Chapter One: Prince of Fire

Orange paws pounded on hard silver stone as labored breathing filled the air. A dragonet, the color of embers, and barely the size of a lamb was racing through the castle. His wings were clasped tightly to his sides, and his tail lashed wildly behind him. 

Ducking around a corner, the dragonet’s claws scrabbled on the smooth rocks beneath him as he made a sharp turn into an open doorway. The door didn’t lead to where he wanted to be, his destination was down at least four more hallways if he remembered right. But hopefully going into here would throw off the dragon chasing him. 

Turning around and backing into the darkness, the dragonet’s amber eyes peered through the crack between the door and the wall. Not even daring to breathe, the dragonet waited in agonizing silence, praying he wouldn’t be found. He couldn’t be caught, he just couldn’t!

Seconds longer than eternities passed by, silence roared in the dragonet’s ears, and his eyes strained to see through the small crack of light, searching for the dragon he’d escaped from. Finally, in a silent thunder of paw steps, long silver legs dashed past and the dragonet’s jaws slid into a grin and he let out a soft flame-tipped breath of relief as they continued down the hallway past him. She had no idea he was here. He was safe, for now.

Waiting to be sure the way was totally clear, the dragonet slipped out of the dark room and slunk through the halls, now slowly and quietly, to avoid attention. Now that he’d finally gotten rid of his pursuer, he had to make sure she couldn’t find him easily. The dragonet smiled, revealing sharp white fangs, and let his legs carry himself just a little bit faster. He didn’t want to miss anything after all.

Finally seeing the door he wanted, the dragonet smiled, and ran the rest of the distance as fast as he could go. Reaching the door, the dragonet reared onto his hind legs so that he could reach the handle, bracing his front claws on the wood, the dragonet huffed to himself about how tall the adults were. Finally, his claws pulled the handle downwards and the door pushed open with his weight. Quickly the dragonet leaned off the door and it stopped moving, leaving a space barely wide enough to fit into. Unfurling his wings and stretching them upwards so he’d fit, the dragonet made his way into the darkness beyond.

The room was large, with its windows covered. On the far end of the room, dimly lit torches cast an eerie light throughout the room. All in all, it was the perfect setting for little dragons to eavesdrop on unsuspecting adults.

 Using the darkness as best he could, the dragonet crept to where a group of dragonets were being herded towards a stage by three large female red dragons. “Tonight’s story is special.” Said one of the females as she herded the younglings forward “The story of how the Fire Dragons of the past took control of the rebellious Ice Dragons.”  

The dragonet’s ears pricked upwards. He’d not only get a story, but one he almost never got to hear since his teachers thought he was ‘not yet fit to know’. How ridiculous. If these dragonets, not even royal but only noble, got to hear it, then why shouldn’t he?

The vixen who’d spoken then nodded towards the stage, which must have had dragons behind it, for as soon as she did the red curtains pulled back, revealing an elderly rust colored vixen with orange paws. She wore a worn-out cloth around her neck, which was stooped, and her golden eyes peered brightly from a wrinkled face with downward swooping eye markings. The dragonet didn’t recognize her, but he figured she must be important, to be trusted near the castle’s young.

“Settle down little ones.” The elder rasped as her wings folded outwards in a friendly manner. Her voice was worn, but she spoke kindly and with a sweet energy about her. “Are you ready? Let me begin.”

The dragonet inched closer, his muzzle parting slightly as he tilted his ears forwards to hear every word. He had to make sure he could remember every detail about this night, in case he got caught and his room was assigned more dragons to guard it. 

The old dragon began to speak, her voice echoing in the large stone room. “Long before this castle was built, the Fire dragons and Ice dragons lived on opposing sides of the island. This was before it was called Drake’s Peak you see, and we didn’t have the social hierarchy we do now.” 

The dragonet felt a shudder run down his wings. He couldn’t imagine life outside of the castle, life without the shadow of his parents’ expectations looming over him every day. Even his mother, the queen, could be demanding. Probably because he was the only egg they’d had that had hatched so far. 

“It was a night much like this one, quiet, peaceful. And then the storm rolled in, thunder crashing, rain falling so hard you couldn’t see past your own claws. That’s when the ice breathers attacked. They stormed the town, which at the time was nothing more than a collection of mud huts, and they tried to wipe out the Fire dragons. If not for the dragon that killed their leader, we would have lost that battle.” 

The dragonet sat back for a minute, only half listening as the elder continued. If only one dragon hadn’t fought that fight…then everything would be different. Sure the Fire Dragons probably still would have won, but it would have taken a lot longer and been a lot harder. 

“About fifty years after this, the Ice dragons tried to form a rebellion.” 

The dragonet pricked his ears forwards. This was news to him. He’d heard many stories about the Ice Dragons and had even attempted to translate a conversation between two Ice Dragons in the library near the history section. Of course, their signed conversation probably didn’t have anything to do with their history, but it was a fun idea.

 “As punishment, the king of the time decreed that from then on, all Servants of the Castle would be chosen shortly after birth instead of their tenth year, and as soon as they were chosen their voice was to be removed from them.”

The dragonet recoiled backwards. The soldiers that left every year and returned with hardened red and silvery scales on their paws…. they were forcing newborn dragonets to become mute? He began to back up, needing to get away from the room.

 But as the dragonet was trying to escape, he accidentally stepped on his tail, and went flying backwards, crashing into something hard.  

On the other side of the room, heads snapped upwards, and two of the younger females began ushering the dragonets to their nests. The third flared her wings and parted her jaws. Flame began building up inside her mouth, casting a fierce orange glow over her glittering ruby scales as she began to stalk towards where the dragonet had fallen.

The dragonet groaned, struggling back to his paws. When he looked up, he was met with the sight of a furious red vixen. He yelped and tried to back up, but only succeeded in unfolding his wings and spreading them against whatever was behind him. 

However, as his face had been revealed to the female, the fire died in her throat, and she let out a strangled gasp. “Crown Prince Ember!” she breathed, quickly dropping into a bow. Ember’s chest heaved, but he dropped his paws to the ground, relieved that she wasn’t going to attack him. 

“Apologies my prince, I did not know it was you.” The vixen turned her head and shouted to the dragons behind her “It’s alright everyone, it is only Prince Ember.” She then turned back to the orange dragonet and said, “Does your watcher know you are here?” Without waiting for an answer, she continued “What am I saying, of course she doesn’t. Shall I take you back to her?”

 

Ember’s tail flicked with displeasure, but he nodded. He’d have to go back to her eventually. May as well have someone alongside him when she found out where he’d gone. He nodded in a sharp manner “Very well.” He said, trying to sound like his father, although it came out squeakier than he liked, and he was quite certain that the vixen was trying to hide her smiles. Ember scowled, he absolutely hated it when older dragons treated him like a hatchling. 

The vixen turned towards the doorway and beckoned with her tail for Ember to follow. As he was led away, the dragonet cast one last look behind him. He’d learned the truth today, and when he was king, he was going to do everything in his power to stop the mutilation of dragonets.