Tyrrany slowly stirred from her slumber. She pushed away her blanket, and slipped onto her feet, each one stepping on the floor in turn. After shaking the drowsiness from her head, the dragoness realized that she was still wearing the same black stockings from the previous night. She then remembered how Jonathan almost mated with her, only to turn chicken and leave when he learned the truth.
"That's going to be difficult to deal with…" She grumbled. "But it can wait… for now."
The dragoness made her way through a doorway into her private washroom. After a quick shower, she washed away the remaining chunks of purple makeup from the previous night. After drying off, Tyrrany picked up her makeup kit and stood before the mirror to apply a fresh coating.
Stupid purple slime… She wrinkled her nostrils as she covered her face. As Tyrrany ran her talons along her face, she briefly considered what it would be like to fly over the streets of Faeshrine without her makeup. To flap her wings and soar around, unbound by her bulky clothing, and to show the world her true face… And to gaze down at the many dragons horrified to see her. The younger ones would flee in terror at the sight of a white beast, while the older dragons rose up to attack. Tyrrany could take on several of them, to be sure… but they'd just keep coming. More and more would come after her, their faces masks of rage and anger at the monster that was terrorizing their city. But surely Bergan could help her… he could protect her, or help her fight off the dragons… the dragons who were just trying to protect their own loved ones. But maybe…
Damnit. Tyrrany shook her head and growled at herself. Stop doing that to yourself, Tyrrany. You're getting carried away again. She looked down at her makeup and sighed. Just… just do as Father says, and keep the scales hidden.
Tyrrany stepped out of her washroom and went to put on some fresh clothing. She thought about Jonathan once again and snorted.
Knowing Father, he'd have seen this night coming. He must have some way of keeping Jonathan from blabbing to everyone in the dragon realms. She pulled her stockings on and poked her talons through. I'll just have to go and find out what it is.
Once Tyrrany was fully dressed, she glanced up at her clock on the wall. Breakfast Hour in the cafeteria was almost here.
"Jonathan can wait. I can figure this stuff out later."
On her way toward her door, Tyrrany stopped and picked up her violin case. On a whim, she pulled out a small stand with some musical notes written on it and set it up. She then picked up her bow, sat on her haunches, and prepared to begin playing.
Bergan had arranged for Tyrrany to take up classes playing the violin during the last five years. Even though the dragoness had become surprisingly adept at playing orchestrations by various dragon and non-dragon composers, the white dragoness actually preferred to play music of her own creation.
The composition she was currently working on was an experiment of sorts: it combined several fast-paced high tunes, with soothing, slow-moving low tunes, which switched between each other in sequence. It was rather basic in execution, but she worked on it nonetheless.
Tyrrany spent several minutes playing her composition, shutting her eyes so that the soothing music filled her thoughts. She gave a soft sigh; the music always helped her relax. When the dragoness played, she imagined herself in her own little world; a world where nobody hated her. No pain to feel, and no scorn to bear.
And yet... something felt out of place in her music.
After playing her violin for a few minutes, the dragoness stopped, pulled a quill pen and a jar of ink out of her satchel, and proceeded to write new notes onto her scroll on the stand. She frowned as she worked.
"Something isn't right." She said with dissatisfaction. "There's something... missing. There's too much of a divide in the pattern. I need something to string it all together in the right way."
The dragoness fiddled with her notes for a brief time, before turning to check the time on her clock. She sneered.
"Damnit." She stated. "I need to get going."
Tyrrany packed up her violin and stood up. She readjusted her satchel, and then walked towards the doorway. As she opened the door, she looked back at her notes and sighed.
"I guess I'll try to figure it out later."
She then turned back around, and walked away, shutting the door behind herself.
~~…~~
Bergan's bedroom was extravagant; many fineries and niceties lined the walls and floor. He slept in a bed fit for a king, and was joined by all of the nursemaids. They wrapped themselves around the purple dragon to help keep him warm along with the covers. For any other dragon of his status, this would be the perfect way to get a peaceful rest. And yet Bergan tossed and turned.
His talons dug into the blankets as he shifted about. Several growls escaped his throat.
No, wait… He thought. He chased desperately after the other young dragons as they ventured deeper into the cave. Don't go in there!
And yet they went in. And Bergan had to attend their funerals the every next day.
Don't drink that! Bergan shouted as a noble who sat in court. Bergan reached out desperately toward the stranger as the guards dragged him away. It's poisoned!
Moments later, a dead dragon dropped his glass to the floor.
Bergan shook and writhed in anguish and frustration. Over and over again, dragons refused to heed his warnings. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep the fools alive.
And the worst of the worst came when he stood before two elderly dragons who lay on their death bed. There was nothing anybody could do… and the elder dragons wouldn't even accept help for their health. All those months Bergan had spent looking for a cure had gone to waste. His begging, his pleading… it was all for naught. Why would nobody let him help them? Eventually the trauma grew too great, and Bergan sat up in bed. His eyes flew open and he screamed.
"LISTEN TO ME!"
The dragoness yelped in surprise as the bed shook. They all snapped awake and looked upon Bergan fearfully. The purple dragon panted heavily as rational thought returned to him. He looked around at his bedroom, and the dragoness who scrambled onto their haunches and bowed their heads.
"W-We're listening, Master." One dragoness said with squeak.
Bergan blinked. He then sighed and rubbed his head with a wing-thumb. It must have been a nightmare. Bergan glanced around at his dragonesses in pity.
"I apologize, my lovelies." Bergan said. He extended his wings and hugged the two dragonesses closest to him. He then reached onto his neck for a small gem that hung on a chain. He took the gem off and held it up to his eyes; the gem was almost completely covered in dark clouds.
"Hmph, so that's why." Bergan clicked his tongue. He put the gem down and glanced out the window: It was morning. "It's just as well. I have work to do today. Time to get up, lovelies."
Bergan made his way out of the great bed, and the dragonesses followed. They all got to work cleaning themselves up, while the purple drake stood before the mirror of his dresser. He unlocked a drawer on the left side and opened it up. Within the drawer were nearly a dozen gems similar to the one on his necklace; all were covered in dark clouds.
"One more for the collection." Bergan snorted. He then closed and locked that drawer before opening the one beneath it. Within were three dozen more gems of marvelous cuts and colors. He picked up blue one and affixed it to his necklace.
I need to remember to bring along more of these, Bergan snorted. Can't have nightmares on the open road. Bad for business.
"Are you okay, Master?" The fire dragoness asked him worriedly. Bergan just sighed and lightly nuzzled her forehead.
"I'm doing just fine." Bergan chuckled in his throat. He turned toward the mirror, picked up a comb, and got to work straightening out his mane. "I'll be spending the day in my office. Have the staff bring my breakfast and lunch in there; I need to organize some things before I leave for Warfang tomorrow morning
The dragonesses gasped and exchanged glances. The fire dragoness then rested her head on Bergan's shoulder.
"Does that mean there's not much time left to entertain you, Master?" She asked.
Bergan sighed again. "I'm afraid not, my dear. But I greatly appreciate your enthusiasm." He gave her another nuzzle on the forehead. "Now go tend to the children; Master has to get to work."
The dragoness frowned. "Yes, Master."
The nursemaids soon left the chamber to go tend to their respective children. The purple dragon was left alone with his thoughts.
Bergan considered himself very fortunate to be the master of several delightful dragonesses. They always worked to please him in any way they could. And they were very good mothers to all of his children; even to Tyrrany when she was little. Yes, he liked his nursemaids very much…
But alas, there was only ever one dragoness he truly loved. And that was a long time ago.
