Chapter 127: For the Future
It had been about a month since Xaiya arrived with the eggs, and Rori and Luster had settled in nicely to life in the Underground. Kipling had to admit, it was nice to have them around again. It had felt strange without them after all their adventures, like he had been missing a wing.
With Eclipse gone and no new recruits, life in the underground had stagnated a bit. All the energy went into training and caring for the eggs. Winterstone had stayed holed up in her office, trying to formulate plans and back up plans in case Eclipse failed to return (Kipling didn't want to think about that possibility), but even she took plenty of time out of her busy schedule to check up on her son and impending grandchildren.
Kipling was training on his own one morning, trying to perfect his trident fighting, when he was interrupted by Rori and Luster. The weight distribution of the trident was something he was still getting used to, and he was much more used to the swish of a sword than the stabbiness of a trident, but the trident was actually a weapon that belonged to him, so he figured it best that he take the time to master it. He was so focused on the practice dummy he was trying to stab that he jumped when Rori called his name.
Kipling spun around, losing grip on his trident and sending it flying. It embedded itself in the wall, having narrowly missed Luster's head. Rori looked at it in shock for a second, but looked too excited to stay concerned. Her paws were shifting, clearly struggling to stay still.
"Wow, you're getting good at that thing!" Luster teased. "You know, if you wanted me gone you could have just told me, no need for murder or anything like that."
"Sorry." Kipling said, sheepishly scratching his frills. "What's up?"
"The nest is hatching!" Rori exclaimed, finally able to release her excitement. "Come on, lets go!"
The trio raced down out of the training room and down the tunnels until they reached the nesting room. They slowed as they entered it, walking in very quietly, so as not to disturb the family in this moment. They were not the only ones who had come to witness the event, however. Querida and Simon has also squeezed their way in, watching from the outskirts. Even Winterstone and Wayuin watched from a distance. The only two dragons standing by the nest as the eggs quivered were Xinskarr and Xaiya.
All three eggs had cracks down the side. It wouldn't be long now until the hatchlings emerged. The prospective parents hardly seemed aware of the gathering around them. They only had eyes for their children. Kipling couldn't blame them. He was enthralled too.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed before the first hatchling emerged from his shell, damp from the fluid inside the egg. Xaiya scooped him up immediately and began cleaning him off, while Xinskarr continued to watch with such an intensity Kipling was sure his only thought was protecting them.
Winterstone stepped forward to take the hatchling from Xaiya. The new mother hesitated before handing her son over, as though reluctant to let go so soon.
"Trust me, you don't want to miss the others. Your son will still be here when they arrive." Winterstone promised her daughter-in-law. Xaiya nodded and passed on her son to the older wildclaw, who began to finish his cleaning. As much as Kipling wanted to keep an eye on the hatching, he couldn't help but be amazed by how small the coatl was as he squirmed, eyes closed, reacting the to touch of his grandmother.
A loud crack brought his attention to the nest once more. The second hatchling had been born, a wildclaw this time.
Xinskarr's eyes widened as his daughter tumbled out of her egg. She was tiny, even for a hatchling, and Kipling could almost see his protective instincts go into overdrive. He moved forward and picked her up, as though trying to comprehend just how she could be so small. Querida moved forward to take this one, though Xinskarr struggled with letting her go. it was only with the crack of the third egg hatching that his grip loosened and Querida was able to ease her out.
The third let out a loud cry as his wet face was met with the cool breeze from the crack. For such a small dragon, he has a pretty impressive set of lungs. Xaiya scooped him up and began to soothe him. Once he was calm, Winterstone and Querida brought forward the other two hatchlings and handed them to the new parents.
Kipling could not take his eyes off of the new hatchlings. They were so beautiful and perfect, it was then that he realized just what they were fighting for. Querida had said it, when trying to comfort Xinskarr, but now he understood it. Right now, these dragons were coming into a world where their very existence put them in danger. The very clan that they were supposed to call home was ruled by a dragon who very possibly wanted them dead, not for anything they had done but for something their grandmother had done. That was a burden no dragon should have to bear, let alone a newly hatched hatchling. They were fighting for a future where no hatchling would have that on their shoulders, where every hatchling would grow up knowing they were safe and loved.
His thoughts were interrupted by Rori leaning down and whispering in his ear.
"I can't wait until we have hatchlings someday." She whispered.
"We?" Kipling asked, caught by surprise.
"I mean I." Rori said quickly, starting to blush. "Sorry, slip of the tongue."
Luster glanced at his two friends but said nothing. Rori's comment sent Kipling into a spiral. He had never thought about the possibility of having hatchlings someday. I mean, he had thought he probably would at some point, but that seemed so far off, especially as it became apparent that war was on the rise. Besides, he had never been in any sort of romantic relationship.
