#dazzlingphoenix

  “Princess?” A voice stirred her from her sleep. “Princess, your mother is waiting for you.” An annoyed mumble was at first the only response she gave the dragon.

  “I’ve told you already Kaia, you can just call me Veneasha.” The she-dragon groaned from her bed. Her eyes fluttered open to see her room painted in a vibrant orange light from her window, the thin pink curtains gently floating from the morning breeze. The sweet smell of morning pollen drifted by her nose, reminding her of her past hatching days.

  It was dawn in the Dawn Feather Tribe.

  How ironic.. Veneasha muttered to herself. She got up from her sprawled position on her bed and looked outside. Guardsdragons were soaring over the mountainside, heading off to patrol the borders in their silvery armour. Veneasha found herself looking for someone in those groups until the voice pulled her back.

  “I’m sorry Ven-” He stopped, biting his tongue. “..I’m sorry princess, but it’s against Royal Guard protocol to call you by your name, whether you give me permission or not.” Kaia tried to explain.

  Veneasha couldn’t help but smile. The young guardsdragon had just recently been promoted straight from the bottom all the way to Royal Guard status. Her mother couldn’t see why, though.

  “He’s practically a dragonet!” She argued with the other Royal Guards as they introduced him to the queen. “What makes you think he can help protect us?” Kaia looked down, his tail slipping between his legs while his wings furled tightly to his body.

  “He was chosen for a reason, mother.” Veneasha had interrupted her tirade by flying into the room, hovering down and standing by the large Dawn Feather ruler. “Let us not question the choices of our protectors, they know what’s best for us.” The way the princess spoke made her tongue sting, hating the formality of it. Her mother reluctantly let Kaia join, but was tasked with wake up service.

  “Please princess, your mother is waiting for you.” Kaia told her quieter. She could hear his talonsteps slowly walk away and back to the castle. Veneasha trotted over to her jewelry chest she despised. Opening it, the sparkling gold blinded her more than the rising sun. She slipped on the scratchy necklace, the uncomfortable rings, and irritating wing clips.

  “Disyun curse these things..” The princess muttered under her breath. She glanced at the mural of the first queen she just uttered the name of. Her “perfect” golden scales were what most dragons desired nowadays, and it irked Veneasha. Disyun’s lack of color gradients was unnatural. But, because of Disyun, gold scales became a sign of superiority and purity.

  The princess managed to look away and head to the spiral staircase that was right outside her door. Her mother claimed that putting her in the converted watch tower was for her protection, but she knew it was so she couldn’t mess up any important meetings she had.

  When she exited the door, she remembered that there was an entire story of murals on the walls from when the tower was for guardsdragons. With a groan of annoyance, Veneasha started to saunter down the steps of the spire. She started to watch the rise and fall of every leader in the tribe.

  Of course, it started from the beginning. Dragons call it The Blackmoon; When the first rulers were chosen. The mural depicts how a dragon with the power to bring a dragon back from near death, chose the land for her people. That dragon was Queen Disyun, a hero for her tribe in a long lost battle. The other tribes of course chose the heros to rule them as well.

  Disyun guided her dragons to the beautiful and calm mountainside lands to make the Dawn Feather Tribe. They constructed the grand castle and the stone dens the current generation reside within. The rugged painting on the wall made the castle look much more sharp than it was. Nowadays Sunpeak Castle was smooth and almost polished in daylight. Some dragons even think it was erected from magic.

  Magic doesn't exist anymore. Veneasha huffed, remembering her countless history classes. The Heros were the last to supposedly even have magic. Wouldn't make sense for a Queen to waste her magic on a castle.. Though, that does sound like Disyun.

  After Disyun died from her old age, her successor was her daughter, Royu. Her rule was short due to many factors, but the main one being she drove a spear into her heart on her 12th year of ruling. She however had no successors. No one to rule, no one who could protect the tribe, no one to look up to. Veneasha felt a shiver go down her back and wings at the thought of a tribe without a ruler.

  The next mural shows a young she-dragon approaching the castle, claiming to be of royal blood. The only reason the Royal Guard believed her was because she bore the five royal feathers on her head, instead of the normal three. She became Queen Wamajj, and the line wasn’t broken since.

  Veneasha kept wandering down the stairs, watching the hatching, rise, and fall of every ruler the tribe could record.

  Queen Ignara? Killed by a Volcano Dragon Assassin.

  Queen Mori? Heart attack from the stress of ruling.

  King Soloma, the first king recorded to rule, and Veneasha’s grandfather? Killed by a strange white dragon, presumed to be a Metal Scale Rouge. Then, Veneasha came to the hatching of her and her siblings.

