Descent of Dragons

The young empire of Freyland is ruled by dragon marked families, descendants of old dragon marked ancestors whose powers were as grand as their bloodlines were pure. The modern dragon families seek to reclaim that purity all while maintaining their rule over an expanding empire. Lesser marked individuals, those that bear the mark of the bull, the sparrow, or the monkey, are considered inferior to their dragon rulers. Their bloodlines have been diluted with the blood of the unmarked. The blanks, as they are called. Though the lesser marks are seen as inferior, those who possess them still hold power over the lowest ranking people in Freyland. Blanks are those born without a mark, and consequently without the powers they grant. They are the majority of the empire and are seen as an expendable resource to the Niche, the marked individuals who look down on them. A blank knight of the palace, known as a Stalwart, has spent his whole life serving the crown, following in the footsteps of his father and his father before him. A single catastrophic night costs this man everything he holds dear. The palace meets his devastation with condemnation and betrayal, igniting within him a dangerous desire for change. A dragon marked princess of the palace carries a gift of the old ancestors, one that feels far more like a burden. She can see the rebellion growing beyond the palace walls. She can see the war that follows. She is left with a decision that could very well shape the future of the empire for centuries to come.