"Long ago, more lifetimes than you could ever imagine, the world was nothing more than a blank canvas waiting to be brought to life; its artists, the seven World Dragons, helped to create all that is around you.” Aestus began, his heavy voice drifting to the dozens of young dragons that had settled across his massive body. “My father, Terrus the Dragon of earth, used his might to pound the barren ground down into valleys and up-heave the rock into mountains. Flammus, the Dragon of flame, infused his molten blood into that earth which gave the world its warmth,” He raised his claw and gestured to the landscape. “Still bubbling to the surface this day through the volcanic masses around us.” His eyes gazed out towards the ocean. “ Aquas, the Dragon of water, filled the deepest pits left by my father to create the oceans and lakes, even using the trenches left behind by his tail to create the rivers.” Aestus then turned his sight to the clouds above. “Caelus, the Dragon of sky, used her mighty wings to set the still air into motion; the tiniest gust to the greatest gale helping to create the cycles of weather that maintain our natural world. Fulgus, the Dragon of lightning, always remained close to his sister Caelus; following behind and using his electrical breath to breathe energy into the atmosphere she so carefully crafted. The storms that come and go, still sending his powerful bolts to the ground even now.” Aestus pointed his claw north of their position. Glacius, the Dragon of Ice and one not fond of Flammus’ fire; kept his yearly migration to the most northern and southern spots on the world. Covering them in ice, he helped to maintain a systemic balance against Flammus’ heat so that the world could remain temperate and hospitable to the creatures that came after them. And lastly, the fair and peaceful Arborus, Dragon of nature. While the others loudly and boldly went about their tasks, the demure Arborus quietly sowed the seeds of life into the ground. From the smallest blade of grass to the tallest tree, her loving care coated the world and ensured that no creature would go without food or shelter.” The great Dragon settled and smiled. “And that is how our world came to be, little ones.”
“Is all that stuff really true, Grampa Aestus?” The young dragon at the tip of his nose asked.
“Well… perhaps the tale is a bit embellished,” Aestus admitted. “Still, it is without question that the world would not be what it is now without our ancestors. It is why we dragons carry ourselves with such pride; and it is our duty to ensure that the world carries on for the generations that follow us.” He twisted his head back to eye his dedicated listeners. “That legacy is what all of you will carry on as you grow; so always be strong, noble and uphold this history that reaches farther back than any other.”
“Yes, Grampa Aestus.” The collection of Dragons responded in unison.
A bluish blur came down from the sky and hovered before Aestus. “Alright everybody,” Ember pointed back towards the new central hub of the Dragonlands. “You’ve got lessons to learn, so move your tails.”
“Aw, we wanted to hear more stories.” One of the Dragons whined.
“Go now, little ones,” Aestus came in. “You know better than to question the Dragon Lord; I’m not going anywhere.” A cacophony of begrudging acceptance sounded as the Dragons lifted off and began heading to their daily lessons.
Ember took her familiar spot atop Aestus’ snout and sat. “They really get a kick out of those old tales of yours; you’re the only one around who can actually give a history lesson.”
“Back when I last walked the world, I was so busy with leadership and seeing to the conflicts that I never had the chance to spend time with the young.” Aestus reflected. “This is a blessing for me to have this chance now.”
“It’s a blessing for us too, you know.” Ember added. “I mean, look at this place…” She stared out at the virtually unrecognizable Dragonlands. “This is all because of you; I know I have this staff and all but honestly you should be Dragon Lord.”
Aestus merely laughed at the suggestion. “No, my time of leadership came and went long ago. I may know our history, but you are the one who knows this modern world. I am content to spend the remainder of my life passing on what I know; take it and make an even greater future for our kind, Dragon Lord Ember.”
Ember smiled and laid back, looking up at the clouds. “You know, when you first came out of the ground I was terrified for the first time in my life. But even after just a few months… I can’t really imagine this place without you now.” She gave him a solid pat. “As scary as it all was, I’m thankful to Aurelian for bringing you back and giving me the chance to meet you.” She made a small, embarrassed laugh. “So, thank you.”
Aestus nodded, sending her sliding about. “And thank you, for giving this old Dragon a place in this new world.”
Ember sat upright, bracing herself on her claws. “Hey, I’ve been thinking, it’s about time we started opening this place up to the rest of the world.”
“In what manner?” Aestus asked.