"So much work to do…" Bergan snorted as he adjusted his necklace. "First order of business; contacting Jenna's parents to apologize."
~~…~~
Rune slowly woke from slumber and sat up. After stretching his back for a short time, he stepped onto the floor and approached his dresser. As he combed his mane, he checked a schedule that was pinned to the side of the mirror; it looked like he was in for yet another long day of classes, starting with sword-practice after breakfast.
"Oh, perfect…" Rune grumbled. He yawned as he put on his training armor, along with his satchel. The prince sneered as he walked over to grasp his sword-hilt to attach it to his side. It was big and awkward, and required being attached to several belts.
"How does Apella stand to use one of these?" He wondered. "How does ANYBODY stand to use a sword: We have talons for a reason."
When he finally got the belt attached, Rune glanced at his calendar. He counted the days once more, and marked off the previous day with an X. "Well, at least I'm one day closer to the trip south."
Your life certainly HAS become a dull one, hasn't it? Said the voice in his head.
Rune sighed in contempt. "Go away, Runefor."
What? I'm just pointing out the fact that your life has lost its thrill. Runefor chided. You haven't done anything fun or exciting since the whole "Malefor" ordeal.
"I don't need excitement like that", Rune snapped.
That's a shame. I enjoyed myself back then.
"You didn't EXIST back then." The prince growled.
Yes I did, and you know it.
Rune ignored his other self and walked towards his doorway. As he opened the door, he noticed two cheetah guards standing at attention on either side of it. When they saw the Prince, they saluted him immediately.
"Good morning, Your Highness." One of them greeted.
"Uh, hi..." Rune replied awkwardly. The prince shut the door behind himself and made to walk down the east hallway, several more guards in the hallway saluted him once again, making him sigh.
Something wrong?
Even after all these years, I'm still not used to guards saluting at me. Rune thought with a snort. It makes me feel weird.
What do you expect: you're a black dragon, you idiot. Runefor snapped. You have power the likes of which these non-dragons will never hope to comprehend.
It's not like I asked for this power. Rune grumbled.
That's no excuse to let it go to waste. Runefor replied. You should be more like Cyrus; at least HE appreciates the power at his disposal.
Well I'm not my brother. Rune wrinkled his muzzle.
No, clearly you're not; he's got more spine than you.
Rune sneered. Don't make me summon up Cynder again.
Oh please! I don't see any chalk around, smart-arse.
Rune came to a stop and snarled. I'm getting real sick of you!
Tough! You can't make me leave! Runefor snarled back. I'm stuck in here with you forever!
"Are you alright, Your Highness?"
Rune gasped and snapped to attention; he didn't notice Apella standing just around the corner. He cleared his throat awkwardly and looked up at her. "Wh-Where'd you come from?"
"I brought her along to check on you before your training began." Wraith's voice said nearby. Rune nearly jumped out of his scales when he saw the crimson drake standing beside him. He raised an eye ridge and wracked his talons on the floor. "You seemed to be getting into an argument with nobody in particular. What's that about?"
"Uh…" Rune ran his talons through his mane. "It was nothing to worry about. I was just… uh…"
He struggled to come up with a response as Wraith and Apella bore down into him. The prince could hear Runefor laughing at his awkwardness.
Way to choke, smart guy!
Rune almost snapped at his other self once again… when suddenly he got an idea. He looked Wraith right in the eyes and spoke loud and clear.
"I was thinking about Runileon." Rune declared. "The white dragon that was Mom's ancestor."
Wraith flinched and stepped back a bit. Apella watched the crimson dragon curiously as he looked down at the prince with surprised eyes. Rune grinned internally with satisfaction; the Deep Shadow must have known about him.
"Runileon?" Wraith repeated.
"Can you tell me where my Mom is?" Rune asked. "I've wanted to ask her about why I was named after Runileon."
"Well, uh… that'll have to wait." Wraith declared. "She's busy tending to the You-Know-Whats at You-Know-Where, doing Not-My-Business."
Rune snorted and fell back onto his haunches. "Well then, can YOU tell me about Runileon?"
"NOPE." Wraith shook his head. "Not my business. Definitely, DEFINITELY not my business!" He looked the prince in the eyes. "You'll just have to forget about Runileon until you see your mom next."
"What about Grandpa?" Rune sneered. "He had to have been around during Runileon's time. Maybe he'd know something."
"If he does, I don't know what." Wraith said quickly. "So can we please just drop the subject?"
Rune balked, and then glared: Wraith was hiding something, and was quite stubborn. "Fine."
"Well, this is the first time I've seen you get like this." Apella said as she approached. She tilted her head and looked at Wraith with suspicion. "Who's this Runileon the prince keeps mentioning?"
"Oh, ancestors above…" Wraith traced a forepaw along his face. "Can we PLEASE just drop it? You're not getting anything out of me. The both of you can just wait until later to ask the queen about this stuff, because I'm in no mood to share." He glared. "Let. It. Go."
"Alright, sheesh…" Apella snorted and flapped her wings. "I'll move on to something else." She looked down at the prince. "Have you eaten yet? You shouldn't practice with a sword on an empty stomach."
"Right…" Rune sighed. He turned to make his way toward the nearest stairwell. "I'm going to the cafeteria. I'll see you two later."
"See you soon, my prince." Apella smiled. "I look forward to seeing how you've improved with your blade."
Rune shuddered; he really wasn't looking forward to the training. Especially if it meant a delay to speaking with his mother about Runileon. Well, there wasn't much he could do; he would just to wait and hope he'd get his answers.
~~…~~
The Nexus.
There was a pounding on southern door of the inner sanctum. A dark-yellow dragoness carefully approached the doorway. She opened up a panel in the side to peer out at whoever was visiting. The first person the dragoness saw was the High Queen.
"Oh…" Lilith said in surprise. She stepped back, unlocked the door, and pulled it open. She then bowed her head toward the queen. "Come on in, Your Grace."
"Thank you." Elenar whispered softly. She strode carefully through the doorway and patted Lilith on the back. Lilith then rose up and saw two more dragonesses make their way inside: Elza and Dona. They both walked carefully for different reasons; the former to keep her un-laid eggs safe in her belly, and the latter keeping careful balance as her daughter Riven rode atop her back.
Just behind all of the dragonesses were several guards, who immediately turned around to keep watch around the door. Once the others were inside, Lilith stood up and locked the door.
Elenar sighed as she glanced around at the inner sanctum; all around her were several dozen little hatchlings and dragonlings. And all of them had white scales.
The hatchlings and dragonlings were attended to by adult dragons; some were the children's' parents, while others were simply attendants. There were countless items strewn about for the children: building blocks, stuffed animals, slides, large books… just about anything to keep growing minds occupied.
"Come look, children." Lilith called to the gathered dragonlings as she stepped forward carefully. "The Queen's come to visit you."
Elenar took a breath of delight when so many little children looked up at her. She relaxed onto the floor as many pairs of little feet raced up to greet her. They sat down on their haunches and gazed up at her in awe and reverence.
"Queen Elly!" Some of them called happily. They brushed their heads against her forelegs and squeaked in delight.
"Hello, little ones." Elenar said softly as she lowered her head down toward them. "How have you all been today?"
Many of the dragonlings all voiced how much fun they'd had in the "big playroom" as some of them called it. They raced around the queen and tried to clamber up onto her back. Elenar could scarcely believe how attached the little ones had grown to her; she hardly ever had time to visit, so she would have thought they wouldn't care for her. It's not often that someone is happy to be proven wrong.
