The great wingbeats of the dragon echoed through the storm-carved spires of Kaivelle, a kingdom renowned for its floating towers, aquamarine glass domes, and silver-threaded skybridges arcing above verdant valleys. Queen Maria, astride her ancient black-scaled dragon, descended gently upon the balcony of the royal tower. Guards in glistening silver armor bowed deeply as she stepped down, her long sapphire cloak trailing behind her.
Inside her royal chambers, the air was perfumed with jasmine incense and soft harp music played magically from crystal orbs embedded in the marble walls. Maria stood still, unmoving, her gloved fingers resting gently on her chin as her emerald eyes stared into nothingness.
(SFX: Soft crackling from the floating fireplace)
A swirl of confused emotions danced in her mind. That boy... Arslan. A name unfamiliar, yet his image burned clear in her memory. The way he bowed, the fire in his eyes, and most of all... the way her dragon lowered its head before him.
"Dragons never bow in front of others..." she whispered aloud.
(SFX: Door creaks open)
The warm sound of the ancient oak door opening drew Maria's attention. A short, wrinkled figure entered—Lady Erelia, her grandmother's former confidant. Draped in thick maroon robes with silver trim, her eyes shimmered with age-old wisdom.
"Maria," the old woman said softly, her voice gravelly but kind. "I saw your face as you landed. Tell me, child, what troubles you so?"
Maria turned to her slowly, removing her royal gloves. "He... the dragon... it bowed. To a boy. A Lumisgrave Knight."
Lady Erelia's eyes widened slightly. Then a smile curled slowly across her lips.
"Ah. It has happened, then. Just as your grandfather foretold."
Maria raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer. "What do you mean? What did he say?"
Lady Erelia slowly made her way to the couch and sat, her bones cracking faintly.
"Your grandfather used to speak of the dragon with reverence. He believed it was not just a beast—but a Seer. He said, 'One day, our dragon shall bow not to power, not to royalty, but to destiny itself.'"
Maria stared. Her lips parted slightly. Her heart thumped louder than the soft harp tones.
"He said the dragon would bow... only to one who was destined to be bound to Kaivelle. To its soul, its fate... or to its queen."
"What...?" Maria stepped back slightly, her voice barely a whisper.
Erelia nodded, eyes still twinkling. "It recognizes those who are—or will be—tied to this land in spirit. It has only ever bowed to kings of Kaivelle. And today... it bowed to a boy from Lumisgrave."
(SFX: Slow heartbeat)
Maria sat down slowly, her breathing uneven. "But he... he's no prince. He's a mere Knight. A... commoner. How could this be?"
Lady Erelia chuckled lightly. "And yet the dragon bowed. Even your father never earned such a gesture. This boy... there's more to him than you see."
Maria folded her arms. "He was... handsome, yes. Intelligent. Powerful. The way he stood... He even made King Farhan joke, 'Even beasts know who the valuable one is.' But I still don't understand."
Erelia leaned forward. "Perhaps the future will explain what the present cannot."
Maria's gaze fell to the floor. She was the proud, untouchable Queen Maria of Kaivelle. She had turned away countless suitors, negotiated with kings, outdueled generals. And yet, this unknown boy now lived in the forefront of her thoughts.
"I invited him to Kaivelle just to test their power against my Warriors....He said... he'd come to Kaivelle not to win. Just to please me," she whispered.
(SFX: Dragon roar in the distance)
The faint, echoing roar reminded her the beast too had chosen Arslan. As she lay back on her bed, her fingers gently brushing the silk bedsheets, her mind swam.
Was this fate? Destiny? Magic?
She closed her eyes.
(SFX: Wind howling through high windows)
"A prince... from Lumisgrave...?"
She shook her head, dismissing the idea, but her heart was no longer listening to reason. It was listening to the beat of the dragon's heart.
And perhaps, something new had begun.