“I want the rest of the world to see just how far we’ve come in so short a time, not to mention how far we plan on going from here.” She spun on her butt and looked up into Aestus’ eye. “Dragons are still pretty misunderstood by the world, a lot of the other species still see us as savage; now that the world is getting smaller, we need to be a bigger part of it all.”
“Understandable,” Aestus agreed. “Ages ago, Dragons held a prominent place on the world stage; a return to such a position would do much to ensure that the young grow up with a better understanding of the world beyond these peaks.”
“Yeah,” Ember stood. “Kind of like how things in your time were, right?”
Aestus’ body rumbled with a troubled growl. “You should aspire to learn from the past, not replicate it; while it is true that we were held in high regard, that regard sat on a precarious precipice.”
“Oh yeah,” Ember recalled her first meeting with Aurelian. “Aurelian told me the basics about what the Alliance did to you, how they turned on you because they were afraid.”
“Yes, the Dragon species is the oldest and our natural strength and ability far exceed that of any other creature; even the ferocious Changelings stayed cleared of our lands. Only the powerful magic of Unicorns and Alicorns could match the strongest of us.”
“Afraid or not, you didn’t do anything to provoke them.” Ember noted. “I thought the Alliance was made to keep peace, how could they attack some creature when they didn’t do anything wrong?”
Aestus sighed. “The Alliance was formed with good intentions and I will not deny that it accomplished much; but over time it became more about control than equality. The Alliance was imagined and engineered by the Ponies; on paper it seemed a way to maintain peace and order by way of accords between species, but I knew full well that it was also designed to protect themselves as at the time they were of the weakest creatures overall. By forming bonds of peace, they could help avoid conflict with those that could easily wipe them out.”
“That sounds pretty sneaky, especially for Ponies.”
“Such is the nature of politics between species.” Aestus profoundly stated. “You see, creatures do things based not on what others do, but rather based around what they might do. No one species openly threatened the Ponies, but it was always a possibility so they decided to do something to prevent that possible outcome. Eventually, the collected minds of the Alliance feared what a creature as powerful as I might do, and so… they decided to do something to prevent that possible outcome as well.” His mind traveled far back to his final moments of consciousness preceding his slumber. “Their fear of my power is what caused them to act, not any act I performed myself.”
“Aurelian said that too,” Ember further recalled their conversation. “The strong are feared by the weak no matter how they conduct themselves.” She quoted.
“Indeed,” He concurred. “Aurelian too was of the strongest, and only upon my return did I learn how much what the Alliance did to me help to set in motion his decent into tyranny.”
“He said you were one of the few he considered an equal.” She noted.
Aestus laughed. “Did he now.”
Ember stood and looked up at him with concern. “Is that what I’m looking at if I really continue this? I mean, a lot of creatures are already afraid of us without really knowing anything about us … is opening ourselves up to the world just going to make them afraid for the opposite reason? Especially after everything you’ve taught us; I don’t want to make them scared and risk the Dragons again.”
“Calm yourself, Ember.” Aestus said reassuringly. “What happened between the Alliance and I was a reflection of the time; your world is not driven by aggression and fear as mine was. You have the opportunity to make Dragons understood in a way that I could never achieve in my time as Dragon Lord; and given what I have seen of the Pony Princesses, it will be met with open mind and heart. I find your choice to pursue this a sound one.”
Ember smiled and sat back down. “Thanks.”
Aestus began to walk towards the heart of the Dragonlands. “Of a more pleasant topic, I do feel that you should start thinking about your own personal legacy.”
“What do you mean?” She leaned back and stared up at him.
“You are of breeding age,” He noted. “You should begin securing your bloodline.”
Ember’s face turned bright red. “What!?”
“You are strong and sound minded, you would make fine offspring to further Dragon kind.”
“Hey,” Ember pointed a finger up at his eye. “My… breeding is no ones business but my own.” She pouted. “Geez, you sound like my dad.”
Aestus began to laugh. “So it seems the mighty Dragon Lord does have a weakness.”
“Watch it!” She shouted. “I just… don’t really do all that mushy romance stuff, besides… I don’t even really feel that way about anybody… maybe…” She trailed off.
“Yes?” He questioned.
“Well… there is this one creature.”
“Creature?” Aestus repeated. “Is he not a Dragon.”
“I mean… he can be.” She shrugged.
“Eh?”
“Look, can we not talk about this right now.” Ember huffed. “Let’s focus on promoting the Dragonlands, okay.”
Aestus merely chuckled at her flustered response. “As you wish, Dragon Lord.”
