Moonlit Scales [rewriting]

Moonlit Scales: Twelve

M O O N L I T   S C A L E S :
Chapter Twelve

[]

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

My eyes flew open at the outburst, and I shot awake. Addy was sobbing, trying to pull away from Piper who was furiously restraining her with every ounce of strength. Papa was hunched behind her, confused as I was. It wasn't until I turned to my right that I saw what was happening.

There were a good four dozen knights, all clothed in the same uniform of the king, holding various ropes and nets. For me.

I jumped up and backed away, but I had a rope knotted around my leg. As I tried to pull myself free from it, one looped around my neck and another caught my snout. The more I struggled against the cords, the more hooped around my flailing limbs.

Addison was crying, "Stop it! You're hurting her!" and Piper had this serious, threatening expression directed at each of the soldiers. Papa's jaw slacked like he couldn't believe why. Dread it, I didn't even know why. Soon, I was bound so tightly that I was suffocating, and the scratchy twine rubbed against my scales, burning with each slight movement.

Above the outraged wailing of my sister, the guard called out, "The king has requested that we take her to the palace." It was the same man who had me return the potato what felt like ages ago.

"You needn't tie her up like a dangerous animal!" protested Addison, to no avail. When the men began to pull, I had no choice but to follow, treading carefully. I stumbled over my own feet a few times, but I never fell, knowing that if I did, I would not be capable of standing and end up being dragged the whole way.

My family grew smaller and smaller behind me, until they were only tiny specks that soon disappeared from my vision entirely. I could feel Phoenix attached to a rope around my ankle, tagging along unseen by the guard. This comforted me, somewhat. It didn't help that I was no doubt marching to my own execution. Villagers gaped as I ambled past, clutching at their children or dropping the goods they were carrying. Some ran, others froze. Most could only stare.

I was starving. I had become so overcome with debilitation, I wasn't aware of how much hunger rivaled my other needs. My stomach grumbled, which warded off whatever spectators braved the sight of me. One, actually, dropped a sack of carrots. My neck was just long enough to reach it, and I snatched them in one gulp, savoring whatever flavor they had.

It wasn't a particularly long trek to the castle gates, but it was enough for anxiety to creep in under my skin and have me crawling with nerves. What if they refused to let me explain myself? Or worse—What if they hurt my family because they'd hidden my secret all this time? Numerous scenarios played through my mind, each one worse than the last.

The ridiculously tall, wooden doors opened, and the knights tentatively led me inside. I absorbed the polished marble floors and the gleaming waxed chandeliers that hung above me. I caught a glimpse of my hip in one of the countless floor-to-ceiling windows, and paused. Not a scratch. Aside from the ropes that confined me, I looked like a purified dragon born from the sky, not the aftermath of a war against vicious, heartless monsters. What had happened after I collided with the scarlet Lutheran lizard?

"Ay, come on!" commanded a soldier as he yanked on the rope wrapped around my nose. I trailed after them aimlessly, lost in my torturous thoughts. Before I was ready, we had reached the throne room. As I entered the threshold, I shoved my fears away and stood proudly—as proudly as my dignity could manage while bound with ropes. I would make them fear me.