It had been a few hours since Apurva and Arkanos had woken up and had dinner. It was now almost 8pm and the 3 royals were lying in each one of their beds. Trinity wanted to sleep, but the thought of the crystal was burned into her mind.

It was sketchy how right after she had seen that, there was that terrible earthquake, and it was facing away from the castle.

Her thoughts were only focusing on the negative possibilities that she needed to look at something to remind her everything was fine. She looked around the room and saw a map of the whole entire country of Pantaleone.

The country was divided into 3 long states. At the bottom was Southvawil, known for its capital, Serenis, known for its plants and mushrooms, and for being one of the biggest and most peaceful cities anywhere in the world. Southvawil was also known for its terrific landforms, mainly mountains and canyons, mostly because they were from modern times.

In the middle was Port Moundswer, known for its east, where it is said Hefin had blessed the overlords and made what Pantaleone is, making it known as the most blessed part of the country, hundreds or thousands of people coming to worship Hefin, where they were more likely to answer them and their prayers. It is also known for its mining heritage and where riches are made most in the country, and because one of its cities was always raining, but the residents were always happy despite the rain.

At the top was Saint Norhing, which was famous for where the castle was, but known to Trinity because it was where she was from. Her city, Netholic, was only a few minutes away from the castle, and was probably going to be a landmark for however long she was going to be a royal. She also knew that across the other side of it, you could see the City of a Thousand Flowers bloom all of its flowers every four years.

Just thinking about Netholic made her feel better and worse. It made her feel better because it brought back memories of her childhood, but worse because it made her feel homesick.

“Man, those overlords are going to be the death of me.” Arkanos said. Trinity was lost in the space of her own thoughts; she didn't realize that Arkanos and Apurva were having their own conversation.”

“You're gonna be the death of yourself if you keep interrupting people.”

“Forget about that, tell me more about Orochis, please.” Arkanos told them.

“Well, it's where I grew up in, and honestly the newspaper only shows the good side of it with its landmarks and sunny days, the people there suck. They think they're so much better than everyone because of where they live and that they are most likely to be royals. The stereotype for the poor people there is that they are nice and will do anything for you, but that's only correct 10% of the time. Most of the peasants I grew up with only wanted to be my friend because I was one of 20 people in the city who had the most Iraklis blood. I want to go back, but I also don't. It kinda sucks.”

Trinity couldn't believe what she was hearing. Apurva was from Orochis? The biggest city with the most beautiful structures and most intellectual scholars that everyone dreamed of living in? So far away, they must have flown on a dragon to get to the castle? How much more perfect could they get?

“Isn't Orochis like, all the way on the other side of Pantaleone?”

“Yeah, it is, a lot of people think we have to fly on dragons, but that's only for the best people, I had to go on a ton of trains. Speaking of riding dragons, we actually arrive in different cities all around Pantaleone, and since the teleportation circles can't take you all the way to another city, we’re gonna ride dragons across the country!”

“Really?” Arkanos asked them.

“Really, only it's gonna be happening in a few days, maybe even tomorrow, so these next few days get a good night's sleep.”

“I know this is off topic, but I really envy you a lot, Apurva.” Trinity said.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You're beautiful, kind, smart, you actually know what's happening, you don't make other people hate you so easily, you're from an amazing city, you're everything I've ever wanted.”

“You don't know anything about me. I carry a lot of burdens and insecurities, and I've done some stuff that has made people hate me and I regret a lot. I wish I could go back in time and knock some sense into myself. Some of the stuff I've done has made me feel like I'm in a room filled with broken mirrors, and shards, each one reflecting a different version of myself that other people can look into, but there's one fully intact, that the only person who's ever looked into it is me.”

“Damn, you don't have to be all dramatic.” Trinity said to them, “You could have just said something like, ‘Thank you, but I'm not that perfect’, just because you're royal, doesn't mean you're the main character in some cheesy modern book.”

“Sorry, a lot of things I've gone through have made me think doing things like that are normal.”

“Its fine, and also, dont blame everything on your past, some people are just stupid and do things for no reason.”

“Okay Trinity, you're also getting dramatic. Go to sleep, it's almost midnight”. Arkanos told her.

“I'm not being dramatic! I'm just telling them common sense.”

“Please Trinity, go to sleep.” Apurva agreed. They had already gotten into their bed, and their eyes were heavy with the need to sleep.

Arkanos yawned and muttered to himself, “God, how do people do this everyday?”

It had been only a few minutes later, and they were all asleep.

Except for Trinity, of course.

She couldn't stop thinking about Esma. Why did he lose his mind over such a little thing? How sensitive was this bitch?

Trinity longed for their touch. She knew what the training did to kind souls, they had hardened them into emotionless rocks.

