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"This is utterly ridiculous!" Anubia huffed as she stomped up and down the dressing room, claws tapping on the smooth marble like black daggers. "Who in the darkness's name does that fox think he is, I'm an ebon dragoness.... I will not be made into the plaything of some... some fiend that's no better than my throw rug!"

The dark dragoness rounded on her reflection in a nearby mirror, her image framed perfectly in the rounded edging as she slammed a foreclaw on the dresser, chipping the age-old umbral timber.

"I have laid low so many males, all have come crawling to me only to be used as mere sex toys!" She snared, teeth flashing. "All the females I've put in their place, all who thought they could tame me."

She swept a forepaw across the dresser, talons shattering the many vials of perfume and dyes like frail crystal, while gem-studded jewelry was cast flying like glittering rain. All the while she huffed and snorted like some savage beast, smoke hissing from her flared nostrils as she hissed through clenched fangs.

"I will not be berated or bullied like some mongrel pup! I will rip his heart out and eat it before I let him take over me!" she declared ferociously.

"You know all this talk of domination and putting other dragonesses down, you could have convinced me you were made for him," cooed a voice, and Anubia spun, eyes narrowing as she saw Umbra lounging on the bed.

The dark-twilight dragoness was draped in silken robes, the adept appearance for dragonesses in their new master's eyes. Anubia believed that as much as she believed the queen had really submitted to some scruffy rat from the north as she wracked her foreclaw across the desk, shredding the fine wood once more.

Submitted for what, a peace treaty? As if any dragon here is known for peace. She inwardly hissed, disgusted to call herself and ebon dragoness at the idea her queen had stooped so low. It has to be a trick, a ploy, she may be carrying his brood, but she'll rip him apart soon enough, surely.

Yet the fact Persephone had also seemingly been bred by the sly canine put a dent in that idea. Anubia was sure the ferocious right-claw of the queen would never have submitted to that treatment, even if it was part of some grand plan. No, there had to be more to it, and if either of those two had fallen to the utterly ridiculous whims of their new master, then they were not fit to rule.

No, but I am, I'll rule in their stead! She thought triumphantly, sure she could salvage something out of this mess for herself. Queen Anubia, it will be so great!

The thoughts of glory were evidently on full display upon her face as she peered at Umbra, who just stared right back with an almost condescendingly perplexed expression as she sighed.

"You're thinking about killing him again, are you not?" she asked dryly, and Anubia hissed, snarling as the twilight dragoness added. "You know that's not a good idea?"

"What would you know of it?" Anubia growled, adding with a scrape of her claws. "All you do is cower, make your way with words and lies. There's no true power in it."

Umbra shrugged her wings, ruffling them primly as she lay back on the bed and swiftly assured. "I know more than you think when it comes to things like this."

Anubia's rage only grew at that, bubbling behind her crimson eyes like the steaming brim of a hot stew pot.

"Yes, the ideas of a conniving backstabber. Umbra, I've dominated you more times than I can count, I know your type," she spat, flexing her foreclaws as the opposing dragoness sank back slightly. "Just like that," Anubia added, jabbing a claw at her.

"And yet I'm the one he chose to adorn in these," the smaller of the two reasoned, lifting a wing so the silken robes caught the light, shimmering in the many torch flames' dancing glow. "I'm already in his favor."

"Simply because you rolled over like an obedient hound to have your belly rubbed!" Anubia countered, tail thrashing like a deadly snake, striking a vase and sending it clattering to the floor. "You're as pathetic as the queen!"

"Those are bold words, she is still your queen, Anubia," Umbra reasoned, then shrugged again as she admired her robes in another mirror. "I assure you, the last belly I saw, I gutted. So don't assume any less of me."

"My queen's a fool! She's submitted to this filth from the north and for what!?" Anubia finally spoke her mind, angry thoughts erupting from her muzzle like the fiery lava of a volcano. "All her talk of really wanting to make her people happy, let them have good lives! We're ebon dragons, we don't care about that!"

"Obviously Queen Narcissa thinks differently, maybe it's down to her past, I don't know, but I do know..." Umbra began, lifting a forepaw, only to pause as Anubia shot her a deadly look.

"Know what, little-lizard, tell me!?" she growled dangerously.

