I stared at myself in the mirror, taking in every small detail of my face. My dark brown, unmarked face, messy white curls atop my head, and my milky grey eyes shining starkly against my skin tone. “We need to shift,” my dragon, Rukiya, said as she paced in my mind. I winced. It had been two months since I last shifted, and Rukiya had been pushing to shift every day for the last month. “It needs to happen soon or the pain is going to be too great even for me to hold off.”
I sighed, “Okay.”
“I know you’re scared of the pain, but this will help keep greater pain at bay,” she said as I started walking through the house for the front door.
I almost made it to the door when my mother, Queen Elenell, called out to me, “Gildaza. Where are you going?”
“I’m going for a hike in the mountains.”
“How long will you be gone?” She asked as she walked up behind where I was standing facing the door.
I turned to her, “I’m not sure. I might stay out there for the night.”
She hummed in disapproval. “You shouldn’t stay out there overnight. What if you’re attacked? You can’t defend yourself.”
I held back the eye roll that threatened to slip out, “I can defend myself just fine. I’ll just encase my imaginary attackers in ice.”
Her eyes narrowed at my snark, “You are needed back here no later than two o’clock tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“That’s not your concern. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is being back here tomorrow at two.”
A low growl escaped, causing her to let out a growl of her own. “We can’t shift today,” I said to Rukiya.
“Sure we can. She didn’t say anything about having to come as a human.”
“Gildaza.” Elenell snapped, causing my focus to return to her. “Promise me you will be back by two tomorrow afternoon or I can’t allow you to go into the mountains.”
“Allow me?” Why I was pushing her, I didn’t know, but I knew I was sick of her treating me like a delicate thing. I was the future queen of our kingdom.
Her golden eyes flickered from human to dragon as a growl rumbled from deep in her throat, “Yes allow you. Tomorrow’s meeting is very important, and if you can’t promise you can actually manage to make it here on time, then you cannot leave.”
“Okay fine. I promise to be back by two tomorrow.” Her eyes narrowed, assessing me before nodding. “We’re going to the mountains,” I linked to Umasa, my Treskim.
Once we were halfway to the mountains, I triggered my shift. I screamed as pain spread through my body before I passed out from the pain and Rukiya took control.
“Princess Gildaza.” I felt someone tap my large snout. “Princess Gildaza. Your mother sent us to find you. Your presence has been requested.”
Rukiya let out a low angry growl, but stood and stretched before shaking off the snow that had gathered on our scales.
“Why the fuck did you shift?” Elenell mind linked me. She only ever lost her cool over mind link, and she had always advised my brother and I to do the same because you never knew who was listening.
“You just said to be back by two. You didn’t say I couldn’t shift.”
“It was implied, you arrogant little bitch.”
“What is this meeting about?”
As the question left my mind, I heard the wing beats of shifters behind me. I turned to see a group of shifters I didn’t recognise. They were led by a huge dark blue-violet dragon. Elenell gave a slight but respectful bow which the large dragon returned. “King Cadalan,” my body went rigid. King Cadalan was leader of the biggest and most aggressive kingdom on the continent. “Thank you for meeting with me. There are clothes you all may borrow if any of you wish to shift,” she said, pointing at a small building.
Several of the shifters with Cadalan shifted, but he waited for them to return before shifting himself. The man that stood before Elenell and my dad was unbelievably handsome. He was roughly six foot five, with dark tan skin. Tousled curly dark chocolate brown hair sat atop his head. I sucked in a small breath as my eyes landed on his lavender colored eyes. As he walked away, my eyes traveled his muscular, scarred, and tattooed body. “Queen Elenell,” Elenell took his offered hand, happily, once he returned. “King Gerion,” he offered my dad his hand, which my dad hesitantly took. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. This is my second in command, Denala Keykalyn, two of my top advisors, Gwilan Norsalor and Evaer Romys, and one of my generals, Segalan Yesra.”
Elenell gestured to me, “My heir, Gildaza, and son, Brevala.”
His sharp gaze turned to me, assessing me, “Will they be joining?”
“No. They aren’t needed for this.”
“Then why the fuck did you wake me up from my nap?” I linked her, causing her eyes to cut to me; her anger palpable.
“Count yourself lucky I’m not forcing you to expose how weak you are to the most dangerous leader on the continent.”
“Whatever. I’m going back to the mountains.”
As I took to the sky, two of our warriors started to follow. I sent ice daggers flying at them, slicing their wings. “Hm, an ice wielder. How unfortunate for you,” the second in command said, looking at Elenell.
I looked at her dead in the eyes before calling lightning down, striking the ground next to her. Caladan smirked as Elenell’s biting voice entered my head, “They are here to forge an alliance, not be attacked.” She turned to Brevala and said aloud, “Go with your sister, so she stays out of trouble.”
“Keys, go with them please.”
“That isn’t necessary,” Elenell said.
“I insist,” Caladan responded in a tone that left no room for arguing.
“Stay behind, so I can listen in,” I linked to Umasa.
I watched as Umasa shifted from a small bird in a nearby tree into an owl and settled into a tree outside my parents’ office. “Do we really have to go into the mountains?”
“You don’t have to come along, little brother.”
“And leave you alone with his second in command? As if,” he linked back.
I dove head first into the deep snow, pushing the snow away from me with my bending. “Sis, do you mind clearing space for us?”
I picked up my head and looked over at them. I let out a snort at the clear disgust on their faces. I bent the snow surrounding them onto me. I settled my head back down under my left wing and used my unique ability to see through the eyes of Umasa to listen in on the meeting.
“Why exactly have you asked me here, Queen Elenell?” Cadalan asked while inspecting something on the wall.
