I had fun writing this, but it got way longer than I thought it would...
(Just a quick note, in the story several dragons die, though I did my best to make it non-graphic.)
Username: Birdsofwax
Entry:
What would you do if your words meant nothing at all?
Serapis used to be unremarkable. Smaller and quieter than his siblings he was often missed, especially in the presence of the dragon they called Father.
His older sister was called upon for her beauty, grace, and cunning wit, and often asked to entertain guests, or to talk to those whose devotion had been shaken.
His younger brother was often asked to mediate disputes, negotiate with visiting dignitaries, or vigorously debate with the skeptics.
His father was always leading the fight against those who followed blindly after Shadetouched, presiding over the latest party, or buried in some obscure alchemagical manuscript.
And Serapis? He was told to go back to his books, leave the serious work to those who knew what they were doing.
So he would leave like he had been told to, words held tight behind his teeth and anger sparking under his scales. Each day it got harder to ignore the itching tightness that trailed after the anger, and each time the words got harder to stifle, until he felt like he was choking and it became too much. He stopped trying, and the words and anger joined together into a silent fire nobody could see, but burned all the same.
When something happened it took everyone by surprise.
What would you do if every word you spoke people couldn’t do anything but listen?
“Give it back!” Serapis snarled at his sister.
“I don’t have it, why would I want your stupid book?” Agesander laughed.
“It’s not stupid, and this is exacly why you’d want it,” Serapis growled. “So you could mock me.”
“Tch, so quick to jump to conclusions. Well, if you’re going to be in a foul mood I’m leaving.” With a toss of her antlers Agesander turned and started walking towards the door.
Serapis flared his wings, and as he did the anger inside him flared too. Teetering on the edge of
something he took a deep breath to calm himself, but as he watched Agesander turn and smirk over her shoulder at him it was too little too late. His anger flared again, and this time something shattered inside him. What felt like a tidal wave of flames washed through him, from his tail to his head, and as they settled on his tongue he gave a cry and collapsed to the floor, tremors running through his body.
“See, this is just like you. Something you don’t like happens, and you throw a tantrum on the floor. Get up Serapis, Father would be ashamed of you,” Agesander ordered.
Shivering, Serapis hauled himself to his feet. Raising his head he took several stuttering steps towards Agesander, then past the coal burning on his tongue hissed, “Give the book back.”
Agesander whirled and disappeared through the door.
Blinking after his sister Serapis shook his head, then stumbled over to the large mirror on the wall, near the table where he had been reading before Agesander had interrupted him. Opening his jaw he carefully inspected his tongue. Frowning he gently poked it with a claw, but it was the same it had always been, even though it felt like it should be blistered and damaged.
Sighing he turned and went back to his book. He had only read two lines when the wild scrabble of claws outside the door told him someone was coming.
With her usually impeccable mane in disarray and eyes wide, Agesander skidded to a stop in front of him, then thrust out her foreclaws, the missing book tightly gripped between them. “Here.”
Tipping his head sideways with a frown, Serapis took the offered book.
As soon as her claws released the book Agesander scrambled backwards, almost falling in her haste to get away. “What did you do to me?”
“Do to you?” Serapis echoed.
“Yes, do to me! I had a bet with Zagreus that you wouldn’t find the book, and I was not going to lose to him, which means you did something! So what did you do?”
Serapis shook his head. “I didn’t do anything.”
“I don’t believe you.” Agesander glared at him before she disappeared out the door again.
“Wait!” Serapis leapt over the low table and ran after her. Dodging around a pair of skydancers he saw Agesander’s tail disappear through a set of doors. With a growl he ran faster, then without bothering to knock burst through the same door.
With his claws skidding on the smooth stone Serapis came to an abrupt stop with all of the dragons in the room staring at him. Only caring about one of the dragon’s opinions, he tucked his wings tightly against his body, and mumbled an apology, his tongue finally feeling cool again.
“Son, is there a reason you arrived in such a,” Dismas paused, “hurried manner?”
“No, Father.” With his wings still tightly tucked against his body Serapis turned to leave.
“He did something,” Agesander said from where she was primly sitting next to their father.
“No, I didn’t,” Serapis protested
“Yes, you did. Tell Father the truth.”
“No, you tell the truth,” Serapis snapped as the fire flared again.
“I stole Serapis’s book, and when he ordered me to give it back I did.” Agesander froze as the words spilled out of her.
His eyes narrowed, Dismas looked from one child to the other, then addressed the rest of the room, “If you will excuse us, I appear to be needed elsewhere. Serapis, Agesander, come with me.”
What would you do if you could tell a story that could change a life?
