As we walked through the hopefully final gate, I was blinded. The sun was long gone but it felt like I’d just stared directly into it. We entered a long hall completely in white, as if the entire thing had been made of marble. On a closer look it appeared almost circular, like a tube. The floor and walls were spiky and rigid, and the air smelled of dead animals. Barely any windows to let fresh air in either. Though, there were some on the roof for some reason. Right in between what looked like the world’s largest animal ribcage. It stretched across the whole room. You couldn’t make this shit up. Right when I thought I had seen it all, this world always convinced me of the opposite.

What stood in stark contrast to the white room were the colorful stone columns on which people sat and stood. Some were Red and orange, some green or blue. Some tall and wide, others barely above the ground. Every column had its own color and height. You’d think their appearance was arbitrary, but surely there was some sort of system to it. A spiral staircase allowed the gathering people to reach the top of each column. Amongst those people I saw just one familiar face – Hern. The lanky guy whose tall column he sat on made him look even taller. He stared at us. Everyone was staring at us. I’d gotten used to it by then, but it was still annoying to stand out everywhere you went. I suppose I should count myself lucky. We’d made it. We were with the stupidly rich people. Finally.

Was that really what I wanted though? All the chattering, whispering and bickering nobles who were probably just waiting for the first opportunity to kick us right back out of this hall. Let’s see what happens. I thought to calm myself. We’ll be fine. The King is Urs’ friend! But where the hell was the King? None of these fat, ugly nobles looked all too... kingly.

At the end of the hall sat only a massive, comically spiky chair. An empty throne most likely made from the same animal’s teeth the ribcage on the roof belonged to. Not my first choice in seating fashion. Right behind it were six more empty columns.

As we passed the halfway point of the room, I glanced over to everyone. Both Rheka and Tavrin were in awe. Looking around frantically, probably going through an episode of complete sensory overload. On the flipside Urs, Visla and Vrintas looked like they’d been here a hundred times over, staring straight ahead. And Zilra’s? Well, I couldn’t tell if she was mad or sad. Probably a bit of both. Poor lass.

As we got closer to the King’s bonechair we were stopped by what I assumed to be the King’s Bodyguard. Seven of them in total. They wore armor much more intricate in design than what I’d seen so far. The left half was silver and the right golden, with complex patterns spread over the whole set. Smithing that must have been a chore.

One of them stood out. Standing at the back he was probably twice the size of the others. He was the only one wearing a full helmet, covering his whole face. Unlike the rest of the group, he carried no weapons. Nothing but a colorful, bright and round shield.

A hidden band of wind instruments announced that something was happening.

After a good 20 minutes the King had finally arrived. He wore a fancy-ish robe but dressed rather moderately compared to some of the nobles in this room. No crown on his head either. Just long curly silver hair with the face of someone who’d just been awoken from hibernation. The lad looked... well, miserable. As if he’d been hung-over for months. Honestly, he sported a face all too familiar. The same face I’d worn over many years. The face of someone who’d spend the rest of their days in some form of prison. Eternal torment. Calling it depressed would have been a sheer understatement.

As he sat down on his spiked mess of a chair, the room went silent in an instant. Ursus kneeled and signaled us to follow suit. The King just stared. Straight ahead. Over our heads. For minutes. Until a hooded figure appeared from the same entrance he’d come from, whispering something in his ear. Finally, he snapped out of it. Rising from his seat in an instant.

“Ursus. My dear friend. It is good to see you.” His voice was soft and quiet. Not the voice you’d expect from your average king.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Please rise. Someone who takes care of and guides my kin home safely is owed my eternal gratitude.” The King’s face barely moved as he spoke, showing no emotion at all.

Urs rose as ordered. “Go on.” he said, pushing Zilra forward.

“Welcome home Zilra. I’ve missed you ever so greatly.”

Zilra just ignored her father, walking past him to exit the room. Two guards followed her.

Right before the doorway she turned around.

“Let them stay here with us. Please.”

The King looked at his daughter, his eyes widening, showing a glimmer of emotion for the first time in this conversation. He nodded before Zilra turned around and left for good.

“It is decided then. Prepare a room for our guests and let them settle in.” He addressed the hooded person still standing next to him. “Everything else we’ll talk about later. In privacy. Disperse then. All of you.”

As the crowd began to move off their columns and out the hall, the chattering began anew. The King just massaged his temples with eyes closed.

“Good to have you here, Urs. Thank Enkef for that.”

***

While the adults were doing business with the King, Zilra showed us around. All I can say is that the palace was much much bigger than I’d first assumed. It was like a city of its own. You could house literal giants in this place. Most of the people we saw in court probably lived here, if only temporarily. Rheka was practically bouncing on her heels, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in every detail. Tavrin looked equally amazed, though he masked it better. As Zilra went on about the palace’s history and layout, I couldn’t help but notice that we were being followed. Two well-dressed teenage girls had been walking some distance behind us since we’d left the courtroom. And they looked familiar. Silver hair, eyes as golden as the sun itself. Flappers on the head. What is that? I couldn't believe my eyes - were those tails? On a human? From beyond their white dresses sprung up silver tails so long and thick, they might have passed as a third leg. Compared to their's mine felt puny indeed. A big smile on the taller girl showed me two fangs for teeth. Admittedly, they looked more dragon than I did. And that hurt.

"Would you look at that Ori, I was right after all!" the taller one yelled, the fangs in her mouth still greeting me. She exuded an almost palpable air of superiority. Her gown billowed around her, and her tail, long and shimmering, swayed with a casual grace that was hard to miss.

Her gaze locked onto me, and I could almost feel it probing beneath my skin. A small shaking sensation came over me.

"That's... nothing like the books, Val." the younger one said. Compared to her elder she spoke in a soft and quiet voice. More reserved, she still mirrored her in appearance. Though she lacked the same commanding aura. She looked at me with an expression that was more bemused than impressed.

I assumed these two fine human specimens to be Zilra's siblings. Though Zilra had no tail to speak of, the similarities were more than apparent. These were her sisters without a doubt. Yet they didn't pay her any attention whatsoever. Instead they surrounded me. Eyeing me from head to tail and back again.

I felt a grab on one of my wings. Rheka was not pleased. I saw her face twitch for a second.

"Can you even fly with those?" the older one said. Squeezing them tightly.

"Excuse you." I pulled myself from her hold.

"It speaks!" they both yelled in unison.

"Say dragon, where have you been?" the younger one said, staring deeply into my eyes. With such intensity she might as well have been staring at my very soul.

Where have I been? In prison I guess? Then at home? What silly question is that.

Before I could say anything like that Rheka had already jumped.

"His name is Argius and he's been with me. And he's staying with me." Rheka pulled me in, hugging me tightly.

"Interesting! Interesting." the older one leaned in then pulled back. "Ori. You owe me thirty talons then. It is a dragon. Apparently."

"Yes yes."

Zilra finally stepped between us. Her face screamed annoyance.

"Rheka, Argius, these then would be my sisters. The loud one's Valira. The other one Orindra. Let's get on with it." She walked past them, not sparing a second glance.

We kept on walking. Valira gave a theatrical bow, her tail flicking behind her. "Well met little dragon!" she called out, her tone dripping with mock formality. I heard some giggling after. "And welcome home, sister!"

Something was telling me this was only the first of many more meetings we'd have with those two.