The Legend of Rune: Forsaken Blood

by Deeth Irteen

Four years have passed since the Malefor Ordeal has ended. Rune is enjoying life in his new home. However, things are not peaceful; new conflics have arisen across the dragon realms. The largest of which is Bergan, a purple dragon, and his daughter Tyrrany, a mysterious white dragoness. Rated M for mature themes and violence.

4. Act 1, Chapter 3

It was many years in the past. Warfang was peaceful back then. There were no wars, no great threats… just a pleasant home for a young black dragon.

Baneth was about ten years old, during a rather long summer day. He walked cautiously behind his father Urobos down a stone corridor.

After much deliberation that went over the boy's head, Urobos had decided that Baneth was finally ready to go with him to the coliseum on the far side of Warfang. It was time for the Council of the Monarchs. Normally it was customary for the kings and queens of the nine dragon cities to bring along the respective heirs to their thrones… should they be ready to dip their talons into politics.

Baneth had been dressed up for the special occasion. He wore a fancy robe and wore jewelry on his two larger horns; his other ones were only stumps behind his jaw. He walked cautiously behind his father and nearly tripped on his cloak more than once.

"Why do I have to wear all of this, Papa?" Baneth asked with a squeaky voice.

"It's expected of us, my boy." Urobos chuckled. "We need to dress our best for all of our visitors, so they know we respect them."

Urobos was in his early thirties. His silver beard was trimmed short, and his silver mane was pulled back in braids. Urobos was dressed in a fabulous outfit, fit for any king. A massive, snow-white coat covered his back. He wore the High King's crown, which was held in place by his two golden horns. He wore white wool stockings on all four legs, and his tail was decorated in silver rings.

"The cloak is itchy, Papa." Baneth frowned as he tried to scratch a certain spot on his back that was just out of reach. "And I look weird."

"Well, don't worry; nobody's going to say that out loud," Urobos replied. "Especially not with Lady Cynder there."

Baneth's eyes beamed, and he trotted forward to look up at his father. "Lady Cynder's going to be there?"

"You didn't think she'd sit this out, did you?" Urobos asked with a chortle. "She's attended every single council ever since she was a teenager. So be on your best behavior for her, Baneth."

"I will, Papa." Baneth nodded enthusiastically.

Urobos and Baneth stepped up to a doorway with silver-clad soldiers on either side. They bowed to the high king before pushing the doors open. Baneth's eyes squinted to adjust to the new light. A pair of trumpets went off as squires announced the arrival of the black dragons.

Baneth found himself in a massive, finely-decorated room. A multitude of sculptures and portraits of ancient monarchs were strewn about. The floor was covered in a fine golden-colored rug, and the walls were made of sparkling white marble. Along the far wall was a long table decorated in a white cloth. All sorts of foods and drinks were prepared on the table, all of them made just for the heirs to have their fill of. About a dozen non-dragon servants stood at the ready, in case the children need anything else.

"This isn't the council chamber?" Baneth asked curiously.

"We're directly beneath the council chamber," Urobos replied. "This is where the heirs are brought to get to know one another while their parents discuss the big, important, and BORING things." He lowered his head a bit. "This is a great time to start making some lifelong friends, my boy."

Baneth looked around the room. There were several other princes and princesses. Some of them were eating food at the tables, while others were chatting with each other and laughing at jokes. Most of them looked slightly older than Baneth, making him nervous.

While Baneth wasn't looking, someone stepped up from behind and tapped his shoulder. "You're not nervous, are you?"

The young black dragon looked up… and gasped in delight. An aged black dragoness had appeared from the shadows and looked down upon him with the kind of smile a grandmother would give. The dragoness wore a set of elder's robes, which were silver and gold in color.

"Lady Cynder!" Baneth exclaimed. The young dragon's outburst was loud enough to get the attention of most of the other heirs in the chamber. Baneth gasped and covered his muzzle with a wing. He tried to hide behind Urobos and Cynder, but the dragoness used a wing to lightly nudge him back into view.

"There's nothing to be scared of, Sunshine," Cynder said. "Come on, we'll go see the other kids together."

"O-Okay…" Baneth made to walk beside Cynder. But when he realized his father wasn't following him, Baneth stopped and looked up at him. "Goodbye, Papa."

"I'll see you later, Baneth." Urobos gave his son a quick hug with his wing before letting himself slip into his shadow. Once the high king had left, Baneth followed Cynder across the room.

Many of the heirs watched with smiles as the aged dragoness joined them. She sat down on a cushion reserved especially for her at the table of food. Baneth, meanwhile, stood awkwardly at her side as she looked around at the other kids.

One of the heirs, a golden-scaled dragoness, walked up to Cynder and bowed her head. "It's good to see you again, Lady Cynder!"

"Same to you, child." The dragoness said warmly. "You've certainly grown in the last year, Apella."

"Apella?" Baneth repeated.

The golden dragoness looked at Baneth next and smiled wider. "Hi!"

Upon looking at the strange dragoness, Baneth backed up sheepishly. Cynder saw this and used a wing to forcibly scoot him forward.

"Hey!" He protested.

"Don't be shy, Sunshine." The dragoness said. "Go on, talk to her."

Baneth looked at Cynder uneasily. He then glanced at the younger dragoness, who tilted her head and waited for a reply. With a nervous gulp, Baneth stepped closer.

"Uh, hello…" He said quietly. "I'm Baneth."

"I'm Apella." The dragoness replied with a smile. "I'm the Princess of the Kingdom of the Sun." She turned and motioned with a wing toward another, more portly golden dragon. "And that's my brother, Horus."

The golden prince had been in the middle of pouring tea into a bowl when she called him out. He gasped, nearly spilling the drink in the process, before steadying himself and walking over.

"H-Hello there." Horus bowed his head and avoided making eye contact.

Baneth blinked; was this dragon as shy as he was? Maybe opening up wouldn't be as scary as the black drake thought.

"It's… nice to meet you both." Baneth put on a smile.

"We've wondered for a long time when we'd get to see another black dragon." Apella smiled. She walked around Baneth and looked him over, making the boy blush. "You look a lot like King Urobos."

"Uh, thanks?" Baneth tilted his head.

"There you go, Baneth," Cynder said. She turned around on her cushion and ate a few grapes from her forepaw. "Talking to other kids isn't so hard, you see?"

"I guess not…" Baneth looked at Apella. "So, what now?"

"Let me introduce you to the others, Baneth!" Apella exclaimed. She took Baneth's forepaw and practically dragged him forward. Cynder chuckled and sat back as she watched the scene.

As Baneth met several of the other princes and princesses, he noticed how each one had their own hide color and strange birthmark somewhere on their body, similar to the hourglass symbol on his upper forelegs. He'd always heard stories about the magical royal birthmarks, but it was so strange seeing so many different kinds at one time.

One of the first of the children that Apella and Horus introduced Baneth to was the princess of the water dragons: a girl named Nymph.

