The morning sky was painted with streaks of blue, and tinged with long, drifting clouds.

Queen Carmine looked out from the ledge, towards her kingdom.

She came to this spot often, it remind her of when she, Robin and Wisp used to spend afternoon together, years ago.

The SkyWing monarch sighed. Some many things had changed in the last twenty years...

Robin had become, once again, General and had married too. Carmine found Brand to be kind enough for Robin, but also too airheaded to be a soldier. Luckily, she was a treasurer instead.

Forge had moved back into the palace, and was now working on a series of mathematical studies. The old King had kept him smarts even though he was now an elder, and Carmine always appreciated his input in the decisions she made.

As for Lance... she had died, about a year ago, thanks to an avalanche which had also wiped away a part of Broken Berm. The Queen had her buried, and then tried to move on quickly, as if to cancel her memory.

Carmine had also worked on Broken Berm. She had wanted to relocated the families away from that haunted place, but after that disaster had happened many dragons had the wish to abandon the Berm. Carmine also made sure that the ones who stayed could now afford a decent life.

Twenty years had passed, and Carmine had never seen Wisp ever again. She was still waiting for him to return. She still missed him. And every time she heard of deranged SkyWings in the desert or runaway dragons from the northern isles, she would wish has hard as she could for one of them to be Wisp.

But she had kept her promise. The SkyWing Queen had prevented the war with the SeaWings. But unfortunately, after years of peace, problems were arising again.

Luckily, unlike Saffron, Carmine had been the Councilor of Law, and knew a more peaceful way to deal with these problems.

"We're ready to leave," a voice announced behind Carmine.

She turned around to greet the SkyWing. Her scales were hibiscus red, and her wings were the same color as her mother's, just without the streaks of red at their tips. But her smile... it was exactly like her father's.

Wisp had always liked the name Sunset. He thought it sounded powerful. Carmine would have preferred a more combative name, but when he had left, she hadn't felt strong enough to deny him this.

Princess Sunset dipped his head. "Eagle is ready, Mother. He said we will be there by midday if we leave now."

Queen Carmine nodded. She loved her daughter. Everyone in the kingdom knew that the SkyWing Queen would do anything for her daughter, and Sunset lived a happy, wholesome life. Robin thought that she wasn't particularly strong for a SkyWing, but Carmine didn't care. She had his father's mind and heart, and her love for diplomacy. Just like she had trained Eagle, who was now the Royal Foreign Secretary, Sunset was training to become an envoy, and Eagle had become her mentor.

"I think Eagle is right. You will stay in the SeaWing kingdom for two days, and then you can return here," Carmine said with a calm tone, "Remember, we want them to surrender the sea side villages. They belong to us and-."

"We want them back before they're threatening the SkyWing inhabitants, and taking our resources," Sunset summarized, with a gesture of her talon, "I got this, Mother. Eagle and I spent week figuring out our strategy. We'll win this battle, trust us."

Carmine smiled, and lifted her head. "I trust you and Eagle. I am sure this will go well," she paused "I'm proud of you, Sunset. Now go, and remember: making them feel small is the first step towards pushing them aside."

Sunset smiled, and held out her wing. Carmine touched it with her own. It was a sign to say "good luck", and Carmine remembered it was one of Gust's favorite gestures.

"Thank you, Mother. I'll see you in two days," she announced, dipping her head, and then took off, towards the sky.

Eagle was already hovering there, waiting for the Princess. The two exchanged a few words, and then flew off, towards the Kingdom of Sea.

Carmine smiled.

She saw it again, the same scene: Wisp flying off into the sunset, and her standing there, powerless.

But this wasn't the same.

She was Queen. Her kingdom was prospering. Her family was happy. And she had the most perfect daughter.

Carmine breathed. Time had passed, things weren't the same any more.

"I have grown so much since the day I saved Wisp. Since the day I got married. Since the day I became Queen. I... don't think my life is worth something only because of any of these. I had the power to make them happen... but I was never alone. Dragon believed in me all along, and I didn't let them down. I think- I think that's the only real power... willpower."

Carmine looked forward, frowning towards where Sunset and Eagle had disappeared.

"They'll be gone only two days... plus, they have each other."

She smiled once more and then spread her wings, taking off towards her future.

"What could ever go wrong?"