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// Chapter 1: The Red Dragons 
// Story: The Rise of Red Dragon 
// by Silver Heart 
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My muzzle stings...

A red welt starts to form across it, right before my eyes. I find my mothers golden eyes clashing with her red coat as she looks at me in disgust. A copper rod in hoof she continues her lecture about the history of the Red Dragons. She promises the class not to worry, that at the rate I'm going, they need not worry serving under me. My father watches quietly, his white coat standing out beneath his red and gold trimmed armor. His eyes always seem to have sympathy for me, as my mother treats me worse than any other recruit in the class. I do my best to avoid looking at him. Whenever my mother sees it, the rod falls again, and I do my best to avoid that sting. As my mother starts asking questions and quizzing the recruits, I find myself singled out again and again. I answer them all, careful to phrase them exactly as she did. She canters behind me, and I hear the sharp intake of breath from the class a moment before the rod strikes right between my wings, I can't help but cry out in pain, collapsing down to my knees. I surge back to my feet, and see my father had stepped forward. He just as quickly sits back down, and I know my mother's stare is the cause. Coward...


I grit my teeth, staying quiet despite the pain in my back. My mother is whispering in my ear, promising one day she will settle all of this with a blade in my back instead of just her rod. She moves on to the next recruit, but the questions are lost to me as I struggle to force the pain out of my mind. I let my thoughts wander to the approaching winter, knowing that it will be my seventeenth, allowing me to leave this place and my parents behind. My father has arranged that I will be sent to his old unit, to continue with my training and gain real experience. I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it. My mother's constant attention for the last ten winters has worn me ragged, and the thought of being away from both of them is the only thing that raises my spirit anymore. Four more days, and the Chateau will be behind me. My mother soon dismisses us, sending us off to the weapons master's for additional instruction. I spend the remainder of the afternoon working with my lance and rapier. My instructor, Fire Edge, is no slouch, and despite my speed and dexterity, he still lays two solid hits for every one of mine. Every fresh welt is a lesson, a missed block, a break in my guard. As we finish up and I tend to my wounds, he sits beside me again. For the last ten years, Fire Edge has shared stories of my father, the Chateau, and the Red Dragons. For the first time in ten years, hes silent. This only serves to get my attention, though at that point I have played into his trap. As my silver eyes find his he smiles. "So... our last training, and only one story left to tell, though judging from that..." he flicks the still painful welt across my muzzle with his hoof, causing me to wince. "You probably don't wan't to hear it." I think I finally manage surprise him as I get up and just trot away to the ablutions block. He's right, I don't want to hear it. 


As I exit the shower, I look to the mirrors along the wall. My newest welts are still somewhat visible, angry red marks beneath my light pink coat. A horribly cruel joke played upon me by nature. Who is intimidated by a pink pony? My mane and tail are simply a darker shade of pink, though the end is a bit lighter. I sigh, only noticing the bright red pony standing next to me, looking me over. For a moment my heart freezes, as I think its my mother, though her voice assures me after a moment that it is only my mothers favorite, Red Star. She canters around me looking me over. "You really caught your mothers anger  today didn't you?" She giggles as I refuse to answer her, let alone rise to her bait. "A pity... seeing such a pretty pink coat marred by so many ugly wounds." I continue to ignore her, gathering my things. I can tell my silence is getting to her. "I suppose it's good... that your mother got me assigned to your fathers old unit." I'm shocked for a moment, and its all she needs. She's stronger than me, and quickly pins me to the floor. I'm forced to simply stare at her as she smiles, leaning in close to me. "I can't wait... it will be fun... you and I... I'm going to break that little attitude of yours." She trots away from me, and it takes me a moment to recover to my hooves. With any luck when I get away from the Chateau, I can make sure Red Star has an accident. I force down my anger, and trot to my regular hiding spot. Its an old watch tower along the south wall, long abandoned, and thankfully secluded. My mind seems to wander back to my mother's earlier lesson. 


The History of the Red Dragons. My mother and father started it all, purchasing the Chateau, and slowly building a powerful mercenary group. We are taught that in the early years things were hard. Often the Princess Luna would hire us out as peacekeepers, neutral parties to protect certain areas. Often our own country hires us, though in the last few years its often been for assassination and other duties, though I find assassination dishonorable. I made the mistake of voicing that a few years ago, and my mother left my lying in the court yard, a pool of blood slowly forming around me. Every Red Dragon was called to see, as my mother spoke out reminding them all that speaking out against the Code was punishable by flogging. I remember the rain falling on me, then my mothers face blocking it all out. "Speak out against me again and I will end you." It took me nearly a week to recover from the beating. I haven't really spoken since, unless duty has required it. My father told me he respected my desire to be honorable. I simply rebuffed him, calling him a coward. We haven't spoken since that day. I have isolated myself from both of them, despite the fact all our mentors say they are simply grooming me as thier successor. I soon end up falling asleep, and the morning comes too early...


The next three days pass quickly, as the majority of our class receives their assignments. I spend most of my time in the armory, where a young unicorn spends almost two days fitting my armor. We say nothing to each other, until the end of the second day. The armor is red and gold, with a small silver fleur de lys mounted at the collar. He smiles, whispering quietly to me. "Touch the fleur." I hesitate, my curiosity wills me to, but my distrust holds me back. Finally he reaches up and touches it, and I feel the tingle of magic. I look back, seeing my coat changing. From the roots out to the tips, my coat changes to red. The unicorn smiles holding out my helmet. "The helmet is the same, your mane and tail will change to red." I look to him, unsure why he has done this. I barely manage a thank you, touching the fleur and watching my coat slowly change back to pink. We are mustered off to the courtyard, and soon handed our orders. We are given the remainder of the day to prepare, and tomorrow morning we will be sent to our units. I spend the remainder of my day packing my meager possessions and avoiding my parents. After seven long years, my life will be my own.


Tomorrow my life begins, and nothing will stop me. Not the other Dragons, not my father, not Red Star, and definitely not my mother...