Myst

Myst was once a princess of a prominent Ice clan. She loved her followers, and they loved her dearly. She was always kind and helpful, and treated her servants and followers as equals. This disturbed her father and brother. Her mother was delighted to see her daughter growing in such a way. But suddenly, one day her mother disappeared, and nobody would tell her why. Her followers didn't know. Her servants didn't know. The only response she got from her brother and father were that "she had to leave."

She had an ominous feeling in her gut. She knew that she had to find her mother. Fear rose inside her that her father had done something to her, or sent her away. After more time of no answers, she started to dispair. Myst stayed in her room for many days. Sometimes she would step out onto her marble balcony to overlook her kingdom and the glistening sea beyond it. But it just kept eating away at her.

After some time, her father came to her. He started talking to her about what their kingdom needed from their princess. He spoke harshly, and of how their subjects didn't need a friend, but rather a strong claw to keep them in line. The king told her about how their servants were plotting to overthrow them all, and that they must all be executed, put out on display. He went on to say that's what had happened to her mother, that her own headservant betrayed her and killed her in her sleep. Panic consumed Myst. She couldn't believe it. It was all lies. All of it.

Myst started to back away from her father, not trusting him. He insisted that she take her first actions before nightfall, else they would take their first strike against her soon. Turning to leave, he beckoned in one of his own servants. They set down a tray for the princess with a fresh pot of tea. The king told her to consider what he had said carefully before leaving, his servant right behind him. She stared at the doorway after him. Shaking, she poured herself some tea before retiring back onto her balcony. Unable to believe what he had said, she tried to push it out of her mind. Her mother was well-loved by all. The servants were all kind to her, and she had no reason not to trust her father. With a foggy head, she decided to think on it for a little while. However, she had not realized that it was no simple tea her father had given her.

Myst awoke as violent shaking cut through her troubled dreams. Unable to open her eyes fully, she grew aware that someone had bound her wings and her legs. Feeling a muzzle clamping down over her snout to keep her mouth shut, she managed to open eyes the rest of the way in a panic. A figure with a hood pulled a hood over her head so she couldnt see anything, and she felt the rest of her body being wrapped in cloth. Unable to fight it, and still drugged from the tea, she passed out.

She awoke again as she felt the wind in her feathers. Screaming split through the air. "Let her go! You have no right to do this!" Some dragon had started to take the cloth off of her body. Standing, she shook the rest of it off, as well as the bag from her head. She saw her one of her maidservants trying to fight off the dragon in the hood. They were much bigger than she, but the desperation in her eyes and her voice displayed her determination. Her servant managed to pull back the hood on the assailant. Myst's blood ran cold as she saw her father's face appear. Tears ran down her cheeks, not just in fear, but in anger at his betrayal. Her servant tried to fight him, slashing her claws in his face. He bellowed that he had to protect his kingdom, no matter what the cost. He said that he couldn't let such a weak dragon be in line to inherit what he had worked so hard to build. Captivated in the display, Myst barely noticed that her headservant, Lumen, was undoing her bonds. She just stood there, stunned.

The maidservant saw that Myst was fully free, and screamed at her to run to safety, to escape the kingdom. Lumen started to pull her away. Still half dazed from the tea and her fear, she was led away, hearing the battle still raging on behind her. After several days of running, they heard news that the king was dead. He died from falling off the edge of a cliff. He was a strong flyer, but when he went over he was still battling her maidservant, who had been holding his wings shut. They both perished. Myst was so griefstricken, that for many days she did not eat, despite Lumen's gentle urges. But over time, she grew stronger. More news came, saying that the princess could not be found, so her brother took over their kingdom unrivaled. Myst was fine with this. There was no way that she could look at her kingdom now. Not after all she had been through.

Viodia had heard about what had happened. By pure chance while she was at market to talk with a friend, she saw Myst and Lumen walking by. She saw that they matched the descriptions of the "traitorous" princess and her helper. She pulled them to the side and asked for their story. After hearing it, she offered them safety within her clan. Her own past wasn't the most beautiful, and she respected Lumen and Myst's bravery. Vowing not to say anything to the others, she said they could find sanctuary with them. Both gratefully accepted, and now live with the rest of the clan, helping however they can. Myst has found skill in fabric weaving, and rather enjoys it. She sells some of her goods, and lets the other clanmates make clothing with the rest. Happy to be useful, Myst is fully comfortable with her new clanmates. However, her mind often wanders back to her homeland, wondering if she will ever go back to see those she left behind.