  Vara was first to hatch from her strange egg that was a deep purple. Her scales were a smooth plum color, and even though she was a minute old she exerted leadership and royalty. At least, that is according to her mother. Veneasha was another story.

  Her mother said Veneasha had hatched from the egg by sheer force, kicking and clawing the eggshell into shards. Her mother said she was fiercer than the strongest guardsdragon. And that it was extremely un-princess like. Then, came Valor.

  Valor’s egg was exciting from the moment his was laid. A Dawn Feather’s egg reflects what color scales, and Valor’s egg was a brilliant yellow. There hadn’t been a golden dragon in 500 years, and so when Valor hatched it was a day worth celebrating. And because of these celebrations, Valor became a dragon of gusto, ignorance, and narcissism.

  Speaking of her family, Veneasha finally stepped down into the dining hall where her siblings and mother awaited her.

  “You’re late, Veneasha.” Her mother hissed, her wings twitching at her sides.

  “At least I didn’t wake up at midday.” The princess retorted, trying to ignore the fact that she spent most of the time looking at the mural that decorated the way down.

  Her fault for not painting over the stupid thing.

  “Do NOT raise your voice at me Veneasha!” The queen yelled, making the younger she-dragon flinch backwards.

  “..Sorry, mother.” She said quietly, slowly walking over to her seat with her wings adroop. Veneasha did her best to sit upright in her small throne without itching her necklace. Two Royal Guards stood beside the queen, their faces stern as stone. Plates barren of food were set on the grand table. Nothing was out of place. That is, besides the Rain Flier Tribe representatives who stayed at Sunpeak Castle to monitor the alliance. The talking started with one of the Rain Fliers speaking.

  “Queen Ruby,” He started. “I would like to address the question that has been bothering many of us Rain Fliers.”

  “Then speak.” Ruby spoke delicately, tiptoeing lightly and thinking through every word that passes her tongue. Being royalty meant watching what you speak, which was a problem for Veneasha.

  “We were worried about the border between us and the Thorn Runners,” The she-dragon spoke. “They’ve been ever so slightly encroaching closer and closer towards Neonripple Lake. We’ve even had reports of Thorn Runner dragons drinking from the lake, or even collecting bowls full of the water.”

  “In short, we don’t know what they’re doing with the water, but because of their rumored assassin clan, we’re worried about them coming onto our land.” The male spoke that time. A Dawn Feather scribe sat in the back, writing down the conversation between the dragons. The scratching sound of feather on paper made Veneasha cringe.

  “I will be sure to tell the Guard about this,” Ruby said calmly. “I will speak to my advisers if I should send guardsdragons your way.”

  “Thank you, your majesty.” Both rain dragons spoke, giving polite head bows. Then, the feasting began.

  Food from platters was placed onto plates, the princess and her family eating curtly and politely. The rain dragons apologized for their eating behaviours and ate with their mouths, rather than using their hands.

  I’ll never understand why Rain Fliers don’t eat with their talons.. Veneahsa thought to herself before chewing down on a piece of goat. Vara ate silently while Valor chewed with his mouth open, spilling meat and saliva all over his plate. If one weren’t from the tribe, one would mistake him for a dragon who lives on the flats.

  “Pst..” Veneasha whispered to her brother. “Valor..!”

  “Hm?” The prince looked at her with his face covered in a mixture of food and spit. The princess gagged slightly.

  “I think I saw a bug..!” She whispered to him.

  “BUG?!” Valor screeched, jumping onto his chair with his wings held tightly against him. All eyes were now on him as he leaned further back into his chair and fell backwards, the chair and all. Veneasha couldn’t help but howl in laughter at her brother, leaning back and also falling out of her chair with her wings sprawled out behind her. Veneasha looked at Valor and the two laughed together.

  He may be an idiot but at least he has a sense of humor! The princess thought to herself. A loud “Ahem” made the two siblings stop their behavior. Queen Ruby was glaring down at the two. They frowned and pushed their chairs back upright, sitting back down with their heads down. Veneasha swore she saw Vara smirk at her.

  Ruby's lavender eyes seemed as though they were burning themselves into Veneasha's fuschia scales. The queen turned her gaze back to the Rain Fliers.

  "I'm sorry for the outbursts of my children," She apologized. "Please do not let that reflect poorly upon myself."

  "Understood, your majesty." The two blue dragons nodded. Valor went back to eating his food, much slower than he was. Veneasha didn't eat and instead got out of her chair and started to strip herself of her glittering jewelry.

  "Veneasha what are you doing." Ruby demanded.

  "Going out for a fly." The princess muttered. Without a second glance, Veneasha took off, flying out of the palace and over the tribelands.

