Prolouge

A white dragon stood on a high cliff overlooking her kingdom. Behind her loomed a huge castle built from the scales of her ancestors, thus making the walls of the castle impenetrable.

"My princess," a voice sounded behind her. Turning her head she looked at the golden dragon. Her blue eyes matching his green.

"Yes Draco? What is it?" Her voice was light and calm.

"The young are excelling in their lessons. They have grown restless." Draco was one of the princess's trusted advisors and her closest friend. Looking back out to the valley below, she watched the boysterouse youngsters battle each other with a purple dragon named Adelinda. With a smile forming on her lips she nodded.

"It does seem they are getting too much energy now. I believe it’s time for them to put their energy to use. Tell them they are to work as a team at hunting and should not return empty handed. That at least should get some of their energy settled down until I can place them in a proper setting." Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Draco nod his head in understanding before spreading his foot long wings. The sun glinting off of his golden scales sparkled and made him shine like the sun itself. Taking off with one mighty jump in the air, Draco glided down to Adelinda to report her command. Turning away she headed into the castle, her prism, 5 inch long claws tapped against the marble floor as she walked. Her feathered wings were folded tight against her sides, and her tail was held a good few inches off the floor. Other dragons that lined the inner castle walls bowed to her as she walked by and in return she acknowledged them with a slight nod of her head. Stopping outside of a pearl door, she placed one huge claw on the wall and the door opened to reveal a cave going deep down under the ground. Letting out a quick puff of fire, she lit the torches that lined the wall and proceeded down the stairs, the door closing behind her. Reaching the bottom step, she looked in to the huge chamber where she had laid her eggs. Over the years the numbers have sky rocketed up to 20,000 and each egg sat in its own straw and feather lined nests. Nuzzling her eggs, she let a content rumble emanate from deep in her chest. Soon these eggs will hatch and the kingdom will be with heirs to the throne.  Once more she took a deep breath and let out a stream of fire, only this fire was cooler than her last and was used only to warm the eggs and keep them a good temperature. Soon, her years of guarding her eggs will be over and she can get down to raising her own hatchlings. It usually does not take eggs long to hatch for females, but the royal blood line took longer to mature than the others so this gave her a long egg warming time while the other females have already grown up hatchlings and working on yet more eggs. When she was satisfied with the temperature of the area she counted her eggs once more before heading back up. Making sure the door was locked behind her she headed to the banquet hall for dinner. It would soon be time to welcome the arriving royals from the Kingdome to the North and she wanted to make sure that their agreement would be kept. She wanted to check out the King and Queen's son to see if he was worthy to be the next hair to the throne that would breed with one of her daughters or if he was another nibbling hatchling who is unworthy of the throne. She had already gone through a thousand male candidates and each one had failed horribly. She wanted the best for her daughter who would take over her spot as Princess of the Southern Clan.

Checking in on the kitchen servants she made sure the food was satisfactory. After all, royals prefer the best dinning in the world and would not even touch anything less. When she was satisfied with everything that was going on, she sat down on her plush cushion. Her tail wrapped gently around her body as she waited for her guest to arrive. Minutes ticked by when finally an emerald green dragon came in to the dining hall.

"Is there news of our guests?" She asked the young female. The emerald dragon nodded her head.

"They have just arrived my Princess. Shall I seem them in for you?"

"Yes. Please do Emerald." The young female bowed and left the room again only to return with three dragons behind her.

"My Princess. I present you King Vasuki and Queen Chusi and Prince Derek." The young female addressed the royal family before bowing away and closing the doors behind her.

"Welcome my friends. Please have a seat. Dinner will be out shortly." The Princess watched the three dragons take a seat on their own plush cushions. As they settled in she took the opportunity to study them. King Vasuki looked strong and well built. His blue scales shone like diamonds and his horns were sharp and polished. His claws looked to have been recently sharpened and polished as well. Queen Chusi seemed elegant as many female dragons should look. Her cobalt blue scales glistened in the light of the room casting rainbows on the floor. Her horns and claws matched that of her mate. Prince Derek however caught her attention the most. His red scales shone like fire during a sunset. His deep blue eyes looked around the room. He was well built like his father but also had that elegant look from his mother. He was indeed a fine young male.

