00:00My cousin. She carried another dragon egg. I kept my eyes closed, breathed steady,
00:06let her think I was sleeping. Cinder stopped beside the cradle. Then she lifted my golden
00:11shelled egg and replaced it with her own dull, cracked one. Behind her, ash stood in rags,
00:17bruises everywhere, scalp bleeding where hair had been torn out. No dragon spark in her eyes,
00:23just fear. My daughter. Born from the egg, Cinder had stolen from me.
00:28The dragons gather. The weavers watched from the heavens.
00:31Serafina descended in a gown of woven starlight. The crowd gasped at her beauty, her power,
00:37her perfection. Cinder stumbled through the crowd, clutching a bloodstone.
00:41Ash trailed behind her on an iron chain, crawling across the marble like an animal.
00:46Stop the trial! It's all a lie! Serafinas is my daughter! Swapped the eggs a century ago!
00:54Very well, let's swap them back.
00:55Cinder froze. She'd prepared speeches, arguments, threats. None needed. Kale's face darkened.
01:03Ash is my daughter. I watched the eggs get swapped.
01:06Ash's eyes went wide. She crawled toward me, mouth opening, trying to say,
01:11Mother! Through her ruined taan. I watched my cousin steal my dragon egg.
01:18And I let her. For 100 years, she tortured my real daughter.
01:28While I raised hers as the future dragon queen.
01:34Then, at the air ascension trial, my cousin exposed the truth.
01:39Stop the trial!
01:41She thought she had won.
01:43She thought she was about to take back her daughter and steal my future.
01:49Because I had been waiting 100 years for this exact moment.
01:54Moonlight spilled across the crystal cradle beside my bed.
01:58Inside rested a golden dragon egg.
02:00My heir.
02:01The future of the dragon empire.
02:03Then the door opened.
02:05My cousin.
02:07She carried another dragon egg.
02:10I kept my eyes closed.
02:12Breathed steady.
02:14Let her think I was sleeping.
02:16Cinder stopped beside the cradle.
02:18Tears filled her eyes.
02:19It should have been me.
02:21Kale should have chosen me.
02:23Then she lifted my golden shelled egg.
02:25And replaced it with her own dull, cracked one.
02:28My nails dug into my palms.
02:30Cinder left with my egg.
02:31The door closed behind her.
02:33I opened my eyes.
02:35A stranger egg sat in my cradle.
02:37I stared at it.
02:38I could have stopped her.
02:40But I didn't.
02:42Tired opposite.
02:44Who holds us another labyrinth and chaste?
02:50Elyria!
02:51You're working Seraphina too hard!
02:54Poor thing.
02:55Are you hungry?
02:57Tired?
02:58You don't deserve this.
03:01I've got a flame gem that can help you get through the dragon trial.
03:04I'll send it to you tomorrow.
03:06This was her ritual.
03:08Ever since the swap, Cinder found every excuse to be near her daughter.
03:13Criticizing my parenting.
03:15Offering gifts.
03:16Stealing moments with the girl she'd stolen from my arms.
03:20I said nothing.
03:22Behind her, ash stood in rags.
03:25Bruises everywhere.
03:26Scalp bleeding where hair had been torn out.
03:29No dragon spark in her eyes.
03:31Just fear.
03:31My daughter.
03:33Born from the egg, Cinder had stolen from me.
03:36Cinder turned, grabbed ash by the hair, and dragged her forward.
03:43Look at Seraphana!
03:45Look at what you can never be!
03:47Ash whimpered.
03:48Cinder pulled harder.
03:50A clump of bloody hair came free.
03:54Teach you what happens when you forget your place.
03:58She held the bloody hair in front of my face.
04:01See, Aurelia?
04:02This is how you train trash.
04:09You're too kind.
04:11Cinder's smile faltered.
04:13She wanted me to care.
04:15Because the girl in chains?
04:17She was never my daughter.
04:19Not really.
04:20Seraphina loved firefish.
04:22And Cinder spent dinner deboning it for her.
04:25Never eating as her full attention stayed on the daughter she believed was hers.
04:30Ash sat chained to the table leg.
04:32Iron collar, rusty and tight, digging into her neck.
04:37Mother, may I have bread?
04:41Cinder's face transformed into something demonic.
04:44She seized Ash's head and shoved it into the slop bucket leftovers.
04:48Bones.
04:49Grease.
04:52Eat!
04:54Eat, you ungrateful worm!
04:56Ash's face emerged covered in filth.
04:59Tears cut through the grime.
05:00She looked at me, pleading.
05:02Begging for the mother who had never once defended her.
05:05I lifted my wine glass.
05:07I took a sip.
05:08Didn't move.
05:10Seraphina turned pale.
05:12Cinder noticed immediately.
05:13What's wrong, dear?
05:14You look pale.
05:16She hauled Ash away by the collar.
05:27The next morning, Cinder brought the flame gem as promised.
05:32Last night, I sent three mails to teach the little brat some manners.
05:37She watched my face for a reaction.
05:39She's just an Ashbourne.
05:41What matters is Seraphina.
05:42Right, cousin?
05:43I gave her none.
05:45Cale, my husband, shot me a look of disappointment.
05:48He'd always behave the honorable type.
05:52Cinder pressed the flame gem into Seraphina's hands.
05:58This will protect you through the Ascension trial.
06:01Then leaned down to Seraphina's ear.
06:04On the day you win, I'll tell you a great secret.
06:09I closed the door behind them, masking the cold fire in my eyes.