Within a few weeks time, heads of the other nations began receiving letters of invitation from the Dragon Lord to what was being dubbed the Dragon Renaissance; a day long celebration of all things Dragon to be shared with creatures far and wide. An unexpected move to many given the long standing nature of the Dragon species; it was seen as something truly great in the eyes of the Pony royalty and particularly the Changeling King. As soon as the letter found its way into Thorax’s hooves, he quickly sought out Chrysalis to inform her of the invitation.
“Hey, mom!” He rushed into her chamber brandishing the scroll. “Take a look at this!”
“What is it?” Chrysalis asked, holding her overly excited son still with her magic.
“Ember is holding a big event in the Dragon Lands.” Thorax explained, dropping to the ground as his mother’s magic released its hold. “She’s calling it the Dragon Renaissance.”
“No doubt a result of the advancements made under that titanic Dragon’s tutelage.” She pulled the scroll to her and read its contents.
“This will be great for them,” Thorax considered. “Ember’s been working hard to expose Dragon’s to the world; but so far it’s been little steps like enrolling Smolder in Twilight’s school. But this could give the world a good look at Dragon culture and build some huge bridges .”
“Yes,” Chrysalis eyed him as she passed the scroll back. “I’m certain that’s why you’re so excited.”
“Wha… what’s that supposed to mean?” Thorax flushed under her speculation.
“Oh please,” Chrysalis huffed. “Do you honestly think you’re hiding your feelings for that Dragon? Even Cadence and Shining Armor could tell.” She gestured to him plainly. “She is important to you, is she not?”
“I…” Thorax’s shoulders slouched. “I mean… yeah.”
“Well, why do you hesitate?” She asked further.
He struggled to answer the blatant question. “I want to tell her, but… I just can’t.” He admitted.
“You can, you just won’t.” Chrysalis stated bluntly.
“She wouldn’t feel that way about me.” He sullenly noted.
“Did she tell you that herself?”
“Well… no, but…”
“But nothing.” Chrysalis cut him off. “I refuse to believe that any offspring of mine would be so timid in the face of something like this.” She sat before him and sighed in retrospective thought. “While all the things I taught you when you were young may no longer be… suitable for us now; what I taught you about the nature of the Changeling remains the same. As a Changeling, when we see love we claim it; you may not claim in the same sense as you once did, but the principle remains the same. If you truly feel so strongly about this Dragon, then make it be known.”
Thorax smiled and his cheer returned. “Yeah, I will… I will tell her.” He said boldly.
“That’s better.” Chrysalis said proudly.
Thorax’s face scrunched in thought. “But what should I say… I should rehearse.”
Chrysalis shook her head. “There is noth…”
“You were a girl once, what kind of things would you like some creature to say to you?”
“Once!?” Chrysalis barked.
“Oh, I have a better idea.” He quickly changed his form into Ember. “You be me, and show me how I should confess my feelings.”
Chrysalis reached up and bonked him on the head to stop his flustered train of thought, he quickly changed back and rubbed between his antlers. “As delightfully traumatizing as that would be, no.”
“Sorry,” He let out a long breath. “I just… don’t want to mess up by saying something dumb.”
“You’re overthinking things,” Chrysalis suggested. “When I finally spoke to Cadence that night, I stopped thinking about what I was saying and simply spoke what was in my heart; as long as you do that, nothing you say will be foolish.” She offered him a genuine smile of assurance. “Now go claim your love.”
Thorax smiled brightly at her words. “Thanks, mom.” He quickly kissed her on the cheek and hurried out to prepare for the trip.
Chrysalis lightly wiped her cheek off, but smiled at the knowledge of having a successful moment of parenting; feeling good at being able to repay the support he had given her on their trip to the Crystal Empire.
Within forty eight hours, as indicated on the invitations, creatures from across the world began to converge on the Dragonlands. Princesses Celestia and Luna from Equestria, Prince Rutherford from Yakyakistan, Skybeak as representative of the Hippogriff and Seaponies and Thorax from the Changeling hive. With no current ruler, Gilda volunteered to accept the invitation on behalf of Griffonstone along with an insistent Grandpa Gruff and of course Twilight and Spike were invited as personal friends of Ember. The rare gathering collected before a grand archway of molded volcanic rock that stood over the main path into the Dragonlands.
“My, I can see so much change just from the last time we here.” Celestia noted.
“It looks incredible.” Twilight smiled back at Spike.
