CHAPTER 1

Orca

Most dragons would die for their queen. Most dragons would give up everything they had ever known for a chance at power. But, then again, Orca wasn't most dragons. Being the first SeaWing animus AND princess in years… She was surprised no one had noticed. She glanced over at Trout. They had been close friends since hatching. His mother, Porpoise, had been the Queen's friend and secret fighting instructor before she had killed her mother, Queen Whitecap. Orca flicked her tail in frustration, causing seafoam to soak Trout. "Hey! You are supposed to be quiet and stealthy when fishing!"

"So says the dragon who can't ambush a dolphin!" she shot back. "I am almost ready you know." She said, changing the subject.

Trout snorted. "I know I am! A few more months…" she trailed off.

"Sure, Orca. And I eat a guppy for breakfast."

She wacked him with her tail. "Seriously! I beat Razorbill last session! Do you want to hear about it?"

Trout gave a long, suffering sigh. "For the millionth time in a row? Why not?" he said hastily, seeing the look on her face.

They flew back to the palace, with Orca giving a play by play of the fight, with sarcastic comments from Trout here and there. A perfect way to end the evening, Orca thought sleepily as she drifted off. When she was Queen, she would change everything. Get rid of that stuffy old council watching her every move… definitely find an excuse to kill Moray… maybe put her on dragonet duty after her 'modifications' to the hatchery.

She would have to find a very gruesome death for her. She would also have to get a king. Trout would be good, whispered that small annoying part of her brain that saw Trout in a romantic light… so many things to do! Dragons to kill, wars to fight. She wondered how her mother did it all.

CHAPTER 2

Orca

The next morning, Orca and Trout spied on the council meeting. Orca had wanted to find a battle and kill stuff, but Trout had said that it would useful to know how the tribe worked, blah blah blah. The dragon she REALLY wanted to spy on was the dragon in CHARGE of spying. What was his name? Oh right, Tigershark. The creepy dragon. So, when Trout said he would be there, that was enough to convince Orca, never mind all the tribe stuff. So here they were, listening to Whirlpool and Moray interrupt each other, while also going on and on about how wonderful their Queen is, the greatest Queen in Pyrrhian history, etc., etc., BORING! Come on! Get on with someone else's report!

Finally, Coral said "Tigershark, report."

"My spies tell me that queen Moorhen's palace is unprotected, because she is meeting with Burn for battle planning. Now might be the best time for attack."

"Moorhens not stupid. Since the attack on Scarlet, she has advanced her palace protection." Shark said. "She must be planning something."

"Excellent!" Coral jumped in before a fight could break out. "Pearl, report."

She really knows how to handle these dragons, Orca thought warily. Moray would kill me in an instant if she was ordered to. Shark and the others have more respect for the rules than she does, but if they were ordered to…

CHAPTER 3

Orca

"Orca? Maybe we should get out of here soon." Trout said quietly

"Shhh. I'm still listening."

"Like now Orca."

"You can go if you want but I am staying here."

"Come on Orca we don't want t- ORCA STONEFISH IS COMING WE HAVE TO GO."

"Ok, we're going now!" Orca and Trout fled to the Library level, just as Stonefish landed on the Council level.

"Your majesty! I have horrible news!" he cried. "The battle at the Diamond Spray Delta has gone horribly wrong! We need backup!" and with that, he collapsed to the floor.

Queen Coral ordered Shark "Get your best troops on it. Tigershark, I need you to send out dragons and find out what went wrong so that we won't make this mistake again."

Orca glanced at Trout. "Don't do it." He said.

"I'm the best fighter. If I don't go, then who else will."

He sighed. "Then I'm going to."

"Fine."

Coral was still giving orders. "Moray send a message to Queen Blister that we need to change our battle plans. Current, get the dragonets to safety. Whirlpool" as Coral gave orders, Orca and Trout slipped away to join Shark's force. Orca glanced around. Most of the force were at least six or eight years older than her or Trout. That would not a problem, once they saw how good a fighter she was. But right now, all she had to do was get through this battle and keep Trout safe.