"My King and Queen. Might I ask of your fortunes in your Kingdome?" The Princess asked, trying to make light talk.

"Oh, everything seems to be going smoothly," King Vasuki said. His yellow eyes glinting with amusement.

"Yes indeed. Our females have nearly doubled their batches of eggs tenfold. We find ourselves swamped with new recruits," Queen Chusi said. The Princess nodded.

"Yes. I know how it is. We too have had a boom of hatchlings and they only seem to be growing more in numbers. I fear if this keeps up, there will be no food to supply all of us." The Princess lowers her head slightly.

"Indeed," Queen Chusi said. "I propose we make a new law in our lands." The Princess looked up at the Queen and said.

"Oh? And what kind of law might I ask?" She was curious as to what the Queen would propose.

"A law stating that females should only have one batch of eggs every three years. This way, we will reduce the hatchling count and hopefully give us a chance to reduce our numbers enough that over population and lack of food will be no problem."

"And what of the royals? Surely you do not expect us to survive by just producing one batch of eggs every three years. The odds of even one of the eggs hatching and properly growing up will be very slim," the Princess said.

"Oh, the royals will be un-touched of course. After all, this land does need a royal to lead their dragons. Take you for example. You lead your Kingdome with wisdom and kindness that I have not seen in the Eastern or Western kingdoms. Their dragons are treated un-fairly and many are starving," King Vasuki added in. The Princess nodded.

"I have heard word from the other kingdoms dragons. Some have even moved here to my Kingdome in hopes of a better life but many I had to turn away do to over population issues. I felt so bad for them."

"Yes. We have had to do the same with our Kingdome as well," Queen Chusi said. The three of them fell silent.

"Mother, when is dinner going to be here?" All three dragons looked at Prince Derek.

"Soon, they should be finishing up the roast any second," the Princess said and just as the words came out of her mouth, the doors opened as dragons came in carrying all sorts of platters and dishes covered in food and deserts. When the dishes were set down and the dragons disappeared, the royal family dug into their meal.

After supper and some very delicious deserts. The King and Queen turned to the Princess and asked.

"And what of your daughter? Has any female egg of yours hatched yet?" The Princess shook her head.

"I'm afraid not. It seems they are taking their time and I know not why. It's very strange indeed. It’s as if they sense something coming that is not safe for them to come out yet. I tend to them every day and they should have been close now if not yet already hatching." The looks from the King and Queen did nothing to make the Princess feel any better.

"If one of your female eggs does not hatch soon, I'm afraid we will have to call of the arrangement," Queen Chusi said in a lower tone. The Princess knew what could happen but she had not yet lost faith in her eggs. One of them is bound to hatch sooner or later and she hoped it was sooner. Her Kingdome needs to be joined with the Northern Kingdome or they risk being lost to time it. Inbreeding is a very close threat in her Kingdome and she needs new blood.

"I know. And I assure you I am doing all that I can. Please give me a couple more months. If one of my eggs has not hatched by then, then we can call the arrangement off." The Princess looked at the King and Queen, she hated to sound like she was begging but she really needs this arrangement to happen. The King soon nodded his head.

"You have until the next gathering. If one of your eggs has not hatched by then, then we will be forced to find Prince Derek another Queen." The Princess nodded and bowed her head.

"Thank you my King." When all four of them stood up, they gently touched noses to each other in farewell before the royal family headed off to their Kingdome leaving the Princess dreading on what will happen. The next gathering was in three months and she did not know what was causing her eggs to not hatch. They were not dead she knew that for she could hear their heart beats inside the shells and they were fully developed as well. Sighing she headed back down to her nesting chamber. Once more looking over her eggs, she whispers to them.

"Come on my darlings. Come out, everything is ok. There is nothing here to harm you," but the Princess didn't so much as get a single peep until out from the crowed she heard the faintest peep. Looking over her eggs she followed the light peeping until she came to her only white egg of the clutch. The egg wasn't very big but the white shell shone the brightest, as if there was a light inside. Lowering her head to the egg she heard another small peep emanate from deep inside, smiling she said.

