{"sf1_id":1641973,"sf2_id":"A1px9o21","title":"Long Live the Scaled Queen","author":"Mr Drake","words":5336,"posted_at":"2020-10-23T06:28:52.000Z","tags":["Dragon","Dragoness","Fantasy","Human","No-Yiff","Reptile","Scalie","Short Story","Story","Violence (Not In Yiff)","WhereDragonsRule"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1641973-long-live-the-scaled-queen","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/A1px9o21","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/ff/00/ff003855-0516-46ff-9084-4ef27a50a85a","description":"Hello, all! It's been a while since I last posted anything. Sorry about that. A lot of things have gotten away from me these past few weeks.   \n  \nBut anyway, I have another story for you all. This is one is another story written for one of my patrons as special thanks for the wonderful support! Thanks a lot!  \n  \nSo this story takes place in the same universe as the fantasy series, Where Dragons Rule, specifically after Dissent which is available now.  \n  \nHappy reading.","content":"\u003e Where Dragons Rule  \n\u003e Long Live the Scaled Queen  \n\u003e By Sonny Dae  \n\u003e © 2020, Sonny Dae, All Rights Reserved\n\nMaggie examined herself in the mirror. The last few months had aged her horribly. Brown, bloodshot eyes sunken in a thin, tired face stared back at her. She ran a hand through her dry, red hair. It wasn't falling out—not that she would've cared if it did. _I swear if it would change things, I would pull it all out myself,_ she thought, turning away from the dresser.\n\nThe window rattled, calling her attention. It's frost-covered panes rattled again. _It's going to be another bad storm._ She thought. She grabbed the ratty old blanket on the bed and pulled it close, inhaling deeply. It still carried the slight scent of dragon. She closed her eyes and thought of a young dragon with celeste scales that wore the blanket every winter despite having no need for it. The dragon would wrap it around her body like a cloak and pretend she was heading to an important event. Once she tried to wear it like a scarf to a dinner party, but anyone could see what it truly was. The look on Aeris' face when told the \"scarf\" had to go hurt.\n\nTears streamed down her face at the memory, and she pulled the blanket tighter.\n\nThere came a light knock at the door before it opened and a dragon stepped inside, her long tail sweeping in time with her movements. Her sea-green scales shimmered the way water reflected off a pond. It made the scars stand out all the more because they didn't reflect the light. The fan-like fins on the sides of her head moved with each step. \"So whaddya want?\" Her piercing yellow eyes went straight to the blanket in Maggie's arms.\n\nMaggie squeezed the fabric. “Yes, I...wanted to ask you something. It's just...I realized I have no idea what it is you actually do.\"\n\nCutter tilted her head. “What does it matter? And shouldn't you have thought about this _before_ you tracked my ass down?\"\n\n“Yes, I wasn't thinking at the time. I just knew I needed to do something to protect Aeris and...rumor has it you're the dragon to call whenever someone wants something done.\"\n\n“Surprised you didn't go to a human.\" She cut a sly smile. “Or Aubrey. She and Snowflake are friends, aren't they?\"\n\n“How do you--?\"\n\n“That shit wasn't a secret. Every domesticate practically bragged about it.\" She crossed the room and climbed onto the bed. It groaned under their combined weight. “So why didn't you go to her? Wait, wait, don't tell me. You don't want Snowflake to be in her debt.\"\n\nShe thanked that her clenched fists were hidden under the blanket. Cutter wasn't like the other dragons she'd met. The dragoness seemed to delight in toying with others and made no attempts to hide it. It was too dangerous to reveal too much. “I just thought going to her would be too obvious. Lord Strauss would expect it.\"\n\nCutter smiled and lay on her back, stretching her limbs towards the ceiling. \"Right. But are you sure you want her in mine? I know you've heard the rumors about what I do.\"\n\n“Yes, I...I heard. You manage a brothel.\" It wasn't all she heard. Other rumors claimed the dragon was a mistress of information and the brothel was nothing more than a means of extracting information. She couldn't deny it was a smart and frightening practice. Not many would dare reveal they were in a whorehouse, especially one run by a dragon. Interspecies intimacy wasn't a favored subject.\n\n“I love how you humans squirm when you talk about fucking something. Yeah, you heard right. But just so you know, all of my girls are there willingly. I don't force that shit on anybody.