Daemon had not been having the best day. Training was pretty much all day, leaving him sore, tired and cranky. Now that he was finally off, he didn’t have the strength to do much else than stomp up to his room and relax with a cool glass of wine. Fraylon was flopped on the floor, his wings spread across the wood in exhaustion. Daemon had ordered a servant to bring up his dragon’s favorite- glazed fruits while he wrote. Daemon wouldn’t admit this to anyone, but he kept a journal, one that he had been writing in for years. It was filled with notes and thoughts, sketches and ideas. In the first page a picture of the baby ice dragon could be found, playing in the snow. Fraylon let his head rest on his Rider’s lap, purring as he caressed his scaly snout and horny crests.

            It was so peaceful, the sun streaming through the window, overlooking a beautiful day in paradise. The birds were singing, Fraylon was happy, and Daemon had his wine. But he was not happy. He paused, his quill poised over the parchment. “I wish I could go back in time, Fray,” he said out loud, “I wish I could go back with you, so that we could be together in Grunde. Just you, me, and Arianna. Not all this mess. Not this war and Arianna missing, and Ralem dead. Not all this heat and training paska. Just flying in the mountains, and eating at Lumi’s and having parties and going hunting.”

            “I wish it too,” Fraylon said softly, “I love Grunde as much as you do. It is the most beautiful country in the world, and I loved staying with you in your mansion. Those were the best days of my life, helping you with your work and breathing in the mountain air.”

            Daemon cringed, remembering the ‘work’ he had Fraylon doing.

            “But we must wait this one out. If the cats have truly killed her or harmed her in any way, then they will face an ice dragon’s wrath. I may be young, but I know I can fight. And I know you can too.”

            Daemon smiled and scratched Fraylon’s chin. “Of course you can fight.” But even as he said these words, his heart sank. He couldn’t shake the depression settling on him like a black cloud. He just wanted to go to sleep and forget it all, just-

            Knock, knock.

            “Yes?” Daemon said offhandedly, quickly closing his journal.

            Knock, knock, knock.

            “It’s unlocked,” Daemon called.

            KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

            “Okay, okay, okay! I’m getting the door!” Fraylon lifted his head and Daemon tromped to the door, flinging it open. “What do you want?”

            Someone he hadn’t seen since he had arrived back in Baroke was standing there, glaring at him. That someone had a long nose, big ears, and almond eyes. And who had oat breath. Daemon’s eyes widened as she poked a hoof into his chest. “You little punk!” she said.

            “What? What did I do to you?” Daemon backed away slowly.

            Sprite whinnied. “Duh! You did everything! You know, I don’t have time for your stupid antics. Do you think I look dumb?” She tossed her mane sassily.

            She’s been watched at all times to keep her from telling her mind to you, Fraylon told Daemon with a hint of- was that humor?

            “Lookit! Just lookit!” She waved her back leg in Daemon’s face. It was bandaged. “I could hardly walk for days! And all because of you, creepy igloo guy!”

            “Hey, hey, I’m sorry,” Daemon said, his arms raised in a calm down motion.

            “Don’t hay me!” Sprite snorted, “You know, if it wasn’t for the law, I’d beat the icicles out of you two right now with my own four hooves!” She started prancing, her wings fluttering crazily.  “You would regret the day you ever ditched us!”

            In spite of himself, Daemon felt himself getting defensive. “I didn’t ditch you. Arianna kicked me out!”

            “Yeah, because you were a block-headed fool!” Sprite accused, “I saw you, sneakin’ around at night.”

            “Sneaking? Hardly! I was keeping watch!”

            “Uh huh, more like you were slacking off! And when we were fighting those slimeball rat things, what did you do? Freeze up like a filthy icicle! Drake and I were the only ones kicking butt! And weren’t you supposed to our bodyguards? Protecting the Princess and her lovely Pegasus? But nooo… your just a lowdown good-for-nothing, oat-sneaking cowardly HUMAN!”

            Daemon opened his mouth to say something but Sprite cut him off with a shrill whinny. “I’m not done yet, young foal! Because of you my Princess has been eaten by evil bunnies! You need someone to teach a lesson to you, and since the authorities haven’t done it I’m going to get the job done myself!” And with that, she threw herself on Daemon in a fury of hooves and flashing teeth.

            Fraylon snaked his head around Daemon to roar in Sprite’s face, a blast of cold air accompanying the bellow. Sprite faltered at the sight of flashing fangs, her wings flapping in Fraylon’s face. “No fair!” she cried, trying to get around him, “Don’t protect him! I’m trying to teach him a lesson. He’ll thank me later for it!”

            Fraylon coughed, sending frost into Sprite’s face. “How about we make a deal? You forgive Daemon and I’ll give you ten bags of sugar cubes.”

            Sprite rolled her eyes. “How about fifteen bags of sugar cubes that I don’t beat the apples out of creepy igloo guy.”

            “Eleven.”

            “Thirteen.”

            “Deal.” Fraylon reached out a hand to shake on it, like Daemon had taught him in Grunde.

            “What are you, stupid? I don’t exactly have ugly claw things like you do,” Sprite said rudely. Fraylon awkwardly lowered his front leg. “Er, right.”

            Daemon had been watching the whole ordeal with slightly amused smile on his face. Now he patted Fraylon’s shoulder affectionately. “Great way to deal with the situation. Bribery, cool tones, bartering, and even finishing it with a handshake. You would make a fantastic royal dragon.”

            Fraylon smiled sheepishly, his ears perking forwards, “You really think so?”

