Chapter Text
5 months after the Pantalan Stealth Mission…
It was another scorching afternoon in the Sand Kingdom, the orange sun beaming out and letting loose its heat despite beginning to set. Its light, despite being almost blind from the outside, could barely seep into the prison of the stronghold, however. The prison was a system of tunnels that were laid in a 4-way pattern, with a circular area in the center of it. Scorpions crawled around, and the prison had the stench of rotting camel meat despite guards' best attempts at cleaning up the cells. only two cells were occupied, its prisoners being Prickle, and most notably, Cobra. Cobra watched as the occasional scorpion scuttled past her. The only other thing that would pass the time for her was listening to Prickle's rambling about Smolder and/or Palm or her talking to the SandWing assigned to help with her thoughts. It was then that a guard walked over and stood in front of her. The guard stood in an unfazed posture that screamed regality.
"Can I help you?" Cobra asked in a bored tone.
"Prisoner, You have a visitor who wishes to see you"
Cobra only rolled her eyes as the guard moved out of the way to reveal the visitor. Upon looking at her, Cobra grew a sly smile on her face. The visitor sat in a regal posture, with an intimidating sneer in her black eyes. She had a pendant around her neck that looked to be a black gem surrounded by gold encrusting. From this, Cobra just knew who she was facing behind her cell bars.
"Hello Thorn" Cobra spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"That's Queen Thorn to you, camel breath" Thorn answered sharply.
"If only I could just snatch that eye right off your neck." She then stated with a short laugh, staring at the Eye of Onyx around Thorn's neck as it glimmered from a torch's light nearby. "But I can't, 'cause the penalty can't be any worse for me."
Thorn only seemed to slightly bare her teeth angrily over that gesture, even if it wasn't a legitimate threat.
Cobra only continued on with what she had to say to the Queen. "But the only reason you would come to me is if something happened. So spit it out, Thorn. What brings you to my cell?"
"I came hoping you would like to hear how your son is doing," Thorn answered. "Just because you don't care about him doesn't mean you shouldn't know what he's up to."
"But I'm not interested in how he's doing" Cobra responded back. "He's your dragonet now after all."
Thorn maintained a serious look on her face, unfazed by the assassin's remarks. With no response from her, Cobra relented.
"Fine," Cobra responded boredly. "What's the little cactus spine done now?"
Thorn proceeded to tell the assassin of the Pantalan Stealth Mission, where he's helped in stopping Cottonmouth's plans, and ultimately saving Pantala and Pyrrhia as a whole. Cobra only maintained a look of consistent boredom and disinterest as Thorn explained Qibli's journey.
"So?" Cobra asked. "It's not like anybody's gonna be proud of him for that. I sure am not."
"I am!" Thorn rebuked.
"Then why don't you do some kind of celebratory gesture for all I care" Cobra answered sarcastically. "His hatching day is very soon. Tomorrow, in fact."
Somehow, that got Thorn to look surprised by Cobra's words. Despite having Qibli in her life for years after saving him from Cobra, Thorn had realized that not once was she told of his hatching day.
"What do you think you'll do for him that day?" Cobra asked like she was expecting Thorn to have a clear answer. Oddly enough, Thorn had nothing to say about that detail of Qibli's life. Cobra only shook her head in response.
"You can probably just go about your royal duties while he lays in the sun all day for all I care." Cobra then started nonchalantly with a wave of her talon. "He's weak and helpless anyway. And I bet he's got no one to celebrate it with."
That was enough to get Thorn to charge up at the bars, baring her teeth and snarling at the assassin for talking poorly about Qibli.
"That is enough out of you, trask-talking son-of-a-toad!" She shouted angrily. "Qibli may be a hassle at times, but he's far more than what you think he is. He has a mate to share his life with, friends that adore him, and a queen that cares more for his well-being than your camel-sucking self and your delinquent dragonets ever could! Mark My Words: I will make this the best hatching day of his life!"
"Your Majesty!" A guard then shouted, garnering Thorn's attention. "Maintain your composure, please"
Thorn sneered at the guard but calmed herself down. "Thank you" She responded respectfully before she sneered at Cobra and turned to leave the prison as she watched with a sly look on her face. "I knew he would bring more trouble for you if you're gonna leave like this!" she shouted.
"Silence, you!" the guard responded sharply.
Thorn appeared to walk out of the prison into the grounds of the stronghold proudly...but it wasn't long before she began to slow down, as a questioning, almost concerned look molded onto her face. While she now knew Qibli's hatching day was soon, and she would make sure it was one of his best, one question began to plague her mind.
"...How...do I celebrate a hatching day?"
Later that day...