The smaller dragoness shrank back, bowing her head just a little as she rubbed her forepaws together, yet Anubia saw right through the meek illusion.

"Don't look at me like that, Umbra! I see what you're doing!" She sneered, marching up to loom over her companion like a raging thunderstorm. "Acting all meek and pathetic in hopes I'll just get bored and move on. No, I want to know what you were going to say?"

Umbra rolled her eyes, head drooping as she sighed. "I was going to say, that you know full well the queen is different, it's never been too bad a thing before, has it?" She ruffled her wings. "Your life has been way better under Narcissa, any ruler before her would have made you a surf for the council, don't deny that either."

"Don't lecture me on how good of a life I've lived, you know how they treated us," the larger dragoness countered dangerously. "And I've done to them the same things in return, made them suffer."

"You almost make it sound as if you think you deserve this right now," Umbra muttered under her breath and before Anubia could strike her, she ducked and rolled away, gem-laden silks chiming.

"You scaly, little rat!" the larger dragoness spat, but before she could charge after the smaller dragoness, she paused. "I... I... No, I don't deserve this, I deserve to be queen!"

"Let me guess, because you think Narcissa is unfit now, huh?" she pressed, and Anubia huffed. "You're not that hard to read, Anubia."

"What of it, what does it matter?" She huffed, turning to the bed and stomping over to flop onto the pillows. "The queen's just some motherly sack of eggs now, all those maternal instincts are just going to compromise her tyranny more so."

"I mean..." Umbra rubbed her forepaws together, appearing genuinely sheepish. "I don't really hate the idea of motherhood."

Anubia's head shot up like lightning and she blinked in utter disbelief as she laughed.

"You, a mother?" She pressed a forepaw to her chest as she laughed harder. "Haha, you'd be terrified the eggs would bite your perfect talons off, never mind the actual hatchlings!"

"Hey, I would not!" Umbra frowned, lashing her tail as she huffed. "I'd love to create something for once, everything here's all gloom and destruction, but a little dragon all of my own, to teach all my tricks? I'd love that!"

"You mean all of your sly, backstabbing little ploys? Those are not tricks, Umbra, they are pathetic games," Anubia declared, then reared up, posing fearsomely. "Now, if I had a young dragon to call my own, they would never grow up to be some pathetic whelp."

"And what would they be?" Umbra deadpanned as she peered up at the larger dragoness with a bored expression. "Super, killing monstrosities?"

Who in the darkness's name does she think she is, mocking my ideals when she's just a sly snake!? She thought bitterly as she dropped to the ground. My kids would be worth ten of hers! Not that I'd have them with a fox!

"No, they'd be strong, disciplined, warrior dragonesses, and they'd know not to question their mother," she huffed as she flexed a claw. "Perfect heirs to my future throne."

"And if you had any males?" Umbra pressed, raising an eye crest.

"Ha, some lucky male is only ever going up my tail before I kill him. To think that anything so lowly as a dragon comes out of me in a dragonesse's place, is folly!" Anubia declared bluntly and Umbra rolled her eyes.

"Sure, because that's how nature works," she muttered and Anubia batted her side with a wing. "Hey, I'm right, you'll see!"

"Don't be so sure, there's no way I'm letting myself get fat with his eggs, even if you're so set on it," she huffed, before muttering under her breath. "Hybrids, disgusting things."

"Half fox sounds kinda cute, to be honest. I do like fluffy things," Umbra reasoned, almost seeming lost in the idea.

"Of course you'd find something so despicable cute," Anubia deadpanned. "Talk about the natural order, there's nothing natural about hybrids."

The smaller of the pair lifted a forepaw and opened her muzzle to protest, yet it seemed the brute had her stumped for once, and while Anubia smirked in her victory, there was a sudden knock at the door. Both dragonesses' heads shot up in union, swiveling to face the arch of fine wood as there was a clunk behind it, and the unlocked slab slid open. The two guards stationed just outside were visible for a mere second as, like some slimy salamander, Stygian dribbled in and stood before the pair, glowering at them like they were ill-cleaned dishes. At least, when he was looking at Anubia, not that she cared what he thought of Umbra as he appeared a little more approving.

