The Dragon and the Fox

Kira wasn’t sure whether to be angry or happy at her predicament.

On one paw, she got to spend more time with Ayaz.

On the other paw, her mission was being stopped in its tracks. Who knew how many creatures the Black Dragon had killed already? What if he had already killed over half of the continent, and Kira was lounging on her tail in a palace?

At least the hours seemed to go by fast. Before Kira knew it, over a day had passed, just with her talking to Ayaz and helping him with his duties (much to his objection). Kira learned that Ayaz’s father was a well-respected builder who was nice to everyone. That was partly how Ayaz had managed to get into the role of Lead Servant in the palace.

“It’s an honor to have this job,” he told her breathlessly, while they were taking a small break after mopping the cold floor. “You have no idea.”

“Why do you like being a servant?” Kira asked him. “When nobody looks at you or talks to you, and they all consider you as a speck of dust on their talons?”

“The other servants don’t do that!” Ayaz said reproachfully. Then he looked around nervously and added, “And they don’t do that!”

Kira rolled her eyes. “They see you as a tool,” she said. “They don’t care about you at all.”

“You don’t understand,” Ayaz countered gently. “I have friends here. If I was any higher, I wouldn’t be able to see them.”

Kira tilted her head. “Really?”

Ayaz nodded. “I’m happy here, where I am, and in the position I’m in.”

Kira thought about that for a moment. Would she serve unforgiving Dragons if it meant she could stay with her friends and family? She wasn’t sure. If she’d had a normal life, was there any chance she could have ended up like Ayaz—happy with what he had, bowing before others that may or may not be just as good as he was?

She knew the answer almost immediately. She would never submit to anyone, not now that she knew how seductive others were.

Just then, a wolf skidded down the crystalline hallway towards them, breathless and looking very urgent.

“Ayaz…” he wheezed. “Throne room…meeting…Majesties…”

Ayaz scrambled to his talons frantically. “Got it! We’ll head there as fast as we can!”

Kira got to her paws as well, and they both set off down the hall at a speedy pace.

Several spiraling staircases later, they arrived at the throne room door. It looked the same, only Kira could hear noises behind it.

Ayaz knocked hesitantly. The clatter momentarily paused, then a voice said, “Come in.”

Kira shoved open the door and strode into the throne room, her tail swishing behind her.

The room was giant. Large, sloping archways all met at a point above them, from which hung a large chandelier glittering with light. The entire area was well lit, with tapestries of Ice Dragons on the walls, and imbedded with clear, sparkling crystals. Two identical thrones lay at the back of the archway, and three chairs were on either side of them, curving gently inwards. They were all occupied by Ice Dragons, whose expressions ranged from haughty to curious.

“Welcome!” a voice exclaimed as she entered.

In Kira’s opinion, the Ice Dragon monarchs were nowhere near as majestic as Queen Eclipse. That didn’t mean they weren’t great, however. The one on the left was the first to catch Kira’s attention, and also the one to speak. She was white, with a rainbow shimmer to her scales much like the outside of the palace. Her wing webbing was clear, transparent blue, which startled Kira for a second. White scales were scattered in the webbing as well, so that it looked like it was snowing every time she swept her wings. Her expression was rather indifferent, but not too arrogant. A diamond crown rested on top of her head.

The one on the right was a little less eye-catching. He was white as well, but with blue speckles of various light and dark shades on top of his forelegs, back, and along his neck. His wings were white with blue speckles, and his eyes were navy blue with light blue flecks in them, reflecting his odd scale pattern. He wore a more mellow expression that reminded Kira distinctly of Ayaz. His silver crown was twisted around his horns, and he wore several earrings as well. Kira saw him reach his talon up to touch one, as if he was reluctant to wear it, and the female’s tail swatted his arm away.

“It’s a pleasure to have you here,” the male said, smiling.

“Took you long enough,” Kira retorted loudly. Ayaz gave her a reproachful glance, but she ignored him. “I had important news, and you made me wait almost two days?”

The monarchs exchanged looks, their smiles slightly forced now. Kira didn’t care—she had the right to tell them off for making her wait.

“You are here now,” the male said placidly. “Tell us what was urgent.”

Kira glared at them, but they said nothing else.

Ayaz backed towards the door. “I’ll, um…just…go. See you, Kira. I wish you luck. Come back for me when you’re done, will you?”

With a grin, he slipped through the door, and then he was gone. Kira found herself feeling sad and lonely, but right now she was furious with these monarchs.

She and the king and queen stared at each other for one long moment.

Finally, she broke into an explanation of her story.

She started at the beginning, when her village burned down. When Kira got to the part about Deya, she was surprised to find herself using almost poetic language to describe her Dragon friend. They had to understand how important Deya was. Kira knew that there were things that she was not aware of as well—things like what Cyfrin had mentioned. But what she did know was that Deya was crucial to the mission and in the fate of Cyalia as well.

When she got to the part about meeting Cyfrin, both Ice Dragons leaned forwards on their thrones, looking quite ruffled.

“An Earth Dragon told you that?” the female said incredulously. “Are you bluffing?”

“I told you, Blizzard,” the male said dryly. “There is more to the Earth Dragons than we suspect, as I have said many times. Maybe it’s time we listen to the evidence instead of the rumors.”

Blizzard rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Snowstorm.” She waved a claw at Kira. “Go on.”

Kira glazed over the part where she left huffily from Cyfrin, rather saying that it was he who had left first. In Kira’s defense, that Dragon had been annoying.

When she was finally finished, the entire room was silent.

“So, you have powers granted to you by a wanted Light Dragon so that you can go defeat a Black Dragon that massacred your whole village,” Blizzard intoned.

“Yes,” Kira said impatiently. Did they really need to break it down? Didn’t they realize how urgent this was?

“So you want us to help you…how?” Snowstorm asked, confusion etched on his snout.

“Help me find Deya,” Kira said. “Now, preferably.”

Blizzard raised an eyebrow. “And what’s in it for us?”

“Didn’t you hear me?” Kira snapped. “This Dragon will destroy all of Cyalia. That includes your little igloo.”

“We have an army of Dragons,” Blizzard responded, rolling her eyes. “What could one Dragon do against us?”

Kira found her anger rising. “If you’re too ignorant to see the danger you have been put in, then die alone!”

“Don’t speak to the Queen that way!” one of the councilors snarled.

“SHUT UP!” Kira shouted. “If you don’t listen to me, you will die, and I won’t cry about it!”

“And how would you know?” Snowstorm growled. “You are a fox. We are Dragons. You bow to us!”

“Never!” Kira spat. “I don’t bow to anyone.”

“You should,” another councilor cried. “There are those greater than you in this room who could easily kill you with one flick of their talons!”

“They can try!” Kira lifted her chin and bared her teeth.

“We just might!” An Ice Dragon got up from his seat on the table, but another one pulled him back down.

“Don’t be crazy, Iceberg!”

“You’re all crazy if you’re not preparing for what’s coming!” Kira yelled above their shouts. “And it will come, I promise you!”

“GO!” Blizzard roared. “You are not welcome here! All you’ve done is pester and shout at my subjects. You have no respect. You clearly don’t care about anyone but yourself! We will never help you! Leave!”

“Fine!” Kira flared her wings and glared thunderously at them all. “Fine! I’ll go! You’ll see, you’ll see what’s coming for you! I didn’t need your help anyways!”

And with a snarl, she flew down the archways, burst through the door, and flew out the nearest window, purposefully slamming into any Ice Dragon she could find along the way and biting their tails.