Time had passed by quickly. Being a year older did not bring about any big changes but being an acolyte did. Speaker Julian must have been going easy on me before because now I was doing so much more work. There was a paper due nearly every day, tests every week, and occasionally we would travel around the Western continent to learn about the workings of the other fortress and the two Keeps. At first, I was both eager and afraid of perhaps running into my parents, but we didn’t stop in the smaller towns. When we did finally reach Dragonspire Keep, I wanted to tell Speaker Julian about my parents who lived in Galna, one of the towns bordering the Keep but something stopped me. It might be better to just leave the past behind, they would not recognize me anyways.

On another one of these trips, Hyun somehow ended up coming with us to Bellasea Fortress where he is now remaining temporarily for “a specific purpose” given to him by Ralph. Godrick was not pleased when he learned of this, but he couldn’t go against the Chief’s orders. The growing bond between Lady Denali and Hyun had effectively been blocked and while people did not voice it aloud, many knew that Ralph had done this purposefully to sway the upcoming Enthronement and Priyana’s mating flight in his favor.

It had already been eight months since Priyana’s hatching, and she was the talk of not just our fortress but the others as well. No doubt when the Speakers had come to test me, they had relayed information regarding the new Queen, especially regarding her size, to their leaders. Priyana had surpassed Iva’s Queen, Pavoth’s, size and was about fifty-five feet long now and she still wasn’t finished growing. Most dragons reached full maturity within a year, but some continued to grow a bit more even after. Regardless of if Priyana continued to grow or not after twelve months, the Enthronement would take place on exactly the twelfth month.

Ralph had begun to spend more time with Lady Denali and while at first, she seemed displeased with this, the two began to appear everywhere together in an almost intimate fashion. Sibilla and Godrick both disapproved of the blatant form of manipulation Ralph was committing in his attempt to remain Chief but neither could do anything about it. It was Ralph’s duty, alongside Sibilla, to instruct Lady Denali about leadership, politics, history, and the duties of a Queen rider regardless of if she became Chieftess or not. Sibilla had insisted she take over the academic portion of training, so Ralph took over Hyun’s former position in instructing Lady Denali and Priyana on how to fly, breathe fire, and battle tactics.

Iva and Pavoth, who usually kept out of sight, had begun to appear more and more in the fields doing what I can only assume was a training regimen. Sibilla and Shegil remained relatively unconcerned, and it was very clear to me that they did not intend to win this Enthronement. It wasn’t just the Queens and their riders who had begun to feel the stress and pressure of the upcoming event either, everyone in the fortress was affected. Formal invitations were delivered by the Specialists to all the fortresses and Keeps as custom dictated and servants were instructed to prepare the guest chambers in anticipation of arrivals over the course of the four months.

I had offered to help, but Ashari refused. “You ain’t one of us anymore, girl,” she had said, gesturing at my acolyte robes. I knew she didn’t mean it in a bad way, but the rejection still stung.

Normally, if I couldn’t help others, I would spend my free time in the library, but I had grown sick of it since my increased workload with Speaker Julian. Instead, I now headed to the fields to look for Godrick. In taking care of Priyana and learning more about dragons, my fear of them had all but disappeared. I was more eager to interact with any that I came across though, if they were with their rider, I was completely respectful and careful to not interact directly with the dragon. To intrude on the Bond between a dragon and their rider was something that Speaker Julian told me I had to learn to avoid.

As I walked through the fields, I came across a small group of people, riders most likely from their leather attire. They were sitting down and sharing a meal together quite loudly. Curious, I drifted closer to listen in on what they were talking about.

“I saw you! I saw you!” one, a female, cried out while pointing at a male who was shaking his head adamantly.

“No! That was Sirius and Dorser!” he responded.

One of the other males, a young dark-haired one, probably Sirius, perked up and shot the male a glare.

“Oh, right. Blame it on those two oddballs Herbert,” the female said gleefully.

“I’m serious Laura! Besides, didn’t you and Lamryl get scolded by flight leader Banth?” Herbert shot back.

The gleeful grin immediately disappeared, and she sighed despondently. “It’s not Lamryl’s fault, it’s mine. I just want to do something more than learn stupid drills every day.”

The rest of the group exchanged glances and that’s when they took notice of me. Instantly whispers broke out amongst the group as they stared at me, almost in awe. I made to quicken my pace, but it was too late.

“Hey, wait, I remember you! You’re that, what do they call it? Acolyte? Speaker?” the young woman, Laura, called out to me.

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face the woman, I had no choice now but to interact. “Yes,” I dutifully replied while bowing. I paused mid-bow though, realizing that I no longer had to do this technically. Habits were hard to break, however. I straightened up quickly, ignoring the rising flush and their various expressions ranging from curiosity to excitement to amusement.

“You’re really young,” she said surprised as she got a closer look at me. “You can’t be older than sixteen.”

I opened my mouth to respond that yes, she was right, I was definitely not sixteen or close to it, but Sirius interrupted me.

“I think it’s cool you can talk to any dragon,” he said quietly, looking at me with wonder.

“That’s right! Can you show us? Can you call one of our dragons over?” Laura asked, her blue eyes shining so bright that I found it hard to reject her.

While I didn’t like the idea of being treated as some sort of entertainer, I figured it wouldn’t hurt just this once. “Sure, whose drag–” I began.

“Mine!” she interrupted, her hand jerking up.

“No, mine!” Herbert said quickly, raising his own hand.

The rest of the group started speaking quickly over each other, raising their hands and looking at me expectantly. I began to panic inwardly, how was I supposed to pick now?!