She looked at the clock. It was 12:03 a.m.

The average person would have been tired by now, or even asleep, but Trinity couldn't.

She could swear she could hear birds tweeting in something that sounded like fear and being desperate, but she only heard it for a few seconds.

Trinity didn't do anything, since she thought it was gonna be something bad.

‘I guess I'll try to sleep.’ She thought to herself.

She closed her eyes and it felt great.

When she tried to open her eyes again, it felt like she was forcing herself to stay awake more than before.

“I guess I didn't actually try to close my eyes’ she thought to herself before falling asleep.

~

Instead of waking peacefully on their own, the royals were awoken by some yelling voices.

“Wake up already! Put this on! How could we have forgotten about this?”

Trinity blinked a couple of times. She tried to get out of bed, and realized it was the viscountesses.

“Ma’am, what's happening?”

“The dragon riding is today! How could we have forgotten about it?”

“Oh, it's today? We just need to get ready!”

“You must put on this!” They brought out an outfit that looked like they were meant to hide you while you were traveling during a war in the middle of a battlefield. They were black and had puffy sleeves connected to long sleeves, and also a hood that was green on the inside, plus the rest of it was like armor, but less bulky.

“Don't feel embarrassed, the other two royals will be wearing it,” they said to Trinity, who was looking at it like it was a bug.

“I'm not embarrassed, it's just that why do we need to wear this? It's just dragons, right?”

“Yes, it is just dragons, it's just that this provides protection, but we have no time to waste, put it on, and we’ve put in the code, so you won't be taken somewhere else.”

“Fine then, and I'll put it on.” Trinity said to them, but they were gone.

When she put the outfit on, it felt weird and heavy on her body.

‘How does Esma do this all day?’ she thought as she stepped on the teleportation circle once more. It always felt nice to her when hot air blew onto a place where cold air once was.

When she opened her eyes, Trinity saw that Apurva and Arkanos were waiting for her, wearing the same outfit, along with the viscountesses.

“Alright, let's get going,” they said to the royals.

As they went onto the grounds, they passed tons of dragons.

Some were as blue as the ocean and just as mysterious and deadly, but also fun and friendly, almost exactly like it.

Others were as yellow and orange and bright as the sun, well not that bright, but you get the point. They were bright and a sight to behold.

There were some that were as green as the exquisite and priceless emerald, and just as rare. Their scales looked like they were just made out of emeralds.

They passed by dragons that were as white as pearls and beautiful and durable as diamonds, and almost as extravagant.

There were also tons of people around the dragons. Trinity assumed that they were training to be professional dragon riders.

The last one in everyone's sight was the most beautiful dragon out of them all. The wings were fading from bright red to light orange to an even brighter yellow, like a sunset. The scales on its whole body was a saturated red carmine color, proving how red could mean so many things, but mostly strength, passion, and anger. The scales on its underbelly were lined up horizontally, colored a dark creamy white, the same as its long and curved horns, and had greenish-yellow eyes that made Trinity both intrigued and nervous.

Standing next to the dragon was a person who looked proper, improper, masculine, and feminine all at the same time. They had on a long beige waistcoat with dark and light brown striped pants, black leather combat boots that made them 4 inches taller, covered by a rich burgundy cloak and matching bandana around the top of their head. Their brown-to-white dreadlocks made a great contrast to their outfit and dark skin.

On their shoulder was a steampunk-looking owl, whose underbelly looked like the inside of a modern mechanical clock, but also looked so real. Everytime it moved, the wheels moved along with it.

Trinity assumed the person wanted to make themselves look cooler, because right after everyone got a good look at them, they pulled out a thick but smooth cylinder of wood from underneath their cloak, and shook it while muttering something. It made the stick stretch out to a height slightly taller than Trinity, with a plinth on the top of it. The person tapped it on the ground and the owl flew onto the plinth, resting on it.

“Welcome!” They spoke like the people in Netholic, which made Trinity feel at ease. “My name is Zoidi Fridess and you all will be riding on Ragnvier! We will follow my route all the way around Pantaleone!

“Just remember, dragon riding isnt hard at all! Just keep a firm grip and you'll be okay!”

The dragon, Ragnvier, took a few steps towards them and took a turn, letting everyone see the tall spikes coming out of its spine.

“Just sit in between the spikes and we’ll take off! You’ll be safe, I promise!”

Zoidi had helped the royals onto the dragon’s back, which they then shifted around to get in a more comfortable position.

Zoidi themself then sat on top of the dragon.

“Alright guys, we'll be taking the route to the closest city near here. First stop is Netholic!”

Trinity felt like something bloomed inside of her. She could finally see her home, her mother, her house. She couldn't wait for this.

