Chapter 1: Quarrel

Disclaimer:

I do not own the Wings of Fire series or any characters in it, I just enjoyed it so thoroughly that I can't wait to get my hands on the next book! :D But I do own any and all original characters in this particular story.


"BLAZE!" The thunder of Queen Thorn's voice shocked Blaze out of her thoughts.

"I'm up here!" She called back as if nothing was wrong. "In my room!"

She heard Queen Thorn tramping up the stairs and went back to examining herself in her mirror.

"Why're you up here?" Thorn demanded. "Your lesson on military tactics with General Six-Claws was supposed to have started an hour ago! He came asking after you when you didn't show up."

"Uugh," Blaze sighed exasperatedly. "But his lessons are so confusing and dull! I should get him to read to me when I really want to get to sleep. Yeah, actually that's a great idea! He can have a new job as the royal bedtime story-reader!" Holding up an emerald necklace in one claw and a ruby necklace in the other, she asked, "Which one do you think looks better on me?"

"Blaze, you're going to have to take your lessons more seriously!" Thorn chastised. "And no, Six-Claws is not being reposted to tell you bedtime stories. He's a brilliant General and..."

She was cut off by Blaze who continued talking distractedly. "The ruby looks so shimmery but the emerald really contrasts with my scales, doesn't it? Ooh, it's so hard to pick one! I think I'll go with the emerald, though. It's..."

This time it was Thorn who cut in. "Blaze, as your Queen, I'm ordering you to pay attention! At least for five minutes!"

"All right, all right, Your Majesty," Blaze said offhandedly. "I missed the lesson because I wanted to sleep in a bit. Sleep does my scales a lot of good, you know!"

"You slept in again?" Thorn asked, placing plenty of emphasis on the last word. "Blaze, you can't keep doing this. You need to be able to be a proper Queen someday."

"Yeah, I think I'll go with the emerald one," Blaze went on, completely oblivious to Thorn's growing frustration.

Thorn fought the urge to thump Blaze like she had done to dragons who annoyed her during her Outclaw days. Why couldn't life be simple? First her daughter, Sunny, had refused to ever succeed her as Queen of the SandWing tribe. Then, she'd had to deal with Blaze. The surviving SandWing sister had had nowhere else to go and seemed at a loss for what to do.

In the end, Thorn, out of sympathy and the need for an heir in the case that anything did go wrong, took Blaze under her wing. In gratitude, Blaze had the SandWings loyal to her to pledge their allegiance to Thorn. Everything seemed set for a happy end.

However, she was beginning to realize that Blaze wasn't quite the ideal heir. She was more concerned about her looks and treasure than actually running the tribe. She was absent-minded, unmotivated and constantly distracted, habits no doubt cultivated by Queen Oasis to ensure she'd never pose a threat. Not like any of that helped now. Thorn had been able to make some headway by allowing Blaze some compromises. Still, Blaze seemed to be taking them for granted.

Her anger rising, Thorn snatched the necklace away from Blaze and growled. "Blaze, listen!"

"Hey," Blaze complained, reaching out for it. "That's mine!"

"No it's not," Thorn said flatly. "It's only yours if you work for it!"

"But I'm a princess," Blaze protested. "You said so yourself!"

"Not if you keep acting like this!" Thorn scolded. "Being a princess means you'll be Queen one day. And to be Queen you'll have to know what a Queen does."

"But you've got no right to tell me what to do!" Blaze said, her voice rising. "You're just some random SandWing that the dragonets chose to be Queen!"

That was the straw that finally broke the camel's back, or at least to Thorn it felt more like a physical blow, coming from the dragon she'd looked after for so long. Thorn growled, "For the past few months I've put up with your whining and your laziness and your ungratefulness. Have you ever considered what you would've done if I hadn't taken you in?"

Blaze stood there shocked. She'd never heard Thorn say such mean things to her.

"Of course you didn't, you're a useless dragon and a horrid excuse for an heir." Thorn shouted and she stormed off downstairs.

As she left a shellshocked Blaze behind, Thorn's anger faded as quickly as it had arrived. She felt a pang of regret and briefly considered going back to tell Blaze she didn't mean any of it and she was just frustrated. On one talon, Blaze might do something stupid just to spite her and get herself hurt. On the other talon, this might help toughen Blaze up for the inevitable conflicts she'd eventually have to face as Queen. Besides, who was she kidding? It was Blaze she was talking about. Blaze and the 'doing something' were mutually exclusive terms. She'd never even consider something like that.

Oh how wrong she was because behind her, Blaze was thinking of just that.

Author's Note:

Well, there's the first chapter done, I'll probably (hopefully) be updating this on a weekly basis. This is my first foray into fanfiction so please leave reviews! I need all the help I can get but no flamers either please! Thanks in advance :D