Nymph's hide was ocean blue, and her underbelly was a darker shade. Her mane was styled in a bun atop her head, and she wore an elaborate cloak over her body. She studied Baneth from afar, and when he got closer, she appraised him curiously with her maroon eyes.

"Uh, hello." Bane said awkwardly. "I'm Baneth, son of-"

"I know who you are, Prince Baneth," Nymph said as she held her beak-like snout upward in the air. "Everyone knows who you are. Who wouldn't recognize a black dragon?"

"Uh…" Baneth scratched his head with a wing-thumb.

"A few of us, myself included…" She dramatically placed a forepaw on her chest, "have been wondering if we'd ever see you appearing at these Council meetings." She leaned forward to gaze down her snout at him. "Some even wondered if Urobos had a son."

"Well, he did." The prince replied dubiously.

"Then where have you been, then?" The water dragoness demanded.

"Well, uh... Papa didn't think I was old enough to come here before this year." Baneth stated.

"Is that so?" Nymph asked with an inquisitive eye ridge raised. "Well, my father has been bringing me to these council meetings since I was five. In fact, I was the youngest of all to start arriving."

"That's nothing to be proud about, Nymph!" Apella snapped. "It's not like you're special because of it!"

"Well, it was a good three years before any of the other heirs started coming." The water dragoness stated smugly. "So I'd say it is."

At this point, Baneth was starting to get annoyed. He took a deep breath and tried to think of what to say… without making himself or anyone else angry.

"Whatever the case, I'm here now." Baneth said calmly. "And I don't want to start arguments, and I don't think you do either…" He gestured with a forepaw. "Not with Lady Cynder watching."

Nymph glanced around Baneth at the aged dragoness, who was speaking to a few of the other heirs across the way. Cynder stopped and looked over at Baneth and Nymph before giving a knowing smile. Nymph just sighed and shook her head.

"If you say so." She stated. The blue princess then walked away to talk to some of the other heirs.

After that, most of the other heirs were pleasant enough. Baneth spoke with Tintreon, prince of Concurrent Skies. There was also Persephone, the princess of the poison dragons. And then… Baneth met Prince Saul.

Saul was roughly fourteen years old; the oldest of all the heirs. He was a buff dragon, even in his youth. He wore a red cape over his wings, and his brown mane was braided into bronze rings. More of the same rings covered his horns. Saul did his best to stand tall and proud as if to outshine all the other heirs.

Saul had remained silent for quite a while; he skulked around the food table while Cynder was watching. He didn't make much of a move until the black dragoness rose from her seat.

"I need to check on how proceedings are going upstairs." She said to the younglings. "You all be on your best behavior while I'm gone."

"Yes, Lady Cynder." The heirs said in unison… except for Saul.

Cynder opened up the shadows under her paws and vanished from view. The moment she was gone, Saul sighed in relief and walked around the table. That's when he locked eyes with Baneth, who approached with a slight smile. Saul sat back on his haunches and snorted as the black prince approached.

"So, you're the pipsqueak that everyone's whispering about," Saul said.

"I'm Baneth." The smaller dragon replied. "This is my first time here."

"I figured as much." The green dragon scoffed. He walked around Baneth, who timidly wrapped his tail around his legs. "You're pretty scrawny for a black dragon."

"My papa says I'll get bigger in time," Baneth said with a frown.

"Yeah, sure you will…" Saul rolled his eyes.

"You should be nice to him, Saul," Apella demanded. The golden dragoness stepped up and held a wing out to block Saul's path.

The earth dragon cocked an eye ridge. "Why, exactly?"

"Because he didn't do anything to bother you!" The princess exclaimed.

"Oh?" Saul tilted his head to feign innocence. "You mean it has nothing to do with him being a descendant of Cynder?"

"That too." Apella snapped. "You're just asking for trouble if you try messing with a black dragon prince."

"Oh please." Saul rolled his eyes. "What, is he going to cry?" He looked at Baneth, who grimaced. "Or is he going to go run and hide beneath his daddy's wing?"

Baneth gasped and shrank back a bit. "Wh-What do you want from me?"

"Nothing…" Saul said with a snort, before stepping close. "Because you have nothing to GIVE, pipsqueak."

Saul lifted a talon and poked Baneth on the nose.

"You're just wasting everyone's time being here." Saul continued. "You and your whole stupid family are a pain."

Baneth backed up and shivered. "I… I don't want any trouble, Saul."

"Well, that's a shame." Saul stepped closer. "From what I've learned, trouble has a habit of sneaking up on black dragons. Just remember what happened when-"

The earth prince suddenly tripped and fell over onto the ground. The other heirs gasped. Baneth blinked in surprise; what had happened? Did the prince trip on something? Baneth looked around at the floor but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Regardless of how it happened, it didn't take long for Prince Saul to rise onto his feet, his nostrils flaring. "You dirty little punk!"

"I didn't do anything!" Baneth exclaimed. "It was an accident!"

"Yeah, right!" Saul snapped. He loomed over Baneth and growled. "I'm not taking any crap from a black dragon!"

Saul was about to reel back to inhale a gulp of air to unleash some magic… when a dark grey dragoness emerged from the shadows and stood between him and Baneth. Baneth and Apella were quite surprised, while Saul stammered and struggled to inhale his magic.

"Leave him alone, you jerk!" She yelled.

It was Elenar; barely any older than Baneth at the time. She wore a plain set of robes, and her mane was brushed neatly into a braid. Her horns were pretty stubby, too. But that didn't stop her from standing up tall and taking up a defensive stance. Baneth could only watch in surprise as the shadowy princess stood before Saul and glared into his eyes.

Saul hissed down at her. "Get out of the way!"

"No!" Elenar stamped her forepaws. "Who do you think you are, picking on him?!"

"This squirt and his dear old daddy think they're better than us!" Saul exclaimed with his wings outstretched. "Just because they're the great great grand-whatevers of Spyro and Cynder, they think they won the whole world!" He dug his talons into the ground. "It's about time someone teaches the black dragons a lesson for bossing around the other noble houses!"

"High King Urobos is responsible for keeping the councils organized when Spyro and Cynder are busy," Elenar said angrily. "And taking your aggression out on Urobos's son won't change anything!"

"I don't care!" Saul tried to step around Elenar, but she moved to block his path. She did this several more times, making him angrier and angrier. "Get out of the way!"

"He didn't even do anything!" Elenar growled. "It was an ACCIDENT!"

As Elenar and Saul argued back and forth, Baneth noticed something strange. Off to the side, behind the two dragons, was a purple forepaw poking out from under the tablecloth. Another forepaw slid out and soon was followed by an entire purple dragon.

The drake was close to Saul in age, though not nearly as muscular. The dragon had a mane of golden hair, and he wore a plain satchel on his back. The purple dragon saw Baneth glance at him, so he held a golden talon over his lips for him to be silent. Baneth stammered but didn't do much else to signal the purple dragon's presence. And looking around, the other kids and the non-dragon servants kept quiet about the newcomer's presence, too.

