Azareth was walking around the city with Jurah and Artibain. She was trying to think of the best time to introduce them to Cephie. Artibain was very against it, since he could sense how the dragon did not like him. Jurah was just amazed that the humongous beast was so calm and tamed around Azareth. They turned in the direction of the training fields and Artibain froze.

“You’re taking us to see that dragon, aren’t you?”

“Arti, come on. I swear nothing will happen to you while I’m around,” Azareth said. Jurah laughed as Artibain grimaced at the nickname she gave him.

“Yeah, Arti, trust her,” Jurah said. Artibain glared at him, but turned and gestured for Azareth to lead the way. She clapped once and pointed towards the fields.

“Onwards,” she said. As they made their way down to the field, the large shadow of Cephie flew over them. They watched as she landed in the field and waited for them to arrive.

“Good morning,” Cephie said to Azareth.

“Good morning, Cephie. How did you sleep?” Azareth asked her.

“Well.” She looked behind Azareth and saw Jurah and Artibain. “You brought others today.”

“Cephie, this is Jurah and Artibain,” Azareth said. She gestured to each of them as she said their names. Cephie bowed her head to each of the men, Jurah bowed his head in return. Artibain smiled weakly unsure of what to do.

“This is strange,” Artibain said. “How can you understand her?”

“I hear her voice, in my head I guess. I’m still new to this too,” Azareth said. Artibain nodded and bowed his head to Cephie.

“Hello Cephie, I am pleased to meet you. You are a very beautiful creature,” Jurah said. Cephie snorted, releasing smoke from her nose.

“This one is eager for approval,” Cephie told Azareth. Azareth laughed and nudged Cephie’s head with her hip.

“You’re cheeky,” Azareth said.

“What?” Jurah asked. Azareth cleared her throat and looked back at Jurah.

“She said you are very eager,” Azareth told him. Jurah nodded and looked between Azareth and Cephie.

“So have you two flown together yet?” Artibain asked. Azareth shook her head.

“No, we aren't ready for that. It requires complete trust in each other.”

“Don’t you trust each other?” Jurah asked.

“Of course, but we still have so much to learn about each other. Cephie was my mother’s dragon, I want to know what she thought of her. How the connection they had felt and how it was different to the one we share.”

“That is beautiful, how she followed you after everything. Have you ever seen her before?” Jurah asked. Azareth thought and shrugged her shoulders.

“I thought maybe the day I was told I was a dragon lord. I know for sure she was the one who saved us from the giants.”

“We knew that hard to forget something like that happening,” Artibain said. Azareth shook her head and ran her fingers over Cephie’s nose. There was the sound of armour behind them. They all turned around and saw some guards were running towards them.

“Your highness, the king had requested you in the throne room,” the first guard said. Azareth sighed and looked back at Cephie.

“Go, I’ll be waiting right here,” Cephie said. Azareth nodded and then the three of them followed the guards back to the castle. When they reached the throne room, the guards blocked Jurah and Artibain from entering the room.

“What are you doing?” Azareth asked them.

“Sorry, your highness, king’s orders,” the second guard said. Azareth looked sadly at her friends.

“We will be right here when your done,” Jurah told her. Azareth nodded her head and turned to enter the throne room. Once inside she saw her father and the captain of the guard talking, looking over what appeared to be maps.

“You asked to see me,” Azareth said. The two men looked up and saw her, Andrion smiled and waved her forward.

“Hello, dear. Captain Sansun and I were just discussing a few things, come in.” Azareth walked forward and watched as Captain Sansun bowed his head and rolled up the maps.

“Looking at maps? Are you planning on leaving?” Azareth asked. Andrion smiled and laughed lightly. She stopped next to the table they had set up, waiting for an answer. Andrion turned to his daughter and smiled at her.

“I have some important business to deal with, I shall only be gone a few days.”

“Where are you going?”

“There’s just a neighbouring kingdom causing some trouble. We just need to deal with the situation,” Andrion said. Azareth stared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. She felt her stomach twist and her head dropped.

“Are you seriously going to keep me in the dark? After everything I’ve been through, you think I can’t handle what you have to tell me.”

“You’re right, you have the right to know,” Andrion said. He waved for captain Sansun to leave the room. Once the captain was gone, Andrion walked over and sat on his throne. Azareth walked and stood in front of him. She could see he looked uneasy about the other kingdom and the trouble they were causing.

“To the west, there is a kingdom, they have been making threats of war. Unless we come and make a treaty with them.”

“Alright, so you are leaving to come to peace with them?”

“Yes, it should only be a few days, but it is hard to say for sure. These discussions could take longer,” Andrion said.

“I understand, you are doing what is best for the kingdom.”

“I am doing what is best for all of us, we can not survive another war right now. With our number greatly diminished after the last one.”

“I understand, just be careful. Send word when you are coming home,” Azareth said. She turned to leave the throne room. She stopped when Andrion sighed behind her, she waited to see what he would do.

“Just like your mother, you hate goodbyes.” Azareth shook her head looking at the ground before she turned and looked back at Andrion.

“I have lost three parents in my life so far, please be safe. I don’t want to lose a fourth,” Azareth said. She then stormed out of the room. Andrion sighed and watched her slam the door behind her.

“While I’m gone, Azareth is in charge,” Andrion said to the guards. Everyone had gathered at the docks to see their king off. Azareth stood between Jurah and Artibain, watching as Andrion set things in order.

