[Seryanna’s point of view]

 Now, when the time for my beloved Alkelios to return was just around the corner, I found myself holding Collentra’s hand while witnessing one of the many miracles of life in this world.

“Come on, just push a little more, and the egg will come out! You can do it!” Kataryna cheered as she was holding a clean towel in her hand.

“I don’t know if I should be amazed or terrified...” Kleo remarked.

“Don’t be rude, little sister. Giving birth is no easy matter for any dragoness!” I tossed a glare at her.

“Just as the redhead here said, if you keep sneaking into Iolaus’ room night after night like that, one day you are bound to end up heavy as well!” Kataryna teased.

“W-What? H-How do you know... No, why do you think that I... No, do you really think I can get pregnant?” Kleo asked as her tail started to wag towards the end.

The dragoness was a bit confused about what question to ask first, but rather than say she was against the idea, she was in favor of it. What dragoness wouldn’t want an egg with her beloved? Maybe I would end up an aunt soon? Or, if Alkelios returned to me soon, maybe she will?

“Stop daydreaming you two! It’s about to come out!” Kataryna shouted at us.

“Stop yelling... OR I WILL STRANGLE YOU ALL!” shouted Collentra as she released an overwhelming killing intent that made my scales tingle.

“My dear... are you alright?” Bayuk asked.

He was standing in the corner of the room, holding a big round shield in his hands and wearing a helmet on his head.

“NO!” she screamed and spat a breath of fire at him.

“Ah! Don’t burn me!” he cried out as he hid behind the shield.

The purpose of his gear was to avoid the sudden attacks from his wife. During such times, dragons were absolutely useless...

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!” she screamed.

“Yours too, actually.” I told her.

She glared at me, and I looked away.

After a few more pushes, the egg was finally out. Collentra let out a sigh of relief as Kataryna began to clean it up. Kleo was looking down at her hips and shaking her head, repeating the word ‘impossible’ in a small whisper.

“It’s a big and healthy one!” the silver-scaled dragoness declared.

Bayuk got rid of his shield and helmet and approached us.

Kataryna passed me the egg that was now covered in a soft fluffy nesting blanket. As I held it in my hands, I couldn’t help but feel my maternal instincts kicking in, guiding me in how to care for it.

“You don’t look that bad as a mother.” Collentra giggled as she looked at me.

“Maybe...” I said with a soft smile as I approached her bedside and then placed it carefully in her arms. “But it’s your egg, not mine.” I shook my head and moved aside to let Bayuk look at it better.

“It’s beautiful, I’m proud of you, my dear.” the dragon said as he shed a tear of happiness.

“Yes... I wonder if our baby will be a boy or a girl?” she wondered.

“You’ll see in two months when he or she hatches.” Kataryna told them.

We all looked at the happy couple as they held their newly laid egg. They were quite happy and could not wait to see their baby come out of it. Until then, the little one would continue to grow and absorb Magic Energy from the air around him.

Dragons, unlike humans, laid eggs, which then hatched into babies. Depending on how many the mother carried, she would assume either a half-beast form or a full-beast form for the duration of the pregnancy. A dragoness was known to lay from one to as many as ten eggs.

From what I learned these past few days, the eggshell was there only to help the baby absorb Magic Energy and protect him from possible predators or diseases. It could easily survive a furnace’ heat or a drop from over 100 meters in the air because it was infused with a powerful Natural Defensive Magic. On the day when the baby was about to hatch, the spell would vanish on its own, and the eggshell would become as fragile as a thin sheet of ice. The mother and sometimes even nursing dragonesses would instinctively know when it was time for the little baby to hatch.

Despite this happy moment when I witnessed for the first time the laying of an egg, I found myself holding a drop of worry in my heart, both for myself and those around me.

Nine months had passed since Alkelios left to train in the Seculiar Forest. Although I knew he was alive and well, I missed him very much indeed. Lately, no day would pass without me thinking of him, and I was even a bit envious of my little sister who often sent letters to her beloved in Tomeron. Of course, this was before they came here in the capital at the request of the King.

From what Kleo told me, both Iolaus and grandfather were advancing splendidly with their training. They grew in strength with each passing day. But this was also mainly due to them being friends with Alkelios and sharing the benefits of his [Dragon Tamer] skill.

