Orca heard the rapping of claws at her door as she was reading one of her scrolls on animus histories. She quickly rolled up the scroll and tucked it into her scrollshelf. She didn't want anyone getting suspicious.
Orca opened up the door and saw her younger brother, Torrent, standing outside it. He was carrying a scroll in his claws, and looked somewhat exhausted.
Here, he flashed, holding out the scroll. Orca immediately saw that it was the one she had given him earlier, Legends of the Lost Continent. Thank you for letting me borrow it, Torrent flashed gratefully in Aquatic. I really liked it, do you have any more? The dragonet peeked his head beneath Orca's wing into the room, peering around as if he could see more scrolls from there.
I don't think I have any on the Lost Continent in my room, but I know there are more in the library, Orca replied back. C'mon, I'll show you!
She nudged her little brother out of the room, and locked it behind her. This way!
Orca started to swim the long passage that led to her room, Torrent right behind her.
So, Orca asked Torrent, excited to have a friend she could share converse with about their common interests, who was your favorite character in the scroll?
Talon the gryphon! Torrent replied with ease, not having to think about the answer. He's so awesome! I loved the story about how he fought with the Hybrid Knight to defeat King Skullmaker, I just wish it could've been longer. Are there gryphons in Pyrrhia?
Orca had to hold back a chuckle. No, of course not! These are just legends, they're probably not real, and if they are, it happened a long time ago, even before the Scorching.
Oh, Torrent replied, with a disappointed expression on his snout. After a short but awkward silence, he spoke up again. Who's your favorite?
Hmm . . . I'd have to say the Hybrid Knight. I love how she goes around the Continent, foiling King Skullmaker's plans and defeating his evil lackeys at every turn. I know there are more scrolls about her and Talon in the library, I read them all a few years ago.
Really? asked Torrent, excited again.
Orca nodded in reply. Here it is, she flashed, pointing a claw at the library entrance. Torrent carefully peeked into the room, and breathed a sigh of relief at whatever he saw or didn't see in there.
What is it? asked Orca, in a bit of concern for her brother.
Oh, Torrent replied, I was just checking to make sure River wasn't there. I hate talking to her, she's such a clam-faced jerk.
You don't have to be scared of her, you know. She can't turn you into a squid. Orca's eyes quickly darted to the amethyst inlaid in her golden bracelet. If River was actually an animus, Orca would've detected it by now.
Yeah, but she might be queen one day, and could have me exiled, or even executed, Torrent worried.
Over my cold dead body, that brat will be queen. Thinking about how the royal challenge system worked, that wasn't too much of an exaggeration. If Orca failed in her eventual but almost certain challenge against Queen Coral, she would be killed by her own mother's claws.
Torrent smiled in gratitude. Thanks, he replied, old enough to know that Orca could be meaning that literally. He swam into the library and looked around at the thousands of scrolls in awe. There's so many! How can we find the ones with Talon?
One of our Palace-Keepers puts all the scrolls in order. Over here, she directed Torrent, pointing him to a section on Lost Continent legends. There should be a few on this shelf, but there might be a few others scattered about. Here, I think this one's might be what you're looking for!
Orca pulled out a scroll and gave it to Torrent. The young prince opened the scroll to see its title, and nodded. Yeah, it's exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so much!
Torrent wrapped a forearm and a wing around Orca as a hug. Orca returned the gesture, smiling. She hadn't really had many friends before.
There weren't many other dragonets around the Deep Palace, just her own siblings and Moray, Orca's cousin. While Moray was only a year younger than Orca, her only redeeming quality was that she despised River even more than Orca did. Unfortunately for her, Queen Coral was as fascinated with her niece almost as much as with her daughter River, and kept Moray around River as much as possible, thinking that they would make great friends (they didn't). While Orca had a good relationship with her older brothers, especially Rift, the twins had always tended to play with each other more than Orca. River, of course, Orca couldn't stand to talk too, much less be friends with.
Alright, Torrent flashed, breaking off from the hug, I should go now. I have homework to do and want to get started reading.
Good idea, Orca replied. Tell me how you like the scroll once you're done!
Torrent nodded, and swam out of the library with the scroll, heading back to his room presumably. Orca decided she would do the same, and started swimming back to her own room. Even though the privacy was useful, there were disadvantages to having a room so estranged from the rest of the palace, the foremost being how long it took to get there and back. If she accidentally forgot a scroll in the library, it could take her almost twenty minutes to get it and come back swimming at a casual pace.
