Page 43 of Kingdoms of Shadow and Ash

'… the dragon egg?' said Fyia.

'No,' said Scorpia. 'The clock.'

Fyia stopped in her tracks. 'Why would the clock need protecting?'

'My dear girl, this is a kingdom built on clockwork. If the clocks fall, we're all doomed. What could be more important?'

Fyia shook her head in confusion. 'I don’t understand …'

Scorpia frowned. 'What do they teach you in those lands of yours?'

'That trade is important and magic is bad, if I had to summarize.'

Scorpia barked out a laugh. 'What of history?'

'What of it? The Five Kingdoms were once united under the Dragon King. He went mad, or became an alcoholic, depending upon which reports you believe, and the dragons died out. The kingdoms were split between five greedy Kings, but the dragons left five eggs. The eggs will hatch when a worthy ruler reunites the kingdoms.

'The descendants of the Kings, who'd always been wary of those with magic, took advantage of their diminishing power, and ousted the magical from their lands. As time went on, magic waned further, and our lands began to cool. The end.'

'What of the clocks?'

'What of them? They're an amazing feat of engineering, demonstrating our prowess to the world … I have to say, I'm surprised you have one here.'

'Why?'

'I thought they were only in the lands of the Dragon King. It surprised me to see one at the Fae'ch Mountains too, but I assumed it was because the Fae'ch helped set up the magic when the clocks were built.'

Scorpia's face morphed into something between incredulity and humor.

'What?' said Fyia, feeling as though a stone dropped through her stomach.

'I thought it was strange you didn't bring gifts.'

Fyia gave her a blank look. 'I brought gifts …'

'Not big ones.'

'Scorpia, what are you talking about?'

'I assumed you were here to ask for an alliance, to unite our kingdoms.'

'Why would I do that?'

'Because the Dragon King's kingdom was significantly bigger than the five kingdoms you have conquered so far.'

Everything inside Fyia dropped towards the floor. 'What do you mean?'

'My lands, your lands, the Fae'ch Mountains, the Kingdom of the Black Hoods, and the Great Glacier … they were all the domain of the Dragon King.'

Scorpia's words landed like a hammer blow, and rushing filled Fyia's ears. 'If what you say is true, how is it possible my people think otherwise?'

'Five selfish, greedy, egotistical Kings divided up your kingdoms between them. All they cared about was trade, riches, and proclaiming their excellence to the world. They wanted their own people to believe their five kingdoms were all that mattered, thattheywere all that mattered. Their descendants were no different.

'And the Emperor's ancestors were a tribal people, too busy killing each other to care about much else. They knew little of the Dragon King, other than to fear him. The Black Hoods and the Fae'ch shut themselves off, and I doubt anyone still lives on the Great Glacier. My own ancestors couldn't see much point in falling out with our neighbors, so stayed out of their domestic affairs. I must admit, until now, I didn't realize how bad the lies were.'

Fyia felt sick. Everything she'd ever known was a lie, and there could be no hope of the dragons hatching now. She hadn't, in fact, united the Five Kingdoms. She hadn't even come close. She sat heavily on a stone bench and covered her face with her hands, staring at the insides of her eyelids for several long moments. Endless thoughts rushed through her mind, endless emotions: anger, intrigue, embarrassment, dread.

Fyia looked up. 'So you thought I'd come to unite our kingdoms, because unless I do, the dragons will not return …?'

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