It can't be… Baneth blinked. How did he get in?

The purple dragon quietly picked up a slab of meat from the table and threw it full force at Saul's head. It smacked the earth prince across the back of his neck, causing him to gasp in pain. He turned to his right, growling, but the purple dragon had vanished just before the green one turned his head.

"Huh?" Saul asked, confused.

A split-second later, the purple dragon reappeared on the earth prince's left side, clutching an apple in his forepaw. A grin was upon the purple drake's face as he threw the apple against Saul's head. He vanished just as the prince turned around to face his attacker again.

The dark grey dragoness was struggling not to laugh, but most of the other kids in the room didn't bother holding back.

"Damnit!" Saul roared. "I know it's you, Bergan! Stop throwing shit at me!"

Suddenly, the purple dragon appeared right in-between Saul, Baneth, and Elenar, causing all three to jump in surprise.

"Let me ask you a question." Bergan began. "Do you think it's wise to attack another person's heritage?" He poked Saul on the nose. "You don't have the right to question the black dragons' divine right to rule as descendants of both the Legendary Heroes Spyro and Cynder."

"Who asked you?" Saul demanded, smacking Bergan's paw away.

"No one." The purple drake shrugged. "I just saw you making outrageous insults like you had a right to do so. I'm pretty sure everyone here is aware of how YOU came to be King Gaius's heir."

Saul's eyes widened. "Y-You don't know anything!"

"Don't I?" The purple dragon tilted his head. "I'm pretty sure it involves your father spending time with a dragoness who wasn't his wife…" The purple dragon grinned. "And then your daddy had a bit of an… accident, which left him unable to have other children."

"SHUT UP!" Saul roared.

The earth prince tried to charge at Bergan, but the purple drake moved to the side faster than Baneth could blink. Bergan then stuck his tail out in front of Saul's legs, causing him to trip and fall over. The room erupted in a fit of laughter as Saul crashed onto the floor. Before Saul could get up, Bergan grabbed one of his horns and pulled his head back.

"Bergan, stop it!" Saul winced in pain.

"When I let go of you, Saul…" Bergan said with a serious tone. "You're going to apologize to Prince Baneth for your attitude, and you'll leave him alone for the rest of the day. Understood?"

"You think you're so hot…" Saul sneered. "Just because you're a purple dragon."

"Is it UNDERSTOOD?" Bergan glared. Saul struggled in Bergan's grip for a time, but couldn't break free. "I'm losing patience, Saul! Don't make me-"

All of a sudden, Bergan froze. His ear frill twitched, and he had a panicked expression and looked off to the side near the center of the room. He quickly let go of Saul as a pool of shadows began to erupt on the spot he looked at. The purple drake then vanished before everyone's eyes, leaving seemingly no trace behind. A moment later, Lady Cynder appeared from her shadow and stepped onto the floor with a twirl in her tail.

"I'm back." Cynder sighed as she looked around. "I swear, those meetings get more tedious with each… passing…"

The dragoness stopped talking and balked as she looked at Baneth, Elenar, and Saul, the latter of whom was rising to his paws. Cynder pursed her lips and stepped up to the three.

"Alright, what happened here?" Cynder demanded. Baneth and Elenar could only exchange uneasy glances, while the dragoness inspected them. "Don't try to hide it; some kind of scuffle took place. I can see it in your eyes." She lowered her head to look at the three young dragons. "What. Happened?"

"Bergan happened." Saul declared with a sneer.

Cynder immediately grumbled. She took a step back and looked around at the chamber. Most of the other heirs had awkward expressions as the dragoness surveyed the area. Eventually Cynder's gaze returned to the table. She inspected the cloth… and sighed. With a swift motion, the dragoness stuck her forepaw under the cloth and grabbed something. A small yelp came as Cynder carefully dragged a purple tail out from beneath the table. The rest of Bergan followed suit, and he had an embarrassed expression as Cynder glowered at him.

"Bergan…" Cynder said with a snort.

"Uh… H-Hi, Lady Cynder." Bergan put on an awkward smile. "How's the council meeting going?"

"Well enough…" Cynder raised an eye ridge. "As if you didn't already know what was going on up there."

Baneth just tilted his head curiously as Cynder made Bergan sit on his haunches before the table. Saul had a smug expression, but Cynder glowered at him, too, making the earth prince back away quickly. Cynder then sighed and glared back at Bergan.

"What have you been up to, Bergan?" She demanded.

"Well, uh…" Bergan shifted his talons.

It wasn't much longer before Cynder started lecturing the purple dragon. Baneth couldn't help but frown; he felt pity for Bergan. But, not wanting to gain Cynder's ire, the young black dragon stood up and backed away slowly. Elenar noticed this and backed up with him.

"How do you know Bergan?" Elenar whispered to him.

"I was going to ask you that." Baneth grimaced. "I haven't seen Bergan much… but I definitely know him from around the Dragon Spire."

"Really?" Elenar scooted up close.

"Yeah; he lives with Lord Spyro and Lady Cynder." Baneth continued. "He's been around for… well, I actually don't know. He's just…" Baneth flapped his wings. "Always been around."

"Well, Bergan has been sneaking into the council chambers for years." Elenar gave a slight chuckle. "He always seems to find a way inside. But I don't think Cynder likes that one bit."

"…And another thing; we've told you time and time again that time magic isn't a toy." Cynder scolded the purple dragon, who grimaced and looked at his forepaws.

"I'm sorry, Cynder…" Bergan said glumly.

Baneth frowned at the sight. "I hope she goes easy on him. Bergan was just trying to help."

"Yeah; that's Bergan, alright…" Elenar sighed. She then gasped and looked the prince over. "Oh, I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves…" Elenar gave Baneth a wide smile as she extended her forepaws. "I'm Elenar, princess of the shadow dragons."

"Hi…" Baneth smiled as well as they shook paws. "I'm Baneth."

~~…~~

For the next few hours, Baneth enjoyed the food at the party and chatted happily with the other heirs. Little by little he managed to come out of his shell and could relax. Horus and Apella became friends of his quickly, as did Elenar. But throughout his time there, he couldn't help but feel uneasy around Saul. The earth prince left him alone, to be sure, but that was mostly because Cynder was watching everyone like an eagle. As for Bergan… well, Baneth didn't see much of the purple drake; he was forcibly escorted out of the chamber and sent to ancestors-know-where.

Eventually, the council came to an end. The various kings and queens came down to the chamber with their assorted guards to gather up their respective children. One of the first monarchs to arrive was a golden-scaled drake dressed in elegant white robes. This dragon was Raus, King of Sunlight. He surveyed the area with his haughty expression and soon spotted his children near the back of the room.

"Horus, Apella, Time to leave!" He declared.

"We'll be right over, father," Horus called. He looked at Baneth and Elenar. "You two take care of yourselves, alright?"