“Alright buddy, let's take off! Remember the route!” Zoidi shouted to Ragnvier.

Ragnvier then started off with a long run, and then he started to flap his wings, lifting off the ground.

All 3 royals felt adrenaline rushing through their veins, but they were excited.

Especially Trinity.

~

It was the most beautiful sight almost everyone had ever seen.

The red-yellow dragon flew past mountains, villages, and bodies of water. Trinity loved the feeling of the wind blowing around her body and through her hair despite the fact her legs hurt so much. The feeling around her, especially below her, distracted her from it.

Almost everything reminded her of Netholic. She wanted Ragnvier to fly faster so she could see her city again.

She tried to look past the dragon's neck to see if she could see if she was closer to the destination.

All that happened was the wind blowing on her face harder.

“Don't do that!” Zoidi yelled, “You'll get blown off! We’ll be there very soon, any second now!”

Trinity sat back the way she was before, getting even more impatient.

She looked down and she could tell that they were getting closer.

Some of the roads she could see were familiar to her. Her heartbeat was getting faster and more adrenaline was pumping through her.

A few seconds later she could feel the dragon moving downwards. She felt like she could stand on the dragon while it was flying, she was so excited.

When she looked down she saw what looked so much like the part of her city she knew like the back of her hand.

The dragon then suddenly landed on the ground very harshly, but that didn't matter. But there was only one problem.

There were tons of people around the dragon, flashing cameras, and paparazzi.

“Excuse me royals!”

“Royal Christiensin, is it true that-”

“Royal Aohina, are you the-”

“Royal Lordano, can you-”

Too many questions were being asked by too many people.

“Excuse me everyone, but these 3 royals aren't feeling the best. Let them have a few minutes, folks!” Zoidi said.

Everyone but two people had left them alone.

“I really need this question answered though, and it's for Royal Aohina.”

“Oh, of course, what is it?”

“Are you really the daughter of Seher Aohina? Because there's really no way, she's quite crazy if she thinks you two are even related!”

“Yes, I am her daughter. We have the same last name, and we look almost the same, you idiot!”

“Aren't royals supposed to be nice? Golly, they must have messed up with the selection this year!”

“Just because i dont allow people to make fun of my family doesn't mean I don't deserve to be a royal!” Trinity yelled out.

Apurva tried to speak to her, “Trinity, i know your mad, but thats gonna be in the-”

“I dont give a shit about what you're gonna say! They can make up rumors like that but I won't take it. I know you're gonna say something about the newspaper, but guess what? I also dont give a shit about the newspaper!”

All Trinity cared about right now was seeing her mom. It was a long walk, but she knew the route.

The Viscountesses were a few kilometers away from her, telling each other something that seemed urgent and important.

“Can I go to a specific destination alone, please?”

“Yes.” One of them answered immediately. It seemed like they didn't care about anything else other than this topic.

Trinity got her memory ready. She remembered that from here, it would take about 10-15 minutes.

~

Trinity looked ahead of her and saw her neighborhood. The people around her, and the people who saw her during her pathway all waved at her, bowed, and asked for pictures.

She came up to her own house, or what was now Seher’s house. Trinity saw the garden in front of her house, which made her remember something buried in her memories.

When she was only four years old, an older man would steal some of the flowers from her garden almost everyday. Seher didn't notice, but Trinity did. She wondered for a long time why this old man was stealing flowers, so after 2 weeks of it happening, she spoke to him.

While he was taking the flowers, she came up to him and asked him,“Why are you taking the flowers? Do you love somebody?” Like any four year old, she didn't have a strong vocabulary in her brain.

“Yes, I do love somebody. I loved her a lot, she meant so much to me.” His voice was small, and depressing, it sounded like he was exhausted of everything.

“Do you love her enough to steal?”

“I don't know, but I would have done anything for her.”

“Is she… gone?” Trinity didn't understand the concept of death yet, but she knew that at a random age, a person would leave the world forever and never return.

“Yes, she is gone. When somebody is gone, you miss them, and get them things, usually flowers, in honor of them.”

“But why from here?”

“I simply do not have the money. And yours are simply extravagant, your family does an amazing job.”

She didn't remember the conversation after that, but she also remembered that after that, she bought more flower seeds and learned how to keep a plant healthy, so that he could give them to the women he loved, and he would take them almost every day, soon taking them less and less.

Months later the man never took flowers from the garden again. For almost half a year, she still planted seeds of the flowers for him, but he never returned. It hurt to admit it, but she knew the man was gone.

She convinced herself that he was with the woman he loved, and that he would be with her forever.

Ten years later, she still believed it.

She could feel all eyes on her, watching her wait for her mother to answer the door.