Little snake, like I care what he or his master thinks of any of this. She thought bitterly as he nodded to Umbra, then turned to her. If this were the old times, I'd just kill him.

"So, not even dressed, I see?" He observed, gesturing to the robes the master had selected for her as they lay in scattered piles behind her. "The master paid a lot of gold for those."

"Like I care," she hissed, wracking a claw at the marble under her. "He's not my master, but if he's such a powerful king, I'm sure he can afford to replace them."

"Quite so, I assume," Stygian acknowledged with a curt nod towards Umbra. "At least she seems to have some respect for the new order."

"New order according to who? I know you, Stygian, you're a rat, not once would you have acted like this before! Your sister would have locked you away for months if you ever put so much as a talon out of line, so do tell me why I should listen?" Anubia finally exclaimed, wings ruffling as she earned a shocked look from Umbra.

Stygian, meanwhile, seemed to go stiff as a board. His face twitched as if it could shatter like frail glass any moment, before he shrugged his wings and stated calmly.

"Please, don't talk about my sister, she's exactly where she deserves to be and happy with it." His voice was dripping with scorn, yet surprisingly dangerous for a male of his smaller stature. "As for the new order, it is as our queen decrees it, so who are we to question?"

"And tell me, how willing was the queen in all of this?" Anubia pressed, eyes narrowing just as warningly as his snide tone. "Since when did ebon dragonesses submit to foxes?"

"Since it was in the best interest of their kingdoms, for the good of all, including dragonesses like you," Stygian countered, before asking with a shift of his rear. "Besides, don't talk to me about willing. Every dragoness in the court has been using males like simple breeding stock for years, you're all getting exactly what you deserve."

"Well, how about I keep up the tradition!?" She reared up, lifting a forepaw, only for Umbra to shove between the two.

"As I'm sure you're aware, this is a lot for us to take in, maybe some time seeing how it all works and we'll be more willing to comply?" the smaller dragoness reasoned, shooting her larger companion a 'please let me do the talking' kind of look.

She rolled her eyes, as Stygian uncoiled from the defensive cocoon of wings he'd suddenly retreated into, sheathing the obvious dagger that any self-respecting dragoness would have seen a mile away.

"Yes, yes, quite so," he muttered, catching his breath as he glared daggers at Anubia. "Exactly why I'm here, in fact. The queen has requested the two of you attend court this morning, see how things work around here."

"Oh, won't that be fun?" Anubia droned with a roll of her eyes.

"It should be informative, at the very least," Umbra added, shooting her beastly companion another knowing look. "Don't you want to see what's really going on too, Anubia?"

The larger dragoness rolled her eyes and snorted smoke as she shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

"Good, good, so we can get things sorted then. I assume you are to escort us?" Umbra asked, and Stygian nodded, eyeing Anubia warily as he added.

"That would be correct, yet she must at least get dressed to look the part first." Anubia did her best to shunt towards him, almost shoving Umbra aside as she lurched.

Yet the smaller of the two was just enough to hold her back, assuring as Stygian flinched away. "That sounds good, now, how about just getting dressed, Anubia?"

She looked at her companion almost pleadingly, and Anubia was pretty sure she didn't really want all of this compliance for her sake.

She just wants to be in council, to get all the information for herself, so she can use it later. She noted inwardly. I'm just there as a violent scapegoat if it all goes wrong.

The smaller dragoness wasn't so hard to read either, yet with a dry sigh and a snort of smoke, the larger dragoness agreed.

"Fine!" She huffed, marching over to retrieve her silky attire, grumbling as she did her best to slip the frustrating thing on. "But I really hate you both!"

*

If the changes that had been made to the palace halls were disgusting, then what the new master had done to the throne room was a pure insult to the legacy of ebon dragons. The towering dark walls of the cathedral-like space, once adorned in the banners of the ebon dynasty, were now replaced by the utterly hideous-looking seals of the northern arctic foxes. As were the room's tabards and tapestries, now depictions of the history of a race that had never ruled here. Anubia looked upon it all with absolute disdain as she trudged after Umbra and Stygian, her glittering dress dragging on her sharp talons as she made her way around the central dining table.