“Sure does.” Spike concurred.
“Well, it’s hot if nothing else.” Grandpa Gruff mumbled.
“I didn’t ask you to come, you old buzzard; so don’t start.” Gilda narrowed her eyes.
“Griffon right though,” Prince Rutherford wiped his brow. “Yaks not used to heat.”
“It is certainly a new experience,” Skybeak said stoutly. “One I am looking forward to, but where is the Dragon…” He stopped as the ground began to quake beneath them; the gathered creatures watched in awe as the gigantic Aestus stepped from beyond the peaks and began to approach.
“I had already forgotten just how large he was.” Luna stared up at him.
“Ok, Yaks no longer best at being biggest.” Even the proud Rutherford could not deny the spectacle of merely being in Aestus’ presence.
“He can see us down here, right?” Gilda asked.
“Don’t worry,” Thorax assured. “He’s really nice.”
As they found themselves in Aestus’ shadow, Ember leapt from his head and glided down. “Greetings everyone, welcome to the Dragonlands.” She hailed as she landed.
“Yes,” Aestus’ voice carried down to them. “The Dragon Lord has been most eager to showcase the home of the Dragons to you all; we welcome you.”
“Yeah… what he said,” Ember chortled. “So, like it said in the letters, this is about letting you all get a look at Dragon life and how much it’s changed. Thanks to the big guy here, we really do feel like we’re entering a new age.” She looked over the assembly. “I've been acting on the importance of making sure that Dragons learn more about the world, but the world needs to learn more about us just the same; so…,” She held her arms out. “Here we are.” She smiled in embarrassment. “Sorry, I’m new at this whole ‘hosting’ thing.”
“You’re doing great, Ember!” Thorax cheered from the rear of the group.
Ember laughed and shook her head. “Thanks, Thorax.” She motioned for them to follow. “Well, come on in; there’s a lot of neat stuff to see.”
Ember led the procession under Aestus’ shadow and into the Dragonlands; as they walked, Luna noticed that the terrain itself had changed with much of the unevenness removed. “My, the paths are quite smooth now.”
“Yeah,” Ember glanced back at her, the ground beginning to shake as Aestus began to follow. “Not just for us, but for any creature that visits. We were able to flatten out and grade the terrain to make building other things easier.” She laughed. “Plus, no more rocks stuck between our claws.”
“Definitely easier on the hooves.” Twilight giggled.
As they moved further, Skybeak noticed the quaint dwellings along the side of the cliffs that surrounded them. “I never imagined Dragons living in such a home, I was always led to believe that you dwelled in caves.”
“That’s pretty new to us too,” Ember began. “After we learned how to use molten breath, we were able to make little domes and rock huts; but now that we’ve got some experience, we can make more elaborate designs with a little more personal flair.” She looked up and eyed the row of homes. “Just being able to have something personal like that, something that just says ‘this is unique to me’, that’s done a lot to improve the morale around here.”
“That’s so cool,” Spike eyed them excitedly. “You’ll have to teach me how to do that sometime.”
“Sure thing,” Ember motioned westward. “Let’s go this way, I want to show you all the new hatchery.” She led everyone towards the base of one of the taller volcanoes, a large entryway had been carved into the stone and beyond it a path leading downward. “Meet up with us later, I’ll try not to be too long.” She looked up at Aestus who merely nodded.
“Take all the time you need, Dragon Lord.” He slowly turned and headed back.
The majority of the creatures began to sweat as they headed deeper below the ground, the area lit with rows of torches.
“Whew…” Gilda wiped her brow. “Getting… a little toasty in here.”
“I’ve been in hotter.” Grandpa Gruff snorted.
“Well, that’s the idea.” Ember explained. “Our old hatchery was leveled after the big guy came out of the ground and I was starting to get worried about how to replace it; but he told us that this is how they used to do it in his day and it’s been a great improvement.” The path finally leveled off and they exited into a large chamber, an open pool of magma sat at the space’s center and dozens of eggs were lined neatly around it. “We used to have to rely on ground heat to keep the eggs warm, but in here they get all the warmth they need with no more fear of ever getting cold.”
“Amazing,” Thorax marveled at the cavern, his hard carapace protecting him from the heat. “This is kind of how we do things at the hive.”
“Yeah,” Ember nodded. “Not only is heat no longer an issue, the eggs are completely protected from anything going on topside.”
“A worthy fortress.” Luna commended.