"Come on little one. Come out and meet the world," but the egg did not start to crack, the only thing that came out of the egg was the peeping noises from the hatchling within. Frowning slightly the Princess gently picked up the egg in her jaws, careful to not jostle it around or flip it upside down as she placed the egg in a hidden chamber. This chamber was warmer than the first and was only to be used when at least one of her eggs showed life. When the egg was settled in its new nest she headed out into the other chamber. Looking over her other eggs she hated the fact that soon, she would have to give up on them and focused on her one egg in the hidden chamber. Sighing, she headed up to the castle and headed to where the ancient dragons room. The ancient dragons were the dragons that lived long before the kingdoms were ever made and each Kingdome had their own ancient dragons. They were the dragons that all turned to for advice for they were the only ones with the wisdom to help.

Standing outside the huge, oak door. The Princess hesitated. She didn't want to disturbed them but she needed advice.

"Come in Princess," a deep voice boomed from inside. The Princess froze for a bit but soon regained her courage as she opened the door and stepped in to the ancient's chamber.

"Greetings wise ones," she said lowing her head in greeting.

"Now, now my dear. No need to be so formal," an elderly magenta dragon said. Her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Forgive me Belinda," the Princess said to the female dragon before standing straight.

"What is it you ask of us?" A nearly crystal clear male dragon said. His scales were so clear he looked to be made of glass, you could see the skin underneath which only make him look even more magnificent. He was the only X-ray dragon ever born and he was older than the world combined.

"I seek advice on my eggs," the Princess said in a bolder tone.

"And what advice is that?" A rainbow male spoke up this time.

"I have only one egg that has made a sound. She is the youngest and the only white egg of the clutch. The others refuse to hatch or even make a peep. Is there something I should be worried about with them? Should I continue to incubate the other eggs or focused on the one that has made a sound?" The ancients were quiet for a bit and they talked amongst themselves. When they finally came on an agreement they turned to the Princess.

"Young one. There is indeed a dark presence in the air. It has effected your hatchlings and I'm afraid they have been tainted with evil. If you say there is one egg that has stood out above the others and has not been touched by the evil then tends to that egg. There is nothing you can do for the others; they will die when the evil comes but that one egg will be your only chance to keep the Kingdome alive."

"An evil presence? From who?" The Princess now feared for her brood and her Kingdome.

"We know not from who but we know a powerful force is indeed coming sooner than expected." The Princess lowered her head.

"And what of my egg? What will happen to it?"

"The egg will have to be removed from here instantly. If this evil does get hold of it, your Kingdome will cease to exist." The Princess shot her head up to look at the ancients.

"Get rid of my egg?! No mother has ever been far from her eggs!"

"Calm young one. Your egg will be safe. You must send it to the Kingdome of its betrothed for protection. Once the egg hatches, it will be the betrothed responsibility to see that no harm comes to the young one until she is of age to take back what is hers."

"So you think my Kingdome will fall?! YOU CALL US WEAK?!" The Princess was becoming furious now.

"We are only saying that this evil will be much greater than your dragons can fight. Many will die, even you." The Princess was shocked by this outrageous accusation. Spitting at them in hatred she said.

"My Kingdome will not fall! Nor will we die! WE ARE STRONG!" And with the she left the chamber in outrage.

***

Ancients POV

"I feel this did not go well my friends," Belinda said. Her violet eyes lower in sadness.

"She is young yet and her inexperience is getting the best of her. We must take actions in our own claws if the blood line is to continue on."

"Indeed," a golden dragon chimed in.

"She will be heart broken when the egg comes up missing," Belinda said.

"That may be, but it is for the best. We must act now." With the agreement made, Belinda was assigned to get the egg out of the Kingdome while the others stayed behind to fight.

