CYAN | ONC 2022

17

Aryzath didn't get to warn Ilayda. There wasn't any way he could have left the castle now that Father knew where the Tünder were. Soldiers were running around catering to his every whim all throughout the night, making him more anxious with each passing second. He couldn't even sleep, Corvina's words rang through his mind and he couldn't get rid of her smile that resembled so much of a snake.

He hated her.

By the time the sun had dawned upon him, he was out of his bedroom with hair a mess and his clothes from yesterday. With hurried steps, he walked to the direction of Father's office where he might be. He was about to rap his knuckles on the familiar door when Father yanked it open. Stern eyes raked his face before they dropped to his clothes and then right back at his head. Aryzath resisted the urge to smooth out his hair.

"Why are you here looking like this?" Father said, his eyes flashing gold. "Go get yourself changed before Corvina gets here. I thought I told you to not be such a disgrace."

Aryzath opened his mouth but quickly snuffed that urge out when Ilayda's face flashed in his mind. The buzzing underneath his skin got worse then. "Father, forget how I look. I need to talk to you about Corvina," he said.

Father's eyes immediately brightened at the mention of her and he grabbed his arm. "Ah, right. I was just heading to the hall. Under Corvina's advice, we finally made progress."

His heart turned into stone. "What do you mean?"

The older creature slapped his arm and gestured him to follow. Aryzath felt like the whole world had placed its weight on his shoulders — unable to move for a few seconds as his heart raced in his chest. A million thoughts crossed his mind.

Ultimately, one burning question remained.

Did they catch Ilayda?

Curling his fingers into fists, he forced himself to move. It was only when he reached the throne room that he realised what had happened. Soldiers were gathered in there and two in particular had a... creature with yellow-coloured wings; a Tünder on his knees. His hands were tied behind his back and head forcibly bowed by one of the soldiers.

It wasn't her... but he was still part of her people.

Corvina was standing in front of him, arms crossed and her hips cocked. But she didn't say anything or even look at the Tünder. Instead, she met Aryzath's gaze from across the room as soon as he entered it, her lips twisted upwards.

Father moved to stand before the Tünder, looming over the creature with an aura that Aryzath could only describe as suffocating. He couldn't even find the courage in himself to move, but he had to do it. He had to face the consequences for his negligence. Regret and guilt washed over him when he was standing before this creature... who resembled so much like her.

With a mark on his cheek and his golden eyes that shimmered just like sun rays, he was glaring from under his eyelashes at him and Father, a sneer pulled on his face. Aryzath looked away in shame.

"So, you're the king of this land, huh?" the Tünder spoke. He let out a small grunt when the soldier on his left grabbed him by his silver hair and forced him to bow down. He struggled a little until Father raised a hand, stopping him from going any lower. With a flick of his finger, the Tünder was forced to meet their gazes, head wretched back. "What a cowardly bunch."

"Silence," Father said. "Your demeanour is unbecoming. You've been captured and brought forth your future king and this is how you behave."

"Future king?" The Tünder laughed. "More like the one who will be licking our boots when we're done with you."

Father didn't say anything, but his posture had stiffened. Aryzath's heart skipped a beat when the older creature took a step towards their captive. Without hesitation, he went down on one knee. He held back a startled gasp from leaving his lips when Father raised his hand high in the air and slammed it against the Tünder's left cheek, forcing him to snap his head to his right from the impact.

"Be warned that the reason you're alive at this very moment is because I let you," Father hissed. "We will find your people and your lands and we will take them."

The Tünder could only laugh once more. "You think you'll get away with this?" He looked at Aryzath with eyes burning so bright in hatred that his stomach shrunk. "You think your Crown Prince will help you reign? I'm beginning to think you didn't raise him right if all he looks is stupid."

Father grabbed the creature by his cheeks, forcing his mouth closed. "Listen here. I don't care who you are, but when you're in the presence of your king, you speak with respect." He let him go and stood up. "But no worries. If you won't bend down to me, I will make you."

"By beating me up?" The Tünder could only narrow his gaze and smirk. "Go ahead. You think you won? Just by abducting me? You don't know what is brewing in the shadows." Then he shook his head, lifting his chin up in an act of defiance. Aryzath's breath hitched in his throat when those eyes glowed and his voice pitched an octave lower, sending shivers down his spine. "Heed my warning, Dragonkind. If you don't return me and stay out of our lives, come morning tomorrow, your entire kingdom will burn."

Arya's teary eyes and pleas about a war flashed into Aryzath's mind then. That almost had him reaching out to Father but was stopped when Corvina wrapped her fingers around his wrist, halting him. He tried to pull away, but she dug her nails into his skin, eyeing him. And then he felt a jolt underneath his skin, the sensation travelling to his mouth and forcing his lips shut.

His eyes widened. She had casted him to silence.

Father only chuckled. "Well, then, Tünder. If a war breaks out tomorrow, just know you and your people will soon die than see us burn to the ground."

The Tünder only grinned, his sharp teeth glinted. "Mark my words. I'm never wrong."