\"\n\n“I've heard different.\"\n\n“You hear a lot of things; some of them I put out there myself.\"\n\n“You mean you put out false rumors about yourself? Why?\"\n\n“History is a false promise borne on the lips of the hopeful.\"\n\n“What does that mean?\"\n\nThe dragon's grin widened. “You'll figure it out one day when you're older.\"\n\nMaggie huffed. She was already approaching 50. Usually, it would be a good time to mention her maturity, but dragons lived far longer. To Cutter, she was probably no more than a child.\n\n“Anyway, I know you ain't call me here for idle talk. So get to the damn point.\"\n\n\"I...I want to kill Aaron Strauss.\"\n\nCutter raised her head. “That's a tall order. And why should I do that, exactly?\"\n\n“Because the man is a monster! He manipulated Aeris for years! He took advantage of her simply because he could! He tried to breed her like cattle to sell her eggs to the highest bidder then gunned her down because she refused!\" She jumped to feet, glaring at the lounging matriarch. \"How can you lie there and ask me why? I thought you cared about Aeris?\"\n\nCutter continued to lay on her back, giving her a deadpan stare. “Honestly, if I killed every motherfucker that pissed me off, the world would be a lot lonelier. That's not even the worst thing your kind has done.\"\n\n“That's not the point.\"\n\n“The point is killing him won't solve a damn thing,\" Cutter interjected loudly. Maggie's anger vanished. \"Besides, I don't want him. I want his partners. They're gonna be looking for Snowflake even if he isn't.\"\n\nThe tightness in Maggie's chest made her sit back down. _It was a slip of the tongue. I heard her wrong. Don't give me that hope._ “Wh—what are you talking about?\"\n\nCutter tilted her head. “C'mon, Mag, you know Snowflake isn't dead, right?\"\n\nWithout thinking, she was on top of the dragon, the questions flooding out of her. \"But how? Where is she? Why haven't you told me? Why are we wasting our time here?\"\n\n“First, calm down. Second, it's obvious. There's no body. Aubrey's been demanding to see it, and he's blowing her off.\"\n\n_I swear if I ever see_ _Aubrey_ _again, I'll kiss her._ “But if Aeris is alive then where--?\"\n\n\"Hell if I know.\" In one smooth motion, she rolled from beneath Maggie and off the bed onto her paws. \"But I got a good source we can ask to find out.\"\n\nMaggie wasn't sure if she was meant to follow, but she did. Walking felt like wading through water. She couldn't get her thoughts in order. The news that Aeris was alive and well filled her with joy and apprehension.\n\nIf Aeris wasn't with Aubrey, it meant she was out there alone. The young dragon didn't know the first thing about surviving on her own. That meant she was out there somewhere scared and alone; possibly cold, hurt, or hungry. The wind howled and she shuddered despite the warmth indoors.\n\nThey descended into the basement. The unmistakable sounds of blows striking flesh made her cringe. The stairs led to another hall with a single metal door, twice as wide and tall as a normal door, at the end.\n\nCutter paused just long enough to say, “Wait here\" before pulling the door open with ease and slipping inside. Maggie could easily slip through the crack in the door, but fear of what waited on the other side kept her in place.\n\n“So he say anything different?\" Cutter asked.\n\n“Not really,\" a female replied. “I don't think we're getting anything else out of him.\"\n\nA brief silence then a third voice. This one belonged to a man and was void of emotion. “We left the dragon and the girl in Strendor.\"\n\nMaggie leaned closer but stayed away from the gap to avoid being seen.\n\n“The girl?\" the female asked.\n\n“A girl was with her. She called herself Janine.\"\n\nAnother silence then Cutter spoke. “Where'd they go from there?\"\n\n“They wanted to go to Peridan, but we didn't go that far.\"\n\nMaggie covered her mouth to keep from saying anything. Peridan\u0026nbsp;was the closest city to the dragon border. As a domesticate, Aeris would be in serious danger if she went there.\n\nMore silence. She crept closer to the door. There came a sickening _crack_ before she heard Cutter's voice again. “Send word to Peridan. I wanna know the moment she gets there. The snow hopefully slowed her down.\"\n\nFootsteps approached so Maggie backed away and pretended to be occupied with a spot on the wall.\n\n“So, you get all that?\"\n\n“I...yes. Why is she going to Peridan\u0026nbsp;of all places?