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Revision as of 16:31, 19 September 2019
- "He was obviously a lost cause. Kept making this hero face to me, like I'm the bad guy and he's coming to right all wrongs. Excuse me, who got attacked by her own artwork and then kidnapped by her ally and then blackmailed by her champion mid-rescue while meanwhile her own daughter was stealing her throne? Who's the one with the hideous face maiming? Whose throne is currently OCCUPIED by a PRETENDER who can NEVER have beaten me in a challenge before? WHO had her whole life RUINED and demolished and shattered by those STUPID HORRIBLE DRAGONETS?" "ME, THAT'S WHO! I'm the victim here! Someone should be all heroically trying to help ME right all wrongs! Where's my rotten cavalry of loyal idiots?"
- — Scarlet to Chameleon, Escaping Peril
Template:Charbox Ex-Queen Scarlet was an adult female SkyWing who was introduced in The Dragonet Prophecy and later returned as a main antagonist in Escaping Peril. Despite being challenged fourteen times for the throne, she reigned as queen for approximately twenty-nine years until she was killed by Tourmaline in a royal challenge. As well as notorious for her dangerous, cruel, and maniacal nature, Scarlet was infamous for hosting gladiatorial battles to the death in her arena and ordering Peril to burn seven out of eight SkyWing eggs on the brightest night.
Appearance
Scarlet has dark orange scales[1] and enormous red-orange wings, as well as fierce, cruel, unfriendly, yellow eyes. She is described as being smaller than Kestrel, but slightly bigger than Clay,[2] and deceptively strong in combat. Her voice was described as deeper and more slithery than Princess Icicle's. A row of tiny rubies were embedded between the scales over both of her eyes, and more embedded rubies edged the top of her wings.[2] She was said to be very beautiful, majestic and grand before her face was partially melted by Queen Glory's venom in The Dragonet Prophecy. In Tui's annotation of the first book online, she said Scarlet's size wasn't because she was younger, but because she was naturally small in height.
After the events of The Dragonet Prophecy, part of the right side of her face was revealed to have been melted by Glory's venom. Her face was described in The Brightest Night as "melted into a hideous dark mess," with part of her jawbone exposed. But this is not shown on the back of Escaping Peril She was also noted to have lost the chain mail and other jewelry, the rubies embedded above her one good eye the only decorations remaining. In Escaping Peril the dragonets in the wingery described her face as melty-ish and terrifying, suggest that she should become queen of the NightWings, and even go as far as saying that she probably couldn't stand to look in mirrors anymore. Scarlet has a scar on her tail after Tsunami stabbed her with a scavenger sword. Peril also described Scarlet's eyes as being uglier than Prince Cliff's eyes.
Personality
Scarlet was a violent, maniacal dragon. She was never afraid of conflict, which she demonstrated through her brutal arena, where she would make use of Peril's deadly ability (firescales). She was a harsh and cold, yet very cunning, ruler. She was someone who was not easily defeated or outsmarted. She also believed that using fear would make her subjects carry out her orders unquestioned and unconcerned. She loves violence and bloodshed, and constantly uses the word "thrilling" in her sentences, annoying some dragons. She is also noted to be sarcastic, melodramatic and sadistic.
Scarlet also showed psychopathic traits, as shown when she ruthlessly killed and lived for blood, showing no compassion whatsoever.
She also used other dragons' ignorance to her advantage, such as when she lied to Peril about the black rocks, poisoned her food, and didn't tell her that Soar was her father. She also liked showing off her wealth, like most dragons would, and wore gold chain mail studded with rubies and amber drops. She also encrusted her eyebrows, scales, and wings with gems. Her riches were also displayed in her palace, including veins of solid gold that ran throughout the structure. She finds gore and death to be very "thrilling". This tendency also proved to be her worst weakness, when Clay was in the arena reluctantly fighting Peril, the "excitement" distracted her long enough for Glory to attack her with her RainWing venom. She became even more bitter and vicious after being attacked by Glory and imprisoned by Princess Burn, seeing those two as the source of her problems, making her a very vengeful character. She even believes she is the good guy, and that her plots of revenge are justified. Although, she was shown to be at least a little bit self-conscious of her disfigured and awful-looking face, as she tended to get snappy when it was brought up.
Scarlet fiercely believed she was the rightful queen of the SkyWings, and swore vengeance when her daughter Ruby took the throne. She hated anyone competing with her and seems to have no remorse for the many dragons she has killed. She also mentions that the War of SandWing Succession gives her more prisoners and less challengers, which means that she is clever on how to hold her position of authority.