"Okay." Baneth and Elenar nodded.

"We'll see you two next year, we hope!" Apella declared. She hugged the dark dragons with her wings before trotting off with Horus to be with their father. Baneth couldn't help but blush, while Elenar giggled.

As each monarch left with their children, they stopped long enough to offer their respects to Lady Cynder. The aged dragoness extended her wings and made a show of looking regal and imposing… and all the while she struggled not to erupt into a fit of laughter at herself.

As more and more children were escorted away, Baneth decided to walk over and sit down on his haunches beside Cynder. The dragoness glanced down at him with a little smile. She wrapped her tail around his back to gently hug him.

"So, how did you like your first visit to the council chambers, Baneth?" She whispered to him.

"It was… interesting." Baneth nodded.

"Made some new friends too, I'd wager." Cynder winked at him. "There was no doubt about that, Sunshine."

"Yeah…" Baneth smiled.

"Well, I'm glad." Cynder stood up tall. "I'd best get back to work; I'll talk to you later, Sunshine."

Cynder stood up and made her way over to speak with the monarchs again. As Cynder walked away, Elenar took her place beside Baneth. She smiled at the black prince as she sat on her haunches. Baneth couldn't help but smile back again. He opened his mouth to say something… only to stop as a familiar set of green scales approached out of the corner of his eye.

Baneth grimaced and shrank back as Saul stepped forward. Elenar glared at him, but Saul was undeterred.

"Go away, Saul." Elenar snapped.

"NO." Saul snapped. "I have unfinished business with His Royal Most Esteemed Highest of the Heavens over here."

Baneth grimaced. He tried to say something in his defense, but the earth prince pressed his talon against his muzzle.

"You may think that you've evaded trouble," Saul sneered down at Baneth, "But rest assured, one of these days I'm gonna kick your black-hided rear all the way to-."

Just then a great and deep voice roared. "SAUL!"

The earth prince's eyes instantly flared with fear and alarm, and he and the two smaller dragons all turned towards the entrance of the room. Just in front of the entryway, with eyes filled with anger, stood the Earth King.

Gaius was in the heat of his prime; a proud and muscular dragon. He marched forward with a militant stride and glared down at Saul with every step. Just behind Gaius were Queen Murkandre and Urobos. They watched uneasily as Gaius loomed over his son.

"Y-Yes, Father?" Saul asked fearfully.

"We're leaving," Gaius stated. "Now."

"Okay, Father..." Saul slowly flashed a glare at Baneth, and then walked towards his father, trembling with every step. Gaius turned around just as his son walked up to him, and the two earth dragons proceeded to leave the chamber.

"I hope you have a safe trip, Gaius." Cynder said from across the way.

Gaius immediately came to a stop and rumbled internally. He cast his gaze over toward the black dragoness and halfheartedly lowered his head. "It has been an… honor, Lady Cynder. As always."

Cynder bowed her own head and then frowned over at Saul. The young earth dragon held his head low as he followed behind Gaius past the other monarchs. And soon, they were gone.

"Well, I think we're done here…" Cynder stood up and lightly nudged Baneth forward with her wing. "Come on, Sunshine. Time to head home."

"Okay!" Baneth trotted across the way to hug Urobos. Across the way, Murkandre leaned her head down to smile at her daughter.

"How was your day, Elenar?" She asked.

"It was pretty good," Elenar replied as she walked around her mother. "Though I wish we could have spent more time with Bergan."

"Hmm…" Murkandre grimaced. She looked over at Cynder, who snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, kiddo, but Bergan's really not supposed to be in here." The black dragoness said as she walked forward. "It's not that I have anything against the boy being with other kids. It's just… well…" She unfolded her wings uneasily. "you know how my husband is."

"Right…" Urobos frowned. He lowered himself down a bit so Baneth could climb up onto his back.

"Where is Lord Spyro now, Papa?" Baneth asked as he got comfortable.

"He's in the Dragon Spire, where else?" Urobos replied. "Our Purple Lord is keeping himself busy, like always."

"And likely waiting for us to help give Bergan a piece of his mind." Cynder snorted. "Welp, best not to keep my husband waiting for long."

Cynder, the monarchs, and the younglings left the chamber as the servants got to work cleaning up. Urobos and Murkandre joined up with their respective guards, which made the crowd a bit larger.

As they emerged in the light of the setting sun, Urobos stopped to speak to Murkandre.

"It was good to see you again, milady." Urobos bowed his head. "I wish you and your family safe travels on your return trip to the north."

"Thank you, High King." Murkandre bowed her head. She looked at Cynder and bowed to her in turn. "And thank you for looking after our children, Greatest Shadow."

"Oh, it wasn't a big thing…" Cynder chuckled. "I'll never grow tired of looking after younglings. I guess I'll always be the dragon realms' oldest Grandma." She looked down at Elenar. "Maybe next year I'll tell you some stories of your daddy when he was here as a kiddie. Boy, did he make a mess of things!"

Elenar laughed at that, while Murkandre scrunched up her face. "Err, right. Well, we'd best be going, milady."

"You take care, Murkandre…" Cynder rose to her full height and smiled. "You take care."

As Murkandre led Elenar down the way, the young dragoness glanced up at Baneth. She flashed him a big smile. "It was nice to meet you, Baneth! See you next year!"

"Yeah…" Baneth gave a soft smile. "See you then."

"Oh, and give Bergan a big hug for me!" Elenar quickly added. This made Baneth flinch; he wasn't sure how to take that.

Once the shadow dragons were gone, Urobos and Cynder spread their wings to take off into the sky. Baneth held on tight as the older black dragons flew through the air. Their multitude of soldiers followed close by.

That was the first time Baneth met Elenar. They were just children, waving to each other as they went their separate ways. Urobos thought it was the same simple friendship that most young dragons made. Cynder thought it was cute as well. And Baneth… well, Baneth wasn't sure what to think just yet. None of them knew the future.

None of them were like Bergan.

~~…~~

Bergan was taken straight to the Dragon Spire after that meeting. Nobody was pleased with his shenanigans that day; least of all, Lord Spyro.

The great purple dragon sat upon his silver cushion in the middle of the throne room. Lady Cynder was to Spyro's left, and Urobos was to his right. Before them sat Bergan, looking up uneasily upon the Lord as he wracked his talons on the floor.

Lord Spyro was nearing the end of his days; he was one of the oldest dragons in the realms, and it weighed on his scales. His horns had lost their golden glow, and his purple eyes were weary. And yet despite all of that, he was still the brightest thing in the whole throne room.

"Bergan…" Spyro rumbled, his voice ragged. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times: you are NOT to go near the coliseum during the Council of the Monarchs."

"I know, Master…" Bergan said with a frown.

"Do you?" Spyro raised an eye ridge. "Year after year, it's the same thing: somebody catches you cavorting around with the heirs. And no matter how many times we set up new defenses to keep you out, you keep finding your way back in!" He lowered his head and blew smoke from his nostrils. "We set boundaries for a reason, Bergan! What do I have to do to get you to respect my rules?!"