CHAPTER 4

Trout

Trout clawed his attacker's face. He was pinned under a large MudWing solder, fighting for his life. She reached down to snap his neck. He closed his eyes, preparing to die. Suddenly, Orca barreled into the MudWing, causing her to fall into another solder. Orca grinned at him. "Miss me?" she said.

"You have no idea." He watched as she fought. Orca spun, twirled and leaped with such grace, that it would almost seem that she was dancing, instead of fighting.

Then Shark called out "To me!" the SeaWings leapt out of the fray all at the same time. Orca flew over to Shark. "Why are we leaving? We could have won!" it was true. The SeaWings had the upper edge because they were fighting at the Delta.

Shark said "It wasn't a battle we would have won. The MudWing's had fresher dragons then we did."

Orca snorted but didn't complain. The SeaWings dove into the water, causing a massive wave to wash over the beach. Orca flashed her scales. How are you?

He replied. Fine.

Orca seemed like she wanted to press the point but changed her mind at the last second. Rub. She flashed.

Why?

RUB!

She ordered, handing him a smooth balled limb of coral. RUB!

Ok.

As he rubbed, the pain slowly went away. He stared at the small coral in wonder. How?

She smiled. Nothing.

CHAPTER 5

Orca

Orca smiled. She loved watching Trout when he was thinking. His face scrunched up and he arched his brow. He looked hilarious. She looped around in water. She saw the question on Trout's face even before he asked.Something I want check.

She swam off, thinking. Should I tell him? She wondered. Would he try to reveal me? No, Orca realized. Trout would never betray me. She was sure of it. Right? Then she thought about Shark. The slimy guppy brain would PAY when she was Queen. She would first pull his teeth out, then she would claw him and bite him until he was black and blue all over. THEN, she would very slowly rip out all his guts.

That would be a wonderful way to end an evening. But right now, she needed to check on IT. She shivered with joy every time she thought of IT. IT was her most beautiful creation yet. She stroked IT's talons gently. She carefully craved two eye sockets. She made the scales around IT's eye crease slightly, causing IT to look like IT was smiling. She smiled back. Soon IT, soon.

Orca flashed. She craved her name at the base, along with her royal mark.

O

R

C

A

CHAPTER 6

Orca glanced around at the gathered dragons. Her family was small. She only had five brothers, but the way her parents were going, she would probably have at least thirty in the next several years. Or not, she realized. If she defeated her mother, she wouldn't have any brothers. Or sisters for that matter, she thought gleefully. No heirs for her! Trout waved at her from his spot by his mother, Porpoise. She waved back. She looked at Whaleshark. He was in charge of the kitchens for both the Summer Palace and the Deep Palace. The royal family feast held each month was the highlight for him.

"How's the food?" Whaleshark asked.

"Great. You've really out done yourself this time."

He blushed crimson and grinned. "That means a lot coming from you, Princess Orca." Whaleshark had a crush on her for years. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she just didn't have feelings for him. So, she smiled and talked with him, trying to see if she could ever love him. After a bit, Seashell called Whaleshark over. Seashell had loved Whaleshark since dragonethood. That fact gave Orca an idea.

"Hey Whaleshark?"

"Yeah?"

"Seashells calling. Maybe you should give her a chance."

"Maybe." Whaleshark walked over to Seashell. When he was gone, Orca looked around carefully. Then she whispered. "Enchant this plate so that when it touches Whaleshark's talons that he will give Seashell a chance."

Whaleshark was a nice dragon. She didn't want to take his free will any more than she had to. She stood up and started walking over to the food tables. On the way over, she 'tripped' and the plate went flying. Whaleshark raced to catch it. He handed it back to her and then looked over at Seashell, and said "You know, maybe I will give her a chance." He walked over to Seashell's table. A few minutes later, the two of them were talking happily. Orca smiled and headed back to Trout's table.

"They're a good couple." Orca commented.

"Yeah." Trout said absently.

"What's up?" Orca asked.

"Well, I guess I'll ask now that you mention it."

"What?"

"Do want to head over to the beach?"

"Now? Sure!" the two of them walked along the beach.

