Silken Scales (Sanguine)

[DaGlobster]

Stygia parted her wings and dove into the acid pool. She remained under the surface for a few moments, before coming back up in her dragon form. She sighed, and leaned back into the acid for just a few seconds more. It was nice to clean herself of last night's sweat, and it was only after a minute of acid-bathing that she decided to leave it. She focused on the acid, and it sucked up into her, entering her body through the chinks between her scales. Once the basin was empty, Stygia climbed out, to see Seussal holding her saddle. Ardeadai had it made for her on the off-chance he rode her into battle, but it also helped her get Seussal around much easier. She laid on the ground as Seussal strapped her into it and jumped onto her back.

She stepped out of the cave, black scales refracting the sunlight, and took to the air behind Felodas and Ralenth.

[Codestar7]

Felodas spotted his previous nights' lover, and Ralenth shot forward, at her full speed, faster than most dragons. She hoped an Adelan Black was as fast as a Daedrothian Mountain Dragon. The majestic queen of her species flew directly towards her home patch, in the Terrin mountains, called Daedrothaven. There, would be her coronation. Her mother's funeral had been held that morning.

[DaGlobster]

When Ralenth suddenly shot forwards at her full speed, Stygia smiled. Adelan Blacks weren't called "Ebony Lightning" for nothing. Her delicate and curvy frame was built lightly, like a bird, and this helped her shoot forward. Coming neck and neck with Ralenth with relative ease, she smiled at Felodas and Ralenth. Seussal was content to blankly stare at Felodas, giving off an almost oppressive air of power.

"Don't seem so impressed with yourself, Felodas. Sessual here's ridden me more times than all the other men combined." She said, and Seussal adjusted himself in the saddle. "Say..." She started. "Your kingdom wouldn't happen to have any rules against undead, would it?"

[Codestar7]

"No, her queendom does not, why?"

[DaGlobster]

Stygia chuckled, and Seussal kept on looking in Felodas' direction with his constant thousand-yard stare. "Seussal's not exactly...alive." She said, and she turned her head towards Seussal.

"I am a wight." Seussal added. "I was Stygia's bodyguard in life, and I remain so in death."

[Codestar7]

Felodas looked at Sessual blankly. "That is... amazing! I have never met the undead kind. If you had not revealed your true self, I would not have known. Truly a wonder."

[DaGlobster]

Stygia laughed. "Didn't the glowing blue eyes and ancient armor give it away? He obviously isn't human!" She said, and Seussal made no sign of acknowledgement of this comment. "Anyways, Seussal's one of the few undead that still has a mind, thus his position as a Wight. Sure, he might be a skeleton, but he's not some mindless animal that goes around biting people for the fun of it." She said, and Seussal nodded. "I am also immune to magic." Seussal added.

[Codestar7]

Felodas had magic arrows. To test his theory, he shot one. If he was immune, it wouldn't even scratch him. The aim was perfect, so if it hit, Sessual would fall.

[DaGlobster]

not having any time to react to such an unexpected attack, Seussal could only sit there as Felodas' arrow harmlessly plinked off of his helmet with a wimpy sounding clink, falling down to the ground. "Now, why would you do that? As if Seussal would ever lie to you, the poor dear." She said, and Seussal glanced towards her.

Seussal redirected his gaze towards Felodas again. "I must recommend that you never repeat that experiment again, lest I be forced to kill you." He bluntly stated.

[Codestar7]

Felodas snorted. "You couldn't kill me. Wait, I couldn't kill you, you are undead, but... Can you die again? If you died and are now undead, which means alive... But if I killed you, you'd be... Unundead? Right?" Felodas nearly fell off Ralenth in confusion.

[DaGlobster]

Seussal looked to be in thought for a few moments before replying. "Undead are held together by the energy of the souls inside them. Since I am a mortal body inhabited by my own soul, I am alive. If you cause me enough corporeal harm that my soul cannot hold my body together, I the spell will be broken, and I will move on, reclassifying me as dead." He flatly said, and turned his head to face forwards. "I tire of this conversation." He bluntly added.

[Codestar7]

They had reached the area of the mountains that was the Queendom of Daedrothia. There, a host of dragons waited, all black, though none as majestic as Ralenth. They awaited the return of their Queen-in-waiting. Felodas did not reply to Sessual, but simply smiled, and looked ahead. He landed on the platform looking over the dragons, and halted. He communicated to Stygia, inviting her to be at Ralenth's side.

[DaGlobster]

Stygia smiled at the offer, and strode over next to Ralenth. She stopped just a few paces short of being neck and neck with her, since she didn't want her own magnificent set of horns to challenge or even overshadow the queen's. Her eyes occasionally drifted towards Felodas, a wry smile on her face, before she went back to observing the crowd of dragons.

[Codestar7]

The dragon that was head of state shifted into human form, and spoke in the draconian tongue.
"Our queen is no more. But now, a new monarch reigns. Her daughter, Ralenth the Majestic!"
The crowd roared, some threw fire into the air, some shouted in an unintelligible voice. The head of state retrieved a crown from his belt, stepped in front of Ralenth, and bowed.
"Your majesty."
Ralenth nodded, and lowered her head. The black crown fitted her perfectly, and input moulded into her head. This was a sight to see to those younglings in the crowd. It was nothing like anyone had seen before. Felodas glanced at Stygian, to see if that elicited a reaction.

[DaGlobster]

Stygia surveyed the ceremony with an expression that was somewhere between mild amusement and happiness. It was clear that the head of state turning into a human to crown the queen of a dragon civilization perplexed her slightly. Why couldn't they do it as dragons?

Almost as if she had sensed him looking at her, Stygia turned her head to look at Felodas, a predatory yet inviting look in her eyes. She smiled, before redirecting her attention to Ralenth.

'Congratulations on your crown, milady.' she communicated, giving Ralenth a slight bow of her head, and walked back over to Felodas, lying down on her belly next to him. "I suppose this means you'll need a new dragon, Felodas?" She asked him, tail idly swaying behind her.

[Codestar7]

"Yes, it does. Ralenth has her duties now. she has a kingdom to look after."
Felodas stumbled over to his dragon, with a tear in his eyes.
"I will miss you girl. This is the second dragon I have lost, but this time the pain is less. I will still see you every now and then. I will vist, and I'm sure you will do the same. I now must find a new dragon before I can continue my role as Lord Captain of Dragonriders."
Felodas turned and winked at Stygia, a glint in his open eye. He patted Ralenth on the back, and she bowed to him, kissed him, then turned to her people.

"So," muttered Felodas. "I need a new dragon..."

[DaGlobster]

"That you do, Felodas. That you do." Stygia affirmed him. "In fact, I'm pretty sure you'd need a mount to get back to civilization. These mountains seem remote at best." She added, glancing around before returning her eyes to him. From the saddle on Stygia's back, Seussal keenly observed Ralenth, before turning his head to look at Stygia's. She nodded to him, and the undead knight disappeared in a flash of sickly blue smoke and red light.

Stygia laid down in front of Felodas, stretching her neck. "Allow me to take you back to Adela, Felodas."

[Codestar7]

Felodas, in a state of familiar seduction, agreed.
"Yes. You should take me to Adela. To my house. To my bed."
Feldoas winked, and walked over to Stygia.

[DaGlobster]

Stygia laughed, a noise that sounded too smooth for a dragon her size to produce.

She extended a wing so he could walk up it onto the saddle.

"Climb on." She said in an enticing voice.

[Codestar7]

Felodas hopped on Stygia, held her neck lovingly, and fell asleep.