The Dragon Princess

The snow-covered landscape was barren, save for a trail that could be seen through the snow. A pair of small boots had left behind a tiny set of prints, and along the edges of the trail, small divots appeared as if something was being dragged along. The soldier, holding back a palace hound, stood there looking at the boot prints in the snow. He eyed her path curiously, wondering where the person who left the prints was going. He instructed his unit to keep going through the blizzard, the lands of which were laden with heavy drifts of snow, and there was no visibility. The captain feared that if he did not press on, he would lose the trail.
“Captain Troke, will we make it in time?” a soldier called out as he pushed forward.
“We must move on, or we will lose her highness entirely. If we lose her, none of us will live to see tomorrow,” he replied, releasing one of his hounds to keep on her trail. The silver-white dog ran ahead of them, and the group followed in hot pursuit of the trail.
In the distance, she walked onwards, clutching her shawl to her chest. The tears on her face had frozen about the corners of her eyes, and she forced herself onwards, her feet digging into the biting cold snow. She could hear the palace hounds baying in the background, and the sound spurred her on.
As she walked, she could see the fallen ruins and statues that lined the path, evidence of a time long past. She neared an old altar, the snow crunching beneath her feet with each step. Looking back, she could see the dogs getting closer. She felt a surge of adrenaline as she ran to the altar, her heart pounding in her chest. Falling atop the snow-covered altar, the dogs surrounded her. They bayed at her heels as she looked out, seeing Troke and the palace guards.
Gripped by fear, she stood on the altar in the snow, surrounded by ruins of broken dragon statues and baying hounds. She froze and felt her heartbeat thump loudly. She felt an unimaginable warmth growing at her feet, and the altar began to glow, casting a warm and comforting light over the scene. She heard a voice in her head, speaking loudly and shaking her to her core.
“What have you come for, child of Old Kings?” it demanded, vibrating through her entire being. Her eyes looked at Troke's, seized and locked in a moment, perhaps her only chance.
“I ask for the asylum of the Dragon Court,” she said, forcing the words out of herself. The captain looked at her, bewildered and in shock.
“Princess Eclaire, you must not…” his voice was cut off as a dragon emerged from the snow behind the altar. Its scales glistened in the pale light of the rising sun, and it stood there as the dogs fell silent. Its talons reached up to grasp the princess, and its deep blue eyes searched hers. She felt it looking at her soul, and for one moment, she felt at peace.
Legend has it that Princess Eclaire made a journey to the Court of Dragons, where she was asked to give up something that was valuable to her. It is said that she willingly gave up this precious possession, and the Court of Dragons took it and split it into several pieces of power that they kept for themselves. The process of transformation that she underwent during this ritual was profound, and it made her different and new, granting her abilities and powers that were beyond the comprehension of ordinary humans.
After this transformation, Princess Eclaire disappeared from the public eye and hasn't been seen for years. Her story has become one of the most popular myths of the continent, with many people speculating about her fate and the nature of the powers she was granted. Some believe that she became a deity, while others think that she is now a dragon herself, living in the Court of Dragons as a protector of the realm. Regardless of what truly happened to her, Princess Eclaire's story continues to inspire and captivate people's imaginations to this day.