Chapter Text
Elusia was a harsh land, its cold climate and long winters making life difficult. Ivy was well aware of this—as much as she could be at such a young age, when her father tried to shield her from the icy truths of the world. But even so, she battled the cold, trudging through the heavy snow to escape her fate. No matter how deadly the weather was, she preferred it to the snakes of the Elusian court.
Her body, however, betrayed her. Her short legs gave out, causing the girl to trip, tumbling down a hill. She let out a whimper, the cold snow biting into her skin. The forest around her was far too thick, impossible for the girl to explore and find shelter. If she were to be honest with herself, she was lost. Even if she chose to turn back, she knew not the way home from here.
This couldn’t be the end, though. She wanted to see her father and baby sister one last time. But the cold was too much—far too much for her little body to handle. Her limbs felt so heavy, and she fought to keep her eyes open. Between long blinks, she noticed a clearing in the woods—a miracle as there seemed to be a nearby castle. Ivy had never heard of any such place existing around here, but it was shelter, so she forced herself to her feet.
She continued her slow march, willing herself to stay upright as she approached the strange castle. When she got up close to the building, she found it in ruins. Large gaping holes in the walls, stained glass shattered, and what little plant life that could survive the harsh winter growing through the cracks. Yet shelter was shelter, urging the young princess forward, pushing open the large double-doors.
Its halls were empty, long abandoned by their previous occupants. And the architecture was rather odd, accommodating a much larger space than the usual building—the ceilings even higher than that in Elusia Castle. The girl pushed such thoughts aside, more focused on finding a place deeper in the castle, hopefully properly shielded from the elements.
The main hall eventually opened out into a large room. Perhaps a throne room of sorts? Or at least something equivalent to what the princess knew. Her thoughts came to a halt as her violet gaze fell on a large figure in the center of the room. A beast covered in black scales with red wings furled up by its side. Its head was shaped like that of a lizard, though large frills stuck out from its jaw, glowing a low red and lighting slightly with each deep breath it took.
A dragon.
Ivy blinked as she watched the creature. It was sleeping peacefully, blissfully unaware of the girl’s presence. Common sense would’ve told her to run away and hide, but seeing the beast so calm intrigued the princess. Dragons were said to be long extinct, but here one was, hiding away in the forest. Such a curious sight pulled the girl forward, her foggy mind believing she might find warmth by the creature.
It did not stir, not even when she stood directly before the beast—not until she placed a small hand on its snout. Three red eyes snapped open—one on either side of the dragon’s head and a third in the center of its forehead—their gaze trained on the princess. Yet they were not harsh and cold like those of the court’s snakes, but warm and gentle.
“What brings you here, little one?”
Ivy barely registered the words, exhaustion sinking in. Her legs gave out once more, no longer able to hold herself. But she did not meet the cold stone floor, instead caught by smooth scales, wrapping around her body in a gentle squeeze. She mumbled something in response to the dragon, but she could not remember what. Perhaps a desire to see her sister, or simply for warmth and comfort. Whatever it was, the dragon hummed in response.
“You should be more careful, little one. Please, rest now. You are safe in these halls.”
Its voice was deep, reverberating down the empty halls. Yet Ivy found it comforting—soothing, even—as she buried herself deeper into the warmth of black scales. Warm laughter rumbled from the beast’s chest, lulling the girl into a deep sleep. If this is the comfort she could find outside the court, then she wished to stay here forever.
Alear waited, listening to the intruder’s breathing. When it finally evened out, she shifted from her draconic form into a smaller, more human one. A human child in her home. How strange. She assumed the last of the humans were dead, but there must’ve been stragglers, those who hid away and persevered. She was relieved to learn as much, but there were more important matters to attend to.
This was no place for a child. The castle was left in disrepair during Alear’s long slumber and even if it were in a good state, a human child needed human caretakers. Carefully, the dragon lifted the small intruder, wishing to keep the girl in her sight until she was returned to her fellow humans. Alear moved through the halls at a brisk pace, making her way to her chambers proper.
While her room was nice, it was a bit cramped when Alear took on her draconic form, made more for a slumbering human or baby dragon. Still, the soft bed made the perfect place to put the girl down as the room had everything the dragon needed to prepare. The girl let out a soft yawn as she stretched and rolled over on the bed, earning a smile from the dragon.
Remembering what she came here to do, Alear pulled a cloak out from her closet, wrapping it around her shoulders and covering her head with the hood. Even if her human form was passable, there was no telling if humans would recognize her more draconic traits—namely her fiery red hair and pointed ears. Certain that she properly hid her true nature, she then pulled out a thick blanket.
Carefully, Alear wrapped the little girl tightly in the thick fabric—both to keep her warm and to prevent her from struggling were she to wake. For even if the girl seemed calm before, there was no telling how she’d react to a dragon were she to come to her senses. Maybe Alear would be saved any of these problems were she to simply kill the girl, but such was far too cruel. Even if it meant the child leading hunters back to her, Alear would rather that over seeing an innocent light fade far too soon.
The dragon took the girl back into her arms, carrying her back out into the cold winter storm. Alear knew not where the humans currently resided, but she knew the general direction where they used to settle, so she used that as her guide. As the trek began to drag on far too long for her liking—worrying the dragon as to how far this girl traveled—the sound of horses met her ears.
It was a search party, lanterns lit as multiple men fanned out to cover a large area. Desperate cries carried out into the night, pleas for a young princess to return home. Alear glanced down at the girl in her arms, tilting her head in curiosity. “Is that you they’re searching for, little princess?” Alear let out an amused huff, placing the girl beneath a tree, making certain she would be clear for the soldiers to see. “I wonder where you humans will go with someone like you.”