Tears of A Sapphire

An Unwelcome Guest |Part 2|

I looked over the crowd of loyal dragons, willing to follow me to the ends of the earth. To follow my every command. It was no every day that someone had this much of a following and rule, nor did it come without a price.

Some say that over the years, as my power grew and my underground kingdom spread that, that I had become more ruthless and unloveable. Others, as in my people, believed that I became smarter and more cunning and loved me for it thinking that that made me a better ruler. Personally, I knew something was missing that was there years ago. I had never really figured out since I never even bothered to try, nor did I want to. I wouldn't say that I was necessarily happy the way that I was, just okay with it and that was fine by me.

"Kane has broken my trust by breaking the vow of our kingdom of Raenaltia and he must be punished," I announced for all to hear. I narrowed my eyes at the man who betrayed his promise. "I have decided upon the sentence of banishment. All who agree say aye. All who oppose say nay."

I always ask what the people think of my decisions as far as punishments and other related subjects that pertain to the citizens to ensure I make the right choices. I have never trusted a small group or one person to advise me since that is the most assured way to be murdered or something of the like and I would not dare to risk it.

"All for it?"

A chorus of ayes erupted from the crowd taking up most of the population.

"All against?"

A small group of men say nay who I presume to be his "drinking buddies".

"Motion carried," I announce. "Lintain, bring your initiate."

The woman nods, her head of black hair bobbing in the motion, and ushers the young woman next to her forward.

I step down from the table and meet the midway, the crowd parting to create a circle around Kane, Jade, the two women, and I. At this point, Valhin has given back full control.

"You remember what to do?" The woman asks the girl.

She grins in confirmation and steps closer to me. "It is an honor to be of service my queen. I am called Tiljin," she politely greets with a small curtsy.

I give a small smile in a return. "And it is an honor for me to be served by you. You have no need to curtsy to me being under the training of Lintain. She is a sister to me. That make you my niece." I tell her without thinking before I sigh. I really shouldn't  show favoritism, nor love in front of my subjects. Many males see it as a weakness.

Her smile grows wider at that. "Yes miss. Thank you."

She then approached Kane and Jade and their eyes widened when they realized what she was. A purple dragon.

Purple dragons had the innate power to remove any memory they wished from the victim they chose and the person under their focus had no ability to stop it. Once it starts, there is no way to prevent it nor can you before it even begins. No one knows why, but every time a king and/or queen comes about with a new kingdom, a purple dragon appears seemingly out of the blue.

You are supposed to only have one per kingdom, but when I first created my domain and claimed this land, she came to me from the Hadia Kingdom, fearing for her life. I suspected it had something to do with some actions made by the prince there that were covered up, but she never told the story to anyone so I was never sure.

Tiljin came closer to the two soon to be banished with the usual graceful steps of one of her kind and put her hands up at the same level of her chest.

"This has always been my favorite part," Valhin rumbled. I silently agreed as we watched the display before us.

The girl closed her eyes and purple mist began to diffuse from her palms like a fog from the sea and soon, it began to lazily drift around her in loose circles. She opens her eyes to gaze at her victims and they began to panic when they saw that they had turned the iconic silver of her kind with the classic slotted pupil of dragons.

"Please!" Jade begged. "I'm sorry for all the times that I've treated you wrongly. I won't do it ever again, just please let me go!"

"Lila!" I growled. He's lucky that he's going to be banished soon, no one should ever even dare to say my name. "I'm sorry! I was being stupid and rash and I know what I did was wrong now, I promise I will be the most loyal man in your armies, just stop this!"

"It is too late to try begging for mercy. You shouldn't have done what you did in the first place, now you will pay," I told him.

He slumped in defeat, willing to accept his fate. Jade on the other hand had decided that thrashing would help her situation and stupidly tried to get away. Unlucky for her that the man holding her in place had ten times her strength.

The mist surrounded the two and they soon slumped forward, passed out from the memories being extracted from them. I watched calmly as a green mist came from the tops of their heads and into a jar that I didn't even notice Tiljin had. She closed it and turned to me, her eyes now back to normal.

"Your majesty, it is finished," she announced with finality before giving it to me.

"Thank you for your help Tiljin. Guards, take them to the drop point," I ordered. All who are banished are dropped off at an area just past the Aelian borders where the patrols would spot them and take them in.

"You may now all continue onto you business," I announce and the crowd dispersed.

This has been a great start to my day. I groan when I look at my watch to find that it is only nine o'clock. Yay.

"You're telling me," my dragon grumbled.