Daughters, Swords &Dragons

The sun blazed with the heat of an eternal flame drying everything in its path, the soil was coarse to farm and there was no water.

The Emperor's invitation had gotten to him not too long ago, a pure coincidence, since he was already on his way to Silverston.

He couldn't shake the feeling something was not right as they journey, it made him restless in his sleep and snippy in his waking hours.

They had been traveling five nights and five days, food supplies had run low and the servants were almost working empty.

Finally, the huge gates of silver appeared surrounding it were marasmic people, all starved.

Their bones showing through their thin skin, Regasus could only feel pity.

The poor were suffering terribly in this season of famine.

Protests of the people, unheard of by the patriarchy, were happening in the eight markets. The people were angry and hungry.

Unfortunately, they had a nonchalant Emperor who only kept his belly fully fed and theirs starved with no remorse.

It's part of the reason why the kingdom of Orgaia and pawlisa were stepping on a thin line, they where on the verge of war.

From his window he spotted a woman, very fair with eyes of ruby and hair of ebony.

Her features were sharp and eyes hollow from lack of food.

She was too beautiful, even in the haggard shawl she had on. "Stop the carriage."

"Here sir?" Augustus hissed with worry.

He stretched his hand out pointing at the woman "Bring her to me."

Augustus sighed, "My Lord, that is a strange woman."

Regasus gave him a deadly stare and he chuckled nervously "Of course sir."

He returned with the lovely woman and the carriage resumed it's movement.

"Hello dearest, what is your name?" Regasus asked.

The woman was terrified. He noticed from her shaking hands then smiled, "I won't hurt you dear, you remind me of one of my daughters. Her birthday is in two full moons."

They looked nothing alike but the ruby eyes matched his daughters hair.

Slowly, she raises her eyes to his "Brielle Teira of the fallen house Teira."

Teira? he thought, he hadn't heard the name Teira in two decades since the fall of the Teira house after the emperor betrayed his brother and wiped out his entire family.

"It's a lovely name but you probably shouldn't say that name in this kingdom." he warned.

Her eyes were harsh "Why?"

Sympathy filled his heart "I once had a powerful friend who was proclaimed a traitor and killed bearing that name. He was a prince."

Brielle leaned into the carriage seat staring at the roof "That's sad" she sighed and slept off.

Regasus arrived at Sliverston, the kingdom of riches. The capital of the wealthy. The dream city of the poor.

The streets gleamed in silver, the houses were made of silver.

It was basically the city of silver "The emperor really loves to flaunt his wealth." Augustus Bandanis, Regasus personal advisor sneered in disgust.

An itching irritating feeling pricked Regasus' skin as he saw a statue of the emperor being made with over fifty thousand bricks of silver. "He is one wasteful man meanwhile the people outside the silver city are starving to death, half the nation are starving to death."

He gritted his teeth as they arrived at the exotic palace.

As always the palace was at its finest pearls, marble, gold, silver, diamonds aligned the walls.

The floor was made with marbles, a lovely mix of colours that people outside the gates of silverston could only dream of and nobles marvel at such exotic opulence.

It was a lively event. The representatives of the six kingdoms were present, women dressed in gold, their lion and bellies visible in the thin material wiggling in the most licentious way to please the emperor.

His son's were present as well five of them excluding three were present. The crown prince looked pale Regasus took note but believed they'd discuss whatever was the matter later at the glass hall.

"You would think having eight sons would make you the most powerful man alive." Augustus murmured to only Regasus hearing as the announcer announced their arrival.

Everyone's head turned, not something Regasus wasn't used to "The Lord Regasus Oder Alcon and his head guard Augustus."

All heads bowed except the emperor as the second in command was he, the holder of the silver Orb.

The hierarchy of power was split in three places: The most powerful being the emperor's crown, second the king's silver orb and the dragon wielder scepter of the pope.

Dragon wielders were believed to be extinct in the last hundred years.

This was one of the reasons why the current emperor was being disrespected a ruler of Silverston the head of the six kingdoms must have the three complete power.

An emperor without a wielder is as good as a dead Emperor but no one dared to speak of wielders not in the present anyways, everyone one was on their toes if the empire was under attack without a wielder they'd be defeated.

The emperor had long given up his search for dragons and had band the discussion of such in the land.

Regasus bowed "Your majesty."

"Ten years Regasus, ten years and you haven't bothered to see an old friend." the old man stated without sentiment.

It was more like a statement of what a fine weather it was today, it had no meaning. "I did not think your majesty would care to see me."

Vastus the emperor had a cunning look in his eyes "Oh but I thought we were friends."

Friends?

This diamond draped fat old bastard worked him to the bone while he spent the rest of his hours throwing parties and looking for witches to behead that did not exist in Silverston because it had become witches burial ground.

Forcing a smile Regasus politely replied "Of course your majesty, we are friends I greatly enjoy your company."

Vastus smiled "Why did the party stop everyone drink."

Resting his hand on Regasus shoulders the king led him to the royal gardens "Regasus it really has been such a long time, how is Weria?"

His question made Regasus cringe, it was no secret that vastus had converted his wife.

Weria had once been the most wanted woman in the land.

"She's alright." he answered tightly.

With a nodded vastus continued as they walked through the gardens passing by a large fountain surrounded by hundreds of roses.

"Lovely isn't it? My concubine Malia has an obsession with theses flowers." he drawled

Regasus smiled remembering that those roses weren't the only thing Malia had actually been obsessed with in the past years.

"So any luck finding the dragons?" Vastus finally stop beating around the bush and got to the point.

Regasus smirked "Tired of stalling?"

"I am a busy man Reg I do not have time for small talk." Vastus sighed

Anger flared in the pit of Regasus stomach but he maintained his composure "Small talk? A dragon is the symbol of your power. Your grand father was the last to have a wielder for as you know a wielder must die with it's king to prevent matters of war."

"As long as you don't have a wielder you are vulnerable." Regasus explained.

Vastus eyes darkened with impatience "That is why I gave you ten years to find one Reg, ten good years and yet I can't boast of one wielder. I don't have a single dragon not to speak more of a fleet god forbid should our enemies attack-"

"I will protect you." Regasus cut in.

"You are not enough." Vastus hissed "The 1st king controls the army of men. The 2nd king controls the army of Dragons. If I can't have both then you better start finding me the army of the dead."

"God forbid your majesty." Regasus whispered "That's sacrilegious, you don't want the Pope to hear you already irked him by throwing a banquet on a holy day."

Vastus held squeezed Regasus shoulder "Then hurry Reg because if I don't get my fleet of dragons soon..."

"...The pope is nothing but a puppet I use to control the people to believe the dragon will return..."

His eyes were murderous as he spoke only to regasus hearing "I'm getting impatient regasus...I need more power."

"I need a dragon."