When night fell, the purple dragon crawled through the castle halls. The other dragons did not dare to stop her for she was well respected and it was not unusual for an ancient to take notice of the eggs in the nesting chamber. When she was within the chamber she was overcome by how much the eggs were affected by the evil presence coming. They had turned black and lost their glow, the hatchlings within already dead. Making her way to the chamber where the white egg rested her gently took the egg in her powerful jaws. Adjusting the temperature of her mouth to keep the egg at a good temperature she headed to the outside world and took off with the precious egg inside her mouth. After a few hours of flying, the purple dragon found the castle of the South and landed ever so gently on the ground. The guards outside of the walls stopped her and asked what she was doing which she would answer by opening her maw and show the white egg within. When they let her through she made her way to the castle. When the doors open Belinda made her way through the halls to the chamber where she heard the royal family conversion. Accompanying her was the messenger that was sent to escort her to the chamber.

"My King and Queen, I present you Belinda. An ancient of the Northern Kingdome. She brings a surprise and terrible news." The young dragon bowed her head before leaving them be.

"What is it? King Vasuki asked. Slowly opening her mouth she showed them the egg. All three stared before the Queen asked.

"What does the white egg have to do with us?" Lifting up her claw she gently laid the egg inside it.

"My King and Queen. This egg is the only egg out of my Princess's clutch to show any life at all. The princess within this egg is in grave danger. Her home is threatened by an evil presence coming and all the other eggs have died. The Princess refused to acknowledge the fact that her Kingdome will fall when the evil presence invades thus risking her only egg's life. It is the responsibility of the betrothed to guard the egg and hatchling within until she is of age to where she can challenge the presence for her Kingdome." All three dragons looked at her and the egg in shock. A loud screech sounded from within the egg and it shook a little but went still and quiet once more.

"As you can see, she is already trying to hatch now that she is out of the area. But I'm afraid by the time she is hatched her mother will have perished along with the rest of us." Belinda watched as Prince Derek came over and sniffed at the egg.

"Isn't egg sitting a female's job?" He asked.

"Not a royal egg my Prince. Plus, this egg is you’re soon to be mate," Belinda said kindly.

"What is coming to challenge your Kingdome?" The Queen asked gently taking the egg in her claw.

"A dark dragon of death. I do not his name but I know if he should find out the hatchling within this egg is alive, he will stop at nothing to destroy her and eliminate the entire blood line once and for all." The King and Queen looked down at the egg which began to shake some more.

"Is it hatching now?" Prince Derek asked.

"No. She is just moving around to prepare to hatch. She has prolonged her hatching time and thus has become too large for the egg. Moving around is difficult for her." Nuzzling the egg she whispered.

"Be strong young Princess. You are all that will remain of the Northern Kingdome." And with that said she bid the royal family a farewell and headed back home.

***

The Battle

A loud roar echoed from the nesting chamber as the Princess stormed out, her mouth in a snarl as she bared her teeth at any dragon nearby.

"Where is she? Where is my egg?" The Princess screamed through the castle. Instantly heading to the ancient chambers she busted open the door.

"What have you done with my egg?" She yelled at them. Her eyes were frozen in cold hatred and rage. Poison dripped from her fangs as she bared her teeth at the ancients.

"We have done what must be done. She is safe my Princess but you should be more worried for your Kingdome."

"What do you mean," the Princess hissed.

"Your Kingdome is being threatened my Princess. You must fight but your egg will be safe." A Loud roar shook the castle causing the ancients and the Princess to fall over onto their sides.

"What is this!" The Princess cried, anger was now replaced with fear.

"It's happening! We must fight!" Belinda cried out and all the dragons ran outside. High in the sky they spotted the biggest dragon ever. His pitch black scales made him stand out against the dark clouds. As he swooped to the side, the Princess saw blood red eyes full of nothing but blackness and evil. Lightning flashed through the clouds. Spreading her wings open she took off into the sky to confront the threat. It was her job to protect her Kingdome even at the cost of her life. Other dragons of her Kingdome joined in, even the ancients as they battled the black dragon.

