"Peril!"
My head jerks up as I hear my name being called, presumably by my caretaker and mother figure, Queen Scarlet. The voice is sharp and harsh, yet in some ways, comforting. It is the only voice that has spoken to me without quivering in fear my whole life.
Well, besides my mother, but I never knew her.
"Scarlet?" I call back, wondering what she wants this time.
She appears around the corner, tall and majestic as the SkyWing Queen must be, with sparkling jewelry completely garbed and wings fully spread to show their whole glory. "We have a visitor coming in a few days."
There's only one visitor I can think of that would make Scarlet dress so finely. "Burn?" Quickly catching my mistake, I stutter out, "I mean…Q-Queen Burn?"
She seems pleased with me. "Yes, and she's told me she's absolutely ecstatic to watch you in the arena."
The words hit me like a ton of dead pigs. In unknown fury, I dig my claws into the stone floor and feel it heat up with my fire. Of course she wants to see me fight. They all do. That's all I'm good for now.
"Lovely, Queen Scarlet." I try my best to put on a convincing smile, though it is most likely shaky. "I will do my best to put on a show for her."
One of Scarlet's eyes twitches, but she says nothing about the sarcasm I am having trouble covering up. "Good. You'd better."
Turning away from me, she begins to admire her necklaces in the shine of a nearby stone and I happen to notice a wound – not very large, but rather deep – inflicted upon her tail. It's so rare Scarlet gets harmed I actually fall backwards in surprise. "Queen Scarlet!" I gasp. "Your tail!"
She looks back at it as if she's forgotten about the injury, and then hisses, letting loose a small blast of flame. I don't flinch as the fire licks my snout – all I can feel is a very dull tingle – and wait for a reply.
"Blasted dragonets," Scarlet hisses. She stamps one foot on the floor, causing it to rumble. "I got bested by blasted six year old dragonets!"
I blink – this is news, I've never heard of Scarlet letting herself be beat by ones younger than her – but remain quiet, certain that she is not done with her tale.
"A SeaWing and a MudWing, that's what it was. Prancing around in our land like they didn't know anything at all. I put them in their place, of course, but then the SeaWing bit my tail!" Scarlet sighs and her eyes flash with an intense flame – almost too intense for me to take in before she proceeds to stroke her tail, crooning to it and muttering curses under her fiery breath all the while.
I wait a minute or two before I'm sure she's done speaking, and then ask tentatively, "Well? Did you catch them for the arena?"
Scarlet looks up at me, as if she has forgotten that I am there, but I'm used to that. "Yes," she hisses. "Turns out they were all together in one big dragonet gang. They're out there on the pillars now. Why don't you go take a look – give them a piece of our mind, huh?"
A tingle of excitement ripples through my scales; I'll get to see the dragonets that escaped Queen Scarlet? "Of course, Your Majesty." I bow down slightly, as is customary, and am satisfied as she nods and continues on her way down the trail.
My wings open, and in a few powerful beats I take off, loving the taste of wind in my scales. I even burst out laughing and perform a quick loop-de-loop in the air. Seeing some other SkyWings flitting about, I beckon with one talon, inviting them to join me. But they simply stare, eyes wide, before zooming away like panicked sheep.
I slow as they scatter, reaching out one talon as if to call them back. But they have seen what I can do. They aren't coming back anything soon.
A rustling noise alerts me from my sorrow; I snap my head up to see a MudWing dragonet, perhaps six years of age, nosing moodily at his dinner. Chills tingle through my burning scales, but I'm unsure why. I've not seen this MudWing before. He must be the one Scarlet had mentioned.
Taking a deep breath in, I zoom towards him just in time to see his food go over the side in quite an…shall I say unpleasant manner?
I'm surprised to find myself bursting into laughter as he stares up at me, startled. "Gross!" Wiping a tear from my eye, I choke out the words that would start a rapid change of my life.
"They totally deserved that."
AN: First Wings of Fire fanfic! Woot! I've always loved Peril, even though Glory is my favorite character and The Hidden Kingdom is my favorite book in the series so far, and I thought it would be interesting to write her. I hope you enjoyed, all! ;)
~Driz