Meanwhile, I changed as well. I had finally Awakened, and it was all due to my beloved.

Who knew that I would have to meet such weird requirements in order to be able to unlock my power?

Kataryna once mentioned that it was incredibly rare for someone of a High Element to achieve Awakening. This was due because of its increased difficulty as well as the many villainous schemes aimed at them.

My parents and grandfather did well to keep my element hidden from me, but once I had Awakened, I became aware of it. Casting and controlling fire became like second nature to me. I could do it without chanting, and every spell I cast was far more powerful than a regular one.

I was happy, and I honestly looked at my Awakening as a gift of sorts from the human I fell in love with. With it, the attitudes of those around me had changed, and there were not many who dared to speak to me as though I was still a child. It did not mean that I had forgotten their previous stuck-up attitudes, but I wasn’t one to take my revenge upon them either. Fools should be left with their own foolishness unless they dared to try to bite. At that time, those fools would need to learn how to walk without a head on their shoulders.

While I changed for the better, many others did as well. The King came out of seclusion and once more stood on his throne, although, it was only for a brief time during two different days. Many feared he was finally resigning himself to the idea that he may lose his Queen, while others believed that she may be feeling better.

During his first appearance, his Majesty sent forth a messenger to Tomeron through which he requested his presence at the capital sometime later this year. He did not specify an exact date, merely ordered him to be here just in case he decided to come out of his room again. As such, at the end of the ninth month after Alkelios’ departure, he finally arrived in Drakaria, bringing with him his trusted servants as well as his disciple, Iolaus.

Their arrival was not met with much enthusiasm by the nobles in the capital, and many of them tossed him a gaze of pity. Little did they knew that grandfather was quickly regaining his former strength.

For now, he waited for the King’s summon in his own private room in the Royal Palace. He spent most of his time either training or chatting with the Third Princess.

As for Iolaus, Kleo kidnapped him that day, and no one heard or seen them for a couple of days. When this happened, I remembered Kleo snorting like a wild beast and then rushing over to Iolaus the moment she saw him. She did not even bother to kiss him or anything. She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of there while he was pleading for help.

We offered him a silent prayer, for his sacrifice would appease the little demoness.

Upon their return, Iolaus was as pale as a ghost and could barely walk. He hadn’t slept a wink during those days. Meanwhile, Kleo was all giggles and smiles.

Thanks to Kataryna’s presence, there weren’t any fools who dared to try to get close to us with ill intentions, but there were a few who did not acknowledge her and challenged her to a duel. That day, the Prime Minister Elovius fainted after seeing the bill to the repair cost of the south wall. The dragoness did not go easy on them, especially after one of them had the guts to compare her to a prostitute. His friends needed three days to get him out of that ice block. That may have also been due to Kleo changing their chisels and picks with miniature ones meant for children.

Still, the most important change that occurred during this period of time was probably the way Sir Draejan Andrakaryus Doesya began to act lately. The former Brekkar Army had continued to gather soldiers, reaching double the size it had back when my grandfather led it, but almost all of them were pardoned thieves and scoundrels. There were also rumors of a strange shadowy figure working for Draejan in order to amass such an impressive number. Nobody knew his name, just the fact that he was often spotted around the noble draconian or handed out orders to the army’s commanders.

With an increased army, the political parties of nobles began to change as well. Many were backing up the young promising draconian, others were thinking of joining, while almost all of them were spreading bad rumors about the Third Princess and the other royals. With this, Kleo had been extremely helpful. Her ability with the shadows allowed her to listen to them without being detected and if by chance she found someone with ill intent, she could immediately inform Kataryna about it.

The silver-scaled dragoness was seen as a symbol of fear at the court. Three months after Alkelios left, several nobles of Marquise and Viscount ranks belonging to Draejan’s party tried to threaten the dragoness and coerce her to join their side. The result was an impressive ice sculpture placed in the middle of the front garden of the palace, where everyone could see it. Underneath, she wrote: Who is going to be the next volunteer?

Since then, everyone avoids her gaze, and the nobles acted more stealthily.