“Just one dragon please. I just need the name and location,” I said, trying to be heard over the bickering group.

They paused briefly and Laura was the first to recover saying with little hesitation, “Lamryl, in the forests bordering the fields.”

“Lamryl. Forests. Got it.” I closed my eyes, drifting away. While their voices faded out, the telepathic voices of the dragons faded in, swarming around me and trying to push themselves into my head but I focused on Lamryl’s mind using it as a shield against the others.

Lamryl, will you please come here? I asked gently.

Who are you? Lamryl inquired, surprise tinging the softness of the young dragon’s voice. I could almost see her standing in the forests, head cocked slightly to the side with one foreleg raised as if poised to run at any moment.

My name is Raiya and I’m with Laura, your rider.

A brief pause before she asked, Laura wants me? But she did not call for me.

The young dragon did not wait for me to answer however, already moving towards us.

Yes, she’s fine! She just wanted me to prove that I can talk to you I said quickly, worried that she might now think something had happened to her rider.

Lamryl did not respond however and I, when making sure she was still moving to our spot, returned opening my eyes.

Laura had a far-away look in her eyes. It was obvious that she was conversing with her dragon, and I realized that it was stupid of me to think that Lamryl wouldn’t have immediately checked with Laura to ensure her safety and my words. She would obviously have known if anything had happened to her Bonded.

Not even a few seconds later, I could hear Lamryl’s approach even if it wasn’t as loud as the thunder-sounding whoosh of the larger dragons’ wings. I turned and squinted to see her rapidly approaching figure. Laura had already gotten up and was running to meet her dragon. I was amazed at her bravery as I for one would not charge towards the middle of the unofficial feeding grounds for the dragons.

Despite being one of the newly hatched dragons, Lamryl descended and landed rather elegantly in front of Laura’s running form. She already seemed to have good control over her motor skills which made me curious as to what sort of class she was. Laura appeared to hug her head before the two made their way over. Everyone else had returned to their food, not really paying attention but I was always in awe of witnessing the Bond between a dragon and their rider. I couldn’t help but feel envious and disgruntled at my luck at being born to an inferior class, even if I did have a rare talent. Yeah, I could talk to any dragon, but now that I learned and witnessed more and more of these creatures, I began to realize that I would rather have a Bond with one. I wanted to be a rider, to share my soul with a unique being, to always have a friend and ally. I wanted to feel and be special like that too.

Laura reached us, out of breath, but with a silly grin plastered across her face. “Wow!” she exclaimed. “You’re so awesome!”

“Hey Lamryl,” Herbert greeted. “Was Olbin with you?”

She merely gazed at him calmly and while she did that, I took the time to study her to figure out her class. She was small, probably about thirty feet long at this point. Her scales were the color of fine jade, and she possessed an elegant, long body with a thin neck and tail. The fan-like appendage on her tail seemed smaller than most other dragons. Her fore and back legs were thin, and I began to think that she could not be a WarFury because her body did not seem strong enough for battle. Her wings were wide-set and, when looking at her face, my eyes were immediately drawn to her rather large mouth and bony knobs surrounding her giant nostrils. I couldn’t imagine trying to hug her head, especially when I realized there were also bone-like spikes sprouting from the back of her head and tail. However, what was really important was the symbol between the pine-green multifaceted eyes. To my surprise, she displayed the typical marking of a WarFury.

No doubt picking up my thoughts, Lamryl swung her head to gaze at me in turn. She snorted, seemingly just as unimpressed of my stature as I was of hers.

Laura laughed, no doubt being told about what I thought of her dragon. “Lamryl may look weak, but she is quite strong,” she informed me.

“I’m sorry,” I replied automatically. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but most War dragons were built, well, bigger and tougher. But I didn’t say this to her face and hid it from Lamryl too.

She eyed me carefully for a moment before asking, “Have you ever ridden a dragon before Raiya?”

Her fellow riders choked on their morsels of food whereas I choked on my own saliva. She seemed unfazed at the coughing that now surrounded her.

“Geria’s hellfire Laura! Are you trying to get exiled or something?!” Herbert gasped out, pounding his chest.

She casually reached up and tightened the ponytail that kept her silvery-blonde hair out of her face, shooting him a look that clearly said, ‘I’m not doing anything wrong.’

“No, no I…I’m not…I can’t…?” I stumbled over my words, trying to control my own coughing and trying to figure out why she would ask me such a question. Even Sibilla and Godrick had never allowed me to ride their dragons with them. While there was no law forbidding it from happening at Dragonspire Fortress, it was extremely rude to ride another’s dragon. You just didn’t.

Seeing my discomfort, she seemed to soften somewhat. “Sorry, of course things must be different here,” she said sheepishly. “Where I come from, we normally don’t have a problem with it. In fact, there is this sort of training program that allows tributes to learn how to be a rider by mentoring under one.”

My mouth dropped open. What?

Herbert nodded his head in agreement. “She’s right. Of course, it’s nothing like being an actual rider and the dragons don’t speak to us, but we do learn how to fly by being on them with their rider.”

I looked between the two. Fair skin, light hair, and blue eyes. Laura was taller than average, and I had no doubt that Herbert would be too now despite his stocky build. Of course, how could I have missed it! They were from the Northern continent! But I never read about this training program in any of the text related to that place. I’d have to remember to ask Speaker Julian about it later.

I opened my mouth to say something intelligent that I had learned from my readings but what escaped was, “What’s it like to have snow?”

They both looked at each other and shared a laugh.

“What?” I asked, feeling foolish and self-conscious, but I had only ever read about snow, and it seemed like such a magical thing to experience. I couldn’t help but wonder!