“An alliance. Wecica and Xidor are at war with Qaria. We have trade routes to Yira, but can’t necessarily depend on them to help defend against other kingdoms, especially yours.”
“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?” He asked in a bemused tone before turning to face my parents. “So what do you propose?”
“Something stronger than a piece of paper.” My head shot out from under my wing.
“Cut to the chase, Queen Elenell. I’m a busy person.”
“I will be naming Brevala as my heir at the end of the month, instead of Gildaza.”
“You’re breaking the Qealan Dynasty custom.”
Her brow furrowed, “How do you know of our traditions?”
“I’ve made it my job to learn the customs of the kingdoms around me.”
Elenell nodded, “Well, while it breaks our traditions to have a man at the head, I believe it’s in our best interest to align with something stronger.”
“How do you think Gildaza will feel about you using her as a bargaining chip?” Evaer asked.
“She will be your problem, not mine, so I can’t say I really care.” I growled at her uncaring sentiment. My dad looked at her, shocked at her callousness.
“She’ll have to fight,” Segalan said.
Caladan nodded, “Alliance or no, everyone fights to get into the kingdom.”
“And if she loses?” My dad asked quietly, knowing Elenell has never let me train.
“She dies,” Caladan stated softly.
My dad’s head whipped around, “You can’t send her to her death.”
Elenell let out a loud, commanding growl causing him to shrink slightly, “I can and I will. The decision has been made.”
The room fell silent before Caladan spoke, “You have a deal.” My dad looked at him horrified as he spoke. “I’ll train her myself. You don’t have to worry,” Caladan said, squeezing my dad’s shoulder reassuringly.
“When can we expect her?” Gwilan asked.
“She may leave with you today if you wish. I will have her things packed and sent to you, but,” she shoved a small stack of paper across her desk, “That’s up to you.”
Thunder sounded around me, “Za Za, what’s happening?” Brevala linked me.
My vision snapped back to the mountains. “Elenell is naming you as heir and is sending me to Draeles to align our kingdoms.”
His mouth was hanging open as I looked over at him, “She wouldn’t.”
“She has. She wants power and an alliance over our customs.” I let out a growl, “They’re going to make me fight to join the Draeles Kingdom. She doesn’t give a shit that if I lose I die.”
He growled, “She’s gone too far. I’ll abdicate. Leave her without an heir. Let the dynasty end.”
I shook my head, “When you take over, just promise me you’ll do a better job than her.”
He walked to me and pressed his large head against mine. “I’ll miss you being around, Za Za, but it’s not all bad.”
“How so?”
“You don’t have to deal with Elenell anymore.”
I snorted, “True. Maybe I’ll get to come back as queen, and Elenell will have to treat me with respect.”
“Gildaza, return to the house,” Elenell’s voice sounded in my head.
“Elenell is demanding our return,” I linked Brevala. I looked over at Denala and jerked my head, signaling our leave. She huffed in response before taking to the sky.
“Gildaza, I’m sure you were listening in, but you’ll be leaving with King Cadalan,” Elenell said aloud.
My dad walked over to me and I dropped my large head into his waiting arms, “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop this from happening, Za Za.”
“I know you tried, dad.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in, “You don’t have to worry about me. La La’s been training me in secret. I’ll be okay.”
“You’re stronger than any of us Za Za; despite what your mother thinks.” He gave me a kiss on my forehead, “I love you, Za Za.”
“I love you too, dad.”
Brevala bit my neck playfully. I let out a growl and bit him back. “Love you, Za Za.”
“Love you too, La La.”
Elenell started to walk toward me. I let out a powerful growl, baring my teeth. “Despite what you might think, Gildaza, I’m doing this for your own good.”
I snarled at her, “That’s fucking bullshit and you know it. You’re nothing but a greedy, power hungry monarch.”
“You’re an ungrateful child. You’re going to be bonded to the most powerful dragon of our time and all it costs is moving from your home.”
Before I could respond, pain spread through my body. A scream threatened to come out, but I refused to give her the satisfaction. I ground my teeth together, and soon the pain faded. I tried to reach out to Brevala and my father, but I couldn’t reach them with my mind.
“She broke our connection with the kingdom,” Umasa said in my mind, just as they flew towards me, shifting into a small white dragon that looked very similar to my dragon, as they got closer to me.
“How did you tame a Treskim?” Cadalan asked.
“Gildaza found them when they were a baby hiding next to their dead parent,” my father answered.
“You have to leave it behind,” Cadalan said. Umasa and I growled, “The species is known for being unpredictable, agents of chaos. I don’t need that in my kingdom let alone in my home.”
Umasa shifted into a small version of Cadalan, “‘The species is known for being unpredictable, agents of chaos. I don’t need that in my kingdom let alone in my home,’” they said in a high pitched voice, mocking Cadalan.
Denala and I snorted, “Can I speak through you?” I linked Umasa.
“Of course, Za Za,” they linked back before shifting into me.
“Where I go, Umasa goes,” I said through them.
Cadalan’s eyes narrowed, “Shift and we can talk about it.”
I growled low, “This isn’t up for discussion.”
He crossed his arms, “You’re right. It’s not up for discussion, unless you shift, that thing isn’t coming with us.”
Umasa let out a growl, to which Cadalan let out a powerful growl, his eyes narrowing on me. “It’s not coming with us,” he ordered, causing my head to bow slightly under his dominance.
I stood up straight and looked at him with narrowed eyes, assessing him. “Fine,” Umasa said. “They’ll stay here.”
“Give us an hour and follow behind,” I linked them.
“Why wouldn’t you shift?” Gwilan asked.
“That’s not your concern,” Umasa said without prompting from me.
(to be added to)
Author: Kailan Counahan 