\"\n\n“Probably because she thinks it's safer there. Her master won't go there looking for her. But him finding her will be the least of her problems if she gets caught.\"\n\n“So what's our next move? We're in Strendor. It's possible--\"\n\n“For now, get some sleep. We'll figure it out in the morning.\"\n\nShe wouldn't be able to sleep even if she tried. Not when Aeris was out there with nowhere to go. But with no leads and the snow coming down heavily, she wasn't going anywhere tonight.\n\nHer mind was jumbled with thoughts during the walk back to her. The most nagging question on her mind being why Aeris didn't seek help from Aubrey or Cutter. It made sense not to see Cutter, it took her weeks to track the dragoness down. But Aubrey was always there.\n\nHer thoughts were interrupted by a female voice, “But that's crazy! She'll kill us if she finds out.\"\n\nShe stopped and listened. The door beside her was ajar. The voice was unfamiliar but it belonged to a dragon. All dragons had a slight rumble and slur in their voice. Domesticates were the only exception.\n\n“Keep your voice down.\"\n\nThat voice she did recognize. It was Giselle, Cutter's righthand. Ever since meeting the woman, Maggie had heard her speak twice, but she had a distinctive deep timbre.\n\n“Cutter is going to get us all killed with her 'pet project',\" Giselle said. “Five dead just getting the information on that damn dragon. How many more people is she going to get killed for her bullshit?\"\n\nMaggie checked if anyone was approaching then moved closer to the door. She peered inside and saw the woman, tall and wide, standing with her back to the door. Just visible in front of her was a dragon, a Short-Snout like Cutter. But this one didn't have any scars and she was larger.\n\n“I don't like this,\" the dragon said. “If Cutter finds out--\"\n\n“Then she won't find out.\"\n\n“But she'll know. She _always_ knows.\"\n\n“I'll make sure she doesn't. Just be ready to take charge.\"\n\n“But I'm not a Matriarch. I can't—No, I won't turn on Cutter. Even if I do hate that bitch Aeris.\"\n\nMaggie inhaled sharply. She had a mind to go inside and tell that dragon what for, but it would reveal her eavesdropping.\n\nThe door opened and she found herself face-to-chest with Giselle. _Wait, how did she--?_ Her thought was cut off when the woman snatched her into the room by the shirt collar. With a flick of the wrist, she sent Maggie stumbling forward into the dresser. She grunted on impact, the air rushing out of her. A second woman caught her before she sank to the floor; this one looked like a younger version of Giselle, only thinner and with blond hair instead of brown. Her hair covered half of her face, hiding an eye patch. But Maggie saw fear in the exposed half.\n\n“Get out,\" Giselle said.\n\nThe woman left without hesitation or backward glance, but the dragon remained. It made Maggie uncomfortable the way she stared at her.\n\n“Rowen!\"\n\nThe dragon blinked and turned to the woman.\n\n“Leave.\"\n\nRown shot one last look in Maggie's direction before leaving. Giselle closed the door behind the dragoness.\n\nMaggie stayed put by the dresser and contemplated her options. She was no fighter and this woman was near twice her size. In her youth, running would have been an option, but her running days were long done. Shouting for help seemed her best chance. Hopefully, someone would hear before the woman crossed the gap and silenced her.\n\nIn two quick strides, Giselle and towered over her. \"How much did you hear?\"\n\nShe stared at the woman intimidated by her size and speed. _Is this it? Am I going to die here before I see Aeris again? This woman can't let me go, knowing what I know._\n\n“I won't ask again.\"\n\n“I didn't hear anything.\"\n\nShe gave a frightened cry as she was hoisted off her feet with ease.\n\n“Try again.\"\n\nShe looked the woman in the eye. \"What does it matter if I heard anything or not? You're not letting me leave this room anyway.\"\n\nTo her surprise, Giselle smiled and set her down. Maggie stood there with a dumb expression feeling relief and confusion.\n\nThe woman took the lighter and cigarette off the nightstand. She lit it the cigarette and took a long drag then exhaled a long plume of smoke towards the ceiling. “Stop being dramatic. I'm just vetting the girls.\"\n\nMaggie waved away the smoke then moved by the window. “I...you mean, you're not planning to betray Cutter?\"\n\n“Never. But some do. My job is to sniff them out.\"\n\n“I thought Cutter trusted those who worked for her.\"\n\nGiselle took another puff of the cigarette. “She wouldn't last long if she did. Humans and dragons want her dead. If you want to see your dragon again, you'll help me.