“I don’t think… I can take it anymore…” Queen Aquarius, the connoisseur of magic struggled to say.

“Polaris…?” She sighed.

“Yes mother?” Polaris managed to ask even with her sobbing.

A tear rolled down her snout followed by a trail of water. She couldn’t bear to see her beloved mother laying on her deathbed.

“Please… promise me… you’ll take care of our… kingdom.” The queen paused.

“Of course, mother. I will.”

Queen Aquila put her talon on Polaris’s wrist.

“Most importantly… be safe…” She trailed off and closed her eyes.

“I… won’t let you down mother.”

The sun lowered as the moon revealed itself. A tear dropped down on her mother’s talon. That night, Polaris stared at two birds chirping at each other playfully, still unsure if she should be asleep or not. When she was about the close her eyes shut, a spirit of her mother, Queen Aquarius, stepped into the room.

Polaris.

Polaris gasped. She felt a mix of confusion and fear at the same time. She took a step back and edged herself toward the spirit. She lashed her tail and growled but realized that was the spirit of her mother.

Do not be afraid. Remember this. In the future, you will need these.

The spirit handed her a few stacks of well-designed rings.

“What… what are these for?” She stuttered.

Umbra will be back. You will be crowned queen tomorrow. When you do, hand these out to every dragon. Leave no stone unturned. The evil spirit will be back soon.

Polaris nodded. Even the word ‘Umbra’ filled her body will hatred and disgust.

Please be safe. I can’t lose you. Focus on the future and look at things brightly, Polaris. Just because I’m no longer next to you, I’ll always be in your heart as long as you let it.

The spirit flared its wings as the stars reflected it. And just like that, it smiled the same comforting and confident smile just as Queen Aquarius would, and faded away.

Polaris was still in absolute shock from what happened just now, but she had sworn to her mother that she would protect the kingdom. No matter what. She clutched her talons and went to her bed. She closed her eyes and took a worried slumber.

The birds started singing their morning songs as the moon lowered, the sun rising. Polaris woke up, rubbing her eyes and stepped out of her bed. Some guards were already posted at the front of her doors and the one her mother used to trust the most, walked into the room.

“Get ready. You are about to be crowned queen.” He stated, and left Polaris to get ready.

She nodded and thanked him. Polaris looked through her accessories and decided to wear the choker her parents gave her ever since she was young, as it grew with her. When she was about to let her guards know, she was ready, Polaris took the rings as well. She stepped out of the room, realizing the guards had been standing still the whole time.

“I’m ready!” She chuckled by the fact that one of the guards was standing so still that his hat had almost fell off. She helped him put it back into place and they rolled down a red carpet for her.

The same guard notified her that she was going to be crowned queen now, and roared to get the dragon’s attentions.

All the colourful dragons and the half-visible black-white dragons gathered forward.

“Ahem. Greetings everyone. Today, we are going to celebrate our new queen. Polaris, will you please come up here?” He announced.

Polaris walked across the carpet and out into the open where the huge crowds were. As she stepped out, the crowds started cheering and roaring. Some even fired in the sky.

“Polaris. Time for you to be the new queen and lead us all, like your mother once did.” The guard looked at her.

Polaris sighed and took a deep breath.

“I will.”

The guard walked away empty handed and came back, with a crown in his talons. He placed it gently on Polaris’s head and shouted, “ALL HAIL QUEEN POLARIS!”

“Queen Polaris!” The dragons bowed and started chanting.

Polaris took a step forward and smiled, her crown glistening and her choker gleamed in the sun.

“Thank you all. But there is something every dragon needs.”

She pulled out the rings and asked the guard to hand them out to every dragon.

“What are these for, your majesty?” A dragon in the crowd asked, followed by some nods as if most of the other dragons were also wondering the same thing.

“These are for…” She swallowed hardly. “When Umbra is back.”

– This is the end of the beginning to Janis’ longer short story –