Biography
Pre-Series
Queen Scarlet was one of the longest-lived SkyWing queens, surviving fourteen challenges to the throne. She was also one of the most beautiful and powerful queens in all of Pyrrhia. No one had even tried to challenge her in almost nine years prior to The Dragonet Prophecy. This was mostly due to Peril because everyone was afraid of her. In The Dragonet Prophecy, it was said that she used the arena to intimidate her challengers. Scarlet was also one of the richest queens, with her throne room almost completely plated with gold and other precious minerals. She decided to ally with Burn, perhaps because Burn offered her something in return, like the river that SkyWings and SandWings always fight over, and the MudWings in the great war and began to use the war to entertain herself. Scarlet would place prisoners against each other in the SkyWing Arena, claiming that if they won enough fights, they would go free, using Peril as her champion. It also mentions that no one had ever gone free before, because they died fighting Peril, the fireborn SkyWing.
Kestrel having to abandon Peril
About eight years before, Kestrel, one of her most loyal soldiers, entered the breeding program and yielded one large egg with twin dragonets. Because one of the dragonets was born with too much fire, and the other too little, Scarlet ordered Kestrel to kill the dragonets and stay out of the program for the rest of her life (a SkyWing tradition). Despite this, Kestrel tried to flee with them, prompting Scarlet to change the order: if Kestrel killed one of the dragonets, she would be allowed to go free with the other. Kestrel killed the one with too little fire, her son, with her own claws, an act that haunted her for the rest of her life. Scarlet, however, revealed she had lied, her excuse is because she was the queen, and ordered her guards to take Kestrel back for trial and kill the other dragonet. Kestrel tried to flee with the dragonet with too much fire, Peril, but was burned upon contact with Peril's firescales, leaving burn scars. She was forced to flee alone, leaving her only daughter with Scarlet. For years, Kestrel feared that the hatchling had been killed by the deadly Queen Scarlet.
Queen Scarlet named the dragonet Peril, and, due to her invulnerability and blazing hot claws that were shown to be able to melt through metal, she trained Peril as a killer and to be the champion of the SkyWings' arena. She made Peril burn most of the eggs that would be due to hatch on the brightest night. To ensure Peril's complete and utmost loyalty, she told her that Peril had killed her twin by burning him before they hatched and her mother attempted to kill her, but was thwarted by the SkyWing queen. Scarlet also told Peril she needed to eat black rocks to survive, which was a lie. When Peril got mad at Scarlet for not telling anything about her real mother and refused to eat her black rocks, the Scarlet poisoned her real food without telling her what she had done to make Peril more loyal and easily controlled.
The Dragonet Prophecy
Six years later, a scavenger stole treasure from Scarlet and fled. This led her to stumble across Clay and Tsunami, who had been escaping from their cave home in the mountain with the Talons of Peace. After finding the duo, Scarlet promptly eats the scavenger, before spitting it out, claiming it tasted like fish. She told them to come with her after Clay tried to explain what they had been doing in the SkyWing territory for six years. She thought they had been stealing the jewels from her. To escape, Tsunami impaled her tail into the ground with the scavenger's sword, infuriating her. This led to her following their smoke signal.
Scarlet finding the cave of the Dragonets of Destiny
She captured the Dragonets of Destiny and Kestrel, killing Dune while Webs managed to escape through the river hole that Clay and Tsunami had used earlier to get out of the cave.
Scarlet locked Sunny in a cage hanging above her hall, imprisoned Kestrel, used Glory as living "artwork," which Glory actually seemed to enjoy, and put Clay, Tsunami, and Starflight into the SkyWing arena to fight to their deaths. She wanted to pit Starflight against Tsunami first, but Clay talked Scarlet out of it by denouncing her as "just another SeaWing", which offended Tsunami greatly. Scarlet then pitted Clay against Fjord (an IceWing). When Fjord was about to kill Clay, Tsunami distracted everyone by launching herself off of her pedestal in an attempt to save Clay, tugging all the other prisoners with her along the wire connecting them. While everyone, including Fjord, was looking at the commotion, an unknown black substance (now known to be Glory's venom) splashed onto Fjord's face and eyes and almost immediately killed him. Scarlet assumed Clay had killed him and declared him the winner. She held a dramatic trial the following day where Kestrel was sentenced to death, Osprey was killed, and Peril learned who her mother truly was.