“We get asked that a lot over here, so we just find it funny whenever we hear the question now. What’s it like? Very cold. Pain to remove if it blocks major areas,” Herbert said.

“Not really a pain, just dragons are too lazy to help out,” Laura corrected him.

“Specialists are made for certain things you know,” Sirius piped up. He opened his mouth to speak some more but was interrupted by the two.

“Here he goes,” Herbert sighed.

“Now you’ve done it,” Laura groaned.

Sirius shot them a dirty look, closing his mouth quickly.

“By the way, are you going to…?” Herbert began to ask Laura, glancing at me quickly as he trailed off.

“So…since Lamryl is here,” she began, winking at him quickly before facing me. “Did you want to try…riding a dragon? It won’t be extremely high up,” she quickly said upon seeing my blanching face. “It won’t be long either, just maybe up and then back down? Surely you must be curious?”

I hesitated. I knew that even if it was okay with Northern customs, the Western ones were different. If I was caught, we could both be in big trouble if I didn’t die from my lack of understanding on how to ride a giant dragon. But still…I was filled with childish wonder and curiosity.

“Maybe just to sit on the back of her?” I finally said. I wasn’t ready to fly now if ever, but to sit on the back of a dragon just once would be an unforgettable experience. She quickly agreed and told Herbert to come help me. Sirius and the others remained seated, not wanting to be involved.

Lamryl dropped down and Laura climbed up first. I marveled at the ease of the young woman’s movement and how simple she made the process look. When she was properly seated, she motioned for me to join her.

“So, some safety tips,” Herbert began as he led me to the side of Lamryl. He was speaking but I couldn’t focus. Being this close to a dragon had set my senses alight with both wonder and fear. While Lamryl was not the largest of her kind, she was still incredibly big when I stood right next to her and oozed strength and power. I was supposed to climb up onto the back of such a creature? Alone?

“I think I’m too small,” I said, cutting him off. I began to back away, but he placed firm hands on my shoulders, keeping me in place.

“If you think about it, we’re all small when compared to a dragon. You’ll be okay.”

His words didn’t comfort me too much, but it seemed like they would not let me back out so easily. I forcefully clamped down on the fear and butterflies in my stomach and, with shaking hands, reached out towards Laura’s extended hand. But just as I was about to grasp it and climb up, a deep roar blasted through the fields sending Lamryl into a defensive posture. Laura frantically grabbed onto whatever she could to maintain her position and I had all but thrown myself backwards in fear of being attacked. Herbert too had backed away quickly and, when looking at his face, appeared quite pale as he stared off to the side. I looked to see what had happened and saw Nythointan descending rapidly. I had no doubt that he was the one who had bellowed out that angry roar just now. I also had no doubt that Godrick was on his back.

What’s wrong! I cried out to Nythointan and was met with anger as he rebuffed my attempts to talk with him in favor of engaging with Lamryl instead. The thud of his hasty rough landing stirred up the grass and dirt, but he didn’t care as he rapidly approached our party.

Laura had slid off Lamryl and moved to stand in front of her dragon protectively. Lamryl had remained crouched in her defensive posture and was staring directly at Nythointan. They were communicating still it seemed. Godrick upon arriving, slid off of Nythointan and charged toward us. I could see him now, as he drew closer, shaking with anger.

“Sir…” Laura began.

“Quiet novice!” he snapped, interrupting her. He came before me, grabbing me by the shoulders. “And you! Have you gone mad Raiya?!” He firmly shook me in time with his words. I struggled to free myself from his grasp, because it hurt, but he would not let me go. “About to ride a dragon as if it was a horse! As if it was something so simple and not incredibly dangerous requiring proper training!”

“I wasn’t!” I cried out and while yes, lying was bad I would say anything to make him stop. I was beginning to get scared for the safety of my neck as my head snapped backwards and forwards from the force he was exerting.

“That is not what Nythointan told me! Lamryl told him everything,” he said. “You would lie to me now?”

“Sir, please,” Herbert said, coming to my side and putting a hand on the older man’s forearm. “She hadn’t even got on. We weren’t going to make her fly or anything honestly, just to have a seat on the back of one.”

He roughly let me go and I fell on my butt from the force. My head, neck, and shoulders ached quite a bit and I had to pause to gain my bearings.

“You lot,” Godrick said, shrugging off Herbert’s grip and pointing to not just Herbert and Laura but also the other people who had gotten up at Godrick’s arrival. “You better pray to Geria that I may yet still let you attend the Enthronement. In the meantime, you will learn the rules of this fortress alongside discipline, honor, and respect by an increase in studies and chores.”

“Please–­” I began.

“Enough Raiya! I do not care to hear more,” he interrupted. His tone definitely booked no room for argument, and I dared not challenge the storm in his eyes. “Leave the fields immediately. I will need to talk with both Chieftess Sibilla and Speaker Julian about this conduct of yours.”

Oh no. I frantically glanced at Nythointan for help, but his golden translucent faceted eyes held no sympathy for me.

You brought this upon yourself, child he merely said to me. He made sure to convey the full force of both his and Godrick’s disappointment in me as well. I glanced apologetically at the party. Laura gave me a small smile while Herbert simply gave me a wave good-bye. I could feel the stares of the others as I trudged back to the fortress. I couldn’t help but feel foolish and upset at what just happened. On one hand, I had known better, and I was training to become a Speaker too. My actions would one day not just be a reflection on me but the fortress as well. On the other, my curiosity had always been an insatiable thing but now others would be punished for it. How could I fix this?