Inside the SandWing Stronghold just outside the Scorpion Den, Thorn sat on her royal throne, the Eye of Onyx hanging beautifully on her neck. Thorn sat on the throne, not with confidence or dignity, however. She looked like she had a lot of thoughts in her mind, and some of her guards were quick to notice it. Her head was lowered, and her eyes appeared to look around thoughtfully. Six Claws, who was sitting to the side of his queen, noticed the vulnerability in her eyes, which he thought was something a queen shouldn't be showing.
“Is everything alright, Your Majesty?” Six-Claws asked carefully. “You don’t seem like yourself.”
Thorn looked at Six Claws for a moment but was calm and careful in addressing his concerns.
“Six-Claws, as a queen, I know I'm supposed to look and feel strong.” She began with an honest tone. “It’s just…you remember Qibli, right?”
Six-Claws grew a confused look in his eyes before he remembered that name. “The dragonet who flooded the Stronghold in sand and helped clean up afterward?” He asked.
Thorn only nodded in response, remembering the events that led to that incident happening. “Unfortunately, you are correct” Thorn responded.
“I think I do. He’s the one you have a close bond with, right?” Six-Claws asked further to clarify. “What about him?”
“I’ve just been informed that It’s soon to be his hatching day, or at least that’s what Cobra told me when I spoke to her in the prison” Thorn explained. “You know I am a mother thanks to me having Beetle with Stonemover, but I…barely got to be one with what happened up to this point. I’m… I’m just unsure what to do for Qibli”
Six Claws seemed to nod at his queen’s open explanation of her troubles. Given that he had a dragonet of his own, he tried to give his output on hatching days.
“Well, of course, there’s my daughter Ostrich, and we have a tight bond with each other.” Six Claws explained as best as he could. “But hatching days were…small in terms of celebration”
Thorn listened in as Six-Claws explained his thoughts to her, nodding in understanding every moment or so.
“But there is Prince Smolder you could talk to as well” Six-Claws then said. “He could give you advice on this predicament given your bond with him”
Thorn raised a brow at Six-Claws over her relationship with Smolder. “What does he have to do with this?” Thorn asked with slight defense in her voice.
Six-Claws was unfazed by his queen’s reaction. “He is also a father thanks to him having Onyx, the SandWing who challenged you before Qibli’s incident.” Six Claws explained in an honest tone. “So with that fact, I have a feeling he may know something, perhaps more so than I do.”
This made Thorn wonder about Smolder herself. Despite challenging her for the throne, Onyx is indeed still Smolder’s daughter, so he may also be in the same hole Thorn is in with Qibli. “He may be helpful in a way with this,” Thorn said in her mind. It was then that Thorn made her decision. She looked directly at Six-Claws, a sharpness in her eyes.
“Six-Claws, Inform Smolder to meet me at my oasis later today” Thorn commanded
Six claws bowed to his queen. “Yes, Your Majesty” he stated before leaving the throne room. Thorn looked on as he left. She felt at ease that she sent that order. She felt calm in knowing that if there was anyone who could help with the hatching day dilemma, it may be Smolder.
Later that evening…
Thorn lay in a few pillows in her tent at the Oasis. It was nearing dusk, and the setting sun draped the oasis in a luscious orange hue. Her tent was placed near the shore of the river, which was adorned with lilypads that broke up the reflection on the water. Thorn waited patiently for Smolder to arrive. She had her favorite snacks and drinks all ready for him. Alas, it went long before Smolder and Six-Claws landed in front of her tent. Six-Claws was the first to step forward to her.
“Smolder, Your Majesty” He announced regally before leaving. Smolder remained still as he stood before the queen as Rose held onto his neck, while also looking at Thorn.
Thorn however looked at Smolder before growing a warm smile at his presence. “Good Evening, Smolder,” She spoke warmly in a welcoming tone in her voice.
Smolder grew an equally warm smile. “Thorn…I didn’t think you would call for me” Smolder answered in an honest tone.
“Good friends are worth seeing,” Thorn replied in an equally honest tone. “Come and Sit” She then said, offering the open pillows in front of her.
Smolder slowly approached the queen, a smidge of fear in his footsteps, even if he had genuine affection for her. He carefully lay down on the pillows and grabbed a small cup of cinnamon milk, as Rose carefully climbed off of him and went near a plate of dried dates. She looked cautiously at Thorn, who smiled at her as she took a quick glare at the plate. In response, Rose grabbed a few of them and walked back to her spot on the pillow next to Smolder, leaning onto his shoulder. Thorn also had a cup of cinnamon milk in her talon as she looked at the two, a sparkle of warmth in her black eyes.
Thorn was the first to speak to him once he and Rose had settled down on the red pillows below them. “So, how is everything, Smolder?” She asked. "Life treating you well, I assume?"