"But I don't understand why!" Bergan exclaimed. "WHY can't I meet with the heirs of the monarchs? Shouldn't I be expected to get along with the noble houses?"

"Bergan…" Spyro sighed. "We see you as much as a part of our family as any prince we helped raise in these halls. But that doesn't give you status to meddle in political gatherings." Spyro shut his eyes and snorted. "Your intrusions need to stop."

"But… I'm a purple dragon, aren't I?" Bergan demanded. He sprang up onto his feet and stepped closer to Spyro.

"For years You've been telling me that purple dragons are supposed to be destined to bring big changes to the whole world." Bergan flapped his wings indignantly. "And I have this… this power that lets me see things! I should be using it to help the monarchs!" He beat his chest and stepped closer. "I could help them prevent disasters from coming! I could save people from the plague, or brigands, or raids, or any number of a thousand things!"

"That power isn't something to be trifled with, Bergan." Urobos scolded.

"Well, it's not like I can turn it off!" Bergan snapped. He rubbed a particular spot on his forehead. "Every day I see things. HORRIBLE things. And the visions never go away." He sucked in a breath; he could feel a choking sensation in his throat. "Like today! I saw Saul pounding Baneth's face into the floor! He would have been seriously hurt if I hadn't stepped in, Master!"

Spyro sighed and looked over at Cynder. The dragoness grimaced, but stiffened up and lowered her head down toward Bergan.

"If you saw a vision of Baneth being assaulted, then you should have warned us hours in advance," Cynder said flatly. "There are other ways to prevent disasters besides taking direct control of a situation, young dragon."

"But…" Bergan's ear frills drooped.

"Bergan, don't think we're displeased that you want to help people," Urobos said. "But there's a right way and a wrong way."

"Then when am I supposed to use my powers to help?" Bergan demanded. "And HOW? What if some great disaster is coming, and I'm the only one who can do something about it?"

"We don't know, Bergan." Spyro snapped. "But if you want to help people, then you need to continue your training and do as you've been told before." He leaned his head down closer to the youngling. "For now, you'll be spending one week confined to your bedroom to focus on your studies."

"What?!" Bergan snapped. "No!"

"Two weeks." Spyro said.

The younger purple drake stamped his forepaw. "That's not fair!"

"Want to make it a month?" Spyro raised an eye ridge. Bergan sucked in a breath, and just lowered his head in defeat. Spyro blew more smoke from his nostrils and resumed proper posture. "Smart. Now get going, Boy."

Bergan turned around to walk away. He briefly looked back to see the cautious expressions on the faces of Urobos and Cynder. They were just a bit sympathetic… and yet they didn't say a single word to try lessening his punishment.

Bergan stepped out of the throne room and walked down the hallway with his head low. The young purple drake struggled to keep his composure as he made his way down the empty corridor. It was quite… up until someone turned around a corner and approached quickly. Bergan sighed; it was Baneth.

"Oh, hey, Bergan." The young black prince smiled. "How are-?"

Bergan shoved past Baneth and continued down the hall. "Leave me be."

"But..," Baneth stammered as he followed after the purple youngling. "I… I just wanted to thank you for-"

Bergan turned and shot Baneth a deathly glare. "Just drop it, okay? Nobody cares."

Baneth gasped, and then stepped back as his ear frills droops. "S-Sorry…"

Bergan growled as he made his way toward his bedroom door. He kept his eyes shut, and he struggled to hold back his tears. Once again, all of his efforts to do good were for nothing. He pushed his door open to step inside. He might as well do what Spyro ordered; it wouldn't be long before those two weeks were a fleeting dream anyway. He closed the door behind himself and gazed around at his plain bedroom. Bergan had little belongings; just some loose toys and books. He never got anything extravagant or expensive… unlike SOME young dragons that lived in the Dragon Spire.

Bergan sneered as he sat on his cushion and reached for a textbook; maybe learning to trace his glyphs again would ease his pain. But he barely managed to get started before a knock came at the door.

"Master Bergan, are you alright?" A gruff voice asked. Bergan flinched, and he looked up to snap at the newcomer as they opened his door.

"Doesn't anybody ever…?" He started, only to gasp when a towering figure appeared behind the door, his long shadow falling over the purple dragon.

"Oh…" Bergan fell back onto his haunches and bowed his head. "Good evening, Sir Richteriel."

Richteriel was a Guardian in those days; he was nearing the end of the prime of his life. But he was still strong, and intimidating, and his eyes were covered in bandages to hide his scarred face.

Richteriel stepped closer and lowered his head down to Bergan's eye level, even if the older drake couldn't see.

"You sound quite troubled, young dragon," Richteriel said. "Care to tell me your troubles?"

Bergan shook for a bit, and his eyes began to tear up.

"I'm troubled for the same reason I'm always troubled," Bergan said bitterly. "I'm plagued day and night with visions of bad things happening to everyone I know. And all the ones I don't know." He kicked a stuffed bear across the room. "I could save just about all of them. But every time I try, Lord Spyro lectures me!"

"Take it easy, young dragon." Richteriel frowned. "He's only trying to ensure that you don't get a swelled head by abusing your powers."

"Swelled head? Abusing my powers?!" Bergan repeated incredulously. "You don't know what it's like to be me! If he had the power to take it all way, to take away the visions, I'd accept them in a heartbeat! But he doesn't, so I'm stuck enduring other people's misfortunes, again and again, and AGAIN!"

Bergan was fully crying now. He collapsed upon the desk and shielded himself with his wings.

"Even now… I can see pain and suffering in your near future." Bergan sobbed. "Guardian Richteriel, don't go near the back alleys on Laird Street and Jennet Avenue."

"What?" Richteriel asked curiously. "What happens down there?"

"You get stabbed," Bergan said with a shudder. "So many times. They find you dead the next morning." He wiped his face and looked up sadly at the Guardian. "Please… for your own sake, don't go."

"Hmm…" Richteriel scratched his chin. He stepped closer to the purple dragon and sat down on his haunches. "Master Bergan, Have you ever learned about The Envious Sorceress?"

"Who?" Bergan tilted his head and sniffled a bit.

"She existed long before your time." Richteriel nodded. "She was a purple dragoness, and she had extraordinary magic powers, much like yourself." The Guardian wracked his talons on the floor. "She spent many years wandering the dragon realms, studying up on powerful sorcery found in the non-dragon tribes far and wide. She spent much of her time finding ways to combine the different rituals to create new magic altogether."

"Why?" Bergan asked. "Why go through the effort?"

"Because, young dragon…" Richteriel grinned. "She sought to overpower other dragons alive during the time; ones who had power that surpassed her own. And try as she might, she never felt that she earned the respect that a purple dragon deserved. So, it wasn't long before her soul was consumed by her envy and rage, and transformed her into a wicked sorceress."