After Burn arrived, she imprisoned the three dragonets in Peril's room for causing the prisoners to sing The Dragonets are Coming. After Peril helped them escape, she betrayed them by telling the queen where they were, to keep Clay with her in the Sky Kingdom. The next day, which was Scarlet's hatching day, Tsunami was pitted against an insane, water-deprived SeaWing named Gill, later revealed to be her own father. Furthermore, Starflight and Tsunami had to fight against scavengers, after they refused to fight each other. They defeated two of the scavengers before Queen Scarlet decided to pit Starflight against a group of IceWings, a tribe that loathed NightWings. Before she could do so, Morrowseer came to Starflight's rescue and the NightWings proceeded to slaughter all the IceWing captives. This offended and angered Scarlet to a huge degree.
Burn using Scarlet as a meat shield against Glory's venom
Queen Scarlet then pitted Peril against Clay, knowing Peril was using the Champion's Shield in an attempt to save her mother, Kestrel, from death, and that clay could not be harmed by her firescales. During the battle, Scarlet told Clay to use his venom, not knowing that it was Glory who possessed that ability. Ironically, upon asking him to do so, Glory reared up, easily broke her chain, and spat a stream of venom at Burn, who pushed Scarlet in front of her. As the venom took effect, Scarlet screamed in pain. She was then presumed to have been killed during the chaos, with her daughter, Ruby, succeeding her.
The Lost Heir
Scarlet did not formally appear. However, two SeaWing soldiers claimed that they had seen a group of SkyWings arguing while on patrol, some of them claiming that Scarlet was still alive and was the rightful SkyWing queen, while others were shouting, "For Ruby!" At this point, the tribe was split into these two groups, none knowing for certain what had happened to Queen Scarlet. It isn't revealed until the next book that Scarlet was, in fact, alive and in hiding.
The Hidden Kingdom
Scarlet used a magical artifact created by an animus dragon, called a dreamvisitor, to talk to Glory via her dreams. It is said that her face has become a "smeared mess". When Glory asks where she is, Scarlet says that she will tell her if the RainWing promised to free her. Glory refused to do so, and this caused the former queen to become angry because she believed Glory owed her for damaging her formerly good looks with her RainWing venom. She also says that she knows where the dragonets are. It is likely she was bluffing, as she never attacked them.
The Dark Secret
Scarlet does not formally appear, but she is mentioned by Burn to another dragon (her brother, Smolder), who has kidnapped her and is holding her prisoner in her stronghold because she "is in no condition to fight Ruby for the throne". However, it is believed that Burn has been lying and wants to stuff her, which wouldn't be such a big surprise.
The Brightest Night
Ex-Queen Scarlet was found by Sunny in Burn's stronghold as Smolder led her past, revealing Burn and her forces had taken her away after Glory attacked her. She tried terrifying Sunny at night, but a scavenger named Flower (a pet of Smolder's) made her feel better. Scarlet was held in Burn's weirdling collection and destroyed as much of it as she could in her frustration. She destroyed a stuffed NightWing, which Smolder mentions would make Burn furious. She later escaped with assistance from Peril during an Outclaw siege on Burn's stronghold. Sunny could see Scarlet and Peril's wings flying off, away from the fight. Before her rescue, she appeared in Peril's dreams. After the attack, she vanished again.
Moon Rising
Over the course of Moon Rising, Ex-Queen Scarlet used a dreamvisitor to appear in the dreams of Princess Icicle, a student at the Jade Mountain Academy and an heiress to the IceWing throne. Peril was also thought to be Scarlet by Starflight. It was revealed that Scarlet was keeping Icicle and Winter's brother, Hailstorm prisoner. Scarlet made a bargain with Icicle, telling her that if she killed the Dragonets of Destiny she would release her brother. At the end of the book, after failing to kill Starflight, Icicle presumably fled to the Rainforest Kingdom to assassinate Queen Glory.
In the epilogue, Ex-Queen Scarlet is seen at her hideout with Chameleon (In his NightWing form) trying to get information on Icicle's assassination attempt with the dreamvisitor. She dreamvisits Peril and discovers that Icicle did not succeed in killing the dragonets, and becomes frustrated. Scarlet then contemplates killing the dragonets herself, perhaps from a distance. Now annoyed, she shouts at Chameleon for making a tapping noise with a object and asks him to show her what it is. The object, is of course, Darkstalker's Scroll.
