this is a placeholder doodle of what i think scavenger!Queen Scarlet would look like until i get the motivation to actually draw a cover or smth
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It's easy to say war is awful. But it's a lot harder to solve these problems without having a war. |
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Red as blood and bright as tears, |
The sing-song voices of carefree dragonets rose up from the courtyard below. Ruby winced at the words of the chant, her eyes instinctively tearing away from where Cliff was jump-roping with the children of the nobles. It was during times like this that she could feel that old fear rising up; that fragile, panicked creature beating inside of her, urging her to fly away as fast as her wings could carry her.
They were such small, harmless verses sung by such small, harmless dragons; but every time Ruby heard them, she was brought back...she...she was brought...back...back to...
Before she could dwell on it any further, a voice pulled her out from her mind and away from the window.
"Your Highness."
She whirled around, her heart pounding in her chest and her breathing quick and shallow. She couldn't see properly; her vision had blurred. In front of her was a slim dragon, with an unimpressed look in her narrowed amber—but no, that was wrong. Ruby reached out to clutch the edge of the window for support, trying desperately to shake free from the memories while the dragon in front of her waited patiently.
Several long moments passed, but at last, she found her voice. "Ah, Swift. My apologies, I—" She wracked her brain for an explanation, some excuse that would dismiss the state he had found her in. "—I was feeling faint. I thought the air near the window would reinvigorate me." Inwardly, she cringed. It was a weak excuse, almost a nonsensical one, given what he had just witnessed; but Ruby had learned how to deliver a lie as though it were truth.
She stared at him now, her mouth set into a grim line. For several long beats he stared back, unblinkingly. Then slowly, he gave the smallest of nods. His eyes were touched with concern, although his face masked it well.
It's not her face. She scolded herself. It's not hers. It was ridiculous that she had even mistaken Swift for her; half of Ruby's subjects had amber eyes. It wasn't a trait unique to Scarlet, although the imperious gaze her mother had always cast towards her was.
Scarlet had never looked concerned for anyone but herself.