Did Rori like him? I mean, of course she liked him, but did she like him as more than a friend? He had never thought about Rori in that way before, but now his heart was pounding and his mouth was dry and he wasn't sure. She was a very pretty dragon, and she was so much more than that. She was funny and clever and loyal and the best friend anyone could ever ask for. Every time he saw her, his heart beat in ways he didn't know possible. There was nothing he liked more than spending time with her.
Maybe he did like her in that way. He didn't know how he hadn't seen it before. He looked up at her, seeing her in a new light, but her eyes were fixed on the hatchlings again. Maybe he had been mistaken, maybe it really had been just a slip of the tongue.
Besides, he didn't want to ruin what they had now. Luster already felt like the odd one out, and he didn't want to make him even more of a third wheel. Not to mention, there was a war of sorts going on. It was hardly the right time for that sort of thing.
All this could be sorted out later. Right now, what mattered was overthrowing Windkeep Tower's tyrannical rulers and ensuring a safe world for these tiny ones.
Banella laughed as Nova told a joke and took another sip of tea. The graceful imperial had presented herself before Banella not long after she had gained control of Windkeep Tower, offering her services and fine tastes. After that, she had come by regularly to showcase her latest perfume, or gift the queen with some fine jewelry her husband had purchased for her. Surprisingly, the two had become fast friends. It was interesting, Banella hadn't had a real friend since she was a child. She had just had work partners and underlings. It was nice to have someone she could be real with.
Suddenly, there was a creak of the door, and Topaz waltzed in. Banella's heir was no longer a hatchling, but was growing quite steadily. He walked in with such an air of confidence and grace that Banella couldn't help but be proud of her son.
"What is it, darling?" Banella asked, setting down her china teacup.
"It's time for my lesson, isn't it?" Topaz asked. "I'm ready to learn more about my heritage and birthright."
Banella had to bite her tongue to cut off her original response. Every since mentioning that the blood of royals flowed through his veins, Topaz had been dying to learn more about his history. Unfortunately, that was still a painful topic for Banella. Every since seeing Basil, she had no longer felt the intense resentment towards Basil and her family that she once had, but the grief that followed still cut deep. She had many regrets, and she did not want to delve into them.
That said she couldn't help but wonder if they'd be proud of her and where she was now.
No, it didn't do to dwell on such things.
"Excuse me, Nova. It is indeed lesson time." Banella said, getting to her feet.
"Of course." Nova said, bowing her head. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Same time tomorrow." Banella confirmed. With that, the imperial set down her teacup, gathered her things, and left.
"What are we learning today?" Topaz asked after she had left. Despite his composure, Banella could see the excitement and anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
"Diplomatic skills." Banella said. As soon as the words left her mouth, the light left Topaz's eyes and he deflated.
"Again?" He whined.
"Ah, what did I say about complaining?" Banella said, giving her son a sharp glare. "A true prince doesn't show his disappointment, he simply adapts and moves on. No matter how much you are born with, many things in life aren't going to go your way. You must learn to keep moving on. There is always another way, you just have to find it."
"Yes mother." Topaz said, clearly still disappointed. Banella raised an eyebrow and he regained his former posture and held his head up high. "I mean, yes mother."
"That's more like it." Banella said with a smile. "Now, where were we? Ah yes, diplomacy. Now, there are many charismatic dragons you will meet, the trick is not letting them swindle you out of what you want. I have to use this one with your father quite a bit, or else he'd talk me out of all my power completely. Even with the small things, you want to show other dragons who's in charge, but you need to do so in a way that ensures they're compliance. The trick is making it seem like something they want as well."
Banella carried on the lesson, watching her son lap it all up, wide eyed. Banella hoped to be around to be queen for a long time, but in the event of her death, Topaz would make an excellent replacement. She just hoped Quartz wouldn't try to mess things up.
Garnet leaped around the room, sending flashes of magic wherever she went. A gust of wind here a breeze there, she could control the wind like no other. With her magic, she could whip up wild hurricanes, but summon only the slightest breeze to lift a single paper in the air, all in the same breath. She was swift, precise and graceful, everything her father trained her to be.
"Very good." Quartz purred as he stepped into the room. It was not often that her father gave compliments and Garnet glowed with pride.
"Did you see how I-" She began, before Quartz cut her off.
"Yes, I saw." he confirmed. "But simply using wind magic is not enough. Now that you've harnessed your innate magic, the time has come to learn how to draw from the sources around you to master any element thrown at you. It is only then that you truly become unstoppable."
"Yes, father." Garnet said, dipping her head. She felt determination flare withing her, and her heart pounded with exhilaration. This was what she wanted, true power, and she would stop at nothing to get it. She would train without sleeping or eating, whatever her father demanded of her, she would do, so long as it made her stronger, and she knew he would.
