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One day. One day I will be queen. And you will be dead. All of you.
Scarlet growled softly, ducking into a corner. But it was too late. Her three older sister’s had seen her.
“Oh my darling Scarlet,” Persian, the oldest, purred.
Apatite and Crimson slithered up behind her.
“Poor, poor, Scarlet.” Apatite murmured, with fake sympathy. “Your name is a shade of red, but your scales are such a boring orange.”
“Tsk, tsk,” Crimson said. “What an unusually long neck you have.”
“Leave me alone,” Scarlet hissed. The impulse to lash out was powerful, but she held back. She wasn’t strong enough. Yet.
One day, she thought. One day I will be queen. And you will be dead. All of you.
“Oh but darling,” Persian said. “We care about you too much.”
“We don’t want you challenging mother now, do we?” Crimson asked.
Apatite nodded. “One of uss will be queen. You don’t need to worry, dear.”
Crimson smiled coldly. Persian turned to walk away, and the others followed her, leaving behind a slightly angrier, slightly crueler, and slightly more dangerous Scarlet.
Scarlet snarled and attacked the dummy again, slashing its throat. She whirled to smack it with her tail and slashed at it again. Her claws ripped open the rough material, scattering straw over the rocky ground. She stopped, panting.
She was practicing on a mountain ridge, out of sight from the palace. The ground was covered in rough, sharp rocks, which sliced small cuts painfully over her palms. Her talons and muscles ached from practicing, and she paused to let herself take a drink of water.
Then she continued her fighting. She slashed at the dummy brutally, until it was mere shreds of straw and fabric.
I’m ready, Scarlet thought. Tonight.
Scarlet stood up from her mother’s body, and glared around at the watching dragons. Blood dripped from her scales, and spilled out from the shredded remains of the ex-queen.
“I am your new Queen,” Scarlet said, her voice echoing off the cliff walls. The watching SkyWings bowed respectfully, fear and terror gracing their faces.
Scarlet caught sight of Apatite, Crimson, and Persian among the bowing dragons. They looked angry.
Oh just you wait, Scarlet thought gleefully, casting a scornful look at her mother’s corpse. When you challenge me, I’ll crush you. I will be the one with the power, and the treasure. I’ll make you pay for everything you said to me. Just. You. Wait. This is going to be… thrilling .
Now. Now I am your queen. And you will soon be dead. All of you.