*~*

I had been lectured by both Sibilla and Speaker Julian on my behavior and was warned to not be careless like that again. I took care to be on my best behavior over these next few weeks. When I did brave going onto the fields again, I caught glimpses of Laura, Herbert, and the rest of the group mending leathers or cleaning out the barracks. Very rarely were they allowed to participate in the training regimen now. I tried at first to catch at least Laura alone to apologize, but it was difficult under Godrick’s watchful eyes, so I gave up. I figured a time would arrive that would be good for both of us, most likely when Godrick had eased up.

As the Enthronement drew near, the activity in the fortress had all but risen to a frenzy. Many of the Speakers who had come for my test had arrived again to stand in for their leaders. A few of the actual foreign Chiefs and Chieftesses had arrived, but I had yet to meet them, only catching glimpses of them when they chose to dine in the dinner hall. A month before the Enthronement, I noticed strange structures beginning to appear around the fields. There were covered seated stands, giant boulders made of different materials, a large platform with some more seats, and many other structures. I had not been around for the last Enthronement so I didn’t know anything about what would happen. Sibilla and Speaker Julian had not mentioned the Enthronement to me in any of my studies either, so I decided to do some reading on my own.

After Speaker Julian dismissed me from my lessons one day, I remained in the library and went in search of some books. Browsing through the aisle dedicated to dragons, I came across several titles. A History of Dragons, The Beginnings of a Fortress, A Queen’s Biology, Determination & Succession: Enthroning a Queen…

Ah!

Exactly what I wanted. I eagerly pulled the rather small book out of its spot and scurried over to a secluded corner. Prying open the musty book, I began to read the barely legible scrawl. I read quickly, browsing over the information in the beginning until I came across a certain passage.

In the event of multiple Queens within a fortress, the determination of a leading Queen is paramount for the continued smooth operation of the fortress. As such, a series of tests have been created to judge the worthiness of a Queen. The Queen who wins most of the tests at the end of the Enthronement is crowned. For Dragonspire Fortress, the specific tests created and used are the Pyroblast (5), the Vertitour (8), and the (here a word was scratched out) Airbatics (10). Please turn to the specified page for more details on each test.

“Raiya.”

I gasped, jumping slightly in my seat and nearly dropping the book as I looked up quickly.

It was Speaker Julian.

“Speaker Julian,” I managed to make out.

“What are you reading?” he asked, making his way over. I dutifully showed him the book cover and he nodded his head with a small smile. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you would go searching for information on your own. Always best to be prepared as I say. But I must call you away from that book for now, Miss Rivera is looking for you.”

Marigold? “Oh, thank you,” I said, blinking slowly wondering why she would need me. He just shrugged at me, his indication that he didn’t know either. I moved to put the book away, but he stopped me.

“I’ll take care of it, go,” he said, waving me away.

I hurried out of the library and nearly into Marigold who was waiting for me right outside the entrance.

“Goldie!” I exclaimed, hugging her.

She laughed, returning my hug before pulling back and peering at me. “Is your head getting bigger from all the information you’re shoving into it yet?” she teased me.

I stuck out my tongue before asking, “What do you need me for?”

“Oh, nothing except to spend some time together. We haven’t met much since you’ve stopped serving Lady Denali and have become engrossed in your lessons. I figured” –she gestured to a basket and blanket near her feet– “that we could go have some fun with some of the other girls. I think we all deserve it after the long months of hard work.”

“Yes, yes!” I nearly leapt for joy as she handed me the blanket and picked up the basket.

“Shall we?” she said with a big smile, and we left together, animatedly talking about the guests, the upcoming enthronement, Lady Denali’s continued pickiness, and much more.

*~*

Before I knew it, the month passed quickly, and the day of the Enthronement arrived. I woke up in the morning to a note left on a tray of food at the door. It was from Speaker Julian who asked for me to come to the library as soon as I finished getting ready and ate. I scurried to obey, slipping into a new set of clean robes and wolfing down the bread with honey, star fruits, and a hot mug of junas. I left for the library, avoiding the throngs of people moving quickly about.

Speaker Julian was standing by our usual table, reading a book. He glanced up distractedly when I called his name.

“Raiya, you’re here excellent. Quickly now, let’s make haste to the fields,” he said, putting the book down and striding back the way I came. One quick glance confirmed it was the same book I had read to learn more about the Enthronement.

I protested in my head but followed him all the same. Despite the amount of times we stopped to greet and chat others, we still moved quickly and arrived at the fields around the same time as Ralph and Godrick. My eyes were looking around, examining all of the finalized structures and decorations that littered the field. Indeed, the servants and craftsmen had worked so hard to make the place look amazing for the event. The seated stands were beginning to fill with people while the dragons circled about around the outer edges, coming to rest on the ground or bits of rocks jutting up from the land. If memory served me correctly after reading the book, no dragon would be allowed to fly once the Enthronement started except for the Queens.

I figured we would be heading to the stands but Speaker Julian, after greeting Ralph and Godrick (and therefore forcing me to do the same), made his way to the platform where the most important people sat. It made sense, I realized, that he would be sitting there too. But me? I didn’t think a simple acolyte would be allowed so I hesitated to follow him. He seemed to sense this because he turned around with a quizzical expression on his face.

“Why are you dawdling Raiya? Come, we must be seated for the Queens will arrive at any second!”

Well that settles it.

