out of my trance. I stamped my foot down on the snake, crushing it into the sand. I watched in horror as black veins of venom crawled up my leg at an alarming pace.
I looked at Blister, who was watching me die with her usual smug expression. I let out a furious roar as I crashed to the ground, my wings twitching and convulsing like they were being yanked on by an invisible dragon. I slashed at Blister.
"I'll kill you! I'll claw that- I'll- it hurts- stop it, stop the-" I roared again as I looked up at the wall again. My eyes fell on Leopard and my three dragonets, all watching in horror and sadness. It was then that I struggled even harder.
I can't die! I can't! My dragonets- they- they need me! I won't leave them!
My ankle was completely black now, shriveled and curled like a dead leaf. I rolled onto my back, wheezing as the venom reached my heart, looping around in circles and meeting at the center of my chest. I lost the urge to fight, my arm flopping to the ground and releasing the first snake. I just continued to stare up at my dragonets in my fading vision.
Scorch... Singe... Sear... I'm so sorry... I wish... I could have raised you- watch you grow... and one day... become... the most wonderful queens... in all of Pyrrhia..."
I didn't notice the tears rolling down my cheeks before. But I didn't wipe them away. I let them fall.
I may die now... but at least... you're safe... I thought as my eyes closed. And my dragonets were the last thing I ever saw.
== Epilogue ==
And so ends my story. The story of a monster, of a killer, of a dragon who was in way over her head. I knew from the very start I was doomed. My mother made sure of that. And so did my sisters. But none of that matters now.
My eyes opened to see Wren and Dufu staring back at me.
Dufu had tears in his eyes. "Welcome, my love. I've missed you so much."
I was speechless. All I could do was stare at him, my mouth hanging open and tears streaking my face.
Wren smiled at me. "I've missed you too, Burn. I've missed you so much."
"Dufu... Wren... But- how?" I stuttered.
Dufu nuzzled me. "You've passed on."
I jumped up. "N-No, I can't have! What about our dragonets? I failed them!"
"No, you didn't." Dufu responded peacefully. "Our dragonets are in good hands. Leopard will care for them well."
I sniffled, still unable to stop the river of tears trailing along my face. "But- But I promised them I'd come back for them. I promised!"
Dufu wrapped his wings around me, pulling me close. He was smaller than I remembered. "You did just fine."
Wren walked closer. "Burn, your dragonets are going to be just fine. They're already budding warriors, just like you. And all three are just as beautiful." He shed a few tears. "I've watched over them for you with Dufu. We won't let anything hurt them."
I felt an emotion fluttering in my heart that I hadn't felt for so many years. Happiness... I smiled so wide, I thought my scales would crack. The tears still stained my face, but I didn't care to wipe them away. "I missed you both more than I can put into words. I'm so glad to see you again."
"We're glad to see you too, Burn." Wren said in his soft, warm voice.
"And now we don't ever have to be apart again." Dufu said, leaning in to kiss me.
And for the first time in so long, I kissed back.
The End...
Category:Content (Queen Seaglass of the Seawings)
Category:Fanfictions (Canon)
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Completed)