"Can I ask you something?" Trout said after a while. "Anything." "Um uh, I was wondering if you know, uh." "Talons and tails, what is it?"

Trout took a deep breath and then spoke "Has your mother arranged a marriage for you?" "No, why?"

"No reason. Just curious." Orca was glad she had night vison so that she could see him blush. She was NOT glad that HE had night vison to, so that he could see HER blush. They walked in silence for a bit. Then "Orca?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to fight again?"

"Probably. Why?"

"Because I might."

"Ok." She felt like there was more behind his answer that he was willing, but she didn't press him.

CHAPTER 7

The battle raged around them. Orca held Trout's wounded body close, trying to fly above the battling dragons. A dragon rammed into her, causing her to drop Trout. "NO!" she screamed. She tried to drive for him, but her attacker held her back. "TROUT!" she broke free from her attacker, trying to get to Trout but someone else got there first. Shark grabbed Trout and slit his throat, all while grinning evilly at Orca. "TROUT! NO!" but it was to late. Her Trout was dead. And Shark had killed him.

Orca was wrenched from her slumber by Trout. "Orca! Wake up! We don't want to miss the battle." The battle. Of course!

All thoughts of her nightmare flew from her head, as she and Trout flew to the beach. Then she got an idea.

She whispered, "Enchant this clam shell so that it will fly, and touch Shark's talons and he will call Trout over." She let go of the shell. The shell flew from her talons so fast that the force of it almost made her trip.

"Trout! come here!" Shark bellowed.

Trout glanced at her and said "Sharks calling. Can you get me my arm guards?"

"Sure." She leapt into the sea and swam to the armory shed. The armory shed was one of many coral buildings that were built to look like large coral. Orca swam inside. She went over to Trout's rack. She selected the arm guards. Checking to make sure she was the only one in the shed, she whispered.

"Enchant these arm guards so that when Trout wears them, he will be protected from harm in battle." She swam out of the shed. She broke the though the top of waves just as Trout came over.

"Thanks." He said.

"Anytime."

CHAPTER 8

Orca and Trout watched the battle from the enforcements cave. Orca bounced up and down with excitement. Today was the day! After the battle, IT would be ready! Orca had never felt so happy in her life. Shark called "Enforcements!" Orca and the rest of the dragons in the cave flew out as fast as they could. The battle raged around them as they landed. SkyWings raced to attack them and Orca fell to fighting with a dark red female. Orca snarled at her and lunged. The SkyWing fell easily at her talons. Orca smiled. Today was going to be a good day.

Orca had finshed IT. IT shone with the magic she had placed on IT.

Coral had allowed her to place the carving in the hatchery, as a tribute to the dragonets to come. Orca decided to tell Trout about her magic. It was time to revel what she could do.

"You're an ANIMUS?!" Trout shouted, surprised.

"Shhhh. If my mother hears, you have no idea how much she would use me. Come on, let's go to a safe spot."

The two slunk out of the palace to a secret cave on an island in the Bay of a Thousand Scales. Orca breathed the fresh sea air. This was better than the stuffy old palace. She looked over at Trout.

"Ok, Orca. What have you enchanted?"

"Small things. A water-proof scroll that lets me send messages to another water-proof scroll, that's also fire-proof, Orca-proof and dragonet-proof."

Orca saw the look Trout was giving her "What? Have you seen what Whaleshark's little sister can do to scrolls? Anyway, the second scroll can also send messages to the first scroll. A bowl that when I tell it to, can make my food taste better. I did that one when I was really little. That was my first enchantment. That's all the really big enchantments. I have done mostly really tiny enchantments. After when I was little, I stopped doing enchantments because I read a scroll that said animus dragons lose their soul if they use to much magic." "That means you haven't lost much soul!" Trout said joyfully "That means if we have dragonets- uhh. I didn't say that."

Orca smiled "If we have dragonets together." She finished for him

"Yeah…" he said awkwardly "Um… can we?"

"Yes. We can."