Winter Turning
Scarlet is first seen in the seventh Wings Of Fire book in the prologue. After Hailstorm was captured by a group of SkyWing soldiers, he is brought to Queen Scarlet. She puts a necklace around his neck and everything goes black. This is presumably how he became Pyrite.
Scarlet is then mentioned when Icicle fails to kill the Dragonets of Destiny. After Icicle escaped Jade Mountain and was hiding out at the Volcano where the Night Kingdom was, Icicle refuses to sleep because she knows if she does Scarlet will dreamvisit her and she will lose the deal she had with Scarlet to get Hailstorm back. Whenever she got tired, she let the small rivers of lava wake her with the burning pains. She was put to sleep by RainWing sleeping darts and taken back to the Rain Kingdom.
Afterwards she is seen dreamvisiting Winter when he and the rest of the winglet go and try to find her secret base. She tells him that she knows he isn't really going to kill Glory and threatens to kill his brother in agonizingly painful ways as punishment. In a desperate attempt to get away from Scarlet, Winter rips off his pouch carrying the skyfire to yell for help in his mind for Moonwatcher, and Scarlet disappears along with the dream when Moon shakes him awake.
She is later heard yelling at Chameleon, in the form of Shapeshifter, who offers to go grab Pyrite so Scarlet can kill the one who was inside the SkyWing mask, which was Winter's brother, Hailstorm.
Escaping Peril
Scarlet is first seen in the prologue of Escaping Peril. She orders Ruby, Vermillion, Hawk, a unknown dragon nicknamed "Kidney breath" (possibly Osprey) and more unknown SkyWings of importance into her throne room. There, she reveals to the dragons that she has secretly kept the dragonet with too much fire, now named Peril, alive in hope of creating her into a weapon. Scarlet then demonstrates Peril's power by making her burn all but one of the surviving eggs set to hatch on the Brightest Night. This act scares all of the dragons, and makes them realize and fear how powerful Scarlet has become as she has made the most dangerous creature imaginable: Peril.
At the beginning of the book, Queen Ruby visits Jade Mountain to collect the body of Carnelian and negotiate about the arresting of Sora and Umber with Clay. While there, Scarlet is spotted flying towards the group by a SkyWing guard. Ruby sees too, and speaks Scarlet's name which causes Peril, who was eavesdropping on the scene with Turtle, have a flashback to when she last saw the great Ex-Queen. The flashback is set the night after Peril rescues Scarlet from Burn's Stronghold and they are hiding in the wastelands that make up the border of the Ice Kingdom and the Kingdom of Sand. Scarlet wants Peril to kill Ruby for her, but Peril refuses saying that she wasn't a dragon killing dragon anymore and that Clay says that she could be whoever she wants to be. Scarlet gets mad at Peril mentioning Clay, and says that she will not be happy if Peril doesn't kill Ruby. Peril tells Scarlet that she will not kill the SkyWing Queen, and that that is her final answer. The next morning, Scarlet ditches Peril and disappears.
When Peril comes back to her senses, she sees Ruby and her guards getting ready to attack Scarlet. Peril flees her hiding spot and flies outside of the Academy to go and protect Clay from harm. Before she reaches Scarlet though, the old Queen stops, screams at the SkyWings saying how they are all traitors and disloyal to their tribe, and hurls an object at the group before fleeing back to where she came from. The object Scarlet throws ends up being Queen Glory's severed head. While the guards and Tsunami chase after her, Turtle discovers that it wasn't actually Glory, and was enchanted to make a MudWing's head look like hers. Ever since the incident, Peril decides that it is her responsibility to go find her old guardian and kill her for the safety of Clay and everybody else Scarlet intends on harming. Turtle decides to join her on the search for the old Queen.
After accidentally harming Winter in Possibility and fleeing from Qibli, Moon, and Turtle, Peril runs into her long lost father, Chameleon. Chameleon (In his SkyWing shape Soar) introduces himself and takes Peril to Scarlet. Peril is surprised to the Ex-Queen is there and realizes that Chameleon betrayed her. Scarlet realizes that Chameleon didn't tell her about his shape shifting and she says to him "So you still haven't told her. I love it." Scarlet then leaps on Chameleon making Peril think that Scarlet is trying to kill her father. She almost tries to go and help him, but is stopped by the curiosity of wanting to know what her father didn't tell her about. But Scarlet was not attacking Chameleon, but instead trying to rip off his pouch containing his different dragon shapes. Chameleon transforms into his old, lime green RainWing self. Scarlet shows to her how he used magic to create his SkyWing self and that he enchanted a necklace made of thick metal for her that can take away Peril's firescales forever. Chameleon offers the necklace to Peril and Peril takes it and puts it on. Suddenly, she loses her firescales...as well as losing her memories of Clay and becoming completely and forever loyal to Scarlet as part of the spell's secret side effects. Peril becomes happy and agrees to kill Ruby and get back Scarlet's throne.