With a mighty blow the Princess was swatted out of the air causing her to smash down onto the ground at full force, with the breath knocked out of her and her wings and legs broken, she could only watch as her dragons were mercilessly slaughtered one by one until there was none but her. The black dragon swooped over head and with a mighty breath engulfed all caves in a blaze of fire before landing down beside the Princess. With her last ounce of energy, the Princess built up enough breath she could muster and blew fire at the black dragon as he did the same. Their fire soon made contact with each other and it was a battle over who could hold it the longest but the Princess was weakening and her fire only kept slinking back further and further until she could hold it no more. With one last breath to her name she watched as the fire engulfed her.

Chapter 1: The Hatching

A loud peep once more penetrated the shell. The red dragon that has not left the side of the nest where the egg rested stood up as he watched the egg. Rocking back and forth the young dragon within screeched in frustration as she tried to get out. Soon a huge crack appeared across the white egg which was soon followed by more until a small back leg popped out, scattering part of the shell with it. Chuckling with slight amusement, he watched the hatchling struggle to get out. With one more mighty push soon the hatchling was fully out of the egg and the red dragon looked her ever. She looked exactly like her mother complete with the blue eyes. Shaking off the slimy yolk from her body the young Princess looked at the red dragon with curiosity.

"Hello young one." He said with a smile and touched noses with the hatchling. "I am Prince Derek." The little hatching snorted and pulled away giving the red dragon a little nip on the nose. Pulling his head back in shock he snorted in return.

"Nice to meet you to," he said but cracked a smile as the young hatchling hopped off of the mound where her nest laid. Sniffing around she looked at the red dragon and chirped at him.

"You must be hungry," he said. Quickly picking her up, he ignored her cries of protest as she tried to wiggle out of his mouth.

"Pu...put me down!" the young hatchling shirked which caused the red dragon to let go in shock. As she fell out of his mouth her wings instinctively spread open and she glided to the floor. Turning to him she snarled.

"I don't like to be picked up!" Prince Derek smiled at the feisty youngster.

"All right then," he said. "I won't pick you up but follow me if you wish to eat." Walking down the hall, he noticed out of the corner of his eye the little Princess looking around with wide eyes but was caught off guard when she asked.

"Where is my mom Prince Derek? Who is she?" Stopping he looked down at the young Princess who was looking up at him.

"Um, well you see your mom is on an extended vacation. She is the Princess of the Northern Kingdome and has entrusted us with looking out for you," he quickly lied. Well, at least not all of it was a lie, just a portion of hidden truth.

"Wait. So if she was a Princess then that makes me one to?"

"Yup. By blood you are the rightful heir to the Northern Kingdome."

"Then what am I doing here? I want to go see my home!" Prince Derek now was pinned, looking at the excited hatchling he didn't know what to tell her.

"Let's go, I'm hungry then can we go see my home?" She asked cocking her head with a questioning look.

"Um...I don't know little Princess..."

"My name isn't little Princess. Its Amelia." And with that she skipped down the hall following her nose to the smell of food leaving Prince Derek standing there dumb founded. When he finally caught up with her she had already ransacked the kitchen right under the cooks nose who when he caught her was in a tug of war contest with her. Peeping in through the door Derek couldn't help but laugh as both the cook and Amelia growled playfully while each had an end of the steak in their mouths in a tug of war until Amelia smirked and with a blink of an eye had the steak out of the cooks mouth and was trotting away with it dangling from her jaws leaving a shocked looking cook behind.

"Having problems Luther?" Derek asked while Amelia laid down next to him to eat her steak.

"Yes, where on earth did that little hatchling come from and how did she manage to ransack my kitchen without me knowing? She got into everything!" But instead of looking mad he looked amused. Looking down at Amelia who was giving him the innocent look her laughed.

"She's that egg one of the ancients from the Northern Kingdome brought."

"You mean? She's the Princess?"

"Yup," and looking down once more he noticed Amelia had demolished the steak and had her head on her claws with her eyes closed. Both dragons let out a chuckle and Luther said.

"Better watch out with this one my Prince. She's not only feisty but quick witted and fast."

"I know. She bit me when she first hatched." Nuzzling Amelia awake she growled at him but lifted her head up.

