"Mother, my Otheryon City is finished! Father wrote to say he'll hold a grand tournament on my sixth name day!"
Six-year-old Oserion had already taken to the skies on his great dragon Ragnax the year before.
Ragnax looked much like Krakshoo overall, but was more heavily built. His neck and tail were covered in spikes, while his wicked eyes and serpentlike mouth rather resembled those of Smaug, the dragon from The Lord of the Rings.
Perhaps because Ragnax had hatched from one of the Purple Prince's dragon eggs, his tail had also developed a sharp blade that could easily pierce a great dragon's scales.
Even Vermithor and Vhagar, who were several years older than him, did not dare provoke him lightly.
Only Terragna, the Golden Great Dragon who had hatched at almost the same time as him, frequently challenged him. This golden she-dragon was covered in heavy scales like molten gold, and her fiercely blazing golden dragonfire kept even Ragnax from approaching her lightly.
Moreover, Terragna's rider, Ishys, was more accomplished at dragonriding. Whenever the two young dragons clashed, the ice-blue great dragon Iceflame and the terrifying Isalorn were there to help her. Oserion did not dare provoke this older sister of his.
Ishys also excelled at both mounted archery and swordsmanship. Even Jacaerys, who was her age, was no match for her.
Her bloodline gave her an innate dominance over the other younger children, making Ishys the undisputed Children's King of High Heart.
"That's wonderful news! You finally have a castle of your own."
Danyla had lived quite comfortably over the years. Aside from traveling and sightseeing, she spent her time pondering how to spend all the gold dragons in the royal treasury.
Besides Bennard, who was skilled at playing the harp, Patirius, with his splendid singing voice, now