  The sun was at the top of Sun's Peak, shining its golden light down on the flats of the mountain. The dens that were built into the mountain didn't receive light at this time, as the tribe was built on the western side. Veneasha saw the small bodies of dragons as they came crawling out of their dens, stretching in the warm sunrise light. The princess lowered closer to the ground, seeing if she could recognize any of the other dragons.

  She had been trying to memorize their faces and names, just in case she becomes queen. Or if she has to help them get away from an oncoming attack. That situation seemed more probable than her becoming queen, especially with whatever those Thorn Runners were doing with the water from Neonripple Lake. When something like that happens, usually a quarrel will break out.

  Mother is far from dropping dead anytime soon. Veneasha reminded herself. Even if she did die, Vara would become queen. She's the oldest.

  But what if Valor challenges her for the throne? A voice asked the princess. What if I challenge her for the throne? I am stronger than Vara.. But I don’t think I could rule as well as she could. She’s got “grace”, and “manners”, and “doesn’t threaten to break a dragon’s talon when they don’t listen”.

  While continuing to scan the tribe, Veneasha spotted a frantic she-dragon trying to get anyone's attention. When she saw the princess, she spread her wings wide trying to get her presence. The princess sighed begrudgingly when she realized who it was.

  "Princess," She cried to her as she landed. "Thank Disyun you're here!"

  "What seems to be the problem today Gamehna?" Veneasha asked, forcing a toothy smile. "Lost your feather brush again?" The she-dragon always misplaced things and acted as though it were the end of Lockra as she knew it, calling the Guard, her mate Fergjin, or begging her neighbors to help her find it. But this time was different. Gamehna seemed more scared than usual.

  "My egg!" The dragon wailed, throwing her talons into the air. "My egg disappeared! One minute I was covering her up then heading out on my fly then poof! She's gone!! My baby's GONE!!" The princess couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse and guilt as the mother covered her face with her talons and wept.

  “Hey,” Veneasha said softly, quickly disposing of her happy facade. “Don’t cry, look at me. Gamehna, look at me.” She placed a hand on her shoulder, the mother looking up at the younger female. Gamehna’s yellow eyes were getting puffier as they watered, tears dripping down and in between her scales.

  “Gamehna, I’m going to help you,” Veneasha reassured her. “Just tell me what happened. Slowly, and calmly this time.” She lifted her hand as Gamehna nodded, wiping away her tears with a talon.

  “I was wrapping my egg up in nesting grass,” The mother started. “She looked so cute with all that green around her lavender shell.. Anyways, I stepped outside to get ready for my daily fly around the tribe when I heard something fall over.” Her voice started to waver as she talked.

  “I.. I walked back inside, thinking it was something I left on the edge of a rock but then..! Then she was gone!” Gamehna’s tears started to flow again as she threw herself at Veneasha, draping her arms and wings over the princess.

  "Gamehna!" She shouted in shock when all of her weight fell onto her. Though Veneasha was strong, she wasn't strong enough to support an adult dragon. The mother got off of the princess and looked down in sorrow and guilt.

  "Sorry princess.." She whispered.

  "Listen," Veneasha sighed, recovering from the sudden weight pressed against her. "How about you stay here, in your den. I'll have Fergjin return to you and have the other guards look into this, alright? We're going to find your egg."

  "Thank you, Veneasha." Gamehna said softly, hugging the princess before slowly walking back into her den.

  Right, Veneasha thought, starting to take flight. Time to head to the barracks.. Fergjin is in one of the Sapphire Squadrons, right? As she took off, she tried to remember the different squads. The guardsdragons were grouped into squadrons based on which border they patrol. Diamond squads patrol the Metal Scale border, Emerald squads patrol the Thorn Runner border.

  And Sapphire squads patrol the Rain Flier border. Veneasha remembered, curving her direction to the Rain Flier border. The Sapphire squad was the safest of the squads in times of peace, mostly due to the fact that there's a strong alliance between the Rain Fliers and the Dawn Feathers.

  The princess flew over the mountainous tribelands to where the grass started to grow from the rocks. The Dawn Feather tribelands were one of the largest, right next to the Thorn Runners. Within a few minutes the Sapphire squad barracks was in view. The green grass tickled her feet as she landed near the stone building. Pink and gold paints adorned the walls, along with several simplistic paintings of Disyun.

  "Dawn Feather feet are made for rocks, not grass." Veneasha grumbled, the morning dew wetting her talons. It felt like stepping on dozens of worms, and the squelching sound of the wet dirt didn't help. She carried on though, trekking onwards and into the building.