“She is your princess and needs to learn the ropes. Midrina, help her as things go on, she’ll need your excellent counsel.”

“Of course, your majesty,” Midrina said. Azareth felt sick to her stomach, why was he putting her in charge of the entire kingdom? She had no idea what she was doing, she grew up completely different from how he would have raised her.

“Azareth,” Andrion called. She stepped forward and looked up at her father. “I know this sounds terrifying, but it’s only for a few days. Just don’t let the kingdom burn, okay?” he said. Everyone laughed, but Azareth. She stared at him hard, feeling like she was going to be sick.

“You do remember there are hundreds of dragons living on this island, right?”

“You’ll be fine, I’ll be back soon,” Andrion said. He went to hug her, but froze and stepped back. Azareth glanced over at Jurah and Artibain. They both gestured their heads for her to hug Andrion. Azareth took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Andrion.

“Be safe,” she said. Andrion hugged her back and gave her a slight squeeze. Azareth relaxed, feeling warm in his embrace.

“Always,” he said. They pulled away from each other and Andrion looked back at his guards. Azareth stepped back toward Jurah and Artibain. Jurah took her hand, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.

“Alright men, take care of her. I will be back soon,” he said one last time. The Andrion and a few select guards headed down the dock. Everyone watched as they climbed aboard a ship and began to sail away from the docks. Azareth looked up and saw all the men’s dragons flying above the ship.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to fly the dragons?” Azareth asked. Midrina came up and stood next to her.

“Yes, but dragons are our allies, remember? Not a method of transport,” Midrina said. “Come, you have some training to do with Cephie.” Everyone turned and headed away from the docks.

“Ouch, Cephie,” Azareth complained. The two of them had been in the training field for hours today, just like the last three days. Midrina told Azareth to try and fly today, but Cephie was being a brat. She was making it harder for Azareth to climb onto her.

“You aren’t being patient enough,” Cephie told her.

“I'm not being patient? Why do you keep moving?”

“What if we were in battle? How do you plan to climb on if I am rushing to take off?”

“I am trying okay, I’ve never done this before. I grew up climbing trees and picking flowers. Not flying dragons and learning to fight wars.”

“I watched you grow up, I know what you are capable of, do you?” Cephie asked her. Azareth groaned and remained seated on the ground. She was growing more frustrated with every second.

“Az, take a break. You’ve been at this for hours,” Jurah said from the edge of the field. Cephie looked up and saw there was a small crowd forming. Azareth rubbed her face and ran her hand through her hair.

“Come back tomorrow, people have gathered,” Cephie said. Azareth sighed and stood up off the ground.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Azareth said. She patted Cephie’s nose and then walked over towards the small group of people. “Enjoy the show?” she asked. Everyone turned and walked away. Azareth flopped down on the ground in front of Jurah and Artibain.

“Azareth, that was a little harsh,” Artibain said. Azareth narrowed her eyes at him, pulling her brown leather gloves off her hands.

“I’m exhausted, I don’t have the energy to be nice.”

“Princess Azareth, you’re needed in the throne room,” a guard called from the top of the hill. She groaned loudly but began to head up the hill.

As the three of them entered the throne room the tension in the air was so heavy. Several guards stood around a small table, even Miss Midrina was a part of the group. She walked forward and saw they were looking at a wooden box. Confused, she stopped in front of them.

“This is what you called me for? A box?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowed together. The guard to her left held out a piece of paper for her to take.

“This came with it,” he told her. Azareth took the piece of paper and saw her name was written on the front of it. She opened it and saw it was a letter.

Dear Azareth,

The peace talks are going well. I feel that we are reaching an end to it all, just the last few details to cover and then I will be heading home. I hope everything is going well with your training and that you are being safe. Do not take the connection you have with Cephie for granted, she will be very important to you in the end. Also, please let Jurah know how you feel. I can see the way you two look at each other. Just how your mother and I used to look at each other. I am very proud to call you my daughter.

Love Your Father

1-2-3-4-48-5-6, 52-4-48-46

“What are these numbers?” Azareth asked. “They don’t make any sense.” The guard to her left looked over her shoulder at the letter.

“It’s the king’s code, a way for him to communicate with us without the enemy learning what the true message is.” Azareth looked through the letter and stared at the numbers.

“Each number has a corresponding word, find the word by what number it is in the letter.” Another guard told her. She scanned the letter and counted out the words.

“The peace talks are not going well?” Azareth said. “You are not safe?”

“That can’t be right,” Artibain said.

“Has anyone opened this box?” Jurah asked. Everyone shook their heads and Azareth sat the letter down.

“Maybe there are some answers in it,” she said. Jurah grabbed her hand and she looked up at him. “Jurah, it’s just a box.”

“Az, trust me. Something doesn’t feel right about this. Why would your father send a box along with his letter?”

“I don’t know, but if we don’t open it we won’t get any answers,” she said. Jurah released her hand and pulled out his knife. He handed it to Azareth, so she could open the box easier. Azareth dug the nails out of the top of the box, then sat the knife on the table. The whole room was dead silent. Everyone was breathing rapidly, anxious to see what was inside the box. Azareth took the lid of the box and picked it up to see what was inside. Horrified, she screamed an earth-shattering scream. She dropped the box and turned into Jurah’s chest. The box landed on its side and then the head of King Andrion rolled out onto the floor.