After all, Quartz would stop at nothing to ensure his daughter was next in line for the throne, and that would only happen if she could best Topaz in combat. It would not be an easy fight, Garnet knew how diligently her mother was training the prince, but she hoped she could one day prove herself to be the strongest of the siblings.
Rubywing sat, locked in her room, lit only by the lantern she had bought at the Brightshine Jubilee all those years ago. It was funny, so much had changed and yet it was only just over a year until a whole cycle had passed, and she felt like she was back were she started. She was trapped in her father's mansion, used for her skills, and Rhowen was under the command of her father.
She was grateful her father spent so much time with his children, it allowed Ruby to do whatever she wanted. Of course, she was still busy with work. She knew her father valued loyalty over everything, and that meant the pressure of keeping bonds with clan allies strong was intense.
She was so immersed in her work that she didn't hear the door open. She jumped as she felt talons grip her shoulders and a familiar voice whispered "Boo!"
"Sapphire! You scared me!" Ruby exclaimed, dropping her quill and leaving an ink splatter on the letter she was supposed to be sending. She'd have to rewrite it later.
"Sorry." Sapphire apologized, even though that had been his intention.
"How are you doing today?" Ruby asked. "Are your parents ignoring you again?"
Ever since Ruby had saved the young prince's life, he had stuck to his half-sister like glue. It had helped that with both of his parents having picked a favourite child, Sapphire was often left to his on devices. It became clear after weeks passed after Garnet's initiation ceremony with no announcement of Sapphire's, they had no role in mind for their third son. Even though Sapphire claimed to be unbothered, Ruby could tell he was hurt. In a way, he was an outcast in the family the same way Ruby was.
"What are you working on?" Sapphire asked, changing the subject.
"I'm trying to draft a letter to our allies." Ruby sighed. "These are difficult times, and I can't seem to find the right way to let them know of the changes to Windkeep Tower. We are not the same clan they originally bonded with."
"What was it like, before?" Sapphire asked.
"You know I can't talk about it." Ruby reminded him. "Dad would kill me, quite literally. Or-" She trailed away.
"Or what?" Sapphire asked.
She hadn't told Sapphire how Quartz had threatened to kill Rhowen and Rammus if she didn't comply with his orders. While she doubted he would kill Rhowen when he was the one guarding Fenn and Elric, Rammus was an easily disposable dragon in Quartz's eyes. Rubywing wouldn't put it past him to kill his own son to get his way.
"Nothing, it's not important." Ruby insisted. "Hey, are you hungry? I could take a break from this and we could have some lunch."
"I'm starving!" Sapphire said, jumping for joy at the thought of food.
"Great! I'll be back with some food in a bit." Ruby said, stacking her papers and clearing space of her desk.
"Hey Ruby?"
"Yes?"
"I know my parents are threatening you." Sapphire said, once again displaying a higher level of intuition than Ruby assumed of him. "I know you don't like working here and you miss the way Windkeep Tower was before. Those dragons in the ice, they were the old king and queen, right?"
Rubywing sighed, feeling the weight of grief once more. "Elric wasn't a king, but Fenn was our queen. She was kind, and gentle, and wanted nothing more than to build a home where everyone was welcome. I fear Windkeep Tower is losing that. We already have lost that."
"I wish there was something we could do to make it better." Sapphire sighed. "I don't like it very much right now. I think I'd like it the way it was before."
"I think you would too." Ruby smiled sadly. "But unfortunately, that's a thing of the past."
"But what if we find a way to overthrow my parents! What if we could free Fenn and Elric!" Sapphire suggested, growing more excited.
"Keep your voice down! Dad will have my head if he hears be talking to you about this!" Ruby hissed. Then her wings drooped. "It's a nice thought, it really is, but it's more complex than that. Your parents hold a lot of power, and the two of us can't really do a lot about it, not on our own."
But she could tell Sapphire wasn't really listening. Ruby sighed. Here was yet another dragon she was trying to keep safe from the evil clutches of Quartz and Banella, but Sapphire was making it awfully hard. She didn't know if there was anything she'd be able to do if he poked his nose in too far.
@CleverDual @Alwaid @zzzhorses @Amezrou @ScrivenerRook @Kizzan @clarax @lilastar @tigressRising @Disillusionist @Aetherstorm @rainphee @RiaFire11 @Tirtouga678 @catmeow1 @ShinyDecidueye @AlchemyFox
Woot! Another long chapter! Sorry this didn't get written yesterday like I planned, I started a second job yesterday morning and after two shifts I was so exhausted I didn't have the energy to write! But here we are now!
By the way, if anyone wants either of the two coatl boys from the nest, I'm not planning on keeping them. They're on the AH for 15 gems, but I would be happy to give them away for free to you readers!
He may not be his parents' favorite kid, but he's certainly mine!
