Wings of Fire - Smoldering Flames

- Prologue -

     
about 7 years ago...

   Silence. Pure silence. All that could be heard is the swaying of the trees in the gentle wind and small birds chirping happily along it's frail branches. Bright beams of sunlight flickered through the branches causing warm yellow light to cascade over the peaceful surroundings. For pretty much every dragon, it was the most beautiful and perfect day. For every dragon except her. Her wings sagged behind her miserably like giant pieces of wet cloth. Her talons felt as if they were trapped in inescapable sludge. Anyone could tell she was trying so hard to hold in her tears. All she wanted to do was cry. Cry, cry, cry. That's all she wanted to do, and most likely what she would do when this was all over. Her heart was sinking. Deeper and deeper every step she took closer the throne room. Next to her was a dragonet nearly a quarter of her size. The dragonet looked only about a few weeks old. Every step it took, it wobbled a bit like it was about the fall over. It stayed close to its mother, but not too close. Her scales were a bright pink-ish red, and smoke radiated off of them. Her eyes were a flushed out blue color like a clear sky. Kind of like the sky today. She couldn't bare even glancing at the dragonet. She knew if she did, she might burst. So she didn't. She kept walking without looking anywhere but forward. She soon remembered the two guards behind her. She decided to risk a small glance. The guards were clearly trying to look to not even fazed, but she noticed the way they flinched whenever the dragonet fell behind or so much as sneezed. The dragonet warbled and huffed as she tried her best to keep up with her mother. Finally they got to the doors. The doors that would change her and her dragonets life forever. The guards carefully went around the two and slowly opened the two giant golden doors. Behind the door was a large red and gold throne matching the doors. Sitting in the throne, was a dark red dragon wearing a twisted golden, jewel embedded, crown. "Bow." The dark red dragon said authoritatively. She immediately followed the dragon's instructions crouching into a bow. There was a long excruciating silence before the queen finally spoke again. "I see you've finally obeyed my orders and brought your little monster to me." She said expressionlessly. She held back a growl. She isn't a monster. The only monster here is you. she thought angrily. Instead, she simply nodded quietly. "You know Ember, I gave you a chance, but you just didn't take it did you?" The queen glowered at her. She nodded again. "Three weeks ago I told you that if you gave me your monster I would spare you. But no. Instead of saving your own life, you ran away with it, ignoring the orders I gave you." She said stiffly, her amber eyes peering down at her from her glittering throne. "So sadly, not only will I have to take this creature by force, but I'll have to execute you in the process." She breathed in a sharp breath. E-executive me? No, this wasn't how it was supposed to go! I was supposed to give her my dragonet and then I would go home and mourn her. I can't be killed! What about Soot? "E-execute? I'm sorry I didn't mean to disobey you your majesty! I-I didn't know what I was doing! Please have some mercy!" She cried tears finally bursting out of her eyes. The queen chuckled maliciously. "Ember dear, what did I say? I gave you a chance, but you deliberately disobeyed me.  Disobedience is punishable by death. This is the price you must pay for your mistake." She smiled a wicked grin and readjusted her twisted crown. "Please your majesty! If you must take me away don't hurt her please! She's the only part of soot I have left! I can't bare to live my last moments thinking about my dragonet's death! Please your majesty!" She cried tears rolling down her  cheeks. The queen only smiled her wicked smile and ordered the guards to take her away. Before the guards could drag her away forever, she took one last glance at her dragonet before the doors slammed in front of her.