Nearby, Elza chuckled at the sight. She sat down beside Elenar and smirked at her. "You must be having the time of your life right now, Queen Mom."
"Elza…" Elenar flushed a bit. But she had to admit that she felt and old, maternal feeling in her chest. Something she hadn't felt since Rune and Cyrus were little dragonlings showering her with affection. When did Elenar get so old?
A short distance away, Dona carefully plucked Riven up from her back and placed her down on the floor. Riven looked around at the other young dragons worriedly.
"Go on." Dona cooed. She nudged her daughter forward toward the other white dragonlings. "Don't be shy, my little princess."
A few of the other little girls looked toward Riven and smiled. One of them even offered up her stuffed bear for Riven to hold. Riven took the bear and hugged it, which made the other dragonlings smile. Soon, Riven wandered off with the other dragonlings to play with some blocks.
Elenar sighed upon seeing this. She then smiled at Dona. "It's good to see her playing with other children for once, Dona."
"Hmph…" Dona lifted her head up. She would have made a snappy comeback, where it not for the many young dragons who would hear her bad words. She just took a breath and sat down to watch as Riven played with the other white dragonlings.
Elenar spent the better part of an hour with the white dragon children. She read a few stories to them, helped them sing songs, and basically did all of the things that little children loved to do with their guardians. The outside world didn't exist; for now, it was just her and the little children enjoying time together. Seeing all of their smiling white faces put warmth in her souls; she felt a security that she didn't often have. There was a future for these children, she was sure of it. Warfang would grow ever brighter, and the world would finally change for the better. These children…. They filled Elenar with… with.
No. The queen didn't dare so much as think that word. Not without seeing her first.
"You know, little ones…" Elenar brought her face low. "I have a white-hided child of my own: a daughter."
"You do?" A few of the dragonlings looked up at her curiously.
"Yes… I'd say she's almost a grown-up now." Elenar clicked her tongue. "She's a little older than my boys, you see."
"Where is she?" Riven asked.
Elenar sighed. "I… I don't know. I haven't seen her in a long, long time." She took a breath. "But I love her just as much as my boys. And I think about her every day."
The dragonlings looked a bit uneasy after she said that. Elenar cursed herself for letting a bit of her sadness slip out. So, she put on a smile and lowered her head down again.
"I'm still very happy to be their mom." She said. "Just like I'm very happy to some and see the lot of you when I can."
The children seemed a bit uneasy. They looked about ready to ask her some more pressing questions. That's when Elza picked up the storybook by the queen's side.
"Perhaps you little darlings would like to hear the tale about the two-headed ape again." The wind dragoness chuckled. Immediately the dragonlings squeaked and crowded around Elza to hear the story. Elenar took a moment to sigh in relief and scoot a bit out of the way.
But her relief didn't last long: Elenar looked around at the interior of the room once again. She took note of the dark walls surrounding the chamber. The windows, what few that there were, were blocked off and had guards standing before them. Few dragons were allowed in and out of the chamber to see the children; even their parents barely got time with them each day. The only other place the younglings could go was the restroom off to the side. Other than that… they were suck here. Imprisoned. Elenar suddenly felt very sick to her stomach.
"I… I have to go, little ones." Elenar said. The children were quite disappointed as the queen rose to her feet. A few of them tugged on Elenar's forepaws and clung to her.
"You're leaving already?" A little boy pouted.
"Yes. I'm sorry, children." Elenar said. "But I'm… I'm still the queen. And the queen has important work to do." She looked around and put on a smile. "But I promise I'll come see you again soon. Okay.?"
The children were still sad. It took a bit of doing to get the little boy to let go of the queen's forepaw. Elenar then lightly ruffled his mane and backed up to leave. Behind her, Lilith unlocked the door and stepped back for the queen to step through.
"You coming, Dona?" Elza asked.
"Not yet." Dona said. "I'm going to spend some more time here… for Riven's sake."
"Hmm, very well." The wind dragoness nodded. She then turned toward the door. "Shall we go?"
"Yes…" Elenar looked down at the dragonlings. "Goodbye, little ones."
"Goodbye, Queen Elly." They all said with their innocent smiles.
Elenar and Elza made their way toward the door. Once the queen was out of earshot of the younglings, she took a deep breath and stepped out of the doorway. Elza followed after Elenar, and Lilith stood in the doorway to bow her head.
"Thank you again for visiting, Your Grace." Lilith said. "And thank you for giving me this job."
Elenar flinched. She then looked back at Lilith worriedly. "You… don't mind any of this?"
"How could I?" Lilith declared. "From mom to another, I can never get enough of looking after young dragons. Spending the time with all of these kids has been a great opportunity for me." She sighed in satisfaction. "I can't wait to see what upstanding members of society these little ones grow up into."
"I see…" Elenar sighed again. "Well, at least you're happy doing what you're doing."
Lilith nodded her toward the queen and closed the door. Elenar made her way up the stairs, with Elza following close behind. The guards, naturally, took up the rear to guide the queen and her sister upstairs.
Elenar tried to keep up a strong face and demeanor. But the more she walked, the more her mind raced. And the more her mind raced… the more her heart ached. And by the time she reached the top of the stairs, the queen broke down into tears. She collapsed onto the stone steps and covered her eyes as she wailed. Elza gasped in alarm and made to pat the queen on the back. The guards exchanged glances and stepped up to help, but the Deep Shadow simply flapped her wings to have them back up. Elza then sighed and looked down at her sister.
"Elenar, what's wrong?"
"I'm horrible…" Elenar moaned. "I've made all of those children into prisoners."
Elza flinched. She rubbed her forepaw up and down Elenar's back as she cried.
"Elenar, what are you talking about?" The wind dragoness asked. "Those children are alive and in good health because of you. You're helping them all, really."
"How? By keeping them locked up in a single chamber?" Elenar carefully picked herself up and wiped tears from her eyes. "They aren't free to travel the city with their parents; there are still so many dragons that would do them harm, and there's nothing I can do but keep the children locked away."
"Elenar, look at me." Elza insisted. The wind dragoness turned the queen's head so that they locked eyes. "It's not your fault, okay? The superstitious zealots who would hurt those white dragons are the ones who are horrible, not your. Those children adore you, and rightly so." She lifted Elenar's chin up. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to the white dragons of Warfang. All you have to do is track down the zealots and detain them so they can never hurt another white dragon again. Do you understand me?"
"I… I do, Elza." The dragoness sighed.
"Now, come on and get up…" The wind dragoness nudged Elenar to get her back up onto her feet. "You've got a part to play. Be strong, my sister."
"Alright…" Elenar took a deep breath and stood up tall. She could still feel her heart aching, but she ignored it to march forward out of the stairwell. Elza looked back at the guards and signaled for them to follow again.
Soon, Elenar stepped out into the corridor and turned to head through the chapel and out into the courtyard. She came to a stop and sighed as she stood in the sunlight. Elza came to a stop by her side and looked her up and down with concern.
"I… I need a drink." Elenar said quietly. "I'm heading out into the town."
Elza flinched. She stepped up to whisper into Elenar's ear frill. "Are you sure about that?"
"Very." Elenar grumbled. "I won't make it through the day without it. Have the usual guards follow me from afar."
"Very well…" Elza bowed her head to the queen and backed up to speak to the guards. Meanwhile, the queen poured her magic down into her shadow and prepared to travel.
