eyeofthewolfe:

Unseen, But Never Forgotten

The Backstory To Lady Iron Dragon

I saved myself by destroying everything about me.

I should probably expand on that, or else you might start thinking I’m not the glorious and wonderful mom you think I am. I mean, that I expect, or…hope, you think. The truth is I’m…not. I may wear a smile and encourage you to be your best but on the inside I’m just as torn as you are.

I know you are upset about everything that is going on. Your dad…our family situation…the fear you probably live in each day; it’s not fair for you. So….I’m going to tell you the truth. About everything.

I should start with me. I’m….not a graduate from that school I made up, and I don’t have any real degrees. And you don’t know anything about your grandparents or aunts because…well, I’ll get to that. The first thing you need to know is that I’m actually a princess.

Well, technically a queen. I’m not referring to being the queen of our apartment, no- I used to be of royal blood, fourth in line to rule a colony. An army. Of Serpentine warriors. It was a generational honor with our family line. So any princess movies that popped in your head you need to forget about them. I’m not the type of princess who wears dresses and hosts tea parties. I wore armor and…well, I led assault parties.

I can’t imagine what’s running through your head right now. I raised you to think I couldn’t harm a fly. I’m not proud of who I was, well, who I am. I did everything I could to strip that image away from me but everyday I still wake up to my elder sisters’ war cry and my mom’s soft hum of war.

I was raised to the highest of my mother’s expectations. She wanted her kingdom to be the most powerful, and power came from fear. She wanted everyone to fear me and my sisters.

My father was the king until he died shortly after I was born. My mother took over and raised all of her daughters to be weapons of war, masters of all fighting arts, and the conquerors of all who dared opposed us.

My sister was older by seven years, the next by five, then three and then me. We were all trained how to throw a blade by age two. By age four we had mastered two fighting styles. By age six we could use ten different weapons. By age ten we could lead a squad of warriors. Age fifteen was a big year for all of us. It was the year we took our first life.

Mother had a strict code about killing. We were not allowed to kill an enemy unless we had her consent. She didn’t want us to kill to early or else she feared the blood on our hands could unwillingly want us to have more. That was her theory at least.

I was eight when my eldest sister killed the leader of a rebellious group outside of our kingdom. She favored a broadsword so she beheaded him in one solid swing.

At that moment, eight-year old me pledged to never let myself drop to that level. I wasn’t like my sisters or my mother; I was a warrior but a warrior for peace. Death was only necessary when fighting for what was truly and morally right, and therefore killing one who was just trying to protect his family’s village was disgustingly bad.

I never voiced these opinions to my family in the fear that they would cut my tongue out. Instead, I trained, fought, and pleased my family year after year. The second eldest reached of age and shot an arrow right through one of our traitorous maid’s neck. Then the third eldest two years changed everything.

She challenged the Iron Dragon to death-by-combat.

The Iron Dragon was the guardian of a peaceful village nearby. He matched all of our skills but also practiced peacemaking as much as fought for the protection of his people. This village in the eyes of my mother was a threat to our kingdom because of the strength they had in numbers and the loyalty they had to the Iron Dragon. In order to not only celebrate her big 15th birthday, my sister went above and beyond and decided to chop off the head of our mother’s worries. At first the Iron Dragon denied her offer, but after surrounding the village with a few ranks of Serpentine warriors he finally accepted.

The fight was terrible only because it was over in less than a minute. The Iron Dragon may of had decades of experience but my sister had the unfulfilling thirst for spilled blood on her hands that mother had installed into her. Even worse, she had ‘graciously’ invited Iron Dragon’s village to come cheer him on. They all watched their beloved protector die by the hands of a fifteen year old girl.

The next three years were the scariest years of my life only because my mother had gotten exactly what she wanted. All neighboring villages and kingdoms heard of the brutal death of Iron Dragon and how it was at the hands of the fifteen-year-old princess. No enemy would dare oppose us. My mother had achieved her goal and it was terrifying.

Half a year before my fifteenth birthday my mother revealed the plan that she had crafted in and through us. After I had become of age, we would each lead an army of our troops in four different directions and conquer everything in our path. She wanted our kingdom to not only take over this world but the universe. Her four daughters were the instruments of her song of war.

I couldn’t let this happen. I was not going to let my family destroy and conquer the world for sport. So on the morning of my fifteenth birthday when I was to announce the life I was to take, I ended everything.