"What? I didn't do it, the rat did it," she said sleepily.

"What rat?" Luther now asked looking at her.

"The one that lives under your stove."

"What do you mean Princess?" Luther asked again.

"You can't see him? He's right there!" She said standing up and nosing under the stove, which she managed to fit under without a problem and chased out a huge rat which she pounced on and the two rolled around on the floor in a tussle before she killed it.

"Now young Princess. That is no way for a royal to act," Luther had said but Amelia didn't hear him. She like the steak and any other food she got her mouth on gulped down the rat before saying.

"So? No one said I had to act like one just because I am one. Besides, I don't want to be one." Both males gasped.

"Why not?" Derek asked.

"Well one thing, there is just too much formalities with it. I heard you all through my shell and everything is My Queen that or My Princess this. It's enough to give anyone a headache."

"And the other?" Derek asked.

"I heard what Belinda said."

"What part is that?" Derek asked now becoming worried that she had heard what would happen to her family.

"From what I got out of it, I was forced into a relationship with you," Amelia said looking at Derek. This had caught everyone off guard.

"Do you not wish to be?" Derek asked. He didn't feel hurt by it, he knew many hatchlings at her age look upon an arranged marriage with distaste and eventually as they grew older would come to accept it.

"Not really to be honest. I just want to go home and see my mom." With that Amelia padded out the door leaving Derek and Luther in the kitchen staring after her.

***

Amelia's POV

I don't remember much from when I hatched. But I do remember my mother's voice as she would talk to me through my egg. The smoothness of it rocked me to sleep and calmed my nerves any time I heard it. I also remember another voice, and new from instinct it was one of the ancients when she had brought me here. All through my imprisonment in the egg I could hear all sorts of voices and had wanted to come out to meet them but a strange fear told me to remain in the safety of my egg. Now that I was out I find myself engaged against my will to the big red dragon who I had first laid my eyes on upon hatching. At first I thought he was my father until he told me he was the Prince of this Kingdome. I could also sense he was hiding something from me but couldn't pin point what it was. I may be young still but I'm not dumb. Looking up at a huge window next to a big door I spread my wings and flapped them but unfortunately I couldn't get off the ground. Growling in frustration I tried again only to find myself lifted up which made a squeak come out of me as I dug my claws into whatever had lifted me up.

"Ow, please retract your claws," I heard the familiar voice of Prince Derek. Turning around I looked him in the eyes.

"Don't pick me up, I told you I don't like to be picked up." I didn't know why but it was just something about being picked up that frightened me. Smirking he said.

"Relax. You want to go outside right? Well you can't go out on your own. At least with me carrying you they will let you go without question." I snorted but nodded as he headed out with me on his muzzle looking down. The ground was a good 20 feet below me and it made me grateful to have wings. Last time I fell from his mouth, the height was enough to scare me into thinking I was going to die with the impact. Luckily I had spread my wings and glided down safely. Looking up at the sky, I noticed other dragons in the air flying.

"I want to fly," I found myself saying out loud. Derek looked up with his eyes as well as he said.

"When you get older and your wings become bigger. Right now, the most you need to worry about is not being trampled by them."

"I won't get stepped on. I may be small but I can get out of the way." I was stunned that he thought me incapable of taking care of myself.

"Oh I'm sure. You did a number on the kitchen and the rat but these dragons are different. Many of them will not hesitate to step on you, especially if they do not know you are the Princess." I snorted.

"You know. You insult me at times. I can take care of myself perfectly fine," I said and glared at him but that only caused him to smile and laugh.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You don't even know how to hunt or blow fire and here you are saying you can take care of yourself."

"I can to!" I spat and before he could say anything else, I spread my wings and leaped off of his muzzle to the bushes below.

Chapter 2: The revelation

Amelia's POV

 

I walked through the bushes in the woods, I could hear Prince Derek's voice calling out behind me to return but I kept moving on. I was going to prove to him I could take care of myself, after all, I was a Princess and a Princess should be able to take care of herself. During my walk through the woods I heard three high pitched voices to my right so I followed the sound. When I was close enough, I heard a somewhat deeper voice, not as deep as Prince Derek’s but enough to show the voice belonged to an adult. Peeking through the underbrush, I spotted three hatchlings and an adult dragon together in a meadow. Interested, I remained hidden to watch them.

