HELLO MY SCROLLS WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER VIDEO okay sorry ignore that I fell in love with this design on first sight, and I knew I just HAD to do something with her! So I bring to you Shimmering Tranquility, or Shimmer. Name: Shimmer. We’ve been over this. Pronouns: She/They Age: 16 human years BACKSTORY :D (blood warning! Also very long, don’t feel inclined to read all of it! I got carried away XD) Shimmer was a solitary but curious dragon who grew up in the sky with her parents, who were fugitives. The sky was the only place to hide, and the many scattered floating islands made for the perfect spots. Shimmer didn’t know her parents were hiding, of course, and she always wanted to know what was down-to-earth, literally. So one day, she snuck out in the evening and let her wings carry her down. The earth was mystical and wonderful, but it wasn’t good enough yet. Shimmer kept moving, hoping to find more, when she heard a branch snap. She alertedly stopped moving and looked up to see a heavily armored dragon with a spear. “Stop right there!” the dragon snapped. “Why?” Shimmer asked, but she froze. “Because I said so,” said a silky voice. A tall and thin dragon stepped from behind a tree and glared at Shimmer. “I’d know your scales anywhere. You must be Nightfrost and Glowsquid’s dragonet.” Shimmer felt fear spike her. Why did this dragon know who her parents were, and why did it matter? “Where are your parents, now?” the silky-voiced dragon hissed. “The queen has been overdue for a…visit.” “Who are you and why did you just happen to be here when I came down?” Shimmer snapped. “I am Rosette, royal advisor to the queen,” Rosette said grandly, opening her wings to reveal a beautiful pink hue. “And we always had our suspicions about where your parents lived.” Shimmer gulped. Someone working with the queen? “Now take us to your parents, rat,” the guard who was with Rosette growled. “Never!” Shimmer yelled. She spun quickly, folding in her obvious wings, and ran. “She’s getting away!” Rosette shrieked. “Catch her!” Suddenly, guards began to leap from the trees and bushes. Shimmer’s heart caught in her throat as she ran. She was quick, though, and lost them easily. Looking behind her, she used the fast approaching cover of night and began to fly up to her home. She landed on the island and finally released the breath she didn’t know she was holding. Her parents appeared, nervous looks on their faces, as they heard her land. “Shimmer! Where were you?” her mother, Nightfrost, asked in fear. “Did you…don’t tell me you went down on the land!” Shimmer avoided her gaze guiltily. “Shimmer, you don’t understand the danger you’ve put us in,” her father, Glowsquid, said coldly. His wings shimmered like hers as he pulled her in for a hug. “You’re not out of the woods yet, Nightfrost!” shouted the voice of Rosette, and Shimmer’s heart leaped all through her in fear. “How did you see me?” Shimmer yelled in fear. This could be it for her. “It wasn’t too hard,” Rosette smirked. “I simply ordered my guards to /pretend/ they had lost you, and follow you up. I knew you’d run home to your /mommy and daddy/ eventually.” “Shimmer?” her mother asked, standing in front of her dragonet now. “What have you done?” Shimmer opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off. “Kill them,” said the voice of Rosette coldly. “No!” Shimmer yelled, reaching out a talon as the guards leapt onto her parents. “I don’t understand—what did they do that’s so awful to the queen?” “You know we needed those gems!” Nightfrost screamed, her voice hoarse, as she grappled with Rosette herself. “My husband was dying!” “You could have asked, but you went down this route instead!” Rosette yelled in a shrill voice. “My sister never would have given them up,” Nightfrost growled. “She wanted anything to hold onto her throne!” Suddenly, the pieces clicked for Shimmer. Her father had always been on the sickly side, but she had dismissed it her whole life. Now, the ruby red jewel her mother was always holding to his heart made sense. And if her mother was the queen’s sister, that meant she was..a princess. “Shimmer!” yelled Glowsquid as a guard ripped his underbelly. Blood began to pour out. “Run!” Shimmer stepped back in horror. Her mother struggled, but was overpowered by Rosette and another guard. As Rosette bit her neck, she hissed her final words. “You can kill me, but you’ll never find that gem.” Shimmer turned and began to run again. This was all her fault. If she hadn’t been too curious to investigate the land, her parents would still be alive. What had she done? “I think we are almost done here. Get the dragonet,” Rosette hissed, stepping off Nightfrost’s body. The guards gave chase, and Shimmer gave a yelp in fear. This time, though, they caught up very easily. “W-what are you going to do to me?” Shimmer squeaked as the guards firmly grabbed her sides and held her. “Are you going to kill me?” (+)