When she finally entered her room, she looked over her collection of statues. She had just recently finished her statue of Queen Atoll, Queen Coral's mother, and wasn't sure what she wanted to make next. She thought for a moment before an idea came to her.
Orca pulled out a large piece of parchment from her scrollshelf that she had been using to sketch out ideas. Although most of the scrolls that they read in the Deep Palace were coated with the waterproof resin, in order to write underwater, the SeaWings had the ingenious idea of creating black tinted paper, and placing a white film on top of it which would come off when scratched, revealing the black underneath and allowing one to write on it. Orca's parchment had a number of drawings and sketches on it of her previous sculpting projects, some which had been placed into reality, and others which had been long abandoned. Choosing an area without any scratches in it yet, Orca started to sketch out her design, glancing over the drawings at the scroll Torrent had returned to her every so often for reference.
Angler looked at his brother Rift, an expression of surprise across his face. The milky-green SeaWing frowned. You want to do what?
I'm going to join the war! Rift said. A joyous smile was across his face. Isn't that great?
The two were in a hallway of the Deep Palace. A large archway stood over the two dragons, making the palace seem even emptier than it already was. Many repairs of the ancient palace showed through the mismatched stone above. Unlike many of the other buildings of Pyrrhia, the Deep Palace had never been fully rebuilt, due to its location, but it still had to be periodically repaired or expanded upon.
How is that great? Angler replied worriedly.
What do you mean, how is it great? Rift asked. I get to go out and make a difference in the world, just like Auntie Tempest! I'll meet a bunch of new friends, maybe even some SandWings and MudWings, and we'll travel all the way across Pyrrhia to fight for Queen Coral and the Sea Kingdom!
Angler scoffed a little. You mean you'll be flying across Pyrrhia for longer than you've ever flown before, through rain, heat, and snow, just to get a winged frozen off by an IceWing and to be left for dead by your 'friends.' Haven't you ever read soldier's diaries?
Of course I have! Rift flashed, hissing. I've read a ton, far more than you, I know that it's not going to be all easy, or fun! For one thing, I'm a prince, this is what I'm supposed to do, instead of swimming back and forth around the Deep Palace for the rest of my life.
You could get hurt; joining the war is an awful idea! Angler flashed back angrily.
It is not! Rift replied exasperatedly. I can keep myself safe, and so what if I get some scratches here and there? It's not your choice anyways, I've already made my decision!
Angler let a silent growl escape from his lips. War is never safe. You might not be on the front lines, but you'll certainly be in danger.
I will not! Rift replied. I can fight, I've been training with some of the older dragons for years!
You're a prince, you fight for fun, Angler snapped. You don't get to be so selfish that you get to abandon me and the rest of the family for some clam-brained romanticized notions of war and martyrdom.
I'm the one being selfish? Rift hit his large SeaWing tail against the tile beneath him. You're the one trying to keep me he—
What's going on? interrupted a dragon. A large SeaWing, the color of thick green algae, swam into the room, frowning. Two golden bands decoratively wrapped around his front ankles. King Gill towered over his two sons, his forked tongue flicking between his teeth. What is the meaning of this?
Rift wants to join the war and become a martyr, Angler quickly flashed.
I do not! Rift flashed back. I have no intention of dying! He turned to his father. I want to join the war. I've been trained how to command. I could help end the war faster, I could—
No, Gill issued. Angler smiled smugly next to him.
I would be an asset to the SeaWings! Rift protested. I'm seven now; I'm an adult! I'm a prince, eventually I'll be a commander like Uncle Shark! This is the perfect time to start training for that!
You're still too young, Gill replied, and this war has been brutal so far. Maybe in a few years.
I don't need to wait a few years! I'm old enough now!
Gill sighed. This is for your own good. You're far too reckless, and are bound to get first. Angler nodded as Gill was flashing in Aquatic, agreeing with his father.
Stop treating me like I'm still a dragonet! Rift angrily flashed. He turned his back, and swam off in a storm from his father and brother.
The waves of Rift's departure slowly passed over Angler and Gill. Angler glanced up at his father. Should we go after him? he asked.
No, Gill shook his head. He'll calm down before long. He's not going to go anywhere.
Angler nodded. There was a short pause. Is it true that Rift is eventually going to become a commander? he asked.
Gill nodded solemnly. Yes, if he chooses to. He's a prince, and will be the next queen's brother. A high-ranking job in the army is a traditional job for princes and princesses of royal families.
Angler frowned. He knew his brother, and Rift couldn't make a good commander. He was far too headstrong, and didn't think enough before acting. He would be bound to get himself injured, or worse. Maybe there was a way for Angler to convince Rift of the same.