Dragoness's Star

02 | Marshal

The drone of a business-like tone filled an ornate chamber. 

The smooth stone walls were three stories high, and were embellished with vast carvings of proud and sad figures, decked in armor. Great chandeliers filled the chamber with glinting white light. 

North of the the numerous stairs sat a throne with jagged tips. On it was the figure of a lady dressed in white attire, glowing cyan gems, and bronze armor. Behind her, expansive windows showcased a full moon over the night valley.

A pair of elegant fingers tapped on the obsidian throne. Ashley was in a dangerous mood. For the last couple weeks, she had to listen to these incredibly tedious reports. 

Millicent. Where was that thorny dragoness?

The ever-monotone voice continued to drone, "...fourth delivery arrived on schedule, and we expect, with certain error margins-" 

"Enough." Ashley commanded, her patience run dry. Barry, the messenger dragon, abruptly stopped reading the report, his mouth snapping shut. He kept his eyes lowered. 

"I only want information on Millicent. Anything else can go to Annie," Ashley said. 

Millicent, the marshal of Ajax Militant Group, had gone missing weeks ago. Since then, Ashley had become the acting head of Ajax. 

Barry nodded curtly. "Deceased, milady. You are now the marshal of Ajax. Her body has been recovered in Southbrook and a ceremony will be held in three days," he muttered fearfully.

Barry braced himself for an angry outburst from the dragoness. Instead there was deathly silence. The temperature in the room plunged, literally. Ashley was a frost dragoness.

Barry stood there for several moments. Then he realized he had forgotten to kneel. 

The marshal of Ajax had as much authority as a royal dragon of the Greater Dragon Race. Which was now Ashley. 

"Please excuse me, milady," Barry said nervously. No response. Without glancing up at the throne, he quickly made his exit. 

The massive stone doors opened and closed behind him with a heavy thud.

Ashley pondered hard, her dark eyes tinted blue. She wasn't a fan of Millicent, especially the way she treated her underlings, but Millicent had been the best teacher she could ever ask for. 

Millicent had helped Ashley hone her frost and magic skills. And now she was gone. 

The humans, she nearly spat. Always taking from her. 

Ashley rose and descended the stairs. "Guards!" she ordered. 

A pair of guards, in their huge light-red dragon forms, grinded the doors open as they entered. The two dragons stood nine feet tall and sixteen feet long. 

"Inform Annie. She is now first lieutenant of Ajax. And-"

Ashley suddenly remembered the blundering messenger who had left without her permission. Utterly disrespectful. 

"Six days in the dungeons. He would do well to be grateful I did not give him lashes." The guards bowed in understanding.

With barely a touch, Ashley pushed the stone double doors open as if they were made of wood. Sweeping past the servants who hastily parted, she pulled aside Ronin, captain of their scout unit. He trailed her as they headed up the spiral staircase of the highest tower of Castle Ajax.

The pair stood behind the battlements, peering at the starry sky. 

Castle Ajax overlooked a grand valley of rolling hills filled with berry farms. North, just a two-minute walk away, the dragon city of Cranton gleamed in the distance. 

Somewhere, East over the wildlands, was Gade and its rebellious armies. Ajax with its seven thousand dragons would crush them, every last one.

Ashley turned to face Ronin. She towered over his kneeling form. 

"Stand, Ronin." Ronin brushed back his long hair as he stood.  He shifted uncomfortably. Though he'd served under her for some time, Ashley's domineering presence and physical stature always intimidated him.

"Your orders, milady?" he asked, keeping his green eyes on the ground. 

"Take a few of your dragons to Fort Sarka and lie in wait," Ashley said. "Gade is rallying troops there. Infiltrate them and take anyone of significance hostage. Absolutely do not kill any." 

Ronin raised an eyebrow. "Milady, would you please inform this ignorant one as to why you wish we leave them all alive?"

Ashley nodded, her eyes shifting back to the skyline. "I have been having... dreams. That I will meet my mate soon," she said in an almost longingly.

Ronin gaped at her implication. "But, milady! To think a worthless human could be your mate-"

Slap. Ashley slapped Ronin, hard. He launched off his feet head first into a battlement a distance away.

"Do not insult my future mate, Ronin." Ashley stalked up to him, her eyes blazing cyan. 

Ronin attempted to back away but found he couldn't rise. He could barely see straight. The pressure of her unyielding aura felt like it was crushing him.

"I respect you Ronin, but do not question me or my mate or you will regret it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, milady," Ronin gasped, cowering. "Please forgive my insolence." 

"You are forgiven, but do not forget. Leave."

Ronin bowed and ran. Ashley's eyes calmed down as she huffed. Too much was going on, and her emotions were running wild.

When she felt like this, there was only one solution: the Ring.

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Cover Photo | Ali Lokhandwala - Unsplash

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