Anaconda and Cypress were not like most Mudwing parents- in the sense that, unlike most Mudwings, they actually cared about their dragonets. They were caring dragons. They had a good home in the Mudwing Kingdom, and visited their friends and Cypress's family often.

One of the best things about his home, Anaconda thought, was that no one from HIS family knew where they were. Or, so he'd thought.

But judging by the letter on official Mudwing Palace stationary that he'd gotten that morning, he'd been wrong. The letter was from Queen Moorhen himself, to his surprise. It had been years since he'd renounced his title as prince and left the royalty of the kingdom behind in exchange for a better, happier life with Cypress. He didn't think Mora, Fen, and Fawn even knew they were technically royalty. 

He hadn't even informed Moorhen of their existence, now that he thought about it. After years of listening to Wade's threats about how he could never have a dragonet with someone without some sort of approval, he had thought it would be better to not inform them of his dragonets. Especially Mora and Fawn. Moorhen had sisters and daughters- plenty of heirs to the throne. Anaconda didn't want his daughter to have to worry about someone threatening them to improve their own odds of becoming queen.

All of this is what made Moorhen's letter so strange. She wanted him to come to the Mudwing Palace, and to bring his family with him. She had mentioned his dragonets by name. How did she even know about them? The logical reason, he supposed was that Shore, Haze, or another one of their friends in royalty had spilt the knowledge, not realizing that it was secret. Maybe even someone at JMA had told. 

The only question now was whether or not he should go. Go back to the Palace and risk seeing Wade again. It was only one visit, but still....

Anaconda sighed. This was the type of thing he normally asked Cypress for advice on. But as he glanced outside, where Cypress was sitting silently, letting the warm wind sweep past her, he couldn't bring himself to disturb her.

It had been weeks now since Willow's death, but Cypress would still sit outside in the wind for hours a day. She didn't say anything during that time. Just shut her eyes and sat. It was her own way of mourning, he supposed, and he wondered if any of her brothers did the same.

He couldn't imagine what it felt like. Mudwing or not, he wasn't close to his siblings. He didn't think he would mourn for any of them, except maybe Rudda, but even then, not like this. But Willow had been Cypress's only sister, and they'd been best friends. How were you supposed to move on from a loss like that?

Somehow, Cypress was finding a way. Between the times she sat outside, she was fine. Still talked and joked with their dragonets. Her smiles faded a little faster, and her eyes weren't as bright, but he seemed to be the only one who noticed that.

Maybe a trip would be a good distraction for her. 

OR maybe he'd be dragging his family into the endless hell that was his family.

Oh well. Fifty Fifty chance.

*******

Moorhen had asked them to meet her in the Throne room, so that's exactly where Anaconda led his family, wanting to avoid as many dragons as possible on his way there. 

He had a feeling not many of them had forgotten the speech he'd given last time he was there.

Mora and Fawn kept up with him easily, gaping at everything. They'd never been to the palace before, nor had they met anyone on Anaconda's side of the family. It was an exciting day for them, he imagined.

Fen, being the more wild of the three dragonets, was kept under Cypress's watchful eye, especially since he didn't care about royalty and just wanted to run off and explore. Anaconda couldn't blame him. When he was little, he'd used to love running through the halls of the palace. As a prince, he'd gotten that privilege. 

Moorhen was waiting for them when they entered the Throne Room, two guards on either side of her chair. But the old queen only smiled at them as they entered.

"Do we bow?" Cypress whispered to Anaconda in awe. "I feel like I should be bowing,"

"No need," Anaconda grinned. "We're family here. Moorhen's not big on bowing, anyways."

"You know, Connie, I'm starting to think I should've asked you to let me meet her years ago."

"If you meet the rest of my family, you'll understand why I never invited you here," He insisted.

"Anaconda," Moorhen said brightly. "It's been too long. And this must be your family." She got off the throne and walked over, stopping before Fawn's awed face. "What's your name, little one?"

"FAWN!" She shouted, not exactly used to having an indoor voice. She pointed towards her siblings. "And that's Fen, he's my twin, and Mora- she's kinda like our bigwings. You're a bigwings. I know that. I heard about you in a history scroll! You've been Queen since before the Great Sandwing War!"

"Indeed I have," Moorhen agreed. "In fact, I've been Queen for nearly a hundred years."

"WOW. You're OLD," Fen piped up. Cypress cringed, but Moorhen only laughed.

"Yes, I am. That's actually why I asked you to come here." Anaconda raised an eyebrow in confusion and Moorhen turned to him.

"I'm aware that my term as Queen is coming to an end soon," She explained. "And instead of some death match, or worse, another war, being started over who gets to take my place on the throne, I've decided to choose which heir I want to reign after me. In order to make a fair decision, after all, I have to meet all of my heirs," She gestured to Mora and Fawn's wide eyed faces. "And decide who's best for the job."

"We might get to be Queen?" Mora whispered.

"THAT WAS AN OPTION?!!?" Fawn screeched.

"Well, hopefully it won't be for a number of years, so you'll have plenty of time to learn the job," Moorhen went on. "But yes, potentially, one of you two could be the next Mudwing Queen." They stared at the Queen, and Anaconda wasn't quite sure who the most shocked. He'd never considered the idea that his dragonets would WANT to be involved in royalty, but judging by the looks on Mora and Fawn's faces, they definitely wanted in.

"If you're interested, that is," Moorhen added. Cypress frowned.

"Me, yes, Hi, definitely interested," Fawn declared. 

"Uhhhhh," Mora made a face. "That kinda sounds like an important job, so I assume there's a whole bunch of catches, I would prefer to be aware of first." She supposed that was the polite way of saying what she was thinking.

Except that she didn't really care about the catches. All she could think about was Pax. 

Pax, the sweet rainforest hybrid prince that she had a MASSIVE crush on, and he damn well knew it too. Pax, who had said she made him happy. 

Pax, who was a little bit of many different tribes, but not even remotely related to any Mudwings. The rainforest may have accepted hybrid relationships in royalty with open arms, the Sandwings and Skywings close behind, but the Mudwings, she imagined, were a bit more reluctant in that aspect. 

Plus, it wasn't like she WANTED to be Queen. She thought it would be interesting, sure, and exciting to be in league with Queen Joy and Queen Thorn, but if that meant giving up a chance she had with Pax...

A chance, she repeated to herself. It was only a chance. They were still young, and she might grow to hate him in a few years. She seriously doubted it considering the way that her heart jumped at the mere thought of him, or how Pax had said that his whole family kept ranting about how they were made for each other, but who knew.

Mora didn't even know how many other heirs Moorhen had. She knew that she and Fawn were definitely not first in line. She glanced at her little sister, who was hanging on Moorhen's every word like the Queen was coated in gold.

Fawn wanted it more, she realized. Fawn was young enough to be molded into a Queen as great as Moorhen was. Mora might only cause trouble, but Fawn....

"Well?" Moorhen stopped talking abruptly, and Mora zoned back in. "Are you two in?"

"YES." Fawn confirmed. Mora smiled gratefully, but shook her head.

"I think I'll pass, thanks," She said to the Queen, ignoring Fawn's gaping stare of shock. "I'd rather stick to being a normal civilian."

"Can't say I blame you for that." Moorhen grinned.

So Mora gave up her chance to be Queen and handed it over to Fawn. She wasn't quite sure if she gave it up solely for Pax, or just for herself, but she didn't really care. She had a chance with Pax, and a chance was a chance, right? 

And frankly, Mora liked her odds.