Raya and the Last Dragon - Adaptation

4

FANG

Namaari

I sat on the edge of the window, overlooking the great canal. The setting sun's rays like ballet dancers gracefully jumping across the surface. It was funny how an instrument of war looked so beautiful.

500 years since the Druun had been defeated, yet the people of Fang remained vigilant. Defended by the one thing Druun could not stand. Water. The dragons controlled water. My mind immediately recalled the numerous facts I knew about them.

It had been a source of annoyance for her mother who constantly claimed that it was a waste of time. Time better spent preparing for a war that had already been won.

As if the thought had summoned her, someone knocked on her door.

"Come in!". Maeri, Mother's servant, entered the room.

"The queen has requested for your audience, princess." She began in her most obnoxious voice. It took all of the willpower I could muster to stop myself from cringing.

Nodding my head, I followed Maeri down the flight of stairs, muscles still aching from my earlier battle training.

We entered the throne room. On the throne, Mother sat stone-faced. By her side, her most trusted general, Atitaya. I kneeled and bowed before my mother.

"Rise, Namaari" My mother smiled as I stood to my feet.

"Your majesty," I started, unsure of why I was being summoned.

My mother interrupted me with a flick of her hands.

"You must be wondering why I have called you here," With graceful movements, she swiped out a piece of papyrus paper.

"It seems that the chief of Heart has incited the leaders of all the nations... for a diplomatic meeting"

I stood there mouth gaping open in shock. All 5 nations under one roof? No way it's going to work!

"Your majesty, you're not actually considering this, are you?"

My mother turned to me and smirked, sending shivers down my spine.

"General Atitaya and I both agree that this... meeting could perhaps benefit the people of Fang." My mother stood up and strode towards a shelf. I followed behind warily.

She glided her hands across the multiple scrolls until she stopped and grabbed one. With a triumphant smile, she opened the scroll revealing a picture of the Gem of Sisu.

My mind instantly ran into overdrive. I knew from my multiple dragon facts that the gem was capable of defeating Druun and held the last power of the dragons. Surely my mother didn't want to take it from Heart?

The war is over, Sisu is dead and Druun are defeated, we don't need to start another fight!

My mother stared at me with a look of disappointment. Oh no. Did I say that out loud?

Panicking, I tried to recover, "Uh... but I'm sure that whatever the queen decides will be the best for the kingdom!"

My mother let out a sigh. She flicked her hand, signalling for everyone else to go away. Once the throne room was empty, she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Come Namaari, there is something you must see."

My mother led me to her room. In the end, furthest away from the bed was a painting of her mother and her father, pulling a young Namaari into their embrace.

Father... I had never known him well before he had passed on. All she could remember was how much the kingdom had mourned. And how much mother had mourned...

My mother took one look at the painting and immediately shifted away, walking towards her window.

From the window, the entire kingdom of Fang could be seen. From the farms all the way to the canal.

"Namaari, what do you see?" My mother started, pointing towards the kingdom.

"I see... a kingdom of power and success." And a kingdom that doesn't want to let go of the past. I let out a sigh as my eyes landed on a statue of a soldier. Mother had always said it represented our need to be prepared to fight, although she never did explain what they were fighting for.

"That's right, Namaari, a kingdom on the rise. However, the strongest nations usually face the hardest challenges," she continued. "If we can gain the Gem of Sisu, we can become the kingdom your father dreamed of."

She turned around and this time gazed deeply into my eyes.

"Kitten, don't you understand? Our people are starving." She indicated towards our farmland, where all of our food supplies were grown.

I frowned. Of course, it was common sense that a kingdom surrounded by water would eventually run out of space but... So soon? Are we that desperate?

"We don't feel it yet, but out there, we are suffering. We need this Gem. It's the only way." My mother continued before kneeling, looking at me straight into the eyes.

"Namaari, please."

Looking back, out of the window, I looked at my beautiful kingdom. I would not let any harm come to it. It's the only way...

"What do you want me to do?"