CHAPTER 9

Orca grinned at Trout. He grinned back. They both knew that today Orca would challenge her mother and hopefully become Queen of the SeaWings! Trout mouthed to her 'Do it.' She nodded and walked over to her mother. Coral looked up and spoke "What is it." Orca and her mother never had had that mother daughter thing going. Orca toke a deep breath and answered her mother "Queen Coral, I challenge you for the SeaWing Queen seat." "Fine. We will do battle tomorrow."

"Fine." Orca walked away with what she hoped was the right amount of sass.

"Orca, would you enchant something if it would save your life?" Trout spoke up after they left.

"I guess, if it would save my life."

Trout handed her a mirror "Maybe you could enchant this so that it would tell you if you will live through the challenge tomorrow."

"Ok. Um… I enchant this mirror so that it will tell me any question I have about the future." Trout gave her a look "What? I don't want to loose any more of my soul then I have to. This way, we can use it more than once. Mirror, will I win the challenge tomorrow?"

The mirror showed a black fog, which then cleared to show Orca and her mother facing off. Orca snarled at her mother and lunged. At the last second, Coral whirled and speared her daughter in the gut, killing her in seconds. Orca and Trout watched in horror. Trout whispered "What are we going to do?"

"I know!" Orca shouted suddenly "Be right back!" she swam off as fast as she could.

Trout's POV

Trout watched as Orca swam off. He wondered what crazy plan she had this time. A little while later, Orca was back, proudly presenting a small carving of herself "It's my format of the bigger carving. I can enchant it to look like me! Everything would happen just like the mirror told us, but I wouldn't die! We could go off and have dragonets and live out our days in peace!"

Trout grinned "Perfect."

"The enchantments done." Orca said proudly "Instead of me, my carving will enter the arena! It acts like me and everything!"

"Great! Now, we better hurry. The challenge is about to start!" the two swam as fast as they could. They reached the arena just in time

"The challenger is Princess Orca!"

Orca turned to her… self, and whispered "When you enter the arena, when you die, you must say 'I did this all wrong. You're going to live forever, aren't you Mother. You should thank me. No one can stop you now.'" Trout gave her a look.

"What? The mirror said it was the best option." Trout knew that Orca was hiding something, but he knew not to push her. Orca let go of her double and watched as Orca-2 raced into the arena

"Come on!" Orca hissed at him "Now's our chance!" they raced away from the summer palace and into a new life…

Orca POV

Orca fell through the night sky, twirling around. She and Trout were heading to a secret island they had agreed upon (after an argument between a smelly island and a less stinky one). It was perfect. Their dragonets could swim and fly and eat whatever they wanted, as long as it wasn't fruit. They could live out their days with a family, lots of food, and happiness. Maybe on her deathbed she would tell him about IT. Maybe not. She would handle it as it came. But right now, Orca needed to find a good landing spot.

ELPILOUGE

Orca watched as Reef and Starfish romped along on the sands. It had been four years since they had first arrived on the island, and two since Reef and Starfish were born. Orca would make sure that they never ever felt the danger and sadness of the war as long as she lived "Mommy! Reef smashe me tail!" Starfish wailed

"But Starfish smashe my tail firsttt!"

"Stop smashing each other's tails!" Trout called to them "Orca, they are the craziest dragonets on the PLANET."

"No, I believe you were crazier." Trout glared at her "What? Why are you glaring at little old me?" Trout answered her by jumping up and tackling her "Ah! Mercy! Help, Reef and Starfish!"

"I savie you, Mommy!"

"No, I savie her first!"

"Both of you can savie Mommy!"

"Yayyyy! Savie Mommy!" soon, Orca and Trout were tickling the two dragonets "MOMMMYY! WHHYYY?!"

"Why don't me and Mommy tell you a story."

"YAAYYYY! STORY!"

"Story about how Mommy and Daddy trick evil Gramama!"

"YAAYYY! EVIL GRAMAMA!"

"If you don't stop talking, we can't tell you the story."

"Okie."

"You know, Grandmom is not that evil." Orca said absently

"No bad Gramama?! NOOOOO!"

"What do you mean? Coral is very bad."

"I mean she does what she thinks is best for her kingdom, but not what is best for everyone."

"Maybe…" Orca and Trout looked up at the sunset and wondered what would happen next.