Wings Of Fire; Thorns And Roses

"Home"

When first walking in, she wasn't expecting much after all. Even though she was told that this HiveWing was a 'duke', it was not convincing enough to her that it meant anything. It was most likely just some useless fluffy title that means absolutely nothing. That didn't grantee a perfect home.

Then, she saw what was inside. It almost stole her breath away as she looked around. This was less of a home and more of a palace. Right before the dragon was a big foyer with marble flooring. To her left was a kitchen and dining room area with what looked to be real, genuine wood for the countertops. To her right was a living room with a large fireplace and several bookshelves on either side. Three couches, one dark green and the other two black, stood around a glass table and a rug that displayed the same bug emblem on the outside. Directly in front of her? A massive staircase that lead upwards to the next level, a ledge that oversaw the entire room.

"Is it okay?" Locust asked. "Most dragons come in saying, 'wow, so cool,' or something like that. I don't know. It feels a bit much..."

"It's fine," Radiant said, looking at her claws disinterestedly. She didn't want to even show her awe at the place, refusing to give the HiveWing a hint of respect.

"Come, sit. You're probably tired after all of that walking." The HiveWing shuddered. "Crossing the entire continent by walking? That sounds terrible."

"It was." She walked over to the black couch, slumping down onto the admittedly comfortable cushions. "Anyways, so what is it that you want?"

Locust sat down on another couch, his smile being replaced with a confused look. "What I want?"

"Why were you the one to say yes to me? Everyone else looks at my form and practically cries at the thought of accepting me, literally sending response letters where they forcefully refuse to take me. Yet, when it falls into your talons, you just let it happen?"

"That's a good question," he replied. "I just wanted some help cleaning around the house. It's pretty big, you can very clearly see that, so it gets tiring to constantly have to sweep and dust and such."

She looked around the room, noticing the silence. "You don't have any other servants?"

"Nope."

"And... how long have you been here for?"

"Maybe around five years."

"So you've just been in this house, alone, for five years?"

An embarrassed grin appeared on his face. "Yeah..."

Radiant leaned back into the couch. This was a bit of an odd dragon, at least by HiveWing standards. Filthy rich supposedly, yet chose not to take any servants until now? He's acting surprisingly nice and has not shown any irritation with her yet, but it'd only be so long until that happens. He's not talking down to her either, speaking like they're... friends.

Is this an act? she wondered. It seems far-fetched and stupid, yet it would be in-line with anything else that Wasp Academy would've done. They've always known that she was rebellious and hated these dragons with all of her might, something that can be very easy to get arrested and even killed for.

That's what happened to her parents after all, or at least that's what she was told. Found out to be a part of a conspiracy and then hung publicly for their crimes.

They could just be wishing to trick her and finally rid of her by setting her up with this dragon. She could believe him to be a snitch. He had that look to him, that fake-kindness that any normal dragon would believe.

But, Radiant wasn't a normal dragon. She was smarter than to trust some random dragon she just met, regardless if he was nice. She wouldn't fall for his trap.