I had to make the second hardest decision of my life that day, and it’s a decision I have to live with for the rest of my life. You see, I fulfilled my birthday traditions and took a life. But I didn’t stop there.

I declared war on myself and everything I was built on.

I woke up on my birthday long before my mother would call for the ceremony. It’s tradition that the daughter turning of age wouldn’t be seen by the family until the event. I wrote a name on my condemnation paper that I knew my mother would approve of and then went to get into my armor.

I wore armor that my whole family would recognize. It was supposed to; I wore the very armor that the Iron Dragon wore to battle my sister. Ever since that fight it has been in the trophy room collecting dust.

The weapons I used were a battle axe and a sword. When I left the trophy room to head to the ceremonial room, I had to cut down every guard that charged me for treason.

The castle was empty of guards when I arrived for my coming of age kill.

By then it was too late for my family. I had the skill of my eldest daughter, the precision of the second eldest, the rage and energy of the third, and the passion of my mother. My contribution was the most important of all- the heart of an avenger.

I told them that they had the choice to surrender, and that I would prefer it that way. I told them that I did not want to destroy my family like this but I couldn’t let my family destroy the world. That’s when all three of my sisters charged me with their weapons drawn and pointed for the kill.

When it was all over, I turned to face my mother, but it was already too late. In the shock of what was happening and the horror of losing her dream one death at a time, her heart had just stopped beating. And that is the story of how I became queen on my fifteenth birthday.

I became the new leader of our kingdom’s Serpentine forces and devoted our time and effort to spreading peace. It took some time of negotiation but soon other villages and kingdoms came to trust and ally with me. For the village that once praised Iron Dragon…they were a bit harder to befriend but once they saw my true self they asked me to continue to wear the armor of their deceased guardian in his honor. It was then I was birthed the legendary name you are probably familiar with: Lady Iron Dragon.

My legacy, as most youth praise today, is truly one fit for legends even though I did the most terrible things to my family. I can never forgive myself for my actions even though they were just.

I saw the love of ambition and conquering my mother had in Garmadon’s heart even though I wished to teach him otherwise. I loved him for his passion and courage but deep down he was just like my own family. Maybe I thought that if I could change Garmadon I could finally forgive myself for what I did…but Garmadon never changed. After you were born I had to make the hardest decision of my life- to give up. In order to protect your own heart I had to keep it away from the temptations that he and I had in our childhood. I know this crushed Garmadon as it did I, but it had to be done to save you.

I’m not the greatest mom, and you may think that a lot. I don’t have a role model to look at when I attempted to raise you properly. I try to speak words of wisdom and experience but nothing of my past can help you with the struggles you face in school. My mother would just say that you had to find the nearest weapon…well, I shouldn’t continue.

The one thing I can do, however, is love you. And I do- so very much. Even though I have never told you my past before doesn’t mean that I didn’t think you deserved to know about my past, for I didn’t thing you deserved to carry my own burden as well as yours. You are just a normal kid in high school getting by day after day…I don’t want your life suddenly changing because your mom was the Lady Iron Dragon and now you feel like you too could be a warrior. Let’s not think too crazy now.

As I write this, it dawns on me why I even decided to jot down my whole life story for you. Lloyd, my most amazing son, you have been acting distant lately. You arrive home past nightfall a few times a week, you get nervous when talking about Garmadon’s attacks, and you want me to give you more space. I don’t know if this is a teenager thing or if there is something wrong. I don’t want you to think you have to keep anything from me. Even if it’s something you are incredibly guilty about, I’m here to talk about it. Trust me, I know what you are feeling. Just…I’m here for you Lloyd. I love you so much.

Love, Mom

******************

Misako softly put her pen on the counter and stared at the paper in front of her. One day she will give it to her son. He needed to know the truth. But not today.

She quietly stood from her chair at the table and stretched once before approaching Lloyd’s room. She quietly peeked her head in.

The high schooler was passed out on his bed with one arm draped over his head and his mouth open in mid-snore.

Koko smiled warmly. She silently entered the room and approached her son. Without making any sound, she leaned down and kissed his forehead.

“Happy birthday, my little Iron Dragon,” she whispered under her breath. Lloyd made a sleeping grumble but didn’t wake.

Shutting his door as quietly as she had opened it, she returned back to the table, picked up the letter, and folded it carefully as she slipped into her room. She barely glanced at her closet where her hidden armor lay in the shadows…unseen but never forgotten.

Unseen, But Never Forgotten

The Backstory To Lady Iron Dragon

I saved myself by destroying everything about me.