Bergan grimaced. "Are you telling me that I'm in danger of turning into an evil, envious dragon because I want to save people's lives?"

"It's only a cautionary tale, Master Bergan." Richteriel nodded. "True, your telling me this knowledge of the future may very well have saved my life. But you could eventually grow addicted to the satisfaction of steering the courses of people's destinies. It would stop being about helping others, and become a selfish desire to feel good about yourself."

"But…" Bergan stammered.

"Just remember that your power comes with a price, young dragon," Richteriel said. "Never forget to stay humble. You don't want to end up becoming like the Envious Sorceress."

With that said, Richteriel stood up and patted Bergan on the head. "Have a good evening, Master Bergan. A lot of us here value your presence in the Dragon Spire."

Bergan just watched sadly as the Guardian left his bedroom and shut the door. The purple youngling just sighed and reached for his textbook once again. He'd never heard of the Envious Sorceress before; he wondered if it was just a tall tale the Guardian told in an attempt to teach Bergan a life lesson.

There was so much Bergan didn't know… and he wanted to change that so badly…

~~…~~

Bergan lifted a bowl of wine to his lips and took a long, pleasant sip. Ahh, Frost-Melon Sherry; aged to perfection over a decade and a half. He placed his bowl down delicately on his desk, which was made from the finest wood grown deep in the ancient grove. On a whim, Bergan delicately adjusted the bowl, so that it lined up perfectly with another bowl he had out. He then lifted his head and sighed in satisfaction as his eyes took in the many luxurious portraits that hung on the side walls of his head office.

Everything was almost perfect. Never was Bergan wanting; anything he desired, it was already his before he even thought of it. Nobody dared disturb him during his working hours; he could spend all the time he needed to keep his glorious ship afloat.

Bergan picked up his scroll and took down some notes. The information on the scroll he was reading would do nicely with managing funds for projects later in the year. Being the president of a trading empire wasn't always full of glamour and adventure. No… sometimes one had to stop and do some heavy paperwork.

There came a knock on the door. Bergan sighed and put his quill down, before glancing at the wall. Four-thirty; just after the end of his happy hour. He rolled his eyes and faced the door.

"What is it?"

The door opened up and a servant stuck their head inside. "Sir, Madam Nymph has arrived. And she requests an audience."

The purple dragon snorted and rubbed the bridge of his muzzle. He pushed his scrolls off to the side and sat back in his seat. "Well, send her in, then."

The servant stepped out of the way, and the doors were pushed fully open. Bergan watched as the elegant figure of a fancy noble lady strode into the office. The dragoness had a regal and curvaceous body, wrapped in a regal cloak. Her mane was styled in a bun as always, to show off the sparkling teardrop-shaped glyph by her left horn. She was about as tall as Bergan and decorated herself with lavish jewelry.

"Hmph." Bergan raised an eye ridge. "Welcome back to Faeshrine, Nymph."

"Good afternoon, darling." Nymph bowed her head and smirked. "It's been too long."

"Is it safe to assume that your son and husband are in town as well?" The purple dragon asked.

"Yes, but they're keeping themselves busy until the ball starts tonight." Nymph nodded. "I just decided I'd make my presence known..." She glanced at his desk and noticed the empty bowl. "And it seems you knew I was coming regardless."

"You know me too well, old friend." Bergan laughed as he picked up the bottle. "Care for a drink before the festivities?"

"Certainly." Nymph nodded. "I've been feeling rather parched all day."

"Despite the rain?" Bergan raised an eye ridge.

"Well, I wasn't about to stick my head up and open wide."

The purple drake laughed, and he tilted the bottle to fill the other bowl. Nymph sat herself down, and the two lightly tapped their bowls before taking swigs.

"Ah, Nymph…" Bergan sighed. "It's always a delight to have you around."

"How could I miss coming?" Nymph asked with a flourish of her forepaw. "After all, it's only the eve of one of the biggest ventures of your entire career." She took another drink and sat her bowl down. "And besides, I needed to be sure that I've found my place in your schemes."

"Well, there's nothing to worry about, Nymph." The purple drake nodded. "Everything's accounted for; I've got my playing pieces. We only need to wait for the board."

"Mhm…"

Nymph took another sip, and then glanced down at Bergan's desk. She took particular interest in a portrait he had propped up on the other end.

"May I…?" She asked, gesturing toward the portrait.

"By all means…" Bergan slid it toward her and beamed. "Have a nice look."

Nymph picked up the portrait and studied it. It was an image of Bergan and his family… and my, had it grown. The purple dragon held two little dragonlings safely against his chest as they slept, while several young dragons were seated around him; seven children altogether. The young dragons had a variety of scale colors, but the key feature among them all was their resemblance to their father. Some had his horns, like Frederick, while a few shared his golden mane and piercing red eyes. The only outlier was Tyrrany, who was also the only one not to wear a smile in the portrait.

"You've certainly become quite the family man…" Nymph said as she studied the two little babes in Bergan's grasp. "I'm guessing you had two more since I last saw you?"

"Ah, yes…" Bergan nodded enthusiastically. "Their names are Niccolo and Louise. They just turned three years old last month."

"My, my…" Nymph put the portrait down. "I was barely able to give time to my boy Rupert. How do you find time for them all?"

"I always find the time when I'm away from work," Bergan said. "In fact… I've got plans for an outing of sorts soon."

"Uh-huh…" Nymph scratched her chin. "I have to admit, Bergan, that I find something about you puzzling."

"Oh?" He looked at her curiously.

"You have such a vast pick of dragonesses who dote on you whenever you're in Faeshrine…" She tilted her head. "So then why haven't you taken a wife?"

The smile faded from Bergan's muzzle. He took another swig of his drink and then sighed as he leaned back in his chair. The purple drake traced a talon along the rim of his bowl as he took a slow, careful breath.

"I have… personal reasons for that," Bergan said dubiously. "Let's just say… the one I want isn't available."

"Mhm…" Nymph scrunched up her muzzle, and cautiously took another sip of her sherry. "You could always try asking her."

Bergan chuckled and then shook his head. "I'm afraid some things aren't that simple."

"Suit yourself, old friend…" Nymph finished her bowl and then leaned back to sigh in satisfaction.

Bergan finished his bowl, and then rose from his desk to stretch out his back. He… really didn't want the conversation to continue down that road. It was too messy… too uncomfortable.

"Moving right along…" Bergan said as he stood up tall. "Let's discuss some upcoming shipments."

~~…~~

Tyrrany took a deep breath as she listened to the gentle chirping coming from the mushrooms. She shut her eyes and pretended not to notice as the sun drifted further and further toward sunset. She shut her mind to the hustle and bustle of the city… only the forest was permitted to enter her mind.

Tyrrany, Flame, and Arthur had traveled to the northernmost edge of the city. They were at the very edge of the Mushroom Forest; the giant stalks rose for miles to the east and west. When they arrived, Arthur was delighted to see that a swarm of butterflies had flown its way over from the gardens; he took off immediately, leaving the two dragons alone. The dragoness sat upon a cushion overlooking a window, while Flame relaxed on the couch.

