Frida was glad she wasn't the Dragon Queen.

One colony was more than enough for her.

How her aunt managed to rule an entire species, let alone delegating her court, was a complete mystery to her.

"I believe we should at least give them a chance to speak," the queen announced to her court as she sat poised on her throne. "All dragons, no matter how unusual their request may be, have a voice here."

One dragon with dark purple scales grumbled from his seat in the court, "Your Majesty, their request regards a human. That is hardly of importance to us."

The light from the chandelier above glimmered on her aunt's pale, frosty scales. "We would do well to keep an eye on the happenings of humanity. We share this world with them in peace, and we would be wise to keep it that way." With that, she turned and nodded her head to Angus, who sat at the edge of the row of the group in the center of the throneroom. "Please, present your case."

Angus reciprocated the nod and stepped forward from the line. "Your Majesty," he began. "Back during the Lab incident, Azara and I were sold to a man to be given to his grandson, William Bronze. We were to be Will's 'pets', but when the lab came for us, William helped us. He got us to London, and just as we were able to reach this place, William was knocked out and captured by the lab." He paused for emphasis. "This boy deserves our help! He sacrificed himself so that we could be free from the lab, and now it's our turn to free him."

"I never knew this boy," Isis added in, "but to me he sounds brave and an ally to our species. Help this boy, and it will help prove to the humans that we are not the pickpockets and vermin many believe us to be. Now more than ever, in light of the recent threat on our rights, helping the kid is the bridge we need to build."

Frida listened to the sun goddess' words in awe. She had managed to strengthen an argument without having even met the child she was trying to defend.

How... How does she always know the right thing to say... She couldn't help but admit that a trickle of envy had formed inside her. When she had returned home to Siberia, she had brought with her an array of cold-type dragons that had been displaced by the lab. Back in her old village, she had assembled a colony, which had then deemed her the leader.

A position she really had no clue what she was doing in.

Isis always speaks so eloquently, so cleverly, so confidently... I'm the niece of the dragon queen— why can I only stutter? Why do I never know what to say? When the colonists ask me where to set up their dens, where to find food, why can I never seem to know the right answer?

And as she soon realized that the court was waiting for someone else to speak in defense of Will, Frida again felt void of the right words. "I... Agree with Isis and Angus," she said, struggling to make her voice loud enough to hear. "We should help Will."

Azara waited a moment, as if Frida might say more, before taking the torch. "William is unlike most people. He was raised in a world that saw dragons as pets, but he changed. He listened to us. He changed for us. William may only be a human child, but as Isis said, he is a bridge. One of the first humans willing to see that dragons and humans can be equals. If we save him, he can spread that belief, and that is a vision worth fighting for."

The queen slowly nodded her head, taking it all in. Finally, after a moment of thought, she said: "Exactly what sort of assistance are you in need of?"

Azara answered, "resources, mostly. Information. We need to track the whereabouts of the lab— where they went after being closed down. We know that the majority of the snatchers managed to get away before the human forces could find them— and wherever those snatchers went, William is. I'm sure that you've been tracking what you can. We could... Also do with some funds. For Lawrence."

The queen tilted an ear. "Lawrence?"

"William's Grandfather," Angus explained. "We may have wings to travel but he doesn't— and he also can't sleep in trees and live off leftovers."

The purple dragon in the court scowled. "You are asking us to pay to take care of a human?"

Angus tentatively nodded. "For the duration of our trip, at least."

The grumpy court member shook his head. "That would cost far more than we have. Humans are expensive creatures."

The queen tilted her head ever so slightly. "Is that a formal report of our current financial situation, master treasurer?"

"It's... An opinion, your majesty."

"Then it is duly noted." The Queen looked around at her court. "If anyone else has opinions or statements, please raise your voice now."

"I think that we should support them," a new voice said. Frida scanned around, and realized that it hadn't been a member of the court. A new dragon was strolling into the court. "Their cause seems worthy. Off to rescue a human child, correct? From the very people that had been kidnapping dragons?"

Frida wondered how long the dragoness had been in the room. She wouldn't have been surprised if the new dragon had been there all along— her scales seemed to melt into the shadows.

The Queen kept her expression schooled into neutrality. "Excuse me, have you been invited to attend this meeting?"

The dragoness flared her wings. "This is the dragon court, is it not? Aren't all dragons supposed to have a voice here? And you did just say to raise our voice if we had any... Opinions." The shadow dragon didn't give anyone a change to counter her. "Thousands of dragons were taken captive by this... Lab. Not a single human came to help them. Yet when a human boy gets kidnapped, we mobilize all of our forces and use up all of our resources to help him, right? Sounds perfectly logical to me."

A grumbling swept through the court. Her aunt narrowed her eyes just a slight. "I'm sorry, but would you please tell us who you are?" the Queen questioned.

The dark dragoness feigned an apologetic expression. "Deepest of apologies, Your Majesty." She swept into a bow, snow-dusted ruby eyes glowing. "My name is Iola Angharad. Heir to the throne of the Dragon Queen."