As Elenar slipped into her shadow, she cast her thoughts to white dragons once again. And soon, she cast her thoughts to one particular white dragoness whom she'd never truly met.
I hope she's doing well, Elenar sighed sadly.
~~…~~
Tyrrany made her way through the many hallways and corridors of the FTCHQ, rarely saying a single word to anyone she passed by. Granted, plenty of the employees of the FTC felt more than a little compelled to greet her anyway.
"Good morning, milady." A cheetah said with a proud salute.
"It's a pleasure to see you today, ma'am." A lagomorph bowed her head.
"I zee you're in good health, az alwayz." A Mole servant declared with an awkward smile.
"Whatever." The disguised dragoness replied coldly, to all three.
Tyrrany didn't have anything against non-dragons; as far as she was concerned; they existed. Granted, she always had a feeling that all of the ones that worked for the FTC were only trying to stay on the heiress's good graces so they didn't lose their jobs. Once they thought the dragoness was out of earshot, they shivered and muttered amongst themselves. At least they didn't have contempt in their whispers… like the younger dragon employees did. More often than not the heiress felt stares on her back whenever a dragon passed by her.
But Tyrrany didn't care. Nobody in all of Faeshrine ever dared to get on her bad side, and nor would any amount of apologize save them from a good beating to remind them of who she was.
When Tyrrany arrived at the cafeteria, she sighed in relief. The cafeteria was on the southern side of the building. A long food counter ran along the southernmost side of the room, blocking access to the kitchens. A large arrangement of benches and tables were lined up in rows everywhere else. The floors were hard-tile, and the walls were completely white, with several large glass windows along the northernmost wall.
The disguised dragoness approached the counter, and was greeted by a lioness lunch lady. She was rather plump for a cat, and had just finished serving another teenaged dragon before turning her eyes toward the heiress.
"Good morning, milady." The cat bowed her head. "What can I do for you?"
"I'll have the usual, Trisha." Tyrrany declared.
"Of course. Right away, milady."
Before long, the dragoness was handed a tray with her usual breakfast on it: A few slabs of steak, a granny-smith apple, and a tall glass of cider. Tyrrany took the tray and turned to walk towards a seat.
The cafeteria was far from empty: a few other young dragons were already enjoying their meals near the front of the room, near the exit.
On the western side of the room sat several of the teenagers under Bergan's employ: among them were Flame and Jenna. A short distance away was several young dragons whom Tyrrany didn't recognize. They were making quite a mess of things; chatting loudly, banging silverware, and generally being obnoxious. Tyrrany snorted as she approached, unsure of why her father would allow such hooligans to mess around… until she spotted Jonathan seated amongst them. Then it all made sense.
They're that stupid gang of his… The dragoness rolled her eyes. Better keep my distance.
When Tyrrany walked around the gathering of young dragons, most of them turned their gaze towards her and fell completely silent. On one side, Flame greeted the disguised dragoness with a smile, and waved for her to sit down next to him, while Jenna awkwardly looked away. On the other side, most of the roguish teenagers were analyzing the approaching dragoness, while Jonathan's gaze became filled with uneasy
"Say, isn't that the chick you're going to be marrying soon, Johnny?" Asked an orange-scaled dragoness. She adjusted her bandanna and nudged the earth prince in the shoulder. "She's a pretty good catch, man."
"Uh..." Jonathan stuttered dubiously "Right..."
Tyrrany scoffed. Still recovering from last night… She did a brief double-take of the group. Hmm, they don't seem to be afraid. Looks like he kept the secret after all.
The cloaked dragoness sat down next to Flame. She cast a glance at Jenna, who immediately turned away to speak to Jonathan and his gang of friends.
"So..." The green dragoness began. "YOU'RE that Jonathan guy that everyone's been talking about."
"You bet he is!" Another teenager, a lighting dragon, declared. "You're sitting across from the infamous Johnny D, leader of the Crazy Aces!"
Jonathan cleared his throat and tried to stand up proud and tall… though he immediately turned uneasy upon glancing at Tyrrany. The cloaked dragoness just silently ate her meal as she watched Jenna roll her eyes.
"Oh. Really." Jenna was very much not amused.
"Yeah really!" An ice dragon boasted. "Johnny's the toughest gangster in Aeroshard!"
"Yeah..." The earth dragon mumbled, carefully eyeing the disguised dragoness yet again.
"Well, that's interesting to know…" Jenna said. The earth dragoness stood up and walked over to the table of dragons. Jenna glanced over at Tyrrany to make sure the heiress wasn't listening in. Tyrrany didn't look up; she just focused on her food… or so it seemed. As soon as Jenna started whispering to Jonathan, Tyrrany used her magic to heighten her hearing to see what Jenna had to say.
"I really feel for you, Prince Jonathan." The dragoness whispered.
"You do?" He asked curiously.
"Yeah." Jenna lightly grumbled. "It must really suck being forced to marry that freak."
Tyrrany started to growl lowly in her throat, which caught Flame's attention.
"You okay, Annie?" He asked. The purple dragoness didn't respond; she just focused on the conversation.
"Uh... Freak?" Jonathan repeated quietly. "W... What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about?" Jenna asked with a quiet huff. "Just look at her: She's always wearing that weird black outfit all the time, day in and day out."
Tyrrany took a deep breath to keep her growling from getting any louder. But that didn't stop her anger from building.
Don't lose your temper… she told herself. You need to show restraint around your father's guests.
"I don't think she's even a real dragon." Jenna continued. "I'll bet that under that outfit she's some sort of science experiment gone horribly awry, and President Bergan doesn't have the guts to have her put to death."
The prince balked at that and immediately looked away from Jenna. Meanwhile, Tyrrany's anger had reached the breaking point.
That's it. Tyrrany rose up from her table and stormed around it. Several of the gang members watched in shock as the heiress stomped right up to Jenna.
"Why don't you say that to my FACE, bitch?" Tyrrany roared.
The earth dragoness yelped in surprise and nearly leapt into the air. Jonathan was spooked as well, and did everything in his power to avoid drawing the heiress's attention.
"I.. uh..." Jenna mumbled in shock.
"You what?" The purple dragoness demanded. "You didn't think I could hear EVERY WORD YOU SAID?"
Various members of Jonathan's gang either laughed or ooh'd at the anger on Tyrrany's face.
"I... I wasn't talking about you, Tyrrany." Jenna said defensively.
"BULLSHIT." Tyrrany slammed her forepaw on the table, making Jenna yelp. She backed away from the heiress, who simply stomped toward her in retaliation. Tyrrany gnashed her fangs and blew small purple flames from her nostrils.
"I… I'm sorry." Jenna stammered; her legs shook in fear.
"Damn right you are!" Tyrrany roared.
The cloaked dragoness immediately sank down into her shadow, disappearing from sight. Jenna gasped and looked around for any sign of Tyrrany. A moment later, the heiress reappeared from the shadows to Jenna's right. Before Jenna could react, Tyrrany struck her in the back of the neck and grabbed her mane hair. The earth dragoness screamed as Tyrrany pulled her head back; the blow left her unable to use magic.
Jonathan and the other teenagers backed away from the dragonesses as Tyrrany glared into Jenna's eyes.
"Annie, stop!" Flame yelled from across the way. Tyrrany glanced over and saw that he'd leaped onto his feet and was coming over.
"Stay out of this, Flame." Tyrrany snapped. She glanced back at Jenna. "This little punk needs to be put in her place!"
"I'm sorry!" The green dragoness pleaded. "I'll never say anything like that ever again!"