We headed to where the other Speakers were sitting, and I recognized Speaker Joseph amongst them. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgement to me before greeting Speaker Julian, shaking his hand firmly. They spoke in hushed tones as I took my seat and waited, rather anxiously, for the Enthronement to start. Ralph was standing on a raised dais in front of us and, to those far away he might have appeared calm and collected but I could see his nerves up close. He had betted on Priyana winning but there was still a chance that Shegil or Pavoth could come ahead, destroying his plans. Especially because, if we got to the final trial, deliberations would happen, and he could be out-voted.

As the last of the people gathered into the stands, the dragons surrounding the area roared simultaneously. The deafening noise had me clutching my ears and gritting my teeth alongside many others. Speaker Julian and Speaker Joseph had taken their seats and Ralph seemed to straighten himself up further, seemingly unphased by the noise. As the unanimous roars died down, three answering calls signaled the arrival of the Queens. I had my eyes at ground level, trying to see where they would be approaching from, but I could see nothing despite hearing the sound of their wings close by. The crowd cried out and those around me looked up, pointing and talking amongst themselves excitedly. I too looked up and, at first, saw nothing except the layer of white clouds above us. I was going to look away impatiently when Shegil broke through the white cloud barrier with such speed that I jumped slightly in my seat. The Dowager Queen landed easily despite her fast approach and, from her back slid Sibilla. The crowd cheered for their Chieftess who, in turn, waved before making her way to one of the three pillars located on the side of the fields near the stands, beginning her climb up. Pavoth broke through the cloud barrier next and, while not at such a breakneck speed as Shegil, her grace and elegance were just as captivating to behold. Iva followed Sibilla to one of the three pillars, waving to those who called for her attention.

The last, and youngest of the three, to arrive was Priyana. As she broke through the cloud barrier and landed beside the other two Queens, I quickly realized how large she had gotten. She now stood taller than both Shegil and Pavoth, much taller. She must be well over one-hundred feet! Her long, narrow skull was adorned with two enormous horns at the top of her head, right above her thin, curved ears. Several smaller horns ran down the sides of her face leading to her muscular neck and massive body. How did I not notice those when she was younger…? While her top scales were a rich gold, her belly was much paler with the scales being thicker there as well. Her four massive limbs did not detract from her elegance, but definitely contributed to her rather imposing stature. Her large wings seemed to glow underneath the sun’s light as she spread them briefly while standing on her hind legs, twisting her neck this way and that as she analyzed her surroundings. I could barely see Lady Denali on her back, but, as Priyana let out a cry and dropped down, she became more visible as she slid off and made her way to the final pillar. The crowd had gone wild, screaming their adoration for her and Priyana. The Speakers next to me were also speaking rather quickly, gesturing to Priyana with excitement.

“She must be at least one-hundred-and-fifty feet tall!”

“How did Dragonspire come to be so lucky?”

“Do you think they did something to the egg?”

I glanced at Speaker Julian as these comments surged around us, but he just continued to stare forward, a small smile fixated casually on his face.

“Everyone!” Ralph shouted but the crowd would not listen with how riled up they were. Mazanth approached the stands, roaring to quiet down the crowd who quickly quieted down in the face of an irate dragon. “Everyone,” Ralph began again, “welcome to another Enthronement!” The crowd cheered in reaction, some calling out the names of their favorite Queen while others called out the riders. “For centuries now, the Enthronement has been our guiding way of determining the future of our fortresses. Every fortress has their own unique trials when testing their Queens, but we at Dragonspire pride ourselves in having one of the more diverse, humane Enthronements of all the fortresses!” More cheering though I could sense the annoyance from the Speakers and other leaders around me who did not seem to enjoy the put down on their fortresses.

“Our trials,” he continued, “will test the power, speed, and agility of our Queens. We will start off with Pyroblast, followed by Vertitour, and then Airbatics if necessary! May the best Queen secure her victory and establish her dominion over Dragonspire Fortress!”

As if on cue, the Specialists dragged three gigantic stone boulders to the middle of the field. While Pavoth and Priyana clearly exhibited eagerness as they walked over to the boulders, Shegil remained calm while slowly trailing after the two.

“This is really between Pavoth and Priyana,” Speaker Julian murmured to me.

“Is it because Shegil is older?” I asked surprised.

“No, not because of that. I believe Shegil and Sibilla are done with leading, they want to pass on the mantle.”

That’s right. I had almost forgotten about this. I returned my attention to the front as the Queens went up to their respective riders who fed them the piezoelectric crystals before taking their spots in front of the boulders.

“Now,” Ralph said, “we will test the power of the Queens first. The Pyroblast Trial consists of three rounds with three boulders of varying materials. The Queens are meant to destroy the boulders in any way they can, whoever does so first wins. Typically, it is the best two out of three, but if there is a tie, we will commence a final round.”

He lifted his arms up, pausing briefly to ensure everything was ready, before dropping them with a shout. Instantly three jets of fire engulfed the boulders, and the sound of cracking filled the air. It was very obvious to me that Priyana’s plume of fire was fiercer than the other two and, indeed, her boulder was the first to violently explode quickly. Shegil was the next to destroy her boulder followed by Pavoth. The remains of the boulders were quickly cleared away by the Specialists before three more boulders were hauled in front of them. This time, they were made of iron – a fire-resistant metal I realized. At Ralph’s second signal, Priyana unleashed her flames again, but the older Queens did not. Instead, Shegil stood up using her wings for balance and went crashing down with her weight on the iron boulder. Pavoth also replicated her movements and, while both had dented in the boulders with their weight, they weren’t destroyed. But the crowd’s cries and Ralph’s signal of the end of the second round at first implied otherwise. Yet, when I saw him point to Priyana, I gasped out loud for she had managed to melt the iron quickly with her flames. She had managed to reach the temperature needed to melt the iron without needing more piezoelectric crystals. That was indeed a rather amazing feat.

