Wings of Fire; Creature / ✅

CHAPTER ONE

Edited ✅ as of 15/03/23

This life was no life for a dragon.

Even for the most evil, wicked, Darkstalker-like dragon, it would be cruel to make them live like this. No daylight, no fun, no exercise, no nothing. Just spending all day, every day in the palace, rotting and wasting her life away.

At the very least, Gleam had done nothing wrong, or, she couldn't remember what she did wrong, to end up in a birdcage in the corner of Scarlet's throne room. 

Sometimes, Gleam would get this dream-flashback of this unreal rage and hatred, and the satisfaction of seeing Scarlet screaming in agony. Or was it a dream? she would always ask herself as she watched the memory play back in her head.

Gleam never knew who her mother and father was, whether they were alive or dead. The only mother figure she ever had was Scarlet, who had apparently 'saved her from being stolen and killed by an IceWing'. Sure enough, sometimes Gleam could distantly remember the feeling of ice-cold talons grabbing her by her waist, then a spring of pain as she was dropped from a large height, falling, falling, falling, and landing on the ground far below.

Even in the cage, Gleam had to wear these unnecessary chains which wrapped around her legs and arms, and, strangely, her horns. Scarlet had never told her why she had to wear these metal accessories, and every time Gleam had asked, she'd given her a bland excuse of: "to stop you from escaping, my dear."

HOW? Gleam had thought back. HOW am I supposed to escape in a locked cage, with a key which is probably heavily guarded - not to mention the fact that I'm literally in your throne room where you sit at all times, so no there's no way for me to escape unless you forget to lock my cage, you are either asleep or not in the room, and I don't have my chains on, which is very unlikely - wait, no, impossible. The only times Scarlet let her out was during trials, but Gleam was still in chains then. There was never a single moment when Gleam was out of the metal bands.

Now, Gleam was sitting in her cage glumly, staring out of the balcony and wishing with all her heart she could be out there, flying freely with her SkyWing comrades. The sun was shining inside the palace windows gleefully, almost as if it were teasing her, showering the ground in warm, golden streaks. There was no cloud to be seen - it looked like it would've been a perfect day for flying.

Gleam knew she should be grateful. If it weren't for Scarlet, she would've been dead, dead, dead, or a prisoner to the IceWings (which would also lead to her death). But she couldn't help the scornful thoughts that raced through her head. Why did she have to be contained in the cage for her whole life? Why couldn't she be free, like one of those SkyWings joking with their friend, or one of those dragonets playing tag and shrieking in joy? Why did Scarlet have to save her and put her in a birdcage to rot in for the rest of her life? Why couldn't she just be normal? Gleam almost wanted to wail aloud the unfairness of it all.

Talonsteps marked the arrival of two dragons. Gleam turned her gaze to the door of the throne room, which was thrown open. In came the magnificent Scarlet, her wings spread wide magnificently, walking in her superior way she usually did. Sunlight gleamed off her rubies, making them twinkle beautifully. Someone was following her, and Gleam's breath caught in her throat as she realised who came next into the room. 

Burn.

Well, Queen Burn as the SkyWings must call her on Scarlet's orders. The massive SandWing had to duck her head to enter the throne room, she was so big. Her pale sand scales glowed amber-gold in the sunshine, and her cruel black eyes betrayed no emotion as she followed Queen Scarlet. Gleam's eyes tracked her, interested.