I should probably expand on that, or else you might start thinking I’m not the glorious and wonderful mom you think I am. I mean, that I expect, or…hope, you think. The truth is I’m…not. I may wear a smile and encourage you to be your best but on the inside I’m just as torn as you are.

I know you are upset about everything that is going on. Your dad…our family situation…the fear you probably live in each day; it’s not fair for you. So….I’m going to tell you the truth. About everything.

I should start with me. I’m….not a graduate from that school I made up, and I don’t have any real degrees. And you don’t know anything about your grandparents or aunts because…well, I’ll get to that. The first thing you need to know is that I’m actually a princess.

Well, technically a queen. I’m not referring to being the queen of our apartment, no- I used to be of royal blood, fourth in line to rule a colony. An army. Of Serpentine warriors. It was a generational honor with our family line. So any princess movies that popped in your head you need to forget about them. I’m not the type of princess who wears dresses and hosts tea parties. I wore armor and…well, I led assault parties.

I can’t imagine what’s running through your head right now. I raised you to think I couldn’t harm a fly. I’m not proud of who I was, well, who I am. I did everything I could to strip that image away from me but everyday I still wake up to my elder sisters’ war cry and my mom’s soft hum of war.

I was raised to the highest of my mother’s expectations. She wanted her kingdom to be the most powerful, and power came from fear. She wanted everyone to fear me and my sisters.

My father was the king until he died shortly after I was born. My mother took over and raised all of her daughters to be weapons of war, masters of all fighting arts, and the conquerors of all who dared opposed us.

My sister was older by seven years, the next by five, then three and then me. We were all trained how to throw a blade by age two. By age four we had mastered two fighting styles. By age six we could use ten different weapons. By age ten we could lead a squad of warriors. Age fifteen was a big year for all of us. It was the year we took our first life.

Mother had a strict code about killing. We were not allowed to kill an enemy unless we had her consent. She didn’t want us to kill to early or else she feared the blood on our hands could unwillingly want us to have more. That was her theory at least.

I was eight when my eldest sister killed the leader of a rebellious group outside of our kingdom. She favored a broadsword so she beheaded him in one solid swing.

At that moment, eight-year old me pledged to never let myself drop to that level. I wasn’t like my sisters or my mother; I was a warrior but a warrior for peace. Death was only necessary when fighting for what was truly and morally right, and therefore killing one who was just trying to protect his family’s village was disgustingly bad.

I never voiced these opinions to my family in the fear that they would cut my tongue out. Instead, I trained, fought, and pleased my family year after year. The second eldest reached of age and shot an arrow right through one of our traitorous maid’s neck. Then the third eldest two years changed everything.

She challenged the Iron Dragon to death-by-combat.

The Iron Dragon was the guardian of a peaceful village nearby. He matched all of our skills but also practiced peacemaking as much as fought for the protection of his people. This village in the eyes of my mother was a threat to our kingdom because of the strength they had in numbers and the loyalty they had to the Iron Dragon. In order to not only celebrate her big 15th birthday, my sister went above and beyond and decided to chop off the head of our mother’s worries. At first the Iron Dragon denied her offer, but after surrounding the village with a few ranks of Serpentine warriors he finally accepted.

The fight was terrible only because it was over in less than a minute. The Iron Dragon may of had decades of experience but my sister had the unfulfilling thirst for spilled blood on her hands that mother had installed into her. Even worse, she had ‘graciously’ invited Iron Dragon’s village to come cheer him on. They all watched their beloved protector die by the hands of a fifteen year old girl.

The next three years were the scariest years of my life only because my mother had gotten exactly what she wanted. All neighboring villages and kingdoms heard of the brutal death of Iron Dragon and how it was at the hands of the fifteen-year-old princess. No enemy would dare oppose us. My mother had achieved her goal and it was terrifying.

Half a year before my fifteenth birthday my mother revealed the plan that she had crafted in and through us. After I had become of age, we would each lead an army of our troops in four different directions and conquer everything in our path. She wanted our kingdom to not only take over this world but the universe. Her four daughters were the instruments of her song of war.

I couldn’t let this happen. I was not going to let my family destroy and conquer the world for sport. So on the morning of my fifteenth birthday when I was to announce the life I was to take, I ended everything.

I had to make the second hardest decision of my life that day, and it’s a decision I have to live with for the rest of my life. You see, I fulfilled my birthday traditions and took a life. But I didn’t stop there.

