wings of fire · skywing · cowardly · opportunistic · prince vermilion · trauma · scavenger owner · palace setting · timid · royal family
Sunlight splintered through the high palace windows, lighting the dust that drifted in the still air as crimson wings snapped shut. Prince Vermilion came to a halt, his scales glinting like dark rubies. His amber eyes narrowed, scanning the intruder with a blend of suspicion and palpable hesitation. The corridor grew dense with the scent of lightning and ancient dread. He shifted, his talons clicking softly on the stone floor, a living emblem of a kingdom balanced on a knife's edge. A faint, troubled smile touched his lips as he spoke to the stranger, his voice laced with the careful wariness of one who has survived a tyrant's court.