“It was because of what happened when your egg was formed,” Dismas told Serapis from where he was standing in the middle of his chambers. “The alchemagic Hades and I used became momentarily unstable, and to compensate Hades added just a fraction more magic than was needed. I knew about the extra sliver of magic that was in you, never settling, but as you grew and nothing happened I dismissed the magic as a quirk of the egg’s creation. I’m sorry for not realizing it had the possibility to be something more.”
Blinking at his father, Serapis whispered, “I don't understand.”
Dismas sighed and ran a claw absently over another. “By chance you have magic that could make or destroy you. From what I’ve seen any order you give will be obeyed without question or hesitation. What you do with that is up to you. Now, I’d suggest you return to your rooms and rest, and ponder what you’ve learnt.”
Serapis nodded and plodded towards the door. Up until his father had mentioned it he hadn’t realized how tired he was.
“Son? I know you’d rather not attend, but don't forget about the celebration tonight,” Dismas called after Serapis.
“Yes, Father,” Serapis replied as he slipped out the door. Reaching his own rooms he curled up in his bed, intending to stay awake, but as soon as he settled sleep called, and he couldn’t resist.
What would you do if you could change a life forever with a single word?
Hours later he was woken by a knock at the door. Uncurling Serapis shook himself, feeling better than he had been, and opened the door to find his brother. “What do you want?”
Zagreus walked in, then gently poked Serapis. “Father told me what happened. Are you okay?”
Serapis walked back to his bed and curled up again. “I think so? It still doesn’t seem real.”
“Mm,” Zagreus hummed in agreement, then reached over and awkwardly patted Serapis on the shoulder. “If you need to talk I’m here.”
“Thanks,” Serapis said quietly.
“Don’t mention it. Hey, did you hear about Parhelion?”
“No.” Serapis tipped his head. “What happened?”
Zagreus snorted. “Izar asked her to the celebration, and she panicked and dumped hot wax all over him. It was chaos.”
Serapis rolled his eyes. “I wish she’d just ask Ferdiad to accompany her to something already.”
“Mm, but what can you do? She’s shy, and he’s oblivious.” Zagreus snorted and stood up. “I have to go get ready.”
Serapis sighed. “Me too. See you later?”
Zagreus nodded, then let himself out.
Staying curled up on his bed with a scroll until he couldn't avoid moving any longer, Serapis hauled himself out of bed again and checked his reflection in the mirror covering most of one wall. Running his claws through his mane several times he decided it wasn’t going to get any neater, then ignoring his reflection he pulled on the ornate silks and jewels that were only used for celebrations. Properly attired he reluctantly made his way towards the main hall, where the sounds of music could already be heard. Stopping in front of the massive closed doors he sighed. About to open them he was distracted by the scamper of small feet.
“But why, mom?” A young voice whined. “I want to see it now.”
Glancing over his shoulder Serapis covered a smile at the small guardian’s disgruntled look as his mother started ushering him back down the hall.
“You’ll get your turn dear, but right now you’d be underfoot,” the mother said soothingly.
The hatchling growled, then darted around his mother with his head down, and started running, only to crash right into Serapis.
Falling over the hatchling glanced up, then his eyes went wide and he let out a soft “eep,” before spinning around and running off again.
“Stop!” Serapis called after him, heat flickering over his tongue, but already less than it had been.
Instantly the hatchling froze.
Walking over to the hatchling Serapis ignored the warning growl from the mother and crouched down so he was level with the young guardian. “Did you sneak out?”
With wide eyes the hatchling slowly nodded.
Serapis laughed softly. “I was just like you when I was younger, always wanting to know everything right away, but because of that I missed out on so many things. Be patient. Your turn will come soon enough. Now, off you go.”
The hatchling shook himself, then darted back to his mother. Peering out from behind her leg he gave a tiny, wide-eyed nod, then ducked away. His mother offered a quick apology for disturbing Serapis, then herded her son down the hall, vanishing around the corner.
Smiling Serapis walked back to the doors, and this time he didn’t hesitate before opening them. Looking around the full room he spotted Parhelion talking with Zagreus. Absently he nodded greetings to the other dragons when they spoke to him until he had joined the other two imperials. Without waiting for them to say anything he interrupted, “Hello. Parhelion, ask Ferdiad for a dance.”
“What?” Parhelion blurted out, but her feet were already moving.
Watching her leave, Zagreus eyed Serapis. “Well, that’s one way to deal with it.”
Serapis replied happily, “I think it’s my duty to help others with my gift.”
Zagreus slowly nodded, and replied, “Perhaps. Just, be careful?”
Serapis nodded absently, already looking around the room to see who he could help next.
What would you do if you could change an opinion with only one order?
Looking up from the maps he was studying at a soft cough Serapis waved Parhelion in. “What is it?”
“The ambassador is starting another argument about the wording in the treaty,” Parhelion said apologetically.
Serapis sighed and stood up. “Thank you for letting me know.”