"Of course you won't." The heiress said, her eyes gleaming.
"W-What?"
Tyrrany grabbed even harder onto Jenna's mane, making her howl in pain. She dragged her over to the side of one of the tables. The earth dragoness struggled in vain to break free of the heiress's grip. A few of the gang members exchanged glances, wondering whether they should get involved or not. Flame took a few steps forward, but Tyrrany growled in his direction to make him stop. And then, she pulled back one last time on Jenna's face… and slammed it as hard as she could against the table.
A scream rang throughout the cafeteria as bones cracked. The various gang members gasped and grimaced at the gruesome sight. Tyrrany tossed Jenna onto the floor, blood being splattered in the earth dragoness's wake. Jenna clutched her muzzle and screamed again. Blood gushed from Jenna's beaklike muzzle as she hyperventilated; her limbs twitched, and her eyes poured with tears.
"Holy shit!" Somebody shouted.
Tyrrany fell back onto her haunches and watched with a cold expression as several FTC staff-members rushed over to Jenna's aid. They helped the crying girl get onto her feet and struggled to control the bleeding. They glanced disbelieving at Tyrrany, who said nothing.
Flame watched as Jenna was rushed out of the cafeteria, his eyes filled with horror. He glanced over at Tyrrany, who made her way back to her original seat to continue eating.
"Tyrrany, WHY?" Flame demanded as he followed her. "You didn't have to do that!"
"She had it coming for years." Tyrrany snapped. She sat down and continued her meal. "Don't act like you don't know that, Flame."
"She's been awful, I know…" Flame glowered. "But doing THAT? In front of all these dragons?!"
"I just wanted to demonstrate what happens when someone pisses me off…" Tyrrany glared around at the various gang members. Most of them immediately backed out of the way. The dragonesses of the gang gulped and buried their heads in their forepaws. Eventually Tyrrany settled on Jonathan, who had turned completely around and drank from his mug as if he didn't notice anything happened… though the shaking of his wings and tail betrayed him.
"I hope everyone here gets the POINT." Tyrrany snapped. "You'd all better learn to treat me with respect! Especially YOU, JONATHAN."
"F-Fine." The earth prince muttered. "You've g-got respect from me… future wife."
"Hmph." Tyrrany looked down her snout at Jonathan. "Better have more respect for me than you did last night… husband."
"Wait, what?" Flame snapped. "What happened last night?"
"Nothing." Tyrrany snorted. She returned her attention to her plate. "Nothing worth happening, anyway."
Jonathan just gulped and focused on his meal. The looks that Tyrrany cast Jonathan left his gang feeling quite a bit of curiosity and confusion. Though all of them were smart enough not to draw Tyrrany's ire. This left her time to focus on her own meal. Flame eventually sighed in defeat and relaxed in his chair to resume eating as well.
"Damn it, Annie…" Flame whispered. "President Bergan's not going to like this."
"I don't care." Tyrrany whispered back harshly. "I'm sick of Jenna's loose tongue."
"But don't you remember what happened the last time you assaulted one of your dad's employees?" Flame demanded.
"Yes, and I don't care." The Tyrrany flapped her wings indignantly. She gazed down at her half-eaten meal, and snorted in frustration. "I'm done here; I've lost my apetite."
"Fine…" Flame sighed. "See you later, Flame."
Tyrrany stood up from her cushion and made her way toward the exit of the cafeteria. Flame was left behind, surrounded by Jonathan's rowdy hooligans. After a moment, Flame couldn't help but glare at Jonathan. He stood up to get closer to the prince, who still looked away.
"So, what happened last night between you and Annie?" Flame demanded.
"It's none of your business, Red." Jonathan snorted.
"It involves one of my best friends." Flame stopped beside Jonathan and leaned his head in closer. "You better BELIEVE it's my business."
"I don't want to talk about it." Jonathan growled. "And SHE doesn't want to talk about it later. So just leave it!" He wracked his talons on the table. "It's a private matter between a future couple. So keep your muzzle out of my arse!"
Flame's eye twitched. Just hearing the phrase future couple made the red dragon want to throw up. He couldn't imagine this foreign ex-prince… this imbecile from across the ocean, who was barely part of Tyrrany's life… taking her paw in marriage. And all under the direction of Flame's own boss!
Flame felt tempted to grab Jonathan by the shoulder and give him a piece of his mind… but that changed quickly when he heard growls coming from all around him. The rest of Jonathan's gang looked pretty eager to leap at Flame if he tried anything funny. He couldn't stand admitting it out loud, but Tyrrany was a lot better at intimidation than he was.
"Fine, keep your secrets…" Flame snorted. He adjusted his cloak and turned around to leave. "I need to go keep an eye on my best friend."
Flame cleaned up both his tray and Tyrrany's before making his way toward the exit of the cafeteria. Jonathan just took a sigh of relief and slammed his talons on the table.
"By the ancestors…" The prince grumbled.
"What's wrong, Johnny?" A fire drake asked.
Jonathan looked over by the doors; Tyrrany seemed to be long gone. He sighed in relief and brought his voice down to a whisper.
"Guys, that chick is crazier than I thought." He said. "It seems like any little thing will set her off." Jonathan adjusted his cloak and shivered. "I know that I need to make my dad happy by getting this whole union thing going, but still…" He slumped in his seat. "That Tyrrany just might kill me in my sleep one day."
"Does your dad know that she's crazy?" A lightning dragon asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. I really don't know." Jonathan sighed. He picked up his bowl of wine and chugged it down as fast as he could. "All I know is; I've gotta watch my back around her. We ALL do. We're in for a rough couple of weeks."
"What do you mean by that, Johnny?" An ice dragoness wondered.
"Well…" Jonathan scratched his head with a wing-thumb. He then brought his voice to as low of a whisper as he could. "We're going to Warfang to cause some trouble."
~~…~~
The afternoon sun cast its rays upon the interior of Bergan's office. The purple dragon sat at his large mahogany desk. A small, patient smile was etched into his features as he busily went over various documents and scrolls that decorated the desk's surface.
Running a company was always hard work, even IF the founder had some sneaky tricks up his sleeve to find fortune. Work orders here, syllabuses there, and a thousand other menial tasks that needed reviewing, approval, forwarding, ordering, filing, laminating…
Bergan pushed a scroll away and sighed. When had his life become so dull?
The purple dragon rose up from his desk and turned around in his cushion to gaze out through his window. The marvelous splendor of Faeshrine loomed as far as his eyes could see. It was a good city; a marvelous city. One that he'd spent years working to rise up from the ashes left behind in the wake of that dreadful war. Bergan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Everything was fine as it was now. He had wealth behind his wildest dreams, and political power that etched its way across the dragon realms. He had several beautiful children, one of whom was slated to inherit the purple drake's vast fortunes and titles. He could stay in Faeshrine, rule as the president, and eventually retire to live out a peaceful existence. And, finally, he could die as a proud grandfather and mentor to countless young dragons. It was a good life: A life he'd earned.
But that life was so DULL.
Bergan held out a forepaw toward the setting sun. He shifted his talons and pretended he could pluck that sun out of the heavens and hold it in his grasp. Who was he to settle on a meager existence? Time and time again there were larger games taking place; he could only ever watch on the sidelines. Other people wrote the rules and denied him a chance to take a shot at the prize. Some even told him that it was a game that wasn't worth playing. That they'd found the rules to be unfair, and the cost of losing was too brutal. But how could anyone know if Bergan should stay out of the game, if he never got a chance to play?
