Wings of Fire: A Ruined Dream (Book 4)

Epilogue

 Aconi lived a life of being put last.

As they traversed the continent, it was always "Aconi, quit that" and "Aconi, no" and "Aconi, quit crying or I'll feed you to the night monsters.

(The night monsters were owls. She couldn't tell you why, but Aconi was terrified of them as a young dragonet.)

But every time Aconi had tried to do anything for herself, to make herself happy, it would be shut down.

"But Aconi, you love training! That's a much more productive use of your time than playing with rocks." her mother would say. And she was right- she did love training, and it was much more productive than other activities. But training didn't put to ease the wonder and creativity of Aconi's imagination.

And so, as Aconi grew older, she became more resented towards her mother. The secrets she held. The lies she told others (and probably Aconi) with a straight face. The times Aconi would be awakened in the middle of the night to pack up so they could skip towns again.

She also held very few possessions growing up. A small peacock stuffy, a dagger (for self protection, even Aocni often used it for crafts) and a story book. She loved that book more than anything, and as long as she could remember her mother had been reading it to her.

Some stories were based off real events. That included the Dragonet Prophecy, Sky and Wren, and lesson telling stories from all over the continent from different tribes. But some were fairytales, like a SeaWing princess who lost a magic shell in the sea only to find it around the neck of her lover years later, or the story of a purebred SandWing who could suddenly read minds.

But her favorite was the story of Otdra. She heard or read that story everynight, before bed. Rosetta would use different funny voices for each character, making Aconi giggle. Rosetta would whisper goodnight and kiss her forehead, a warm "I love you,", before tucking her peacock plush in close and going to work in the other room.

Aconi never doubted that her mother loved her. She knew that their situation wasn't ideal, since her mother had many enemies from her assassin days, but she just wished Rosetta would see Aconi for who she was and not a token in the grand game of RainWing politics.

Aconi only learned that she was a of royal decent when she was eight, which definitely cleared the air.

And Aconi trusted her mother despite everything, until she found the scroll of Darkstalker with Jellyfish.

The feeling of wondering if you've been enchanted, or other dragons disappeared by magic, was sickening. She didn't think her mother would do those things, but the likeness of it was too great to ignore.

So she started doing her own research. She found an ancient book in the library, and was taking notes about Otdra when Jackpine walked in. He asked her what she was doing, and he apparently didn't like her attitude, so he threatened to report her and her mother to Fearless and get them kicked out.

(She had been quite the prick to him for awhile now, despite his attempts to be kind and get them extra support. Aconi didn't need his pity.)

But Aconi's mother had worked hard to get them here. No one was going to find them down here. And Aconi would lose access to the book, and the other books she was cross-referencing about Otdra. She couldn't give it up. She didn't think that Otdra was a fairy tale anymore, and was ready to take someone's life if it meant that it would keep and her mother safe.

Aconi didn't know Fearless's crossbow was stolen when she used it. She had seen posters of Fearless wielding it everywhere, and assumed that everyone would think she did it, not Aconi. She got it from one of Fearless's advisors, who told her to return it. But after she very unskillfully killed Jackpine, she knew that once they determined he was shot, the blood would be on her talons.

So she secretly returned it. She snuck into the home of the advisor and hid it underneath his bed. For awhile he would stare at her, and Aconi would ignore him until they found Jackpine's body.

Aconi didn't remember what version she told everyone. She had gotten herself so wrapped up in her own lies, trying to reinvent the soap opera of drama that went down, that for a while she had forgotten exactly what had happened.

But her unification with the Heart brought those memories back.

Aconi sat on her throne, waiting for a scribe to arrive. She had just summoned one, but moons above, they were taking awhile.

The palace had been cleaned of spilled blood. She found it quite ironic that after giving Jellyfish her monologue about how death is pointless if Aconi can stop it that she immediatly waged war on her peaceful castle.

"Hello, your Majesty," the scribe said, bursting into the throne room. He was out of breath, so Aconi assumed he had down his best to get here as fast as possible. No punishment, then.

"I need you to write me a letter," Aconi said.

"To whom?" The RainWing said, pushing his talons into a deep bow.

"To everyone. On the whole continent. I'll send a dove to deliver the letter to each literate dragon." Aconi said. She snapped her talons, and a typewriter and desk appeared in front of the dragon.

"Right away." the scribe said. "Whenever you're ready."

"For years," Aconi began. "I have fought with my own life trying to do one thing for myself. For years, I have been shut down. But after my enlightenment and blessing by the Heart of Pyrrhia, I have found that the best way to make me happy, is to put Pyrrhia under peace once more. No more fighting. One queen to rule them all, and I'll rebuild us to the glory we once were after my red dawn is over.

So I give you all a proposal. Join me; and be protected by my forces and subject to a great and properous future. Or don't and oppose me, and threaten the great future I'll have created, leaving me no choice but to eliminate you. For some of you, you've already decided, and I'll see that you stick to that descision. To solidify your place in my Kingdom of Pyrrhia, come to my palace. Signed, Queen Aconi of Pyrrhia."

"I'll have this sent out, your Majesty," said the scribe. "But may I offer a revision?"

"Go on." Aconi commanded.

"I believe you should go more in depth about why exactly you are going to be the one who brings us all back together. Dragons may not understand-" the scribe said, but Aconi silenced him with a talon raise. She walked down from her throne and grabbed the RainWing by the snout.

"Because I deserve it. After everything I've gone through, after every heartbreak, every lie, and every betrayal, I deserve something good for once." she growled. Aconi released him, and he scrambled back, muttering prayers under his breath.

"I hope those prayers are being sent to me," Aconi said, whisking her cape as she climbed back on her throne, staring down her snout at the scribe.

"Because there is no being above me. Nobody can stop me now,"

"Not even Otdra."