I Alone Breed Dragons

"Don’t move another step, Stephanie. I’m not here to cause any harm. You have a very nice family."

"Is that a threat?"

"Absolutely not, it’s a compliment."

"Coming from you, it sounds like a threat."

"...I know how important family is to you. I can’t threaten you with such. If I wanted to cause harm to them, it would be something less personal."

"I’m not a serial killer."

"You’re a child who knows nothing about the world..." Stephanie cut in, looking deep into my eyes, "you know nothing about politics."

I raised both arms in defeat. "You’re right. I’m young, know nothing about this world, in fact some months ago, I’ll probably be in a bar, drinking wine to stupor." I paced around the room, cataloging the other art pieces in it.

"But after I awakened this power, it seems like I changed in an instant..." I didn’t admit it, but I was a bit worried. But when I met my family, I realized I still have that spot for them. I’m still Walter, still who I am.

The mini sculpture on a table caught my attention, it was a vague figure, not much detail, but I could tell it was a sculpture of Stephanie’s family also.

"You asked if my compliment was a threat... well, this is. Stephanie... not Princess Stephanie. Your family will soon die."

Her breath caught, she clenched her fist. "What do you mean by that, if you hurt my family, I’ll—"

"And I wouldn’t be the one to kill them. Your little boy goes to the academy, am I right?"

Her reaction flickered, brief, hesitant. "No, he doesn’t."

I grinned. "You know, the painting is very detailed, and it might be news to you, but I’ve met your son before. His name is Daniel, right?"

Stephanie froze. "How do you know his name."

"On a random day, he escaped from the academy to my village. The kids in the academy are your frontline defense against future threats, about dragons, am I right? Let me break the truth to you. Their power, no matter how hard they train, will never be enough to put up a fight against the dragons. Tell me, will you be able to forgive yourself if your son dies, then they come for all that’s left — your land, everything — because the dragons will be the ones to kill your family, not me. We can’t tolerate the dragons. Tolerance will be our extinction."

I paused to study her reaction, doubt flashed across her face, she dipped her head. She stood still for a minute. "You’re underestimating how capable—"

Gradually I walked closer. "So you choose to place such a burden on your child. Something he never signed up for. On children."

She straightened up. "Tell me then, how do you plan to save mankind? How can I save my family. Please." With a desperate tone, she pleaded.

That single word told me I had struck her perfect wound. "That’s more like it. Peace Knights. That’s what I plan to call them, an army trained with magic. They will remain to keep peace between both dragons and humans, they will only be deployed during crises between both races, they’ll be independent, free from the control of both knights and humans respectively."

"Magic!? That can’t work, magic is only restricted to royals to wield, and nobles."

"Unfortunately for you guys, you’ll need to drop your monopoly on magic and make it accessible to every human." My eyebrows arched. "Do you prefer to put kids with magic in danger than strangers, just because of greed and selfishness."

She couldn’t reply. "If the council calls once more, the king might have a say to refuse, but I believe you can convince him otherwise."

"It will be difficult to... even if I manage to convince him, the dragon queen can’t grant magic to the masses—"

"I’ll grant them magic myself."

And for the first time, Stephanie’s eyes widened in awe, as she stared in admiration. "You can grant magic?"

My hand combed through my hair, smoothed back, eyes locked on Stephanie, with no emotion. "I can, and my magic is much stronger than the queen’s."

"It’s hard to believe. But if the queen didn’t give you magic herself, I don’t know how to put it... what are you."

I spun on my heel, making my way to the balcony, my wings grew out of my back, spread wide in the air, I paused outside the balcony. "What am I? You said it yourself. I’m just a child who knows nothing about this world."

Without further words, I took off into the sky, departing her mansion.

The next letters were sent to every council member concerning the proposed Peace Knights and everything that would be involved with the knights, the rules I had ruled out and given to Stephanie.

I didn’t know the reaction from receiving the letter, but with the meeting scheduled tomorrow, I’ll witness it first hand.

...

"I believe we all know why we’re here," Stephanie said as she addressed all who were present in the meeting. I was seated opposite her. I scanned my eyes through those seated, nobles and royals of the council, then dragons, who belong to the council. Lilnex, her golden scales stood out as she was seated at the table, arms crossed, she didn’t bother to note the others seated at the table. Other present was a male dragon, I didn’t pay attention to.

Stephanie then continued, first noting the empty seat present, which was the dragon queen’s chair, and secondly the human king’s chair. Stephanie looked at the empty seat and was disappointed. "In the absence of the dragon queen and king, I’ll head this meeting today, representing the king."

"And I’m standing in for the queen." The door creaked open, all eyes turned to Aria as she walked inside the room dramatically, a red cape with white edges around her, crest pinned at her shoulder.

"Aria, you don’t hold any position to stand before the council, you’re just the dragon queen’s personal assistant."

"The queen directed me to handle any important matters meant for her in her absence." She pulled the seat reserved for the queen and sat down confidently. "Shall we begin."

Stephanie nodded. "As I said, we are here for the purpose of the Peace Knights, the independent knight commission which will oversee dragon and human relations. They wouldn’t hold loyalty to a particular faction. I believe you both read the forwarded letter. For that to happen, we will need to amend some laws already put in place. Before you are the laws and their amendments."

I picked up the parchment and read it like it was new to me. From the rim of my paper, I gauged everyone’s reaction, most were puzzled, their grip clenched on the parchment. A nobleman with gray hair slammed his fist to the table. "What are you thinking, Stephanie. There’s no way we’ll agree to such."