“We have a winner!” announced Ralph who did little to hide his glee. “Priyana has revealed herself to be the strongest of the three. Indeed, the youngest is turning out to be the worthiest choice! We move on to the trial of speed, the Vertitour. The Queens will compete in a circuit throughout the different biomes surrounding Dragonspire, the first to arrive is the winner!”

“Such biased behavior,” Sir Julian muttered beside me.

I nodded my head before asking, “If Priyana wins this trial, will they still do the third one?”

“No. If Priyana wins this, she will have won the majority. It would be moot to do the third trial since it wouldn’t change anything.”

“She’s at a disadvantage though, right? She doesn’t know the circuit as well as Pavoth and Shegil,” I said, watching the Queens line up near the outer edges of the fields.

“Ralph would surely have taught her the circuit over the months he has been training her. Lady Denali will also be guiding her in case she needs help.”

With the sound of a horn, the three Queens quickly hurled themselves upwards. Despite the power Shegil and Priyana displayed, it was clear their huge sizes were a disadvantage when it came to dexterous movement. Pavoth benefited from being the smallest by possessing more speed than the other two. She quickly left them behind her as she soared forward, disappearing over the forests.

“We won’t be able to see them now though,” I complained. What was the point of this trial if we couldn’t even watch!

“Sometimes the thrill of an event is not watching with an expectation but being surprised at the unexpected.”

I stuck my tongue out and he ‘tsked’ at my display. “What?” I snapped childishly.

“You are no longer a child, Raiya. You are a budding young woman. You must outgrow such childish displays.”

I fought really hard to keep my tongue from sticking out again, this time at him. Instead, I decided to use my gift to provide me some insight on what was happening. As I closed my eyes to do so, Sir Julian’s sudden firm grip on my arm yanked me out of my trance.

“What?” I said again, more out of shock from the sudden jolt I just faced.

“I know what you’re trying to do. You must not link up with the Queens at the moment,” he cautioned me quietly. “They are entwined with their riders presently. This will strengthen their Bonds, you must not intrude on the connection even if it is to just watch quietly from the side.”

I pouted but listened to his words, slumping in my seat instead and ignoring his look. A breeze drifted over us, and I enjoyed the cool air as servants approached the platform carrying trays of chilled water and junas. Eagerly we accepted the drinks for despite the cool breeze, the blazing heat of the sun had become nearly unbearable. The platform and seated stands had awnings that provided shade which made us slightly comfortable, but the mugginess had my robes cling to me wetly, making me uncomfortable.

I know it must have only been ten or so minutes since their departure, but I had already begun to nod off without anything to do. It was only when the crowd stirred a bit later that I too stirred, blinking blearily and looking to where everyone was pointing and crying out. At first, I saw nothing around our fortress, which seemed to be what everyone was fixated on, but I did hear the loud beats of air that sounded like thunder claps. The clouds that had been so thick earlier in the day had all but disappeared, but the few that still clung to the peaks of the mountains and the highest parts of the fortress helped Pavoth blend in easily. It was only until she rounded the fortress in a tight, controlled turn near side-ways with her wings fully spread out that I was able to distinguish the silver dragon from the wispy clouds. She flapped once, maintaining her elevation and giving her a singular burst of speed as she glided elegantly towards the point from which she started. So leisurely was she at the last leg of the race that my heart beat in fear that Priyana would swoop in unexpectedly to take the win, thereby winning the Enthronement. Though Priyana was not bad, I did not want Lady Denali to win for my thoughts on her making a bad Chieftess remained ever the same. But there was no sign of Priyana nor Shegil as Pavoth landed lightly, roaring victoriously alongside the cheers of the crowd. I didn’t know how far back the other two were, but they did not emerge anytime close to Pavoth’s time. Indeed, it was quite a bit more time before Shegil and Priyana appeared. Shegil seemed to have the slightest edge because she was smaller than her daughter, but Priyana was doubling down furiously with her rapidly beating wings. Shegil was clearly tiring out and Priyana was pushing hard with the last bit of her youthful strength and endurance to overtake the Dowager Queen. Not that it would matter though, the positions of which these two finished in would have no effect on the trial.

“Power, endurance, and strength…” Sir Julian trailed off thoughtfully as his eyes remained fixated on Priyana’s form.

“She would have made a good WarFury,” I murmured to him, and he nodded his head in agreement.

“Indeed, she would have been a great fighter with her physique. Perhaps if she loses this Enthronement, she can lead a wing with Lady Denali.”

I scoffed, ignoring his raised eyebrows as he looked down at me. Lady Denali would not do such a thing, I knew this. The hard work and risk that War dragons faced would turn her away from it. She would either spend her time idly waiting for the next opportunity to become Chieftess or leave the fortress in search of another. It was obvious that the only thing Lady Denali had in mind for her, and Priyana, was the power of a ruler, not a fighter.

Shegil had now been left behind as Priyana soared past, landing less elegantly than Pavoth, but looking none the worse for wear. Shegil, however, landed hard and it seemed that she would buckle from the force of her own weight, but she managed to remain standing. The panting form of the Queen was clearly visible and, though I couldn’t see Sibilla’s facial expression, the figure on the pillar clearly looked like she wanted to run towards her dragon to help her in any way she could.

“The winner of this trial is Pavoth, Iva’s Queen!” Ralph announced, noticeably less enthused over the results. “Pavoth has shown that, despite being less powerful than Priyana, she is quicker. Indeed, smaller dragons tend to be quicker than their larger, more powerful counterparts.” The hidden insult did not go unnoticed by the various individuals seated around me as they tittered in their seats nor by Pavoth who had whipped her head around to eye the man, her green translucent faceted eyes hooded in disdain.