“Plus, we’ve got a nursery one level up.” Again, Ember motioned for them to follow. They proceeded into an antechamber that branched back towards the surface; the sounds of play could be heard echoing down to them and upon reaching the next chamber they found a bevy of hatchlings.
“Aww,” Twilight’s face scrunched up in joy. “I remember when you were that little, Spike.”
“He’s still that little.” Gilda sniped.
“Hey!” Spike glared back at her.
As the baby dragons noticed their visitors, they excitedly hurried over and began swarming about them all.
“Oh my,” Celestia looked back as she felt one climb up her leg and straddle her.
“Giddyup!” The little Dragon bounced excitedly.
“Hey!” Ember barked. “Settle down, all of you.”
“It’s alright,” Celestia lifted the dragon with her magic and set her atop her head. “It’s been ages since I’ve been around hatchlings.”
“Wow!” A pair of dragons stared up at Rutherford. “You’re so big!”
“That right!” Rutherford said proudly.
“What spirit they have.” Skybeak hefted one up into his arms.
“Too much, if you ask me.” Grandpa Gruff muttered.
“You’re old!” One of the hatchlings shamelessly noted as he looked up at the elderly Griffon.
“Watch it!” He growled back. “Or you won’t get to find out what that’s like.”
“Don’t threaten the little brat.” Gilda defended. “What the heck is wrong with you?”
The little Dragon soured at the name. “And you’re mean!” He pointed at her mockingly.
“What!?” Gilda turned her hard eyes towards him. “You little…”
“Easy, easy.” Twilight Intervened. “Young ones don’t have much of a filter.”
“Not like he’s wrong…” Spike mumbled.
“What was that, runt?” Gilda glared his way.
“Nothing!” Spike raised his claws innocently.
Ember watched her guests play and chuckled to herself; turning sharply at the sound of train noises, she saw Thorax in the form of a massive python carting a dozen of the little ones along. “Gee,” Ember put her fist to her hip as he came to stop before her. “Didn’t know you were so good with kids.”
“Oh… yeah,” He answered shyly, forked tongue darting in and out. “Pharynx says it's too immature, but I just can’t help it; fun is one of the things that all creatures can share together.”
“Guess you’re right about that." She smiled.
Seeing that it was just the two of them, Thorax attempted to muster some courage. “Ember, while I’m here… I… was hoping you and I could talk about som…”
“Go again!” One of the Dragons called from the back. “Again!”
Thorax quickly flustered as his train of thought derailed. “Oh, sure thing,” Thorax raised his head. “All aboard!”
Ember smiled as he made another route around the cavern; she eventually called the caretakers to get the hatchlings under control and led her guests back up to the surface. Relieved at the drop in temperature, everyone followed along back into what was now the central hub of the Dragonlands. To their surprise, it resembled a beautiful park with large patches of some low laying vegetation, claw crafted accessories such as benches, pathways molded from volcanic rock and a large obelisk that sat in the center of an in-ground pool of lava.
“My word,” Skybeak eyed the intricately carved monolith. “Was that done by only claw?”
“Yep,” Ember answered with pride. “We’ve got a few artists running around here now, not my thing… but it is pretty.”
“What is this greenery we tread upon?” Luna inquired.
“Oh, that’s something else Aestus told us about, some type of fern.” She reached down and laid her claw to it. “Turns out this stuff loves growing in high temperature areas; not only does it add a bit of color, it also helps keep the air clearer.”
Grandpa Gruff watched as a few dragons leapt into the pool and rested along its side. “Reminds me of the old communal baths Griffonstone used to have.”
“Aestus said stuff like that is good for Dragons to have, keeps them social.” Ember looked over the group with a grin. “The lava is fine if you want to take a dip.”
“I think we’ll pass.” Celestia laughed.
“Oh, I want to try!” Thorax changed his form into a Dragon and flew into the air, free falling for a cannonball into the lava; the other Dragons cheered at the feat as he surfaced.
Ember headed over as he climbed out, shaking himself clean. “You know…” She ran her eyes over him. “That isn’t a bad look on you.”
“Really?” He rubbed the back of his head nervously. “You think so? It’s just something I threw together.”
“How modest.” She laughed.
“Um… hey, if you’ve got a minute do you think we could…” He quietly began.
“Ember!?” Twilight’s voice called.
“Huh?” Ember looked back and saw her pointing to a large dome. “Oh, that; sure we can head there next.” She quickly looked back to Thorax. “What were you saying?”
