Riklys

Blademother, Riklys

The former Blademother has seen three monarchies come and go in the clan, beginning with Kalmedes' kind, but corrupt reign. She served as a household guard after being taken in as a hatchling by Gylu's sweet wife. Riklys took her job of protecting the royal family seriously and was soon rewarded with mating rights for her years of service. Riklys bonded with another ridgeback from a friendly clan in the Windswept Plateau and mothered many clutches. Most of the hatchlings were sold off, bringing more wealth to the clan. Riklys was permitted to keep two of her daughters, however, and she raised them to be as cunning and ferocious as herself.

Riklys rose among the ranks as Kalmedes' reign came to an abrupt halt. Gylu felt she needed trustworthy guards about her and her family as the infighting among the royals worsened. Riklys and her daughters were the most trustworthy to her - Gylu had saved Riklys' life, the ridgeback had served dutifully for many years, and had no ties or relations to any imperials, who Gylu developed a mistrust and dislike for after Arx's arrival.

Unfortunately for loyal Riklys, she had chosen the wrong side to fight for. Arx and her imperials rose in power far too quickly to be stopped while Kalmedes turned a blind eye to his favorite daughter, even if she was only adopted. In one swift move, Arx and her people overthrew her father and tore apart the royal family, claiming the monarchy was corrupt anyways and needed her prowess to be saved. The ambitious young imperial was half right - it was corrupt, with Kalmedes aging and his mind going, but it was not Arx who could save it.

Arx, ever unpredictable, lauded Riklys for her valiant efforts to defend Kalmedes and his brood. She commended her for fighting so bravely and remaining so loyal. "I need dragons like you about me," Arx whispered in her ear ever so kindly, but nothing the shadowy imperial said could be trusted.

Riklys herself was spared. Arx exiled both of the ridgeback's daughters. It was no kind exile, either, but a sentence to certain death out in the wilderness. Riklys would never see her daughters again, and in her heart, she knew her daughters had perished in the wilderness or been hunted down by Arx's dogs and murdered. But Riklys had no choice but to live in Arx's new world and serve as her guardian, for Arx threatened to find and murder her remaining children who had been sold to new clans. The ridgeback had no choice but to defend, with her own life, the terrible new queen. At least, Riklys reminded herself, her king Kalmedes and his kind wife, Gylu, had been spared, so her efforts were not completely wasted.

Under Arx, the clan prospered, but for only so long. Old dragons were exiled or sold or simply executed. Riklys watched as her old friends, one by one, were replaced by countless new imperials. Arx seemed to be... collecting. Imperials, imperials, imperials. All shining and shimmering with gems embedded into their skin. They were all one color - they were perfection embodied. Riklys thought the gems to be rather disturbing. But her opinions and voice did not matter. In fact, the imperials did not even spare her a glance, but rather walked past as if she was just a statue.

Gold, food, and resources flowed into Arx's new queendom. The territory expanded. Eggs were hatched and laid. Riklys stood guard outside Arx's chambers, always vigilant, always protecting the one dragon in the realm she hated most. But she served, and served, and served... until Arx dismissed her. Riklys had not anticipated her dismissal, but later, when she reflected, she saw the signs clearly. Arx was being driven mad by her own people. She seldom left her chambers. She had appointed her favorite gembonded imperial, a shining golden male by the name of Heimdall, as her Hand. He governed Arx's kingdom now while the queen cowered in her chambers, surrounded by gold and bones, too afraid of assassination attempts to leave. There had been countless attempts. Riklys herself had deflected a few - a glass of poisoned wine she caught a whiff of, a tiny fae assassin armored with poisoned blades, etc. Arx's fears were heightened by her council constantly whispering in her ear of treacheries and betrayals. She ordered executions of dragons and beastclans alike who spoke of her too comfortably. She doubled her guards, then dismissed them, for fear they were assassins. When Riklys' watch ended, only two guards remained - Sithis and Boethiah, two imperials with scales as dark as Arx's, and seasoned fighters. But they too would betray their queen.

History repeated itself. Like Kalmedes was betrayed by dragons he welcomed into his home, and fed and protected, Arx was overthrown in the same fashion. Her demise was orchestrated by none other than her most trusted companion - Heimdall, the imperial she entrusted her whole kingdom to. The guards she trusted most were the ones to rip her from her chambers and bring her to trial, where she was exiled far away to the Southern Icefields, to be under constant watch so she could not plan a return to power.

Riklys was once again spared, but she was not returned to her former post as a guard. Heimdall was the cleverest dragon to have sat the cursed throne of their land and he did not intend to lose it. He surrounded himself with his most trusted advisers. He found a balance Kalmedes and Arx both failed to secure. Kalmedes was too kind, too generous, too loved and idolized by his people. Arx was hated and feared and hoarded the clan's wealth to herself. Heimdall knew better. He could rule and bring true prosperity to the clan.

Nearly all of the courtly, high-ranking positions were filled by Heimdall's people, the shining, gembonded imperials who loved him so dearly. There was no place at court for Riklys anymore, not even as the lowliest dungeon guard. Instead, Heimdall gave her a special task, his golden eyes gleaming.

"Go and return Kalmedes and Gylu from their exile. They may have an estate in the clan. A home again, where they will be cared for. Guarded. Safe. You will guard them. You have served loyally, dear Riklys, and you deserve a post that will be kinder to you." Heimdall ordered, his voice commanding but smooth as the silks he draped over his wings. Riklys could see why the realm adored him so.

Riklys did as commanded, as she always had. She sought out the kind dragons who had been almost like parents to her. They were not the same, however.

Kalmedes no longer had light in his eyes. His skin and scales sagged and his mind had gone. He was not the kind emperor he once was, but instead a hollow shell, drifting through his days. Gylu had changed as well. Her soft, sweet eyes now were alight with fire, with revenge, with hatred. Her beloved children were gone - exiled, dead, she did not know. But she craved revenge. Riklys tried to console her, but there was nothing to be done. Her once warm heart had turned to stone.

Kalmedes died soon after returning to the clan. His Charge, his clan, was no longer his, and though it made him smile to see it so prosperous, he was already gone. Gylu did not shed a tear when her husband passed. It only fueled her desire for vengeance. Riklys could only pledge her life and service to Gylu, as repayment for the many kindnesses showed to her when she was young.