            Sprite stuck her tongue out. “Nope. Definitely not. Too poky and butt-ugly.”

            Daemon was about to say something back when something caught his attention. A commotion just out his balcony reached his ears. Intrigued, he walked outside, Fraylon flanking him, Sprite following in their wake.

            A whole army of men bearing the sinuous dragon crest of Baroke were marching past the castle, lances high and swords strapped to their waists. They were clad in armor from head to toe, the Calvary at the front of the procession. Daemon marveled at the sheer size of the small army. Had the war started already? What was happening? Why hadn’t he been told? Frustrated from all these answerless questions, he mounted Fraylon and told him to land near the broad-shouldered General leading the group. Fraylon swept off the balcony gracefully, his crystal blue wings soaring over the marching group. Sprite tailed behind, hoping to see a Rider-general smack-down.

            The General’s horse screamed and backed up as Fraylon touched down, light as a feather, not twenty feet away. “Rider!” the General hailed, “Do you not know what a dragon’s scent does to a horse? Fly elsewhere, you are hindering our mission.”

            Daemon did not dismount. He was angered by the brute disrespect of the general. Usually Barokians treated Riders with utmost respect, and treated Fraylon as a glorified being. He mentally nudged Fraylon to advance. “Mission? And what mission may this be?”

            “I don’t think this is any of your business. If your Commander has not already told you, then I don’t think it is my responsibility to inform you.” The horse snorted in agreed contempt.

            Daemon cocked an eyebrow stubbornly. “Well then, I don’t see any reason to move.” Fraylon spread his wings- all twenty feet- blocking their advance and scaring the horses further.

            The general dared to put a hand on the hilt of his sword. “Get out of our way, Rider or I will be forced to contact the authorities.” His horse pranced underneath him, the whites of its eyes showing.

            “Okay. Fine,” Daemon slid off his mount and walked regally to the side of the road.

            The general was starting to get very annoyed. “And lead your dragon off the road as well!”

            Fraylon flopped down in the center of the road, yawning, his wings outstretched. He nonchalantly started licking his forearm like he didn’t have a care in the world.

            Suddenly he startled when a booming voice calmly stated, “Why don’t you ask him yourself?” And out of practically nowhere, the beautiful water dragoness padded into view. The horses screamed- a terrible noise like metal screeching- and their riders could hardly keep them under control. The war-hardened horse that bore the general only gave a small rear before a sharp jerk sent it back on all fours, snorting nervously. The soldier’s fear showed on their faces at the terrible beauty. Vali seemed to move like an ocean wave, her ripples of ribbon-like strips of scaly feathers rippling with her muscles. Now she approached the general, her intense aqua gaze focused on his. “He has a fair question. Where are you going with a good amount of our forces?”

            The general just stared at her dumbly for a moment, his jaw slack and body rigid. His horse jerked on the reigns and he snapped back to reality. “Oh, er- the Commander-”

            “Hmm… you must be Rigby, the new general from Lockington?”

            Rigby nodded slowly.

            Vali looked down at her talons offhandedly. “Then surely you’ve heard of me? Vali the Blue? No? Maybe you just thought that it was legend or myth but our kind is just as capable of being intelligent as your kind. Or more,” she flicked her tail. “I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Rider forces, young one. And I have heard nothing of an offensive attack on our part. Why?” She leaned closer to the wide-eyed general. Even the horse seemed to have frozen in fear, its legs locked and shaking.

            Suddenly words were spilling from the general’s mouth. “The Commander-in-Chief said that we wouldn’t need to ask your permission because you are only in charge of two Riders. He said that you were just a weak little government-funded backup that is only a scare tactic. He told us that the Vulnairians are gathering troops, and if we can attack them on the route back to Vulnaire city, then we could slash their forces by a third. We are just heading out to meet them at the midpoint of Tisbet and Vulnaire, sir.”

            Vali didn’t speak for a couple long seconds after that. Fraylon and Daemon suddenly felt like they were spying on Vali, but they stayed awkwardly by the side of the road, waiting to see if Vali would bite the general’s head off. She was perfectly capable of doing that, or even snapping his horse in half with her seven-foot jaws and terrible crushing force. Sprite started cropping some grass, her ears pointed towards the scene. Finally Vali sighed. “Let it be,” and with that, she glided off purposefully, her tail swishing behind her.

            It seemed like six hundred men started breathing again after holding their breath for a minute. There was a full minute of clanking, lances being adjusted, and men talking in low voices.

            “Some Commander-in-Chief is gonna get a butt-whuppin’,” Sprite nickered with joy.

            Daemon was not as amused. He wanted to think that his superiors were working together. A divided military wouldn’t fare so well in battle, he knew that much. His stomach sank even further. This whole war seemed like a hopeless case. Vulnaire had almost twice the military that Baroke had and more than doubled it in size. Why they hadn’t already appealed to their allies was a puzzle to him. But then again, they might have. Daemon didn’t know much of Baroke politics- they were such a peaceful country usually and nearly nothing got out about them- he had no clue who their allies was. Definitely not Grunde. The proud country preferred to stand alone, and was almost impossible to attack due to geographic elements. But perhaps… Ezra! Lauri had introduced the ambassador to him during the Ball. Immediately Daemon knew who he was from his demeanor and the way he spoke. He was a royal of some distant country. He had left on his massive white wyvern only days ago. Would he be bringing back recruits? Daemon flashed a glance at his dragon, who had been smelling a flower so hard he accidentally snorked it up his nose and was now having a sneezing fit.

            They better be.