Grand Ambitions!

A trophy, perhaps? Held captive?

Indeed, that much is certain.

The figures in this portrait, they are valiant men, true heroes who once dared to challenge the fearsome dragon Lance.

One might assume that the mighty Lance proved too formidable, that these gallant souls who sought to vanquish him instead fell to his might, becoming captives in his lair. The arms they bore, swords wielded by knights, staves carried by wizards, all now mere trophies in Lance's collection.

And thus, they were immortalized in paint by Lance himself.

"Are these weapons your trophies then?" someone asked, eyeing the array.

"No, they are part of my collection," Lance replied, almost casually. "See that blue sword there? That one is my own."

Confusion flickered across Lucia's face as she blinked, her large, innocent eyes wide with bewilderment.

Does Lance still wield weapons? Surely not. That blue sword seemed perfectly suited for human hands.

"And what if Lance uses it as... a toothpick?" The idea seemed ludicrous, yet the sword rested within the dragon's claws, and she could envision no other use for it in such gigantic talons.

"The humans in this portrait, were they defeated by you? Are they your prisoners?"

"No, they are my partners, my teammates," Lance corrected with a surprising gentleness.

Partners? Teammates? This was unexpected.

Lucia's heart sank with doubt. The humans in the portrait bore an air of nobility; it was hard to believe they would willingly align with a creature of darkness.

"Do humans truly ally with evil, and with dragons such as yourself?" Lucia's voice trembled slightly with the weight of her inquiry.

Lance turned towards her, a sly grin spreading across his draconic features. "Humans may not seek out alliances with dragons, but we dragons can choose to engage with humans. Have you forgotten? We can transform, walk amongst human."

Her mind raced as she tried to reconcile the dragon's words with the world as she understood it. This revelation shifted everything, blurring the lines between friend and foe, between myth and reality.

In the minds of most humans, the evil dragons are notorious for kidnapping princesses, pillaging small towns, ambushing caravans, and spreading chaos far and wide. This reputation isn't unfounded, as many of their kin revel in such deeds. However, from the moment we hatch, evil dragons are not all cast from the same mold. Indeed, there are the typical marauders, and then there's me, Lance."

"Aren't you all still evil dragons? Is there really a difference?"

"Oh, there is indeed a difference. You see, not all dragons are adept at cultivating lands, constructing elaborate mansions, or designing infinity pools and hot springs like I am."

"Lance, why do you choose to interact with humans?"

"Well, it's a mix of curiosity and boredom. I sought out humans who intrigued me, not as a dragon, but in human form."

Lucia nodded, slowly understanding that Lance's ventures into the human realm were more about seeking companionship and excitement rather than sowing destruction.

"So when you disguise yourself as a human, who exactly do you associate with?"

"It varies greatly," Lance explained. "If I'm interested in learning a craft, I seek out master artisans. If I need coin, I might take up work as a mercenary or join an adventurer's guild. Sometimes, I even lead a band of heroes, guiding them in battles against monsters or cleansing undead plagues. And yes, if necessary, I'll lead them against dragons."

Lucia blinked, astounded by the complexity of Lance's life among humans.

"Such a vibrant life for a dragon? If you hadn't shared this, I would have never imagined an evil dragon leading such an adventurous life!"

Yet, a troubling thought lingered in her mind. "But, Lance, doesn't it seem a bit contradictory and perhaps a bit treacherous for you to turn into a human and then lead fights against your own kind?"

Lance's response was a grin, touched with a hint of mischief. "Perhaps, but in life as in chess, sometimes you play both sides to keep the game interesting."

"Um, doesn't it trouble your conscience to battle your own kind?"

"The evil dragons I confront are lesser beings with tainted lineage. When I subdue them, they're merely bested in combat. If they were to face human heroes, they might not survive the encounter."

Lucia nodded, taking Lance's words to heart. Despite their brief acquaintance, she felt a certain sincerity in Lance's demeanor that suggested he was not one to deceive.

"So, the humans in the portrait were actually your closest allies?"

"Not exactly. While some were dear friends, others were formidable adversaries."

Lucia felt a chill. Being marked by an ancient dragon, capable of living for millennia, what must that be like? She didn't know, and frankly, she preferred it that way.

Lance was indeed a dragon who harbored deep grudges.

One must never cross him or provoke his wrath.

"I aspire to be a great dragon like you!"

"There's no need to mimic me; just be your true self."

"No, I must! I want to be valiant and heroic, to be an emperor, to raise a princess!"

Lucia's thoughts raced. If Lance could assume human form and become a hero, a mercenary, an adventurer, then why couldn't she aim to be the empress herself? The realization dawned on her: as a young dragon, she too had the potential to seize the throne of the Faloran Empire when she returned to human form.

Her ambitions fired up, diminishing her fear of Lance considerably.

"Lance, I have two dreams," she declared with newfound zeal.

"My first dream is to become an exceptional dragon like you, Lance!"

"My second dream is to enter the human world and claim the imperial crown!"

"???"

Could there be a hint of confusion in how this young dragon intertwines her lofty ambitions?

"An emperor? What sort of emperor would you, a dragon, wish to be?"

Lance could grasp the concept of being an earl, a baron, or a viscount. He himself, during his forays into human society, had served as a soldier and earned titles for his valor, ascending the ranks to become a baron, a viscount, and even an earl.

To Lance, these titles were about the luxuries of life, the pleasure of being tended to by devoted servants, the leisure of noble living.

But the idea of becoming an emperor? That was a notion he'd never entertained. Not because he feared to dream so grand, but rather because he found the notion of ruling an empire utterly pointless and labouros for him.

"Lucia, it's good to dream, but we must keep our dreams within the realm of possibility, like not aiming too ambitiously to become an emperor."

"Why not? You've been a hero, a soldier, among other roles. Surely, transitioning to an emperor wouldn't be too far-fetched for me in the future."

"It's different, Lucia. Being an emperor isn't just about bravery or heroism. It's about governance, earning loyalty, showing kindness, winning hearts. You can't just leap into a well-established kingdom, overthrow its ruler, and declare yourself emperor. Such actions would provoke the divine courts of the human realm to send holy knights against you. I couldn't stand by and watch you disrupt a peaceful kingdom."

This dragon was not as malevolent as the legends made them out to be, Lucia realized, her fear of Lance diminishing.

"Lance, to dream is essential, it might not always be realized, but it must exist for inspiration. I'll strive towards this dream. If I do become emperor one day, I'll entrust you with a princess to raise."

If she could reclaim her throne from the detestable Princess Athena back in the Faloran Empire, she'd gladly hand Athena over to Lance.

Lance nodded, taking her commitment seriously, already considering the responsibilities of nurturing a princess.