They go to the Sky Kingdom to get back her throne and start by kidnapping Ruby's son, Prince Cliff, from the palace wingery. Because of Peril, nobody wants to attack Scarlet because they believe that Peril would kill them because they don't know that she lost her firescales. The Ex-Queen, Chameleon, Peril, and Cliff settle down in Scarlet's old throne room and wait for Ruby to arrive. Scarlet orders Vermillion to come to her and she scolds her son for not following any of the orders she asked while she dreamvisited him in her Weirdling tower cell: bringing a army back to rescue her, try to secretly assassinate Ruby, etc. She assures to Vermillion that he will be punished.
Ruby arrives early the next day with a squadron of SkyWings. Her plans to defeat Scarlet were foiled, for Scarlet was holding Ruby's beloved son, Prince Cliff hostage, and would make Peril kill him if she took another step. Ruby surrenders to her and is imprisoned. Scarlet orders Peril and Chameleon to watch Cliff on the highest tower in the Palace. After Cliff escapes and reunites with his mother, Scarlet appears and tells Peril to burn them. She refuses, finally realizing she is done with Scarlet and her games, and Peril takes off her necklace and regains her old self. Ruby, then, officially challenges Scarlet to a fight for the throne. Ruby was beaten down by Scarlet and was losing the fight until Peril learns by Chameleon that Ruby was Tourmaline all along, and when she destroys Ruby's earring, Ruby transforms into the long lost SkyWing princess. Scarlet says she made up Ruby because Tourmaline was becoming too dangerous. Tourmaline then finishes the duel by snapping Scarlet's neck and shouting "For the SkyWings!" ending Scarlet's life and her reign as Queen of the SkyWings.
Darkness of Dragons
Though not making a formal appearance, it is revealed that Scarlet was married and that several guests at her wedding were mysteriously assassinated (most likely by Cobra).
Family Tree
| Carmine | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunset | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Several Generations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| More | Firestorm | Unknown | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canyon | Scarlet | 3 Dragons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vermilion | Hawk | 11 Dragons | 2 Dragons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ruby | Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cliff | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quotes
"Certainly not, [...] Not unless you want to fight me for it, which I don't advise." -To Clay about keeping all of the treasure a scavenger stole from her.
"Blech, [...] Now, that's just unfair, [...] First of all, thieves are always trying to steal my beautiful treasure. And then they aren't even delicious when I catch them. [...] All stringy and tasting like fish. Yuck." -Thinking out loud to Clay and Tsunami.
"You don't know who I am? [...] How upsetting. I'm really very hurt. Either I need to get out more, or you're not a very good spy, are you, SeaWing?" -To Tsunami.
"A SeaWing and a MudWing together, [...] Let's see. I know you're not from my dungeons, unless I'm getting horribly forgetful... so who was holding you? Blaze? I don't think she has prison camps. Wouldn't fit with her everybody-love-me act." -To Tsunami and Clay.
"A MudWing using his head, [...] You don't see that very often." -Thinking out loud to Clay.
"Oh, neither do I, [...] That's why it makes me so sad when trouble keeps coming to me. [...] Nobody touches my treasure." -To Tsunami when she says she doesn't want trouble.
"Oh, [...] didn't I say? My name is Scarlet. But I highly reccomend you call me Your Majesty if you want to live." -To Clay and Tsunami when they ask who she is.
"Now you, MudWing, make me curious. We're on the same side. So why didn't you recognize me?" -To Clay.
"I like to hear the MudWing speak, [...] All rumbly and deep and nervous." -To Tsunami about Clay.
"Already? [...] But that's heartbreaking. I hate being abandoned mid-conversation. There's so much more I want to know about you. [...] I think the only place you should go is back to my palace in the sky. Doesn't that sound thrilling? Don't say no, it'll hurt my feelings. You're just what I've been looking for ." -To Clay when he says he and Tsunami need to leave.
"What thrilling news. Kestrel is a part of this? I've been looking for her for an awfully long time." -To the Dragonets of Destiny when she follows them back to the cave.
"I haven't seen Kestrel in, what, seven years? [...] What a fun reunion this is going to be, [...] All my least favorite dragons in one place." -Thinking out loud.