As Bergan pondered this train of thought, he saw that someone was about to knock on the office door. On a whim, the purple dragon made his way over to door, grabbed the handle, and threw the door open.
"Welcome!" Bergan declared. "You're running late, General!"
Saul balked; his forepaw was halfway toward knocking. With a grimaced, the General flushed out his cape and took a regal pose. "How can I be late? I made the conscious decision to try and start a meeting with you."
"You don't know me well enough, do you?" Bergan smirked. The purple drake made his way back toward the desk. "Let's get this meeting of yours going, shall we?"
Saul wasn't the only one to walk into the office; he was joined shortly by Olivia and Jonathan. The purple drake smiled as he saw the earth prince stand beside his father.
"Ah, just the young dragon I've been waiting to see." Bergan declared.
Jonathan winced. "You've wanted to see me, Sir?"
"Of course I had." Bergan nodded his head. "You and my daughter both. Oh, that reminds me…"
As the prince shook with worry, Bergan reached for a small red button on his desk. The purple drake saw that Saul cast his son a suspicious glare. As he held the button down, a noise like static filled the air.
"Jezebel," Bergan said into the microphone on his desk. "Please send my daughter Tyrrany into my office. Oh, and send along Flamaedelus Jr, Arthur, and our dear Madam Nymph in after her."
"Right away, Sir." Jezebel replied via the device. Bergan let go of the button and relaxed in his chair.
Olivia lowered her muzzle to the desk to peer at the device. "What is that contraption?"
"An intercom system." Bergan declared. "You'll find that they're used in office building all throughout Faeshrine."
"Well, that's certainly a fascinating thing…" Saul said sternly, "But there's a certain matter I wish to discuss with you, Bergan."
"And what would that be, Saul?" Bergan asked in a faux-curious tone.
Saul just snorted and reached inside the confines of his clothes. He soon produced a small, silver-and-gold coin. Olivia winced as she saw the coin shine in the sunlight as Saul held it in his talons.
"It's a matter that only certain individuals should be allowed to hear." The General placed the coin on the table before Bergan.
Bergan scowled; knew the design of the coin all too well. It was one of the coins used by the higher members of the Order of Culmubrae. The Order was responsible for many things over the decades… chief among them being manipulating the Twilight War from the shadows.
Bergan picked up the coin and read one of the engravings along its edges. The engraving was written in ancient draconian runes.
"Umbrus sivi Superus." Bergan said quietly. "Light shines supreme."
"We have work to do, Bergan." Saul scowled. "The defeat of the Order must be avenged."
"Mhm…" Saul glanced at Olivia and Jonathan. "And these two know what they're getting into by being present for this, I assume."
Olivia cast Bergan a glare, which made him raise an eye ridge.
"I made my choice to stand beside Saul four years ago." The dragoness slammed her forepaw on the desk. "My own father betrayed my husband and cast him from his throne! I am Saul's wife; the rock upon which he builds his foundation. What kind of dragoness would I be if I abandoned him?!"
"Not a very good one, I'd imagine." Bergan nodded. "By all means, stay and support your husband…" The purple drake cast his glance down at Jonathan next. "Though now I have to wonder about you, boy."
"What about me?" Jonathan asked.
"Your father seeks to avenge your grand-father's murder." Bergan clasped his forepaws together. "Surely you can imagine what he wants to-"
"We're going to KILL Elenar!" Jonathan yelled angrily. He stood up tall and looked the purple dragon right in the eyes. "I'm not stupid! My dad's been planning his revenge goals for months, if not years!"
"Jonathan!" Olivia hissed. "Not so loud! People might hear you!"
"Heh…" Bergan wracked his talons together. "You sound pretty brave now, boy. But I wonder if you'll have that bravado when it finally comes time to do the deed."
"Oh I'll be brave enough!" Jonathan beat his chest. "That bitch Elenar and all of her dark dragon goons have ruined my life! And one of those pricks ruined MY FACE!" The prince pointed at the scars on his muzzle. "You don't think I want to get back at them all?! Of course I do! So let's GET THEM ALREADY!"
Jonathan dug his talons into the carpet and panted heavily. Bergan just leaned back in his cushion and scratched his beard; this was an interesting display indeed.
"Calm down, Son." Saul draped a wing over the prince's back.
"Well, as long as you seem dead sent on getting this done…" Bergan reached into the hidden pocket of his cape. "Let's get the ball rolling…"
The purple dragon produced a silver-and-gold coin from his pocket; another coin of the Order. He placed it on the desk beside Saul's, and the General took a deep breath.
"Tamquam longus tamquam Tenebra tamen accola in,…" The General said with determination.
As long as Darkness still lives on….
"…Lux voluntas numquam quiesco." Bergan replied.
..Light will never rest.
There was silence in the air as Saul and Bergan settled in and began to speak in whispers.
"Queen Elenar is only the first target on my quest for revenge." Saul said with a serious tone. "After she's dead, I want her two sons, Rune and Cyrus, captured."
"Captured, and not killed?" Bergan asked. "Why not deal with them straightaway?"
"Because I want to kill them MYSELF." Saul flashed his fangs. "I want to see the light fade from their eyes as they finally die. I want their deaths to be SLOW and PAINFUL. Just like every wretched black dragon deserves for the pain they've wrought on the dragon realms."
"Rest assured, old friend: You'll get what's coming to you." Bergan nodded. "But a better question is: How exactly do you plan on having me help?" He stood up and adjusted his collar. "As far as the people of the dragon realms are concerned, I am the humble and benevolent leader of a merchant empire. My business is the transferring of goods, not assassinations. I can't just up and sully my good name by having it get out that I'm a co-conspirator to murder the High Queen and her sons. I have an image to maintain, my friend."
"And that is why we shall do as the Order did in the past." Saul declared. "Work from behind the scenes."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Well, before I can tell you…" Saul looked at his wife. "I need to ask you to step outside for a moment."
"What?" Olivia exclaimed. "But why? I've already said that I'll stand behind you no matter what; you don't need to hide anything from me."
"Olivia, please." Saul exhaled. "Give me some time alone to speak with Bergan about what the boy must do."
Olivia sighed sadly and stepped out of the room. Jonathan watched her go with a frown, but then took a breath and faced Bergan. Saul grumbled in his throat before lowering his voice to whisper again.
"My son has become the leader of a gang of thugs." Saul said. "They are known as the Crazy Aces, and are rather notorious in my city of Aeroshard."
"Mhm…" Bergan scratched his chin. "And you want the Crazy Aces to be the face of the murder attempt?"
"Exactly." Saul said. "Ancestors willing, they'll perform the execution of Elenar, capture the princes, and drag them back to me in chains so I can get my revenge."
"Ah, but if they FAIL…" Bergan declared with a smirk. "Then the Crazy Aces will take the fall for the crime, with nobody any wiser that the Order of Culmubrae supplied them for the trip."
Jonathan winced, and his eye twitched. He tried to hide it with a serious face as Saul and Bergan looked down at him.
"You seem a bit out of sorts suddenly, dear Jonathan." Bergan said. "Could it be that you didn't factor in that there were to be no apparent ties between your gang and the Order?"
"Uh…" He stammered. "I knew it was coming. I just…" He shifted about uncomfortably "It's a little hard to say out loud, Sir."
"Hmm…" Bergan nodded. "I suppose so; they must be some very good friends indeed."
"My best friends since I moved to Aeroshard." Jonathan said. "They'll stick by me through thick and thin… I think."
"You think?" Saul snapped. "Jonathan, this isn't going to be some game; they need to be ready for the grueling task ahead of them."
