Arianna

„Can you believe his audacity?” Maddie rants on and on, her big paw holding one of Arianna’s best bottle of wine. She’s clearly upset about the whole ordeal – and rightly so, packing their whole lives and moving to another flight on such short notice? Arianna usually keeps her opinions to herself, especially if they’re about the Royal Court, but this insanity she cannot left uncriticised.

“Even Shazra seems reluctant,” Arianna prompts and it’s all it takes for Maddie to start her rant anew, with even more vigour.

Arianna sips her own wine and ponders the future.

*

“Aren’t you excited about a new adventure?” Anri’s voice is deadpan and his expression tells it all. He’s putting up with their King’s sudden bout of craziness because he’s a good friend and a loyal subject. But the move annoys him, puts a wrench in his medical research. He’d much rather stay were they are now, serve Earthshaker and stick to his routine.

“Shadow Flight’s way more dangerous than Earth,” Arianna says, cautious not to overstep her boundaries while talking to someone from the Court. “I’m not excited about any kind of danger. But that’s why we have a doctor with us, I suppose.”

Anri rolls his eyes, but indulges himself in a glass of the finest, sourest wine Arianna has to offer.

*

Kanna and Breya are inseparable. Though they aren’t blood sisters, they do act like a pair. One cannot go far without the other and so it comes as no surprise, when the night before their departure, they visit Arianna’s nest and beg for some good wine to help them relax.

“Everything is in chaos,” Breya shares, her voice distraught. She’s one of the finest warriors the flock has and therefore, will be responsible for everyone’s safety along with Siergiej, Kanna and Dawnsky.

“We don’t even have a good plan,” she continues, then thinks better of her words and drowns them in wine.

“But there’s no need for a plan, after all,” Kanna says, bitter to the brim, “we can just go east until we cross the border with Shadow. Once we’re there, we’ll surely find a nice place to settle.”

“Wonderful,” Arianna mutters to her own glass.

*

There’s no more drinking when they’re on the road and Arianna tries not to feel like an addict. True, she likes to indulge in a glass or two every other night – or when she has good company and gossip opportunities, but she’s not an alcoholic. She can’t brew while they’re moving and setting camp every night exhaust her.

But the worst of it all? She’s in charge of keeping hatchlings safe and entertained.
She can do it all right – she’s a wine mom after all, she has parenting in her blood – but she’s furious about not being asked, just ordered. She finds solace in Maddie, who’s anger burns even brighter than hers and yet, is overshadowed by her desire to steal the throne for herself.

“Good riddance,” Arianna thinks, not entirely unkindly. “At least if she wins I’ll have more occasions to drink.”