The Kingdom of Scottland was... not the most prosper place, but the people there didn't complain. At the very least, they were living in a decent environment, with the descendant of their old king, Scott, looking at the sudden influx of refugees from Loch Loud.
"Everybody, please calm down!" he told the refugees. "I know it's a very sudden change of pace, but I assure you that the Louds will deal with Aggie soon enough!"
"Indeed, you got nothing to worry about."
Everybody turned around and gasped at what they saw, though Scott got on the defensive by glaring down at the sudden visitors; these being the robotic ancestors as they floated above the citizens, hovering using jets on their feet.
"The threat of Aggie has been eradicated, and the duchy of Loch Loud is now a safe place to return to," Loch stated while folding his arms behind his back. "We'll welcome each and every single one of you with open arms, so please, return at once."
"Who are you?" Scott asked sternly. "Where did the Loud family go?"
"We are the Loud family," Lexi stated. "At least, like, the ducal family."
"If you're talking about the modern family, they're not here," Lynx frowned. "They've been sent back to where they truly belong, in Royal Woods. And before you ask, yes, this includes Leni as well."
Scott's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"Believe us, it truly saddened us to have to send them away as well, but there was no other choice," the duke stated as he flew closer to Scott. "Leni was an unfortunate pawn of the modern Louds' decision to selfishly leave their true home behind to try to make this duchy, our duchy, their new permanent home. Don't blame yourself for what is essentially their fault."
Suddenly, a spectral figure emerged from Scott and swung a ghostly sword, which prompted the duke to jump back with a little smile. The figure resembled Scott, only wearing a crown and kingly clothes.
"First you appear here unannounced, and then you try to blame my descendant's lover for her exile?!" the figure yelled. "Just who the hell do you think you are?"
The Duke, rather than being offended, simply flashed a smile and chuckled as he got up and dusted himself, stating:
"The name is Loch Loud. Duke of the soon-to-be-renamed duchy of Loch Loud. All I'm doing is giving my people a chance to return home, safe and sound. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Your people?"
"King Scott, surely you haven't forgotten our deal?" Loch smiled. "In exchange for marrying my beloved sister Lexi, your people and ours would become one. We'd be brought together."
"What are you talking about?!" King Scott exclaimed.
"It's the simplest definition of assimilation."
"What?!" King Scott growled. "I was never told about that!"
Loch's eyes widened, and he turned to Lexi, visibly angry. "You didn't tell him anything?"
"I, uh, like..." Lexi smiled sheepishly. "Kinda forgot?"
Loch narrowed his eyes. "Kinda forgot? Or willingly forgot?"
Lexi looked elsewhere.
"Well, no matter, that's in the past, and this is the present," Loch turned back to the ghost king. "And currently, you have yet to fulfill your end of the deal. Please don't resist."
"We're not going to be forced to become part of you that easily!"
Loch smiled. "I figured."
The duke snapped his fingers, and his and his sisters' Dragonstones-except for Lorelei-glowed as the ground shook, small, draconic hands and bones emerging from the ground as everybody winced and the duke explained:
"An interesting little factoid here is that the ground we're on isn't any ordinary ground. Like most in Scotland know, once upon a time, there were dragons. But nowadays, they have become extinct. However, their bones didn't dissipate into dust and vanished, but instead merged into the ground, becoming part of the Earth itself. In other words..."
A small draconic skeleton burst from the ground, barking like a dog as it went to Loch's side.
"The ground here is covered in dragons, and our Dragonstones give us the power to control these dragons. If we so wish, we could even have these skeletons destroy all of Scottland,leaving nothing behind."
The sisters looked worried at the declaration, Lorelei being about to speak before Loch turned back to the threatened Scottlanders, saying with a smirk:
"Still wish to resist?"
Back at the Loud Castle, Morag and Angus sneaked across the gardens towards the cave of Lala, the family dragon, with them stepping inside to the sounds of Lala snoring.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Angus inquired. "You and Lala don't exactly... get along well."
"We don't need to; she just needs to listen to me for once and do as I tell her," Morag stated. "She's, after all, our greatest chance at stopping the ducal family before they go too far."
And then, they finally reached her: the gigantic dragon known as Lala, who was sleeping while circling around a trio of eggs the size of her own back when... she was... hatched...
"Oh dear lord, she's multiplying," Morag rolled her eyes. "The dukes don't need any more dragons under their control!"
Morag's voice caused Lala to awaken, the dragon immediately spotting Morag and glaring at her while stepping in front of her eggs. Angus gulped, and tried to play peacemaker, stepping between the two before bowing.
"Greetings, oh great Lala! I'm humbled to meet-"
And then Lala licked Angus with her giant tongue, bathing the man in her saliva as Morag held back her laughter.
"Looks like she likes you. That's a positive."
"Yes, it is," Angus shook off the sweat. "Great Lala, we need your help! The modern Loud family have been exiled and sent back to Royal Woods by the demand of the ducal family!"
Lala's eyes widened in shock, leaning closer as the man continued:
"We believe you might have the power to bring them back, and help them overthrow the ducal Louds so they don't repeat the same tyranny that befell Loch Loud under Aggie's rule!"
Lala looked at the man sympathetically... then glared at Morag.
"Yes, I know, I did terrible things too, and I hate you just as much as you hate me; but this isn't about what I did before, it's about what's happening now! And right now, the ducal Louds are repeating the same mistakes my ancestor, Aggie, did! And if we do nothing to stop them..."
Morag lowered her head, looking visibly troubled. And this was enough for Lala to back down on her anger, at least long enough to stare at her eggs... and give each of them a kiss before she got up.
Then, she bolted out of her waterfall, spread her wings, and took to the skies, leaving Angus and Morag behind to bid farewell.
"You think she'll get them back?"
"She has to," Morag sighed. "Because without them, Loch Loud might fall to the ducal family's arrogance. Speaking of which-"
"We're back!"
As if on cue, to Morag's annoyance, the duo turned around to see the ducal Louds flying back to the castle... with the Scottland citizens, Scott chief among them, marching behind them while looking quite worried.
"Are those... the citizens of Scottland?" Angus asked. "What are they doing here?"
"I'm so glad you asked, Angus, because this is something big!" Loch proclaimed as he faced everybody. "Scottland and Loch Loud shall finally become one after so many centuries! No longer will we be separated by land, but united with the blessing of the very beings who once lorded over these very lands, dragons!"
"Dragons?" Angus raised an eyebrow. "But outside of Lala, there are no other known dragons in Loch Loud!"
Morag's eyes widened. "Living dragons, that is..."
Loch flew down and landed in front of the duo, folding his arms behind his back as he spoke:
"Precisely, Morag. Dragons may not be around anymore, but they're not truly gone. And they're all willing to listen to our commands, so, I think that should be a good enough indication that you should cooperate with us."
Loch narrowed his eyes. "You don't want to get in trouble with them, do you?"
Morag and Angus exchanged looks, then shook their heads.
"Good, now how about you stop standing around and get to work?"
Loch smiled.
"We got a lot of new mouths to feed."