As for my relationship with Draejan, it did not change. I always stared cold daggers at him whenever he walked by. If he dared approach me, I raised the heat to the point it got uncomfortable. If Kataryna was with me, she usually unsheathed her sword or created an ice spike in her hand, causing him to back away immediately. I did not reply to his words nor did I offer him the pleasure of hearing my voice.

It was unfortunate that I could not beat him up myself, I was still far too weak when compared to him, but far stronger when compared to the time when I had yet to Awaken.

“Is everything alright, Seryanna?” Kataryna asked.

I blinked surprised and looked at her.

“Yes?” I replied tilting my head a little to the left.

“You were spacing out over there.” she furrowed her brow.

“I apologize... I was just thinking about something...” I smiled wryly.

“Don’t worry, dear. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” Collentra told me with a soft smile.

I nodded in reply.

True, I missed him... I missed Alkelios very much, but I had to wait... If everything was to go as he planned, then I had to patiently wait for him and pray in my heart for his safe return.

 

[Feryumstark’s point of view]

 “The time of that man’s return is upon us...” I spoke as I let out a heavy sigh.

“Are you worried?” Elliessara, my Queen, spoke in a soft tone of voice while showing me a gentle smile.

“No. He promised to return tomorrow. I trust him even if he is a human.” I closed my eyes and remembered how we first met.

Alkelios Yatagai, a human with a dragoness lover, holding the proofs of trust from Kataryna Greorg, my good friend Brekkar, and my own daughter. Even one of those would have been enough to make me grant him an audience, but with three, I had no need to doubt his words.

Although, I found it odd he did not request an audience with my son, Elovius, but knowing the contents of what we discussed afterwards, maybe it was for the best.

“Indeed, unlike many others, he earned our trust with his actions not just his words.” Elliessara said and giggled “If it wasn’t for him, I would have been dead by now. To think that a human of all species would be the one to allow me to spend more time by your side.”

“His words back then spoke the truth, and I alone would have never uncovered the trace of such a plot... To think someone had the audacity to spike your medical tea.” I said with a tone of rising anger.

“Alkelios promised us he was going to find a cure for me... I wonder if he was able to do it?” Elliessara wondered as she let out a soft sigh.

When I heard the details of the poison used on my wife, I could feel all hope leaving my heart. It was too powerful, without a cure, or so it was said. Alkelios was the one who shattered this nightmare. There was a cure, but he had no idea how to make it. The reason for that was...

“What a fearsome thing it is in order to require a Grand Godlike Alchemist to make the cure...” I remarked.

“He’ll do it...” Elliessara said.

“I hope so, but until then, I have to go and meet him in our grand theatrical play, just as we decided upon back then.” I smirked.

It was a rather cunning and ridiculous plan. A high-risk high-reward type that put all of us in danger but brought everyone to the point where they would reveal their true colors. It was for this reason that I sent out a summon to all the important nobles in the kingdom at my court tomorrow.

If Alkelios proved to be a monster, a traitor, an assassin of the humans, then tomorrow Albeyater Kingdom would cease to exist, but for this to happen, it would mean that not only that silver-scaled dragoness, but also Brekkar and my daughter were wrong about him... My daughter, maybe... Brekkar, I highly doubted it. That old snake was better at catching a rat than any of us. As for Kataryna Greorg, that old dragoness who could slay an entire army by herself, she was far more cunning than she let out to be and far too vengeful for anyone to dare to double-cross her.

 

[Draejan’s point of view]

 Tomorrow was going to be a big day! I had a feeling King Feryumstark summoned all of us with the intent of proclaiming me as the new general of the Brekkar Army and finally allowing me to ascend to my rightful place!

There were so many things I planned on doing as soon as I received this authority, although, at this point, this was merely a formality. The Brekkar Army, if only in name, was already under my control. Each and every one of those soldiers were contracted to obey me and not anyone else, including the royal family. I had great plans for this kingdom! And tomorrow... was going to be the day when I would take the first step into bringing them up to light and making them come true.

“Who knew that a random meeting with a human adventurer when I was young was going to bring me so close to controlling this... kingdom.”  I smirked as I looked out the window at the sleeping Drakaria.

At this point, not even Kataryna was going to be powerful enough to stop me, as for Seryanna... she was going to be merely a decoration until I held everything in my grasp.