Marriage Proposal!

The effortless glide of the evil dragon Lance through the sky was a sight of seamless grace and fluidity. Observing Lance in flight was not merely a visual treat but a visceral experience of pure enjoyment.

"Could this be the prowess of a fully matured dragon?" Lucia wondered aloud, her voice tinged with awe.

Or was Lance an exceptional specimen, uniquely gifted in the art of flight? Lucia was uncertain; this was her inaugural glimpse of a true dragon soaring the heavens.

Previously, in the imperial capital, she had witnessed griffins aloft, their wings beating against the vast sky. Their flight, while impressive, lacked the smooth, organic flow of Lance's movements. It wasn't that the griffins flew awkwardly; rather, they lacked a certain... poetic essence.

Yes, that was it, poetic essence.

In contrast to the griffins, Lance's flight seemed to embody a perfect symphony with the environment, a harmonious blending of creature and cosmos that spoke of freedom and boundless possibilities. This dragon seemed to dance with the winds, unrestrained and carefree, as if the entire sky was his to claim, a manifestation of unbridled freedom that Lucia had never before witnessed.

Such a life of liberty and ease! To Lucia, this was the epitome of living without constraints. If anyone could embody the essence of a truly free existence, it was Lance, with his unshackled, worry-free sojourn through the skies.

"Oh, to live as Lance does," she mused, a dreamy quality in her tone.

As future empress, she aspired to a life of such elegance and unbounded freedom, far surpassing even that of Lance's majestic flights. But for now, she grappled with her own inadequacies. Why must she, a princess, seem more akin to a clumsy fledgling than a noble dragon in flight? The injustice of it all gnawed at her pride.

"In the tales of humans, I am the proverbial 'ugly duckling' or the 'foolish bird', always the last, never quite as graceful or adept," she lamented silently. Even the foolish bird of the stories eventually carved out its niche, flying on its terms. Yet here she was, doubting if she could ever rival the grace of Lans, not in a hundred or even a thousand years. Such thoughts edged her toward despair.

But then, a distraction: a mysterious shape moving beneath the ocean's surface. "What secrets does the sea hold?" Lucia pondered, her curiosity momentarily overtaking her frustrations.

A vast, ominous shadow lurked beneath the surface, far larger than Lucia herself and even surpassing the bulk of a grown dragon. A chill ran down her spine as the shadow seemed to mimic her movements through the water. Swallowing hard, the young dragon couldn't help but wonder, 'Could this possibly be one of the legendary deep-sea leviathans?'

Where exactly was this island that Lans frequented? Was it a sanctuary nestled in shallow waters or hidden in the abyssal depths where creatures like this shadow thrived?

Suddenly, the shadow surged upwards, and Lucia's heart skipped a beat. "Lance, look out! Below you!" she cried out in panic, convinced they were in imminent danger. Was this malevolent dragon using her as bait after all? Despite his assurances just the night before that he wouldn't, it seemed his promises were as fleeting as shadows at dusk.

"This young dragon, my ward, was not brought here for a hunt," Lans's voice thundered suddenly, stern yet protective. "She is to be acquainted with, not preyed upon. She's timid, if you frighten her, you'll answer to me."

Lucia blinked in surprise. Lance had seen the shadow too and was speaking directly to it?

From his tone, it almost seemed like he knew this lurking behemoth. Could it be that this creature was no mere prey for Lance, but perhaps a peer or a predator in its own right? Was it possible that even Lance might be outmatched?

A mournful, resonant cry echoed over the waters, stirring a deep, inexplicable sadness within Lucia. She felt an overwhelming loneliness, as if the call was meant to tug at the soul. Shaking her head, she dismissed the haunting feeling. "Could this be a mental assault from a King-level sea beast?" she pondered, recalling that in human lore, only the most powerful beasts, known as King Beasts, possessed such abilities.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as a massive column of water burst skyward, heralding the emergence of the sea creature. It revealed itself as a colossal, black and white beast, its large, somewhat goofy head making it look almost benign. If it were her size, Lucia fancied she might even best two of such creatures in combat.

"Her name is Andrea, and she is a deep-sea killer whale," Lans clarified, his voice mixing awe and respect. "What you heard was her call."

Andrea? A sea beast with a name and an identity was undoubtedly a King Beast, a titled giant among the oceanic depths.

Lucia, a spirited baby dragon of the rare Amethyst breed, still fluttered in the soft down of her juvenile scales.

"Lance, Lance. May I take your hand in marriage?" Andrea asked with the innocence of her unripe years.

"No," came the crisp reply.

Lucia's tiny dragon heart skipped a beat in astonishment. All of her adventures and dreams seemed to crash down around her.

What strangeness was this? A creature of the deep sea, a killer whale named Andrea, proposing marriage to a dragon? It was like a tale spun by one of the human world's love-stricken bards.

Lucia's mind drifted to the story "Birds and Fishes," a poignant tale of forbidden love, echoing her current reality. In it, a dragon falls in love with a creature of the ocean, a narrative mirroring the fabled separation of sky and sea.

Driven by a sudden urge, Lucia recited with a melodious voice, "The farthest distance in the world is not between life and death. But when I stand before you, and you remain unaware of my love."

"The true distance is like that between birds and fish, one soaring in the azure heights, the other veiled by the ocean's abyss."

Taken aback, the once-mighty Lance looked on. Had the baby dragon truly grasped the human bard's depiction of unrequited love? The very same verses he had stumbled upon during his forays into human lands.

"You've become quite the performer, mimicking the human poets," Lance chuckled, a mix of admiration and disbelief coloring his tone.

"Who taught you these lines?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"A bard in the human world," Lucia replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I listened in secret and committed it to memory."

"You too have heard it?" Lance pressed, his intrigue deepening.

"I have," Lucia affirmed, her voice a whisper of dragonfire and wonder.

"Lance, Lance. The way this young dragon speaks, it's as if she understands my own heart, my love for you," Andrea confessed, the depths of her oceanic heart stirred by the baby dragon's words.

And so, Andrea the killer whale found herself hopelessly enamored with the young dragon under Lance's care.

She lurks in the ocean's depths.

He dominates the skies.

Such a stark contrast between them.

"Lance, Lance. I've grown fond of this young dragon," Andrea confessed, her voice carrying through the water.

"Were you trying to frighten her just now?" Lance questioned, his tone a mix of curiosity and disapproval.

"Initially, I wasn't keen on her, but now, she intrigues me," Andrea replied, her tone shifting as she considered her feelings.

"Why come out from the sea at all if not to intimidate?" Lance probed further.

"I was drawn out by your presence," Andrea explained. "It wasn't solely to scare her. Had I not recognized you, she might have been mistaken for prey. This young dragon seems to underestimate the dangers of the deep sea. You should advise her to soar as high above the deep waters as possible. She's not immune to the threats here, and flying too close to the surface could prove perilous. The creatures here don't discriminate, even you would be at risk."

Andrea's words sent a shiver down the young dragon's spine. The revelation that Lance's island was nestled in these treacherous deep sea waters filled her with dread. Was this why it remained untouched by the legendary heroes and brave adventurers of her world? The deep sea was a forbidding realm, even for the most formidable among them, avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Though a princess, Lucia realized her knowledge of the deep sea was limited and fraught with misconceptions. She had only heard of the myriad dangers and taboos associated with it.

"Lance, where are you off to now?" Andrea called out as Lance began to drift away. "Venture too far and you'll trespass into the domains of other deep-sea denizens, where you'll be nothing more than prey."

Lance chuckled, a rumble that stirred the air and water alike. "This young one has a craving for squid. I aim to visit the squid maiden's territory. If she's home, perhaps I'll buy a squid leg for our curious little one here."