Scroll Of Wrath [BETA] COMPLETE

|Chapter 13| The Vortigern take their stance

In the heart of the expansive desert, the Fox Spirit Tribe's palace stood as an oasis of sheer fertility amidst the arid landscape. Its golden domes and intricate mosaics gleamed under the scorching sun. Inside the palace situated at the very heart of the nation, amidst the cool shadows and the scent of jasmine incense, sat a man with long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. He lounged on a plush divan, surrounded by silken curtains that billowed gently in the breeze, cooling his shirtless form despite the heat. Cyrus was at his most comfortable in his kingdom, underneath him, nine tails were exposed, swaying with the breeze.

A servant approached with a sealed letter, bowing deeply before presenting it.

Cyrus took the letter, noting the royal seal. His usually steady hands trembled as he read its contents. Drucilla's urgent summons was clear—she needed his assistance in the succession wars. Despite their history, he dreaded having to face her again, but he had no choice but to answer the summon of the dragon.

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

Ahqi found himself relocated to a dilapidated building on the outskirts of the palace grounds. The luxurious surroundings he had grown accustomed to were stripped away, leaving him with only the bare essentials. His servant, a loyal attendant, fussed over the change in conditions.

"This is unacceptable! How could the princess treat you this way?" the servant exclaimed. The prince's beautiful things had been taken away; he was left with only his closest aid and his broken sea harp.

Ahqi remained calm, feeling this little punishment did not compare to what Hadassah had to go through. Drucilla was only showing him her anger for a moment; he did not care enough to appease her tantrum. All things considered, moving him somewhere miserable was better than brandishing her whip again, though she must have figured out that no matter how much she made him cry, he would not relent to her will.

"You should make her happy," the servant urged, his voice tinged with desperation. He had been an inner palace servant; how could he bear the sudden change in living situations? The place was so dusty, he choked on his words and his eyes watered. Weeds had grown wild, covering the walls in green vines. The bedroom was so small and simple, and all their fine jewels and fabrics had been taken away.

Ahqi shook his head. "Dragons cannot love; they can only own. To try to please her would be futile."

The servant coughed violently as he tried to breathe. Ahqi paid him no heed and set the sea harp on the only table in the room. "But your highness, the Dragon Queen is loved. I do not think you are correct." Ahqi understood his point. The Dragon Queen was the King's only wife, which explains why only two children were birthed by her.

People said that was love.

Ahqi laughed bitterly. "You have never met the Dragon Queen. She, of all women, is the most to be pitied." A bird in a cage, no matter how pretty, is still a bird in a cage, even if she was the only one. He played the sea harp the best he could with the remaining strings but found it difficult. As he played, he thought of his next steps. Since he had moved out of Drucilla's chambers, he could move around more freely, though there was a chance she was having him tailed. He knew she was suspicious of him and Hadassah, and he needed to proceed with caution. If anything went wrong, he would not die, but she would.

The very idea made him unable to play the broken sea harp any longer; instead, he gripped the edges tightly, calming his increasingly haggard breathing. He needed to help her; so far, he had only brought her suffering, and he was beginning to feel deeply afraid that she would abandon him due to his uselessness. He couldn't let that happen, no matter what.

He turned to his servant, who had opted for taking out the dusty covers, and said, "Bring me some pen and paper."

There was one person he knew that could help him, but he did not know if he could find her.