I soon noticed the Pink hatchling teleport from the ground to the yellow adult dragon who smiled down at the hatchling on her back. I was now intrigued at what I saw and wondered if I could possibly have any powers at all myself. Soon turning my attention to the Cobalt Blue hatchling, I watched him as he closed his eyes and summoned a cloud over his head which began to rain on him causing the other hatchlings to giggle, I even found myself slightly smiling as well but the hatchling sure didn't look to pleased. Looking over at the Emerald Green hatchling, I watched as he touched a plant and made the baby bud bloomed into a beautiful fire lily. My eyes widened as I watched the three hatchlings and the adult as they displayed power after power, each one obviously in control of a different power than the other and each making a game out of it.

Sighing, I wished I could go join them but I doubted that they would be so keen on a new hatchling joining their ranks, especially one who had just hatched today, I was much smaller than these bigger hatchlings who I guessed hatched about a month ago so I was obviously the odd one out. Plus, in all the Southern Kingdome, not once did I see another white dragon, so that would surely make me stick out like a sore thumb. Lowering my eyes I started to turn around to head back when I felt a vine wrap around my stomach and lifted me up. Squealing in terror and shock I was dragged out into the open meadow where the other dragons watched me with curious eyes. I knew the green hatchling was behind this, he was the only one I noticed who had control over the plants.

"What do you want?" The pink hatchling hissed at me.

"Hush Rose, let the little one speak. Emerald, put her down gently," the yellow adult said in a gentle tone to the other hatchlings. Emerald lowered me to the ground before removing the vine from around me and for once in my life, I wished Prince Derek was here to get me out of this.

"What's your name?" The yellow adult asked me.

"Am...Amelia," I mumbled out.

"Ah, nice to meet you young Amelia. My name is Gem, tell me, what are you doing way out here?"

"I was exploring. I didn't mean to intrude on you guys," I said apologetically.

"Too late for that," Rose mumbled and I had to refrain myself from glaring at her.

"Hush Rose. Can't you see the poor thing is frightened?" This time it was the cobalt blue hatchling leaping to my defense.

"My name is Storm, nice to meet you Amelia. The pink one is my sister Rose and the green one is my brother Emerald." I nodded to him slightly but didn't speak.

"Where do you live?" Gem asked me and I wondered if I should answer her.

"I...I guess you could say I live in the castle but I'm from the North," I finally decided to say. All three dragons now stared at me.

"You live in the castle?!" Rose said leaping down and eyeing me up and down. "How could a scrawny thing like you live with Prince Derek and his family?"

"Rose!" Gem bellowed at her daughter which made Rose cower a bit. Emerald and Storm chuckled in the background as their sister was disciplined.

"I...I don't know. My egg was brought there, I don't remember much of what happened," I replied. I didn't know why it would matter on me living in the castle but from the way the pink hatchling acted I assume that it was a huge deal...that or she had the most biggest crush on Prince Derek.

"Well little one, what is your name?" Gem asked in a gentle tone and I instantly liked her.

"Amelia, I don't know my last name, Derek said it was Whitescales but I don't know if that was my mother's last name or not." Why was I reveling this much to strangers I did not know but there was something about Gem that reminded me of home which was odd for me as I have no idea what the North even looks like.

"Well Amelia Whitescales, it's nice to meet you. Who did you say your mother was?" Gem asked.

"I don't know my mom’s name but from what Derek says, she was the Queen of the North," I caught the two boys give me a long, shocked stare and I could almost feel the hatred and jealously flowing off of Rose; Gem too seemed taken aback.

"You're a Princess?" Emerald finally squeaked out.

"I don't want to be. Derek said that when I was only an egg my mother passed me off to be his bride but I don't want to marry anyone, I just want to go home. Derek said my mother was away on vacation and I want to see if she was home by now," but in all honesty, there was something deep down inside me that told me my mother was not home waiting for me, in fact, I had the feeling that there would be no one in the North waiting for me.

