[Segundus]
The room is dark, cold, and smelling faintly of blood. The early morning chill has yet to burn away as the sun begins to crest over the horizon, turning dew into frost. The cold gray stone of the high dragon court speaks to an older time when drakes didn’t feel such a human need for finery and light. This is a cavern of a room, more like a cave than a palace, dripping and moist, the only truly elegant thing is the throne of solid platinum and the bold dragon who sits upon it.
Maximus, the Dragon King, Master of the 7 kingdoms of Luxandra, and Champion of the Sun Wars.
My father.
I have been waitin
[Carnelia] With all of our preparations ready for tomorrow, Primus and I retired to our rooms, leaving the Sea Kingdom to their own devices as they continued to drink and gamble. Both Primus and I are so exhausted that we barely have enough energy to peel out of our clothing and climb into bed. Tomorrow is going to be another long day. So tonight hold on to one another, enjoying this moment of calm before the chaos of the morning. Lying on top of Primus' chest, he tells me about the wedding day There are so many steps involved in marrying royalty it is a wonder that anyone would choose this route, especially since it isn't required for the legitimacy of one's offspring. But as I see his eyes sparkle and glow as he goes over the details, I can see that this is somet
[Carnelia] Our wedding will be at sunset but our final preparations began at dawn. These are done separately, surrounded by family, who will tell us all we need to know before entering this new stage in our relationship. I have no family, so I will have to borrow another. Primus will be spending the evening with Tritus and Ona. I will be spending the evening with Queen Cressida. My mind keeps wandering to the dream from the night before. As the dream faded further and further from my mind, the idea that it could be a memory becam
[Primus] I cannot wait to devour my bride. I want to watch as she moves underneath me as I search for where on her body she has hidden her tattoo. It’ll be a treasure hunt, her body a map with mountains and valleys for me to explore and conquer, staking my claim on every delicious inch, and I… “Primus, are you listening?” My brother, Tritus, is trying to get my attention as he wraps my arms in the ceremonial ribbons. "I'm sorry, brother, were you trying to say something?" "I was trying to ask what your plans are after tonight?" he repeats. "Are you really leaving your new bride so soon? I
[Carnelia] I have felt sick with nerves all evening. The elegant food and drink of the evening threatens to make a reappearance. I have never felt so sick with worry. Even with Primus at my side, smiling at me like he is the luckiest drake in the universe, there is something at the edge of my mind that is making me think of darker things, things that haunt me, fears that may or may not come. I don't know what it is that I have to be afraid of, at least not more than I had the day before. The only thing different from today and yesterday is that now I am his wife. Our life together has always been a bit dangerous even before he put a crown on my head. A crown. He crowned me. He made me his princess. Is that my worry? Why did he do that when he knew that he was risking so much by marr
[Primus] We fly to the remote side of the island. I don’t want anyone to hear us, although they probably will. Carnelia and I have never been quiet lovers. Setting her down on the sand, I step back and begin unpinning my tunic. Carnelia simply moves the shoulders of her gown and it falls away. I stop moving, stunned as I find myself silently thanking Ona’s ingenuity for giving my wife such a garment. Had I known it could shrug off in a single move, this night might have started a bit sooner with a much larger audience. Because standing in a pool of moonlight with nothing on but a crown and a smile my w
[Primus] As we land softly on the sand of the beach I feel the deepest sense of peace. Our bodies are still joined. Warmth is building within her, from our point of contact outwards. I kiss her again, enjoying the feeling of every part of her touching all of me. When I open my eyes, Carnelia is glowing. Golden light just under the surface of her skin radiates out from the center of her torso in waves, rippling and fluid, hot like a desert wind. Her new tattoos are white hot to the touch, burning like the sun's core, illuminating the space right above the
[Carnelia] Eyes closed, I rock back and forth. I am alone. I must have fallen asleep because I am now lying naked on top of the bed Primus and I shared the night before. The cool fabric feels soothing against my fevered flesh because I am not just warm, I am hot. Every part of me, both big and small, feels like it is on fire, but also I am the fire, the flame, electric heat in my blood, my skin, my muscles. One moment I’m with Primus, content, and the next I am thrown into pain more intense than burning myself with oil in not just one place but all over my body. Human flesh is not designed to hold such fire. I cannot imagine any flesh of any type is designed for this heat. My body is struggling to remain contained and solid, while something inside of me is fighting to burn fre
[Ona] Part of me feels guilty. Primus did need my help last night, desperately, and I was so wrapped up in my sorrow that I couldn't bring myself to even open my eyes all the way and see his distress. Instead, I told him to go find Mother. She had been impossible to find because she had been on a quick trip to gather medical supplies to assist Carnelia. She knew. Some part of her sensed this was coming. But part of me also does not feel guilty. Because I didn't interfere, Primus ended up listening to his instincts and giving his mate exactly what she needed. Him. She just needed him.
