Glow packed her things, making sure that Vermilion had kept Kite hidden from Cinnabar as she and Umbalite put the tent back together. She had made a decent profit today, and it was a good first day in the Sky Kingdom. She found it rather nice and relaxing to actually do business with other SkyWings and some MudWings too. She and Kite sold about seventy gold, six hundred silver, and sixty copper pieces worth of merchandise and weapons. Glow was finally relaxed for the first time this week.

       Although she didn't want the day to end, the sun nearly swallowed by the black horizon told her that it was time to head back to the palace. Umbalite was very kind in registering the White Capes into their merchant records as an official brand of sorts. While the White Capes were very well known across Pyrrhia, they weren't an official group, except in the Mud Kingdom and the Kingdom of Sand. It was good to expand their monopoly and their posts.

       "So, you're staying in the palace, Glow?" Umbalite asked nervously. She fiddled with her amethyst earrings and looked away timidly. "Wow...that's quite an honour for guests. I guess Queen Scarlet knows your leader well." She continued. Glow smiled as they walked along the streets. Sure, they could have flown, but Glow wanted to really absorb the architecture from ground level and took the scenic route.

       "Well, Frigga's done business with Queen Scarlet before, but I suppose she's never sold to the citizens of the city while in its borders." Glow answered. Umbalite and Vermilion contemplated while Kite yawned. The small yellow-orange SkyWing's eyes drooped and his tail was dragging along. He looked very tired, like he would collapse at any minute.

       "G-guuuuuuys...How long b-before...we...get hoooooome...?" He stammered out before falling down. Glow was quick enough to catch him before he hit his head on the stone street. She pulled him up onto her back, chuckling.

       "Alright, big guy." Glow joked. "You can snooze on my back while we walk. Is that alright with you, Kite?" She asked inquisitively. Kite had a dopey smile on his face that accompanied his droopy eyes. He nodded drowsily and let out a small squeaky yawn before resting his head in Glow's bags. Vermilion looked concerned.

       "Are you sure you don't want me to carry your bags, Glow?" He asked worriedly. Glow merely scoffed at him. This was the third time he'd asked this.

       "No, I'm fine, really. I've carried way heavier things than this before." She paused. "Though, I appreciate your concern, Vermilion. Thank you." Vermilion still looked unconvinced, but he didn't press any further. Umbalite started to fall behind, and when Glow noticed, she stopped to see her lingering in the middle of the street. Glow padded back down to meet her, concern twisting in her mind.

       "Is something wrong, Umbalite?" She asked softly. The magenta SkyWing lifted her head up to meet her gaze.

       "No no, I just...I think I should be heading back now. Queen Scarlet wouldn't want a, uh..." She paused. Vermilion looked crestfallen. A Gypsy near the palace. Glow was sort of glad she didn't finish that sentence. Vermilion stepped toward her and wrapped his wings around her in a hug.

       "It's alright. You should go home, though. You wouldn't want to worry your family, right?" He said, trying to reassure her. She smiled back at him, holding his talons. Glow's heart ached. She looked back up at the shadowy palace above her. It's a shame Scarlet doesn't approve of her. Umbalite pressed her snout under his chin and then ran back towards the plaza.

       Vermilion took a position right next to her as they walked towards the palace. Glow wanted to know how close he really was with Umbalite. "So, do you know her family at all?" She asked curiously, looking at his handsome red figure with anticipation.

       He looked at her and smiled. "Well, yeah. I've had dinner with them a few times and they're very close knit." He started. Glow's interest was high, tuning in on potentially important information. "She has two older twin sisters, a younger brother, a mother and father, and her grandmother on her father's side." He smiled fondly. "Her father and grandmother liked me, especially. Said I had a lot of pride and spirit, but knew how to be gentle and polite." He paused. "Her grandmother, Zinc, is especially interesting." Glow cocked her head to the side confusedly.

       "Why? Does she perform magic tricks or something? Is she an animus?" Glow asked. Vermilion laughed light-heartedly.

       "No no no, though those are some common myths about traveling dragons." He smiled at his newfound companion. "No, Zinc is almost one hundred fifty years old, and has a history with – get this – RainWings." That was indeed what Glow found incredibly intriguing.

       "What do you mean she has a history with them?" She asked. Vermilion looked very excited.

       "She's the only one in Pyrrhia who has extensive knowledge about them from back in ancient times. Their clan is considered members of the RainWing tribe and has gone back thousands of years with them." He paused looking around. He looked in to whisper to Glow. "Can I ask you something?" He said, softly. Glow noticed he had a habit of asking for permission, which she didn't take as a bad thing.

       Glow nodded for him to continue. "Have you heard of the theory that we've all descended from the same dragon?" He asked. It was an odd question for him to ask her, but not unfamiliar to her.

       "Yeah, I've heard that theory. I've read it in some of my scrolls that Frigga often trades for or buys for us to read." She answered. He bent his head down even closer to her.

       "Well, the actual history is that there were three ancient tribes hundreds of thousands of years ago before the Scorching. The ancient SkyWings, SeaWings, and SandWings were the first of our civilized dragon kind." Glow thought this sounded familiar. It was exactly as it said in the scrolls she read.

       "Yeah, where exactly are you going with this?" Glow asked impatiently.