"Oh, I didn't have to, [...] Someone sent up a lovely, helpful smoke signal for me. Led us all right here. What a brilliant idea." -To Tsunami about how she followed her and Clay back to the cave.
"Now really, this is getting insulting, [...] You're in my territory. Apparently you're living under my mountain. I am only the most important dragon for hundreds of miles. How dare you not recognize me?" -To Sunny when she asks who she is.
"Now that's more like it, [...] Three moons, it's gloomy in here." -To Starflight when he bows to her.
"My goodness, [...] You're a NightWing! [...] A NightWing not yet ten years old, [...] How thrilling! They don't normally let their dragonets out into the world. We might corrupt their superior perfection or something, you know. [...] I've never had a NightWing in my arena before. Thrilling, thrilling! Tell me, what am I thinking right now? [...] Too hard? [...] I'll give you a hint. I'm thinking-- now why would a NightWing, a SeaWing, and a MudWing be hiding out under my mountain? Along with whatever those two are that the MudWing is cutely trying to protect? [...] This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain prophecy, would it?" -To Starflight.
"They're mine now." -To Dune.
"But what if it's my destiny to play with them? [...] Oh, wait, that's right, [...] I don't care about destiny. I don't care about prophecies or any of that NightWing silliness." -To Dune.
"Besides, they made me awfully mad and then ran away. That happens to me far too often, but you know what? I always find the ones who betray me in the end. Even if I have to wait seven years. [...] Right Kestrel?" -To Dune about the dragonets and then Kestrel.
"Kestrel, [...] That sounded like an order. Have you switched from disobeying orders to giving them now?" -To Kestrel when she says to take her and leave the dragonets.
"You will come with me, [...] Funny that you thought you had a choice about that. We've got a thrilling trial planned, followed by an even more thrilling execution. But as for these little dragons... [...] You can't really expect me to give up prizes like this." -To Kestrel about herself and the dragonet's fates.
"Oh, they're just the new blood my arena needs. It would be terribly sad to let them go. I would be too, too devastated." -To Kestrel about the dragonets.
"Take them all, [...] Except this one, of course." -An order to her soldiers, saying to capture Kestrel, Webs, and the dragonets, but leave Dune.
"I mean, what use is a crippled dragon who can't fly? I'm surprised you haven't killed yourself already, SandWing. But I can take care of that for you." - To Dune when he tried to protect the dragonets of destiny in The Dragonet Prophecy.
"Oooo, [...] The Talons of Peace. I hope they try storming my sky palace to save you. That would be thrilling fun. Especially the part where we slaughter them all." -Thinking out loud to Kestrel.
"Bring in the combatants." -An order.
"Well, that was boring, [...] I hope some of you up there are braver than this pathetic creature." -To her prisoners about Horizon fighting Peril.
"Don't worry, [...] We have a special treat tomorrow. Something we've never seen before! Hopefully this time someone will at least try to amuse me, unlike some dragons. [...] Dismissed." -To the arena's audience.
"The NightWing is trying to tell you that it's rude to talk to anyone else before the queen in her own throne room, [...] First you bow to me, and then you stay put until I'm ready to address you all. Really, what are they teaching dragonets these days? It's so very disrespectful." -To Clay.
"Well, hello, [...] We've been waiting for you. I gather you're enjoying your stay?" -When Tsunami appears in the throne room.
"--dragonets of destiny, yes, very thrilling, [...] I understand you've been underground for the last six years, so perhaps you haven't heard: not everyone wants this war to end. [...] Personally, I think the war is quite entertaining, [...] I pick up lots of contenders for the arena from the battlefield. And it's a perfect distraction for those dragons who might otherwise have challenged me for the throne. No one's even tried in about eight or nine years. Saves me a lot of trouble." -To Tsunami.
"As if you know anything about that. Have you ever been in a real battle? Have you ever seen hundreds of dragons die? Do you know anything, really, about this war?" -To Tsunami.
"Well, it's easy to say war is awful, [...] But it's a lot harder to solve these problems without having a war. Especially when you're talking about dragons. Fighting comes naturally to us. You should know-- you attacked me when you barely even knew me. [...] And who should be the next SandWing queen? [...] Burn, Blister, or Blaze? I'd love to know if you've already decided that, from the wisdom and wide experience of your safe little underground cave." -To Tsunami.