"And what a task it'll be." Bergan declared, drawing the earth drakes' attention. "You all need to sneak into Warfang without being detected, and then into the Dragon Spire; Elenar's very seat of power. And assuming you can wiggle your way past the multitude of security defenses, and the highly-trained warriors among the Deep Shadows… there's facing the High Queen HERSELF."
Bergan stood up taller in his cushion, casting his shadow over Jonathan.
"Elenar is a powerful shadow dragoness." He said with a menacing tone. "Fear has no sway over her; she had died and faced Malefor himself in the underworld. Even after being held as his prisoner and plaything for four years of unlife, she STILL had the mental fortitude to rise up from the endeavor and return to the living world as the new High Queen… which is to say nothing of her mastery of shadow magic." Bergan looked Jonathan in the eyes. "If you're not prepared… the Crazy Aces will FAIL."
Jonathan tried his best to stand tall and proud… but there was a fearful glint in his eyes. His voice shuddered a bit as he tried to growl back.
"Let's hope that you truly are brave when the moment comes to face Elenar, dear prince." Bergan said. "But, while I can't tell you with certainty what will happen when you step before Elenar, I can at least tell you how you're going to get to her in the first place."
"What did you have in mind?" Saul asked.
Bergan didn't answer his question directly. Instead, he leaned over to look past the two earth drakes and stare at the back doors. Bergan counted off his talons, and then there was a knock on the door.
"Come on in, everyone!" Bergan said with a chipper voice. "There's much to discuss!"
Saul and Jonathan scooted out of the way as Tyrrany, Flame, Arthur, and Madam Nymph made their way inside. Olivia poked her head in to see if she could join the group as well, But Saul shook his head no, and she sighed and stepped out of view.
Tyrrany sat on her haunches beside Jonathan, refusing to look at the prince directly. Flame sat down behind her, and Arthur sat down on his head. Meanwhile, Madam Nymph made her way around to the other side of Bergan's desk, where she sat down and relaxed in the sunlight.
"What did you need us for, Dad?" Tyrrany asked.
"Well, let me get the easiest thing out of the way..." Bergan took a sigh and glared down at his daughter. "I've recently been told that, once again, you've horribly injured one of my younger staff members because you lost your temper again."
Tyrrany flinched and forced herself to look her father in the eyes. " I… I'm sorry, father."
"Saying sorry to me won't fix the mess you've created." Bergan scolded. "I now have to go to great lengths to pay for that girl's medical bills, as well as apologize to her parents, to keep her on my staff and her parents from filing a complaint against me." He became quite flustered. "These things have severe consequences, Tyrrany. You should know this by now."
The dragoness didn't respond; she merely hung her head low. Bergan looked about ready to yell at her again, but then Nymph tapped on his side.
"Take it easy now, Bergan." The dragoness nodded. "Having a fit won't fix this mess either."
Bergan looked Nymph in the eyes and snorted. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his cushion.
"In any case," He added, "There are a few other things to discuss. Tyrrany… pull back your hood and remove your cloak."
Tyrrany brought her head up, and her eyes went wide. "Now? Right here in front of the General?"
Saul raised an eye ridge. "I don't see what the issue is."
"Jonathan's in on the secret already; I can tell by looking in his eyes." Bergan said. "Tyrrany, Saul is to be your father-in-law soon, so we'd best not keep secrets from him. And besides, it'll go a long way of earning his trust enough to get him to help you with your quest."
Saul looked between Bergan and his daughter, his face a mask of confusion.
"Quest?" Saul repeated. "And what's this about secrets?"
"Show him, Tyrrany." Bergan said sternly.
"Y... Yes, father." She said with a heavy sigh.
The dragoness sat on her haunches and cautiously lifted her forepaws up to her hood. With trembling talons, she slowly pulled her hood backwards, revealing the lines where her purple makeup came to a stop and her naturally white scales began to show. After this, Tyrrany undid the bindings on her neck, and let her black cloak slump to the floor.
Jonathan knew what to expect, but Saul nearly fell onto the floor in surprise.
"What in the…?" He blinked a few times. Saul got up onto his feet and stepped closer to Tyrrany. He looked her over left and right, not believing what was standing before him.
"Surprised, Saul?" Nymph asked. "I'll admit: I was the first time I saw it, too."
"She's a…" Saul's throat went dry. He blinked several times, as if what sat before him was an illusion. "She's… a white dragon?"
"Don't lose your head, Saul." Bergan replied. With a motion of the purple dragon's forepaw, Tyrrany pulled her hood back over her head. "Yes, my daughter is a white dragon. We've been keeping it a secret ever since she was hatched."
Saul still couldn't believe his eyes. He glowered down at Jonathan. "Is this what had you so spooked last night?"
"Kind of…" Jonathan shrugged his shoulders. "But it wasn't the white scales; I was more uneasy about Tyrrany ripping my head off if I blabbed."
Tyrrany growled at that comment, but immediately stopped herself when Bergan glared at her. The purple dragon then cleared his throat to get Saul's attention.
"How familiar are you with the stories of the white dragons, General?"
"Not very." Saul sighed. "The most I can recall is that dark dragons were scared shitless of them back before the Twilight War."
"Indeed." Bergan nodded. "They may not be as well known today, but there's always the chance that someone who believed the old stories would want to do white dragons harm. That's why I've had to protect my daughter with her disguise."
"I see…" Saul glared over at Nymph. "And how long have YOU known?"
"Since Bergan and I became business partners." The dragoness ran her talons along her cloak. "I've gained a fascination of sort for dragons with mysterious powers. I've kept an eye for any of the sort ever since…" She put on a smirk. "You never know when they'll turn up."
"Hmph. Is that so?" Saul raised an eye ridge.
"Tyrrany's magical potential and prowess is far more advanced than that of any normal dragon." He said sternly. "She would make a valuable asset to you, Saul: Both as your daughter-in-law, and as an accomplice in your... plans. Do you understand me?"
"Plans?" Arthur wondered out loud.
"Clear as crystal, Bergan..." Saul glanced down at his son. "Jonathan, the fact that Tyrrany is a white dragoness doesn't change your willingness to marry her, does it?"
"Uh..." The young earth dragon glanced around at the other teenagers. Flame and Arthur sneered, but said nothing. Tyrrany, however, just snorted and looked down at her forepaws; she'd already threatened the earth prince enough today.
"...No, it doesn't." Jonathan said, chuckling nervously. "Why... I'm still more than happy to take her on as my wife."
"Good." Bergan declared. "Now then, on to the next order of business: All four of you youngsters shall be preparing to leave for Warfang on the morrow."
Tyrrany's eyes lit up.
"What for, sir?" Flame asked. The purple dragon looked directly at his daughter and smiled.
"Tyrrany, I have finally decided." He rose from his cushion to step closer to her. "You are ready to head for Warfang to confront your mother."
The dragoness gasped in delight. She stood silent for a few moments, letting the news ring around in her head. Eventually, her excitement overwhelmed her to the point where she ran forwards and hugged Bergan tightly.
"Thank you, Father!" She exclaimed. "I've been waiting so long for this day!"
The purple dragon chuckled and hugged her back. "You're welcome, dear."
"Now, hold on for a moment." Saul demanded. "What's this about confronting her mother? And how do you know she's in Warfang?"
"I should think the answer is plain as day." The Purple dragon replied. "But in case you can't see the resemblance under her makeup…" Bergan stood up tall and cleared his throat. "General Saul, Elenar is my daughter's mother."