[Carnelia] When I sat there, tied to that wagon almost a year ago, I had no idea how my life led me to that place. I couldn't even remember who I was or where I came from. It is amazing how much can change in such a short amount of time. When I was a hurt, angry girl, I had no idea that one day I'd wake up and be seen as the mother of a kingdom, or that my children would not only be heirs to all of Luxandra, but to the Solar Throne of the Southern Continent, a rebirth for a royal line thought long dead. Nor did I understand that my old life, and everyone who existed within it, would be nothing but ash and sour memories before the next summer blossomed. All I knew as I fought against my bindings was that in the next few minutes, my life would either end drastically or it would be changed forever. Because even if my body were not destined to die as a dragon’s meal that evening, something in me realized that the girl I had been up until that moment would die that day. There was n
[Eleanora] “Your Majesty, you shouldn’t be down here,” the small man sniveled as I entered the new lab. "This is no place for a lady." “Where else would I be?” I demand, cracking my knuckles as I stare down my nose at the human technician in charge of keeping my husband’s body from dying. “My husband is here, so I am here. I wanted an update on his condition.” “We could have written a report and sent it…” he begins to sniffle but I raise my hand and he bows low before me, his back deeply bowed as is proper. “I wanted to SEE him, you dolt,” I correct the fool shaking before me. Humans are so weak-willed and this one is weaker than most. I brought him from my family home because I can trust he will be loyal. He'd sooner tattle on himself for a perceived mistake than risk being accused by someone else. Similarly, he's the first to report when anything seems amiss. The perfect little worm to place in any apple. Because while he is telling on everyone else, he is also spying for
[Segundus] “Greetings citizens of Imperial City,” My queen and I shine brightly as the sun begins to set, our white clothes studded with diamonds so that when the spotlights shine on us, we gleam like fallen stars, fitting since our intention tonight is to make celestials fall from the heavens. “The Celestials have lorded over us for several millennia. Living in their sky throne, they control our resources, taking what they want and leaving nothing behind. Their children, the Sun Dragons, were especially notorious. They controlled the power that fueled our cities, and if we didn’t make proper payment, they would burn our cities, raid our farms, and send their blight to wipe all life from our land.” I pause to let my words settle into the hearts and minds of those gathered. A gentle hissing roar throughout the crowd assembled. My wife, Queen Eleanora, squeezes my hand in encouragement, smiling sweetly, projecting her confidence and trust. “My brother, Segundus, sought to alig
[Carnelia] There is a bright glow as I close my eyes and I know that it is the last time I will ever see Cressida, that she sacrificed her spark to save me. My screams turn into howls of pain and sorrow. Cressida, the kind mother who nursed me through the birth of my babies, and accepted me into her family even when she thought I was a human. I didn’t even really get a chance to know her, and now I am mourning her, along with the loss of my mate, trapped on the other side of a gate I cannot cross. “CLOSE THE GATE!” one of my captors bellows through the entry gate as we arrive at the Northern Sky Portal, “By order of Queen Cressida. This is her final command!” The drakes at the gate go immediately to work, tapping buttons on clear surfaces lit from within with swirling and changing images of blue, red, and green. The surface beneath our feet shifts and shakes and I scream in fury as I watch the large metal iris of the portal snap shut. “How could you,” I pound the chest of m
[Segundus] “Sir,” one of my aerial knights bows before me as I ready myself for the next phase of the war. I had just sent my generals from the room and was looking over a map of Luxandra. I already have an idea of what this knight is going to say before he opens his mouth. Looking at the map, I have marked several cities that have recently been destroyed, each one a hub for an energy hub. I had them each commit to continuing the story of Skyfell, telling the untruths of how the treacherous Celestials came down to Terra, burned our cities, and stole our light. In many ways, these new attacks on major city hubs are feeding into our story, except for the unpredictable element of them being completely untrue. “Report,” I am getting irritated by all the bad news I have been receiving. My generals didn't have anything good to report from their respective lands, and the lack of resources coming into the capital was starting to make me anxious. It has become harder and harder to hide the
[Primus] Ever since I first saw her tied to that cart, there was something about her, something that captured my heart. Seeing her taken from me, held roughly by the hands of those trying to save her as she is taken away, screaming my name--that broke my heart. So much has happened since that fateful evening when she was left as a sacrifice at the foot of my mountain. She had fire in her then too, but it was buried deep within her, almost smothered by a lifetime of hate and abuse. Once I started to brush away the ash and soot of her previous life, she began to glow, her fire mostly directed at me, but fire nonetheless. Even when she tried to extinguish it, when the weight of the world and her sadness threatened to crush her spirit, she came back to me, her fire bright and true. Loving her has been hot and pure and never boring, never predictable, almost like flame itself. Right now, burning with rage, with righteous indignation, she is the brightest I’ve ever seen her.
[Carnelia] The still of the morning is shattered as everyone moves into position to protect Primus, Cressida, and myself. We all drop to the ground as another beam of light shoots over our heads. “How many do we have below,” the queen bellows, commanding her men, her body rigid with fear and power. If she is afraid, it is impossible to see, her movements sure and precise. “At least a full platoon of air drakes with another half platoon of fire, My Queen.” One of the guards answers back as another shot zooms overhead. “Possibly more hidden beyond the ridge.” “Un
[Segundus] My back aches as I land near Hatchery L11. It is early morning, just after dawn. Eleanora was still sleeping when I left. I have a feeling the doctor will give us auspicious news today about her health. Based on the color of her cheeks and her increased appetite, I am certain she is carrying our first clutch. I leave my small group of guards behind in a nearby town. I cannot have anyone who enters these facilities other than myself cannot leave once they enter. We cannot risk trade secrets leaking out to our competitors. I know that Elfholm is considering creating its own factories using a different breed, but as it is now with energy being one of our main exports, I do not want to give away anything that will lessen their dependency on our sources.
[Ona] The fighting has stopped. We are vastly outnumbered. Thankfully, the Imperium soldiers on board were given orders to stun and contain us, not shoot to kill. Even so, we lost more than a handful of sun dragons to the battle that ensued. Including Daax and myself, the number of resistance fighters on the boat is down to 36. Four days ago, at the start of this adventure, we had more than 60. By the time we reached the end of the tunnel, we numbered 42. I try not to think of all the bodies we lost during the evacuation of Segundus’ lab. So many had never awakened when released from the pods--and there had been hundreds of them. Drakes, drakaina, and some little more than hatchlings. Watching them die as they took their first free breaths in decades is a memory I will torment me for all the remaining moments of my life. There were more bodies on the ground than walked out of that room. I have been fighting this battle against the Imperium for the last four decades but on