"That's what you think, [...] Hilarious. As if you'd have survived this long out here. Your minders did tell you what happened to all the other dragonets born on the brightest night, didn't they? [...] Tsk, tsk, [...] Well, I won't go into the details, but it was very sad." -To Tsunami.
"Oh, the funny-looking SandWing, [...] I think Burn will like her very much. She collects curiosities. You should see her palace. It's quite horrifying-- full of two-headed lizards and seven-toed dragon talons and stuffed scavengers with the palest skin you ever saw. [...] That misshapen dragonet will be the perfect present for her." -To Clay about Sunny.
"I can do whatever I like, [...] This is my kingdom." -To Tsunami.
"Nothing's wrong with her, [...] She's quite perfect, if you ask me. A lovely accessory for my throne room." -To Clay about Glory.
"RainWings are naturally lazy creatures, [...] Hadn't you noticed? But then, MudWings aren't known for their brains." -To Clay about Glory.
"Shush, [...] Your spunkiness is starting to bore me. Now listen. In two days, we are having a big celebration for my hatching day. I want all three of you to be thrilling and fierce in the arena for me. But I also promised my subjects that today's fight would be exciting, so if I put one of you into it, it would be very thoughtful if you could win. So. Is the NightWing up to it? Which of you is most likely to win a battle to the death against, say, an IceWing?" -To the dragonets.
"Adorable, [...] But seriously."
"True."
"I love your enthusiasm, dragonets, [...] Guards, take these two away. [...] As for this one... [...] Prepare him for the arena."
"All right, dragons. [...] Fjord and Clay, we don't have all day. Some of us have kingdoms to run. One of you kill the other one right now, or I'm coming down there to end you both myself."
"Get up there!"
"Loyal subjects, [...] This dragon, Kestrel, once of the SkyWings, stands accused of the highest treason-- disobeying me. Vermilion speaks for the prosecution."
"Well said. [...] Now Osprey may speak for the defense. Or not, if he'd prefer to sleep through this trial, too."
"Certainly, [...] That's what you're here to do. Go ahead."
"Osprey, [...] Speak plainly, or do not speak at all. And let me point out that one of those options would be much smarter than the other."
"We all know this, [...] Skip ahead to the part where we execute her."
"Quite reasonable."
"So you agree she disobeyed me, [...] Then I think we're done here."
"And then I changed my mind again, [...] I am the queen. I can do that."
"Sounds guilty to me, [...] We'll execute her tomorrow. And while we're at it, let's execute him, too, for boring me."
"Oh, yes, [...] Didn't I mention she's still alive? And working for me? [...] You're not supposed to be here."
"Look at the trouble you've caused, [...] Peril, dear. Would you have wanted to know your mother was alive somewhere, raising other dragonets and wishing she'd killed you instead of your brother? [...] She could have escaped with your brother, [...] You're the one who burned her when she tried to save you. She thought she chose wrong. That's why she didn't come back for you. [...] Haven't I kept you alive all these years? [...] Finding you the black rocks, feeding you, making you my champion? Don't you appreciate all the things I've done for you? Aren't I a better mother than her anyway?"
"What?" "Now where, [...] did you hear about that particular law?"
"I bet you did, [...] With claws that burn right through paper when you touch it. Someone's been telling you things too big for little dragon ears."
"I hope this has been a lesson to any other dragons who were thinking of teaching my champion bad habits."
"He will be soon. [...] Now. I won't argue with the Champion's Shield. The champion has asked to stand for the prisoner. I will choose her opponent, and they will battle at the end of the games tomorrow. If she wins, Kestrel goes free. If not, well, I'll have a dead champion, but at least we'll get to execute Kestrel right afterward. All in all, a wonderfully bloody day for me and Queen Burn to look forward to."
"You, [...] And you. [...] And-- well, probably not you, but get down here anyway."
"Bring them this way."
"Out."
"I'm the queen here, [...] You do as I say. Go sleep in the arena. If anyone else tries to sing, fly up and burn out his tongue."
"In here, [...] You will not interrupt my feast again, [...] I'm sure you're very amused with yourselves.
"SMOLDER! I HEAR YOU DOWN THERE! If you don't bring me more water right now, I swear I will catch that scavenger of yours and EAT HER." - To Smolder while Scarlet was imprisoned in Burn's Stronghold.
"I have an IceWing pawn that should be thrillingly useful."