Urg, I hate this thing. She inwardly huffed, scratching at the silky fabric with a talon. _Wearing this just because some fox likes it, what a joke. _

Yet she could not deny the fact that almost every other dragoness she'd passed was also draped in the same attire, the robes greatly emphasized the gravid bellies most of them boasted, as if to flaunt their fertility.

Or his, just to show off all the work his cock has done. She noted begrudgingly. How's it not fallen off, all the fucking he's done?

Yet the biggest shock came when she finally laid eyes on the queen, seeing the lavish dress she boasted. Queen Narcissa looked more like a stunning flower than the dark gem at the heart of a cursed crown like she should. She sat upon her throne in the oddly bipedal way she often did, her hind legs folded to cushion her large belly. Anubia was sure she could see the eggs rolling under her taut scales, yet dismissed it with a flick of her head and a sharp huff.

Maybe they're kicking in there, half fox, who knows what they're gestating like? She thought snootily, diminishing the queen's reputation even more so within her mind. Like I'd ever let that happen to me... And here Umbra thinks it's sweet!

She shot a sly glance down at the smaller dragoness beside her as Stygian led the pair of them to stand in a neat line before the throne. In response, the two guards flanking the base nodded and stomped their armored paws, metal clattering on marble as their escort cleared his throat with a dry cough.

"You're darkness." He pressed a foreclaw to his chest, puffing up and ruffling his wings, causing the fur cloak he wore to shift. "I present to you Umbra and Anubia of the ninth and sixth clan respectively, all under the sway of our new master now, of course."

Queen Narcissa leaned forward, the wince that flashed across her face as she did so, assuring any onlooker that her large belly made it rather hard to act so imposing, as she often did. Even so, for once, Anubia thought it wise to take a page from Umbra's book of tricks, and kept her mouth shut.

New master or not, I suggest she might be weaker now, and she'll still kill me. She thought, eyeing the queen's bloated tummy as she almost heard eggs roll like stones. She may be slower, but what about her magic, I know her breath could turn me to crystal in an instant.

She was also very aware that their new master was nowhere to be seen. Despite his likeness being plastered all over the walls, leading her to believe he was not always glued to his queen's side.

Darkness save whoever he is with. She thought, imagining Persephone. _If he was alone with me, I'd cut him open and bleed him over my bed frame! _

Regardless of her sinister plans, she made no mention of her ambitions. All she did outwardly was shift a little as the queen raised a foretalon to her breast, rubbing her gem-laden royal brace as she inspected the pair with beady eyes. It was not how she'd imagined it, to be judged by the queen should have been an honor, her approval even more so. Now all she was doing was approving they were good enough to sleep with a fox!

It's absurd. She inwardly spat, seeing Umbra stiffen, looking significantly more presentable. Still, maybe playing along isn't all that bad of an idea right now.

Moments later, the queen leaned back a little, caressing her gravid belly with a forepaw like she was the most loving mother in the world. Oddly enough, Anubia spied Stygian twitching as the tense quiet dragged on, before with a low and commanding rumble, Narcissa spoke.

"So, the dragonesses back from trials? I'm sorry your return came at a time we were all so..." She rolled a forepaw in the air. "Predisposed."

Now that's the voice of the queen I know. Anubia noted, as Stygian stammered.

"I-I'm sure there was no issue with that, your darkness. The master requested that of you and therefore..." Her tail - coiled about the throne's base - flicked out like a deadly snake, cutting him off.

"Silence, Stygian. The master may favor you, but I'm still your queen," she hissed, before resting both forepaws on her belly and leaning forward curiously. "So, my two little dragonesses, tell me how the trials were?"

She really wants to know about that? Anubia thought, yet before she could utter a word, Umbra perked up and spoke.

"That's right, your darkness." Her voice slithered like liquid shadow, dripping with sly intent. "The trials were great, forged the two of us into perfect ebon dragonesses in the image of the old gods."

Anubia raised an eye crest as the queen looked rather intrigued. Surely the image into which they'd been built into over the past year was now outdated? After all, there'd been no training about masters and foxes in the trials. Either way, she didn't say as much, leaving the talking to Umbra as the queen ran a foreclaw down the front of her belly, letting out a small pant as the gravid weight audibly shifted.