I declared war on myself and everything I was built on.

I woke up on my birthday long before my mother would call for the ceremony. It’s tradition that the daughter turning of age wouldn’t be seen by the family until the event. I wrote a name on my condemnation paper that I knew my mother would approve of and then went to get into my armor.

I wore armor that my whole family would recognize. It was supposed to; I wore the very armor that the Iron Dragon wore to battle my sister. Ever since that fight it has been in the trophy room collecting dust.

The weapons I used were a battle axe and a sword. When I left the trophy room to head to the ceremonial room, I had to cut down every guard that charged me for treason.

The castle was empty of guards when I arrived for my coming of age kill.

By then it was too late for my family. I had the skill of my eldest daughter, the precision of the second eldest, the rage and energy of the third, and the passion of my mother. My contribution was the most important of all- the heart of an avenger.

I told them that they had the choice to surrender, and that I would prefer it that way. I told them that I did not want to destroy my family like this but I couldn’t let my family destroy the world. That’s when all three of my sisters charged me with their weapons drawn and pointed for the kill.

When it was all over, I turned to face my mother, but it was already too late. In the shock of what was happening and the horror of losing her dream one death at a time, her heart had just stopped beating. And that is the story of how I became queen on my fifteenth birthday.

I became the new leader of our kingdom’s Serpentine forces and devoted our time and effort to spreading peace. It took some time of negotiation but soon other villages and kingdoms came to trust and ally with me. For the village that once praised Iron Dragon…they were a bit harder to befriend but once they saw my true self they asked me to continue to wear the armor of their deceased guardian in his honor. It was then I was birthed the legendary name you are probably familiar with: Lady Iron Dragon.

My legacy, as most youth praise today, is truly one fit for legends even though I did the most terrible things to my family. I can never forgive myself for my actions even though they were just.

I saw the love of ambition and conquering my mother had in Garmadon’s heart even though I wished to teach him otherwise. I loved him for his passion and courage but deep down he was just like my own family. Maybe I thought that if I could change Garmadon I could finally forgive myself for what I did…but Garmadon never changed. After you were born I had to make the hardest decision of my life- to give up. In order to protect your own heart I had to keep it away from the temptations that he and I had in our childhood. I know this crushed Garmadon as it did I, but it had to be done to save you.

I’m not the greatest mom, and you may think that a lot. I don’t have a role model to look at when I attempted to raise you properly. I try to speak words of wisdom and experience but nothing of my past can help you with the struggles you face in school. My mother would just say that you had to find the nearest weapon…well, I shouldn’t continue.

The one thing I can do, however, is love you. And I do- so very much. Even though I have never told you my past before doesn’t mean that I didn’t think you deserved to know about my past, for I didn’t thing you deserved to carry my own burden as well as yours. You are just a normal kid in high school getting by day after day…I don’t want your life suddenly changing because your mom was the Lady Iron Dragon and now you feel like you too could be a warrior. Let’s not think too crazy now.

As I write this, it dawns on me why I even decided to jot down my whole life story for you. Lloyd, my most amazing son, you have been acting distant lately. You arrive home past nightfall a few times a week, you get nervous when talking about Garmadon’s attacks, and you want me to give you more space. I don’t know if this is a teenager thing or if there is something wrong. I don’t want you to think you have to keep anything from me. Even if it’s something you are incredibly guilty about, I’m here to talk about it. Trust me, I know what you are feeling. Just…I’m here for you Lloyd. I love you so much.

Love, Mom

******************

Misako softly put her pen on the counter and stared at the paper in front of her. One day she will give it to her son. He needed to know the truth. But not today.

She quietly stood from her chair at the table and stretched once before approaching Lloyd’s room. She quietly peeked her head in.

The high schooler was passed out on his bed with one arm draped over his head and his mouth open in mid-snore.

Koko smiled warmly. She silently entered the room and approached her son. Without making any sound, she leaned down and kissed his forehead.

“Happy birthday, my little Iron Dragon,” she whispered under her breath. Lloyd made a sleeping grumble but didn’t wake.

Shutting his door as quietly as she had opened it, she returned back to the table, picked up the letter, and folded it carefully as she slipped into her room. She barely glanced at her closet where her hidden armor lay in the shadows…unseen but never forgotten.

Don’t mind Garm’s anatomy. I can’t get him right for the life of me!

@dinogaby So about Oni Koko being a thing—

@dinogaby I mean… Garmadon did warn her.