06:16Yes, some secrets are overdue.
06:19Seraphina's clothes gradually disappeared, and her body was enveloped by an orb of light.
06:25Then the orb of light shattered into fragments, and her body transformed into a dragon.
06:33Cinder watched, mesmerized.
06:36Then her gaze snapped to the tail.
06:38She's missing a scale!
06:40How could you miss this?
06:42What kind of mother are you?
06:44Your daughter's nearly bald from lesson lets, but Seraphina loses one scale, and you're screaming?
06:51Cinder trembled with rage.
06:53Then her lips twisted into something venomous.
06:56She activated her communication crystal.
06:58Scar the little one's face.
07:02Your eminency lost a scale.
07:04She must have cursed her.
07:08From the crystal, screams.
07:13Please, I beg you.
07:15I'll be good!
07:18Cinder closed her eyes in bliss.
07:24Seraphina frowned.
07:26Aunty, I knocked the scale off myself.
07:28It doesn't affect my power.
07:31Every scale matters.
07:33Auroria, you must infuse her again with Heartflame!
07:36I stared until Cinder squirmed.
07:38I'm sure Seraphina appreciates your concern.
07:42You should worry about your own daughter, not mine.
07:45I said it flatly, then turned and walked away.
07:49I heard Cinder whisper,
07:51When you're the Ascended Queen, I'll tell you everything.
07:58I smiled.
08:00She'd tell Seraphina nothing.
08:02Because I would tell everyone first.
08:05And the great secret she planned to reveal?
08:08The Ascension trial was three days away.
08:10I had waited 100 years.
08:12I could wait three more days.
08:25The dragons gather.
08:27The weavers watched from the heavens.
08:30Seraphina descended in a gown of woven starlight.
08:33The crowd gasped at her beauty, her power, her perfection.
08:38Elders raised his staff.
08:44By blood and fire, we name the-
08:47Wait!
08:49Cinder stumbled through the crowd, clutching a bloodstone.
08:52Ash trailed behind her on an iron chain, collarbone bleeding, crawling across the marble like an animal.
08:59Stop the trial!
09:01Stop the trial!
09:01It's all a lie!
09:04Seraphina's is my daughter!
09:05Swapped the eggs a century ago!
09:08Elaria, give me back my baby!
09:15Cinder fell to her knees, grasping my skirt.
09:19Elaria, take your Ashbourne back!
09:22Seraphina is my daughter!
09:24The crowd erupted.
09:27Seraphina's an ember-class dragon!
09:29You're a wisen!
09:30How could you birth an ember-class-
09:32The Ashbourne's been ruined!
09:33You want to swap now?
09:34The Ashbourne does look more like Elaria.
09:37The Ashbourne does look more like-
09:39Ash glanced at me, looked away.
09:42Kale rose from his throne.
09:44This is absurd.
09:46My wife would never-
09:47I raised my hand.
09:48Silence fell.
09:50Then I smiled.
09:51Very well, let's swap them back.
09:54Cinder froze.
09:55She'd prepared speeches, arguments, threats.
09:58None needed.
09:59Kale's face darkened.
10:01He rushed to me.
10:03You can't this alone!
10:05We've invested everything in Seraphina!
10:07I looked at the crowd.
10:09At Ash.
10:10Ash is my daughter.
10:14I watched the eggs get swapped.
10:16Ash's eyes went wide.
10:18She crawled toward me, mouth opening, trying to say,
10:21mother through her ruined taan.
10:26His eyes were red with fury.
10:34Why, Elaria?
10:36Why?
10:38Why?
10:48The dragons gather.
10:51The weavers watched from the heavens.
10:54Seraphina descended in a gown of woven starlight.
10:57The crowd gasped at her beauty, her power, her perfection.
11:02Elders raised his staff.
11:08By blood and fire, we name the-
11:11Wait!
11:12Cinder stumbled through the crowd, clutching a bloodstone.
11:16Ash trailed behind her on an iron chain, collarbone bleeding, crawling across the marble
11:21like an animal.
11:23Stop the trial!
11:25Stop the trial!
11:25It's all a lie!
11:28Seraphina's is my daughter!
11:29Swapped the eggs a century ago!
11:32Elaria, give me back my baby!
11:39Cinder fell to her knees, grasping my skirt.
11:42Elaria, take your Ashbourne back!
11:45Seraphina is my daughter!
11:48The crowd erupted.
11:51Seraphina's an ember-class dragon!
11:53You're a wizened!
11:54How could you birth an ember-class-
11:56The Ashbourne's been ruined!
11:57You want to swap now?
11:58The Ashbourne does look more like Elaria.
12:01The Ashbourne does look more like-
12:03Ash glanced at me, looked away.
12:06Kale rose from his throne.
12:08This is absurd.
12:10My wife would never-
12:11I raised my hand.
12:12Silence fell.
12:13Then I smiled.
12:15Very well, let's swap them back.
12:17Cinder froze.
12:18She'd prepared speeches, arguments, threats.
12:22None needed.
12:23Kale's face darkened.
12:25He rushed to me.
12:27You can't this alone!
12:29We've invested everything in Seraphina!
12:31I looked at the crowd.
12:33At Ash.
12:34Ash is my daughter.
12:38I watched the eggs get swapped.
12:40Ash's eyes went wide.
12:42She crawled toward me, mouth opening,
12:44trying to say,
12:45Mother, through her ruined taan.
12:49His eyes were red with fury.
12:58Why, Elaria?
13:00Why?!
13:01Why?!
13:02D
Comments