\"\n\n“I'm sorry, but I have nothing to do with this. I don't want--\"\n\n“That wasn't a question. Other people are looking for your dragon. They plan to use Cutter to do it.\"\n\n“So they sent a spy,\" Maggie said to herself. To Giselle, she asked, “But why are they so fixated on Aeris?\"\n\nThe woman shrugged and sent a smoke ring into the air. “Cutter likes her. That makes her a problem.\"\n\n“I'm fairly sure Cutter doesn't need Aeris for whatever plans she has.\"\n\nA heavy sigh and another smoke ring was the response. “Think, woman. That dragon has popular with every noble in Rubelum. If she started working for Cutter it would mean bad things for everyone. And before you get any ideas, if Cutter dies, your dragon dies with her.\"\n\nMaggie studied the woman's face and body language. She had always considered herself a fairly good judge of character, but this woman was impossible to read.\n\n_The risk is too great. Cutter is my only hope so I must trust in her._ “Very well. What do I have to do?\"\n\nGiselle put out her cigarette on the ashtray. “Easy. Start a fight. They'll come to you.\"\n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\nMaggie awoke to pitch darkness and a dull throb in her side. A strange odor filled her nose. It was then she realized she lay on something hard and cold. _Did I fall out of bed onto the floor?_ She groaned and tried to stretch only to notice her arms and legs were bound.\n\nShe rolled over onto her stomach and scooted onto her knees. She then pushed herself around until she found the wall. Her breath came in hard starts as she struggled against her bindings.\n\nThe door opened and light surged inside. She shut her eyes until she heard the door close again. When she opened them, the light in the room had been turned on. The room reminded her of those torture chambers described in the fiction novels she once read to Aeris. Crude instruments lined the far wall and chains dangled from the center of the ceiling. Hanging from one of the chains by her arms was Giselle. Her chin rested on her chest and her hair blocked most of her face.\n\nMaggie would have called out to the woman except the blond-haired woman from before stood by the door. Her hair was tied back in a bun revealing scared half.\n\nWithout a word, the woman crossed the room. Maggie scooted into the corner. The woman half-dragged her to the chain in the middle of the room, forcing her onto her toes. Maggie groaned at the weight being put on her wrists and arms.\n\nThe woman silently went to the table behind Maggie and rummaged about.\n\nBefore long, the woman returned. \"Here's how this is going to go: I ask you questions, you answer them. You answer truthfully and you get out of this without pain. You lie to me\"--she waved a small mallet in front of Maggie's face--\"I break your bones. Understood?\"\n\nMaggie nodded vigorously. “Where's Cutter?\"\n\n“Hey, I ask the questions. I'll let you have that one, but don't do it again.\" After Maggie nodded again, the woman continued. “Cutter is busy right now. More specifically, she's unconscious until we're ready to deal with her. We packed enough dreamwillow into her food to knock out a dragon twice her size. She'll be sleeping a long time, assuming she wakes up at all.\"\n\nShe struck Giselle with a hard backhand. “Wake up. It's time to pay your debt.\"\n\nGiselle slowly raised her head revealing several bruises and dried blood around her nose and mouth.\n\n_Looks like they had to knock her out the hard way._\n\n“You _bitch_,\" Giselle said. “After all I did for you.\"\n\n“After all you did?\" She grabbed Giselle's face. “You got me tortured, beaten, and mutilated.\" She ripped off her eye patch, revealing an empty socket. Maggie turned away. “Cutter forgot to mention this little hazard when she told me the job would be risky.\"\n\n“It's part of the job.\"\n\nThere came a dull thud followed by Giselle coughing.\n\n“It's all part of the job, huh? And what part of the job is being lied to? Or was I not supposed to figure out that you sent me in there as bait?\"\n\n“You weren't bait.\"\n\n“Don't lie to me!\"\n\n“It's true, Addy. No one saw that ambush coming.\"\n\n“But you wasted no time taking advantage of it, did you? So long as Cutter gets what she wants, what does it matter what happens to anyone else?\" She appeared in Maggie's vision. She focused her gaze on the woman's nose instead of her missing eye. \"That includes you. Cutter only bothered to help you because you have something she wants.\"\n\n“Then why am I hanging from the ceiling?