The hideout was an old, wooden shack that Tyrrany found years ago. It used to belong to a family of cheetahs but was long since abandoned. Using some of the money she'd saved up over the years, Tyrrany had the shack refurbished so it could be her own little home away from home. Whenever the dragoness needed some privacy, this was where she went.

Tyrrany sighed as she gazed out the window to look at the forest to the north. The noisy chatter of the people of Faeshrine was all but deafened to her, instead replaced by the calm winds blowing through the stalks. Tyrrany removed her cape and let it fall, so she could extend her wings and give them some flaps. She stood up tall and shut her eyes, and imagined herself flying through the skies. Nobody was there to make snide comments about her attire. Nobody was judging her for her real scale color. Nothing could pull her down. A few tears rolled down her eyes as she smiled; if only it were real.

Soon Tyrrany heard the fluttering of little wings. She opened her eyes in time to see Arthur returning from his adventure with an enlarged belly; he must have had quite the feast. Tyrrany ducked down so Arthur could fly inside and sat down on a bowl that hung from the ceiling.

"You have a good time, buddy?" Flame asked.

"You bet I did…" Arthur chuckled and patted his stomach.

"Good, good…" Flame nodded. He glanced over at Tyrrany as she focused on her view of the forest again. A smirk creased his face. He carefully walked over to the dragoness and sat down on his haunches beside her. He lightly brushed his forepaw against hers and leaned in to whisper to her.

"Is there anything you want to do before the Ball?" He inched just a bit closer to her.

"Not really." She shook her head.

"Are you sure?" Flame very gently put his forepaw atop hers. "There's… nobody else here. Nobody will know."

For a moment, Tyrrany considered his words… but then she bit her lower lip. She grasped her cape and pulled it over herself, before moving her paw away.

"Father would know." She insisted as she stepped a bit away from Flame. "He'd even send someone to stop you in advance. So don't try anything."

Flame tensed up… but just sighed and gave her the space she wanted. "Can I, at least… Compliment you?"

Tyrrany sighed. "Fine… go ahead."

Flame sighed, and ran his talons through his mane before scooting closer to her again. He leaned in close and gently whispered once again.

"You're gorgeous."

Tyrrany scowled and turned away from him. "No, I'm not."

Flame pouted. "Annie…"

At that moment, something itched along the dragoness's foreleg. She reached over to carefully scratch at it without tearing at her stocking. "Ugh, I hate this stupid thing. It's itchy, it's ugly…" She held up her talons and growled. "It gets so HOT, too!"

"Well, uhh…" Flame cleared his throat. "If you really don't like it, you could just… take it off."

Tyrrany paused, and her eye twitched. She then looked over at Flame with a dour expression. "Excuse me?"

"If you think the outfit's so ugly, then you should get out of it." Flame said. "You look much better without it."

Tyrrany shot him a glare. She then turned away, took a deep breath, and focus her eyes on one of the distant mushroom stalks, while her talons scratched at the wooden floor.

"Flame…" She did her best to keep her anger low. "…Did you just ask me to strip for you?"

Tyrrany took a deep breath and shut her eyes. Keep calm, she told herself. Don't explode at one of your only friends…

"You should know better than to say things like that, Flame," Tyrrany said with gritted teeth. "That's something that JONATHAN would say. I don't like taking it from HIM, and I don't want to hear the same thing from you."

"G…" Flame stammered, taking a step back and lowering his head.

"You don't think I'm trying to be anything like that creep, do you?" He asked as he scratched his mane. "When have I ever seriously treated you the way Prince Jonathan has? "I'm just…" He gestured at her cape and frowned. "I'm trying to help you be happy. I know you hate that outfit. I'd love for you to just throw it away, and come flying with me over the mushrooms together." He stepped closer again. "I just… want you to be happy."

Tyrrany avoided looking at him… and did her best to keep herself strong. She sucked in a breath, and carefully rubbed her eyes; she didn't want to wipe away the makeup. Once she was finally able to keep calm as she re-adjusted her cloak.

"I… I have to keep it on." She tilted her head back. "That's… That's final."

"Well… okay, Tyrrany." Flame sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry."

Tyrrany watched as returned to the couch and looked out another window. She bit her lower lip and faced forward as she sucked in another breath. She glanced down at her outfit and scowled. She wanted so badly to just tear it to shreds. It was all because of these damn things that she couldn't fly with her friends.

"Flame…" Tyrrany spoke softly as she slowly turned around to look at him. "I… I think that-"

Rumble-BOOM.

Tyrrany gasped; thunder echoed in the distance. She yelped and fell backward onto the floor. As she stood up, the thunder sounded again. Tyrrany hurriedly looked out the window and gazed at the sky.

"Oh no…" She stammered as she backed away. "Oh no no no!"

"What's wrong?" Flame asked.

Arthur flew around the dragoness's head. "You okay, Annie?"

"Can't you hear the thunder?!" The dragoness immediately turned and ran for the front of the shack. "It's going to rain!"

Flame and Arthur exchanged uneasy glances before following Tyrrany. The dragoness leaped onto the dirt road and ran toward the south, moving as fast as her stocky clothing would allow. Flame tried to keep the pace, but the dragoness was always faster than him growing up.

"I guess she's headed back to the FTC HQ." Flame said.

"Yeah…" Arthur muttered. The dragonfly came to a landing on the red drake's head and held onto a horn. "By the way… take it off?"

"Hmm?" Flame glanced up at the dragonfly. "What's the matter?"

"What in the world made you think saying take it off to Annie would be a good idea?" The dragonfly asked with a roll of his eyes.

"I was just trying to lighten her mood." The dragon responded. "I hate seeing her like that."

"But she's always like that." Arthur snapped.

"That's the point." Flame sighed. "I just want Tyrrany to be herself for once."

"I do too, Flame," The dragonfly said with a frown, "but… that's wishful thinking you know?"

Arthur leaned down to whisper into Flame's ear frill. "And besides, she's only going to get WORSE once Jonathan's in town. You should probably just… keep your distance, okay?"

Flame sighed again. He focused on keeping the dragonfly on his head as he chased after the dragoness toward the trolley station. Arthur took the time to rub his friend's head.

"I hate seeing you guys get hurt."

~~…~~

The Red Queen and the two other vessels made it out of the grasp of the raging thunderstorm… only to run into ANOTHER storm as they arrived at the Faeshrine Port. Still, the worst of the storm was out of the way… and General Saul could rest easy.

Saul, Jonathan, and Olivia emerged onto the desk as the various sailors and non-combative personnel rushed this way and that to prepare for shore leave. Saul grimaced as droplets of rain hit his muzzle; damn weather. He looked over the side of the deck as his sailors prepared the gangplank; some of his men were already speaking heartily with the dock workers.

