Darkness Falls ~ Book 1 ~ A Wings of Fire Fanfiction

Chapter 2 ~ Thrilling

~~~Peregrine~~~

Peregrine would never get used to the dark halls that filled King Darkstalker's palace, turning it into a virtual maze. Every time she entered it, she immediately wished to be outside again, soaring through the mountaintops lining the border.

Darkstalker's teeth, she thought. I wonder why he hasn't bothered to change the name yet. Either no one ever told him that's what they're called, or he...likes the name? I guess it does boast quite prominently that his new kingdom is on the other side.

"State your business here," a voice announced, yanking Peregrine back into the present. She lifted her head and stared at the guard with a lofty expression. 

He was a SkyWing, no wonder. Peregrine's mother only ever allowed SkyWing's to be her guards. She said it was because she didn't quite trust the other tribes yet, but Peregrine thought she has a deeper reason, probably some thing to do with the fact that RainWings would guard her otherwise.

"I'm here to see my mother," Peregrine replied, eyeing him with distaste. His lanky form was slouched and he looked almost half asleep. Apparently her mother wasn't setting her quality standards very high anymore.

"Of course, Princess Peregrine." The guard bowed so low his nose almost touched the floor, before righting himself and stepping aside to allow her a clear path to the enormous gold and ruby encrusted door. 

Stepping forwards, she rapped smartly on the door, keeping one eye on the guard. You never knew who'd stab you in the back given half a chance.

"Who's there?" someone called from inside the room.

"It's me, you daughter," Peregrine answered, setting her talons against the door's handle.

"Of course, let yourself  in."

She pulled open the door and slid inside the room, which looked even grander than its entryway had. Golden talon-prints were splashed across the walls, making Peregrine wince slightly from all the reflections. As she did so, the door slid shut behind her, seeking the SkyWing princess inside. 

"Mother?" she tried, still half blinded from all the bright light.

"On the balcony," was the reply, and Peregrine began walking.

As soon as she stepped onto the balcony, the pain in her eyes began fading, allowing her to see her mother, who's bright orange scales glimmered in the afternoon light like thousands of polished topazes. 

This made Peregrine glance down at her own scales, which resembled more like a collection of rubies with small bits of garnet underneath. She supposed her colour came from her mysterious father, who had disappeared shortly after her birth. 

"Do you know why I summoned you?" her mother asked, shining her head around to face Peregrine. 

"Does it have something to do with the RainWing attack?" the princess asked, staring at the rubies encrusted in the eyebrow ridges of her mother.

"Yes, it does." The queen smiled cruelly. "Darkstalker has agreed that if we mange to catch any, then I can use them in a brand new arena!"

"That's...fantastic, Mother," Peregrine replied, not very enthusiastically. She believed that if you managed to capture prisoners, you should just kill them, so they wouldn't manage to escape later on.

"I know! And that is why you and I are going to begin planning it! With Darkstalker helping, we can make the best gladiator arena in Panzia! Won't that be...thrilling?"

"Of course it will be, everything you do is thrilling."

"Thank you dear, now go fetch that idiot guard. I want to test something out." 

Peregrine nodded and left to go get him. When she returned, her mother was fiddling with what appeared to be a metal canteen with carvings of flames on the sides.

"What is it, your majesty?" the guard asked with a confused and wary expression.

"I wanted to try something out," the SkyWing queen replied. "Since you're doing such a terrible job of guarding my rooms, I've decided to punish you. Now stand still, or I'll make it even more painful."

The guard's eyes widened in fear, darting from the door to the queen and back again. "I-I promise t-to do a b-better job," he stuttered, his wings folding in around him like armour.

"It's far too late for that," Peregrine's mother replied, her eyes glowing with manic delight. "And it's been such a long time since my last punishment." Taking the canteen, she carefully unscrewed the lid and held it above his right arm, slowly beginning to tip the contents out.

As soon as the liquid contained inside splashed out, a sharp sizzling smell wafted upwards, making Peregrine cough. But that was nothing compared to what happened to the guard. He reacted instantly, screaming and crying as the liquid ate away at his scales. 

"Make it stop!" he howled. "Please just make it stop!"

Peregrine and her mother said nothing, and only watched as the acid did its work, turning his once normal leg into a clump of shrivelled tissue and bone.

"So it does work," the queen said wonderingly. "Darkstalker wasn't sure, but now I have proof."

"What is that stuff?" Peregrine asked. "It looks like-"

"Concentrated RainWing venom in a jar. Yes, that is exactly what it is." Peregrine's mother smiled nastily. "The perfect weapon for the new arena, don't you think?"

"Of course," she replied dutifully, although all her thoughts were only focused on how she could turn the acid into a weapon usable on the battlefield. With a weapon like that, she thought. I'd be even more feared than my mother ever was.

"Go take the him to the infirmary," the queen ordered her disdainfully, flicking a talon in the guard's direction. "Go now."

Peregrine nodded and motioned for the injured dragon to follow her. When I'm queen, no one will ever order me around again...and all I have to do is kill my mother...the feared and not-so-deadly-after-all Queen Scarlet.