\" Maggie asked, making no attempt to hide her frustration. \"I have nothing to do with any of this!\"\n\nAddy shrugged and stepped back. \"Because Cutter is the last wyrm you should've gone to.\"\n\nThe door opened again. This time a dragon entered. It was the same female Short-Snout Maggie saw last night. The moment she entered, she gave Maggie that same look of contempt.\n\nGiselle spat on the floor. “I fucking knew it, Rowen. I knew you would try something.\"\n\nThe dragoness ignored her and went to Maggie. “So, you're Maggie. I expected someone more...impressive.\"\n\n“Do I know you?\"\n\n“No, but I've heard of you. That bitch loves you.\"\n\n“Leave her alone,\" Giselle said.\n\n“I'll get to you.\" She turned back to Maggie. “But first, I'm gonna do something I've been dying to do for a long time.\"\n\nBefore Maggie could guess what the dragon meant, she lunged forward and sank her teeth into Maggie's leg. Slowly, the pressure increased until she howled, fighting the instinct to pull away knowing it would only tear the wound further. Rowen released her. The searing pain reduced to a burning throb, warmth and wetness running from the center of the injury.\n\n“Oh, I only wish _she_ were here to hear you scream.\"\n\n“Don't toy with her too much,\" Addy said. “The woman has nothing to do with this, so kill her quick and get it over with.\"\n\n“What did I ever do to you?\" Maggie cried. “I don't even know Cutter that well!\"\n\n“You? Nothing. It's that bitch I can't stand. Little miss perfect. The human's favorite.\" She paced and slapped the floor with her tail, her voice dripping with bitterness. “Everyone just _loves_ her and her pretty scales, and her pretty voice, and her pretty manners.\"\n\nGiselle gave a short laugh. “Seriously? You killed yourself because you're jealous?\" She spat on the floor and turned to Addy. “And that's all it took to get her on board?\"\n\nRowen whirled on the woman who fell silent. “I don't expect you to understand.\"\n\nMaggie did. She understood perfectly. Having raised Aeris since the dragon hatched, she knew what the domesticates faced: abuse from their masters and prejudice from clan-borns. If domesticates weren't outright ignored, they were receiving the wrong sort of attention. To anyone else, it would seem Aeris lived the good life. Sought after by the nobles. Praised instead of insulted. Welcome inside instead of waiting outside. She understood but she also knew Rowen had it wrong.\n\nAeris was no one's favorite. At the end of the day, she was still a dragon. She suffered her own share of abuse and learned the hard way not everyone wanted to be her friend.\n\nShe didn't dare say any of it aloud. Telling Rowen she had it wrong would not calm the dragon.\n\n“I don't know who this 'Aeris' is and I don't really care,\" Addy said. “But I _do_ know that it's Cutter's fault and that's good enough for me.\"\n\n“You're both idiots.\"\n\nAddy slapped her. “No! You're the idiot! Cutter sees us—humans and dragons—as pawns! She would've turned on you, too. It was just a matter of time.\"\n\n“That includes you,\" Rowen said, lightly slapping Maggie's wounded leg with her tail. She hissed through clenched teeth. \"And little miss perfect. Even in Cutter's eyes, she could do wrong. Everyone thought she was just so innocent. Did you know your precious dragon—little miss perfect, killed my brother? She took someone from me, so I'm taking someone from her.\"\n\n“You're lying,\" Maggie said flatly. “Aeris would never do that.\" She had only known Aeris to kill once in her life and the poor dragon had been pushed over her limit to do it. If Aeris had killed another dragon, she definitely would have heard about it.\n\n“Of course you don't believe me. Who would ever believe that the perfect dragon would do that?\"\n\n“Rowen, stop talking crazy,\" Giselle said. “Lyndria killed your brother. She didn't want him getting close to Aeris.\"\n\n“Who's Lyndria?\"\n\nThe door swung open and Cutter shuffled into the room, yawning. Her face and claws tipped in red \"Just once I'd like to go a week without killing a motherfucker,\" she mumbled. The rest of her rant was undiscernible as she stopped and stretched.\n\nRowen and Addy stood there, jaws hanging. Addy trembled, her eyes widening with every second. Even Rowen with blood dripping from her muzzle resembled a frightened hatchling.\n\nCutter stopped stretching and jerked her head towards Maggie and Giselle. “Cut 'em down.\"\n\nAddy moved without hesitation, her movements stiff but precise. Maggie groaned as she put weight on her leg and collapsed to the floor. Giselle hurried to her side.