In the three months since his gift had manifested he had been busy almost every day. Fights were a thing of the past, because all he had to do was order the dragons involved to tell the truth, and it would come spilling out, often dragging secrets with it. As things inside his home became quieter, things outside got more demanding. Hearing of the gift ambassadors from clans nearby, and further away, had descended in hopes to secure alliances with them. His father had been busy too, dealing with things that he hadn’t explained to Serapis. All that he knew was Dismas was gone.
Grimacing as he remembered all the ambassador’s various demands, Serapis left his maps behind and went to find their latest guest. The strident voice of the ridgeback was easy to follow, and it didn’t take long to find the right room the ambassador had taken over. Stalking in through the door Serapis bellowed, “Silence!”
As ordered the room fell quiet.
“What is the problem?” Serapis demanded.
Immediately the room burst into noise again, but the ambassador was the loudest. “This is totally unacceptable!”
“What is?”
Another ambassador interrupted, “Everything! The name of our clan-”
“Don’t say another word!” Roared Serapis, frustrated with the bickering, but as he felt his tongue burn he realized what he had ordered.
The second ambassador, a guardian from somewhere in the south, fell silent. Opening his mouth he started to try to say something else, but nothing came out. Trying again didn’t produce any words, and this time Serapis could see the growing panic in his eyes.
“Say something!” Serapis ordered desperately.
The guardian opened his mouth, and Serapis could see his throat and tongue moving, but his words were silent.
Frozen in place Serapis watched as the guardian tried time after time to say something, or make a noise, but each desperate attempt failed like the others. Shaking, the guardian stumbled to his feet, then fled.
“Why did you do that?” Snarled the mirror who had been sitting next to the guardian.
“I didn’t mean to,” Serapis trailed off.
“How could you not mean that?” The mirror’s head fins were flared, and her teeth were bared.
“I didn’t, you have to believe me,” Serapis said desperately.
The mirror blinked, then relaxed. “Of course I believe you. It was an accident.”
Horror ran through Serapis when he realized he’d done it again. Backing up he said weakly, “If you’ll excuse me.” Turning he fled the room.
Zagreus found him curled up in his bed later in the afternoon. Sitting down next to Serapis he huffed, “You need to deal with the ambassadors. They won’t listen to anyone, and they’re angry enough to boil lava, and they won’t tell anyone why.”
Serapis didn’t bother moving as he asked his brother, “Can’t Agesander deal with them? They’re mad at me.”
There was a beat of silence, and then Zagreus said softly, “You don’t know? Agesander left.”
“Left? What for? When is she coming back?”
“She’s not,” Zagreus said. “She said she needed to find her own way, and a place where she could make a difference.”
Shocked, Serapis whipped his head around and stared at his brother. Seeing he was telling the truth, Serapis slumped. “It’s up to me then?”
Zagreus nodded.
Hauling himself out of his safe cocoon of blankets Serapis squared his shoulders. “Okay. I can do this.”
What would you do if you could end a life with a simple sentence?
Serapis hissed as he dodged an open clawed strike aimed at his leg, and took a moment to try to figure out how things had turned into this. He had tried over several days to calm the incensed ambassadors, but the more he tried the angrier they had gotten. He had seen the looks in their eyes, and recognized it for the fear it was.
Things had come to a head when the mate of the guardian he had silenced attacked him. She hadn’t injured him, but by the time it was over the room and everything in it was destroyed, mostly from the guards he had ordered to protect him, and nobody would talk to him. The next day everyone had left.
The day after that they had returned, and after asking to meet Serapis and several of Dismas’s people demanded Serapis be permanently silenced, or they would do it.
His father’s people said no.
The ambassador’s mate smiled, and attacked.
Within seconds the field where the two groups had met turned into the battlefield Serapis was currently in the middle of. A blow to his back that didn’t land hard enough to damage reminded him he wasn’t safe in his library. Dodging again he shrieked as yet another dragon threw themselves at him.
Frantically he tried to find help, but there hadn’t been many of his father’s people accompanying him. The ambassadors had said they came in peace, but as he saw one of his companions fall and land unmoving on the ground he knew now it had been a lie.
Opening his wings he tried to take off. Grasping claws missed his hide, but grabbed hold of the ornamental silks wrapping his body and yanked him back to the ground. Landing hard his enemies threw themselves on top of him, leaving him helpless to move.
Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and screeched, “Get off me! Try and kill someone else!”
Instantly the dragons piled on top of him threw themselves off and at each other, and it wasn’t long before the grass was no longer green.
Cowering under his wings Serapis waited until nothing could be heard, then peered out. Swallowing hard he took in what had become of the fight, the perfect stillness all around him. “I did this. This is my fault.”
Turning, he ran.
Ignoring the stinging scratches along his side, and the ruined silks falling off his body he fled, taking flight once he could no longer see what he had done.
