۵ Chapter 4.5 ۵
857 Words
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Chapter 4.5
secrets
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⌇The Rose Palace⌇
A lone shrill squawk from Ashwing echoed through the evening sky. She dashed and darted through the grey clouds; her small and thin, silver body slipstreaming in the wind.
She circled the dark tower, the one in which the Princess' chambers resided; and after circling thrice, she approached the open window.
Elia lay almost lifeless on the feather bed, she wore bare in the warm weather. Her face buried into the damp pillow. Her long hair sprawled out around her.
Ashwing's tiny body was almost small enough to perch onto the windowpane, and she chirped for her mother to wake.
The Princess did not stir; her mind was elsewhere. Her opal eyes were closed, and her dainty figure was enclosed in a fetal position.
The silvery dragon Ashwing became impatient and chirped again, attempting to squeeze her small body through the open window. She accidentally knocked off a decorative vase from the cabinet with a swish of her tail spines in the process, and it smashed against the stone floor.
Elia's head jerked slightly at the noise; she tilted her head so she could view the dragon in her peripheral. After a moment, the Princess closed her eyes only shortly after opening them. "Not today, my sweet." She managed to push out a rather raspy voice.
The white dragon began squawking irritably, and flapped her wings impatiently. Small gusts of wind entered the room and girl's n*****s stood on end in the sudden cold; the hair pricked on the back of her neck.
She sighed lightly and slowly pushed herself to her feet, wrapping a thin sheet around her body. She walked toward the window and held out a dainty hand.
Ashwing pushed her head into the palm of Elia's hand and nuzzled gently. Her mouth involuntarily curved upwards into a smile.
"How could anybody see evil in you?" Elia sighed. "How could anybody want to lock you away?" She tilted her head. "Simply because you are small...but it's their fault you are small in the first place."
After a moment, she pulled her hand away. "My father will come calling once more, so we can finish what the nymphs of the Jade started."
Almost as if on cue, there were three rather loud knocks against her wooden door.
The door burst open and her father stormed inside. Ashwing chirped and jumped off the ledge and flapped gently a few feet away.
"A tyrant in our midst!" He bellowed, walking over to the bed and taking a seat.
Elia frowned, and tucked the sides of the sheet under her arms. "Father, what are you talking about?"
He glared up, his bright red eyes like slices of fire inside of his head. "A tyrant. A usurper. Treason! Somebody has come to take my crown, and by taking mine...they also take yours." He growled.
Her ears pricked up. "Somebody has come to challenge you?"
The Fire Lord let out a short laugh. "No, my dear. They have risen against me and proclaimed themselves the rightful Queen."
Elia narrowed her eyes. "But I am the rightful Queen, after you of course."
He grabbed a hold of Elia's bare arms. "Yes! Yes, my dear you are. This is why we must stop this tyrant before she destroys the whole world!"
The Princess' eyes wavered slightly. Destroy the world?
"Is that was she is planning to do?" She asked, glancing outside at Ashwing, who refused to come any closer.
The Fire Lord stood up and sighed deeply. "You don't believe me..."
"No, father I-"
"-I have done nothing but loved and cared for you your whole life. I've given you the best, haven't I? And you can't repay me when I need it most." He said solemnly.
Elia watched the man sink into himself, his glorious red robes almost no recollection of the man that wore them.
But there was something, a glimmer in his eye. A flicker of hope.
The Princess smiled gently and moved closer, gently touching his arm. "Father, I will help you however you need. Of course I will."
The Fire Lord turned to her and grinned respectively. "We must first deal with Draydon Keep. We can not afford to have traitors among us in these desperate times."
"What do you need me to do?" She asked.
He walked over to the window and peered at Ashwing, who still daren't come any closer. "You have a natural advantage with them."
Elia's eyes widened in fear. "But father, people wish to see my dragons dead...they have killed-"
He turned to her, with an utmost solemn stare. "-Whilst I am King, while I stand, nobody else will harm your dragons. I give you my word, my dear."
Elia glanced over at Ashwing, hovering not a few feet from the open window. Her thin snout snorted and huffed smoke. Her thin body looked over and she began flying in the opposite direction.
"You promise me?"
"My dear," he placed a hand on her soft, pale cheek, "I promise you, so long as I am living, no harm will befall your dragons."
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