\n\n“Hey, Giselle, take her upstairs to the others and take care of that leg.\"\n\n“Wait, Cutter. Please don't--\" Maggie began.\n\n“Mag, I wasn't asking. And I won't say it again.\"\n\nGiselle lifted Maggie and carried her out of the room. The moment they were in the hall, there came screams and roars of pain. Giselle continued without hesitation, moving through the bodies littering the floor.\n\n_She did all of this while we were in there? I didn't hear any of it._\n\n“Fucking Addy. She convinced so many to join her,\" Giselle said as she started up the stairs. “Sorry to get you wrapped up in this.\"\n\n“It's fine. I got myself wrapped up into this.\"\n\nThey entered the hall again. More dead dragons and humans lay on the floor, almost as if sleeping. But the pools of blood gave away the truth. Light poured from the first room ahead of them so Giselle carried Maggie in there.\n\nThis room was clean and contained two women, a man, and a Nightstalker. Maggie didn't recognize any of them. They all looked as if they had survived a large brawl.\n\nA skinny woman with ebony skin and even darker hair rushed towards them. “Giselle! Thank goodness you're alive. When I woke up and they were standing over me, I thought--\"\n\n“It doesn't matter.\" She gently placed Maggie on the empty bed. “Is this really all that's left?\"\n\n“There was no one else with you?\" the man asked. He had short red hair and a similar beard. He approached Maggie and ripped her bloody pants' leg. “Excuse me, miss, but we don't have time to stand on ceremony. The bite doesn't look too bad. You're pretty lucky. Most of the time, I have to amputate after a dragon attack.\"\n\nMaggie was still shaken by the carnage and couldn't speak so she nodded.\n\n“Cutter's leaving only bodies behind,\" Giselle said.\n\nThe woman handed Giselle a towel. “Then she's cleaning house. Again.\"\n\nThat broke Maggie's paralysis. “Wait, she's done this before? Just slaughtered everyone and started again?\"\n\n“She's only done it once that I know of. But that was also 60 years ago so the details are known only to her.\"\n\nAsking for those details didn't sound like a good idea, so Maggie chose to let the matter drop. She hissed when the man began dressing her wound.\n\n“Sorry. I'll try to be more careful,\" he said.\n\nTo distract from the pain, she turned to Giselle. “I never thought they'd spring their trap this soon.\"\n\nGiselle shrugged. “They panicked after you caught us talking. That means they're not who we're looking for.\"\n\n“Looking for?\"\n\n“Other people are looking for your dragon.\" She picked up a packet of cigarettes on the nightstand and swore after finding it empty. \"Cutter figured they would try to use us to do the work for them.\"\n\n_Aeris, what have you gotten yourself into?_\n\nThe door opened and everyone whirled around. The Nightstalker growled and jumped to the front. Cutter strode into the room, her front painted red.\n\nThe Nightstalker immediately lowered his head and backed away.\n\n“Well, that was a lovely clusterfuck of a morning,\" Cutter said. \"We're gonna have to clean up this mess. Pensen, get started dragging the bodies outside so they can be burned. The rest of you get started on cleaning up the blood.\" She pointed her tail at Maggie. “Not you. I don't want you walking on that leg.\"\n\nEveryone left the room except the man tending to Maggie's leg. She had lived among dragons her entire life—even raised one from a hatchling, but sitting before a blood-soaked Short-Snout put things in perspective.\n\nIt was strange to see: this creature, dripping with blood, sitting before her wearing a look of remorse. She was reminded of Aeris. That dragon would apologize over everything and loathed the idea of harming others despite her body being designed to do just that.\n\n_And everyone thinks dragons are nothing more than blood-thirsty beasts_\n\n“You okay?\" Cutter asked.\n\n\"Yes, my leg hurts, but I'll live.\" She hissed as the man began bandaging the wound. \"Unfortunately, I'm no stranger to pain. For years I was at the whims of an abusive man.\"\n\n“Sorry to hear that. Just like I'm sorry I dragged you into this shit. I knew how Rowen felt and I still assumed she would put that aside.\"\n\n“Did she truly hate Aeris that much?\"\n\n“Dragons are pretty fucking vain, Mag. We don't like being second best.\"\n\nAccording to Aeris, being the best isn't that fun either. \"And what about Addy? She said you set her up.\"\n\nCutter sighed and her fins sagged. “Addy lost too fucking much. She'll believe anything if it makes her feel better. The plan was never to get her caught.\"\n\n“But you didn't rush to her rescue.