Dragon of the Flames

Chapter 2

Shadow flew into the warm morning air, doing flips and twirls as she flew around. Her sharp, tiny claws swooped the air and her black eyes glittered in amusement, Clay flapping his wings after her and trying to catch up.

"Your still too slow, Clay!" squeaked the little golden she, twirling around a young male dragon who grunted back. A pale dragon their age flapped towards them, her pink wings glittering against the bright sunlight.

"Sweet! Oh, am I glad your here! Guess what? Your brother still can't beat me in a race!" the golden dragon puffed out her chest, and Clay flew higher to join in the conversation, huffing at Shadow.

"Thy Queen, Thy Clay," said humbly Sweet, lowering her head towards them both. Shadow huffed again, in reply.

"Sweet, for the last time, didn't I tell you to just call me Shadow? We're friends from the same litter, after all." said the golden dragon, flapping her wings to keep herself at the same spot in midair.

Sweet smiled shyly at them both after raising her head. "I've got great news. The Hexagon wants you at sun-down in their quarters to welcome some royal merchants. Elder Tooth sent me saying they'd be staying for a few awhile, and he says Azure'll be there." sighed happily Sweet, more radiant then usual.

Clay rolled his eyes at Sweet. "Been dreaming about that blue-blood prince visiting you since forever, eh?" he mocked, poking his sister with one black claw and sticking his tongue out at her.

Shadow flew to her friend's side, chiming into the mockery. "He really has to have blue blood, by the color of his scales. Rumor has it he's looking for a she-dragon to have as his queen!"

You see, the way dragons ordered their society is quite complex. At the top, there is Thy Queen, in the center of the hexagon. Then, around her, as the loyal six Elders, which currently consist of Elder Griffin, the delegate of inter-species affairs, Thy Elder of Elders, an old she who is known for her wisdom, Elder Hawthorn, the delegate for social activities, Elder Mana, the delegate for everything concerning education, Elder Tooth, a sturdy male who controls the royal forces and anything war-related, and last but not least, Elder Fae, in charge of anything treasure or wealth related.

Under them, there's the royals, bloodlines of rich dragons with vivid colored scales and tall, spiky crests. Although wealthy and very important in commerce and keeping the draconian economy running, the royals don't have much role to play apart from their high statuses, nice looks and wealthy jobs most often as nomad merchants.

After that, most dragons roamed around equally, their status depending more on their exploits and talents than their bloodlines and occupations.

Most often, royals bred amongst themselves, to keep their bright colors and large crests. Although, sometimes royal princely dragons looked outside their tight group for a lucky she to call as their mate. Really, though, Shadow and Clay were mostly teasing Sweet about her fantasies of the Prince Azure, a long-necked, blue colored male with brilliant dark eyes and black talons. His head, of a triangle shape, was graceful yet massive. Shadow thought about him, after his brief visit in the past seasons, and knew well of his good looks.

Clay's comment brought back Shadow to the present, and she blinked in surprise. "That's nonsense. Everyone knows that royals hardly ever look past their snouts." he grunted, and Sweet's face, a second ago hopeful, was now crestfallen.

"Well... you never know." said Shadow, nuzzling her friend's forepaw in encouragement. "If you wish for him to notice you, it's bound to happen someday."

That seemed to cheer Sweet up a bit.

*****

Shadow flew across the abandoned human castle, which had become inhabited by dragons a long time before the previous Queen had been born, and the one before Her, and the one before Her,...

She swooped into the open window, in a large, spacey room. Amazingly, in the castle, the human furniture was in good condition, well, good enough for the Hexagon to decide it to stay. In this room, on the other hand, there wasn't much furniture, compared to it's size and the height of it's ceiling, both very big.

Only a beautiful, gold and gem encrusted chair sat at the end, as two banners waved in the breeze on each side. In alliance with the Elves, these banners, made by them and given as a gift, represented a gold dragon with golden eyes breathing multi-colored fire on the right and a blue-and-green dragon with gold eyes, biting it's own tail, on the left. Shadow twirled around them a few time and landed, six pair of dragon eyes following each and every of her movements.

"Her Highness t'is late; again." growled Elder Tooth, revealing his protruding canines as he curled his upper teeth, clearly showing his annoyment.

Shadow huffed, lifting up her chin to face the Elder and using her royal voice that she used to address to Elders and most regal dragons older than her. "We are Thy Queen, we shall arrive at thy hour of thy choice, or t'wen we want." she stated matter-of-factly, as Tooth's eyes thinned into two slits.

Thy Elder of Elders let out a billow of smoke in amusement. "Thou little She mus' learn Her responsibilities, then she'll have thee power of Thy Queen." chuckled the great dragon.

The shadow of Elder Fae loomed over the little golden dragon who had landed, creating gigantic gloom. His sparkling silver scales glittered against the last rays of sunlight, and the glittering reflexion of the moon, full and ivory white, was almost visible on him as it rose slowly to take the sun's place in the sky.

"Enough talk. They'r arrivin'." he said, raising his snout as the wooden doors who creaked open, pushed by two twin dragons of a glittering dark navy blue. As the doors opened wider, it revealed a beautiful bright turquoise female with a large belly and a handsome sapphire blue male, who stepped inside calmly. A little comet zoomed and twirled around them as they did, and Shadow saw that it was a young dragon, hardly a year old, with a light blue coat.

After them all, a gallant male, about Shadow's hight, stepped in cooly. A deep aura of confidence radiated around him, mostly due to his detached posture and lopsided grin. He looked older then the dark colored twins, his sapphire-colored coat matching amazingly with the older male who'd walked in first. Shadow's heart skipped a beat when their eyes met, and she looked away hastily.

The Eldest of Elders stepped forward, dipping her head forward to the turquoise she, who Shadow guessed was pregnant. "Kelpa, t'is a wonder for thou to stop have stop'ed and visit," say the Eldest Elder, and lifting her chin to face Kelpa and the male beside her.

"Sapphire, good to see thou t'o. How's yo'r brotha'h?" she said, gazing to the eldest blue-colored male.

"Ocean t'is fine, o' Elder. He had affairs elsew'ere, and sadly couldn't join us here."

The Eldest of Elders nodded, and curled her tail around Shadow, sliding her forward for her to meet them. The golden she looked up to them, nodding in hello.

"Thy Queen of Dragons, t'is Thy Queen Kelpa, thy mother,-" she nodded to the turquoise female, "-t'is Thy King Sapphire, thy father,-" she glanced at the oldest blue-scaled male, "-t'is Thy Prince Jay and Thy Princess Raven," she indicated to the two twins, Raven being the slightly darker of the two, "-t'is Thy Prince Azure," the male around her age had caught up to his parents and had looked up at the sound of his name, "-and finally, little Princess Sky," finished the Elder, as the smallest light-blue dragon she'd ever seen buzzed around her, jubilant with energy.

"Thou shall sleep in thy East Tower. Elder Hawthorn 'as already prepar'd everything fo' thou there." she addressed the last phrase to Kelpa and Sapphire, her eyes glittering in the moonlight. Shadow's eyes widened a bit in surprise, as she realized the tower she slept in had a clear view of the East Tower.

"Thou must be tired, yes, why don't thou get some sleep? We shal' feast tomorrow." asked the Eldest of Elders, and Kelpa nodded in reply.

"We will. Thank you, o' Elder, fo' thy hospitality." she said in a hushed tone, and in a tinkling, beautiful voice that took Shadow by surprise, by how pretty it was. Kelpa dipped her head gratefully and turned around, as Sapphire dipped his head too and followed his mate outside the doors. Elder Tooth followed them, offering to guide them to their tower, and talking in a hushed tone with Sapphire.

Azure was the last to leave, and when he turned around and smiled at her, Shadow's heart swelled a bit under her golden chest.