Droplet yawned, stretching out her wings. She looked around, at the small island she'd slept on. Even with the help of the enchanted bracelet, she'd been exhausted from the day, and had collapsed on the first island she saw.
Now, she rolled over and gazed up at the sun. It was well past dawn.
With a sigh, Droplet sat up and blinked around. Nothing but sea in every direction. So... Now what?
Her stomach rumbled.
Now I find some food.
It was easy to catch three plump fish. They were large and salty and entirely more amazing than the watery river fish back home. Still, Droplet wished she could return more than anything.
I can. Can't I? I can just turn around and fly back.
No. You must keep going, Droplet. Behind you is nothing but shame and fear.
Droplet shook her head to clear it. She retrieved her bag, spread her wings, and lifted into the air. By now, Tsunami and the others must have realised she was gone. They must be worrying. But Droplet kept flying, each beat of her wings carrying her further from her family.
It's better this way. She told herself. If you go back, they won't love you any more.
Droplet flew through the day, going at her own pace, not caring that she lost most sense of direction. She passed several small islands but didn't stop until late evening, when she found a large, overgrown island covered in huge trees and rock formations.
Exhausted, Droplet landed on the beach and walked over to a clump of ferns. She laid out her sleeping mat and curled up, head on her talons.
Maybe I can live here. She thought drowsily. It seems nice. Lots of trees and ocean.
She let her eyes flutter shut, and drifted into a hazy sleep. Dragons danced through her dreams, screaming at her to come back, begging her to stay away. Emerald ran towards her, but before he could reach her, his limbs turned stiff and his scales turned to wood. Green paint poured over him, washing him away. Riptide flew through a storm, fighting his way towards Droplet. But a huge wave crashed over Droplet and dragged her down into the ocean, where Queen Coral waited with blank eyes and a red line across her throat. Orca loomed out of the ocean behind the queen, sharp teeth flashing, lunging towards Droplet's throat.
Droplet woke up screaming, her wings tangled in tall grass.
It was just a dream. She told herself, trying to slow her breathing. Just a nightmare. That's all.
Still, her talons fumbled for her bag, where she found a round piece of glass rimmed with silver. She hadn't tried using it before, but she was desperate for a glimpse of her family. She needed to see that they were ok, that they would be ok without her.
"Emerald." She whispered.
Instead of the ferns and weeds visible through the glass, a sandy beach appeared, with a pair of leaf green talons sinking into it.
Droplet tilted the glass, moving it to see a different part of the scene. Emerald's face, creased with worry, appeared before her, as real as if he were standing next to her.
"Where could she be?" He asked, looking at someone Droplet couldn't see. She moved the glass until it landed on Rainstorm, who was clawing furiously at the sand.
"I don't know, squid brain." She growled, staring at the ground. "Her stuff is gone. She probably got scared and ran away. You know how she is with animus magic."
Droplet moved the glass to see Emerald, who was frowning. "Yes, but to run away? It's Droplet. She would never leave, even if she was scared. I'd think she'd be more scared of going off on her own than of any animus spell."
That's true, isn't it? Droplet wondered. I am afraid of being on my own, even more than I'm afraid of animus magic. That's why we share - shared - a room at Jade Mountain. Because I couldn't be alone.
Then why are you out here? You love being on your own, Droplet. You like the peace and quiet. You ran away because it was what was best.
Droplet shook her head to clear it. Nothing about this felt right.
"She's probably waiting at Jade Mountain." Rainstorm continued, and Droplet moved the glass to her. "Making a painting or something. We should go ask mother if we can go and meet her, while she sorts out the mess here."
"I can't believe Queen Coral is really dead." Emerald breathed.
"I know." Rainstorm said, moving over and brushing her wing against Emeralds. He draped a wing over her, and they sat like that, huddled together.
"I miss them." Rainstorm said softly. "I miss them both already."
Droplet reached out a shaking tallon and brushed a claw against the glass. The sight of her siblings broke her heart. She tapped a diamond set into the silver rim of the glass and the scene dissolved.
"Tsunami." She whispered, and her mother's face appeared behind the glass.
"I don't want to be queen." Droplet recognised her aunt Anemone's voice. "I'm happy in the rainforest with Tamarin. And I don't think any of these dragons trust me enough, anyways. No one wants an animus on the throne, even a dormant animus."
"I... I don't want it either." Tsunami burst out. "I always thought I would, but I'm happy at Jade mountain. And I still don't know enough about SeaWing customs."
Tsunami and Anemone turned to look at Auklet. Their little sister, even full grown, was smaller than them, and blinked wide eyes at the two.
"I would take the throne." She said slowly, flicking an elegant tail. "With the support of you two, I could do it. I've grown up here, and mother raised me to be a good queen."
"We'd help where we could." Tsunami said, running her talons over the strands of pearls she always wore. Clay told Droplet that Coral had given them to her their first day in the kingdom of sea.
"So I guess it's settled." Anemone said. "We'll have to arrange for an official coronation. Before any of the other's get any ideas."
"Others?" Tsunami echoed. "Right. The other heirs. We should have the right to claim it first, though."
"Moray wouldn't want it." Auklet mused. "And your dragonets are too young, Tsunami. Turtle's dragonets are also too young, and half RainWing."
"What about the princes?" Tsunami asked, and it was at that exact moment that the door burst open and a SeaWing stormed in. His scales were such a dark blue they almost seemed black. He dipped a shallow bow to the princesses.
"Shadow." Auklet said, inclining her head slightly.
"Prince Shadow." The SeaWing corrected. He was easily twice as old as Tsunami, old scars covering his scales. "And as a prince, my daughter has a claim on the throne."
"Everyone knows that the queen's direct daughters are the ones with the first right to the throne." Auklet said easily. She'd always had an ability to charm dragons, to speak smoothly and convincingly. It would make for a good queen, Droplet thought.
"Everyone knows the queen's female descendents are able to rule." Shadow returned snootily. "And it just so happens that my daughter is eligible."
He flicked his tail, pushing the door further open, and an elegant green dragon strode in with her head high. A strand of pearls sat on her head like a circlet, a clear reminder that she was in line for the throne.
"My daughter, Jade, is older and much better suited to the throne than any of you." Shadow said, narrowing his eyes at the three princesses.
"Alright, this is ridiculous." Tsunami said, flicking her tail. "We three, as princesses and rightful heirs to the throne, have decided among ourselves who will become the new queen of the SeaWings. You and your daughter have no right to come in and take the throne. Yes, she's in line, but she's last in line."
Shadow and Jade bristled and Jade took a step forwards.
"We'll present the matter to the rest of the tribe and see what they decide." Auklet said, before anything else could happen. "But for now, we must mourn our late mother in peace. Leave us."
Shadow frowned, as though that was clearly not the answer he had been hoping for. But under the glares of the three princesses, he just bowed his head slightly and said, "Very well. Come along, Jade."
The door closed, and Tsunami turned back to her sisters. Before they said anything though, Droplet heard voices. Real voices, not ones she was hearing through the glass.
There was someone else on the island.