\"\n\n“I had to get what I needed first.\"\n\n_I'm beginning to understand why she turned on you._\n\nCutter stretched and headed for the door. \"Anyway, get some rest, Maggie. Once the storm clears up, I want to go looking for Snowflake.\"\n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\nIt took most of the day to get things back in order. Maggie was the only one not exhausted. They gave her a cane to use for the times she did have to move but was told to stay off her leg as much as possible. It was a direct order from Cutter, and after seeing the burning pile of bodies of those who defied her, she didn't dare disobey.\n\nThe storm had stopped after two days but left over two feet of snow. Cutter warned not to bother melting it or it would just freeze over into ice. The moment the snow stopped, Cutter ordered people to go and gather information. Visits to the outside were heavily monitored and no one was allowed to leave alone—not even to shovel the walkway.\n\nThe tension of waiting was the worst part. There was no one to talk to most of the time. No one said it, but Maggie heard them crying alone in their rooms. Asking around, she learned that many of them had known each other for years. Addy was Giselle's sister. She couldn't begin to understand what the woman was going through. She couldn't help but feel guilty. If Cutter hadn't been so focused on helping her, perhaps things would be different.\n\nAfter a week, Maggie decided to see if any progress had been made in the search for Aeris. She trusted Cutter to keep her word, but her nerves were getting to her.\n\nShe went to knock on Cutter's door when she heard voices inside.\n\n“Maybe she got out unseen,\" Giselle said.\n\n“Snowflake? In this blizzard?\" Cutter replied. “Nah, she's hold up somewhere. No way would she brave this when she's never left home before. Just make sure not to tell Mag. I don't want her tearing apart the city.\"\n\n“Are you sure?\"\n\n“There's no other way to play it. Right now, Snowflake will need to look after herself. Our job is to make sure no one gets in her way while she recovers.\" There was a long pause before she continued. “Her whole world's just been shattered. It's going to take a lot for her to bounce back.\"\n\n“What makes you think she will?\"\n\n“Snowflake doesn't know it, but she's awakening her Call. She'll bounce back. Matriarchs don't fold that easy. No matter what knocks us down, we always get back up to kick the world in its ass.\"\n\nGiselle chuckled. “You sound confident.\"\n\n“Because a Matriarch is more than just a title. There was a time when humans knew that. Now you're too fucking high on yourselves to understand.\"\n\n“And dragons are more humble?\"\n\nCutter laughed. “Not gonna argue with that!\"\n\nMaggie knocked on the door then waited for a reply before going inside. Cutter and Giselle were the only ones inside.\n\nCutter was quick to speak. \"So, Mag, about Snowflake. We haven't gotten word about where she is, but we have another problem.\" She nodded to Giselle who left the room. Once they were alone, she spoke again. “We need to get other people to call off the search for her. We can't go looking for her when she's got other people all over her ass.\"\n\nThe words, “Cutter is the last dragon you should've gone to.\" resonated in her mind. _I know you're lying, but for Aeris' sake, I'll play along._ “What do we need to do?\"\n\n“Something really un-fucking-pleasant. Talk to your old boss.\"\n\nMaggie clenched her jaw. “If we must.\"\n\n“I know you don't like him; I can't stand the prick either. But he knows people. People I can't get close to. Through him, we'll get to them.\"\n\n“And you're certain it must be this way?\"\n\n“You really think I'd suggest it if I didn't?\"\n\n_I honestly don't know._ “Of course not.\"\n\n* * *\n\nThanks for reading.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n**_Support the writer:_**\n\n**Patreon:**  **\u0026nbsp;** [https://patreon.com/sonnydae](https://patreon.com/sonnydae) \u0026nbsp;\n\n**Ko-fi:** [https://ko-fi.com/mrdrake](https://ko-fi.com/mrdrake)\n\n**_For News and Updates:_**\n\n**Pillowfort:** [https://www.pillowfort.social/MrDrake](https://www.pillowfort.social/MrDrake)\u0026nbsp;\n\n**_X/Twiter:_** [https://x.com/Wyrmwriter](https://x.com/Wyrmwriter)\n\n**Worldlore:** [https://www.worldanvil.com/author/Mr.Drake](https://www.worldanvil.com/author/Mr.Drake)","series":{"name":"Where Dragons Rule Shorts","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1621422-a-dragon-s-dilemma.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1654007-her-envious-nature.json"}}