       "You're very pushy, aren't you?" Vermilion joked. Glow chuckled at him. Her royal companion smiled and continued. "Well, the ancient SkyWings would eventually become the current SkyWings and RainWings. The ancient SeaWings would become the current SeaWings and MudWings–"

       "And by process of elimination, the ancient SandWings would become the current IceWings, SandWings and NightWings?" Glow finished for him.

       Vermilion raised an eyebrow at her. "Exactly." He confirmed.

       "Okay, but what does Zinc have to do with that?" Glow asked.

       "Zinc has spent decades learning their customs and their history until she learned that she and her clan were distantly related to ancient southern SkyWing royalty." Glow reeled her head back. Wow! That's something I never would have guessed. Vermilion scratched his head. "Well, whether or not it's true is up for debate, but–"

       "Don't ruin this for me! This is incredible!" Glow exclaimed, cutting Vermilion off. He looked startled and then laughed uproariously.

       "Alright, alright, don't get your tail in a knot." He joked. "But, yeah. Pretty neat history, right?" He looked so endearingly confident that Glow wanted to whack him with her tail, but she decided not to, because he was too much of a precious dork to smack. He was about to continue when they reached a staircase into the palace. Vermilion looked comically disappointed. "Awwwwww, now I won't get to talk about the last SkyWing royals before the north and the southern kingdoms split into what are now the Sky Kingdom and the Rainforest Kingdom." He spewed distraught.

       Glow shoved him with her wing playfully, smiling a big toothy grin at him. "Relax; there will be time tomorrow to talk about history." She paused, looking at his handsome dorky face. "We can talk more about this tomorrow, right?" She asked hopefully.

       He put on a mock charming face and put a wing around her. "Not a problem, Glow. Anything for a friend." Glow couldn't help but laugh at his demeanor. Friend? He really considers me a friend? Something about having the SkyWing prince as her friend made her feel both safer, and more...powerful. She waved the proceeding selfish thoughts out of her head and smiled at him.

       "Alright, but seriously. There will be time tomorrow, right?" She asked nervously. She really wanted to learn more about this. The scrolls she read about this had limited information and there were only so many sources.

       Vermilion had a genuine smile on his face before replying. "Of course. I have time after the arena match tomorrow." He stated. "Not that it'll be much fun anyways, since it's one of the final matches and they always end the same way anyway." He said, glumly. Glow tilted her head to the side confused. I thought the SkyWings would be more excited for a final match. Sounds like it would be intense.

       "Why?" She asked apprehensively. He paused before answering.

       "Well, a few years ago, mother started using her own arena champion in her matches." He began. "The rules are; if you manage to make it through all the matches and win the final match, she'd let you go free. But that hasn't happened since she started using her arena champion, so now the outcomes are really predictable, so now it's not much fun." Glow started to feel queasy. How powerful could a dragon like that be that they would be able to win against any opponent they're pitted against? They began walking up the staircase, the moons visible in the sky. They must be huge, powerful, and incredibly vicious. I wouldn't want to meet them in a fight.

       Once they made it up to the throne room, they all saw Frigga conversing with Queen Scarlet. Frigga turned to her direction and smiled. "Hello, Glow. Did you enjoy your tour of the city? It's a very rich culture, isn't it?" She said calmly. Scarlet's inquisitive gaze bore into Glow's uncomfortable state of mind. She thought carefully before answering.

       "Yes, of course! It's interesting seeing an actual SkyWing city and selling to dragons of my own tribe." She began, Scarlet's insidious smile still plastered across her face. "It was really nice." Scarlet cupped her jaws with her claws, letting out a huge yawn.

       "Well, this has been a thrilling day, but I think my guests need some rest." She walked over to glow, her golden chainmail glinting in the torchlight. "Your room has already been prepared for you. Your other two friends are already taking residence." She bent down to her height. "Shouldn't take too long to find." She slithered off into the dark corridor, presumably to her own room, and Vermilion dipped his head to the IceWing mentor.

       "If you won't mind, I'll show you both to your room." He offered. Frigga lifted her talons and waved them at him.

       "Thank you, Vermilion, but that won't be necessary. I know where the guest room is." She explained. "I've been here before." She answered quietly. Vermilion dipped his head to her and stepped out of the way, stretching his wing towards the hallway.

       "Then I wish you all a good night and a peaceful slumber." He said politely. Glow followed behind Frigga and turned back to Vermilion. His face still held a gentle and kind smile. Glow dipped her head to him and headed down the hall following Frigga.

       The torches lit the way for them and Frigga found their room with no problems. They stepped in quietly, being careful not to accidentally wake the others. Corona's black-and-white patterned sandy body was curled up beside Evenstar's small black body, who was still awake. Her chest was gently rising and falling while Evenstar was looking at them expectantly.

       Glow made good care not to wake Kite as she gently slid him down beside Evenstar down her tail. The SkyWing knew that they liked to sleep next to each other. It probably makes them both feel safer. She thought as she glanced at Corona's adorable sleeping figure. She unloaded her things and placed them in the corner beside Corona and Evenstar's. Frigga curled up on the opposite side of the room and Glow decided to sleep next to Corona's warmth. She found it odd that no one said even a goodnight or anything of the sort, but she figured that spending the day dealing with Queen Scarlet was tiresome enough. Glow's eyelids felt heavy as slumber began to take her. One question was making her uneasy, and it was stirring around in her head like a tornado as she began to lose consciousness.

     Who is Queen Scarlet's arena champion?