What would you do if your words had left ruin in their wake?
Serapis tried to blend in in the towns he stumbled across, but something always betrayed him. A careless order, someone seeing too much, a nightmare that he woke from screaming. Every time, just as he was starting to hope he had found something new it was snatched away.
With his head down he plodded into the latest town he had found. A whirl of activity engulfed him as he entered the marketplace, but he ignored it as he made his way to the fountain at the far end. After drinking his fill he slumped down in the shade of a nearby awning, and curled into a ball.
“Are you okay?”
At the soft, lightly accented voice Serapis uncurled enough to look, and his mind went blank as he saw it belonged to the most beautiful dragon he had ever seen. He was on the smaller side for an imperial dragon, but the beautiful soft green and cream of his scales that glowed like freshly polished peridot and alabaster made his size graceful instead of lacking. Even the frown being aimed in Serapis’s direction didn’t detract from his beauty.
Tapping his claws the green imperial tipped his head, and asked, “Well?”
“I’m sorry, did you ask me something?” Serapis asked, still staring at the vision in front of him.
The other imperial rolled his eyes. “I asked if you’re okay. I saw you just now, and you seemed upset.”
“I’m fine.” Serapis pulled himself up and started walking away. Any town that held an angel like that didn’t deserve him.
“Where are you going?” The green imperial followed him, snatching up a travel bag that had been leaning against the fountain, the white dove that had been sitting on it fluttering up to land on his head.
“Away,” Serapis told him.
“Why?”
“Do you always ask so many questions?” Serapis asked wearily.
“Yes, I do,” the green imperial said brightly after a pause. “It’s my job, you see.”
Serapis looked over his shoulder, and asked, “Your job?”
The green imperial nodded. “Yes, I’m a chronicler. I go from town to town, and write down their stories.”
“That’s nice,” Serapis said politely, and started walking faster.
“I’m Ruriske. What’s your name?”
“It’s not important.”
“I still want to know.”
Serapis sighed, and looked at Ruriske again. “My name is Serapis.”
What would you do if you couldn’t bring yourself to say another word?
Ruriske followed Serapis out of that town, and into the next one, and the next one after that. Each question he asked was harder to answer than the one before, until Serapis spent most of his day in silence.
His already fractured sleep grew worse as he worried about revealing something he didn’t want to, but still he couldn’t bring himself to order Ruriske away. The green imperial had a joyful way of looking at the world that you couldn’t help but fall in love with, and each day he meant more and more to Serapis.
Fighting what he was feeling left Serapis exhausted at the end of each day, especially when they came across new towns and new people. It was in that state of exhaustion the two imperials reached a fresh water spring nestled in a circle of towering rock pillars surrounded by sandy, arid ground in all directions. Normally the crowd of dragons gathered around the water source would’ve driven Serapis away, but he had been following behind Ruriske without paying attention, and found himself among them before he knew they were there.
A ridgeback stumbled into his side, then darted off after a quick apology. Flinching, Serapis tucked his wings closer to his body. Someone stepped on his tail, and he was back in the nightmare that never left. Whimpering, he pressed himself against one of the stone pillars. Concerned dragons moved closer, including Ruriske, but Serapis didn’t see them.
Reaching claws jolted Serapis away from his waking nightmare. Pulling back he screamed, “No! Leave me alone!”
Tumbling over each other the dragons fled, leaving a single figure unmoving in their midst.
What would you do if your words meant nothing at all?
Breathing heavily, Serapis blinked in shock. Nobody had ever ignored his order since he received his curse.
“Are you okay?” Ruriske asked softly.
“Why haven’t you left?” Serapis replied.
“Why would I leave?” Ruriske tipped his head to the side with a frown. “I care about you too much to leave when you need me.”
“But, it’s impossible. My magic compels others to obey my orders,” Serapis explained numbly.
Ruriske smiled, and carefully curled up next to Serapis. “Spoken orders won’t work on me. I can’t hear you. I can’t hear anything”
Serapis looked at Ruriske, his jaw dropped open. “You’re deaf?”
Ruriske nodded. “Since I was hatched.”
“I didn't know,” Serapis whispered.
Ruriske shrugged. “Not many people notice. I get along just fine, and if I miss something my dove has an enchantment on her that lets her know what was said, and she tells me.”
Serapis shifted so he was wrapped around Ruriske, then looking into the green imperial’s eyes as fire burned on his tongue ordered, “Get up and do a dance.”
“No.” Ruriske grimaced. “I don’t dance.”
“Sing for me.”
Ruriske shook his head.
“Tell me a secret.”
“No.”
Serapis buried his face in Ruriske’s mane, and as the tears started to fall he whispered, “Love me.”
“That, my heart, I can do.”
And I also came up with an outfit for fun:
