C3: Danger

Standing in front of the tall windows of the throne room on the highest floor of the castle, Xar gazed upon the distant mountains which hid the town of "Monsieur."

Tall white towers peeked over the western ridge.

Spring had arrived, and normally green bushes would bloom all over the lands during this season. But in Mount Darkness, the ground was filled with mud and moisture because of the unnatural rain here.

Only strange plants that could grow in the excessive rain grew in these parts.

'Hmmm. So, that event will take place in the Fall of this year, I presume,' Xar thought as he gazed at the distant ridge with his two crimson eyes.

The prince was dressed in royal clothes now. He wore a little black overcoat that was knitted for him by their castle's maids.

The half-blood dragons who lived in the castles and the slaves that were taken into their care throughout the years were the servants of the Dragon Family.

Slaves or not, the beings who lived in the castle were loyal to the Dragon Family. The Queen knew how to treat them to achieve their loyalty.

In recent days, the prince had been behaving quite unusually.

He had started to put mousetraps on the little holes of the castle and the pipelines, scurrying to greasy and dusty places that are not suitable for a royal prince.

He's been wary of the birds that flew about in the skies, always gazing around the castle through the windows. He kept reading even at night in the bedroom where he slept with his Mother.

"Xar, dear, why are you awake at night? You are still a child. You should sleep, you know." Melissa had said to the prince.

"No, Mother. I can't waste time," Xar replied, gazing out of the windows once again.

Melissa began to grow more cautious of his behavioral change in recent days now. After all, the time for Xar's flight and elemental training was near. He was at the right age to learn [Flight] and [Fire Manipulation].

The most basic skills a dragon could have.

///

It was a cold night.

There were only two members of the Dragon Family in the living room, seated beside the warmth of the fireplace.

Xar was in his room reading a book about the history of Dragons.

The Mother was seated on her red cushioned chair with a hand against her cheek, pondering about the unusual things that has been happening.

Her eldest daughter was the other in the room, who was lying on the long royal couch with her smooth feet up in the chair as if to showcase them. She had no respect when it came to manners.

After being with her daughter for 200 years, Melissa did not mind Chloe's manners anymore. After all, half of that shamelessness was passed down to the daughter from her.

Chloe slowly shifted her crimson eyes toward her mother's tiresome face.

"Mother? Are you scared? You…? The Fierce Queen of the Dragons?" She asked with a confused expression.

"No no, it's not fear for myself," Melissa groaned. "It's just a gut feeling, Chloe."

"Well, have you lost your guts, Mother?" Chloe asked again, disappointingly.

Melissa's eyebrows furrowed and she gazed sharply at her daughter. "Shut your trap, loser. Not even in a million years would this woman have her head cut by the blade of an Earthly being?"

"Yup, that's my Mother. But – is it Xar who worries you?"

A worried expression came over Melissa's face all of a sudden. She frowned.

"Yes, it's Xar. It has been 4 years since his birth… and by now, people would be able to get information that a new Dragon Prince had been born. They murdered Zenith because they thought our Bloodline would expand and we would dominate the world again. They did not know that I was pregnant with your father's son. So, it's only logical to think that they would come for Xar as soon as they find out about him."

The two fell silent after this for a while.

Chloe thought about her mother's words, and it wasn't just her who had been worrying about Xar's life being threatened in the coming years. Chloe had been worrying too.

"True, Mother. Our little prince is a genius and our father, was quite blunt – may his soul rest peacefully upon the Eternal Flame. But we should be cautious of his safety. What is it that you want me to do?"

Melissa sighed in relief and gazed into her daughter's eyes.

"He is a little genius, and that's why I have high hopes for him… even in the way he stares out of the window near the throne. He has some aura that your father did not have."

Chloe nodded in agreement.

"Well then… to protect him, we must give our everything to this little guy. Chloe, come here," Melissa leaned forward, crossing her hands.

Chloe sat up in the chair properly and leaned closer to her mother.

"Get Tyra and a couple of our half-blood shapeshifters tomorrow to prepare to head out from Mount Darkness. They'll scout the lands for any information and come back with it. And – you, how is your spell working out nowadays?"

"Well, I'll prepare the half-bloods, but… my spell, Mother. It's not perfect yet."

Melissa sighed. "Well, ok… then we'll use the last of the Dragon stones to prepare for the worst."

Chloe was speechless for a moment, but she knew that it was the only last course they had with them.

"Then, it's settled, right?"

"Yes," Melissa replied. "We'll destroy anything and everything that stands against us if they try to steal our prince. We'll show them fear once again."

Chloe grinned upon hearing this. "Yes, that's the Mother I know."