Everyone was staring. Everyone was looking. Looking at her. Was it because she was laughing so? Or because she was… she didn’t know. Her brain liked to leave her in the dust on occasion.

She made her way, blushing, toward the blue dragon. The early morn’ customers returned to their prior conversations as she walked. They did not know her intentions. They only thought of her as a weirdo. And hopefully not a maniac Of any sort.

The blue dragon had made the sign of the group she was in. She knew something was up. She decided to investigate what his role was in the coup. She was curious about what he knew and why was he with the prince. It was also a job she was destined to do… so she was told.

“May I sit with you?” she asked. She thought she sounded anxious. But the strange dragons did not seem to notice if any hint of it was there.

“And you are…” the blue dragon asked.

“Maple.”

“Maple? Like maple syrup?” asked the smaller dragon, supposedly Prince Tiger.

“I was named after syrup. Yes.”

Maple was a little embarrassed about her name. She was named after a food; very few were named for food. Food was essential, yes. But to be named a food, well, condiment, more of, was not honorable.

Some kids teased her for her name and for her father’s dark associations. It had always troubled her. “May I sit with you?” asked Maple, again.

“If you are going to help pay the bill, then yes. If you are just here so that we would pay for your deserts and sweets then stand there and talk,” said the blue dragon.

Maple stood there staring. It was a legitimate concern. She had cadged her friends to pay for her food at particular diners multiple times. Sliding into the banquette next to the blue dragon was very awkward. Their wings brushed and the blue dragon pulled his wings in tightly. Physical contact with a strange dragon she knew she could trust but did not yet know sitting next to her was a little disconcerting.

“Sooooo,” she said. “Before we talk much, I will contribute some coin to the bill.”

“Ok. Sooooo?” the blue dragon replied.

“So what's going on with… you know, the missi—I mean—” asked Maple.

“You know about–”

“Well, my dad works with Jaguar. So yes, I do know,” replied Maple. Although I do not know what this dragon is doing. “By the way, what should I call you by?”

“Nightfall.” the prince interjected. “And I'm Tiger. I would also like to know what you two are talking about.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“I’m his ‘cousin,’” Nightfall said gesturing toward the prince. “And she is a friend of mine from a dinner for nobility in my father’s sect of Phyrreis.”

Maple internally applauded Nightfall. But yet she doubted if she should do so, considering what else she knew. He may have infidelity towards the coup, but then she did do.

. She knew Jaguar. She knew of… something—something her dad would not say—but she knew it was something about some prince and the king. Though it was not unlikely she just misheard when she eavesdropped. She wished she could talk to him, the strange dragon that may or may be working for her father.

She wanted to talk to Nightfall—if that was his real name, which she was sure it wasn’t—about the thingy. The thingy-thing-thing.

But he might only be a pawn, but one with a great privilege. One scapegoat. One to carry the punishment and hardship.

A waiter came. “Is this a friend of yours? Shall I get her some food?”

“Yes please,” said Nightfall.

Maple raised an eye ridge at Nightfall. She didn’t want food. She wasn’t that hungry. It would be rude to refuse though.

“What do you want?” asked the monotone waiter.

“Ummmmm… waffles, please,” said Maple.

“That’ll be 17 bluescales in total.”

Tiger reached into his satchel and pulled out the necessary amount as payment. Nightfall stared strangely at Tiger as he put the money in the waiter's talon.

He hasn’t seen anyone pull that much money out of their pockets that easily, has he? Maple thought. He might be working for the coin or another thing. Perhaps the cause?

They were all silent as they ate their breakfast. The other patrons that had seen her act like a maniac walked by her, left the restaurant, and, gave her distasteful looks as they did so. She was used to it by now. She had always been given distasteful looks and looks of disgust. Mostly because of her heritage which she hoped to keep hidden from Nightfall and Tiger.

***

Maple stayed with them after they had all eaten their food. They were okay with it. Nightfall and Tiger, that is. A cool breeze brushed by them as they exited the diner. Not a cool breeze. A warm breeze. A hot breeze. Maple knew. Maple knew that either Tiger needed to die in the fire or be spirited away. She wanted to do the latter. Oh, she did. But she would face the wrath of the sovereign.

She gave a start when Tiger screamed almost as loud as loud can be. She turned to Nightfall as bright red gave the area an eerie look.

“Come,” she said firmly. A fire flaring up not far away.

Nightfall looked surprised. “Why- What–”

“Come,” she said again. “Trust me.

He looked fearful and scared. She hoped he would come. But did he trust her?

“Trust me,” she said again. And grabbed Nightfall’s arm. They started running on the pale stone road.

This was all very sudden and almost none had seen it coming. But the god of this realm did. But he did not communicate or notify anyone in the world.

In any case, time was of the essence and survival was key to, well, staying alive. So they ran (as previously stated).

Maple knew the fire was going to happen. It was so the guards of the king could be preoccupied while he was dealt with. It might be death, capture, or just blackmail and banishment.