I heard a loud huff come from Rose as she stormed away.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked.

"Oh don't mind her, she gets like this when she thinks a threat is intruding on her chances of getting Derek," Storm said with a wink at me.

"She thinks I'm a threat?" I asked. I couldn't fully grasp why she would think that, I didn't even want to be a bride to a Prince of a different land let alone be married at all, plus passing me off as some possession did not sit well in the pit of my stomach without me having a say about it.

"Ya, but don't worry. She is just over reacting, do not worry about anything she says," Storm said once more and padded up to his mother.

"AMELIA!" I heard a familiar roar call my name and my mood plummeted and darkened. Great.

"Sounds like you should be heading home now," Gem said, she too had looked up at Prince Derek's roar.

"I don't want to," I said still stubborn about being treated like a baby, I may have just hatched today but that is no excuses to treat me like I can't take care of myself.

"Oh, it can't be that bad, look here he comes now," Gem said pointing behind me with her muzzle. I turn around to see a very angry Prince Derek stalking up to me and I braced myself for the remarks I would need to make.

"Don't you ever run away on me like that again!" Derek bellowed looking down at me.

"Stop treating me likes an egg and I won't!" I yelled back up at him, I had totally forgotten about our audience until Derek said.

"Thank you Gem for finding her, I've been looking all over for her."

"Not a problem your highness, she was no trouble at all," Gem said bowing her head, I scowled at Derek and was taken off guard when he picked me up by the scruff.

"HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" I screeched, I hated being picked up and the way he did it made my blood boil even more.

"And have you run away? Not going to happen," Derek said through clenched teeth as he turned away from Gem and her family and headed back to the castle with me struggling in his grasp.

"You're no fun! I was doing just fine on my own! I wish I was with my mom and not you!" I screamed at him and tried to shake my head around to give him a hard bite on the tip of his muzzle but he held me in just the right position that I couldn't reach him.

"If you had, you would be dead," Derek finally said and I stopped struggling and looked at him in shock and what I saw in his eyes told me that he did not mean to blurt the truth out.

"What did you just say?" I said, I knew deep down inside me there was something everyone was hiding from me but I couldn't put a claw on it, now I knew. When Derek sat me down in the hallway of the castle he sighed.

"An elder from your Kingdome brought you here as an egg to protect you from a black dragon who was attacking your castle. She left you in my care so that dragon did not kill off every line of the royal blood line in the North. Your mother did not make it in the battle between the black dragon." I stepped away from him, my eyes never leaving his face.

"You're lying! You have to be!" I shouted at him and bolted to my room. Slamming the door behind me I threw myself onto my make shift bed which was made out of bits of cloth and fabrics that I found and liked and buried my head under one of the fabrics and cried. Deep down inside I knew he wasn't lying but I didn't want to admit that, my whole being wanted to believe that he was, that my mother was still alive and still out there waiting for me to come home to her. I heard a light tap on my door and grumbled.

"Go away, I don't want to talk to anyone."

"It's me," I heard a voice say from the other side and I knew word must have gotten to Derek's mother. Sighing I mumbled.

"Come in," I pulled my head out from underneath the fabric and watched as the Queen entered in my room and by the look on her face I knew she had found out.

"Why didn't you guys tell me?" I spat through clenched teeth, the pain and betrayal that I felt was much stronger than I had imagined it was. Closing the door behind her, the Queen sat down in front of me.

"Please understand, we only wanted to protect you."

"By lying to me? By making me think my mother was still alive? How is that protecting me!" I yelled at her. I was greeting with sad eyes, the same eyes that Derek had given me when he finally told me the truth but I was in no mood to feel any guilt at yelling at the both of them either.

"Well, whenever you wish to talk, you know where to find me," the Queen said before leaving my room. I waited for a good while to make sure they were not listening in before I climbed myself up to the window and out of it. I may not be able to fly well yet but glidding sure is another good way to get around from point A to point B. 

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 21.04.2014

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