The Sea And The Sky

Prologue

Prologue

It was dawn.

The sun rose over the SkyWing kingdom and cast reddish-tinted shadows all over.

Peace, for the short wee hours of the morning, briefly surrounded the continent, but in the middle of a dimly lit throne room, two dragons were arguing.

"But Prince Asch, you can't marry a SeaWing! I'm sure there's some other dragon for you. Try Torrid, she seems perfectly nice! All the other SkyWings in the palace love and want her, but she wants you! Surely that flatters you!" said a tall, majestic SkyWing with the colors of the current sky in her scales.

"I am the prince! You cannot talk to me that way. Now get out of my way," another tall, crimson Skywing said. The dawn-colored dragon stepped into his path.

"It is you that cannot talk to me that way! I am the queen! Now go to your room."

"Oh, fine, mother," said Asch, the crimson dragon, stomping off toward the arch exiting the throne room. A beautiful vermillion dragon caught her breath, quickly disappearing behind the arch. She had been listening in the whole time. It was, however, inevitable that the SkyWing prince cross paths with her, and he nearly bumped into her starting down the hallway angrily. He gasped, frightened. Then, a sullen expression settled on his face. "Oh. It's...you." The vermillion dragon stared at him, a blush settling across her scales.

"Y-yup! It's me!' She said, trying to play it casually. I totally wasn't just listening in to you and your mother's private conversation that could result in me having a severe punishment to listen in to. Yup, totally. she thought.

"You were listening in the whole time, weren't you, Torrid," said Prince Asch.

Torrid blushed further and nodded, her eyes wide. She couldn't help but notice how his beautiful scales glinted in the light of the newly rising sun. "I just wanted to—" she began.

"I understand that you love me, but quit being such a stalker! You are nothing but an insolent girl!" He yelled.

Something lit up in the vermillion dragon's head. "You are the insolent one if you think a SeaWing can ever rule! I would be the perfect queen for you! And don't call me insolent girl, I'm moons older than you!" Torrid snapped suddenly. The crimson prince drew back, taken by surprise.

"Fine," he said, trying the calmer approach. "Let's talk about this in a more private place." Dragons were starting to stare, stumbling out bleary-eyed, awoken from the yelling. Torrid nodded, smiling slightly.

"I am sure I will be able to convince you to make me your suitor," she said. Prince Asch smiled as real as he could, then turned away, rolling his eyes where she couldn't see. "Let us meet at the abandoned fireforest, by the lava ravine?" He suggested as this was as private as he could think of.

She smiled and flushed. "Sounds great, Aschy!" She ambled away. When she was gone, he let out a frustrated, but quieter than usual, roar.

"URRRAUUUGHHHH!" He said. He knew, however, he now had to meet her at the lava ravine. "I'll let her down easy, and reject her," he said to no one in particular. "After all... How hard could it be?"

After what felt like a thousand years, he arrived at the ravine, his heart pounding. Oh boy, what am I in for? He thought. Torrid was there waiting for him, smiling that smile that all the guys tripped over each other for. He dipped his head to her. "Hello, Torrid." She smiled wider.

"So, can we get to the part where you admit your love for me and I become your future queen," she said, brushing his side with her tail coyly.

"Actually, Torrid.." The prince began. "I...Well..." He further stalled, seemingly puzzled on what to say. It seemed to finally come to him, and his head snapped up in a sort of, aha! way. "No! You are not, and will never be my queen. I love another, and you know that. Good day, and thank you for meeting me here." He said, confident. He started to walk off, but she slammed her talon onto his.

"You can't have that slimy son-of-a-clam be your queen! I am the only one fit! Your mother agrees, I agree, and everyone sees us as a couple! Now, say you love me!" the beautiful dragon said, her bright vermillion scales glinting in the light of the sun. A shadowy grin cast over her face and drops of sweat glistened between her scales. Asch growled.

"You can't argue, peasant. I am your prince, and I do not love you! Accept your fate!" He ripped his arm out of her grasp and got in the position to fly off as fast as he could. Suddenly, he heard her say, "If you won't love me now, you will love me someday! Until then... The dragon this spell touches will not find his way home for a tenth of a moon." She lept into the sky laughing, and a searing pain spread across the prince's face. Bright red light, a dizzying confusion. Then, black.