A sleek, imposing dragon with darker scales, seated near the Queen, dipped his head respectfully. His eyes, quickly darted to Caracara then back to the queen. "Your Majesty," he responded, "the journey was somewhat long, but the grandeur of Solifuge makes every wing-beat worth it. We find your city to be amazing, a true spirit" He offered a short smile. "Our stay has been great."
Queen Sula inclined her head a little, her golden crown glinting. "We are pleased to hear it, Sifter. Draught is indeed a land of formidable beauty. How are the populations of the plain-runners this season? And have the rains been kind to your savannah lands?" Her tone was curious.
Sifter's smile widened. "The plain runners are plentiful, Your Majesty, stronger than ever, thanks to a surprisingly generous monsoon. Our savannah blossoms, and the herds thrive. We are grateful for the abundance. And we hope Inselberg have been equally good this year?"
"We have been blessed with stability," Queen Sula said, taking a bite. "Our wells run deep, and our miners bring forth their bounty." She then turned her gaze slightly towards Caracara again, drawing him back into the conversation. "Captain Caracara, what are your thoughts on the nation of Draught? You've been there."
Caracara paused with a piece of roasted meat at his snout. He slowly lowered it, wiping his mouth with a claw. His gaze shifted to Sifter. "Well," he began, with a lower voice, "my visits to Draught have always been... really unique. It is a nation built on resilience and strength, much like our own, but with its own distinct character."
He continued. "I found their hunting parks to be particularly impressive. The way they manage their ecosystems, ensuring a healthy and challenging prey population, is something Ventifact could learn from. And," he added, admiration in his eyes, "their exotic pets. Draught breeds creatures I've seen nowhere else on the continent – the iridescent desert geckos, the swift-feathered sand-larks, the greater abundance of the rare monkey types... truly unique. Ventifact would love to have wildlife such as yours."
Sifter nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Our breeders take great care, Captain. We believe in harnessing the the environment's marvels, not just surviving them."
Envoy Spine, the terracotta-scaled diplomat from Inselberg, leaned forward, his fangs gleaming. "Ah, the Draught geckos! Their colors are indeed mesmerizing. We've tried to import a few, but they never seem to thrive as well here."
"They require a specific kind of sand, Envoy," a dragoness from Draught, with scales like red sand and a sharp, intelligent gaze, interjected. "And the air current found only in the wide, open edges of the savannah."
Envoy Quill, the sleek dragoness from Inselberg with the sharp stinger, mused, "Speaking of air currents, I've always been fascinated by Draught's famed Sky-Dancers. The way they train those dragons to perform such amazing aerial ballets... it's quite incredible."
"A testament to our dedication," Sifter replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. "And the inherented agility of our race."
The conversation broadened, drawing in more of the Inselberg diplomats. Envoy Burro, the sand-colored male, chimed in, asking about Draught's strategies for managing the rare flash-floods that occasionally swept through their plains. Envoy Gila, the pale, almost white-gold dragon, inquired about the latest advancements in Draught's famed water-conservation techniques and knowledge of aquifers.
Vireo listened intently, his head swiveling subtly to follow the flow of conversation. It was actually quite pleasant, despite the fact he was in a room with some very important dragons. He was struck by the relaxed, yet formal, atmosphere. These powerful dragons, representatives of rivaling nations, spoke with respect, sharing knowledge and trading diplomatic pleasantries over roasted meat and fruit. He observed the subtle cues: the slight nods of agreement, the brief pauses allowing others to speak, all in a balance.
He felt a tiny spark of awe. This was more like diplomacy, not the terrifying power grab his mother and the Ventifact monarchs were planning. This was about understanding somewhat, even if underlying tensions still existed. He realized the Queen had subtly orchestrated this, weaving the different nations into a single, cohesive conversation. She was obviously genius when it came to social matters, far more subtle than his own King and Queen, who seemed to prefer blunt force and sometimes threats.
The conversation drifted to other encounters on long flights – rare fauna, unusual weather phenomena. Vireo's ears pricked up, but nothing like the "hum and whine" was mentioned. It was all about familiar, if sometimes unusual, occurrences of life in the drier part of the continent. He continued to eat, savoring the food, but his mind remained alert, storing every detail. Just incase.
Finally, after a while Queen Sula raised a claw. "Esteemed guests," she announced, "the hour grows late, and our bellies, I trust, are full. We thank you for coming to our halls with your presence wisdom."
With a final, nod, Queen Sula rose from her chair. The other dragons immediately rose as well, bowing respectfully as she glided back towards the golden veil at the end of the room. It shimmered and closed behind her.
A flurry of polite farewells and quiet goodbyes followed her exit. Caracara exchanged formal nods with Spine and a few others. Fennec appeared, guiding Caracara and Vireo towards the exit. As they walked away, Vireo glanced back at the retreating figures of the Draught envoys, their scales fading in the distance. He had to admit, Queen Sula was a true monarch. She held authority without resorting to fear, and she commanded respect through her calm presence and sharp intellect. Was she truly "bad," as his mother was in her own terrifying way? He couldn't know. She seemed to genuinely care for her nation and sought relations, not world domination. But maybe it was just a mask. Can a nation be good when it's just ran by one dragon? He for sure would never know.
The walk back to their room was quiet. Vireo's mind was still processing the evening's events. The palace halls, now largely empty, seemed to make the clicks of their claws on the stone much louder. Caracara didn't speak, he simply strode ahead at a quick pace.
Upon reaching their room, Caracara wasted no time. He stretched his massive wings once more, then settled onto his bed. "Rest, Envoy," he rumbled, his voice already muffled by his position. "We depart at dawn. No delays."
Vireo nodded, too tired to even attempt conversation. He slipped onto his own bed, the soft cotton an amazing welcome. He closed his eyes, thinking of Queen Sula's golden scales, the polite conversations, the sense of balance in this foreign city. It was a contrast to the burning ambition of his own monarchy. He drifted off to a shallow, yet surprisingly peaceful sleep.
The world returned to him slowly, like a gentle nudge. There was a firm pressure against his chest, and after opening his eyes slightly, he knew it was Caracara's claw. Vireo groaned , the cotton rustling as he moved. He tried blinking away the last remnants of sleep. Dawn had just begun, with the sky lightening up.
"Rise," Caracara said, his voice low. "Time to depart."
Vireo let out a yawn, stretching his jaw as wide as it would go. Every muscle in his body felt stiff, but thankfully, not as terribly sore as it had been the day before. He rolled onto his talons, shaking his wings to wake them, feeling the blood rush through them. He took a deep breath of the cool morning air.
Caracara was already at the door, Fennec waiting outside with his usual patience. Vireo scrambled to the table next to his bed, grabbing his small pouch and waterskin. He took one last glance around the lavish room. Maybe he could return someday as a "normal dragon," free to explore and appreciate the city's wonders without all this political non-sense.
"Ready, Envoy?" Caracara asked.
"Yes, Captain," Vireo replied.
They followed Fennec out of the room, retracing their steps through the dim corridors. The palace was quite, most of its inhabitants were still sleeping. Fennec led them to the plat form that they previously landed on when they arrived.
"Goodbye, Fennec," Caracara grunted.
"May your journey be swift and safe, you two," Fennec replied, his voice quiet.
Without another word, Caracara launched himself into the air. Vireo followed, his wings beating powerfully, already aching with the doom of the long flight ahead. The city of Solifuge, the giant, glittering city shrank beneath them as they flew further and further. He turned his head to look back at it one last time, then faced forward, towards the rising sun and the long expanse of desert stretching all the way back to Ventifact.