"He was obviously a lost cause. Kept making this hero face to me, like I'm the bad guy and he's coming to right all wrongs. Excuse me, who got attacked by her own artwork and then kidnapped by her ally and then blackmailed by her champion mid-rescue while meanwhile her own daughter was stealing her throne? Who's the one with the hideous face maiming? Whose throne is currently OCCUPIED by a PRETENDER who can NEVER have beaten me in a challenge before? WHO had her whole life RUINED and demolished and shattered by those STUPID HORRIBLE DRAGONETS?" "ME, THAT'S WHO! I'm the victim here! Someone should be all heroically trying to help ME right all wrongs! Where's my rotten cavalry of loyal idiots?" - Arguing with Chameleon in Winter Turning.
"You owe me!"
"You sound like you're digesting an overweight grizzly bear," - To Peril in Escaping Peril
"You think you're so smart, pathetic daughter. But your love for this dragonet is a weakness. After I kill you, do you know what I'm going to do to him? I'm going to make him fear me. I'm going to make him so loyal to me that he'll forget your name. He'll obey my every command." - To Ruby, about Cliff.
"He'll be my adorable little weapon, and he'll forget all about you. I will be his everything." - To Ruby, about Cliff.
"What use are diamonds to me? If I want something, I don't pay for it; I take it. And right now, groveling prince, I only want two things: my throne back --and vengeance" - To Winter, using the dreamvisitor.
"Little SandWing, you think Burn is what you have to worry about right now. She's not. I am. I'll be free soon...free...and I'll be coming for all of my enemies...Think about that while you try to fall asleep... what I'm going to do to your friends when I get my claws on them...how messy and thrilling it's going to be..." - To Sunny in Burn's weirdling tower.
"Here's some interesting information for you. Your queen doesn't want her nephew back as badly as you think. I visited her dreams for a proposal: Help me drag my conniving daughter off my throne, and she could have him. Would you believe she turned me down? She said he'd been mourned already, and her duty was to protect the yet-unlost lives of her subjects. Doesn't that make you furious, ice dragon?"
"Dragonets. I never saw the appeal."
"Who would dare challenge me now? You, my dreaming daughter? Go ahead and try. If you even think about, you know who's talons will find your throat in the middle of the night." - A thought of Ruby's, describing her mother's viciousness.
"I thought your power was limited, something about consequences, something, blah." - To Chameleon
"That's Queen Scarlet to you!"
Trivia
- The deceased SkyWing Dragonet of Destiny may have been Scarlet's own dragonet, as the egg was stolen from the palace. This has yet to be confirmed, however, it also has yet to be disproved.
- She had been mistakenly described with amber eyes when they are actually yellow.
- Tui admitted before one of her favorite words was "thrilling", just like Scarlet.[3]
- She had killed her mother, three sisters, and eleven daughters before Tourmaline challenged her to obtain the throne.
- The name "Scarlet" implies a red color, yet Scarlet is ironically orange. Tui has admitted that this was an oversight on her part, and regrets her choice to make Scarlet orange.
- She is one of the seven characters whose name is ironic, the others being Quickdeath, Quickstrike, Slaughter, Coconut, Secretkeeper, Chameleon and Mindreader.
- Queen Scarlet states in Escaping Peril that no dragon ever questions who a queen takes as her dragonet, although the only reason why was probably because the SkyWings feared her.
- She is one of the identifiable four dragons that are in the cover art of book they aren't the PoV of, the other three being Princess Anemone, Prince Turtle, and Cricket.
- It is revealed in Darkness of Dragons that Queen Scarlet was once married, although it is unknown to whom she was married.
- Scarlet may have been responsible for her husband's death as Tui stated that his death was related to his marriage to Scarlet.
- Tui also says that her husband may have been forced into marriage.
- Before Queen Wasp's introduction, and second only to Queen Oasis, Scarlet was the longest-ruling queen at exactly thirty years.
- In Scarlet's character profile, the word written in big letters at the top is 'VAIN'." Tui determined that vanity would be Scarlet's defining characteristic while searching for traits that are unusual to find in a villain.[4]
- Ex-Queen Scarlet is one of the few dragons depicted to have jewels embedded in her body, the others being Ex-Princess Onyx, Queen Moorhen, Princess Snowfox, and Queen Vigilance.
- She is the first dragon on a cover to be seen wearing jewelry or another item. The second is Turtle, and Anemone (since they had a cover on the same book), the third is Qibli, and the forth is Cricket.
- Even though Scarlet is smaller than Kestrel it's not because she's younger but rather because Scarlet is naturally small at least for a SkyWing.[4]
Gallery
References