The crowd cheered loudly all the same, many happy that the third trial would play out. The times where the Enthronement would end early was a letdown for not only those who had come from afar to witness the event but also the many who worked hard to make it possible.

“The last time the Enthronement happened, Shegil won before the third trial,” Speaker Julian said. “I’m sure many are pleased that it didn’t occur again.”

“Yes,” Ralph called out as if answering Speaker Julian. “Rejoice for the beginning of the third trial, Airbatics! We’ve seen the power of our Queens, we’ve seen their speed, now, let us see their agility!”

I frowned. “I feel like this third trial is such a waste,” I said hesitantly, glancing at Speaker Julian carefully.

“Oh?” he enquired, turning to look at me with a weird glint in his eye. “How so?”

“Well, I feel as if the Vertitour tests both the speed and agility of the Queens. It seems wasteful to have a trial dedicated to agility when something else, like maybe how smart they are for example, could be tested instead.”

He eyed me carefully before breaking out into a large grin, saying, “Raiya, it never ceases to amaze me when such thoughtfulness is conveyed from your youthful mouth. Indeed, it is a waste, but Ralph insisted on the third trial focusing on showmanship. It’s less skill-based and more appearance focused. Such pointless drivel to focus upon if you ask me.” He sniffed, upturning his nose slightly as he looked forward again.

“Wait, do you mean that he changed it?” I asked, thinking back to the scratched out word in the book.

He nodded his head in response and I too faced forward after that, tucking away this information for further questioning later on. It seems that Ralph had changed a lot regarding the fortress during his time as a Chief and, for the most part, not for the better. Whoever followed after him would either continue down the easy destructive path he had now laid out or turn towards the harder one, changing the direction and reshaping the fortress to mimic the one of the glorious days before.

“–Airbatics!” Ralph finished his speech and the crowd cheered wildly again. I hadn’t paid attention to what he had been saying, having focused on my conversation with Speaker Julian, but the name of the third trial grabbed my attention. Ralph gestured for the crowd to quiet down and this time they listened instantly, afraid of inciting Mazanth again. He lifted his arms, ready to signal the beginning of the third trial, but Shegil’s roar stopped the beginning downward swing of his arms.

Confused murmurs broke out around me, and I was sure the crowd seated in the stands were also confused at the interference. Shegil began to move, rather slowly, towards Sibilla’s pillar.

“What is the meaning of this Sibilla!” Ralph shouted angrily.

If Sibilla responded, we could not hear from this distance as she slowly climbed onto Shegil’s back. Both moved towards the platform carefully and as Sibilla drew nearer, I could see the exhaustion in both her and Shegil. I knew what was going to happen next.

“Ralph,” Sibilla said as she finally stopped near the man who had his fists clenched. “Shegil is in no state to compete. We must respectfully drop out of the Enthronement.” Her tone booked no room for argument though it was obvious Ralph would not let her go easily.

“The Chieftess of Dragonspire Fortress forfeiting an event such as this,” he said loudly, ensuring most could hear. He knew he could not dissuade her, but he could embarrass her. “It seems that time has not been kind to either of you. Fortunately, we will have a younger and more capable pair to lead us.” He sneered at her, but she simply gazed at him coolly, not giving him the satisfaction of a reply. It took me a second to realize that the low rumbles I was hearing belonged to Shegil as she growled at the man, her eyes glittering with malice.

“We will respectfully withdraw from the event and the fields. Shegil and I need to rest.” They turned, leaving the field and as they did so, Godrick also rose from near the front of the seats. He hurried down the side of the platform and briskly followed after the pair, Nythointan emerging from the side to walk alongside him. No doubt they were going to check on the two and this blatant display of such affection was a direct insult to Ralph. He knew this for his fists had clenched by his sides again and the veins on his neck and arms seemed to bulge and pulse with anger. His face darkened as he turned back to address everyone.

“Unfortunately, our former Chieftess,” he snarled the words out, “has decided that she is incapable of competing. Her lack of respect for our traditions, our values, is a display most foul. It is a blessing indeed that we will soon have a more capable Queen and therefore Chieftess take up the mantle and respect our ideals!”

If he was expecting cheering after his little rant, he must be disappointed. The crowd, that normally cheered after his speeches, had remained quiet. Sibilla was greatly loved and respected by the people of the fortress and even by those who had come from afar. Her skills as an herbalist and as someone who fought for a better life for those deemed beneath her had endeared her greatly. The slanderous approach Ralph had taken in announcing her withdrawal did nothing for him. The people already blamed him for the fortress’s shortcomings and for him to publicly denounce his Chieftess was something looked down upon by all. The united front that was meant to be presented had crumbled instantly, though it had never really been there to begin with in the first place with those two.

“His treatment of his Chieftess is appalling,” a female voice spoke up from near me. I glanced back to see who would voice such a thought rather loudly and saw it was Chieftess Rana Tuma of Rajin Fortress. One of the few leaders of a fortress who had come to watch in person and had now witnessed the terrible behavior of the Chief. Our reputation would no doubt diminish amongst the other fortresses now.

“Indeed, my love,” Chief Amir Quereshi agreed, taking her hand in his and planting a kiss above her knuckles. “There is clearly no love between them. Unsurprising with the vast age difference.”

“Oh, but we all know it isn’t the age difference, but that Godrick is her true mate,” she said smoothly. “Did you not see him run after her? Godrick was robbed of his position I hear. Leaving the fortress with a young, somewhat incompetent leader.”

