Imperial

Chapter 6

The older dragons had not been exaggerating when they said that the castle was notorious. Tall, dark towers ascended into the sky, each of them jagged and out of place. Leached of colour, it was made completely of glum dark stones.

Master breathed a sigh of awe on my back, his grip on my reigns loosening.

I could not understand how the humans found such a thing majestic and glorious.

Reluctantly, I followed the Black Beast to the city. Each wing-beat came with a trill of fear as we neared the massive human buildings. There was very little colour anywhere in the whole city. All of it appeared to be either the same dull grey, or a dusty brown.

Humans payed little attention to us as we started to descend from the skies. And, as I glanced around the city, I could understand why. Dragons were everywhere - and all of them were fatigued. Even if some had gleaming scales that had recently been cleaned, each dragon was scrawny.

With my scales crawling with horror, I watched as the Black Beast landed in a small courtyard near the castle. My heart hammering against my ribs, I closed the distance to the city, carefully landing on the cold, hard stone.

Waiting nervously behind the older dragon, I watched a group of humans emerge from the shadows of the city, their expressions either stern and bored.

They were similar to the humans that were with Lord Raffael yesterday. Similar flowing black gowns that billowed in the breeze, similar metal swords hanging from their waists. But there was one figure in front of them, wearing bright red robes threaded with gold instead. Was he another lord?

The human in the lead stepped forwards. He was young, perhaps only a few years older than Raffael. Blue eyes washed over us, and long golden hair rustled in the wind. "You're here! I was hoping you'd come soon, Raffael." I could not help but notice how he did not use the Lord's title. That meant he had to be equal rank or higher.

"Carlos," Lord Raffael greeted with a tired smile - and I realised with dread that this was the lord that he had mentioned several times. The lord who was in charge of the whole thing. Fear reverberated through me, and I shied away.

"Lord Carlos," the pale green dragoness breathed beside me, trepidation and awe creeping into her voice. But a grumble from her master silenced her completely.

Running a hand through his dark, shoulder length hair, Lord Raffael said, "I'm afraid I had to leave my companions back at Fehïrk. You didn't give me much warning."

"My apologies," Lord Carlos furrowed his brow, frowning slightly. "But we must speak in private, as soon as you are ready... How is Fehïrk going?"

Fehïrk... was that the name of those fields and Dragon Stables? It was a strange name; very strange. But then again, humans were always strange. Strange and cold and cruel.

Lord Raffael cast a glance towards us, "they are doing the required amount. But the dragons have clearly been pushed to their limit. I fear we will have to invest in a new batch if they are overworked any further."

Narrowing my eyes, I stared at Lord Raffael. The last thing I had expected him to say was that we had been pushed to the limit - and even though not in the best way, he was telling the other Lord that our conditions were harsh, and that they had to do something about it.

Hope stirred within me.

Conditions would always be brutal, but even if they were improved the slightest...

Lord Carlos chuckled, cutting my train of thoughts off. "You always did have a passion for dragons, dear brother. But rest assured, I will see what I can do..."