(+) “Ha. If you listen, maybe not,” Rosette laughed, stalking up. She put her claw under Shimmer’s chin and lifted it to look into her eyes. “Go find the jewel your mother stole and bring it to me. Then you can live.” Shimmer weighed her options as she hesitated. Her mother’s last words showed that the jewel mattered to her. But if both her parents were dead, did the gem even hold a purpose anymore? “O-okay,” Shimmer finally agreed as her mind flew to the place the gem was always lying. “Excellent,” Rosette grinned wickedly. “You,” she said, pointing at the guards holding Shimmer, “go with her.” Shimmer gulped as she led them through the island to the small hut she lived with her parents. /Or, used to live,/ she thought to herself. She walked to the kitchen and looked under the rock table. Wedged in a crevice was the stone. Her parents had hidden it poorly from her, always thinking she never knew where it was. “Here,” she choked, holding up the stone. “Please let me go!” Rosette reached over and snatched the stone. She began to chuckle wickedly, crazed eyes admiring it. “The queen has other plans for her princess,” she said, lowering the stone and looking into Shimmer’s eyes. “Let’s go,” she said. She picked up one of the still lit torches from the wall and tossed it from claw to claw. Shimmer’s stomach sank. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Come quietly with us to the palace and you’ll live out your days there as the queen’s personal servant, since her last one has died due to being unable to be healed with the gemstone I am holding,” Rosette told Shimmer. Shimmer’s eyes narrowed. “You killed my family and forced me to give up the stone, and now you’re taking me prisoner. I’d /die/ before I did this the ‘easy way!’” Shimmer yelled. “Very well,” Rosette shrugged as guards began to chain Shimmer’s legs together. One grabbed a long chain attached to them in his mouth. “Burn the whole place down.” “No!” Shimmer screamed, fighting the chains helplessly. One of her guards took the torch from Rosette and tossed it into the kitchen. The whole hut began to smell of smoke, and bright flames danced across the room, blinding Shimmer. “Let’s go!” Rosette shouted and Shimmer fought, tears streaming down her face. The group of dragons lifted into the sky, and the guards pulled Shimmer along as they glided to the palace of Shimmer’s aunt, the queen. The palace was beautiful. Despite the circumstance, when the group touched down in its entrance, Shimmer couldn’t suppress a “wow” of amazement. “Here we are. Let’s go see the queen,” said Rosette, bored. The group marched through the entrance, where the guards, forcing Shimmer as well, sank into a low bow before the queen. Rosette stepped forward to her. “Queen Diadem, I have returned. I finally killed your sister and her husband at long last, and brought you the princess and the jewel as you have asked.” Queen Diadem was a large and imposing dragon, with a resting face of hatred and long claws that could rip Shimmer open in a swipe. She gazed down at her advisor and snatched the jewel, and slowly, a grin spread over her. “Thank you, Rosette,” she said to the dragon, and Rosette nodded, leaving the room to go to her quarters. “As for you,” Diadem said, turning on Shimmer, “I will let you live, even as an heir, but at the cost of servitude. I have arranged a…living area…for you. Guards,” she said, turning to the hulking dragons, “Unchain her and lead her there.” The guards nodded promptly, undoing the chains around her wrists and ankles and tugging her forward. They went down a long hall for what felt like an eternity until they reached a small room at the very end. Two guards were already stationed there. The guards leading her nodded to the others and departed, leaving Shimmer with them. “Hello, Princess. What is your name?” asked one of the guards, who, surprisingly, looked to be around the same age as Shimmer. “Sh-Shimmer.” “Alright, then. Here is your living quarter.” “Is it..just me?” Shimmer asked, gazing into the single barred window, unable to catch much inside. “Well…yes,” the guard admitted. “Go on it.” Taking a key, he opened the door and stood aside. Shimmer looked into it, but the other guard came behind her and shoved her in, slamming the door. The key clicked, locked. Shimmer heard the guard who had shoved her arguing with the other. “You’re not allowed to talk, remember? I don’t even know why you work as a guard.” The protests of the other guard were futile, and the first guard spoke over him. “No talking!” he shouted to Shimmer. Shimmer, taking his words into account, looked around the room. It was more of a cell than a home, with a single moss bed and two bowls containing meat and water. There were a few windows to look out, but the view was just more of the palace. “What are you going to do with me?” Shimmer asked. “Torture me?” “I said QUIET,” the guard yelled. “You’re to be with the queen bright and early tomorrow, so get sleep.” @fistash