“Oh… it can wait.” Thorax waved it off with a short laugh. “Let’s keep the tour going.”
“Uh… sure,” Ember shrugged and rallied the group towards the dome that had caught Twilight’s eye. She took them to the entrance of the huge structure, sounds of crashing and roaring emanating from within. Once inside, the guests were greeted by a bevy of games and challenges already in progress. “This is the proving grounds,” Ember gestured outward. “A place where Dragons can cut loose and contest each other in a more sporting way than what we used to do.”
“How thrilling!” Skybeak cheered. “Not unlike the Hippogriff games back at Mount Aris.”
“Thorax told me that competition in our day to day lives pushes us apart,” Ember began. “But in here, there's more of a sense of fun about it; we can blow off steam and leave it in the proving grounds.”
“Looks fun!” Rutherford proclaimed. “Lots of smashing!” He slammed his heavy hoof down onto the ground.
“Hopefully, one day, we can have more than just Dragon games here.” Ember said wishfully.
“I think that would be wonderful.” Celestia commended.
“Yeah, you can bet Rainbow Dash and Applejack will be the first ones to sign up.” Twilight added with a laugh.
“Same here,” Thorax said eagerly. “I’d love to try too.”
“Don’t expect us Dragons to go easy on you guys.” Ember punched his shoulder. “Hey, it’s already afternoon, how about lunch? I’ve got something for you all to try.”
“Perfect!” Spike lauded. “We skipped breakfast this morning to get on our way here.”
“Follow me.” Ember led them from the grounds and around back towards the central hub; they soon came upon a massive stall with stone grills lined up and a pair of Dragons preparing food. “Since I’m looking to have more visitors in the future, I figured we should bone up on preparing food for other creatures.”
“Cool,” Gilda eyed the grills. “I’ve been working on that too ever since Pinkie Pie gave me some baking tips.”
“You need more lessons.” Grandpa Gruff snarked.
“You can eat rocks for all I care!” Gilda growled back.
“Uh… what are they making?” Twilight asked, moving the conversation forward.
“Well…” Ember gestured across the grills. “We’ve got barbecued hay and sprouts for Ponies, barbecued fish for Griffons and Hippogriffs and barbecued northern grasses for Yaks; she offered them a light shrug. “We… only know how to barbecue at the moment.” She looked to Thorax. “Sorry, no Changeling delicacies; since you don’t feed on love anymore what do you all like to eat?”
“Oh, we’ve been having fun trying everything.” Thorax assured. “I’ll eat whatever.”
“Heh, a cheap date. I like that.” Ember gave him a wink which rosed his cheeks. “Hey, give me a round of everything for my friends.” She ordered.
While the food was slightly burned, the good company more than made up for it; as they ate, the ground began to quake as Aestus appeared and loomed over them. The great Dragon broke a light smile at what he saw and lowered his head above them.
“I see the day’s occasion has been an enjoyable one.” He noted.
“Quite,” Celestia smiled up at him. “I can hardly believe how much the Dragonlands have changed in so short a time; it is very much indeed a renaissance.”
“And the Dragons seem so happy,” Twilight added. “Even though they try not to show it too much.”
Aestus laughed. “That much is certain; without the constant threat of war and battle, Dragon culture finally has room to grow more so than ever before.”
“You must be proud to see it so.” Skybeak said heartily.
“Proud… yes, but more so I feel lucky.” Aestus looked out across the land. “My long life was already one steeped in history and experience, but when I think about all it took to bring to me here to this moment in time… I remain in awe. Had the Alliance not turned against me, had Aurelian not succumbed to darkness, had my still body not gone so long undisturbed, if the villains of your time did not stir Aurelian’s interest and had you not stirred his heart… I would not be here now.” He chuckled. “That is a massive chain of events spanning thousands of years that played out in just the right way in order to see me returned to my kind.” A quaint smiled crossed his lips. “I am fortunate in ways that defy imagination; and to see the Dragons as they are now and as they will become is a gift I will not take for granted.”
“Well said.” Luna commended. “As one who also spent a deal of time removed from the world, I know well your feelings.”
“From what I have heard of Aurelian and Faye’s travels, I do believe they are enjoying the current world in much the same way.” Celestia added. “I hope Brayok is able to find peace in the world as well.”
Aestus chortled. “Brayok is fierce; honestly in terms of our personalities… perhaps the fiercest of the four of us. But be that as it may, his actions were always in the best interests of the sea. He may harbor ill will towards the Sea Ponies, but if the seas of this time are as peaceful as the land then he will eventually settle.”