Another ripple of murmurs filled the room. A familiar scent drifts past her, but Frida couldn't quite identify it.

Heir to the throne of the Dragon Queen. Was Iola the daughter of the Queen? She found it difficult to find any sort of resemblance. She didn't even know if the Queen had any dragonets. But... If so... Then is Iola some sort of... Half sister?

Yet the Queen didn't seem rattled. "I have no children."

Iola narrowed those ruby eyes, a hint of a smile forming on those ebony lips. "No, but your sister did. Embla Angharad."

Embla Angharad. This dragon knew her mother's name. The words hit her like a pile of bricks. 

Was it possible... That her mother had lain two eggs? Large clutches were not uncommon, but if there really had been two, then why hadn't Kostya taken Iola's egg as well? Had they been separated somehow? Is it connected to the fact that my mother went missing?

Clearly the Queen was thinking the same thing. "What proof do you have of this?" Iola's smile widened. For a moment, her ruby gaze settled on Frida, as if seeing right into her very soul. "I smashed out of my egg in the snows of Siberia," she announced. "And I spent every day after that struggling to survive on my own. Now I have returned. And I intend to retake what belongs to me."

Frida could tell that her aunt was studying the dragoness closely. "Myss Iola, you must understand that it is hard to immediately believe your claims. We are dealing with a situation right now, however I shall see to it that some of my court are tasked with verifying your... Story."

Frida thought back to her own past. To when she had hatched on the mantle of Kostya's fireplace. It was a foggy memory at best, yet she could still recall the smile on the old man's face, the smell of the burning wood... So familiar that she could almost smell it now.

Wait.

"My Queen—"

Iola interrupted her. "No need. I can prove it right here. Right now."

"How?" Azara joined in.

Frida's heart pounded in her chest. "My Queen there's—"

Again she was interrupted. "How about I just show you?"

That was when the court room erupted in flames.

Fire of ice and burn surged through the room, and the dragons all roared in terror. The room became a massacre of frantic wings and talons as they all tried to run, bursting through the bronze door. Some dragons froze into statues where they stood. Others were already having their scales burnt black. In the sudden chaos, she realized that she had lost all track of her friends.

Frida tried to grasp the flames. If they were truly magic based, she should be able to manipulate them just the same. Yet as she reached out her magic to the fires, it only repelled her, ignoring her will.

A shadow cut through the flames, diving for Iola like a splitting sea. The dark dragoness prowled straight towards Frida, her movements slow as if she had all the time in the world. "Frida... I take it you don't remember me?" said she.

Wings pressed tight against her sides, Frida wished that she could make herself look brave. "If we really are sisters, I don't think it's even possible for us to have met."

Iola's eyes seemed to burn like the flames that danced around her. "No matter. I remember you."

The flames burned hotter, and the wails of trapped dragons grew louder. "Iola, please, stop this!" Frida begged. "Whoever you are, please, stop hurting them!" Helplessness surrounded her like the glove of a snatcher's hand, slowly squeezing her. She couldn't help the stranded court members. She couldn't help her friends. She couldn't help her aunt. She was absolutely useless. A crack in the ceiling sounded from above. The whole place was about to come crashing down on them.

Maybe she could make that work to her advantage.

Frida stumbled backwards, the heat uncomfortably close to her tail. "Please, please stop this!" she pleaded.

The dark dragoness took a few more lazy strides towards her. "Oh, trust me, I have no intention of burning down my future kingdom. I'll stop. As soon as I make you repent for everything you—"

A crack as loud as thunder split the air. And then the chandelier fell. It rained down in a mass of diamond and silver... Right down in top of a startled Iola.

A chill ran through her. Had she killed the dark dragoness? Did I just kill my own sister?

It was unlikely, and she didn't have time to dwell on it. She turned on her talons and ran, struggling to find her way through the dense smoke filling the room. Any screams or cries for help were swallowed up by the cracking of the flames.

Suddenly a pale face was before her. "Frida!" her aunt said, relief flooding her features. "You're alright. You have to get out of here." The Queen reached out with a wing and started hurrying her towards the door. "I have to stay— I need to make sure the rest of my court is safe. But you must go, and quickly." She led Frida down the tunnel towards the exit. "Listen. Go to where the lab used to be. Find the room with the obsidian doors. There's someone hiding there who can help you. Now go!"

With those last words, the Dragon Queen pushed her out the bronze doors.

Frida had only a moment to remember to spread her wings and catch the cool night air. She instantly sailed away a safe distance, following the silhouettes of other fleeing dragons. It was only until she reached a faraway rooftop that she hovered and turned.

Big Ben was ablaze, the great clock a torch against the stars. 

~~~~~

A bit of a twist, yes? Part of the reason I have been slow in updating this story is because I was just starting to feel like the story was lacking surprise and action. So, I came up with my solution: Operation Blow Up Big Ben. 

So please tell me in the comments what you think of this turn of events, and remember to vote if you liked!