"Well, as I'm sure you are aware by now, those old ways have changed as of late." She glanced around at the many banners dotting the chamber. "Our new master has seen that we..." She paused, rubbing her belly. "Are more fit for a better purpose."

What, as breeding stock for some pathetic race of canines, rather than ruling tyrants? Anubia wondered, the reality of how cruel their kind had once been not lost on her, not that she cared. _We were strong, what did it matter if we crushed the lesser races under our claws? _

She absolutely refused to believe the current situation was some kind of karma, the universe didn't work on morality, it worked with power, those who were strong had it, the weak, did not. Regardless, it was once again Umbra who spoke up, while Anubia sat there, twitching as her thoughts simmered.

"Oh yes, your darkness, we've seen, all praise be to our new master," the smaller dragoness chirped like some obedient hound, earning a sickened look from Anubia. "I must say, he's certainly left his mark... Not that it's a bad thing, the motherly look suits you well."

For a moment, Anubia was sure Narcissa would lash out, having her bloated weakness pointed out so casually. Yet as if Umbra could read the situation perfectly, she remained sternly confident as the queen took on a far lighter attitude.

What, don't tell me Narcissa likes being like that too? It's disgusting! Anubia thought, eyeing the queen's bump like some kind of bomb set to blow. Ick... Every dragoness around here is just becoming a sappy mess!

"Why, thank you, I do admit it's a struggle, but the feeling of them inside me is..." As if her tyrannous front slipped for a brief second, the queen almost started to gush, before catching herself as she earned an odd look from Stygian.

She cleared her throat, pressing a forepaw to her chest as she swiftly corrected. "Yes, well, I do thank you for noticing. There is a great honor in carrying the master's first royal brood."

"Oh, I'm sure there is, my queen." Umbra slathered the praise on so thick it was a wonder the queen hadn't drowned as she dropped into a bow and Anubia rolled her eyes. "I cannot wait to fulfil my role in the same way, to be filled with his heirs."

"And so you will, the pair of you," the queen assured, and at the confirmation, Anubia did all she could not to scream. A small nudge from Umbra helped to keep her in the moment, and she glanced down at the smaller dragoness scornfully.

She's not trying to get us out of this, is she? She noted bitterly, sure that if she wanted out, she'd have to fight_. Then again, I'll die doing that, surely... Is it worth it, do I really not want this, to be pampered and looked after all my life, if only to carry broods? _

She wasn't even sure any of it would work until her next heat, which could be years away now she was fully mature. Not that I'll be so eager for my next one, the males pining after me won't be dragons.

She outwardly huffed, earning a glance from Umbra and drawing the queen's sharp gaze. She dropped her eyes to the floor the moment she saw Narcissa's crimson stare, ruffling her wings sheepishly.

"Something wrong, little dragon?" she asked, and Anubia shook her head, glancing upwards.

"No, nothing at all, your darkness," she assured, before huffing as she added. "This is just all so...Sudden."

She wanted to say it was all so ridiculous, that she'd been raised her whole life to be dominating and cruel, only to submit to something far weaker than her. The more the idea lingered, the more she could almost believe her kind deserved it after all they'd done, but she shook that thought from her mind as the queen nodded.

"Very well then," she stated simply, then gestured to the raised areas on either side of her throne's steps. "Please, take a position on either side of me, you can witness some of morning court to get a feel for the new order."

The two smaller dragonesses exchanged wary glances, before with a nod and a sigh, the pair of them did as the queen instructed, flanking her like glamorously decorated guards. She peered at them both, as if to offer final approval on how they looked, before she leaned back, rubbing her gurgling belly as eggs rolled within.

"Stygian!" She called, and to her left, the smaller male perked up, furs ruffling along with his wings.

"Yes, your darkness?" he asked obediently.

"Let the morning court commence, please bring in the first order of the day," she asked, pressing her foreclaws together like obsidian daggers. "The one I should have dealt with days ago."

"Ah yes, I know the one, your darkness," he acknowledged with a devious smirk of his own before slinking off through the main doors.

What is this, what are they up to? Anubia wondered, unable to see Umbra through the throne's jagged base as she heard the clatter of chains outside the main door_. Hmm, sounds like a prisoner, maybe this won't be so boring after all?_

True to that observation, moments later, the doors to the chamber crept open once more as Stygian returned, while behind him, two guards dragged a scarred dragon bound in tight, magical chains. For a moment, Anubia didn't know whether this was a new form of punishment or just some new form of pleasure the master enjoyed, at least until the prisoner was shoved before Narcissa with enough brute force to nearly shatter his frail limbs.