“Speaking of settle…” Twilight patted her stomach. “I’m stuffed.”
“Me too,” Spike sighed. “That was good, Ember.”
“Glad to hear.” Ember leaned back, giving the Dragons behind the grill a thumb up.
“So, what’s next?” Thorax eagerly queried.
“Actually, I was hoping you could all help me with some stuff.” Ember suggested.
“Like what?” Twilight asked.
“Well, things are moving fast here and I want to keep up when it comes to being in charge.” She continued. “I may be Dragon Lord, but the only credentials were being strong and holding the Dragon Lord’s staff.” She sighed as she swallowed her pride. “That isn’t going to be enough when it comes time for the Dragonlands to really be a part of the world. I was hoping you could all give me some tips about being royalty on the world stage.”
“Oh,” Celestia smiled at the request. “Of course, Ember; we would be happy to.”
“Don’t know how much help we’ll be,” Gilda noted, glancing over at Grandpa Gruff. “Griffonstone doesn’t have royalty anymore; that’s something we’re still trying to figure out at the moment.”
“Then such lessons would be just as useful for you to hear as well.” Skybeak said reassuringly.
“Prince glad to help!” Rutherford happily boomed. “Yaks know best about being in charge of things! And Dragons already good at smashing, so you halfway there.”
Ember smiled at their enthusiastic response; for the better part of the afternoon, the assorted royals fielded Ember’s inquiries into the intricacies of international politics. She voiced to them her hopes and fears about the Dragon’s future and looked into what would be the best course of action when it came to opening her borders to the rest of the world. After so much knowledge had been shared with her and in need of a break, Ember offered her guests free reign to spend time where they wished for the rest of their visit.
Knowing that Thorax had been trying to talk to her about something and having a fair idea on what that something was, Ember invited him to sit with her on the high cliffs that overlooked the Dragonlands; she sat on the edge, letting her legs hang off and staring out into the horizon.
“This went great, now I’m even more fired up to keep things moving.” She said proudly.
“Definitely, I’m certainly impressed,” Thorax noted. “I’ll make sure all this information gets back to the hive; I’m sure Changelings will be excited to visit and see for themselves, and I know that the others will do the same.”
“I’m really grateful for their help,” She chuckled. “Dragons haven’t had to deal in politics for a long time… I sure didn’t know anything about it; neither did dad come to think of it.”
“This is just like what happened with the hive,” Thorax set his hoof to his chin. “Once we took our first big steps into the world it was pretty overwhelming; it felt like we were hundreds of years behind everyone else.” He smiled. “But, it didn’t take long for us to catch up; I’m sure you’ll handle it fine.”
“Thanks,” Ember smiled up at him. “Although I’m going to have to brush up on all this royal etiquette stuff… that’s more your thing.”
“You’re not that bad at it,” Thorax laughed. “You’ve changed a lot since we first met.”
“Well, as much as I hate to admit it… I still had some growing up to do.” Ember shrugged. “Speaking of which, I’ve been thinking….” She paused.
“What about?” Thorax looked down at her curiously.
“As fun and exciting as all this is, it’s a lot of work… and it kind of sucks having to deal with it all alone; I was thinking maybe it would be nice to finally find somebody to share this new life of mine with.” Ember hid her smirk as she could feel his body language change.
“You… you mean like a… boyfriend?” Thorax cautiously queried.
“Yeah,” Ember nodded.
“Oh, did… you have some creature in mind?”
“Well that’s the thing about Dragons, we’re picky when it comes to that kind of thing.” Ember raised her claw in consideration. “This is a big decision after all.” She rocked her head as she mused. “Typically, as a Dragon, we want a creature that’s strong.”
“Strong?” Thorax muttered, surreptitiously looking down and flexing his foreleg; sulking at the lack of response from the appendage.
“And confident, really sure of themselves… know what I mean?” She glanced up at him.
“Uh… I’m not sure.” He haphazardly responded.
“Oh, and tough; they should be able to stand up to anyone… even me.” She thumbed her chest.
“Well… I suppose that’s good, if that’s what you want.” Thorax quietly agreed.
Ember sighed and look up at the sky. “But, you know what would be better than all of that?”
“What?” Thorax eyed her.
“Some creature that can stop hesitating…” She rolled her head over and smiled at him. “And just tell me whatever he’s obviously been wanting to tell me.”
