MIR, the sentient Wyvern.

Execution

vening went on and the empress signalled to her guards that the time had come.

Guards that Chlorophylle did not recognise and in strange colours, with a cloak and hood hiding their heads so as not to be recognised, probably, blocked the exits and two of them invited the heroes to sit down and not to interfere.

A rolling stage was brought in and the second princess was taken away and her hands tied with rope.

"If you move I'll squeeze harder!" growled the guard with the veiled face.

The princess cried and said to me "Mir... save yourself! They will kill you!

But I remained invisible, hidden on the princess' shoulder and when his hand reached down to grab her shoulder, something stung him.

"Shit!"

and he sucked his thumb, and then he ran off to the infirmary.

The other guard said, "If your winged scorpion is behind this, I promise to cut off its tail and sting every part of your body with it."

The second princess answered by spitting in his face.

All the nobles applauded!

"Let's see, the princess is not lacking in audacity! I'm interested in her!"

And he raised his hand.

"10,000 gold ECU!"

Then the biddings flared up and one of the guards tore off the dress to show her naked breasts!

"Father... Father... do something!"

"Yes, Yes, dear... you are saving the empire... may your sacrifice serve a noble cause! Do you see that?"

He raised his glass, laughing and looking at the excited nobles.

Then a large soldier came into the room

Felicius: "Ah, Commander! You're just in time for the auction of the second princess.

The Commander was corrupt too, but still knew how to reason, and all the empire represented now was disgust and bitterness.

"What is it this time? Why do you treat Princess Chlorophyll like this? If I may ask, Your Majesty?"

Felicius: "Commander, or, Prime Minister, Prime Minister, whatever... You know it's the Djizira... The life tax so that Vidia can become the New Witch of the East!!!"

He gritted his teeth, outraged by this unholy act.

"Ah... there you go mister Poo!" If you don't mind, I have some business to attend to.

Porters came to all the parties and receptions because there were no toilets in these festive spaces.

So a mobile toilet, like a porter's car, would come and go around, of course for a fee, and the room would be sprinkled with perfumed powders and clean cloths.

The cabin had an extra person inside to wipe the nobles' bottoms.

This disgusted the minister even more, who was at least a man of the field.

"Majesty... The people... "

He was cut off by the Queen: "Mind your boring political business and that is why you are not invited, because you are boring."

She beckoned with her purple fan to go elsewhere.

"Hurry to the buffet...they won't leave anything.."

Then, in a rage, he drew his short sword with a lightning-quick gesture, and in a bow he had slit the throat of the emperor and empress.

Chlorophylle was shocked but also relieved.

The guards drew their swords and began their collective execution.

Command: "Do not let any of them escape. They must die to the last.

Panicking, Vadia turned towards us and tried to run, but only her body reached our feet, her head rolling on the ground.

The cries of fear and pleading were followed by groans of agony, quickly ended by a sword thrust through the heart.

The gallery was now covered in blood.

The boots and hands of the guards were red and the chairs, tables and sideboards were contorted with lifeless beings lying on the tasting dishes.

They now knew the fate of their meal.

Some had climbed the curtains, to reach the windows, but their attempts were thwarted by one or two well-placed crossbow shots.

The situation was getting out of hand and the commander pushed the nobles off his feet and sat on the throne.

The portable scaffold still had Chlorophylle's hands bound.

She was hanging from the ropes by her hands and her knees touched the ground.

"Please. I am not like them!!!Commander...Take me with you!"

He rubbed his sword clean of blood and looked the princess in the eye.

"This is not a revolt but a coup. The empire is now a republic and all members of the royal line must die. Including you, Princess.

I know it's unfair but these are the Empress' orders.

"Commander... if you take my life... will you spare my friend Mir?"

He looked down... "I would so much like to look the other way while you save yourself but the heroes are witnesses and they will join the Enchantress.

I straightened up on Chlorophylle's shoulder.

"She is my Princess and I am a dragon. She's mine! Not the Enchantress'!"

Commander: "The problem is, she's watching right now.. and her orders are clear! Die!"

He swung his sword, but I was faster.

The magic faded and I grew to the size of a full-grown wyvern and with a snap of my jaws, his head was torn off, in one fell swoop, without a scream.

Its armour was useless, so I spat out its head and with a flick of my tail swept away every living thing in the room.

The princess cried out in fear.

"MIR??? "And she realized that the little dragon, was not so little!

The carnage began.

The group at the back, brandished halberds and others their swords but immediately, I had cast the shield spell, shield on Chlorophylle and "Glu" to keep them in place.

The next second, I opened my mouth and lightning came out, burning and killing all the guards present.

Then there was silence.

I looked at the walls, the ceiling and the floor to search with my senses and my powers of divination if other guards were coming. They were.

The princess rushed to her father, lying with his eyes open and still holding his glass, in a tragic pose.

She could not touch him and when she realised he was dead she said, "Die in hell!

It wasn't the face of my princess that I knew but we were excited and terrified.

"There is an army, Princess... your guards have been replaced or murdered. They are soldiers of the republic."

"I-I must surrender?"

"You don't understand!!! They want you dead!!! You are technically now the Empress and the new Witch of the East. Your powers will come and they will hurry to kill you so that the power will go back to the Witch of the West.."

"I... I don't care! I will never be a witch... never!!!"

She moved closer to me, sensing my usual gesture.

"I'm going to shrink a bit... the corridors might collapse... I'll look for a place to shelter you."

But a voice was heard.

ZALAR!