Wings of Fire: Glistening Amber

Chapter 2

Amber woke up to a brand new day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and a guard was standing by her bed, unblinking. She yelped, jumping up higher than a dragon could fly. "Summer! Um, what are you doing in my room? Watching me sleep?" Summer tugged at his metal vest, suddenly too tight.

"Princess Amber," he said regally, trying to recover. If dragons could sweat, he would be drowning in a pool. "The queen has requested your presence." 

Amber's eyes widened. "Of course. Uh, I'm sorry." She scrambled up from her bed and Summer followed her toward the door. 

"Would you like me to escort you?" He asked. Amber shook her head.

Her talons clanged against the stone floor as she walked toward the throne room, Summer close behind. "I'm good." She paused. "Actually, do you know what Scarlet wants? She usually pretends I don't exist, so it has to be a big deal, right?" Amber could barely keep her eyes open. The princess had had trouble sleeping since... That one night.

Now it was his turn to hesitate. "You should probably just see for yourself. I don't think I'm supposed to tell you the egg was stolen." He groaned, realizing his mistake. Simple Summer. That was what she called him. He had been her designated guard since she'd been found sneaking out with Coal. Sometimes she thought she should be angry at him, thinking that it was his fault. But that was when she was younger. Now they were pretty close.

Amber would laugh at him if she wasn't so worried. "What? It's gone! But who would steal from the royal hatchery? Who could steal from the royal hatchery? It's impossible! If we can't get that egg back..." She was stressed, no dought. That egg was the future of the kingdom! The only thing that could save the kingdom from Scarlet. If that duty was passed on to Amber... Then the sky kingdom really was in trouble.

Summer looked just as nervous as she felt. "I know. I don't get it either. But-" He gestured for her to come closer. "I think the queen has something to do with it, but please don't tell her I said that! I just- be careful," he whispered hurriedly. The pair continued to walk down the hall at a slower pace so they could stay close to one another, listening to their hushed voices. 

She nudged him with her shoulder. "You know I will be. Or I'll die trying. You know either one works." That wasn't at all true. Every time Amber came face to face with the queen, at a distance or close enough to feel the smoke flooding from her nostrils, she felt the need to cower in fear. At this time in her life, (If there would even be another) Amber was pretty sure dying was the more likely option.

The yawning entrance of the throne room came into view. The queen sat atop her throne, looking angry as ever. As usual, Scarlet had the expression that said she wanted to snap the necks of everyone in the room, especially Amber.

"What took you so long?" She growled. "And you-," she gestured to Summer, "What are you doing here?" Amber could hear him gulp beside her.

He took a deep breath. "I was escorting her here, Your Majesty." He crouched down into a bow. 

Scarlet rolled her eyes. "Fine, you can go. But I don't want you hanging near my daughter ever again." Summer bolted. Guess he forgot to mention he was my personal guard. 

I removed my gaze from Summer and transferred it to my mother. "Do you know why you're here?" She asked. 

"The egg is missing," she said.

 Scarlet narrowed her eyes. "And how do you know this?"

"It's pretty obvious the whole kingdom would know by now. A princess is missing, of all things!" She stretched the truth, but not entirely. Summer was part of the general public, right?

"I guess... One question: Did you take it?"

"What! No! Why would I-"

Scarlet gave one of her classic evil laughs. All Amber could do was stand there, quite uncomfortable and bewildered. "I'm just messing with you!" Scarlet said. 

Was she in a good mood today? Or a terrible one? Amber couldn't tell. "So," Scarlet continued. "I'm sending out a search party tonight, and you know I want so terribly to help them look for it, but I have many duties to attend to. That is why, as of now, you are now the designated leader of that party."

No. "But my queen, the egg will not just be lying around somewhere. It is definitely hidden and-"

"Blah, Blah, Blah. No worries." She waved her talons in the air as she spoke. "Did  I recall wrong that you have a talent of finding things? When I took those earrings from you, they were back on your head by the end of the day, correct? You should be very happy with me that I left them for you." Not entirely. She'd asked Summer to retrieve them for her, after a lot of begging, of course. 

The queen stared down at Amber, her eyes watching her every move. Her daughter couldn't help but switch her gaze to the open side of the room, looking out at the dragons tossing and twirling freely in the sky, like there was no care in the world. 

"Um, I guess," was all Amber could say.

"Excellent! Oh, and one more thing. I need that egg back in about, say, 3 days. I need to strengthen my allegiance with Burn. Something about wanting to see the egg, no idea. But just imagine how it would make me look if I lost my own dragonet! And if you didn't find it, I would be stuck with you, and we don't want that, do we?" 

Amber growled internally. Burn was one of the causes of the war that raged through Pyrrhia that had started a few years ago. She was malicious and would do anything to win. That was something she and Scarlet had in common. 

"Of course, my queen." Amber fell into a deep bow. Well, that's just great. The last hope for the kingdom is in my talons, she thought quite negatively. 

"Off you go! That egg won't find itself!" Amber scurried off. Apparently, you won't look for it either. 

Such a caring mom, am I right, or am I right?

Author's Note

Don't know exactly where the plot is going, but I think I can work with it. 

Here's an update for ya! I tried to make it longer since I haven't posted a new chapter in forever!