Smolder’s gaze at her brightened a bit. “Everything is going alright.” He began. “I’m doing my part for the stronghold, Flower, I mean, Rose seems to be enjoying herself, and thankfully I don’t have to worry about Onyx now that she has her other princess friend”
Thorn raised a brow at Smolder’s response. “You mean Blaze?” She asked curiously.
Smolder nodded in response to Thorn’s question.
“Hm…I didn’t think they would be together given their polar opposite personalities” She admitted in an honest tone. “...I wonder how that’s going?” She then thought to herself, but she then shook her head to focus on the topic at hand.
“Speaking of Onyx…She is your daughter, correct?” Thorn then asked, switching the subject.
Smolder nodded in response. “She is...even if she still wants nothing to do with me” He stated honestly.
Thorn understood Smolder’s words. “Well, if it was her hatching day…and she wasn’t like she is now, what would you do to celebrate it?” Thorn asked carefully.
Smolder looked down at his cup of Cinnamon Milk, thinking of what he would do to celebrate a hatching day. Hatching day celebrations weren’t normal, but they weren’t uncommon either, especially when Scarlet was alive and ruling the Sky Kingdom.
“Well…If it were up to me, I would spend the day with her” Smolder began to explain truthfully. “Just me and her, doing activities she likes to do, getting to know her more, those of the sort”
Thorn continued to listen to Smolder’s view of celebrating hatching days. She wondered if his view of it was the right thing for Qibli.
“Why do you ask?” Smolder then asked curiously as he adjusted the way he was lying down.
“It’s just…Qibli’s hatching day is tomorrow. Cobra told me when I came to check on her.” Thorn began in an honest tone. ”And while I’m great at being a queen, a mother…not so much”
Smolder was quick to interject. “You have Sunny,” He interjected. "and despite your short time with her, she turned out well"
“I know, and she's amazing with how far she's come" Thorn quickly responded. "but I barely got to have time with her before she left to run the academy, and I especially never got to raise her as a mother should have thanks to Dune, that camel-sucking traitor"
Smolder only listened in without disturbing Thorn during which. He grew worried when Thorn appeared to begin worrying a bit too much over what to do with Qibli.
"I could give him more access to the palace, or maybe he can sit with me during an event at the arena, or have the chefs make his favorite desserts, or maybe-” Thorn continued onward.
“Thorn.” Smolder interrupted, to which Thorn snapped out of her worried rambling to look at him. “You don't have to overthink this, Your Majesty. Just spending time with Qibli is more than enough in my view of this”
Thorn looked at Smolder, an uncertain, yet understanding expression as she looked back at her cup of cinnamon milk. “I'm sorry for all that Smolder" She apologized quietly. "I just want to show Qibli how much I care about him”
Smolder nodded once again in response before he took a moment to think. “How about you take the day off from being queen tomorrow.” He then offered suddenly.
This resulted in a surprised, almost defensive look on Thorn's face. "Prince Smolder!" She shouted defensively. "What kind of crazy, almost stupid idea is that?!"
“ I know a queen isn’t supposed to do that, but I feel it can let you spend that time with Qibli as you desire." Smolder quickly explained to calm the SandWing Queen. "And I feel only a parent would put their dragonet before anything else. I know he isn’t actually your dragonet, but you probably know where I'm coming from.”
Thorn had grown an unsure look in her eyes. A queen, as she should, is always dedicated to maintaining the well-being of their tribe. Glacier, Moorhen, Ruby and even Glory are primary examples of this. If they don’t stop for anything, why should Thorn? Her brainstorming was interrupted when a talon tapped her shoulder. Thorn turned her head to see Six-Claws standing near her.
“Smolder is right, Your Majesty.” He responded in an agreeing tone. “I feel it would be best if you took the day off. The Outclaws can survive a day without you”
Thorn looked at the Outclaw general, a shockingly surprised look on her snout. She knew Six-Claws was right about the Outclaws. They, including the SandWing Royal Guard, were renowned as one of the best peacemaker groups in the kingdom if not all of Pyrrhia. She began to feel that maybe one day without their leader couldn't cause any harm. No SandWing was that dependent on her.
“I think...You’re right, Six-Claws.” Thorn carefully agreed with a nod. “Cancel any plans I have. As for the Outclaws, I’ll leave them to you.”
Six Claws grew a proud smile at his Queen accepting everyone’s advice. Thorn then quietly brought Smolder into an embrace with her wings. much to his surprise. “Thank you for your advice, Smolder.” She whispered. “I owe you one if this all works out”
Smolder grew a warm smile over Thorn willingly embracing him. “You’ll do great for Qibli, Your Majesty” He quietly reassured. 'I know you will"
Thorn began to feel like she was in good hands with Smolder and Six-Claw’s advice. She could celebrate Qibli’s hatching day, and spend time with him and Moonwatcher and not have to worry about the kingdom going off the rails because of it.
It is only one day after all…