Tyrrany had never seen so much surprise and horror in a single dragon's face. The General backed up and nearly tripped over himself. Saul looked down at Tyrrany and examined her features; he'd so rarely spent time with Tyrrany in the past that perhaps he never remembered her as she grew from a child to an adult.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Saul glowered. He then glared at Bergan. "You mated with Elenar?!"
"Once upon a time." Bergan declared. "Sadly our relationship soured, which should be quite obvious."
"But…" Saul stammered. He glanced at Tyrrany incredulously again. "Why would…?"
All at once, realization dawned on Saul. He took a deep breath and composed himself.
"I get it now; Elenar rejected her daughter, didn't she?" The General said with a snort. "Couldn't stand being the mother of a white dragon."
Tyrrany had to fight with all of her might to keep from growling at the General. He's just stating facts; he's not trying to mock you. Keep calm…
"To make a long story short, Tyrrany wants revenge on Elenar for abandoning her." Bergan said. "And seeing as you and Jonathan want Elenar dead as well, then all of you can work together to get your revenge, as one big happily family!"
"Hmph." Saul scratched his chin. "Sounds simple enough."
"Right…" Bergan turned his attention toward Flame, Arthur, and Jonathan.
"Now… you three will mainly serve as my daughter's bodyguards during her quest." The purple drake said. "You are to ensure that nothing… NOTHING bad happens to her." His eyes narrowed, and he blew tiny purple flames from his nostrils. "Is that understood?"
"Yes, Sir." Flame and Arthur said immediately. Jonathan said it as well, but was a bit delayed due to shaking nervously beneath Bergan's glare.
"Good." The smile returned to Bergan's face again. "Flame, Arthur, your respective parents already know about your assignment. Go and prepare for the journey. Tyrrany, you do the same."
"As should you, Jonathan." Saul said. "Tell your friends to get ready as well."
"Yes, father." The earth prince nodded.
Tyrrany gave a soft sigh as she pulled her clock back over her body. She then joined the three boys as they left the office, leaving Bergan, Saul and Nymph alone together.
"So, your son's off to Warfang." The purple drake chuckled. "What will you and your wife do in the meantime, Saul?"
"We need to return to Aeroshard." The General sneered. "There's much work to be done. First we need to ensure that Elder Telus's forces don't overtake my stronghold…" He dug his talons into the carpet. "And then I need to mobilize forces to take Glenhaven BACK."
"Hmm, sounds like a lot of hard work." Bergan snickered.
"Here's hoping you have the sense to delay your attack until AFTER the Day of the Bonds is over." Nymph clicked her tongue.
Saul snorted. "I'm not a monster, Nymph; Plenty of the beings under my employ wish to spend quality time with their loved ones. As for myself… my wife and I have some catching up to do romantically, and this holiday is perfect for that."
"Ah, good." Nymph flapped her wings and looked down her beaklike muzzle. "I for one wish to take my family to see my sister Seraph. There's a lot that I need to talk to her about, and I can't have the looming threat of battle get in the way of that."
"Well, you'd best convince her to flee Glenhaven before I being my attack." Saul snorted. "Wouldn't want her to get caught in the crossfire."
"Well, I wish you all the best." Bergan smiled. "In the meantime, I've got some work to do myself." The purple dragon stood up. "While my daughter has her personal vendetta against High Queen Elenar, I've got some business in Warfang of my own."
"What?" Saul eyed Bergan suspiciously.
"Let me show you something…" Bergan opened two of the drawers on his desk. He reached inside and pulled out two objects.
The first object was the sparkling white hilt of a sword, which extended out of a secret compartment hidden within the drawer and part of the floor. The sword's blade was golden in color, and decorated with silver patterns. The hilt had a glyph in the shape of a set of red weighing scales embedded on both sides. A large sapphire stone was emblazoned in the sword's pommel. The whole thing seemed to glow with a mysterious, purple aura as Bergan held it in his forepaw.
"Beautiful craftsmanship, isn't it?" He asked with a smirk.
"I suppose…" Saul said cautiously.
The second object that Bergan retrieved was a necklace, crafted entirely of jade. Bergan placed both the necklace and the sword down on the desk.
"What are these for?" Saul demanded. "What relation do they have to Elenar?"
"Not her specifically; just her current… area of residence." Bergan chuckled. "The sword had a fraternal twin, you see; they were both crafted at the same time and place. As for the necklace… it has twin as well." Bergan wracked his talons together. "And it just so happens that both of these objects are in Warfang."
"They're just a sword and a necklace." Saul snorted. "They're in abundance all over the dragon realms. What's so special about them?"
"Oh, they have their unique properties, I assure you." Bergan ran his talons along the sword's blade.
He held it carefully in his forepaw and tilted it so the blade shined in the light of the room. Bergan followed the light from the start of the hilt, all the way to the tip, and then up from there to look Saul in the eyes.
"There's going to be some gruesome business in the coming weeks, my friends." Bergan said. "And I hope that everyone here is prepared for the consequences."
"Well, of course!" Saul declared. "What is there to worry about?"
Bergan and Nymph held dour expressions. They looked each other in the eyes, and then both glanced at Saul, who looked back incredulously.
"If Jonathan and Tyrrany succeed in killing Elenar, there will be ripples of chaos throughout Warfang." Nymph said. "The people love her, Saul. They won't react well if they learn that your boy helped kill her. And your family line already has next to no political support as it is." She flapped her wings. "And if anyone learns that Bergan and I are co-conspirators, we'll face quite a bit of wrath as well."
"Is that an attempt to scare me?" Saul raised an eye ridge. He looked right at Bergan and scoffed. "The very fact you're sending them off to Warfang AT ALL is proof enough that everything will be fine."
Bergan leaned back and scratched his beard. "Is that so?"
"If your daughter was in danger of being captured or killed on this mission, you would never have said no." Saul declared. "Same goes for Jonathan; surely he's to succeed in killing Elenar with no trouble brewing. Otherwise you'd have told the both of us what a colossal failure their mission would be!" Saul wracked his talons on Bergan's desk. "So, I can only conclude that their mission will be a big success, and none of us will be found out as responsible for Elenar's execution!"
Bergan raised his own eye ridge. It was rather refreshing to see how much faith the good Lord General had put into him and his plans. He gave a little chuckle and adjusted himself in his chair.
"Well, you and Nymph here won't be on the northern continent by the time the coup is launched. So I'll have to fill you in later on how things go." Bergan said. "And besides, just because I know what won't happen, doesn't mean I know what will happen."
Saul grimaced. "What's supposed to mean?"
"It means that the board is set, and all the pieces are ready to play." Bergan gave Saul a sardonic grin. "Now, we just let the game play out, and see what happens."
Bergan put his valuables back into their compartments and rose from his desk. He walked around to lead Nymph and Saul out of the room.
"Oh, and by the way…" Bergan looked at Saul again. "Your son and my daughter didn't do anything last night; they've yet to produce an heir for you. So just be patient."
Saul balked. He opened his maw to say something, but then just sighed and closed it again. Nymph gave a little chuckle and followed the two dragons out of the room.
There was much to be done, and little time to do it.
~~…~~
Greetings, friends and loved ones.
Not really sure what to say about this one. There's quite a bit of build-up to the big journey from Faeshrine to Warfang. But it should finally make it into the book in the next chapter. I've also got some stuff to work on for Rune's POV, as well as some stuff in Glenhaven. I sure hope everyone's excited. :V
Tenebra ecce Veritas