Those around the pair were clearly listening in to the conversation between the two for a few had nodded their heads in agreement while others tittered. Speaker Julian remained stone-faced, and I understood that he was embarrassed for his reputation would also be affected.

Ralph, if he heard the remarks, gave no indication that he cared for what they were saying.

“We will begin the third trial immediately,” he called out. There was no waiting as he signaled immediately and, while Pavoth was caught unawares by the sudden commencement, Priyana took advantage of the opportunity to display her beauty to the crowd.

Distracted by the visage of the large Queen, the crowd began to cheer again as she maneuvered herself through the air as elegantly as her large body would allow. Pavoth was now forced to wait for her turn.

Priyana was a beautiful dragon, I could not deny it as the sun glinted off her scales. If they judged for appearance alone, it was obvious she would be the winner. But because she was so large, her feats of agility were rather unimpressive. The best thing she did was dive straight down from the huge height she had reached, pulling back at the last second to avoid crashing into the ground and letting the sun highlight her figure. Pavoth went next afterwards, and her silver scales glinted under the sun beautifully. She weaved her body easily, twisting and turning with impressive loops and contortions. It was a hypnotizing display. When she finished, the crowd cheered loudly for the two Queens who went to their riders, sitting near their pillars to await the decision of the deliberation.

“So, who determines the winner?” I asked Speaker Julian.

“Usually, the Chief, commander, I, and the other councilors would deliberate now and decide,” he said, frowning.

I realized why because we were now missing our commander. “But Godrick…”

“Yes, he isn’t here. I doubt Ralph will send for him so he will be kept out of the deliberations. Which unfortunately might skew the votes as at least half of the councilors support Ralph.”

I gasped, shocked. “Then that means…!”

“Yes.”

He didn’t even need me to say it. Ralph walked off to an area of the platform hidden from view and Speaker Julian arose to follow with the four councilors. I was anxious to leave now and check on Sibilla, but I knew it would be bad of me to leave in the middle of the event. I fidgeted in my seat, biting my lip and glancing at the two Queens every now and then instead.

“I do believe our dearest Denali has won this.” I recognized Chieftess Rana’s voice again and resisted the urge to turn and face her as my eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. They knew Lady Denali?

“Lord Khan will be pleased to hear of his daughter’s achievement,” Chief Amir drawled out.

Lord Khan. As in, Lord Saif Khan, ruler of Khurleigh Keep? Lady Denali was his daughter? I thought back to my studies on the Eastern continent and the various leaders, trying to remember any information. Khurleigh Keep was located in the desert region of the Eastern continent and they were specifically in charge of oil, silks, and spices. They were one of the most important Keeps when it came to trading and definitely one of the wealthiest. But, Lord Khan also had a bad reputation I heard.

I wanted to ask them some questions, but I forced my curiosity down. I didn’t want to get into trouble again. Besides, Ralph and the others had already began making their way back. The deliberations had been short.

Speaker Julian took his seat beside me again and I tried to get him to look at me, worrying over the outcome. He gave me a slight shake of his head before looking forward again, his face remaining carefully blank. If you didn’t know him, you would think he was a perfectly content man, but I could read his body well enough to understand he was taunt with anger.

My worries were confirmed.

Ralph signaled for the crowd’s attention. “I am pleased to announce that, despite the opposition of a few” –he glanced directly at Speaker Julian– “we have come to an agreement! Pavoth’s elegance and speed is indeed unparalleled to her fellow Queens, I can readily admit just as you can. But we do not just need elegance and speed, no, we need power and strength more. We need a Queen who can provide us with higher quality and larger clutches. That Queen…is Priyana!”

The crowd cheered, shouting Priyana’s name reverently. Many had witnessed her hatching and now they were witnessing her enthronement. Lady Denali climbed delicately onto Priyana before the pair moved towards the platform. She waved to the crowd who also shouted her name. I didn’t need to be close to her to envision her smirk of satisfaction. My stomach flip-flopped uneasily.

“People of Dragonspire Fortress,” she called out as Priyana continued to move slowly, deciding to circle around instead of stopping by the dais. “It is our honor to lead Dragonspire to a greater future! Rest assured that under my lead, there will be many reforms and changes for the benefit of us all.”

I hastily stood up and began to make my way off the platform, excusing myself quickly.

“Raiya!” Speaker Julian called out, but I didn’t stop. I felt nauseous and angry, and I just wanted to find my parents and be near them. “Raiya, stop!”

When my feet touched the grass of the field, I ran and did not stop until I was inside the fortress panting like crazy. My vision blurred, my face felt hot, and I collapsed on the warm stone floor of the entrance. A few servants stopped quickly, asking if I was okay, but I couldn’t speak, overwhelmed by emotions.

Why was I so upset over this? If Lady Denali was Chieftess, why should I care if she was good or bad? But I did care. I cared because now Sibilla would have to leave, and I’d never seen her again. I cared because Godrick would leave with her, and I’d never see him again. As childish as those thoughts may be, the idea of losing parental figures again upset me greatly. These were the true reasons I was against her and anyone else becoming Chieftess.

Abandonment. I was scared of being abandoned again.

A large, calloused hand gently touched my shoulder. I looked up with my tear-stricken face and saw the blurry one of Godrick's.

“Oh Godrick,” I cried, lunging into his arms. “Please, don’t leave me. Please, take me with you if you go!”

He didn’t say anything, picking me up and cradling me instead as if I was still the small child that had come to the fortress for the first time needing comfort, and carried me away.