Thorax immediately flustered. “Wha…me?”
“Anyone else here?” She asked with loving mockery.
“Well…” He fumbled under her gaze. “I think… I mean…”
“Go on.” She leaned closer to him, an expectant look on her face.
Thorax recalled his mother's words and fortified himself; forcing himself to sit up straight and clearing his throat in the process. “I… I think that that’s a great idea; and you certainly deserve the best, Ember… and…” He finally started to calm as he looked into her eyes. “And honestly, I would love to be that creature.” Having finally gotten it out, he breathed a relaxed sigh. “It may be an important decision because you’re the Dragon Lord, but you’re so much more than the Dragon Lord to me. I’ve always admired your strength and confidence, looked up to it even. But you’re also fun and pretty and I’m always so excited when I get a chance to see you.” His eyes when downcast with embarrassment. “I know that probably sounds pretty lame…”
Ember felt her toughness melt under his sweet adoration; reaching up and taking his cheek. “I think It’s pretty cute to be honest; glad you were finally able to spit it out.”
“Yeah,” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “I’ve… really been trying to say that for some time now it’s just… well, I know I’m not any of those things you said. I didn’t think you’d ever feel the same way.”
“That’s why I said that’s what Dragons typically look for,” Ember reminded “I’m not exactly typical, at least not anymore; and I like you just the way you are. No creature talks about me the way you do and it really makes me feel special.”
His eyes grew hopeful. “So… does that mean you and I can try being more than just friends?” He asked with a genuine smile. Ember answered by gently pulling his head down and kissing him. Thorax reached out and laid his foreleg around her shoulder, instantly losing himself in the blissful moment. His entire body warmed and he could swear he felt the ground beneath him tremble. “Oh wow,” He muttered as he pulled his lips from her. “It feels like the whole world is moving right now.”
“Um… it is.” Ember pointed out as they continued to bounce.
From below the cliff line, Aestus’ head slowly rose and eyed the pair. “Ah, there you are. Our guests are readying for the journey home; it would be best to see them off.”
“Sure thing.” Ember nodded soundly.
The great Dragon’s head tilted and he focused a single eye on Thorax who shrank a bit under the scrutiny. “Thorax, I take it you are the creature the Dragon Lord spoke her fondness of?”
“She did?” He quickly looked over at Ember.
“Not a problem, is it?” Ember eyed him with a grin.
Aestus laughed in response. “As I said, my time to judge the world is long past; if this is the will of the Dragon Lord then so be it. But king or no, you would be wise to treat her well.”
Not knowing what to do, Thorax quickly saluted. “Yes sir.” He vowed.
Ember began to laugh as Aestus’ head sank below their line of sight; she stood and yanked his hoof away from his head, pulling him up with her. “You okay?” She chuckled as he regained his composure.
Thorax’s eyes broadened and his unnaturally bright smile formed. “Heck yeah!” With all his anxiousness gone, all that remained was exuberance. “We’re together together now!” Ember yelped as he took her up in his hooves and spun her around with utter cheer; as he set her back down he pranced in place excitedly. “This is AMAZING! I can’t wait to tell Pharynx and mom and Spike and Starlight and…”
“Okay.” Ember clamped her claw around his muzzle, unable to contain her smile at his antics. She released him as he settled and shook her head with an amused laugh. “You are such a dork…” Her arms went around his neck and she hugged him tightly. “You’re just what I need in my life.”
Thorax put his leg around her and nuzzled the top of her head. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”
Ember slid her claws up his neck and took his cheeks. “So, if you and I are going to be together, then we should start working on ways to bring the Changeling Kingdom and the Dragonlands together as well.”
“Oh, great idea!” He nodded eagerly. “We should make a treaty, I’ve always wanted to make a treaty with someone.”
“It’s a start.” Ember chuckled. “Tell you what, how about I get down there and wrap up with everybody and then you and I can go someplace quiet and… hammer out the details.” She patted his cheek with a coy smile.
“Okay, we… oh…” His pastel face turned bright red as he caught her drift. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” She spread her wings and leapt from the cliff, hovering as he stood in a stupor. “You coming?”
“Right behind you.” Thorax took to the air and flew to her side with a smile. “Actually, right beside you.” He held close formation with her as they dove down the cliff-side and headed back.
Author's Note
I'm not a hardcore shipper, but this is my guilty one. I love these two together and moving forward it'll be nice to be able to explore them as a couple.