"Finally…" Olivia said with a sigh. "We made it. I just wish the rain wasn't so heavy."

Saul couldn't help but smile upon seeing her. He held out a forepaw, and the green dragoness wearily accepted it.

"Are you alright, my love?" He asked as he nuzzled her forehead.

"I'm fine…" She took a breath. "Well… I'm better, at the very least."

Olivia was the light of Saul's life. He'll never forget how she willingly chose to side with him when he was stripped of his crown and exiled. In the years that followed, Olivia took to wearing more conservative dresses; the family's wealth had gone on the decline. Still, she tried to hold a brave face as she stood beside her husband.

Saul let go of Olivia and turned to inspect the various ships scattered across the docks. He noticed a few ships on the easternmost edge; their hulls were painted sky blue, with sails of a similar color.

"Hmm…" The General reached into his cloak and pulled out his spyglass. He pointed the device toward the sails of the blue ships. Just as he expected; each of the sails was emblazoned with a teardrop. And not just any teardrop; it was the sigil for the royal family of water dragons.

"What is it, Saul?" Olivia asked.

"It looks like Madam Nymph has arrived in Faeshrine ahead of us…" Saul snorted as he put away his spyglass. "I should have figured as much. No doubt she's already on her way to the FTC HQ."

"When do we head for the FTC HQ… Father?"

Saul turned around: Jonathan had emerged from below deck and approached with a dour expression. The prince had changed into a more formal cloak, and he'd removed all of his piercings and donned his makeup. The only things out of place were a few strands of his mane, but that was easily fixed.

Saul nodded in approval; finally, Jonathan looked like a fair prince… although his son's annoyed expression betrayed his posture.

"We'll head out soon," Saul answered. "Just make sure that your-"

Bap!

Something bounced against the back of Saul's head, making him snarl. He whirled around and gnashed his fangs as a young lightning dragon gasped and fell backward onto his haunches. A few other members of Jonathan's gang were nearby, watching with horrified expressions as the General bore down on them.

"It was an accident, I swear!" The yellow dragon quickly fell backward onto his haunches. "We were just playing catch!"

Saul took a deep breath and turned back around. He reached up and rubbed his muzzle before looking down at his son.

"Johnny, make sure that you and your friends behave themselves." The General snapped. "I don't want you or anyone else stealing from Bergan or his subordinates."

"Got it, Po…" Jonathan began to say, but a wayward glare from the General made Jonathan clear his throat. "Y-Yes, Father. I understand."

"Hmph… Better." Saul said. He felt the ball rest against his paw, so he reached down and picked it up. "You just keep that up while we're at the Ball."

"Speaking of…" Jonathan looked up at the ball. "Are you gonna… give that back to my friends?"

Saul snorted. "No."

The General nonchalantly held his forepaw over the railing and dropped the ball, letting it plummet into the sea. Jonathan stammered incredulously, while his friends behind him groaned in frustration. Jonathan looked back at them in pity and then glared a bit at his father.

"Oh, come on, Pops!" He shouted. "You didn't have to go and do THAT!"

Saul glared down at Jonathan, making him flinch.

"Yes, I did." He said matter-of-factly. "They're lucky I'm not also tossing the brig. Furthermore…" Saul glared a bit more. "I already told you that you're to call me 'Father' or 'Sir. I can't stand that pet name you give me!"

Jonathan flinched and looked down at his forepaws. "Alright… S-Sorry, Father."

"Saul, please…" Olivia spoke up. "Can't you calm down? We have a Ball to attend; there's no reason to throw a fit or raise your blood pressure." Olivia stepped up and brushed against Saul's flank. "Can't we just let ourselves be merry?"

Saul took a moment to take a breath. "Olivia, I just wish for our sun to show me the proper courteousness and respect I deserve. I don't see why he should behave so…" He shot a glare at the young dragons, and then looked down at his son. "… So roguish all the time."

"I happen to think it's part of his charm…" Olivia smiled at her son and reached down to pat him on the head.

"Mom…" Jonathan said with a blushing face. "Cut it out."

"I happen to think you've grown into a rather dashing young dragon." Olivia smiled at him. "I'm sure that Bergan's daughter will be quite pleased with you tonight."

Jonathan grinned, which only served to deepen his blush. "Err… uhh… I guess so, Mom."

Saul rolled his eyes. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"It can't be that hard," Jonathan said with growing enthusiasm. "I've made a bit of leeway here and there with the gal the last few times. And impressing Tyrrany is only going to be even easier now that I can tell her all about the Crazy-"

The General immediately flashed his son a glare, and the prince shut his muzzle with a yelp. Olivia could only look between the two of them in confusion.

"Johnny, what's wrong?" She shook his shoulder.

"N... Nothing, Mom." The young earth dragon replied.

Olivia tilted her head. "It doesn't seem like nothing."

"Just let it go, Olivia," Saul said, doing his best to become calm once again. He took a few steps forward toward the gangplank. "Listen, Bergan and I have a business proposition to discuss, and I wish to get it done before the night is out."

Olivia pursed her lips and shook her head. "If you say so, Saul."

As Olivia walked down the gangplank, Saul intentionally slowed down to let his wife go ahead of him. And once Jonathan was close enough, the General stopped him so he could lower his head down to eye level.

Jonathan barely had the nerve to look Saul in the eyes. "Wh-What's wrong… Father?"

"Keep your muzzle shut about your friends around your mother." Saul scolded. "For your sake, I'd rather she not find out what a... colorful life you live. And when you see Tyrrany again…" He gripped Jonathan's shoulder. "I demand that you not tell her a word about your law-breaking in Aeroshard. Is that clear, Jonathan?"

"Uh... yes, Father." He said with a frown.

"Good." Saul leaned up. "Now… speaking of your friends, go and make sure they're ready to head into town. And make sure they don't cause a scene, or Bergan will have ALL of our hides."

Jonathan gulped at that. "Understood… Father."

Saul let Jonathan turn around to gather up his gang, while the General turned to follow Olivia. It wasn't much longer before a rather rambunctious crowd of young dragons had formed on deck before they took off to fly across the port to enter the city proper. Among those young dragons was the golden-scaled teenager from earlier; the guards had let him out when they arrived at the docks. He flew close by Jonathan, who'd messed up his cloak to allow his wings to go free.

Saul balked; all of that rain was going to ruin Jonathan's outfit if he didn't get into shelter fast enough. Saul had half a mind go to after his son to berate him… but he shook his head and snorted. Already he could feel his blood pressure rising, and his heart ached just a tad. He rubbed his chest and glowered; maybe his wife was right, and he should just let all of this go and look forward to the Ball.

Tonight's the start of something big, Saul thought as he marched forward to join his wife. I shouldn't risk things by worrying about failure.

~~…~~

Greetings, friends and loved ones.

This chapter was mostly unchanged; just needed to refine some character interactions here and there. I guess not every update has to be big and flashy, if I'm already happy with how a scene's structured.

Tenebra ecce Veritas.