"I present, Corvus. Who stands accused of crimes against the new master in the form of advances on one of his most prized possessions!" Stygian called, reading the accusation out from a long scroll, before adding. "How do you plead?"

Corvus snorted fire, rolling his eyes as he ruffled his wings and lashed his tail violently. All the while, his eyes were fixed on the queen, as his claws almost dug furrows in the smooth, marble floor.

"Neither, last time I knew, it was not an issue to accept the whims of a dragoness. Pregnant with some fox's brood or not," he spat, and the guards shifted uneasily.

So the master's most prized possessions are his dragonesses, of course? Anubia noted, rolling her eyes. What a petty, little thing he is.

Even so, she knew to say as much was folly, neglecting to do so as she read the room almost as well as Umbra did. The moment the male had spoken ill about the master; the air of anger was almost palpable.

These fools really do love that fox, don't they? She wondered, as the queen shifted forward, wobbling onto all fours as she finally spoke_. At least this should be interesting to watch._

Corvus appeared only a little apprehensive as the queen did her best to maintain a regal stride down the steps. Yet with a gravid belly on the verge of popping any day, she only managed a dignified waddle. She stopped at the base of the throne with a huff, sharp eyes level with his as her wings folded over the round bump.

"You think less of us because of what we've become?" She glanced back at the bump, then snarled. "I'd really like to know."

"All I know is that, if those were my eggs you were stuffed with, you'd be better off," he countered, and she snorted purple fire, only for him to coo charmingly. "Tell me, Queen Narcissa, all those tales of males you have turned to crystal, why not this fox? Has he tempered your rage, or are you just into furry dick?"

Anubia heard the guards shift, their armored plates rattling as they readied their spears. She could only imagine what Umbra was thinking, probably some sly thought about how she could spin this situation to her favor. Yet before any of them could do anything, however; the queen waved everyone behind her down with a wing.

"You're new here, aren't you? Some frisky, young drake who thinks he's so perfect?" she cooed as she slinked around him. "Otherwise, you'd know that those tales about me are all true."

Regardless of her belly, she moved faster than lightning, pinning him under a foreclaw, while her wings restrained his foretalons. He tried to kick up into her underside, yet she merely used her round bulk to squash him, the weight of her brood like a sack of stones on his belly.

"Heavy, aren't they? Not something you'd be able to lug around all day and be a queen!" She hissed, as she squeezed his throat.

"Maybe if they were... Pure dragons... But half fox? Haha..." He choked, coughing as she crushed his neck. "Ahh, do it... Your new master... Won't approve of you doing this... I..."

"What because it could be considered sexual?" she mused in mock surprise. "I assure you; I gain pleasure only from the fact you'll die a painful death!"

She leaned back, removing her forepaw, and in a flash, breathed a blast of purple fire onto his neck. Anubia had never seen the queen's true power before, yet the moment the flames struck Corvus's scales, there was a flash, and they solidified into crystal. He screamed, then his voice died, as if his windpipe were no longer connected to his lungs. In fact, Anubia was pretty sure he may as well have been decapitated, the sudden twitching of his body as if he'd lost his head was evidence of that.

"Summary execution, don't think I won't carry those out myself still, mother or not," she hissed, before drawing back, breathing another breath of flames to solidify his whole head in a petrified scream. "Take him to my private chamber, I'll finish molding the rest of him later."

The two guards and Stygian nodded, as if they'd seen this a million times. Meanwhile, Anubia was sure she heard Umbra stammer meekly about the queen's power. While she, on the other paw, could only peer at the queen as she shook herself off, inspecting her bump to ensure the brood was okay. Then she rounded on the two of them and stated.

"To ensure a better future, we exist together now, the master and I." She nodded to the half crystal body as it was dragged away. "Anyone who tries to disrupt that, will feel my wrath, I am still queen."

Maybe she is. Anubia thought, a devilish idea swelling in her mind. But only as long as the master approves, what if he ever gained a new favorite?